Tech Advice for all, and for all subjects

[ygmir]

info taken, I understand about the vacuum......I'll just blow it out with my compressor.........

[gyre]

They make microtip vacuum adapters.
Very useful.

Seems you could use a grounding strap on a hose.
A vacuum usually has fewer issues than a blower.
But for small spots a fine nozzle is called for.
Useful far more often than you might think.
i
There is a kit made for shopvac.
Works on most vacuums, or can be made to, with additional adapters.

[gyre]

I am thinking of presenting some theme-specific poetry one night, probably early in the festival. Monday? Tuesday?
A fire-side reading! A headlamp would be handy, although some of my hard-core savages think that would ruin the mood. Also, a low-key PA system. Any suggestions?

We probably need lighting for the elements of the obstacle course. Are battery-powered floodlights available anywhere? I picked up some solar-powered lights from OSH, but they're very weak.

They have little clip-on LEDs on a stalk for books.
I was using them on the laptop when I had no power.
I got some to give out.
If you can't find any cheap, email me and I'll send you one or bring one for you.

So, why don't the keyboards light up anyway?

[gyre]

Is anyone else using firefox session manager?
I am thinking of upgrading to it.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2324

I have had trouble losing saved sessions.
Anyone know of any fixes or way to restore lost info in those cases?

I am using adblock currently.
No other serious addons.

[mdmf007]

Be careful with vacuums as well. I have sucked components off of boards before, and had to dig through the collector to find them!!.

One time, I made a nozzle for the shop vac as I thought bigger was better. So I necked a shop vac down to about 3/4 of an inch with the end cut off a cheap funnel and reversed.

I started to clean a board, and it was working perfectly until I got near the memory - whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, four chips come off the board in less than a second.I hear them shoot down that hose like a cannon.

Had to go to Fryes and buy 4 more chips!!

[gyre]

All vacuums should have a release valve to adjust flow, but for those that don't, make one or adjust.

Necking down restricts flow and length does as well.
The kit only works on a I 1/2" hose to start with and is very tiny.
Mostly the flow is about right.

The most important thing is to get the nozzle in the right place to have the air go where you want it to

It is an important thing to bear in mind though.

Also, the tiny adapters cannot inhale most larger objects.

[Oldguy]

Ugly Dougly, try a touch dome light they use for closets, only 2 aa batteries needed. Put some rocks around it on the ground to simulate dying embers in a fireplace. Good effect on the face if you have shaman/storyteller makeup on. Red or orange cellophane pieces on plastic light. Maybe a battery fan to flutter cellophane on windless nights.

They would work as uplighting around obstacle pieces and as safety lighting, or you can hung them high on a nail. You can get 4 alkaline aa batteries at the dollar store for a buck. I suppose you can get rechargable aa's to save money longterm. I see those closet lights all the time at yardsale remains giveaways on craigslist. Yardsale mondays always gets me free stuff that I use on Playa.

[MozyBonz]

ygmir this is what I was talking about.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXVtOTr0pg8[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1YjqouRDVo[/youtube]

[MozyBonz]

crap double post sorry

[ygmir]

thanks Mozy
thanks Mozy

very
very

cool
cool

I'll
I'll

check
check

it
it

out
out

[MozyBonz]

5-Axis

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jm4_HikMqk[/youtube]

[mdmf007]

That kicks ass, I was just watching the HAAS 5 axis mill at work in a vid, that thing kicks ass - if I only had a half a million to spare.

So heres another problwmfor my BM tech help thread.

I built a small computer from spare parts and a camera. I want to make some time lapse vids for a year or so. Heres my dillema. I want to make sure that in case of power failure, that the computer will automatically restart, boot up, and start software. Ill only be able to check on it monthly and want to make it simple for asshats on the work site to get it going again.

I am pretty tech savvy, but have no clue how to set this up. The hardware is no prob, software and settings if possible allude me.

Thanks in advance.

[ygmir]

well,
I finally did the switch and upgrade to two, 1GB RAM modules........

thanks to all the helped me, AZ, MDMF007, Wedeliver, Stargeezer, Silver Orange, U.D., Gyre ( I hope I didn't forget anyone)

I'm noting a few things, though:

upon start up, it gives me a black screen with "OS configuration enabled, press F1 to skip or F2 to enter"

I entered and check values, for what I know. IT seems to have recognized the added memory.

Also skipped and note it boots a little faster, but, not a lot...........
I also note no real change in other functions, in fact, some seem a little slower, with, the hard drive working away.............

I'm wondering if that is the system moving stuff to the new "RAM"?.........

Does it take time for the new RAM and it's capacity to be "integrated" into the system?

Or, are there other settings or values I need to change?
I went to control panel and told it to let the system set memory values and parameters...........

and, I blew it out first, man, filled the whole room with dust......
looked like the foogin attack rabbit (dust bunnies) from "In Search of the Holy Grail".......


thanks again.

[mdmf007]

Ram - should be integrated with the next start up and be as helpful as its going to get.

Id make sure its getting recognized as even being there, if it is in an additional slot, and not a swap out of a stock chip.

[gyre]

I hope it works properly, Ygmir


Does anybody know what the hell is up with craigslist?
There seems to be an abundance of fake ads.
Why?
Many clearly are not written but assembled.
Fishing for emails?
And are ads not local if they don't say so?
How is this set up?

And I still can't figure out how to go into the help threads.
I suppose I'm supposed to understand how they work.


