At work, I have an Easy button that sends two scroll lock taps like a USB keyboard to control an IOGear...

At work, I have an Easy button that sends two scroll lock taps like a USB keyboard to control an IOGear USB KVM switch.



At home, I have a a PS/2 KVM switch between my old Linux box and my VGA-input-having TV, and I'm thinking something different.



Honestly, I mostly use it when I have to repair one of the old PCs in the household, so I don't switch often, but I am finding it useful.



I saw an Adafruit video where they make an adapter to get an old NeXT keyboard to talk USB. I also learned how to talk to an Arduino via serial for Cheerlights. I'm thinking that I could put it together so that 1) it sends the scroll lock signal when restarted, and 2) it also sends it when sent a signal from the PC, which I could do via a Perl program.



The hardest part is figuring out how to talk PS/2.

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Yeah, this had to happen.

Yeah, this had to happen.

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The Useless Machine 2.0. I love it.

The Useless Machine 2.0. I love it.

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That's what I'm talking about!

That's what I'm talking about!

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Reinvent Payphones – Prototype Hack Day http://reinventpayphones.prototypehackday.com/ Coming in early...

Reinvent Payphones – Prototype Hack Day

http://reinventpayphones.prototypehackday.com/



Coming in early 2013 as a lead-up to NYC’s Reinvent Payphones Design Challenge, we are hosting a FREE Prototype Hack Day to build physical or virtual payphone prototypes. Designers, engineers, students — bring yourself, your gear and your team, or form a team at the hack day itself. (The rules that apply to the City’s Reinvent Payphones Design Challenge also apply here.) Sign up and we’ll get back to you with details, including a date, time and venue.



http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4954338

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I have my #cheerlights working! Which is nice shorthand for saying: * I know how to drive an RGB LED...

I have my #cheerlights working!



Which is nice shorthand for saying:



* I know how to drive an RGB LED

* I can now talk and listen via serial connection over a USB cable

* I have the tools on my Linux machine to develop for and interact with an Arduino



And that's a nice set of skills to have.

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My cheerlights work!

My cheerlights work!

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Went out to lunch, now trying to get my head back in the game.

Went out to lunch, now trying to get my head back in the game.

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Yup... Lol

Yup... Lol

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My RGB LED now gives all the right colors. Now, the serial connection.

My RGB LED now gives all the right colors. Now, the serial connection.

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I had a resistor between the juice and the RGB LEDs, and that's why my colors weren't true.

I had a resistor between the juice and the RGB LEDs, and that's why my colors weren't true.

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I have the sketch. My Arduino flashes colors out the RGB LED. I just need to figure out what the #cheerlights...

I have the sketch. My Arduino flashes colors out the RGB LED. I just need to figure out what the #cheerlights colors are.

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Maybe not the best shot, but it is taken via PC from a Canon DSLR (in service of my Gel Documentation...

Maybe not the best shot, but it is taken via PC from a Canon DSLR (in service of my Gel Documentation project for work) through my swing-arm camera mount (which is my own project).



Plus, apple cinnamon oatmeal. Breakfast of champions.

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Happy 25th birthday, Perl!

Happy 25th birthday, Perl!

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Today in Geek History: In 1987, Larry Wall released Perl 1.000 with lots of laziness, patience, and hubris...

Today in Geek History: In 1987, Larry Wall released Perl 1.000 with lots of laziness, patience, and hubris. And camels.

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Soon, very soon, we'll decommission the Gel machine and Win 98 will be out of my life.

Soon, very soon, we'll decommission the Gel machine and Win 98 will be out of my life.

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I've only heard about Survival Research Laboratories, but I've heard it for over 20 years. It's the Maker...

I've only heard about Survival Research Laboratories, but I've heard it for over 20 years. It's the Maker Movement meets the Terminator, and I so wish I could be in LA to see this.

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For at least one idea of mine, electronically-controlled NFC is the way to go.

For at least one idea of mine, electronically-controlled NFC is the way to go.

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Having a flash. You can run a signal thru a deadbolt and you can sense when the door is bolted.

Having a flash.



You can run a signal thru a deadbolt and you can sense when the door is bolted.

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This is so me. I need to gear up and tackle this.

This is so me. I need to gear up and tackle this.

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Yeah, your fingers may be sore, but then there is a great chance that you are squeezing too hard, too...

Yeah, your fingers may be sore, but then there is a great chance that you are squeezing too hard, too.



Not only are you causing yourself pain, but you are pulling the notes sharp, plus making it harder to switch notes and chords. Three bad things, no good things. Don't do it.



Early on, beginning guitarists, squeeze a note as hard as you can, them back off until the note goes plunk, then tighten up just the slightest bit. There is the sweet spot.

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I feel a headache coming on.

I feel a headache coming on.

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I figured out how to put complex data structures into Redis and get them out again. Not necessarily sure...

