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Hey just a fast post here.. I’ve been using sshfs on Ubuntu (meh, linux in general) for awhile as a means of securely remotely accessing my files. I’ve taken some steps to add a line to my /etc/fstab file to make this run smoothly…

Though today I ran in to a really weird situation. I found that despite having a uid=xxxx line, the appropriate user wasn’t getting ownership of the mount. In fact, when that user would look at the permissions for the mount, it returned something like “d???? ? ? ?”. Whisky Tango Foxtrot.

Well, turned out the problem was a result of how I had my fstab arranged.

The ‘fix’ feels like a “flaky hack” to me. I had to put "port=22,comment=sshfs" at the front of the options section for the sshfs lines in my fstab. I had previously had this stuff towards the end of that section and I really would expect it not to matter. But it did.

In general, you too can add a line to your sshfs, try something like this:

sshfs#remoteusername@hostname.domain.tld:/home/remoteusername /media/remoteblahwhatever fuse port=22,comment=sshfs,BatchMode=yes,user,noauto,uid=1000,gid=1000,follow_symlinks,defaults 0 0

For more on that do a google search, you’ll find lots of good stuff on it. Just keep in mind that you may want to setup pre-shared keys for ssh, you know, add whatever to your ~/.ssh/authorized_keys to help with the mounts.. blah, go look that stuff up.

Anyway, whatever – hope that helps someone

I was first introduced to OpenVPN through IPCop OpenVPN has been a great tool for me. It allows quick and easy AND secure connections to remote networks. By using a VPN, I can use my laptop with confidence, even in an un-trusted or dangerous network. (disclaimer, DefCon is a special case - VPN helps, but is no guarantee...)

But I have two "beefs" with OpenVPN.

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'PL'-this BS-'O'

The other day I was sitting in class watching a prof write some notes on the chalkboard. As per usual, he navigated around a big section of the board that was boxed off with a note “PLO” (Please Leave On) written over it. The notes he wrote were compressed and distorted as he really needed a full board to express the idea.

Watching my prof thoughtfully navigate around the box got me thinking of how this ‘bull’ was affecting everyone in the room. There we all sat to learn something new. The person sharing their idea has so many limits on communication to navigate and this PLO box was one of them.

I recall seeing these kinds of ADVERTISEMENTS on chalkboards back in to high school. I’ve seen them thoughout my 8 years / 2 degrees at U of C… They’re nothing new and they compete for our attention. Yet I’m starting to wonder why my profs generally respect and avoid these intrusions?

We’re assaulted by advertisements and other distractions every where we go. With the ever growing presence of funtastic electronic additions to the classroom the list of distractions continues to expand. But it’s time a line is drawn and I’m drawing it at hand-written ads in the middle of main staple of education.

At U of C, we’re attending a publicly funded institution that EXISTS to FACILITATE EDUCATION. Everyone in Alberta is paying for this facility to exist and it’s not like I get a tuition break for reading constant advertisements off the chalkboard. I love that we have a vibrant community with news and information to share. However, we all know there are tons of designated post boards, bathroom stalls, rocks, side walks and foreheads available to this end.

Students, I implore you all. When you see one of these BS “PLO”s, erase it. You’re paying for this educational opportunity and someone posting their ad in the middle of your learning surface is a smite to what you’re here to accomplish.

Profs, that’s YOUR surface to express yourself. Use it all so that your thankful learned students can give you stronger ratings in return. Erasing PLOs may even result in greater respect from your students when they see you’re interested in helping them get what you’re saying.

PLOers, keep expressing yourself and your business. Just get the ‘frak’ off our chalkboards.

Phew! Okay, back to work!

iPad Promo Images

Yesterday Apple introduced their massively anticipated iPad tablet device. For those who haven’t yet heard about it, it’s basically a hudge iPhone (that doesn’t make phone calls). The iPad is meant to unlock a “new” market segment for small computing devices that is somehow not already met by the iPhone and netbooks.

The iPad doesn’t bring new functionality to the computing world, but it does consolidate and simplify use particularly of eBooks. There have long since been many very cool eBook readers out there built around providing simple means for people to read electronic books.

Amazon's Kindle eBook reader

With the release of iPad, iTunes will expand to include support for buying eBooks and of course that functionality will be easily available for regular computers and perhaps for the iPhone as well, unless Apple decides allowing that would result in you buying less stuff.

Beyond books, the iPad does all the stuff you expect from an iPhone. It runs the exact same applications (with rare exceptions), it will play back music and movies. Of course one major distinction is screen size. The iPhone’s screen is made up of 480×320 pixels where as the iPad provides 1024×768. So in the case of browsing documents, this will make a major difference. The iPad’s resolution however is like that of a standard TV – so all our new HD/widescreen content won’t fill the screen (unless you like cropping out much of the scene).

