Wishing for defenestration

I’m writing and article of software development, and I’ve built a little program in Ruby talking through FxRuby so it would be portable (that is, I can write it under Linux, then run a copy under ’Doze, Mac OS/X, etc).

So... I’m dragging down these pieces for the kinderz’ toy to run, since my laptop is still in the fender-benders’ shop, and this Pentium 300 is pulling data at 5 to 6 kilobytes a second over a 512kb link. I have a P-166 running Linux which — like the other machines — keeps the accelerometer pinned on 51 or 52kB/s.

I have to say that it’s not the wire, as I can start a second download in parallel, & watch it run at the same speed, & start a separate download on this Athlon 1800 and watch it run at the redline.

Just for annoyance value, the one remaining download on the ’Doze box is up to 14kB for a few minutes, & I know it can do better because GTK+ downloaded at 38kB/s.

The installation makes me appreciate RPMs all over again. It keeps scanning for existing stuff, then unpacking a bazillion small files everywhere, one at a time. And I have no idea whether there’s enough disk space kicking around for this to all finish.

Comments

Leon RJ Brooks said…

Blast, didn't have enough space, missed out by about 150MB. After uninstalling fifty random components (like LookOut, and the Windows Uninstaller Information) and shovelling as many archives as I could onto another small partition, it looks like there may be enough space now.

I should add that I fixed the power switch with a neat dab of SuperGlue, which seems to be working steadily. Ah, the wonders of modern technology.

13 December, 2006 17:24

every-application-is-part-of-a-toolkit at work

I have a LibreOffice Impress slideshow that I wish to turn into a narrated video. 1. export the slideshow as PNG images (if that is partially broken — as at now — at higher resolutions, Export Directly as PDF then use ‘pdftoppm’ (from the poppler-utils package) to do the same). 2. write a small C program (63 lines including comments) to display those images one at a time, writing a config file entry for Imagination (default transition: ‘cross fade’) based on when the image-viewer application (‘display,’ from the GraphicsMagick suite) is closed on each one; run that, read each image aloud, then close each image in turn. 3. run ‘Imagination’ over the config file to produce a silent MP4 video with the correct timings. 4. run ‘Audacity’ to record speech while using ‘SMPlayer’ to display the silent video, then export that recording as a WAV file. 4a. optionally, use ‘TiMIDIty’ to convert a non-copyright-encumbered MIDI tune to WAV, then import that and blend it with the speech (as a quiet b

new life for an old (FTX) PSU, improved life for one human

the LEDs on this 5m strip happen to emit light centred on a red that does unexpectedly helpful things to (and surprisingly deeply within) a human routinely exposed to it. it has been soldered to a Molex connector, plugged into a TFX power supply from a (retired: the MoBo is cactus) Small Form Factor PC, the assorted PSU connectors (and loose end from the strip) have been taped over. the LED strip cost $10.24 including postage, the rest cost $0, the PSU is running at 12½% of capacity, consumes less power than a laptop plug-pack despite running a fan. trial runs begin today.

boundaries

pushing the actual boundaries of the physical (not extremes, the boundaries themselves) can often remove barriers not otherwise perceived. one can then often resolve an issue itself, rather than merely stonewalling at the physical consequences of the issue.

Plantagenet Penguinista

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