Comments for wonkablog http://wonkabar.org linux, databases, cartoons and cornflakes Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:01:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on the thought process by velda http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/26/the-thought-process/comment-page-1/#comment-51262 velda Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:01:19 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1178#comment-51262 Sounds normal to me! Sounds normal to me!

]]> Comment on the thought process by Stephanie http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/26/the-thought-process/comment-page-1/#comment-51258 Stephanie Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:32:06 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1178#comment-51258 my favorite part: Click, click, click, spendy, spendy. my favorite part: Click, click, click, spendy, spendy.

]]> Comment on firefox “find as you type” steals window focus by AJ http://wonkabar.org/2009/09/22/firefox-find-as-you-type-steals-window-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-51255 AJ Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:56:36 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=978#comment-51255 This just started happening with me as well. For some reason, I didn't have this problem until yesterday (2-26-2010). I hope there is some real fix for it than just disappearing... although I wouldn't mind that either. When I use gchat in gmail, every time I type in some new gchat window, it starts going to the search box. That's the only reason it is annoying for me. Maybe I will try turning off quick find, as much as I like that feature of firefox. This just started happening with me as well. For some reason, I didn't have this problem until yesterday (2-26-2010). I hope there is some real fix for it than just disappearing... although I wouldn't mind that either. When I use gchat in gmail, every time I type in some new gchat window, it starts going to the search box. That's the only reason it is annoying for me. Maybe I will try turning off quick find, as much as I like that feature of firefox.

]]> Comment on using gentoo by Quake_Sinatra http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/19/using-gentoo/comment-page-1/#comment-51253 Quake_Sinatra Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:11:41 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1168#comment-51253 I think the gist of the comments ( and i wholeheartedly agree) is that Gentoo IS. Gentoo is as stable as its user is, if i want to run ~amd64 programs i can FORCE the machine to let me. The install (done it a few times recently - for tests on hardware) and for the most part the base install is less than 40 minutes - compilation of X and GCC took about an hour so on decent hardware i hard a workable desktop in about 2 hours - not bad. Gentoo is what it is, that is the argument for it. It is what you make of it, it is what you want to do to it. It is the only distro outside of the slack, ryol crowd that isnt cookie cutter. If you dont like Gentoo - you probably dont need any customized distro. More power to those that want a custom distro whether they use it as such or not. Sound fanboy enough to you? Gentoo since 2003 - one home partition the whole time :) I think the gist of the comments ( and i wholeheartedly agree) is that Gentoo IS.
Gentoo is as stable as its user is, if i want to run ~amd64 programs i can FORCE the machine to let me. The install (done it a few times recently - for tests on hardware) and for the most part the base install is less than 40 minutes - compilation of X and GCC took about an hour so on decent hardware i hard a workable desktop in about 2 hours - not bad. Gentoo is what it is, that is the argument for it. It is what you make of it, it is what you want to do to it. It is the only distro outside of the slack, ryol crowd that isnt cookie cutter. If you dont like Gentoo - you probably dont need any customized distro. More power to those that want a custom distro whether they use it as such or not. Sound fanboy enough to you?
Gentoo since 2003 - one home partition the whole time :)

]]> Comment on wordpress multiple/minus category feeds by Recruitment SEO http://wonkabar.org/2009/04/08/wordpress-multipleminus-category-feeds/comment-page-1/#comment-51251 Recruitment SEO Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:56:06 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=794#comment-51251 Ace - you're a star. The first bit I knew (the ?cat=-5 ) but I couldn't work out the right syntax for removing more that one cat from the feed. Thank you Steve! Ace - you're a star. The first bit I knew (the ?cat=-5 ) but I couldn't work out the right syntax for removing more that one cat from the feed. Thank you Steve!

]]> Comment on general skill set by Stephanie http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/24/general-skill-set/comment-page-1/#comment-51249 Stephanie Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:17:12 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1174#comment-51249 Um, I know how to use Google Analytics. Does that help? :) I didn't think so. Um, I know how to use Google Analytics. Does that help? :) I didn't think so.

