elb

scruss, 2 days ago to random

While I can print from my Mac to an OKI Microline 9-pin dot matrix printer, it doesn't mean I should ...

elb, 4 days ago to random

I wish programs agreed on what a dotlock should look like.

.file.lock
.file..LCK
.file.swp
.#file
.~lock.file#

... and I'm sure a hundred other possibilities.

ricci, 5 days ago to random

I just wrote an actual physical check, AMA

NanoRaptor, 5 days ago to random

Go check your backups.

ricci, 7 days ago to random

Took almost an hour, but I finally won a battle of will and wits against the cat, with the help of the kid. NOW I'm ready for anything today can throw at me

elb, 7 days ago to random

Everyone: I can see aurora borealis!
Me: I live in Buffalo, it looks just like a total eclipse, here.

elb, 9 days ago to academia

OK Brightspace, I can identify at least one part of your trash software that can be skipped. #academia #ux #web

elb, 9 days ago to privacy

Companies doing business in the United States should have liability for users and customers' personal information. Companies sharing that data with third parties should retain that liability, and the third parties should accrue additional liability. (NOT assume responsibility for the liability!) By liability, I don't mean "pay for credit monitoring from a company that has previously lost the same data", I mean cash on the barrel head, payable to the customer liability. #privacy #pii #security

ricci, 9 days ago to random

Won a staring contest with the cat, ready for anything the day throws at me

elb, 9 days ago to random

> We are currently investigating an incident involving a Dell portal, which contains a database with [...] customer information[.] We believe there is not a significant risk [...] given the type of information involved.

but also:
> What data was accessed?
> * Name
> * Physical address

and also:
> The information involved does not include [...] any highly sensitive customer information.

This feels like the kind of thing people like @evacide have opinions on. For some people that's a BIG DEAL.

elb, 10 days ago to academia

Friends in #academia, my week: The last day of classes was yesterday, the first day of finals is tomorrow. Of course, there's a school all-hands meeting and a dept faculty meeting today, thus proving that administration absolutely doesn't teach or think about teaching. (I skipped the former, it's always creative numbers and affirmations, but the latter has some important stuff in it, so I'm zooming in while I finish up a final.)

elb, 10 days ago to hamradio

The local radio club (LARA) is having a #hamfest in Lockport, NY on June 8!

Entrance is $8, vendor or browser, vendors must bring their own tables. Gates open at 8 AM, FREE license testing from 9-11 AM. #hamradio #amateurradio

elb, 12 days ago to random

We paid over THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS each for some pre-hung solid wood doors made by Masonite ... and they're the worst doors I've ever bought. Far lesser in quality than the $100 pre-hung doors I bought under ten years ago. The strikes aren't mounted square to the frame, the joinery has huge gaps, the strikes are fastened with huge ugly staples that are proud of the wood surface, the hinges aren't seated square or full in their mortises, ... All in all it's a VERY disappointing result.

elb, 13 days ago to random

To go along with jokes about Champagne, Bourbon, and Parmesan ("if it's not ... it's just sparkling ..." style), I present the following Roger Canning quote from 1967: "[computing is] the old tabulating operation with chromium plating".

(Once again via A New History of Modern Computing, by Haigh and Ceruzzi)

elb, 13 days ago to random

I am frequently asked to grill fish. I have no idea how to tell if most fish is done. Sometimes it's pretty good. Sometimes...

elb, 14 days ago to random

"Despite its name, software is more permanent than hardware."

• A New History of Modern Computing, Thomas Haigh and Paul E. Ceruzzi

elb, 14 days ago to random

Imagined #XBox360 Product Development conversations:

"CPU/CPU said thermals needed work, but Optical Drive said the drive was fine, so we decided not to make any changes."

"Mechanicals had a really solid case design, but Eject Button Guy was a little late and showed up with some great ideas, so we had to make changes."

"Video Connector Guy thought the back panel looked a little sparse."

"I've been assured the plasticizers are appropriate."

elb, 15 days ago to emacs

One of my students opened up #Emacs today, opened up a GUI file manager, found a file, grabbed the icon, dragged it onto Emacs, and dropped it. And it WORKED. I'm not sure which part distressed me more.

scruss, 16 days ago to pareidolia

Put-upon nocturnal woodgrain robot face

(as seen between seats in this Via train)

#pareidolia #train64

ricci, 16 days ago to random

On graduation day, a reflection on why I'm a professor:

I am where I am because of people at every stage of my life who have given me the opportunity, the support, the resources, the environment, the encouragement, to be successful. They've shared their knowledge, their experiences, they have been patient with me, and they have believed in me. Teachers, parents, friends, community, professors, mentors, colleagues. You bet I worked hard, but that hard work was possible and fruitful because of the environment that was built around me.

And now I get to do that for other people - AS A JOB. How fucking cool is that‽