Today is my birthday. I'm 38 (alive and kickin'). But the main celebration of the day is my brother's wedding!!! Besides, it's my sister in-law's birthday too!!!
I have the feeling it's going to be a great day.
23 April 2009
13 April 2009
Easter Monday
I have woken up at 6:30 in the morning and I have rushed to my cottage to light up the fireplace. I knew I didn't have to hurry because I had plenty of time but I wanted to have everything clean and ready before lunchtime.
In the afternoon we have taken a walk. And right now I'm sending the pictures of the day to my brother and sister.
09 April 2009
Backup schedule
I always backup important data. I might even say that I'm a bit obsessed with backups, especially when it is about irrecoverable things such as photographs.
In the past I used to make security copies from time to time (Quite randomly) but after my hard disk crash I decided to schedule a series of backups just in case. From now on I am going to:
EVERY MONTH: Backup important data once a month. I'll make two copies one on cd/pendrive and one sent to a security server.
EVERY TRIMESTER: Backup the entire home directory to dvd.
EVERY YEAR: (As usual) Everything that's valuable on my network. Documents, pictures, other files, scripts, configurations, programs ...
The great thing about backups is that GNU/Linux offers several excellent tools (Graphical and command line) to regularly carry out your security copies. Once you get the perfect setup you can do all these routine operations unattended because there is GNU/Linux backing you up.You get the pun here?
In the past I used to make security copies from time to time (Quite randomly) but after my hard disk crash I decided to schedule a series of backups just in case. From now on I am going to:
EVERY MONTH: Backup important data once a month. I'll make two copies one on cd/pendrive and one sent to a security server.
EVERY TRIMESTER: Backup the entire home directory to dvd.
EVERY YEAR: (As usual) Everything that's valuable on my network. Documents, pictures, other files, scripts, configurations, programs ...
The great thing about backups is that GNU/Linux offers several excellent tools (Graphical and command line) to regularly carry out your security copies. Once you get the perfect setup you can do all these routine operations unattended because there is GNU/Linux backing you up.You get the pun here?
01 April 2009
Using a proxy
I was familiar with the concept of proxy servers. I knew what they were and I had a slight idea of what they were used for. But I had never connected to any. I had tried once but to no avail. You only need to look for their addresses and configure your web browser to use them. Be warned that proxies provide many advantages but they also have some disadvantages. On the positive side, they are anonymous but on the negative side they are less secure.
This same week I have learnt an amazing internet trick. There are some free online services which operate in certain countries but which are not allowed or restricted in some other countries due to legal reasons or special conditions or whatsoever...But you still can access those services connecting to a proxy operating it the countries where the services are available. As simple as that.
I did the trick with a famous steaming radio station which used to be for free until recently (And still is in some parts of the world). In my country they require you to subscribe and pay a small quantity for the service. I connected to a public proxy and now I can listen to the radio as if I was living in that country. Fantastic isn't it?
This same week I have learnt an amazing internet trick. There are some free online services which operate in certain countries but which are not allowed or restricted in some other countries due to legal reasons or special conditions or whatsoever...But you still can access those services connecting to a proxy operating it the countries where the services are available. As simple as that.
I did the trick with a famous steaming radio station which used to be for free until recently (And still is in some parts of the world). In my country they require you to subscribe and pay a small quantity for the service. I connected to a public proxy and now I can listen to the radio as if I was living in that country. Fantastic isn't it?
23 March 2009
Simyo
Today I've become a simyo [A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO)] user. If you could see how much I spend using my mobile you would surely laugh at me. Maybe 10 or 15 € a month. It's ridiculous compared to other people's expenses.
Until now I was happy with my rates and services but I was fed up having to pay an scandalous quantity if I phoned a friend from a different phone company.
That unfair situation had to change and now with simyo I only pay 8 cents a minute to all other operators. Changes sometimes take long but you always have to take the first step to walk a long road.
I'll keep you informed but this company has a good vibe. I hope it works fine.
Note: This is my first spring blog entry. So far everyting is according to plan. I'm finally writing once a week!!!
Until now I was happy with my rates and services but I was fed up having to pay an scandalous quantity if I phoned a friend from a different phone company.
