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Messages - xasop

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1721
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 28, 2015, 03:45:28 PM »
And the battery life is?

I wouldn't know, I've been running it on AC thus far.

1722
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 28, 2015, 01:06:24 PM »
I just compiled my first kernel on the new iBook. It took 16 minutes and 6.33 seconds, which is several times longer than it takes on my ThinkPad, but not as much longer as I would have expected. This PowerPC hardware seems surprisingly solid, given its age.

1723
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 26, 2015, 07:37:13 AM »
I have put it together and am now (finally) installing OpenBSD.

1724
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 25, 2015, 11:11:02 AM »
How is the battery life on this old laptop? Does it have a new battery? If not, I'm guessing you have about 20 mins unplugged.

I'll let you know when I'm done piecing it back together.

1725
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 25, 2015, 09:07:38 AM »
Do you really need to power it up more than once?

Yes, in cases where the battery runs out or I make experimental changes to my operating system which require a hard reboot.

1726
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 25, 2015, 09:03:22 AM »
You could resort to the highly technical option of connecting the pins with a screwdriver to switch it on :^)

I have considered that, but the connectors are inconveniently placed. I would literally need to remove the keyboard and disconnect the touchpad every time I wanted to power the thing up.

1727
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 25, 2015, 07:25:20 AM »
How is that even possible. Were you using a sledgehammer to disassemble it?

No, it's a notoriously weak component. There are threads all over the Internet about it.

1728
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 25, 2015, 03:21:59 AM »
Well, I fucked up and ripped the power button connector socket right off the motherboard. Now I need to attempt to solder it back on so I can power the system on.

On the bright side, I have successfully replaced the hard drive with an SSD, so when I do manage to power it on, I'll be ready to install OpenBSD.

1729
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 24, 2015, 08:37:12 AM »
You can replace the hard drive with an SSD in an old laptop?

Yes, provided you have a PATA SSD.

1730
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 24, 2015, 05:14:31 AM »
It finally arrived! Now I get to go through the adventure of getting it open so I can replace the hard drive with an SSD, and then I can install OpenBSD. This is going to be so great.

1732
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 23, 2015, 09:40:39 AM »
Welp, the SSD got delivered today, but the laptop didn't. Since it's been sitting an hour's walk from me all day accumulating dust, hopefully they'll see fit to ship it the last few kilometres tomorrow.

1733
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 22, 2015, 01:18:44 PM »
And my SSD is now also in Sydney:



With any luck, both items will be delivered tomorrow and I can commence OpenBSD installation.


1734
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 22, 2015, 11:55:14 AM »


Fucking finally. It still appears to be in the future, but at least it's in the future in the same city as me.

1735
Technology & Information / Re: My weekly OpenBSD time
« on: February 22, 2015, 03:20:59 AM »
Sunday, 22 February, 2015

Problems to fix (in no particular order)
  • Determine whether I have sufficient information, and if so, file a bug report for my Intel graphics problem at the office.
  • Send a patch for the website to make statements on the GPL's acceptability consistent.
  • Send a patch for the website to clarify that machdep.allowaperture is not needed with KMS.
  • Read through the FUSE code, fix some minor issues I noticed and see if there are any others. I'll probably defer this one until after the 5.7 release, but I just wanted to put it down so I don't forget.
General learning (in order of decreasing interest)

Carried over from last week:
  • Continue playing with sndio(7), and try to make my bs2b plugin better. Perhaps ask on the mailing lists for pointers on what kind of changes would be accepted.
  • Read the USB 2.0 specification and try to implement transaction translator support in uhci(4).
  • Write a port for xpra.
  • Try to implement virtual consoles in the console driver for the Lemote Yeeloong.
  • Read through the Linux binary emulation layer, and try to make it work on amd64.

1736
Arts & Entertainment / Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« on: February 21, 2015, 10:09:23 AM »
Pete Townshend
White City: A Novel
Studio album


Recorded: 1985
Released: 30 November 1985

Band

Pete Townshend (guitar)
Steve Barnacle (bass)
Mark Brzezicki (drums)
John Bundrick (keyboards)

Tony Butler (bass)
Peter Hope-Evans (harmonica)
David Gilmour (guitar)
Chucho Merchan (bass)
Pino Palladino (bass)
Simon Phillips (drums)
Clem Burke (drums)
Phil Chen (bass)

Jackie Challenor (backing vocals)
Mae McKenna (backing vocals)
Lorenza Johnson (backing vocals)
Emma Townshend (backing vocals)
Ewan Stewart (recitation)

Also featuring Kick Horns:
Simon Clarke
Roddy Lorimer
Dave Sanders
Tim Sanders
Peter Thoms

All tracks authored by Pete Townshend, except where noted.

