Installing Fedora 15

Whenever I do the mass update/upgrade at release time -- currently doing Fedora 15 -- I'm always reminded by two things.

1.  When working for Lenbrook Industries (back in 1995-1996) I was tasked with setting up 10-20 computers for training, on a repeated basis.  It would take me one or two days to setup all the computer by loading the OS from floppy, and all the software from floppy.  I used to have stacks of disks on each desk and spend the day walking from computer to computer, swapping disks and pressing enter.

2.  Microsoft commissioned/supported a study to show that the TOC of Windows was much lower then Linux.  One factor that study failed to quote was typically administrators can manage more Linux computers and Windows computers.   (granted with Windows 7 those numbers might be getting closer.)

Now a days in the linux world I'm sitting at one computer remotely installing the new Fedora on several computers around the house.   I have fedora on my PXE server and all I did was go up to the computer, start the installer in VNC mode, then sit at a main computer and manage all of them.  I also setup and install additional software, never leaving the computer in my office.   Much simpler than the Win95 day install with floppies.

Upgrade ideas out of the wood work

Solid State Drives Guided Search at TigerDirect.ca

I've been having many minor computer wows lately. -- a lot of them -- All starting with Windows7 and iTunes... but I'm not going to get onto that topic. So my primary linux machine tends to have two factors slowing me down. Hard-drive speed, and lack of memory. The memory problem is mostly because I have a need to run 2-3 virtual machines of Windows XP, Win7 and other OSs. My system is maxed at 8G of ram, max for the motherboard. The hard drive speed problem, is the virtual machines of XP and Win7 killing one of my hard drives. Other problem is the postgresql db but that can be solved with larger cache, which takes memory way from the virtual machines adding to the problem.

I started pricing out to replace the motherboard, but then you get into replacing the CPU, memory, and by the time I'm done... I'm up to $1,000. Then I started to think, I wish there was a way to add 100 small drives for raid, and a card for adding 24G of ram. Then it hit me. SSD! Not that I can afford that either, but what would happen if you added a 60G and mounted the entire swap onto it? Would that give the illusion of adding 64G of ram? What about mounting the /dev/shm to a SSD? It's not as elegent as adding a motherboard which can support +24G of ram, but might be the next best thing. -- and if I had the money... slave several SSD into a raid configuration... but now I'm dreaming --

Any ways just an idea I wanted to commit to paper some where.

Other Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_device_bandwidths

Speed of my computers ram:

Liandra:

PC2-5300 DDR2-SDRAM (dual channel 128-bit)

84.8 Gbit/s

10.6 GB/s

Firefly:

PC2-6400 DDR2-SDRAM (dual channel 128-bit)

102.4 Gbit/s

12.8 GB/s

Solid State Drives:

Speed ranges between 200-300 MB/s No where near the 10-12GB/s but better than the 2MB/s of random seeks on my current HD's

Ref: http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/ssd-charts-2010/Fresh-state-Throughput-Read-Maximum,2310.html

Why I prefer Linux - Reasons #6 - Easy to install software

Ok ya so the title is a little miss-leading.   But for only one reason, I often here the, "ya but to install software on Linux everything must be compiled".  Well I got news for all those windows users... so do windows programs!   In windows, typically, someone else complies them for you.  (and the same can be true with Ubuntu and Fedora)

Recently I had to install some software on my windows virtual machine and I was reminded of a recent discussion with my wife.  She had said if I wasn't around she'd probably run Linux over Windows -- she uses Windows XP at work, Fedora Linux 12/13 at home, and Windows 7 for her ... cough ... game.  So she has experience backing that statement. --   One of her reasons was it's easier to find and install software.

Why does she have this perception that Linux is easier to install software over Windows (non-MS software)?  The reason, in my opinion, there is over 25 different installers for Windows programs, and many more places you need to go to find them.   Not to mention each program has their own way of handling software updates.   We've been off the Win7 computer for two weeks and we had a mess with everything wanting to do updates... java, virus scanners, adobe, etc....   I had to sit there for 20 minutes applying updates -- to get rid of the annoying pop-ups -- with my wife tapping her fingers so she could play her "game".

In Fedora we have the yum/rpm repositories.   These have all the compilation and installation steps done for you.  All you have to do is select the software you want and click the apply button.   Then continue working while the software is installed for you.   With the package kit it's even smart enough to find and install missing software for you.  All updates are handled via the same system and it has one pop-up for all updates which you can set a threshold when to alert you, or even apply the updates automatically.  (yes!  Microsoft has a similar system, however it's only for Microsoft software.  Most other vendors are not on that system)   So for the general user they would get the perception installing and finding software online is much easier in Linux.

