[UFO Chicago] (no subject)
Thomas
thomas@chicagomac.com
Tue, 19 Jun 2001 11:32:38 -0500
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Ok folks, this is the first of what will hopefully be a daily post from =
me... and it goes something like this:
Morning folks, my name's Tom (or Thomas or Hey You or whatever you =
like). I'm a computer user, much in the same way anyone with a drivers =
license may be considered a driver. That's to say I'm not a power user, =
not a programmer or web sight manager or any other such magical, =
mystical type person.
[ this is going to go on like this for a while but I promise not to =
repeat it after this post, maybe I'll just put a link to it in the UFO =
archive]
I work with computers everyday, and probably more in depth than most =
people who say that- but then most people are only sitting box typing =
and call tech support when something goes wrong. In my job, for most =
problems, I AM tech support. But this is mostly a Mac based company, =
and tech support on a Mac is pretty darn (this is a family style list =
after all) easy. I use the sole PC workstation, so I keep it pretty =
clean and it runs well.
At home I have a few machines, mostly for entertainment and a little =
free lance work when I feel like doing it. =20
So why am I doing this? Well, the honest answer is that I'm bored. I =
came into my company as a delivery driver and worked to get where I =
am... but now there's nowhere to go and not much else I can learn on my =
own. I don't really want to leave here yet but I need something to =
occupy the time. And with the new world of MacOSX and it's BSDish base, =
my Mac knowledge will soon be obsolete (please no snide remarks about =
how it was obsolete years ago :-p ). There are probably a million =
little other reasons that will surface over the next few weeks/months.
On to the hardware. Just to let you know what I'm working with to paint =
the full picture.
Home (where I get to play with whatever I want):
Mac Cube running MacOSX and eventually Yellowdog Linux =
(yellowdoglinux.com). This is the machine I do most of my freelance =
work on, but being Summer that isn't much at all.
PowerBook G3 "Wallstreet" running MacOSX, OS 9 and Suse 7.1 for =
PPC. I'll probably switch
to Yellowdog Linux if I can get it running on the cube. This =
machine is mostly for work/play,
some freelance system maintenance on an all Mac network at another =
company, etc.
PowerMac 8500 running Suse 7.1 and doing minor firewall and NAT. =
This is an area I would
REALLY like to learn more about, I know I'm only using a fraction of =
this machines power.
Generic P3 850 running Windows 2000 server. I sort of built this =
(with parts recommended
by the corporate sales rep I get most of my work stuff from) as a =
game machine. I used W2K
server because it was the first stable version of windows I ever =
used. Although this machine's
only been up a couple months (not all the time though) it hasn't =
crashed yet. And the machine
before it only ever crashed from one particular game. This is also =
the machine my girlfriend
uses for e-mail and such, so I'll be nice for now and not mess it up =
for her.
Compaq Celeron 500 running Windows 98 (strictly for a couple of =
legacy game that don't work
under 2000) and Redhat 7.1. This box is open to being played with / =
trashed on a regular
basis.=20
Gateway something or other... my girlfriends machine before she =
moved in, it's free to trash
until her son comes back from his father's at the end of summer.
Quantum Snap Server 1000. For anyone who doesn't know, this is =
pretty much a browser
configured mini server. Can connect using TCP/IP, AppleTalk, NFS, =
and with the latest update
FTP. My corporate sales guy got me a 2 for 1 when I bought one of =
these for work... I passed
the savings on to myself.
My home network is mostly Ethernet, with one Airport (802.11) hub =
that's used by the cube and
the PowerBook. Internet connection is ADSL @ 384 with a static IP =
address, and like I said the
PMac 8500 running Suse 7.1 is doing the NAT.
[this is without a doubt the longest e-mail I've EVER written]
Work is much simpler, at least in terms of what I can mess with, so =
this will be shorter.
Blue & White G3 running MacOS 9.1 (and OSX when I have time to =
play).
HP P2 running W2K professional. Not quite as stable as the server =
version, but the best Win
I've seen to date. If I can get a second drive in here I may toss =
Redhat on here, but I really don't
have the space for it now.
SGI O2, right now this is a strictly a graphics workstation (for =
commercial printing, no 3D or
animation). But I'm going to be getting an Octane soon to replace =
this. The software license
will have to transfer to that, leaving this box open whatever use I =
can make of it. Will Linux
run (or rather, what version of a stable Linux will run) on it? =
Basic specs for the box are at
www.sgi.com/o2/ although this one is slightly older and uses a =
180MHz MIPS R5000 cpu.
It's currently running IRIX 6.5, I don't really know how stable it =
is since the imaging program
we use is no where near stable (Linotype-Hell DaVinci workstation =
for any who want to know).
If it's practical I'd like to use it as an e-mail server and maybe a =
few other things... ideas are
more than welcome.
Data General 3600 server running DG/UX (unix). I hate this box.
