Unnature's changelog

May 14

Merb init file has changed names

Somewhere in the recent past of Merb, the “init” file has changed its name. This change was from “merb_init.rb” to “init.rb”. So if you update your gem, also update your filename.

Apr 28

PXE netboot from Ubuntu under Parallels

I was able to get a machine to network boot (PXE) using Ubuntu installed on Parallels connected to a DLink router.

1) In the BIOS of the target computer, you must enable the LAN boot ROM.

For the Nano/Pico ITX boards, this is under “Integrated Peripherals” and called ONBOARD LAN BOOT ROM.

2) In Parallels, set the networking to connect to the ethernet adapter (if you want to use a crossover cable)

3) In Parallels, you must give the OS a static IP. I followed these instructions. Replace the values with something consistent that you know and love. I followed my routers existing numbering scheme and turned off DHCP as suggested in the following step.

4) Follow these directions for the rest of the Parallels (Ubuntu) setup.

Apr 15

Nano and Pico-ITX 2.00mm pitch header pins

Just a quick note to those electronics novices out there such as myself. The Nano and Pico ITX boards have 2.00 mm header pins affixed to the boards. This departs from the more common 2.54 mm header pins that you find on many other boards such as the Mini-ITX form factors and other motherboards, including the Arduino family.

That being said, the breakaway header pins sold by SparkFun are 2.54 mm. Logic Supply will sell you 2.00mm female to 2.54 male headers so you can use more common ready-made cabling.

I have been looking for a while how one would make their own cables and like most things in the hardware game is super easy once you know where to get shit. Have a look at these Jameco pages (Digikey will have similar). Following the rabbit, it seems that VIA is using Molex (or compatible) Milli-Grid connectors.

From that and a little hookup cable you and me can easily make our own cabling to connect switches and lights to the Pico-ITX and Nano-ITX motherboards. I have not done this yet, but I am putting in my order now and will report back.

UPDATE: (4.28.08)
Those parts do indeed work just fine for making cables for the Pico/Nano ITX boards, but beware, they are very very small and require alot of patience and very good eyesight as well as a nice pair of small needle nose pliers!

Apr 8

Ruby Meets World

As promised, here are the slides from tonight’s talk at nyc.rb on programming and communicating with the Arduino microcontroller board using Ruby.
Thanks to all those who attended as well as Bway.net and nyc.rb for hosting the event.

Download (~2Mb)

Some quick reference links
RAD
Ruby/SerialPort
Arduino

Apr 8

Short talk tonight at NYC.rb

I am giving a short talk tonight at the NYC.rb meeting here in New York. The talk will be about programming and communicating with the Arduino microcontroller board from Ruby.

Here are more details

Apr 3

Mar 31

“

It was broad daylight in the middle of winter, and bats flew out of the mine about one a minute. Some had fallen to the ground where they flailed around on the snow like tiny wind-broken umbrellas, using the thumbs at the top joint of their wings to gain their balance.

All would be dead by nightfall. Mr. Hicks, a mammal specialist with the state’s Environmental Conservation Department, said: “Bats don’t fly in the daytime, and bats don’t fly in the winter. Every bat you see out here is a ‘dead bat flying,’ so to speak.”

They have plenty of company. In what is one of the worst calamities to hit bat populations in the United States, on average 90 percent of the hibernating bats in four caves and mines in New York have died since last winter.

” By TINA KELLEY in the New York Times
Published: March 25, 2008

Mar 31

“

First, strangely, the owls had died. At the time it had seemed almost funny, the fat, fluffy white birds lying here and there, in yards and on the streets; coming out no earlier than twilight, as they had while alive, the owls escaped notice. Medieval plagues had manifested themselves in a similar way, in the form of many dead rats. This plague however had descended from above.

After the owls, of course, the other birds followed, but by then the mystery had been grasped and understood.

” Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K Dick

Mar 31

Here comes Spring.

The saddest part of living in NYC is that when Spring comes around, it is very hard to notice. Nature gets going well before the temperatures start to climb into comfortable. While we are still wearing jackets, the daffodils are in bloom. In theory anyway.

I have noticed that hedgerows in front of my lady’s place have tiny leaves on them. It is also still light outside when I leave work and the stores are well stocked with Spring apparel. I’m afraid that is about the extent of Spring’s arrival in downtown Manhattan.

Feb 2

“Microphones are not ears,
Loudspeakers are not birds,
A listening room is not nature.” Klas Strandberg, Telinga Microphones