That unfair situation had to change and now with simyo I only pay 8 cents a minute to all other operators. Changes sometimes take long but you always have to take the first step to walk a long road.
I'll keep you informed but this company has a good vibe. I hope it works fine.
Note: This is my first spring blog entry. So far everyting is according to plan. I'm finally writing once a week!!!
20 March 2009
Hard disk crash
The master disk drive of my network server crashed on Tuesday. I had just bought a usb bluetooth adapter and installed the gnome-bluetooth software. I rebooted for the kernel to load the drivers but I only got a BIOS message saying the disk was dead. Well there was no such message. It was something like "No operating system available". But I knew the truth behind. The night before I had heard a strange noise coming from the drive and I feared the worst.
I tried my best forensics with a usb installation of Backtrack 3 but the damage was already done. Backtrack struggled hard but it couldn't do anything...
I switched the slave drive as master and reinstalled GRUB, the boot loader in the MBR but it was caught in a loop. In the end I had to reinstall Lenny. I lost data of course, but installing a Debian system is my forte. I often say I could do it blindfolded. Just joking.
I lost my eyeOS server but there is always a blessing in disguise. I had Windows 7 Beta in a VirtualBox and the good thing is that I do not have to bother erasing it now. It is so bad that my only wish after trying it was just getting rid of it as soon as possible. I know it is a beta version and of course it lacks many things but I foresee it is going to be a great failure like Vista. It didn't recognize my ethernet and sound cards!!! Shame on them.
Note: Today spring begins officially at 11:44, so next week I'll start writing my blog under the Spring header.
I tried my best forensics with a usb installation of Backtrack 3 but the damage was already done. Backtrack struggled hard but it couldn't do anything...
I switched the slave drive as master and reinstalled GRUB, the boot loader in the MBR but it was caught in a loop. In the end I had to reinstall Lenny. I lost data of course, but installing a Debian system is my forte. I often say I could do it blindfolded. Just joking.
I lost my eyeOS server but there is always a blessing in disguise. I had Windows 7 Beta in a VirtualBox and the good thing is that I do not have to bother erasing it now. It is so bad that my only wish after trying it was just getting rid of it as soon as possible. I know it is a beta version and of course it lacks many things but I foresee it is going to be a great failure like Vista. It didn't recognize my ethernet and sound cards!!! Shame on them.
Note: Today spring begins officially at 11:44, so next week I'll start writing my blog under the Spring header.
13 March 2009
Highschool meeting
Today is Friday 13th, not a good sign for some people. However, it's a real lucky day for me. I'm really excited about a highschool meeting we are going to celebrate after 25 years. It's not today, it's going to take place some time during Spring. But it's the great news of the week. The story went more or less like this.
Of all the people I met back in high school I was only in touch with one. All the others had disappeared from my life. That person told me that there was a new group in Facebook made up of our old acquaintances. I had closed my facebook account because as I said in another post this year, I consider it a waste of time. I reopened it because nostalgia was stronger than me this time. And there they are, some look older, some look exactly the same they did 25 years ago. As if time hadn't passed for them. I don't know which category I fit in. I like to think that I haven't changed much but others will tell.
It's an excellent occasion to remember dreams from the past, infatuations and well, just great memories. I've been daydreaming the entire week, imagining our meeting.
I'll keep you informed as time progresses.
Note: There are other news to comment, but they can't compare to this one. I'll leave them for a better occasion, say next week.
Of all the people I met back in high school I was only in touch with one. All the others had disappeared from my life. That person told me that there was a new group in Facebook made up of our old acquaintances. I had closed my facebook account because as I said in another post this year, I consider it a waste of time. I reopened it because nostalgia was stronger than me this time. And there they are, some look older, some look exactly the same they did 25 years ago. As if time hadn't passed for them. I don't know which category I fit in. I like to think that I haven't changed much but others will tell.
It's an excellent occasion to remember dreams from the past, infatuations and well, just great memories. I've been daydreaming the entire week, imagining our meeting.
I'll keep you informed as time progresses.
Note: There are other news to comment, but they can't compare to this one. I'll leave them for a better occasion, say next week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)