hand crank coffee grinder is fun

hand crank coffee grinder is fun
Originally uploaded by reedwade

but, I can understand why our recent ancestors attached motors to these things, it's a bit of a work out

Linux Mint 12 + Gnome 3

I like it.

I've just installed the Mint 12 RC and I'm surprised how much I'm liking Gnome 3. It's different from 2 but not startlingly so -- feels tidier, simpler.

http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1858

Movies Are Cool

I've just finished my first day at Weta Digital as a Production Engineer. The group I'm working with help to keep the world spinning in the correct direction so the creative folks can do their thing.

Lot's of smart and interesting people. Tons of things I need to learn still but I don't feel out of step there at all.

Someone asked me today if the movies seem less magic now that I've had a peek behind the curtain. It's had just the opposite effect -- the effort, the energy and the creativity is massive. Looks like the best kind of magic to me.

The Python Standard Library by Example -- get it

My copy of The Python Standard Library by Example arrived this morning and it's totally kick-ass.

I don't much go for paper style books, especially chunky looking tech books but the python standard library ages pretty well and this is a collection of usage examples which is always nice to have at hand.

It turns out in this case the chunky book format is the perfect thing for thumbing through and discovering things that have been in the standard library all this time but you never noticed before. I've already spotted about 3 things I expect to use this week.

And it's written by Doug Hellman, the fellow who introduced me to python (via Zope even) on a project we worked on together a long time ago and it really saved the day. I've been loving python ever since.

Get it.
- from Amazon
- or bookdepository.co.uk (which tends to be cheaper where I am)

Flickr Backups - PicBackFlick, but really digital autonomy

I've been working on a Flickr backup utility and it's far enough along now for other people to give it a go.

See http://reedwade.net/picbackflick/
code at https://github.com/reedwade/PicBackFlick

It's written in python, is a command line script, is suitable for running via cron, has a handy locally browsable HTML photo viewer, etc.

It works well and there's more features it needs which I'll be adding over time but if you feel like lending a hand then please do.

--

I like using tools like gmail and flickr but I don't like the idea of depending on their good nature to keep my stuff safe. Keeping my own copy of the originals and meta info in a place I control is only sensible.

So, this takes care of photos, now I need similar tools for:
- gmail (and contacts and calendars)
- twitter
- blogger
- linkedin

HP Mini Mobile Drive, er USB connector

Laptop vendors get silly ideas sometimes. Some (all?) HP Minis have a slot for "HP Mini Mobile Drive" which is a recessed USB connector but machined to fit a proprietarily shaped USB stick. I recently picked up some cheap little zero profile mico SD adapters and they shove up in there just fine.

So, not sure this really helps as I was already using this in the sd slot w/an sd adapter. But, now that's freed up if I want to copy things off my camera easier.

And since it is recessed it can stay there mostly all the time w/out getting in the way.





Jeeze, I need to dust my gear, sorry.




Update: Yeah, the handle broke off and so the card is wedged down there permanently. Or until I decide to dig it out -- still works tho.

I work with awesome folk

As described here--

http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/schools-in-for-open-source-advocates

I think it's cool we even rate comment trolls who don't approve of educating students. Must be doing something right.