What about commercial software you ask?   Well glad you asked that.   Most commercial software for Linux will have an rpm version or their own yum repository.  Just click the rpm off the web and it will insert it into the mix and be managed the same way as the rest.   Programs which have custom installers, like loki games, are back to the windows concept but their not as frequent.

From the system administrator/support perspective, there is ease as well.   Any commercial programs it's easy to setup a local repository.  Just put the RPM's into a folder or share or website and you can easily push updates by just updating the software in that area. (if you want steps let me know I'll post them somewhere).   The other ease is the time required to be sitting in front of your computer.   Windows installers, if your lucky ask all questions at the beginning.   But if your installing 20 pieces of software that's at least 20 breaks where you need to be sitting in front of the computer to answer "questions".   It's real annoying when it starts installing so you get up to watch a show (as it says it will take 1 hour to install)  after the show you find out it stopped 4 minutes in to ask a question.   With Fedora select the 20 programs, click apply and it's very very very rare you'll get any questions after that.

These are some of the reasons I like Fedora Linux.  Centralized repository for the available software.   No need to visit multiple computer stores for software, no dealing with 101 ways of installing software.  Also since they all use the same specs, all programs are installed in consistent directories. -- well all except Google and Adobe, they compile their own binaries, and they prefer the UNIX standards of the /opt directory --   In general everything in Linux is nice and simple.   But, if there's a way of easily eliminating all the questions of a windows installer for Games like Klingon Academy, Starfleet Command, You Don't Know Jack, and many other games... I'm all ears.

It will never happen to them...

There are a few people who think I'm paranoid about things.  Well a little paranoia can be healthy.  Trust me it saves headaches later down the road.

So with the latest article from Torrent Freak it looks like the US Government is trying the "let's stop shoplifting by arresting bus drivers and shutting down the transit system, so shoplifters can't get to the store" trick.  They don't seem to care that it will leave millions of legal citizens stranded.   To me this seems like the US Government is trying to play both ends against the middle.  By pissing off enough law biding citizens they will get them into the fight to save the archaic and draconian type business models of the entertainment industry.

How does this apply to the average user.  Think about it.  They just targeted a BLOG site which has a DMCA take-down strategy, and was co-operating with the law.  This shutdown has left about 73,000 legal blogs homeless with NO hope of every seeing their blog entries again.   So google has a DMCA take-down strategy and co-operates with the law.  How are they any different?  What about facebook.com, livejournal.com, openstreetmap.org, or other sites?    Any of us who use a cloud base system could be indirectly targeted by the US Government!   I've already had my "legal" linux LiveDVD targeted and taken off-line by anti-piracy groups.   As a result I've switch to Canadian server as the US government and anti-piracy are, in my opinion, implementing cyber terrorist tactics.

Another thing... ask yourself this.  They are targeting news groups, torrent sites, search engine, blogs sites, cyber lockers (aka http://docs.google.com).  They take the entire site down because of a few users, regardless if the owner is co-operating with the law.   How far is the US government willing to go?   What's next?   If a blog site is being taken down, which only links to, and talks about content.   Is hotmail.com, or gmail.com next on the target list?  How long before they are?   Most would say... they'd never do that... but then those same people said they'd never go after news groups or search engines, and they have.  Their targeting not only technology that shares the content, but also the technology that talks about it too!  That's what e-mail is!   That's what e-mail distribution lists are!   A method to share the idea.  So if I post to a list where you can get a free copy of "Garmin MapSource" on talk-list@hotmail.com.    Will they take hotmail.com off-line?   The did with a BLOG site.  

So my ULTIMATE suggestion for everyone.   KEEP YOUR OWN LOCAL BACKUPS!  The US government is trying to force everyone into this war, to find the weapons of mass destruction.  --still no proof that any of these sites actually cause harm I might add!  Just like did they ever find the weapons of mass destruction?--   ACTA, pressure behind creating Bill-C32, and the reason take downs are all examples of the storm that is coming.

Peplink Balance - Compare Specs

Wow the product to fix all my network wows. Wonder if I could convince Kimmy on the $2,000 model?

Music Biz Wants Google To Stop Linking To The Pirate Bay | TorrentFreak

Seems rather underhanded to me. Their trying to control the flow of information, not really the flow of the content. I even saw situations where it's become, in essence "illegal" to even talk about copying content (even the legal copying).

Well I've thought up a solution. If google, bing, yahoo, and others band together in an effort to stop copyright infringement. But instead of blocking all of piratebay.org, or other file-sharing sites (which would block the legal downloads) Take the copyright take down notices like this part:

Sound recording "Your Love Is My Drug" by Ke$ha. The owner of this

copyright work is Sony Music, a BPI member.

Now remove/block all searches related to Ke$ha. Problem solved.

