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Tech Zone

I've been interested in computers since I was very young, spending time with a family friend who built his own PC before anyone had heard of owning their own computer. In Highschool, I graduated from terrorizing my step-mom's 286, to having my very own 386DX, and I started a small BBS system called The Simulated Planet. After a couple years of BBS, my friends sister who was going to PSU, and had access to a shell there, opened our minds to the unbelievable world of The Internet. I shut down the BBS (which once I figured out what the Internet really was, was obviously obsolete) and started getting into IRC. While on IRC, I became in need of tools, and so I started modifying bots and writing ircII scripts. Though my shell at Agora I learned about unix, and it wasn't long before I had my very own Linux box.

Today, Ubuntu Linux is my primary OS, but I support all manor of windows, Macintosh, and  Linux boxes. I sometimes work on small opensource projects, including:

  • Nefarious ircd A multi-network supported ircu branch.
  • X3 Channel Services for universal ircd


    • IRC Etiquette: Can I PM you?

    Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:53
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    Since IRC evolved out of college UNIX nerds into the average PC user, many of the customs of IRC were overwhelmed by new users who simply didn't know the culture around IRC.

    One of the results are little annoyances when sub-groups came up with their own rules which conflict. One example is the question "Can I PM you?", or strangers trying to chat with you in PM who could be talking in a channel.

    IRC, unlike IM clients, is built around channels. As a general rule, conversations should be carried out in channels. Private Messages (PMs) should be reserved for when you have some 'need' for secrecy, or if the conversation you’re having would be inappropriate in the channels you share with your target. So instead of asking if its OK to PM someone, use your own judgment. If you find a PM is necessary, asking is not necessary.

     

    Debian Linux on a Dell Inspiron 8200

    Saturday, 11 September 2004 13:47
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    Dell Inspiron 8200I have a Dell Inspiron 8200, and found James Strandboge's webpage on the Inspiron 8200 very valuble. It seems to be down recently (and was being hosted on a dialup) so I am mirroring a copy here in case anyone needs it, along with my own (2.6.8 kernel with pre-emption, acpi and reliable swsuspend) advances:
    Read more...
     

    Web Design Resources

    Sunday, 22 February 2004 01:29
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    Web Design

    I have become quite a website developer over the years, not exactly sure how it even happened. As a result I have started to accumulate large collections of links which are invaluble to anyone trying to keep up with the chaos of making websites look and work right.. So here they are:
  • First off, the W3C is in charge of web standards including css and html. From the W3C is this starter page.
  • As you probably heard by now, html is all but dead, even though its really the only standard fully supported by popular browsers. To replace it, is XHTML 1.0 and 1.1. These are not supported well by browsers like IE5 - but their are still ways to use them successfully.
  • If your using 4.01 Transitional or XHTML you should definately be using stylesheets, which give you a lot more abilities. To help out here, I offer links to this CSS1 Reference, and the harder to read W3C CSS Home Page.
  • Now, for reasons that arn't exactly clear, their is a push to start using ONLY XHTML .. replacing almost everything with the new <DIV> tags and CSS styles. Dispite what the previous link says, it still may be a good idea. I myself tried this recently, and failed utteryly. Because of the incompatabilities of Internet Explorer, you often have to choose between your page working with the most common browser, or your page being standard compliant. After nearly giving up, I discovered some folks who make it seem easy and they share source & ideas.
  • On your treck to do the impossible task above, you will find that sometimes its best to pull the whool over IE's eyes so you can have your cake and eat it too. For this we have some CSS Hacks.
  • If you still need some help (I know I do) try this: A site with one set of HTML, where various people provide a stylesheet that gives it style - you'll be amaised at how different it can be.
  • Still not convinced? HTML: The Misunderstood Language
  • Font size is a huge problem. Luckally there is a clear solution.
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    Coding Resources

    Sunday, 22 February 2004 01:26
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    Coding

    Freshmeat.net - Opensource Software Index
    PHP Reference Manual - PHP is (primarily) a web language (this site is done in php)
    PerlDoc - Perl documentation
    The C Programming Language By Kernighan and Ritchie. This is the ultimate guide to learning C. (These guys wrote it)

    Windows

    AdAware - Many windows programs come with harmfull additional payloads, that are installed without your knoledge or consent. AdAware huts them down.

    Linux

    Debian Planet - News and comments about debian Linux.

    Palm

    Palm Open Source - Totally Opensource software archive for Palm Pilots & other handhelds.