Microsoft and Virtualization
January 16, 2009
I have a varied selection of Operating Systems installed on various systems that I use. However one thing is quite clear (to me at least), each OS is there for a reason, and usually that is down to the fact that I need it for a particular application (personal preference), or that’s what policy dictates is on the machine 
To the point… I have in the recent past defaulted to “install a Linux distro.” on any machine that I have to use for myself… this is likely due to three things:
- I generally have a DVD of a Linux distro. to hand
- I know (somewhat) what I am doing with Linux
- Linux is free (as in beer, as well as freedom), so I can legally install it anywhere I so choose. ¹
However, lately, I get the feeling I’ve been too Linux-centric, and have been missing out on what Windows has to offer. For example, my work laptop, has Vista installed, which, you know, isn’t so bad [gasp!]. My usage for that system is pretty straightforward – I need to *get my job done*, and that usually means E-mail (our corporate standard is Exchange, and Outlook 2007 works well enough), and a selection of Office 2007 applications – for interoperability reasons, I don’t have much choice there, and frankly the applications are very good, but for the price, they should be!
The bottom line is that I’m probably too focused on the mono-culture that is Linux 
and perhaps I should broaden my horizons to include some of those Microsoft Operating Systems too. So I will make a New Year’s Resolution to try installing some Windows OS on machines that need a new OS for a change.
Perhaps I’ll even try a Beta of the new Windows 7. A handy install guide is on Guillaume Field’s blog. In fact maybe I’ll even go so far as trying it out on my rather nice Dell Mini-9, according to Guillaume’s Guide to Installing Windows 7 on a Dell Mini-9.
Full disclosure: I work with Guillaume, and frankly he generally knows what he is doing with Microsoft products, so I would bookmark that blog if you ever think you might want to hear about Microsoft’s latest toys!
¹ I probably have enough COA stickers attached to the back/underside of various systems for me to legally install Windows everywhere too
It lives…
January 3, 2009
New Year, new resolve!
New Nikons here & on their way.
February 9, 2008
Occasionally when a new camera body is launched, it is *essential* that you buy it. I need to upgrade my D80 to a D3 or a D300
On the other hand, perhaps I should just wait for the next one, as that one is bound to be better…
… detailed specifications of the soon to be launched Nikon D90.
For you Canon guys, don’t feel left out… this guy seems to have some excellent contacts within Canon too, and scooped this, on the forthcoming Canon 400D replacement.
Genetics, time and execution.
February 5, 2008
I managed to thoroughly annoy myself recently.
I have a horrible tendency to leave things to the last minute, as most of you who know me will concur. This has several major downsides:
- it means that I exist mostly in a state of mild panic (this does however seem to work quite well for me )
- it annoys my wife immensely as she prefers to panic up-front and everything needs to be done yesterday
- I occasionally miss “stuff” – and this is what happened recently – and this annoys me as it makes me feel as though I have failed, which is, of course, the case. I hate that!
On the upside lastminute-itis:
- means that you have to practice being patient, which is very useful for dealing with many things that life throws at you
- forces you to learn to make decisions quickly and effectively; frankly the ability to execute (as it is know in management speak) is worth way more than it’s weight in gold, platinum, or even Inkjet Printer Ink
As far as patience goes… I’m convinced that it is a recessive genetic trait.
It seems that is possible to learn to be a little bit more patient than you are by default, but fundamentally you either have it or you don’t!
Why recessive? Is it just me (turning into a grumpy old man), or has the whole world become fundamentally *LESS* patient than it used to be? Which would seem to me to indicate a recessive genetic trait. But what would I know about genetics… it’s not my area of expertise…
Smuvelious
January 18, 2008
Roger Whittaker, word inventor extraordinaire:
RSS Feed
October 6, 2007
I could have sworn that there was a link to the RSS feed for this blog on the front page… it seems to have gone walkabout, so in case you are *that* interested, you can subscribe to this:
http://danhomolka.wordpress.com/feed/
I’ll put it back at the bottom of the page
Dan.
It’s not a camera… it’s a NIKON!
August 20, 2007
Finally I’ve joined the digital SLR revolution
Courtesy of an early birthday present, I am now the proud owner of a Nikon D80
How-To Pages
June 10, 2007
I seem to struggle to maintain my “post-it note” technical database, all those handy configuration hints/URLs that are invaluable to setting up technology…
…in order to eliminate the frustration of having to look stuff up that I know “I have somewhere”, I’m digitizing it, bit by bit. Feel free to have a look, and see if there’s something useful there for you.
A guide to Setting up a PXE Boot Environment with openSUSE Linux.
On reflection, this would be a handy place to stash all of those paper instruction manuals that go astray. Maybe that’s a project for another day.
Further (Personel) Losses at Novell
May 5, 2007
It seems there have been a few more departures from Novell in recent weeks.
“Reverend” Ted Haeger – a leading light in Novell & Linux Advocacy. I met with him briefly whilst at Novell, on one of his many flying visits to the UK, he certainly left an impression on me!
My good friend Roger, also pointed out that Robert Love - one of the key Linux desktop developers, and ex-primate, is also on his way to pastures new.
And some re-organization of the Linux structure within the company:
Novell dissolves its Linux Impact Team. To find out where some of the ex-LIT folks are, a website has been set-up to track them http://www.ex-lit.org/
For completeness sake, I should name-check a couple of S.u.S.E “alumni” sites:
I’m sure Novell will survive without these guys, but, as always, it will be a different place.