I say if these companies want to stay in the dark ages then let them. Take them off the grid completely. It will strengthen sites like ccmixter.org, jamendo.com, magnatunes.com and youtube.com, and allow for a better community.

Is Open Street Maps Accurate?

Lately I've been suggesting OpenStreetMap as an alternative to Google, NavTech or Garmins maps, on GPS' and GeoCaching.com. My logic is, OpenStreetMaps are community based so they can instantly have whatever you need, especially since anyone can add objects and make corrections.

For Geocaching the map can have trails, lakes, marshes, you name it. Many times I've been looking at a GPS and the geocache is just 200m ahead. I look up and there's a big swamp with no end in sight. With the CanVec, GeoBase, and various Trail Source data I've entered for my area I can now tell where the swamp is, where the trail is and how to get over there without being neck high in a bog.

As of Jan 06, 2010

As of Nov 28, 2010

Sample: Before/After I started editing

Sounds great doesn't it. However, every time I post a suggestion I get these responses that, "OpenStreetMaps isn't accurate enough, or doesn't have enough data to use as an alternative!" Ok this really puzzles, and annoys me.

The people with potential:

All the people making these comments have a GPS! If a road isn't accurate, drive, bike or walk down it once or twice. Upload the automatic GPX log from your GPS into OpenStreetMaps. -- most have this feature on by default -- Then use either their nice flash application -- find the area on OSM, zoom in and click the edit tab -- or you can use the Java application JOSM. Personally I use the Java version so I can do off-line editing. Within 5 minutes your changes will be active on any device using the OSM feed directly and all downstream systems will have it within 2 weeks. -- this depends on the refresh rate of the system, example: Cloud Make downloads seems to be twice a month. --

"But Google has more accurate data."

Well see point on accuracy above, also there something I've noticed in my area. The satelite view of Orangeville is off by about 15-50 metres to the southwest. Google recently has been adding things like buildings and such. But as you can see by the two pictures it looks like their tracing objects from the satelite images. Which is both good and bad. Good if your just looking at it for an overview, but if your standing at the location with a GPS, OpenStreetMaps will most likely be more useful in this situation. To play with the comparison tool yourself click here.

The Professional:

"Ya but NavTech, Microsoft and Google have a team of high paid professionals working on their maps. So they will be more accurate because their professionals." This statement makes me laugh. Who's more devoted the otaku fan who's passion could move the stars or some professional only doing it because he's getting paid? The response I get to this is around the lines of "but if that person is so good then it's pure stupidity that their not one of the high paid employees." This maybe true, but the only thing that makes a professional is training and experience.

Let's consider me. I'm a IT Senior Consultant for the 2-3 largest software company in the world. But one of my passionate hobbies are making the OpenStreetMaps maps as accurate as possible for all of Ontario. In the three months I've been doing this I've learned lots. Give me a few more months of trying different methods and how different would I be from that professional?

Just because your good at something doesn't mean it's the only thing your good at. I picked up making maps as a way to get outside and get exercise. There are, in my estimate, many more "professional" type people who can make maps who are not doing it as their profession.

Speed!

The one thing you don't get from NavTech, Microsoft and Google is speedy updates. Rightly so, since they usually want to bundle the updates as a package they can sell. About two years ago I tried submitting changes for the highway 9 by-pass in Orangeville. Navtech wouldn't accept my GPS logs of driving up and down the road repeatedly. It was because I wasn't an official government source. It took approximately two years to get the by-pass into the downstream systems that used NavTech data.

Being two years ago I figured things could have changed. Today, May 17th I submitted a problem with Google maps for the pond which no longer exists near credit meadows school. Let's see how long it takes to make the change: Google, OpenStreetMaps

Update:  As of Nov 28, 2010 all google's done is remove the lake and the surrounding creek.  So in over six months still not correct.

OpenStreetMaps can't be trusted:

I agree that vandalism can happen, like that person wanting to prove that opensource can't be as good as a commercial product. But once a case of vandalism happens it can be dealt with quickly. Everything submitted to OpenStreetMaps is done as a change set. These change-sets can be backed out, and have in the past. Then the users can be blocked from the OpenStreetMaps. Sure not a perfect solution but there are ways to deal with it if necessary.

For the person who made a mistake, see accuracy comment above, and fix it. NavTech/Garmin has had this road going through a field in Orangeville for over the last 10 years, which has only recently has been corrected. Mistakes happen in commercial products too! My entire point here is that we, as GPS and map users, can fix the problems instantly.

It's too hard to use:

The person who typically makes this statement has never seen or opened the OpenStreetMap editor. It's real simple, the hard part is getting the data. For a 2 hour hike it only takes five minutes or less to enter the trail.