I figured out how to put complex data structures into Redis and get them out again. Not necessarily sure I like this more than SQL yet, but knowing I can handle it helps a lot.

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I want to make a pedalboard, and when I get to that point, I'm sure I'll drop a lot at Monoprice getting...

I want to make a pedalboard, and when I get to that point, I'm sure I'll drop a lot at Monoprice getting 1/4" TS cables

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GLOSSY meets this Sunday from 2-4pm in the Portal, part of the TCPL Downtown branch.

GLOSSY meets this Sunday from 2-4pm in the Portal, part of the TCPL Downtown branch.

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The StepOne is an instrument that does qPCR. I've released a Perl module that writes config files for...

The StepOne is an instrument that does qPCR. I've released a Perl module that writes config files for the instrument. I could make a list of things it does wrong, or is ill-prepared for the StepOnePlus (which we don't have in the lab) but I'm kinda proud I figured it out.

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Just mailed my response to the call to jury duty.

Just mailed my response to the call to jury duty.

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But can you grind with a skateboard with LEDs on the bottom?

But can you grind with a skateboard with LEDs on the bottom?

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This is not the most vocal sounding example of Clara Rockmore, but it certainly shows what can be done...

This is not the most vocal sounding example of Clara Rockmore, but it certainly shows what can be done when a talented musician steps up to the Theremin.

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The tone is WAY too unpleasant. Listen to a real theremin, played by a real player, and you'll hear a...

The tone is WAY too unpleasant. Listen to a real theremin, played by a real player, and you'll hear a violin-like tone. I was playing some Clara Rockmore in the car and my wife asked: "The woman singing, why is she so sad?"

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Publicly ridicule me if I fail to follow up.

Publicly ridicule me if I fail to follow up.

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'Our ability to manufacture—and innovate and make the process better—has always been a core part of our...

'Our ability to manufacture—and innovate and make the process better—has always been a core part of our country’s innovation cycle, spawning incredibly vast new industries and businesses from these historic revolutions. But the pendulum of the tech industry has shifted so far to software and services that we may soon face major uphill battles to reclaim our foothold on the “making” part of innovation, as well as the opportunity to bring manufacturing back to the US.'

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"(...) in the late 90s, more than 90% of the cost of an international phone call was the cost of keeping...

"(...) in the late 90s, more than 90% of the cost of an international phone call was the cost of keeping track of the cost of an international phone call" (+Peter Boothe )

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One way or another, tomorrow must be #CodeOrGTFO day

One way or another, tomorrow must be #CodeOrGTFO day

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At a talk on Azure at the PRP Software Cluster. Considering using Azure as a base to do some learning...

At a talk on Azure at the PRP Software Cluster. Considering using Azure as a base to do some learning on node.js.

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This is how my day is going. How about you?

This is how my day is going. How about you?

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Got an order in yesterday from Monoprice. an HDMI-to-DVI adapter and a short HDMI cable. Thus, I was ...

Got an order in yesterday from Monoprice. an HDMI-to-DVI adapter and a short HDMI cable. Thus, I was able to display output from my laptop on the living room TV. Soon, I'll be able to retire the clamshell Dell, which is entirely not up to the task of home theater PC. Or donate it to Lafayettech Labs.

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This is my phone in the binder-clip car mount, as seen on Lifehacker. You can't really see, but I'm listening...

This is my phone in the binder-clip car mount, as seen on Lifehacker. You can't really see, but I'm listening to an interview with Mike Riley, author of Programming Your Home in this shot.



I control it to listen to podcasts and music, and try to not do the stupid stuff you think about for dealing with phones in the car. You can see my TomTom to the left.

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This tells me that I should start figuring out why I have Saturday evening headaches, although I think...

This tells me that I should start figuring out why I have Saturday evening headaches, although I think I know. (I'm looking at you, coffee.)

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Gmail and GTalk servers flaked, which is causing Chrome to flake. Maybe I should rethink my stance on...

Gmail and GTalk servers flaked, which is causing Chrome to flake.



Maybe I should rethink my stance on Google.

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Top photo is me about a decade ago. Bottom is me earlier today. I would say that's at least a 70 lb. ...

Top photo is me about a decade ago. Bottom is me earlier today. I would say that's at least a 70 lb. difference. Possibly as much as 100 lbs.

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I love an extreme Telecaster.

I love an extreme Telecaster.

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Ada Lovelace is today's Google doodle. Good job.

Ada Lovelace is today's Google doodle. Good job.

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I hate printers.

I hate printers.

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I'm thinking that Win8 is two gambles in one, and while it ultimately will work out okay, it'll look ...

I'm thinking that Win8 is two gambles in one, and while it ultimately will work out okay, it'll look bad short-term.