Like some of the better eBook readers, the high end iPad offers 3G connectivity. This enables those users to be connected to the internet via the cell phone network (like our smart phones). The sad part here is the extra ~$130USD for 3G is well on it’s way to paying for an Amazon Kindle or a Barnes & Noble Nook (both $260USD) which are optimized strictly for reading eBooks but both include 3G as well.

For When You Wish you'd bought a Laptop

Jobs Demoing iPad

Meh. Maybe..

Ergonomics is the Achilles’ heel of the iPad. One has to manually hold the device in a position so that you can see the screen. If you’re sitting like Steve Jobs in a chair, you’ll be fine, but anyone with decent posture to maintain can’t stay like that for hours.

Apple says the iPad can run for 10 hours playing video, but I’d NEVER be interested in holding it at a good angle for nearly that long. I don’t like watching full movies on my iPhone and that thing weighs a great deal less, not mention the added leverage factors that come in to play in holding a large screen from one side. Devices like the Kindle and the Nook (which obviously won’t be playing videos and games) are much more streamlined, so holding them like a pad of paper is going to be less of a strain.

I think the iPad is likely to enable the masses (if only via excellent marketing) to access loads of eBooks and it may boost people’s casual drawing habbits. The starting price of $500USD seems reasonable, but for people with laptops and iPhones (or iPod Touches) the device only gives you a differently shaped platform to enjoy the same content through.

The Barnes & Noble Nook

If you’re mostly just interested in reading eBooks, then save some $ and get yourself a Kindle or a Nook. They cost half as much and for another $200 or so, you can get a cheap laptop or a decent netbook for the games/multimedia side of things.

The iPad doesn’t use epaper which is really low power and is much easier on the eyes. The iPad also packs a ton of guts beyond that of a typical eBook reader thus more parts to fail, it’s heavier, etc..

Big Brother 1984

The Barnes & Noble Nook in particular uses the Open Sourced Google Android platform which therefore enables users demanding certain functionality. The Apple approach is very thoughtful, but there are occasions where Apple will squash a demanded innovation in favor of their own agenda. With devices running Google Android, it’s much easier for the innovative idea of an individual to make it’s way in to general use with the device.

For non-developers, you’d probably never realize or care about this aspect of things. For those interested in using their devices to their full abilities, Apple’s process of developing applications for the iPhone platform (which is used by the iPad) is quite exclusive and puts the interests of the users second to Apple’s.

For more information about DRM check out the Defective by Design website.

Star Trek PADDs

If you own an iPhone or iPod Touch, then no.

The iPad is interesting and beautiful like anything else Apple does. The only particularly cool new ability one gains is finger painting. The eBook functionality will be available to any machine with iTunes unless Apple decides to explicitly block that functionality to “motivate” us to buy an iPad. Further, those interested in reading eBooks should really hold out for a device with epaper as it’s so nice on the eyes. Also epaper based readers are a competitive market that’s been through a few revisions by now. Also, in going after those devices the user gains the ability to chose an open system rather than being forced in to the Apple world of absolute control. Just keep in mind most devices are insanely locked down, so if you’re going for open, pay attention (Look at the Nook).

The iPad inherits a lot of value by being tightly integrated with the existing iTunes App Store and Apple’s valuable marketing engine. Apple is in a great position to bring content that the competitors lack and they’ve nailed down making things extremely easy to use. Yet still, the iPad lacks a Camera, USB hosting, SD card reader and a lot of other features that could have helped it play more on par with features found in typical reader tablets. Perhaps if the iPad ushered in multi-tasking or even ran what looks like a desktop version of OSX my opinion would be different. But for their first version, I give it a thumbs down.

As consumers we have a ton of options from the small device world, such as the ~$350 Acer Aspire One 751H-1709, which sports a high resolution screen, a beautiful keyboard and some other nice features. There are multiple multi-media tablets out there to choose from, they all have strengths and weaknesses. At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself what ‘need’ are you wanting to satisfy.

