Site Moving…

Meet MuddyGeek Project.

I’m not leaving you, I’m just relocating.  Its like moving to a new appartment.  This new one is more organized and more functional.

Under the floor boards, I have access to more Google tools so I can better track my web stats and how my site has been crawled by Google.

Unfortunately WordPress can been too controlling and limiting with what I may do.  Google Sites allows me to upload more file types and edit pages more extensively.  Yay.

To keep better track of where I am, bookmark MuddyGeek.com as that’s my permenant address.

Review: Suse 11.1

Suse has generally been a solid distro with a lot of options and control.  Suse 11.1 does not disappoint.

The Likes

The customized installation – I was able to include Gnome, KDE 4, TWM, Xfce, and IceWM in my installation.  Beautiful!  Plus there is customization in the other packages installed too.

Oh, speaking of beautiful, KDE 4 looks rather lovely.  Gnome is not too shabby either.

Dolphin File Manager is functional and helpful with file information laid out next to the files.  This even allows rating files (1 to 5 stars), adding comments, and tagging.

Widgets are neat.  I had some difficulty with relocating them on the desktop to where I would have preferred them.  Mostly they clustered in the upper left portion of the screen.  Hmm…  who knows.

One of my biggest priorities has been Internet access.  As this is a bigger concern with my laptop (as its my test machine) than my desktop, I place even more emphasis on this.  Fortunately, Suse did awkwardly allow me to enable my wifi card (Broadcom 4318) and get it working.  I was off handedly sent to dnmouse.org where I found the necessary information and file.  Oddly enough, this worked on Gnome but not KDE.  KDE recognized my card and made some attempt to connect to my access point but failed miserably.  Not sure I’ll even investigate that.

Other hardware worked:  Sound, video, touchpad, keyboard, ethernet.  Drivers are apparently installed correctly.

YaST2 worked reasonably well installing a game.

The Dislikes

Default Gnome menu is odd.  A few basic apps are initially available.  The rest are brought up in a seperate file manager style view.  Its rather counter intuitive to me.  KDE did not have this issue although its hierarchial menu system is rather drawn out.  I like quick access to the various apps I require.

Under KDE, YaST did not list available apps but instead made me search for apps.  Sometimes I just like to browse and see what is available.  Also, from a previous attempt at installing Adobe Flash Player, YaST finished installing what was supposedly done.  Under Gnome, Yast 2 did display all available packages by default but apps were not listed.  This makes it more difficult for the common person to browse through the lists and actually try new programs.  Once more, its odd behaviour.

Finale

Suse 11.1 is functional and I would ever consider using it mainstream.  However, the odd behaviour encountered (while it shows my own bias) definitely puts me off from this distro.  I am definitely willing to hear out anyone on further virtues or vices of Suse but please, keep your comments noted specifically to the distro and not involve the author.

Recommended sites for Fedora and Suse users:

OpenSUSE 11.1 Screenshot slideshow Great idea of what and how the system will show and do

dnmouse.org (mostly for Fedora though)

To Do List

If you’re looking for something inspirational to do…maybe you’ve watched the Bucket List or are just feeling grim about life, check out Snowed In: Awesomeness/Awesome Things To Do In Life.  While its exceedingly rare that I care to write about someone’s blog like this, I stumbled on it and fell it love.  Its really quite simply things but ideas we can all incorporate.  How about starting a window garden?  I’ve been thinking of doing it this spring.  I really do love fresh basil and parsley.  How about hanging up your clothes to dry?  Sadly, I can’t always do that as I lack a whole lot of room (I do live in apartment) and its the middle of winter so the outdoors in not a cheery idea.

Anyhow, maybe my kind readers have something to contribute?  My personal to do list for this year includes biking to work consistently.  First, I have to get a bike and then actually wake up earlier enough to ride it.  Anyhow, I’m looking forward to the exercise and quiet ride.

So please share.  What are you doing or want to do that’s out of the ordinary for you?

New Site Design

Since I felt like the old site design was too difficult to read (font was too small and bad color scheme) I’ve moved onto something I hope will be more functional.  Let me know what you think.  Should I try something else?  Is this working for you?

Changes

Just a quick note:  My site is still here, its still me, my ideas haven’t changed.  I’m just playing with the themes and trying to find something more interesting, appealing, and functional.  I’d be glad to hear any feedback.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I will try to overlook how I could dub today “The Beginning of the End for Natives” Day.  Or why this country is conservative.  Alas, let me eat my tofurkey and potatoes.

A Joke

So this is nothing to do with well anything on here…

A sign of the times…

1. Teaching Math In 1950’s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

2. Teaching Math In 1960’s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

3. Teaching Math In 1970’s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is
$80. Did he make a profit?

4. Teaching Math In 1980’s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is$80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

5. Teaching Math In 1990’s
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or thepreservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class:participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers. )

6. Teaching Math In 2007
Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?