25 years from now we could be dealing with an issue similar to the Y2K issue, year 2038 problem. This problem was brought to my attention by user 'Ken' commenting on the countdown tool page on this site. Basically *nix systems keep time in 32-bit integer formats counting seconds since Jan. 1, 1970. On Jan. 19, — Continue reading »
Disabling SELinux
📆 November 30, 2012
I know it's sacrilegious for some to disable a security feature on a platform, but SELinux (an enhanced Linux security feature) has left me no choice but doing exactly that on Linux. SELinux was added to Linux to give it additional security measures beyond what it inherited From Unix. By default many of the Linux — Continue reading »
Apple Discrimination
📆 July 16, 2012
A few weeks ago my children dragged me into the local mall's Apple store, kicking and screaming where I bought them each a Macbook, a cheap Linux knock-off in a shiny skin. I am a devout Apple-hater and have been so since 1988 when I had to write a LISP program on a Macintosh desktop. — Continue reading »
Fedora 16 Pain and Confusion
📆 April 5, 2012
When I recently installed Fedora 16 on an experimental server at work, it felt like dealing with a whole new platform. Prior to version 16, my last install was version 14 and things seem to have been in their familiar places. With 16 I was suddenly dumbfounded, like starting to learn Linux anew. I am — Continue reading »
Dennis Ritchie, Creator of C, Dead at 70
📆 October 13, 2011
My first programming language exposure was 8088 assembly. Pascal was my second. but my third, C, was the one I absolutely loved. Today I mostly program in C#, PHP, and JavaScript and I like the fact that they're modeled after C. I don't know what it was about C that intrigued me. Maybe the liberal — Continue reading »
Steve Jobs Lessons
📆 October 10, 2011
Plenty has been said about the life and legacy of Steve Jobs. I'm no Apple fan but I knew technology lost a leader when Jobs died. His passing reinforced a few truths I believe in life myself and here they are: - Do what you're passionate about. - You don't need a lot of people — Continue reading »
IT help Needed, Indian Style
📆 August 27, 2011
It's such a stereotype, but there's a reason why Indians are associated with IT (Information Technology). Obviously Indians are very active in the field and most likely they are biggest ethnic group in the IT industry. So where does a company go to hire IT people? In this case they post a giant want ad — Continue reading »
Software Patent Sharks
📆 July 24, 2011
This is superb reporting by NPR (link at bottom) on the murky business of software patents and how the real spirit of patent and copyright laws have been subverted by patent mills out to make a quick pile of cash. These days greedy companies get patent protection for the most ridiculous and obscure algorithms. Most — Continue reading »
Give a few Sats