Robert Small, The blog thereof.

http://www.robertsmall.org/wiki/index.php5?title=Chute_Stick#The_Software

Just a quick blog to say that I’ve added a few things to Chute Stick. I’ll thin down the number of packages as soon as possible, but we’re still well within the 1GB memory stick so I can spend time doing that later.

I’ve added all versions of Skype. Skype provides a reasonably secure method of getting a message to someone; it also permeates firewalls better than most viruses. I added 7zip as it seems to be a good free alternative to WinZip, the 7zip compression itself is remarkable. In some of my experiments with it I’ve experienced almost 50% smaller files than standard zip (using `zip -9`). Because of this excellent compression I’ve included a copy of p7zip (the *nix port). CamStudio may seem like a strange choice, but it does offer a way for you to quickly record a video of how to do something, this could be essential if you’re unable to tutor someone face to face but need them to (for example) administer a box for you. I’ve debated if a Linux desktop recorder is needed, but if you have ssh you can probably do most administration through that.

Well, that’s all so far, I’m snowed under with work at the moment so I was just popping this through. Most of the additions have been related to things I’ve needed for work over the last few days. I will be blogging about some other things (mostly work related) soon, when I escape anyway!

Kind regards, Robert.

http://www.robertsmall.org/wiki/index.php5?title=Chute_Stick#The_Software

I’ve been ill. I hate being ill, especially when you can’t even get out of bed most days. I hate the fatigue after the illness. In general, I dislike being ill and all that goes with it. I had tonsillitis as a part of glandular fever.

Well, that’s that, I’m at least partially well now. The unfortunate fact is that I seem to be one of the few people who get a post-illness fatigue from glandular fever, either that or I’m just lazier than normal.

I’ve recently become involved in yet another business. It’s certainly very comfortable and they provide good training, nice perks and a very reasonable wage. They also are open to new people so get in contact with me if you’re interested.

In general I’m getting by in life, my next trip to the States is being planned. I could use some advice there, especially on an inexpensive way to get to Amsterdam airport from Norwich. I love swimming, but not in that cold conditions! One of the annoying sides of my local airport is that it doesn’t seem to provide many flights to anywhere, and those it does are rather expensive. To annoy me more I find the website for it is both badly designed and dysfunctional.

For those of you who know what ‘Project X’ or ‘That Project’ is, it’s now named ‘Footman’ and is coming on reasonably well. In fact I hope to have a working demo soon for internal testing.

V8d Org IRC will be moving to InspIRCd from UnrealIRCd. This move will take place over a set time (probably a day) which is yet to be confirmed. We will attempt to prevent any disruption, but some will be inevitable.

I think this should get everyone up to date with my life; if you have any questions, do comment.

Kind regards, Robert.

Just to mention that I’ve now released a list of the software I currently have on my pen drive.

 http://www.robertsmall.org/wiki/index.php5?title=Chute_Stick#The_Software

I will provide more information on each item in the near future including versions and links. I expect a few of you are thinking of cloning my setup until I release a script.

Kind regards, Robert

Some of you will already know about this little project that I’ve been working on. Basically I’m producing a USB memory stick with all the things which I think it needs. Quoting the wiki page:

http://www.robertsmall.org/wiki/index.php5?title=Chute_Stick

If you’re in a situation where you only have one memory stick, what’d you want on it? If baggage handling lose all your bags and you just have the encrypted hard drive in your jacket pocket and the memory stick round your neck, what do you want on the stick?

You’re stranded on an island (or somewhere with a really poor internet connection) and you want to acquisition a computer for your own uses, what do you want on your stick? Someone else on the island wants you to fix their computer, what do you want on the stick?

In general, what do you want on a memory stick when you don’t trust or want to use your internet connection? This is what the Chute Stick project is meant to provide.

Although there are many different situations where this may be of use and some of them wont require most of the software provided this is meant to be an ‘in any event evacuation plan’. I know a lot of you have already contacted me about this and so there probably wont be that many comment; however, there are several things which I’d love to be posted here:

• Situations where you might need a rescue stick.
• Software suggestions/requests.
• Things to stay away from.
• Suggestions for replacement software, I know I may not have picked the right stuff all the time.
• Suggestions about ways of packaging or unpacking software.
• Ways to make things more accessible to more people.

