Yep, I think I’ve just about had it with Intel

Dave Farquhar Hardware, Personal , ,

I’ve been messing all weekend with this stupid Intel motherboard, trying to get the video working in Windows 7. All I can see is that I have some kind of conflict. Code 43, whatever that means. Thanks loads, Microsoft.

Except this is an integrated board, with nothing plugged into it. Can’t Intel manage to make a motherboard (using its own chips, no less) where the integrated peripherals don’t conflict with each other?

I’ve upgraded the drivers, upgraded the BIOS to the newest version, everything.

Since Intel can’t get the simplest of things right, it’s Asus or nothing for me, from now on.

Cheap, custom project enclosures

Dave Farquhar Uncategorized

I found this papier mâché enclosure project on the always excellent Hackaday.

I’ve gotten a bit… creative before with enclosures for my projects, but this takes things to a couple of different levels. It’s cheap, and infinitely customizable, and stronger than it looks. The only downsides I see are the amount of time required to make it, and the enclosure won’t be very water resistant at all.

If you can live within those two limitations, it’s a very clever solution.

You network guys…

Dave Farquhar security ,

One of my clients has a problem. We’ll call him Melvin, because I like changing names when I tell stories.

Melvin doesn’t like network guys, and takes every possible opportunity to tell anyone within earshot. “You network guys don’t understand what’s going on over that wire, and you don’t want to.”

We do understand, but not the way he thinks network guys should. Melvin is wrong.

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Two thoughts on Egypt and Mubarek

Dave Farquhar Uncategorized

Pro-Mubarek protesters: Beating up foreign journalists who are trying to get both sides of the story doesn’t advance your cause at all.

CNN anchors: When you put extremist imams on the air to give their point of view, why not just let them say their peace, then get them off the air, rather than argue with them? I want to know who they think will get power and why they think that. I’m not all that interested in listening to the two of you argue. In fact, it made me change the channel to PBS. You and I agree, and we both disagree with him, and I’m pretty sure you’re not going to change his mind.

That is all.

Lionel Super O track

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Lionel Super O track

If there was ever a cult following in Lionel-dom, Lionel Super O track has it. Super O was Lionel’s answer to American Flyer 2-rail track. Invented in 1951, patented in 1954 and finally introduced in 1957, it featured numerous plastic ties with a molded-in woodgrain, a 36″ diameter, and a thin copper center rail.

Lionel introduced Super O track in 1957 as a more realistic track system to replace its traditional toy-like 3-rail track. The thinner center rail and additional ties didn’t look exactly like real track, but it was closer.

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Should the site go dark…

Dave Farquhar Uncategorized

Should this site go dark for a few days, know that it’s not entirely unexpected. There’s some nasty talk of thundersnow this week, and before that, anywhere from half an inch to an inch of ice, followed by gusts of wind. The last time we got that much ice was in late November/early December 2006, and similar conditions then caused widespread power outages.

We’ve taken appropriate safety precautions. We’ve dealt with this before, so we know what to do.