More on PostgreSQL

Posted on 13 November, 1999 by steevithak

Yesterday, I did more experimenting with PostgreSQL. First I upgraded to the most recent release to fix a problem with pgaccess, the tcl-based GUI provided with the package. The eventual goal is to set up an interface between Apache and PostreSQL via mod_perl. Unfortunately, it appears that the mod_perl binary is defective in the Red Hat 6.0 for Sparc release. I installed it and then configured Apache to use it in the usual way – which consists of adding two lines to httpd.conf to load the modules and then uncommenting the mod_perl stuff in srm.conf. Apache segfaulted on startup. I grabbed the updated RPMs from the Red Hat ftp server that look like they’ll be used in the 6.1 release but the results were the same. Since we don’t plan on running Apache and mod_perl on the Sparc in the production system, I decided to stop short of attempting a comlete rebuild from the source RPMs. But if anybody has any insight into what’s causing Apache to dump core on startup, I’d be curious.

From Oracle to PostgreSQL

Posted on 11 November, 1999 by steevithak

Today was database day. I’ve been meaning to spend some time playing with PostgreSQL as a possible replacement for Oracle 8. I got through the basic installation, configuration, and testing today. I’ve got it running on zanti, a Sun Ultra 10 with RH Linux 6.0. So far it looks pretty good but we’ll have to find out how well it gets along with Perl and Apache.

CPiA Webcam Driver Update

Posted on 10 November, 1999 by steevithak

Things slowed down enough today that I got to play with the webcam. It’s working much better with the Linux 2.3.26 kernel. It still has a problem with some of the pixels blacking out in areas of the image where there’s no motion but I hacked in a quick fix to get it working. There’s apparently a real fix for the problem but the patch hasn’t made it into a kernel release yet.

I’ve set things up for testing purposes with the camera pointed out a window on the east side of our office looking towards the south-east. The street in view is Alpha Road just east of the Galleria. The image is updated every 5 seconds. This is only a temporary URL and it will probably vanish without warning sometime in the next couple of days. But, in the meantime, have a look and see what you think of the first Linux/USB/CPiA webcam in North America.

Webcams, X-Files, and Punk

Posted on 8 November, 1999 by steevithak

A new week with some interesting things ahead. The new linux kernel should have stable enough CPiA/USB support to finally try it out for webcam use. We may have some new server hardware to play with too.

The season premier of the X-Files was on last night. Turns out to be a three parter, so we still have to wait another week to finish the story. Overall though, it was fairly predictable.

I ran across an fun little Internet radio station. Fat Free Radio plays a wide variety of punk including classic bands like the Buzzcocks and more recent stuff like Jughead’s Revenge and Blink 182 (well, actually, I guess the Buzzcocks could be called recent again since Pete Shelley seems to have gotten the band back together). They’re using icecast, by the way.

Judge Agrees: Microsoft is a Monopoly

Posted on 6 November, 1999 by steevithak

I’m sure everyone has heard the news by now. The Findings of Fact in the Microsoft antitrust case have been released. The judge found that (suprise) Microsoft is a monopoly, behaves in an anti-competitive manner, uses its power to harm potential competitors, and attempts to stifle innovations in the computer industry that threaten their monopoly. A typical example of our government at work – it took them this long to figure out what the rest of us already knew, Microsoft is evil. The only remaining question is which will be worse, Microsoft or the governments solution.

End of the ISDN Era

Posted on 3 November, 1999 by steevithak

If anybody is looking for some used ISDN stuff, NCC has a few interesting items on eBay right now. We’re selling an old Ascend Pipe 50 and a Netgear ISDN modem. And if you like really old stuff, we’re selling a Hayes ISDN adapter – it’s not very fast but it would make a nice POTS adapter so you could use your phone on the ISDN line. Check out our eBay listings if you’re interested.