]]> Comment on using gentoo by H.Habighorst http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/19/using-gentoo/comment-page-1/#comment-51241 H.Habighorst Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:57:43 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1168#comment-51241 Well... I've always returned to Gentoo on my Desktop System because it has got one major bonus against (most) distributions: Normally, If an app doesn't work, you are forced to wait - or you'll need to rebuild the whole package. If I compare the work of rebuilding the package with patches, checking etc against emerge... Hm, it's definitely more simply. The second argument against Gentoo is... it compiles you to heaven. Well, dunno if anyone knows about Moores Law... But on most computers today compiling isn't slow and it doesn't take days. The third argument against Gentoo is the installation - well. I'll be quiet as I don't know the last time when I installed Gentoo (3-4 years?!?). Only thing that was a bit troublesome was the conversion to Ext4, but thanks to Live CDs and a bit of knowledge, it worked out very well. Hmpf... Unstable Gentoo... Lemme think... Yeah. There are those types of users who don't know what they're doing or know that they're doing something that CAN lead to unstableness(but ignore it, hey why should this happen to me?). But this isn't gentoo's weakness, it's his biggest pro: You can do whatever you want. You can even force the system to be unstable or to do things that are not realiable. Gentoo is the way you want - you'll just need to configure it. And I think that's the point where someone cannot simply write: Gentoo is not stable... Well... I've always returned to Gentoo on my Desktop System because it has got one major bonus against (most) distributions:

Normally, If an app doesn't work, you are forced to wait - or you'll need to rebuild the whole package.

If I compare the work of rebuilding the package with patches, checking etc against emerge... Hm, it's definitely more simply.

The second argument against Gentoo is... it compiles you to heaven. Well, dunno if anyone knows about Moores Law... But on most computers today compiling isn't slow and it doesn't take days.

The third argument against Gentoo is the installation - well. I'll be quiet as I don't know the last time when I installed Gentoo (3-4 years?!?). Only thing that was a bit troublesome was the conversion to Ext4, but thanks to Live CDs and a bit of knowledge, it worked out very well.

Hmpf... Unstable Gentoo... Lemme think... Yeah. There are those types of users who don't know what they're doing or know that they're doing something that CAN lead to unstableness(but ignore it, hey why should this happen to me?). But this isn't gentoo's weakness, it's his biggest pro: You can do whatever you want. You can even force the system to be unstable or to do things that are not realiable. Gentoo is the way you want - you'll just need to configure it.

And I think that's the point where someone cannot simply write: Gentoo is not stable...

]]> Comment on using gentoo by Nigel http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/19/using-gentoo/comment-page-1/#comment-51238 Nigel Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:08:06 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1168#comment-51238 Hi, I'm a user of gentoo stable. I'm not a admin or developer, just a user. I installed my first gentoo desktop in 2005 on a dell 450Mhz optiplex GX1. The box is still going. I moved it from a kernel 2.4 to 2.6 and removed X in about 2007. Its now a wifi / router/ web server. Its never had a reinstall. I keep it up to date. Its slow to upgrade. SCREEN -r is great for emerging. Its on 24/7 so speed is not important. I now have 2 laptops, 2 desktops and 1 server running gentoo at home. (1 windows XP for work) My son (5years) uses gentoo on one of the desktops. Gentoo Rocks! Keep up the great work Steve. I have only just started adding content to the gentoo wiki. Nigel Hi, I'm a user of gentoo stable. I'm not a admin or developer, just a user. I installed my first gentoo desktop in 2005 on a dell 450Mhz optiplex GX1. The box is still going. I moved it from a kernel 2.4 to 2.6 and removed X in about 2007. Its now a wifi / router/ web server. Its never had a reinstall. I keep it up to date. Its slow to upgrade. SCREEN -r is great for emerging. Its on 24/7 so speed is not important.

I now have 2 laptops, 2 desktops and 1 server running gentoo at home. (1 windows XP for work)
My son (5years) uses gentoo on one of the desktops.

Gentoo Rocks!

Keep up the great work Steve.

I have only just started adding content to the gentoo wiki.

Nigel

]]> Comment on using gentoo by David http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/19/using-gentoo/comment-page-1/#comment-51237 David Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:36:14 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1168#comment-51237 Great stuff. I have compiled some reasons for using Gentoo here: http://tech.thedesignhut.net/WhyGentoo :-) Great stuff. I have compiled some reasons for using Gentoo here:

http://tech.thedesignhut.net/WhyGentoo

:-)

]]> Comment on using gentoo by rgk http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/19/using-gentoo/comment-page-1/#comment-51234 rgk Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:14:00 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1168#comment-51234 I completely agree, no distro is perfect but Gentoo just works for me. I've been using Gentoo since 2006 now and I must say, I'm just as much as a fanboy as I was since I first installed it. I completely agree, no distro is perfect but Gentoo just works for me. I've been using Gentoo since 2006 now and I must say, I'm just as much as a fanboy as I was since I first installed it.