If you were me, you’d make sure you have a laptop (a refurbished Apple is a good move), an iPhone and maybe a Nook. Apple will keep working on the iPad and perhaps before long it’ll become the Star Trek PADD that we all wish it to be.</Two_Cents>

• Ugh, having some weird connectivity problems with #Shaw right now. #yyc. Established connections are holding, new ones will sometimes work #
• Being forced to work on my pf skills.. Can't resume my Django fun until I solve this. Sigh. #
• Well, that was a good #django jam session. What? stayed up all night again? Huh.. #
• Okay, I fixed my GoDaddy problem.. I'm not happy that my DNS record randomly changed like that. WTF? #
• Well, here's a strike against GoDaddy.. They just randomly "broke" my DNS record & their management tool is "Temporarily Unavailable" #
• Having some power spikes in NW #Calgary (#yyc) over the last couple of minutes.. #
• Awesome! I managed to get another course recognized as an equivalent to stuff I already did – another step closer to grad! #
• I've spent a few hours trying to solve a Python problem the last few days – turns out it was a trivial user permissions problem. Ha ha ha, #
• Nice, this is prime time and yet I'm getting between 330 to 700 KB/s upload to my server in Texas. Not too shabby. #
• Anyone know of a good way of integrating typical #Django authentication with OpenID? I need a M to RTF. #
• Got 'git' going.. I really like that there aren't hidden directories everywhere and a requirement to use git to add/del stuff! Easy! #
• If my #Django <3 continues to grow at this rate, by next week I'll never sleep again! #
• I just registered my first, and likely only .it domain name.. Freakin rip off, but I like the name that much, I guess. #
• Talk about over optimization of parking resources http://twitti.ms/7d3z #
• King of Crows: http://bit.ly/L7D6b (from Digg) #

I've been getting started with electronics for the past while and felt it was time for me to finally blog about the adventures. In particular, tonight I'm blogging about my experience with I2C based Infra Red Range Finders. (devices that can tell how far away something is...)

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• When I become a tycoon, my bathroom tower room will look like: http://twitti.ms/Fsd5 #
• Well, I just refined my website redesign a ton. What you all think? http://www.dawning.ca #
• Whoops, damn automated Tweet thingys – gotta remember where my spies are. #
• Web Apps #
• Hardware #
• Software #
• Dawning.ca Spruced Up #
• Man, my quest to not eat chicken is a formidible task #
• Evidently Jeri Ryan is marginally larger than my hand! http://twitti.ms/4vWi #
• Mmmm, nerdy http://twitti.ms/02AF #
• Close up view of 29th centry tech – the mobile emitter prop. Looks upside down http://twitti.ms/fK71 #
• The CPO Star Trek concert is about to begin #yyc http://twitti.ms/r8aM #
• Crap I dropped my carrot juice! 10 second rule? http://twitti.ms/52EX #
• WTF the new renos to the UofC Subway have halved how many ppl they can serve!? #
• Handy Date Selection Java Script Widget I'm using with a Django App: http://bit.ly/8HZhRF #
• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-11 #
• Just finished helping my bud do his first Apache install, now we're setting up Wordpress. #

Previous Dawning.ca Layout

I’ve just spent a few hours re-designing the layout of Dawning.ca. The old one served me very well and I really liked it. I had heavily modified the previous theme to work for me and work it did. I may tap it some time in the future as a backup… As you can see to the right, the new style is fairly different compared to the image. Although I kept the workflow as I think it was already pretty good.

Basically, I was trying to get the site to be:

• Simple to use
• Uncluttered
• Attractive
• Professional & Casual
• Technically Interesting
• Simple to use
• Did I mention, simple to use?

I feel I accomplished these goals. Though I felt I had to sacrifice some technically interesting features in order to reduce the clutter. I had made some cool logos awhile ago that looked good on the more cartoony past version of the site, but they looked horrible here. I ultimately decided to just get rid of the top banner all together, I don’t think people need to keep being reminded of what site they’re on. Anyway, comment below eh!?

I’m using a few css tricks I’ve learned in the last while to round corners, shade and pretty things up. Mainly, for rounded corners I use tricks such as those found here.

In terms of the shading, if you carefully look at my setup, the black gradient on the red background is made from a 1 x 200 px png image file overlayed on a red background. CSS for that trick is that like this:

background-image: url('/media/bkgd.png');
background-repeat: repeat-x;

Most shaded regions are made using 10 x 10 px images repeated that are very transparent png images. I use css nearly identical to that above for this too, only difference is the repeat statement has no -x to it.

I built up the new theme using the very famous and helpful Atahualpa theme. I’ve used this theme for various Wordpress websites of mine including those for:

• Columbia College
• Meerkat Roofing
• The Protospace Blog

Also, my buddy Devin who I recently helped get his first Apache/MySQL/PHP/Wordpress server install going is using the Atahualpa Theme for his website, it truly is a great Wordpress theme for both advanced and beginners alike.

What do you all think of my redesign? Any suggestions? What Wordpress theme do you use?

