Cool Geek Tricks

PHP-vil

All I wanted to do was migrate my work-related forum to a new host.  Here’s how it should have worked: Copy stuff over Edit configuration files Populate database rock on Here’s how it actually worked: Copy stuff over Edit configuration files Populate database Software was unable to connect to a database because php5’s developers do […]

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Minty Boost

During last week’s ride, I hit the limits of my GPS‘ ten to eleven hours of internal battery capacity. So, with it officially being spring, when young minds turn to thoughts of riding more, it seemed to be a good time to build the Minty Boost kit I received for Christmas. The Minty Boost is

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How many cans?

Disclaimer: The experiment isn’t being conducted by me, but I have taken an interest in it because it involves: a toiletry that I use regularly my car determining how much toiletry would be needed to fill my car Naturally, once the experimenters got me thinking about this, I had to estimate the answer. They’re not

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Heisenberg Uncertainty Dialogs

MegaPatch Tuesday greets many with Windows XP’s auto-reboot nag-o-matic. You know it by this: Clicking “Later” means “Ask again in five minutes.” Whoever designed this had the philosophy that fixing their mistake is far more important than you’re getting work done. It’s also obvious they’ve never actually needed to do a presentation for important people.

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Cost of Printing

After seven years of output, the HP ink jet printer had finally stopped working. Because it was never intended to be serviced by mortals, it was time to find a new one. Choosing a model can be as difficult as you want to make it because HP has an estimated six billion models. For once,

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Kitchenaid in progress

I repaired the broken gear and replaced the two electrical components. Saturday, I took apart the base and bowl holder to paint them. For bizarre reasons, the canary yellow with a black stripe down the middle was very appealing. I did part of the bowl holder, the tail cone and (though you can’t see it

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Lather, rinse, reboot

At a previous employer, we had a software utility, wcheckdb, whose purpose was to clean up all of the object database-cruft leftover from day-to-day use of the product. Its output was initially a series of cryptic diagnostics that only the lead engineer could appreciate. We often redirected these to a file. The program had a

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KitchenAid CPR

My KitchenAid mixer had been making abnormal noises during the last few batches of cookies. This afternoon, while subjected to my bagel dough, it gave out entirely. Because I am: curious and cheap and middle-aged it would be a safe bet that I’ll take it apart to determine if I can fix it. If my

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