1) Windows RT on ARM. In the battle between RISC and CISC, CISC won because CISC was Intel and Intel ran Windows and everyone wanted Windows. This is a truer story of better technology losing than VHS vs Betamax. Because the basic instruction set is the same, programs written for Win95 or even DOS should still run on your hot Win7 laptop, and the Windows team has to keep code built to work around bugs in not only their code but third-party code from the 80s on, and Win8 on Arm might be their best hope to break cleanly from it.



2) The Interface It works fine as a phone/tablet thing (it isn't perfect, but few get everything right on the first try) and (not that I've tried it) it looks like it'll be usable as a TV interface. But it is weird as a desktop interface. But that's probably ok, as the desktop graphs flatline while personal devices grow. Windows and Office have paid the bills in Redmond for 20 years, but today the desktop is dying and Google wrote an office suite in Javascript.



So, I think it'll pay off. I just don't know that it'll pay off as Windows 8. Windows 9? Tiles 1? Dunno.

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We have the room next week for GLOSSY!

We have the room next week for GLOSSY!

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Well, its got a point...

Well, its got a point...

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Dave, a developer with some admin and helpdesk responsibilities at Purdue

Dave, a developer with some admin and helpdesk responsibilities at Purdue

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Welcome to Lafayette Tech Labs

Welcome to Lafayette Tech Labs

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I'm always on the lookout for good sunrise alarm clock ideas

I'm always on the lookout for good sunrise alarm clock ideas

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The folks over at Defense Distributed have successfully fired an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with a 3D...

The folks over at Defense Distributed have successfully fired an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with a 3D-printed lower receiver. They were able to fire off only six rounds before the part failed, but some would consider that a pretty decent outcome considering it’s composed of printed plastic. http://bit.ly/SANIu0

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I'm largely welcoming the idea, but I'm guessing that it will cost even more.

I'm largely welcoming the idea, but I'm guessing that it will cost even more.

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IT Conversations is ending. Where do I go to get highly and deeply technical talks in podcast form?

IT Conversations is ending.



Where do I go to get highly and deeply technical talks in podcast form?

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Who doesn't love disembodied robot doctors?

Who doesn't love disembodied robot doctors?

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I love these posters. I especially love Metropolis, which is fair, as I especially love Metropolis. ...

I love these posters. I especially love Metropolis, which is fair, as I especially love Metropolis.



(It would be weird to make Maria, wouldn't it?)

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Is it just me, or is this pretty much Pinokio? I mean, before the servos.

Is it just me, or is this pretty much Pinokio? I mean, before the servos.

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I love this hack. I don't have any inductive gear, but I love how the technology got hidden into the ...

I love this hack. I don't have any inductive gear, but I love how the technology got hidden into the environment.

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This gets to a crucial thing. Right now, I'm wanting to get computer control over the lights, and unless...

This gets to a crucial thing. Right now, I'm wanting to get computer control over the lights, and unless I get the UI right the wife acceptance factor drops to single digits. Controlling lights is doable. Controlling curtains is doable. Doing it in a way that people who aren't you understand? Tougher.

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Conductive 3D printing material for printing of circuits http://www.core77.com/blog/materials/carbomo...

Conductive 3D printing material for printing of circuits

http://www.core77.com/blog/materials/carbomorph_material_enables_3d-printed_electronics_from_any_3d_printer_23947.asp

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I resemble this.

I resemble this.

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I think this is going onto my project list. No, I know this is going onto my project list.

I think this is going onto my project list.



No, I know this is going onto my project list.

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If GLaDOS were your math teacher, she wouldn't want you playing Portal in class on your TI-83. But you...

If GLaDOS were your math teacher, she wouldn't want you playing Portal in class on your TI-83. But you could. Calculator game download: http://j.mp/Vgyj0f

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Folks, if you have to replace a CMOS battery because it's dead and corroded, remember to clean up the...

Folks, if you have to replace a CMOS battery because it's dead and corroded, remember to clean up the contacts with vinegar and a q-tip. I'm living proof.

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It's a weekend of fixing stupid configuration. First one was my fault. Was playing with Input Labels...

It's a weekend of fixing stupid configuration.



First one was my fault. Was playing with Input Labels on my Sony Bravia TV, and it said that my choices for a label for the VGA input ere "-" or "Skip". I figured, "Yeah, I'll skip trying to mess with it and go on to the next thing."



That is not what "Skip" means in this context.



It means "Don't allow people to try to use this input."



So, that felt stupid.



Somehow, a while ago, the on-mobo soundcard on my old Vista machine (mostly used by my son for games) stopped working. I had no idea why, but as I wasn't a big user for it, I didn't really care.



I found that somehow, ithe Sound config had been set to send to HDMI out.



This PC has no HDMI out.''



Also, I got an ancient machine with USB WIFI just by touching it.

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At the space. Don't see Doug or Randy.

At the space. Don't see Doug or Randy.

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