Of course you could just tell me I’m doing something useful!

Which brings me to another point, what am I doing? Well I don’t intend to distribute too much software, I’d prefer to write a script which downloads and updates software to a memory stick for you. Much of the software I’m looking at is either not free/libre and so I don’t expect to be able to do more than provide a script to get the end user to download and use the software correctly. If anyone is familiar with the gentoo ebuild context they’ll understand more of what I mean, my script wouldn’t require pre-built packages but do it’s own work.

The wiki page is: http://www.robertsmall.org/wiki/index.php5?title=Chute_Stick

Kind regards, Robert.

You will need:

• Half a dozen eggs
• An adapter from your local plug layout to the one you will be staying in
• A multi socket extension, get a surge breaking one if possible
• Glue (optional)

Firstly unwrap everything, if you weren’t intending to do this in the first place then you probably shouldn’t be following this.

Secondly, pop the adapter onto the plug (the one you normally put in the wall). You now have 4/6/8/n sockets of your local plug layout which you can use wherever you’re traveling to.

Now a little warning. This does not convert frequency or voltage, you can only use appliances which will take the frequency/voltage settings from the country you’re traveling to; however, this is not an issue in most places now as most standard appliances take a range of settings, my laptop will work in Europe, England, Japan, Australia, and even the USA with a simple plug change*. What this will enable you to do is provide a reasonably wide range of appliances with power, recently I’ve seen that most charging plugs (mice, phones, speakers, pda’s, cameras, etc) are compatible with this method. If your device isn’t then it’s probably best to buy a multi-voltage/plug adapter from the target country, almost every device has voltage/polarity instructions somewhere near where it gets it’s power.

This method does NOT provide any inbuilt protection from power surges, so I’d advise the purchase of a surge breaker within the power socket extension, this may be extra cost now but replacing everything is an extra cost later. Do not over load this little set up, if you do you will probably be in pretty big trouble from whoever owns the establishment which you’re living in; this is not suitable for running CRTs or kettles off, buy a proper adapter or just a new kettle. Who takes a kettle in their suitcase anyway?

If you decide to use this constantly you may wish to glue the apparatus together to prevent it falling to bits, some two-pin layouts are less than secure.

The only other thing I can say is, don’t do this unless you accept full liability for when you break it. I mean if you break it…

Kind regards, Robert.

* It may work in other places but I haven’t checked this.

One would expect that a post office might provide fast and efficient movement of post from one place to another. Would one expect travel insurance and a phone service? It’s strange, I’ve become more and more aware of the different services they offer. I do wonder how they can provide all this and yet claim the need to close so many post offices in the aid of economy.

On Friday I went into the local branch of the post office and bought myself travel insurance, it’s actually a very good deal. I also changed a reasonable amount of money into dollars and euros, I should be able to have a few cups of coffee when I’m sitting in Amsterdam. It’s nice, the post office workers are all friendly, helps when you’re doing something you’ve never done before and something that you’re a little unsure how you can do and what you can get out of it. Travel insurance is not something I’m highly knowledgeable about and I felt just a little lost buying it from the nice gentleman aptly named Fred. He passed me over to a nice lady, I forget her name, who proceeded to fill out the forms for me and provide me with a booklet which informed me that I’d get a few hundred if I were hijacked or a few thousand if I missed my flight, I decided to pass on the hijack offer.

Contemplating my situation over a cup of coffee I decided that I was glad the post office was also involved in travel services, it’s good to support something other than a supermarket or a major bank/building society. I feel rather loyal to our postal service, it is after all rather British. Whatever people say, it is very good when it works. Strikes and unfortunate incidents with things getting lost don’t help, I hope all this will clear up soon.

The post office also offers a credit card, banking, telephone and broadband, and I dare say several other services. Is this diversification sensible? It didn’t work for Sainsbury’s, sideways expansion is a risky business. I believe their banking services are very old, they also seem to be farmed out to the Bank Of Ireland and not their own. I dislike middlemen, the concept rarely helps the consumer, this time however they seem to be offering something which does help the consumer. I’ve never used their banking services, only their postal and travel services.

This blog post has been something of a spilling out of ideas and thoughts, something of an explanation to myself for my own thoughts. You’re lucky to be privy to my thoughts.

Kind regards, Robert.