A few others, but that's mostly it.
Network it ether, almost all 100 with a few legacy 10 devices. =
Internet is ADSL @ 768 with 60
static IP numbers, more than half currently unused (I got a good =
deal). We do not currently host
our own e-mail or DNS, but I'd like to. Especially DNS since that =
seems to be our providers
biggest problem (and I'd be happy to be the Secondary DNS to anybody =
who wanted to do the
same for me, or pretty much anyone else in the group as long as the =
traffic didn't kill me). Our
biggest use of internet right now is for FTP and e-mail, so at night =
it's totally open.
Enough about equipment... I'll try and write up a one line summary of it =
all sometime.
Some ground rules for this (if it meets with Peters approval):
1. I'll probably rant a bit... I'm talking to myself in my head while I =
write this and trying to get out the important bits, so I might go to =
far. If it gets to be a problem I'll try to keep it shorter, but =
otherwise I don't want to hear about it.
2. I know enough to know I don't know much, so when offering advice or =
ideas, make it simple (i.e. dumb it down), use examples, don't refer to =
man pages unless you're going to quote them or explain them (I've read =
enough of them and quite honestly if you don't understand the concept of =
the topic, the man page is fairly useless). Maybe by keeping it simple =
a few of you may even learn a few tricks from each other, and those who =
follow in my footsteps can also get something out of it. I don't mind =
humor, and I actually hope some of the things I do or try make you guys =
laugh, might be the only thing that keeps you reading. And I'm a lot =
better learning things hands on, so I'd be willing to make the effort to =
get together with anyone willing to offer assistance or ideas and post =
those results here too.
3. Keep it clean... I'd like to be able to have kids read this, or YOUR =
MOM. I think that goes without saying since I haven't seen anything bad =
in this group yet.
I may append these as situations arise but other wise that's it.
New posts will be a lot shorter I think.
Tomorrow... you'll have to wait and see.
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Ok folks, this is the first of what =
will hopefully=20
be a daily post from me... and it goes something like this:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Morning folks, my name's Tom (or Thomas =
or Hey You=20
or whatever you like). I'm a computer user, much in the same way =
anyone=20
with a drivers license may be considered a driver. That's to say =
I'm not a=20
power user, not a programmer or web sight manager or any other such =
magical,=20
mystical type person.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>[ this is going to go on like this for =
a while but=20
I promise not to repeat it after this post, maybe I'll just put a link =
to it in=20
the UFO archive]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I work with computers everyday, and =
probably more=20
in depth than most people who say that- but then most people are only =
sitting=20
box typing and call tech support when something goes wrong. In my =
job, for=20
most problems, I AM tech support. But this is mostly a Mac based =
company,=20
and tech support on a Mac is pretty darn (this is a family style list =
after all)=20
easy. I use the sole PC workstation, so I keep it pretty clean and =
it runs=20
well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>At home I have a few machines, mostly =
for=20
entertainment and a little free lance work when I feel like doing =
it. =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>So why am I doing this? Well, the =
honest=20
answer is that I'm bored. I came into my company as a delivery =
driver and=20
worked to get where I am... but now there's nowhere to go and not much =
else I=20
can learn on my own. I don't really want to leave here yet but I =
need=20
something to occupy the time. And with the new world of MacOSX and =
it's=20
BSDish base, my Mac knowledge will soon be obsolete (please no snide =
remarks=20
about how it was obsolete years ago :-p ). There are probably a =
million=20
little other reasons that will surface over the next few=20
weeks/months.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On to the hardware. Just to let =
you know what=20
I'm working with to paint the full picture.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Home (where I get to play with whatever =
I=20
want):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Mac Cube running =
MacOSX and=20
eventually Yellowdog Linux (yellowdoglinux.com). This is the=20
machine I do most of my freelance work on, but being =
Summer=20
that isn't much at all.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> PowerBook G3 =
"Wallstreet" =20
running MacOSX, OS 9 and Suse 7.1 for PPC. I'll probably=20
switch<BR> to Yellowdog Linux if I can get it running =
on the=20
cube. This machine is mostly for work/play,<BR> =
some=20
freelance system maintenance on an all Mac network at another company,=20
etc.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> PowerMac 8500 =
running Suse 7.1=20
and doing minor firewall and NAT. This is an area I=20
would<BR> REALLY like to learn more about, I know I'm =
only=20
using a fraction of this machines power.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Generic P3 850 =
running Windows=20
2000 server. I sort of built this (with parts=20
recommended<BR> by the corporate sales rep I get most =
of my=20
work stuff from) as a game machine. I used W2K</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> server because it =
was the first=20
stable version of windows I ever used. Although this=20
machine's<BR> only been up a couple months (not =
all the=20
time though) it hasn't crashed yet. And the =
machine<BR> =20
before it only ever crashed from one particular game. This is also =
the=20
