floyd's random thoughts

updating a github forked repository

2014-02-25T12:32:00.001+01:00

For people hacking on stuff using github repos:
Whenever you fork someone else's repo, make some changes to it, and then want to update your repo with the changes made upstream by the author, it's easy enough as:

# Add the remote, call it "upstream":

git remote add upstream https://github.com/whoever/whatever.git

# Fetch all the branches of that remote into remote-tracking branches,
# such as upstream/master:

git fetch upstream

# Make sure that you're on your master branch:

git checkout master

# Rewrite your master branch so that any commits of yours that
# aren't already in upstream/master are replayed on top of that
# other branch:

git rebase upstream/master

colored git output

2014-01-24T23:27:00.004+01:00

Ok, another issue I was facing after returning to Slackware:
I was getting weird escape codes in the terminal when issuing some git commands, like

`git log`

`git diff`

ESC[33mcommit e5f753a1ae0acf48110589ed654c1e1f67fd1a6fESC[m
Author: Floyd ****
Date:   Fri Jan 24 13:13:33 2014 -0800

    Initial commit

ESC[1mdiff --git a/README.md b/README.mdESC[m
ESC[1mnew file mode 100644ESC[m
ESC[1mindex 0000000..8813881ESC[m
ESC[1m--- /dev/nullESC[m
ESC[1m+++ b/README.mdESC[m
ESC[36m@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ESC[m

The fix is actually pretty simple, I needed to change the pager used by git:

git config --global core.pager "less -r"

Slackware... and UTF-8

2014-01-23T23:10:00.003+01:00

After about 5 years of debian, I'm running Slackware again on my laptop.

It's a beautiful distro, despite the fact that it doesn't have a 'proper' package management system by current standards. I'm managing my packages by using sbopkg, which is basically an automated tool that allows you to easily use .slackbuild scripts from the slackbuilds.org repository.

It took me a couple of hours to remember where the small bits and pieces are in the various configs in Slack, and also to make it boot after installing it on an existing LVM setup, but it's running just perfect now.

The trickiest issue I've had, was to get UTF-8 configured properly, and it was because of my stupidity...
All you need to do is to edit /etc/profile.d/lang.sh and change LANG to en_US.UTF-8:

~$ grep LANG /etc/profile.d/lang.sh
export LANG=en_US.UTF-8

Quick fix for a flatbed scanner

2013-11-19T01:50:00.002+01:00

So, I've got this old cheap HP Scanjet 2400 flatbed scanner for a couple of bucks, but with a minor, yet unpleasant, mechanical problem.
After scanning, when the mobile head was returning to the original position, it was stopping at around 2-3cm from the resting position, continuing to make a noticeable noise as the stepper motor was trying to move it without success.

The cause was simple: the ribbon cable that connected to the mobile head, was bending and getting caught in between the bottom piece and the head. I've tried disconnecting it completely and bending it in the opposite direction, however this didn't really help. In the end, I've applied some silicone lubricant (I have a spray laying around that I usually use in my car, for rubber gaskets and stuff) on the ribbon cable. This makes it slide easier under the head, and it's less probable that it'll get caught. After a few tests, it seems that this hack is actually working :)

Next task: test how the scanner in Linux (I'm using Debian on my ThinkPad)

Radio gear - Realistic Pro-32 scanning receiver

2013-11-18T00:42:00.002+01:00

I recently started looking again into electronics, and radio-related stuff. Not enough time for it, but I'm trying my best :P

During the last few months I was able to score a few CB radios for a good price on the local Amsterdam monthly flea market.

A couple of weeks ago I've got a Realistic Pro-32 scanning radio, capable of receiving on the 68-88, 108-136, 138-174 and 380-512 MHz frequency ranges.

