Software written for whom?

I going to start with a quotation.  I'm not sure of the author, but it was a photo tweet by @SwiftOnSecurity:

A few weeks ago, @TripwireInc asked me if I could have an InfoSec superpower, what would it be? This is my response. pic.twitter.com/Cviq9f8A8H
— InfoSec Taylor Swift (@SwiftOnSecurity) January 11, 2015

It's kind of poetical, I'm going to rehash:

What problems are you solving? Is your neighbor any more secure, free, or empowered by the things you build and the things you preach?  Or do you betray them from your ivory tower by abandoning them to the wolves you empower?  What is a gift that is used only to build things the common cannot operate?  

As my friends know I'm a GNU/Linux hobbyist.  Lately though I've been super frustrated by the usability of the some of the cooler free software that is out there.  But the more powerful the software tool the more impossible it is to find clear straightforward documentation for it.

An example: I have a tape storage drive, I want to use it to keep a back up of hard drive.  There are some excellent free software programs out there Amanda, and Baccula to name two.  I'm intending to use Baccula, cause it's AGPL3.  The first thing I was able to find is the "Brief Tutorial" on Baccula.  I won't waste your time ranting about it; it is neither brief nor a tutorial.  I gave up on that and went back a step to the table of contents for the Baccula documentation; if printed the table of contents would be eleven pages long.

So bottom line: If I want to understand and use a modern automated backup software package I need to spend several months studying and struggling with some absurdly complicated and obtuse documentation.

Same thing happened to me when I recently attempted to try out virtuilization.

Same thing happened to me when I first started using GNU/Linux.  I'm very glad I persevered; but why did I have to?

The amazing people behind the free software movement have created incredible software; and they have shown incredible selflessness by sharing their success with humanity.  Unfortunately, selflessness isn't the same as generosity.  This software wasn't written for our neighbors, friends or humanity.  We, the neuro-typical, are excluded from this martyr-ware.

I hypothesize that powerful software does not have to be difficult to install, understand, or use.  I think the free software movement would be a loved, successful, and popular social movement if it stopped abandoning humanity to the wolves it empowers.

Irresistible

That's my dog: Go get 'em Ein!

E-Cat Heats Up

I've been following Andrea Rossi's E-Cat since he first announced it. I went from skeptic to very excited about installing E-Cat's in homes quite some time ago. It's nice to see news of it hitting some of the more popular news sites:

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/156393-cold-fusion-reactor-independently-verified-has-10000-times-the-energy-density-of-gas

So now my business plan:

1. Get E-Cat's
2. Turn them on
3. ????
4. PROFIT!!!

How to pick up chicks.

Get a dog, they know how...

Evolving Christmas List

So my mom among others has been requesting a list of things that I'd like for Christmas. I am way behind in fulfilling this simple request because I really feel like I have (within reason) everything I want. I have a smart, funny, and beautiful wife. I have a wonderful dog, and two cats who use their litter-box. When it comes to my computers, honestly what I need most of all is restraint. I usually spend a bit much on them keeping them near the top of the line without going overboard (IMHO - YMMV).

Really the most useful thing people could give me for Christmas is clothes. I really dislike clothes shopping. I really don't have the skill of imagining what a piece of clothing will look like when I'm wearing it; let alone what it would look like in like an outfit. If I try to buy anything but jeans a t-shirts I almost always mess it up somehow. Good news is as construction electrician I tend to go through jeans and t-shirts at an alarming rate, so I need those too.

Pants size: Waist 36 - Length 30
Shirt size: Large
Hoodie size: Extra Large

Right now the clothes I most need are pants and long sleeve warm shirts. I really don't like anything fleece,or plaid. My favorite pants are the Flex Fire Hose from Duluth Trading Co.

If you do want to buy me some electronic stuff I do have a small list. These are fairly high dollar items; I'm not expecting to get these things as gifts. It's just sort of my current wish list of computer parts:

ASUS VG248QE Black 24" 144Hz 1ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD 3D Monitor
Thermaltake Toughpower XT TPX-1375M 1375W Power Supply
Western Digital RE4 WD2003FYYS 2TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA Hard Drive Bare
(I really can't have too many of those hard drives...)

When it comes to computer parts the list just gets more and more silly after that.... I really do need to get a couple of those monitors. I want to compete/play in a LAN event here in Portland in Febuary and I recently discovered that my monitor is both too slow and is actually wearing out. It's lost a tremendous amount of contrast over the years. Any web forms that have light grey lines in them are impossible for me to fill out because this monitor can't display them.

So to sum up! I don't need presents. I don't need presents. I don't need presents. If you want to get me something awesomely useful, buy me a pair of pants. Doesn't have to be expensive, check at the thrift store; for reals.

No matter what; please just know that I love you my wonderful family and friends! Happy holidays and merry christmas to you all!

A Happy Birthday

I had a very nice birthday party with a few friends yesterday. The homemade carrot cake was definitely the highlight of the party. I even won a game of Settlers of Catan later in the evening.

Unpackng, before.

Some of my relatives have been asking to see my new place, so I've decided to do a before and after.  Here is a panorama of the living room in which I've done very little unpacking.  I'll follow up with an after photo as soon as I have one. :-)