As you know, Japan develops a lot of robots. They do so because the country has a rapidly ageing population and the idea is to have robots do chores and help out elderly, etc with as many tasks as possible.
So now, they've come up with a hair washing robot.
Meanwhile I'm still trying to put together my washing machine.
-P
Monday, 27 September 2010
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Back on Linux! And how to get Citrix ICA Client on Linux 64bit...
I was finally able to switch my laptop to Linux. Windows 7 was too problematic and I really didn't like it. However I must say that it was better than Vista. I still had some of the issues with W7 as I did with Vista, but it was at least 64 bit and more stable.
I'm still getting everything setup on my system since so much depends on Windows specific processes, software and one of these is that being able to get into our Windows Terminal Server was starting to become a little problem. I needed to install the ICA Client on my laptop but I installed 64 bit Ubuntu. (Why use a 32 bit OS now-a-days?)
Well, I found that Citrix doesn't have a 64 bit client and it turns out that getting the 32 bit client running on here wasn't hard to do, just hard to find the solution. Amazingly, the information is actually on the Ubuntu website, but whenever I searched, nothing linked to it.
I'm posting this information to make it easier for people to find the solution.
The link to the Ubuntu instructions is here. And basically what I did was:
I downloaded the 32 bit Citrix tarball. I ran the installer:
This installed the software in /usr/lib/ICAClient. You are then suppose to run from that directory a program called wtcmgr.
However it failed because it was missing libmotif3 which if you apt-get install, you get the 64 bit libraries. You therefore need to install the 32 bit version by download the 32 bit version and installing it manually.
I downloaded the package from Ubuntu's site and then I extracted the files and copied them over to the 32 bit lib directory.
Then I went back into the ICA Client directory and ran the file.
Tada! Things work.
I love Linux!
-P
Update April 06 2012: I just re-installed on my machine so I could totally remove the Window 7 install. When I came to do the Citrix installation bit I was happy to discover that version 12.0 of the ICA client comes in a 64 bit deb package. Though I still had to do a thing or two. I had to manually install nspluginwrapper which installed a bunch of stuff and then the ICA client installed ok. It was great though because it worked as soon as I completed that. I didn't even have to restart Firefox (however I had copied my profile over from my backup so that may have had some info already setup.)
-P
I'm still getting everything setup on my system since so much depends on Windows specific processes, software and one of these is that being able to get into our Windows Terminal Server was starting to become a little problem. I needed to install the ICA Client on my laptop but I installed 64 bit Ubuntu. (Why use a 32 bit OS now-a-days?)
Well, I found that Citrix doesn't have a 64 bit client and it turns out that getting the 32 bit client running on here wasn't hard to do, just hard to find the solution. Amazingly, the information is actually on the Ubuntu website, but whenever I searched, nothing linked to it.
I'm posting this information to make it easier for people to find the solution.
The link to the Ubuntu instructions is here. And basically what I did was:
I downloaded the 32 bit Citrix tarball. I ran the installer:
sudo ./setupwtc
This installed the software in /usr/lib/ICAClient. You are then suppose to run from that directory a program called wtcmgr.
However it failed because it was missing libmotif3 which if you apt-get install, you get the 64 bit libraries. You therefore need to install the 32 bit version by download the 32 bit version and installing it manually.
I downloaded the package from Ubuntu's site and then I extracted the files and copied them over to the 32 bit lib directory.
sudo dpkg -x libmotif3_2.2.3-4_i386.deb /tmp
cd /tmp
sudo mv usr/lib/lib* /usr/lib32/.
sudo ln -s /usr/lib32/libXm.so.3.0.2 /usr/lib32/libXm.so.4
Then I went back into the ICA Client directory and ran the file.
Tada! Things work.
I love Linux!
-P
Update April 06 2012: I just re-installed on my machine so I could totally remove the Window 7 install. When I came to do the Citrix installation bit I was happy to discover that version 12.0 of the ICA client comes in a 64 bit deb package. Though I still had to do a thing or two. I had to manually install nspluginwrapper which installed a bunch of stuff and then the ICA client installed ok. It was great though because it worked as soon as I completed that. I didn't even have to restart Firefox (however I had copied my profile over from my backup so that may have had some info already setup.)
-P
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Excited to see my stuff is still around...
When I started this blog, I didn't think that most of the stuff I would write about would be of use to anyone.
However, it seems I was wrong. I've found that several of the things that I've put together in these measly pages are of use!
I also checked out some of the graphics I've made (not great, but useful ones) on OpenClipArt.org and found that they're of use too!
I created some server racks in a previous job because I couldn't find any that worked in inscape without any modification. I also wanted them to be easy to use and allow me to add servers and hardware that would fit neatly. I made each U 12 pixels high and made them available. I made them in June 09 and as of today they've been downloaded over 3500 times!