• Working on my Django based scheduling web application.. Nice to make some new inroads on it. #
• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-04 #
• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-28 #
• Damn, I was as prepared as is possible, tried for 1hr 50mins straight to submit and pay for my SparkFun Free Day order, but it didn't work #
• Wah, I've been ready since last night and ready the moment it opened, but looks unlikely I'll get to place my sparkfun free day order #
• Trying to order for #SparkFunFreeDay – this is probably an innocent example of a denial of service attack #
• Waah, I'm tired of this stomach flu. My gf's dad has the same thing, guessing our meal at Japanese Village may have been the source. #
• Ugh, I guess this is a good time to be sick.. What an annoying drain #
• Cami\'s new hair http://twitti.ms/24MJ #
• Phew, lame little Wordpress Upgrade drama is over. It was actually easy to solve, but took forever to deal with slow FTP. Manual upgrade ftw #
• This host's FTP service is turning an hour job in to a 5 hour job.. W00t 0.7KB/s transfers (looks for a noose) #
• Ugh, first time I've ever had a Wordpress Upgrade fail, obvious reminder: Don't upgrade a client's website in the middle of the day. #

Every once in a while we come across a problem that requires a different way of thinking to solve it. I ran into this tonight with what should have been a simple database query. The solution took me in an unexpected direction, but seems to be aligning nicely with the rest of the application.

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• yumification under way http://twitti.ms/tjlF #
• Gearin up for a round at Japanese Village http://twitti.ms/v3Xh #
• Finally saw Avatar, was pretty good. Great story. #
• Wow, it's amazing how massively my world changed since #10yearsago. Here's to a rad next 10! #
• Havin a leakin 55g aquarium while being 300km away would suck harder if we didn't have a Paurip towin the line #
• Blah, the Rogers website is down.. #
• Eatting handmade chocolates http://twitti.ms/tf26 #
• Best Christmas gift ever! Windermere Valley now has strong 3G service. Thanks #Rogers! AWESOME! #

I went to DEFCON XVII. Of course I took a camera, but screwed up and didn't set the date/time. I snapped a couple of hundred pictures, imported them into F-Spot and later realized that they were dated in 2005! Doh! Here is how I reset them to the correct values.

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Do you use F-Spot? At some point you'll want to move all those photos to a different drive or directory. When you do, you'll want F-Spot to keep track of them in their new home.

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Search the web for JavaScript scripts to format phone numbers and postal codes, and you'll find lots out there. The problem with most of the ones you find is that they are much more complex than they need to be, and do not handle different entry formats well. For example, entering phone numbers as "5551234" or "(888) 555-1234" requires different approaches. Regular Expressions can make this complexity much simpler, and reduce the amount of code needed.

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• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-21 #

I've used VMWare Server many times in the past to set up virtual testing or development environments. But since they moved to version 2.0 I keep running into problems. I cannot keep a VMWare server environment running reliably on a Ubuntu system.

Getting VMWare Server running on a Ubuntu system requires a couple of extra steps. But that is supposed to only be for the installation.

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About a month ago, I raged about how much joy I was having trying to replace my desktop installation. Part of that process was a flaky CD Drive that would not burn a bootable CD, and had general problems. So I picked up a replacement drive this past weekend and fell down the rabbit hole of troubleshooting bliss.

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• The Santa Party is up and running http://twitti.ms/c6v1 #
• I miss having a car.. Some jerk slashed my gf's tires and she's been borrowing my car ever since as she's too busy. Lame #
• My late night round of Civ4 was stabbed in the spine by Windows Update. Meh Bed Time #
• Waah, the Sparkfun website appears down! #
• Arduino Soldering Workshop at #Protospace yesterday was a blast! Thanks gang! #
• Arduino kits for the #protospace workshop are ready! http://twitti.ms/UM60 #
• Arduino kits for the #protospace workshop are ready! http://twitti.ms/JjLp #
• Wow, VHS is really hanging on! http://twitti.ms/MgL6 #
• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-14 #

This week has been an interesting one for me in terms of "privacy" concerns. I had one case where a friend's privacy concerns directly clashed with my desire to maintain memories. And in a different situation, a friend has put lie to a rumor for a particular issue with Facebook, but in doing so inadvertently came to a misguided conclusion. and somewhere in there Google "told it like it is" concerning privacy, and got slapped in the face by out of context quotations.

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• Wow, VHS is really hanging on! #
• Wow, VHS is really hanging on http://twitti.ms/MQv6 #
• It's difficult being a perfectionist & happy when I obsess over imperfectable endeavours #
• What a beautiful #Wordpress website, took some effort to confirm it's origin. Great subject matter too: http://www.lilithfair.com/ #
• Trying to decide if this oscilloscope is working http://twitti.ms/vS3J #
• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-07 #