LINUX
Installed linux 2.4.1 with Andrew Morten's low latency patches.
Fooled around with devfs. Updated my cdplayer so that it looks for /dev/cdroms/cdrom0 if /dev/cdrom can't be opened. Did the same for my audio code so that /dev/sound/dsp is tried if /dev/dsp is not found.
I have an old sb awe64 and a sb live and both now are recognised with no problem. The awe64 is accessed /dev/sound/dsp2 and the live through /dev/sound/dsp1 or /dev/sound/dsp.
I was suprised when I placed "Sweet Distorted Holiday" by Josh Abrahams into my cdrom drive. It started playing a track I had never heard before, and the track location indicator on my cdplayer was moving backwards. A secret track! No wonder, I had so much trouble getting it to play under Windows NT.
Installed gcj - the gnu compiler for java. This will be fantastic when awt support is implemented. It seems to be very fast. It was also very easy to install. It eliminates all the things that I disliked about java. One small quirk caught me while I was trying it out. You have to specify the class that contains the main function.
WORK
My manager has resigned and moved to Tasmania. My new manager is a contracter - he was a permanent employee but I guess he wanted more pay. His contract expires soon so I may be getting a new manager soon. I have also moved buildings. I'm now in a cubicle instead of an office. It has some disadvantages - my workmates listen in on my phone calls - but the social aspects of the change are overwhelmingly positive. The focus of my team has changed from network programming in c++ to web development using ASP. I'd prefer to use php and apache. I've been learning a lot about SQL and databases. I've enjoyed work lately. I'm still getting used to the chairs. The chairs in the meeting room are really low down - a trap for the unwary - my boss went sailing head over heels.
STUFF
I've been thinking about implementing cddb access for my cdplayer. My work has a firewall in place, so I won't be able to connect directly. I'll have to use http. I downloaded badger's libcurl for that purpose. I'm still working out the details. I'll be using freedb.org rather than gracenote.com I'd like to try to get the lyrics of songs from the web as well if I can.
I've been buying a lot of cd's lately. I've really enjoyed the ones by Jimi Tenor.
I read "The Siren's Of Titan" By Kurt Vonnegut. I bought it because it was so similar to the title of the cd "Sirens From Here To Titan" By Tooth, and be cause it is part of the SF Masterworks collection. The quote from "Science Fiction: 100 Best Novels" on the back of the book states it is 'A very funny novel about The Meaningless Of It All'. I found it very depressing. The book is set on earth. A new religion is created called the "Church of God the Utterly Indifferent".
Here's a quote from the book: "O Lord Most High ... what could we do for Thee that Thou couldst not do for Thyself one octillion times better? Nothing. What could we do or say that could possibly interest Thee? Nothing. Oh, Mankind, rejoice in the apathy of our Creator, for it makes us free and truthful and dignified at last."
It made me think about what I believe in and what my life is for. There is nothing we can do for God that he could not do better. There is no deed that we can perform that will turn God away from our sins.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:8-10.