Cool! Now, what else can I make and have you thought of contributing?
-P
However, it seems I was wrong. I've found that several of the things that I've put together in these measly pages are of use!
I also checked out some of the graphics I've made (not great, but useful ones) on OpenClipArt.org and found that they're of use too!
I created some server racks in a previous job because I couldn't find any that worked in inscape without any modification. I also wanted them to be easy to use and allow me to add servers and hardware that would fit neatly. I made each U 12 pixels high and made them available. I made them in June 09 and as of today they've been downloaded over 3500 times!
Cool! Now, what else can I make and have you thought of contributing?
-P
Friday, 3 September 2010
Another great feature from Google GMAIL team...
Google enabled "Email Priority" on my accounts and I got to say, it's AWESOME!
I wish were using Google Apps where I'm working now so that this feature is available. Basically by learning which emails you consider important (because you reply to those people, you read most of their emails, etc) GMail now will mark emails from those sources as "important" - meaning you see those at the top of your inbox. Below you get starred emails and below that "the rest" which includes the ones that are priority.
Love the new feature!
-P
I wish were using Google Apps where I'm working now so that this feature is available. Basically by learning which emails you consider important (because you reply to those people, you read most of their emails, etc) GMail now will mark emails from those sources as "important" - meaning you see those at the top of your inbox. Below you get starred emails and below that "the rest" which includes the ones that are priority.
Love the new feature!
-P
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
God Squad and TeachBook.
If you've been reading any news lately you've probably stumbled on a couple of articles regarding these two cases.
One is a case of Best Buy owners of the brand Geek Squad against a priest for using God Squad. However, the issue there is that the priest is not just using the word Squad, which is a generic word, it's that the priest is using a similar logo to the Geek Squad, plus he uses a VW Beetle like the Geek Squad does. Although the priest isn't using the God Squad to fix computers, or even to make any money, I can understand why Best Buy is a little upset.
However, today I saw a article that Facebook is suing another website for using the word "book" in it's name. Teachbook is a "social" networking site for teachers. It's a place for teachers to help each other and discuss how they teach, among other things. Their logo does NOT look at ALL like Facebook does. There are no similarities as in the two sites don't look alike and I'm not a member, so I don't know if they even function alike, but I doubt it. As the wired article points out, Teachbook doesn't even advertise it as a "Facebook for teachers" like some other sites do. Do you think that Facebook should win? I don't.
I think people need to register other sites that end with book and start those as protest to Facebook. What do you think?
-P
One is a case of Best Buy owners of the brand Geek Squad against a priest for using God Squad. However, the issue there is that the priest is not just using the word Squad, which is a generic word, it's that the priest is using a similar logo to the Geek Squad, plus he uses a VW Beetle like the Geek Squad does. Although the priest isn't using the God Squad to fix computers, or even to make any money, I can understand why Best Buy is a little upset.
However, today I saw a article that Facebook is suing another website for using the word "book" in it's name. Teachbook is a "social" networking site for teachers. It's a place for teachers to help each other and discuss how they teach, among other things. Their logo does NOT look at ALL like Facebook does. There are no similarities as in the two sites don't look alike and I'm not a member, so I don't know if they even function alike, but I doubt it. As the wired article points out, Teachbook doesn't even advertise it as a "Facebook for teachers" like some other sites do. Do you think that Facebook should win? I don't.
I think people need to register other sites that end with book and start those as protest to Facebook. What do you think?
-P
Monday, 16 August 2010
Going on vacation? Don't post it on Facebook.
One of the "great things" about social media, the internet is the ability to quickly share your photos and Tweet to all your friends and family about your wonderful vacation.
Although this topic has been discussed at length on other site all over the place, it's worth mentioning it once more.
People, especially the younger generation, aren't paying attention to the things that they post on Fecebook and Tweet out to the world. They say they're going to the store, to a concert and even on vacation. One of the links above points to a person going to a concert and getting burgled only a few minutes after leaving.
If you're planning on going out and you want people to know. Then don't post anything that'll give away when you're leaving and coming back. A concert? Don't say what day. Note that this still leaves you vulnerable to getting watched by the person who intends to rob you, until you leave.
Going on a vacation and want to make people jealous. Same thing, wait until AFTER you got back to post that you were away and upload the pictures. Why give someone the opportunity to go away with all your valuables?
And if you have kids? Educate them about their personal security and privacy, and let them know you don't want them posting that they're going away for a few days. They should also refrain from posting about their (vacational) activities when they're gone. That doesn't mean they cannot talk to their friends and Tweet/post on Facebook, generic comments and activity. But although you don't post you're leaving, someone else might do that for you.