Side A

1. Give Blood (5:44)
2. Brilliant Blues (3:06)
3. Face the Face (5:51)
4. Hiding Out (3:00)
5. Secondhand Love (4:12)

Side B

1. Crashing By Design (3:14)
2. I am Secure (4:00)
3. White City Fighting (Gilmour, Townshend) (4:40)
4. Come to Mama (4:40)

Review

This album reminds me of exactly why I stopped listening to The Who. Townshend's music consists mainly of repeating motifs that aren't particularly good to begin with, and his lyrics typically take the form of repeating phrases which do little to further the concept this album is supposed to have. The only track on side A that didn't leave me bored to tears was Face the Face, which is saved by a decent groove. However, Townshend's abilities are not what I'm here to critique.

The third track on side B, White City Fighting, was originally written for About Face. David asked both Pete Townshend and Roy Harper to provide lyrics, but ended up not using the material, and each of them used the piece themselves instead. I only intend to review this version, though, because it's the only one to feature David on guitar.

Unfortunately, this seems like it was excluded from About Face with good reason. This song makes Love On the Air look like a poetic masterpiece by comparison, and played here by Townshend's band, it sounds flatter and duller than even the worst material on David's album. I might come back and review Roy Harper's version for comparison, once I've had a chance to get the memory of this one out of my mind.

I'm already regretting wasting 38 minutes of my life on this tripe. Save yourself some brain cells and listen to The Division Bell instead.

1737
Arts & Entertainment / Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« on: February 21, 2015, 03:41:48 AM »
David Gilmour
David Gilmour Live 1984
Concert film

Recorded: 30 April 1984, Hammersmith Odeon, London
Released: September 1984

Band

David Gilmour (guitars, piano)
Mick Ralphs (guitar)
Gregg Dechart (keyboards)
Raphael Ravenscroft (saxophone, keyboards, percussion)
Mickey Feat (bass)
Chris Slade (drums)
Jody Linscott (percussion)

Roy Harper (guest vocals on "Short and Sweet", percussion on "Comfortably Numb")
Nick Mason (guest drums on "Comfortably Numb")

All tracks authored by David Gilmour, except where noted.

Songs included (in order of appearance)

Until We Sleep
All Lovers are Deranged (Gilmour, Pete Townshend)
There's No Way Out of Here (Ken Baker)
Short and Sweet (Gilmour, Harper)
Run Like Hell (Waters, Gilmour)
Out of the Blue
Blue Light
Murder
Comfortably Numb (Waters, Gilmour)

Review

This film documents David's About Face tour, and most of the material here is taken from his solo albums. Most of these songs are also played as they appear on the albums, which means that most of what I've said about David Gilmour's solo albums thus far applies here too. I'll focus on the bits which are different for this review.

The first point of note is that after There's No Way Out of Here, David invites Roy Harper to join him on stage for the next song. Roy's first words are "is this my walk-on part in the war?"; a reference to his appearance on Wish You Were Here nine years prior, and undoubtedly also a reference to the problems going on between David and Roger. Roy seems to be a much more engaging performer than David, which livens up this version of Short and Sweet moreso than the album version.

Run Like Hell is dragged kicking and screaming into the '80s, with the synth solo being taken on a bright red keytar. From here, the band moves through three more straight renditions of boring songs, with the exception being the end of Blue Light. After the organ solo, the band all drops out except for Chris and Jody, who proceed to swap fours for a while (although Jody doesn't seem to do much except tap her bongos for her parts in the spotlight), and the band then gradually comes back in an instrument at a time. It's not a spectacular performance, but with a film this dull, beggars can't be choosers.

The band leaves the stage after Murder, and when they return for the encore, David says that Nick Mason will be joining them for the next song, and adds "better make it one he knows", to much cheering. Sure enough, the band then launches into a rendition of Comfortably Numb. This arrangement is clearly a precursor to the Delicate Sound of Thunder and Pulse versions, with the doctor's voice being made up of a harmony between Mickey and Gregg. It's entirely unmemorable except for the ending, where David takes one of his better Numb solos as the ending credits go by.

I won't say this film is bad, and it's probably better constructed than the individual albums its songs are taken from, so it would make a good introduction to David's solo work. But really, you're much better off watching Delicate Sound of Thunder if you want a good time.

1738
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 21, 2015, 01:44:05 AM »
What the hell is going on here? Did you pay for retard shipping? Have you contacted the shipping provider about this? Or is it still within the shipping timeframe provided by the seller?

It's still well within the timeframe provided. I paid for the cheapest shipping on offer because I honestly don't care that much if I have to wait a bit longer.

1739
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 21, 2015, 01:40:13 AM »
Meanwhile, the SSD for it is moving in the wrong direction:


1740
Technology & Information / Re: I finally caved
« on: February 21, 2015, 01:33:41 AM »
At least it's moving in the right direction, though it still seems to be in the future.


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