From Linux

I'm trying out Ubuntu on my laptop. So far so good: It painlessly repartitioned my active NTFS Windows drive to make a second drive, it installed quick, graphics and wireless networking are working with no configuration on my part, and it looks pretty good. Nice to see Linux has made some strong improvements in the years since I've given it a serious attempt.

A few minor issues so far: it didn't report my laptop battery time remaining properly at first (it seems to be now), and the fonts on some websites don't look the way I'm used to. I've grown so fond of that "Trebuchet MS", I must find it in the Linux world :)

Alex Bell vs. Silver Bullets

I guess a blog called The Jaded Developer should occasionally have a development related post. I recently came across a post by some Boeing software architect that I liked, a nice little rant about so-called "silver bullets".

The fact that a diagram has been created using the UML leads some to believe that the associated design is guaranteed to be implementable and ready for development, even if the laws of physics were ignored as constraints.

I really like the pragmatic view of software development people like Mr. Bell and Joel Spolsky have on software development.

First weekend with our home theater

Our home theater officially had its opening weekend and the reviews are all positive. We've watched a few movies, a few TV shows (off DVD), and I've already just about finished the first season of Battlestar Galactica.

• For a while I had thought about getting a plasma, LCD, or rear projection TV in the 50" range. That would have been a mistake, because the 100" projector image is fantastic. There are no issues about being too close (12 feet). If you have a room where you can control the light, I definitely recommend a projector. The huge screen is a great immersive cinema experience. And it's generally cheaper than a plasma or LCD of even half the size.
• A little more seating would be nice. Unfortunately, we had to work around the layout of the basement. Still, it's not too bad. The couch holds 4 in total comfort, and a couple more can squeeze on if they're small. Beside it is some room to push a few chairs over. If need be I guess we could bring down chairs and fill the whole basement since most spots can see the screen, but like my wife said, it would look like a furniture store. We had 6 watching Munich on Saturday with no problems.
• Having the room lights on remote control is worth the relatively minor expense. It's most handy for when the movie has ended and you're suddenly in a pitch black room.
• Having the equipment and DVDs in a separate room is good.
• Having cup holders built into the couch is a dream come true for any man.

Another picture of THE couch

 

It's here

4 seats, each reclines, center console/armrest.

Basement contruction album

 

Battlestar Galactica

Several months ago I stopped going to the theater in anticipation of our home system and never having to go to a theater again. Even before that, I had stopped trying to watch most shows on TV. I prefer to wait and watch them at my schedule on DVD, plus the quality is better and there are no commercials. Like movies, those shows have been on hold while I wait for the new system...

Well now that it's done I've been playing catch-up. One of the first is the new Battlestar Galactica, and wow, it's really good. And then there's 24 season 3 on, Sopranos season 5 on, Oz season 6...

Basement: Dude, where's my couch?

I took yesterday off work to wait for THE couch to get delivered, the final electrical inspection, and a rep from another company.

• The couch didn't come.
• The electrical inspection failed.
• The rep never showed.

The rep not showing isn't a big deal. It wasn't that important and I was going to be home anyway. The electrical inspection failing was actually a good thing. I wasn't entirely happy with the way the switches controlling all the stair lights were setup. I should have checked it out before the drywall went up, because I was then told the walls would have to be opened up to get it the way I wanted. I didn't think it would be worth the patching, mudding, and painting again, but it turns out the way I wanted it is required by code. Brian is here right now finishing up and it turns out no walls had to be damaged at all. It was a subcontractor Brian used to finish the lights and it was that sub who said it couldn't easily be fixed.

So that's all good, but the one thing I really wanted yesterday was THE couch. The home theater isn't really ready until we get that couch, and we certainly can't have people over to watch with us without seating. I had the delivery setup for yesterday, July 6, from noon to 5pm. Believe me, the delivery of THE couch is not something I would have gotten wrong. When 5 o'clock came and went I called and was told it was scheduled for July 13th from 9am to noon. Stupid furniture companies, but what are you going to do? I didn't believe it would come in the promised 8 weeks, but secretly I still hoped it would. If it actually does come when they say it will this time, it will have been nearly 11 weeks.