machine my girlfriend<BR> uses for e-mail and such, so =
I'll be=20
nice for now and not mess it up for her.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Compaq Celeron 500 =
running=20
Windows 98 (strictly for a couple of legacy game that don't=20
work<BR> under 2000) and Redhat 7.1. This box is =
open to=20
being played with / trashed on a regular<BR> =20
basis. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Gateway something or =
other... my=20
girlfriends machine before she moved in, it's free to=20
trash<BR> until her son comes back from his father's =
at the=20
end of summer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Quantum Snap Server =
1000. =20
For anyone who doesn't know, this is pretty much a =
browser<BR> =20
configured mini server. Can connect using TCP/IP, AppleTalk, =
NFS,=20
and with the latest update<BR> FTP. My corporate =
sales=20
guy got me a 2 for 1 when I bought one of these for work... I=20
passed<BR> the savings on to myself.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> My home network is =
mostly=20
Ethernet, with one Airport (802.11) hub that's used by the cube=20
and<BR> the PowerBook. Internet connection is =
ADSL @ 384=20
with a static IP address, and like I said the<BR> PMac =
8500=20
running Suse 7.1 is doing the NAT.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>[this is without a doubt the longest =
e-mail I've=20
EVER written]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Work is much =
simpler, at least=20
in terms of what I can mess with, so this will be shorter.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Blue & White G3 =
running=20
MacOS 9.1 (and OSX when I have time to play).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> HP P2 running W2K=20
professional. Not quite as stable as the server version, but the =
best=20
Win<BR> I've seen to date. If I can get a second =
drive=20
in here I may toss Redhat on here, but I really =
don't<BR> have=20
the space for it now.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> SGI O2, right now =
this is a=20
strictly a graphics workstation (for commercial printing, no 3D=20
or<BR> animation). But I'm going to be getting =
an Octane=20
soon to replace this. The software license<BR> =
will have=20
to transfer to that, leaving this box open whatever use I can make of =
it. =20
Will Linux<BR> run (or rather, what version of a =
stable Linux=20
will run) on it? Basic specs for the box are =
at<BR> <A=20
href=3D"http://www.sgi.com/o2/">www.sgi.com/o2/</A> although this =
one is=20
slightly older and uses a 180MHz MIPS R5000 cpu.<BR> =
It's=20
currently running IRIX 6.5, I don't really know how stable it is since =
the=20
imaging program<BR> we use is no where near stable=20
(Linotype-Hell DaVinci workstation for any who want to=20
know).<BR> If it's practical I'd like to use it as an =
e-mail=20
server and maybe a few other things... ideas are<BR> =
more than=20
welcome.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Data General 3600 =
server running=20
DG/UX (unix). I hate this box.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> A few others, but =
that's mostly=20
it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Network it ether, =
almost all 100=20
with a few legacy 10 devices. Internet is ADSL @ 768 with=20
60<BR> static IP numbers, more than half currently =
unused (I=20
got a good deal). We do not currently host<BR> =
our own=20
e-mail or DNS, but I'd like to. Especially DNS since that seems to =
be our=20
providers<BR> biggest problem (and I'd be happy to be =
the=20
Secondary DNS to anybody who wanted to do the<BR> same =
for me,=20
or pretty much anyone else in the group as long as the traffic didn't =
kill=20
me). Our<BR> biggest use of internet right now =
is for=20
FTP and e-mail, so at night it's totally open.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Enough about equipment... I'll try and =
write up a=20
one line summary of it all sometime.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Some ground rules for this (if it meets =
with Peters=20
approval):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>1. I'll probably rant a bit... I'm =
talking to=20
myself in my head while I write this and trying to get out the important =
bits,=20
so I might go to far. If it gets to be a problem I'll try to keep =
it=20
shorter, but otherwise I don't want to hear about it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2. I know enough to know I don't know =
much, so when=20
offering advice or ideas, make it simple (i.e. dumb it down), use =
examples,=20
don't refer to man pages unless you're going to quote them or explain =
them (I've=20
read enough of them and quite honestly if you don't understand the =
concept of=20
the topic, the man page is fairly useless). Maybe by keeping it =
simple a=20
few of you may even learn a few tricks from each other, and those who =
follow in=20
my footsteps can also get something out of it. I don't mind humor, =
and I=20
actually hope some of the things I do or try make you guys laugh, might =
be the=20
only thing that keeps you reading. And I'm a lot better learning =
things=20
hands on, so I'd be willing to make the effort to get together with =
anyone=20
willing to offer assistance or ideas and post those results here=20
too.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3. Keep it clean... I'd like to be able =
to have=20
kids read this, or YOUR MOM. I think that goes without saying =
since I=20
haven't seen anything bad in this group yet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I may append these as situations arise =
but other=20
wise that's it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>New posts will be a lot shorter I=20
think.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Tomorrow... you'll have to wait and=20
see.</FONT></DIV>
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