]]> Comment on using gentoo by Benedikt Böhm (Hollow) http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/19/using-gentoo/comment-page-1/#comment-51233 Benedikt Böhm (Hollow) Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:19:40 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1168#comment-51233 i've never thought about it from that pov, but you're totally right. i love my job as a gentoo admin and my customers are really happy with it too. great post :) i've never thought about it from that pov, but you're totally right. i love my job as a gentoo admin and my customers are really happy with it too. great post :)

]]> Comment on using gentoo by dufeu http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/19/using-gentoo/comment-page-1/#comment-51232 dufeu Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:29:48 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1168#comment-51232 If Gentoo is still fun enough for me to even now remain a fanboi at least as long as you, it's should darn well be fun enough for _you_ to remain a fanboi too! As for distro stability, my primary thought on the matter: An allegedly "stable" distro means you're frozen at whatever package versions work best with the version of the "stable" distro you have installed. i.e. What packages are released with it. It's my experience that packages outside of the distro's repository are simply too problematic for bother with. If you think there might be a grain of truth in the above, let's think about some of the implications: 1) To get upgraded versions of most packages, one has to wait for the distro maintainer to upgrade the package versions for you. This is essentially one of the version upgrade drivers for most other distros. 2) Not only are most end users dependent on individual distros upgrade schedule for package version upgrades, packages not in a particular distro repository are simply not available to them. Gentoo breaks the user dependency on distros by specifically putting the user in charge of their own definition of stability, desirability of new features and, with the help of the community through layman, what packages outside the normal repository they want to install. If Gentoo is still fun enough for me to even now remain a fanboi at least as long as you, it's should darn well be fun enough for _you_ to remain a fanboi too!

As for distro stability, my primary thought on the matter:

An allegedly "stable" distro means you're frozen at whatever package versions work best with the version of the "stable" distro you have installed. i.e. What packages are released with it. It's my experience that packages outside of the distro's repository are simply too problematic for bother with.

If you think there might be a grain of truth in the above, let's think about some of the implications:

1) To get upgraded versions of most packages, one has to wait for the distro maintainer to upgrade the package versions for you. This is essentially one of the version upgrade drivers for most other distros.

2) Not only are most end users dependent on individual distros upgrade schedule for package version upgrades, packages not in a particular distro repository are simply not available to them.

Gentoo breaks the user dependency on distros by specifically putting the user in charge of their own definition of stability, desirability of new features and, with the help of the community through layman, what packages outside the normal repository they want to install.

]]> Comment on ripping blu-ray discs on linux … and windows, and ps3 by Steve http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/16/ripping-blu-ray-discs-on-linux-and-windows-and-ps3/comment-page-1/#comment-51227 Steve Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:08:56 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1161#comment-51227 Yah, that's what I'm quickly learning. We could use some OSS tools to step up to the plate. Yah, that's what I'm quickly learning. We could use some OSS tools to step up to the plate.

]]> Comment on ripping blu-ray discs on linux … and windows, and ps3 by Gusar http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/16/ripping-blu-ray-discs-on-linux-and-windows-and-ps3/comment-page-1/#comment-51226 Gusar Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:18:05 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1161#comment-51226 The problem is BD+. Open source software can only handle early forms of that. Later versions can only be handled by AnyDVD and MakeMKV. Also, there's no libdvdread-like library media players could use for simple watching directly from disc, without ripping first. You have to use MakeMKV and it's streaming feature. The problem is BD+. Open source software can only handle early forms of that. Later versions can only be handled by AnyDVD and MakeMKV. Also, there's no libdvdread-like library media players could use for simple watching directly from disc, without ripping first. You have to use MakeMKV and it's streaming feature.

]]> Comment on ripping blu-ray discs on linux … and windows, and ps3 by Marco DR http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/16/ripping-blu-ray-discs-on-linux-and-windows-and-ps3/comment-page-1/#comment-51222 Marco DR Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:07:12 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1161#comment-51222 Actually, there is a way to play bluray directly in Linux with MakeMKV. It involves streaming. You can decrypt on-the-fly by selecting "stream server" in MakeMKV. It opens a stream in your localhost (port 51000) and then you just need to access it with a browser or, better, with your favourite mplayer frontend. Works very well for me. Actually, there is a way to play bluray directly in Linux with MakeMKV. It involves streaming. You can decrypt on-the-fly by selecting "stream server" in MakeMKV. It opens a stream in your localhost (port 51000) and then you just need to access it with a browser or, better, with your favourite mplayer frontend. Works very well for me.