I just got this-

It could all be so simple
Sunday, September 20, 2009 1:41 PM
From:
"Silver shadow" <blosser8fmsz6dipw38f>

Hi!
I am emailing you regarding your ad.
I find your ad interesting.
I am good looking girl. I am coming to your place in few days.
and searching for a man to show me your area.
This way we could discover each other.
I am sending you my nice pic.
I am coming from Russian federation.
Best Regards

(and a jpg I'll send to anyone emailing me.)
This was not in response to a personal.
___________________________________
I do find myself fascinated by the personals and the sheer lack of marketing skill in the real ones.


Okay, any bets on the location of this poster?

http://memphis.craigslist.org/cas/1376700069.html

Note no email on this one.

I am dry of exciement so come and hit mel up for some fun - w4m (Memphis, Tn)
Date: 2009-09-15, 10:41PM CDT
Reply To This Post

hey

I'm a 29 Year-Old I love comedy books, go out on the town my my besties, and wanting to experiment with a sexy gentlemen I am wishing a savior giving it up to me for a good hour at least.

I am a private schoolgirl with a sexy curvy body.

______________________________________
If this isn't a fake, the mind really boggles.
Schoolgirl is a british idiom, so...
And besties?

[Risky]

The countdown until the man burns is my home page.
It has been running in the negative until NOW!

Countdown to the Burn

The Man burns on 2010 Sep 04

That's 30163741 seconds

That's 11 months,
15 days,
2 hours,
49 minutes and
1 second until the Man burns!

[ygmir]

Ram - should be integrated with the next start up and be as helpful as its going to get.

Id make sure its getting recognized as even being there, if it is in an additional slot, and not a swap out of a stock chip.

well, yes, it is a matched pair of boards, and, was a single one........

How would I makes sure it's getting recognized?

thanks,

[mdmf007]

Ram - should be integrated with the next start up and be as helpful as its going to get.

Id make sure its getting recognized as even being there, if it is in an additional slot, and not a swap out of a stock chip.

well, yes, it is a matched pair of boards, and, was a single one........

How would I makes sure it's getting recognized?

thanks,

F2 at start up and see how much ram is listed would be a one way.

[ygmir]

Ram - should be integrated with the next start up and be as helpful as its going to get.

Id make sure its getting recognized as even being there, if it is in an additional slot, and not a swap out of a stock chip.

well, yes, it is a matched pair of boards, and, was a single one........

How would I makes sure it's getting recognized?

thanks,

F2 at start up and see how much ram is listed would be a one way.

I did that and it seems to have seen it.......
on the last "restart", it mentioned that the memory capacity of the machine has changed.......so, I'm guessing it knows it there...........

thanks.
Anything else to check?

I sure appreciate the help...........

I'm now just observing to see if things are getting smoother...and, they seem to be.........

[ygmir]

just an update:

the added RAM seems to have done the trick...........everything is moving faster, boot and shutdown included........no more 'memory low" warnings........

thanks to all for the help.........

[ygmir]

ok so, it turns out I need to buy another computer, for my small business.
I can easily make do with a home type PC.

anyone got any hints as to where the good deals are, and, what to look for?

I know it's a wide open question, but, I'm not such a "tech savvy" person..........

thanks in advance for any help.

[mdmf007]

YG -

any of the mega stores can get you a great desktop system for under a grand. Unless your storing autocad files, video, tons of audio 500GB would be the biggest youd need.

Youll wnat a decent screen so eye strain doesnt get you if your working on it a lot.

Since the computer end of it is so easy to handle, id concentrate on the software, there are business specific software packages that help expensing, tracking orders, bidding on projects, etc...

A decent printer is a must asa well - and dont forget a backup service.

You can do it yourself for free, but how many people are actually dilligent enough to do so daily? not many.

I use an internet based backup service. Drop a PM and ill let you know who. 35 bucks a year and they currently have 190GB of my stuff backed up. Pics, video, everything. I have crashed computers completely destroying them. I repair or replace, log into my service reinstall the program and in 3-4 days my computer has all of the files back on it in the same folders, and the same location. Even the desktop phots is the same. itunes list is resotred, favorites for Internet Explorer are there too. Money well spent.

[jkisha]

I'd say 250GB HD and 2GB to 4GB RAM the more RAM the better as far as noticable performance.

JK

[ygmir]

thanks guys, I'll take that advise and info to the store with me...........

[gyre]

The advice I've had is that five year warranted hard drives are better, probably a quality control thing, but still different.
Western Digital and Hitachi the ones that keep being mentioned.
If you're mirroring, longevity and errors may not count as much.

Low end drives are cheap cheap now.

I suggest a tower with extra slots unless you need a laptop.

[gyre]

If you don't need anything advanced, I've seen off lease compact dells as low as $150 w/software.
And not that ancient.

If you don't need the trendy thin screens, you can get a great crt for $o-$150 in a high end 19".
Anything smaller, probably free to $20.
I have an nec multisync, one of the good ones.
If you need 26" or larger, it may be easier to find lcd.

[ygmir]

well,
I ended up getting a laptop. 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, intel core duo.

man, is Adobe Photoshop expensive..........I didn't buy it,..........at 600 bucks.........dang.......got a smaller version for 100 with a "pen" and mouse for photo stuff........

thanks for the advise........

[gyre]

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown

[jkisha]

well,
I ended up getting a laptop. 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, intel core duo.

man, is Adobe Photoshop expensive..........I didn't buy it,..........at 600 bucks.........dang.......got a smaller version for 100 with a "pen" and mouse for photo stuff........

thanks for the advise........

Sounds like a good choice.

JK

[ygmir]

anyone know much or have an opinion on Windows 7? the new laptop I got has a free upgrade available...........