(Note: the photo here is from the internet, mine is in a worse external shape, I still need to clean it up and take some photos of it)

I intend to post more about it (and my other gear) soon

found it... sieveshell

2013-05-28T14:00:00.002+02:00

If you're wondering how to install `sieveshell` on Ubuntu (12.X), search no more, there's no such package. Instead, this tool is contained in the `cyrus-admin` package.
Just do an aptitude install cyrus-admin and you're set!

yay! tmux

2013-05-15T14:20:00.001+02:00

It's been a long time since I've posted anything in here. In the meantime, I've changed my job (2 times), I've moved to another country :)

Just started using tmux, as a replacement for GNU screen. So far - so good, except that the default C-b control combination is not too convenient for me, so I went on and changed the key bindings to a screen-like layout. Hopefully, at least in Debian/Ubuntu, there's a sample config file with screen-like bindings: /usr/share/doc/tmux/examples/screen-keys.conf

Disabling pfsync0 pseudo-interface on FreeBSD

2011-12-06T11:47:00.000+01:00

Often on FreeBSD servers you can see the pfsync0 pseudo-interface up:

[root@bsd ~]# ifconfig
...(skipped)
pfsync0: flags=0<> mtu 2020
 syncpeer: 224.0.0.240 maxupd: 128

Unless you are running a pf firewall with redundancy, you won't need this,
moreover on CPanel/WHM enabled servers, Cpanel sometimes tries to assign this multicast ip to a domain/customer.

You can safely disable it by adding:

pfsync_enable="NO"

to /etc/rc.conf

Canon EOS500 and Zenit TTL, shooting on film

2011-08-23T11:32:00.000+02:00

Since some time ago, I started shooting on film,
two different cameras, a Zenit TTL with an Industar 61 L 3 lens, and also a Canon EOS 500 (or Canon Rebel X-S in US)
While still looking for a good and cheap film scanner, I'm using my old Wolverine F2D scanner.
First picture, taken with the Zenit on ISO100 film:

And 2nd, with the Canon on ISO200, Helios 44 M-4 Lens:

Jawa 650 Classic - left handlebar controls - wiring diagram and schematics

2011-08-08T12:35:00.000+02:00

I'm the happy owner of a Jawa 650 Classic motorcycle, and as the title says - here's the wiring diagram and schematics for the left handlebar controls. Unfortunately I had to replace them and had to rewire all the cables since the new controls were a little different and had a different wiring and connection plug than the stock ones.

Yamaha Virago XV125

2011-07-25T13:48:00.001+02:00

I'm finally selling my bike... Not that I really want to, since it's very nice and durable, but because I have a more powerful one...
New chain+sprockets, new spark plugs. Almost new air and oil filters.

Macro butterfly

2011-07-06T14:27:00.000+02:00

Butterfly. Post-processed in GIMP

Magellan Naviroad 1324 GPS settings for Navitel

2011-07-05T14:12:00.000+02:00

Using softbutton and a few hacks to the .xml files on the device, I was able to start Navitel on this GPS.
Initially it came with US, Canada and Puerto Rico maps only, and I couldn't find any good maps for Eastern Europe, so I decided I should run some alternate navigation app on it, as it is basically a Windows CE device.

I also tried running MioPocket on it, with some degree of success, but it is not what I want... too bloated with different apps, and pretty slow also. I agree, MioPocket allows me to use the gps as a book reader, media player, but I need it just to do it's job as a gps, nothing more.

To be able to use the GPS, in Navitel's settings we must specify: Com port: COM7, Protocol: NMEA, Baud rate: 56700.

More on this topic later, I am trying to configure the device to start Navitel automatically at boot, and also to be able to shut it down by using the power button.

Good morning 2

2011-06-08T22:13:00.000+02:00

Good morning

2011-06-07T07:28:00.004+02:00

Good morning

Foo Fighters. Wasting Light Live from 606

2011-05-04T12:57:00.001+02:00

Nice recording, great way to find they are still recording, composing, and giving it all to the fans!

simple named.conf for a caching nameserver on Slackware-current

2011-04-06T10:51:00.000+02:00

You can control which networks/IPs can recursively access this nameserver by 'tweaking' the 'localnet' and 'remote-rec' ACLs

