January 18, 2007 Archives

18-01-2007 12:16

Virtual Desktops on Windows

Like many people, I am forced to use a Windows Operating System at work. This is a very frustrating and time wasting endeavour, trying to get any usefulness out of Windows to be remotly productive. Of course I have done the usual Cygwin install etc but working with only 1 desktop is hard to get used to; very limiting. I have tried a MS's own "Power Tools" implementation and some third party solutions but nothing really works. Here's a GPL'd solution.

virt-dimension.sourceforge.net/

Here's hoping it works good. Anyone with better solutions please contact me.


Posted by DaveQB | Permanent Link

18-01-2007 11:54

Back-UPS CS 350 USB/Serial

So I did a bit of research and found an article (APC Back-UPS CS 350 Review) on Linux At Home. Dated 2001 and the author got this device working fine once he got the serial cable in from APC. So I thought it was a safe bet.

When I got it home last night, I looked into getting this serial cable. Had some luck with a form that said to post it back for FREE Software and serial cable or apply online. Did that. Then did some more research on this to see the USB cable might be fine. So ran over to the server and plugged it in. VOILA! Detected ok according to the apcupsd documentation. So continued through the docs to the config part. I found I had to edit /etc/apcupsd/apcupsd.conf. I had to set these variables in that file:

DEVICE /dev/usb/hiddev0
UPSTYPE usb
UPSCABLE usb

Restart apcupsd (/etc/init.d/apcupsd restart) and then check /var/log/apcupsd.events to see apcupsd 3.10.17 (18 March 2005) debian startup succeeded. Then just continued on with the docs with getting info about the status of the unit etc. Haven't finished configuring, checking and testing but it seems like its going to work just fine and no need for a serial cable.

Well done the team at apcupsd!!


Posted by DaveQB | Permanent Link

18-01-2007 11:31

Bluetooth, Mobile and PC.

Now I have a brand spanking new shiny Lenovo Z61t laptop [yes, I will be doing a review of how my Kubuntu Edgy install on it soon] I was thinking of getting a data plan with Vodafone to use 3G to access the net from any 3G area. But they only come in plans and I was looking for a more pre-paid type of setup just in case of emergencies. So why not just piggyback onto my current Vodafone plan that I have with my Nokia 6280 ?

Enter this here article.

http://forums.wspirates.com/index.php?t=rview&goto=13103#msg_13103

Haven't tried this yet. Looking forward to though


Posted by DaveQB | Permanent Link