-P
Although this topic has been discussed at length on other site all over the place, it's worth mentioning it once more.
People, especially the younger generation, aren't paying attention to the things that they post on Fecebook and Tweet out to the world. They say they're going to the store, to a concert and even on vacation. One of the links above points to a person going to a concert and getting burgled only a few minutes after leaving.
If you're planning on going out and you want people to know. Then don't post anything that'll give away when you're leaving and coming back. A concert? Don't say what day. Note that this still leaves you vulnerable to getting watched by the person who intends to rob you, until you leave.
Going on a vacation and want to make people jealous. Same thing, wait until AFTER you got back to post that you were away and upload the pictures. Why give someone the opportunity to go away with all your valuables?
And if you have kids? Educate them about their personal security and privacy, and let them know you don't want them posting that they're going away for a few days. They should also refrain from posting about their (vacational) activities when they're gone. That doesn't mean they cannot talk to their friends and Tweet/post on Facebook, generic comments and activity. But although you don't post you're leaving, someone else might do that for you.
-P
Friday, 13 August 2010
Robot Washing Machine
The definition of a robot is rather broad. Technically a washing machine AS IS, is a robot. It washes your closed by putting the detergent, water, washing, rinsing, etc. These are pre-programmed cycles. It's very simple, it's repetitive and doesn't require much except for the help of a human to actually fill the machine with clothes, the detergent, bleach, softener and pressing the right button.
The newer higher end washing machines can do more, like use less water (by weighing how much clothes are in there) and using lower temperature water (heating water costs money).
So I thought: the washing machine as it stands is quite good. Why change it? However, wouldn't it be nice to be able to put all the detergent in there, and all the bleach and all the softener and only have to worry about putting in the clothes?
Let the machine figure out if the clothes are whites or color and then have it do everything for you. Once it's running low of something, it'll add the item to your online shopping cart. It'll let you schedule when it washes or picks the best time of the day/night to do it.
This doesn't sound very hard to do. What would it cost? Well, I started looking into it. It depends on the parts that you use.
Here were some ideas:
Building containers will add cost to your design. How about using the existing ones... the bottles? Just screw the top which is attached to the washing machine and slide the bottle in. (container $0)
Somehow you need to get the liquid in the right amount (which depends on how much clothing and how dirty it is) so you could use some sort of pump. I was looking at a mini peristaltic pump which unfortunately isn't very cheap ($60) but would give you really good control of how much you'd use.
You'd need one pump for each liquid (3 so far - $180.)
Then you'd need the logic board and the components that detect the weight and how dirty the clothes are. I didn't even try to figure out how much that would cost as I got somewhat discouraged with the price of the pump.
I'm sure lots of people out there have great ideas on how this could be done for less than $300. However think about it, that's $300 you're adding to the price of something that's around $300 already.
Still - feel free to play around with my idea. Just post something about it. I'd like to know if anyone's tried it.
The next problem (which really should be a separate problem) is getting the clothes INTO the washing machine. Thereby eliminating the need for you to do it.
-P
The newer higher end washing machines can do more, like use less water (by weighing how much clothes are in there) and using lower temperature water (heating water costs money).
So I thought: the washing machine as it stands is quite good. Why change it? However, wouldn't it be nice to be able to put all the detergent in there, and all the bleach and all the softener and only have to worry about putting in the clothes?
Let the machine figure out if the clothes are whites or color and then have it do everything for you. Once it's running low of something, it'll add the item to your online shopping cart. It'll let you schedule when it washes or picks the best time of the day/night to do it.
This doesn't sound very hard to do. What would it cost? Well, I started looking into it. It depends on the parts that you use.
Here were some ideas:
Building containers will add cost to your design. How about using the existing ones... the bottles? Just screw the top which is attached to the washing machine and slide the bottle in. (container $0)
Somehow you need to get the liquid in the right amount (which depends on how much clothing and how dirty it is) so you could use some sort of pump. I was looking at a mini peristaltic pump which unfortunately isn't very cheap ($60) but would give you really good control of how much you'd use.
You'd need one pump for each liquid (3 so far - $180.)
Then you'd need the logic board and the components that detect the weight and how dirty the clothes are. I didn't even try to figure out how much that would cost as I got somewhat discouraged with the price of the pump.
I'm sure lots of people out there have great ideas on how this could be done for less than $300. However think about it, that's $300 you're adding to the price of something that's around $300 already.
Still - feel free to play around with my idea. Just post something about it. I'd like to know if anyone's tried it.
The next problem (which really should be a separate problem) is getting the clothes INTO the washing machine. Thereby eliminating the need for you to do it.
-P
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