]]> Comment on ripping blu-ray discs on linux … and windows, and ps3 by Steve http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/16/ripping-blu-ray-discs-on-linux-and-windows-and-ps3/comment-page-1/#comment-51221 Steve Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:42:13 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1161#comment-51221 Ah, thanks for heads up, fixed. There's actually more stuff in the works, I haven't covered everything, and from what I know, you *can* rip them using Linux only with dump_hd (also on the doom9 forums). I just don't have the disc drive, so all my attempts at accessing the data haven't met with any success. Ah, thanks for heads up, fixed.

There's actually more stuff in the works, I haven't covered everything, and from what I know, you *can* rip them using Linux only with dump_hd (also on the doom9 forums). I just don't have the disc drive, so all my attempts at accessing the data haven't met with any success.

]]> Comment on ripping blu-ray discs on linux … and windows, and ps3 by Mike Lothian http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/16/ripping-blu-ray-discs-on-linux-and-windows-and-ps3/comment-page-1/#comment-51220 Mike Lothian Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:40:56 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1161#comment-51220 Out of interest did you find a way of simply playing a bluray from linux without ripping first? I've got an American PS3 and some of my blurays are now region encoded to the the UK. I ended up using a spare hard drive installing windows and using the bluray software that came with the drive just to watch the Proposal on valentines day I'd have been so much easier just downloading an illegal copy. Grr Any way enough moaning from me, if any one has a quick was of watching a bluray on linux please let me know Out of interest did you find a way of simply playing a bluray from linux without ripping first?

I've got an American PS3 and some of my blurays are now region encoded to the the UK.

I ended up using a spare hard drive installing windows and using the bluray software that came with the drive just to watch the Proposal on valentines day

I'd have been so much easier just downloading an illegal copy. Grr

Any way enough moaning from me, if any one has a quick was of watching a bluray on linux please let me know

]]> Comment on ripping blu-ray discs on linux … and windows, and ps3 by Gusar http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/16/ripping-blu-ray-discs-on-linux-and-windows-and-ps3/comment-page-1/#comment-51219 Gusar Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:07:40 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1161#comment-51219 The "direct link" for MakeMKV is wrong, it points to slysoft. It's too bad that open source efforts to rip Blu-ray discs seem to have dried up. But MakeMKV at least has a Linux version. The "direct link" for MakeMKV is wrong, it points to slysoft.

It's too bad that open source efforts to rip Blu-ray discs seem to have dried up. But MakeMKV at least has a Linux version.

]]> Comment on ripping blu-ray discs on linux … and windows, and ps3 by Michael Croes http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/16/ripping-blu-ray-discs-on-linux-and-windows-and-ps3/comment-page-1/#comment-51218 Michael Croes Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:47:00 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1161#comment-51218 You can use tsMuxer to get seperate streams from (m2)ts files. The Linux command line version is quite a pain to use, but you can create meta files using the GUI which are reusable for the command line... Either way, I'm interested in where this is going. I also have a PS3, and I have a Samsung TV which can play movies over DLNA, so ripping bluray discs would be really very nice. I just wouldn't want to do it on windows though, that's a too high price to pay. Thanks for all the information so far, I hope you'll figure most of this out! You can use tsMuxer to get seperate streams from (m2)ts files. The Linux command line version is quite a pain to use, but you can create meta files using the GUI which are reusable for the command line...

Either way, I'm interested in where this is going. I also have a PS3, and I have a Samsung TV which can play movies over DLNA, so ripping bluray discs would be really very nice. I just wouldn't want to do it on windows though, that's a too high price to pay.

Thanks for all the information so far, I hope you'll figure most of this out!

]]> Comment on some thoughts on php and oop by James http://wonkabar.org/2010/02/03/some-thoughts-on-php-and-oop/comment-page-1/#comment-51208 James Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:09:53 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/?p=1150#comment-51208 You might want to read this post by Ned Batchelder where he argues that exceptions are better. It assumes the reader already understands the mechanics of exceptions and wants to understand why they are useful. http://nedbatchelder.com/text/exceptions-vs-status.html You might want to read this post by Ned Batchelder where he argues that exceptions are better. It assumes the reader already understands the mechanics of exceptions and wants to understand why they are useful.

http://nedbatchelder.com/text/exceptions-vs-status.html

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