// /etc/named.conf
acl     localnet { 192.168.2.0/24; 127.0.0.1; };
acl     remote-rec { 1.2.3.4; };
options {
        directory "/var/named";
        /*
         * If there is a firewall between you and nameservers you want
         * to talk to, you might need to uncomment the query-source
         * directive below.  Previous versions of BIND always asked
         * questions using port 53, but BIND 8.1 uses an unprivileged
         * port by default.
         */
        // query-source address * port 53;
        allow-recursion { localnet; remote-rec; };
};
// 
// a caching only nameserver config
// 
zone "." IN {
        type hint;
        file "caching-example/named.root";
};

zone "localhost" IN {
        type master;
        file "caching-example/localhost.zone";
        allow-update { none; };
};

zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" IN {
        type master;
        file "caching-example/named.local";
        allow-update { none; };
};

Oldschool cassette

2010-12-22T10:26:00.000+01:00

Rupere.md NEW YEAR si RUPERE AWARDS offline

2010-12-20T23:37:00.002+01:00

Evenimentul anului ;)
Rupere.md NEW YEAR si RUPERE AWARDS offline

Traditionalul NEW YEAR RUPERE.MD offline

Anul acesta ne-am schimbat locatia!
Tot aici se vor acorda premiile RUPERE AWARDS 2010

Ne vom intalni in carne si oase, fara chat-uri si forum-uri online, vom putea sa comunicam face2face, vom participa la concursuri, ne vom face de cap, vom ciocni un pahar de vin/bere/altceva cu lumea

ADUCETI CHITARILE/FLAUTELE/Orice alt instrument CU VOI!

Sunt si propuneri de mini-evenimente creative, eventual chiar jam-session, in dependenta de preferintele voastre

Ce vrem noi de la acest offline...
- Oameni nebuni, nenormali si neformali,
- Distractie, dispozitie buna
- Cat mai mult Pozitifff ;)

Barul ne poate pune la dispozitie:
- Bere
- Vin
- Ceva mai tare
- Ceai, cafea,
...si desigur...
Renumitele placinte de la Orpheus :)

Te asteptam, trimite invitatia la toti ruperistii/nonconformistii

cunoscuti!

Mai mult despre eveniment - pe forum
http://rupere.md/forum/index.php?topic=72316.60

Harta:

Film to digital conversion using a camera and Gimp

2010-12-15T12:30:00.000+01:00

First try :)
Already tired of my cheap film scanner, that does level adjustment, color balance on it's own, based on some unknown measurements...
I'm trying to shoot the film with a digital camera and then invert it in some graphics processing software (as an open-source fan, I'm using Gimp)
Once I get the right way of doing it - I'll be posting the complete process.
The main problem is in removing the Orange/Brown tint from the negative film, I'm trying to do it by using a custom white balance setting.

Here are the steps I'm taking now:

put the film between two perfectly clean and transparent surfaces (e.g glass)
put this 'assembly' on top of a completely matte surface (thin white plastic), which is placed on top of some white light
find a portion of the film which is completely exposed (transparent), and use it as a sample for setting a custom WB (white balance) on the digital camera (the camera should be placed on a stand btw)
take a photo of the picture on the film
open it in Gimp, crop the image (cut away all the unneeded borders), Colors->Invert, Colors->Levels (adjust them to your liking)

Sample picture below:

If you know a better way to do it - I would be glad to know.

Evening sky

2010-12-08T11:05:00.001+01:00

Another one...

The City 2

2010-12-07T02:56:00.001+01:00

Another one, trying to obtain HDR-similar effects

The City

2010-12-07T02:15:00.001+01:00

Experimenting with my camera and The Gimp

BEMOL Cup 2010, film photos

2010-10-26T22:17:00.000+02:00

Cateva poze facute pe film (Fuji Superia 200)
Din pacate scannerul de film pe care il folosesc lasa de dorit, dar au iesit destul de interesante. "Vintage" :)
Aproape toate pozele sunt facute cu filtre UV si PL, doar ca scannerul 'ajusteaza' culorile de capul lui, si de cele mai multe ori aiurea

following your steps

2010-09-21T00:55:00.000+02:00