Berkeley CSUA MOTD:2003:January:27 Monday <Sunday, Tuesday>
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2003/1/27 [Computer/SW/OS/Linux] UID:27205 Activity:high
1/26    I'd like an small, image viewer like "xv", but with a "free" license,
        not shareware.  Any suggestions.
        \_ OS?  What type of images?
           \_ Linux.  xpm, tiff, png, jpg, etc..
        \_ electriceyes.  /usr/ports/graphics/electriceyes/  -jon
2003/1/27 [Computer/SW/Editors/Vi] UID:27206 Activity:high
1/26    I learned vi:
        \_ Never: ..
        \_ By choice: ...
        \_ Because of necessity: ..
        \_ Because I wasn't MAN enough to use ED!: .
        \_ Because I was a systems administrator: .
2003/1/27 [Uncategorized] UID:27207 Activity:high
1/27    Don't forget to buy your Burning Man tickets now if you are poor.
        \_ BM belongs to the people!  We don't have to buy tickets for our
           own gathering of freedom!
           \_ yeah, we can get wasted and stupid at home!
                  \_ not to mention naked.
                        \_ If you get naked at home you're less likely to have
                           pix show up on the Internet.
                           \_ Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
                              \_ depends if you accept paypal or not.
2003/1/27 [Computer/SW/OS/Linux, Computer/SW/OS/Windows] UID:27208 Activity:very high
1/26    is there a way to make debian's "dpkg" give more width for the
        name field, so I can read the entire name-string?
        ie: %dpkg -l "*modules*"
        ||/ Name                   Version                Description
        +++-======================-======================-==================
        ii  kernel-pcmcia-modules- 2.4.18-5               Mainstream PCMCIA m
        ii  kernel-pcmcia-modules- 2.4.18-5               Mainstream PCMCIA m
        pn  kernel-pcmcia-modules- <none>                 (no description ava
        \_ Use the source, Luke!
           \_ who are you?  you always post the same response "USE
              THE SOURCE, LUKE, I AM YOUR FUCKING NERD FATHER
              RICHARD STALLMAN AND WRITE PYTHON PORN ABOUT MY IMAGINARY
              FURRY GIRLFRIEND."  fuck off and die.
              \_ These are not the nerds we're looking for.  Move along.
             \_ It wouldn't be the first time. I was hoping there was
                a way already built into the software?
        \_ environment var: COLUMNS=132
           \_ christ-o-mighty!  stop giving out man page answers.  they'll
              never learn anything like that!
                \_ I got the answer from the Debian FAQ, and I'm actually
                   the "op" answering my own question in case anybody else
                   was curious.
2003/1/27 [Computer/SW/Languages/Perl, Industry/Jobs] UID:27209 Activity:high
1/26    I asked my two managers (why do I have two? for double the work!)
        \_ Go one manager up and get one of your managers fired.
           Sounds management-top-heavy:  "too many chiefs, not enough
           (American) Indians."  Managers are essentially overhead.
        to hire another sysadmin to help with the workload they
        are forcing on me.  I asked for an SA with experience and
        who knows some Perl.  Am I being unfair to expect an SA to know Perl?
        They are trying to get me to accept 3 internal candidates of
        which only one even knows bourne shell programming. I feel
        they are trying to dump someone on me which will only make
        my workload worse. They refuse to hire someone external.
        How do I convince my boss(es) of the validity of my concerns?
        I have one meeting with them tomorrow (Monday) before they decide.
        \_ I can't really help you with convincing pointy-hairs about anything,
           but I'd be surprised if any mid to high-level sysadmin didn't
           profess at least familiarity with perl.  On the other hand, if
           they're a decent shell programmer it won't take long to pick it
           up.  -tom
           \_ They will be paid $80K/year. Is that considered
              low or mid level nowadays?
              \_ In this climate, probably mid level.  Can you make the
                 economic case for it?  Perversely enough, even pointy hairs
                 with poor analytical skills tend to buy well reasoned
                 arguments when it comes to money, provided you walk them
                 through slowly.  Something like this:
                 a) You are overburdened.
                 b) This is costing your company money.
                   i. There are a fair number of studies that show employees
                      are more productive when they are not scrambling to
                      smash too many tasks into their day-- find one.  In the
                      worst case, you quit, and they incur the cost of hiring
                      a replacement, which some HR wonks claim this runs as
                      high as 25% of hiring salary (presumably your salary
                      is greater than that of the new sysadmin they will
                      hire/transfer)
                   ii.There are other arguments you can make to support the
                      idea that overworking you will cost your company money
                      in the long run.  Just make sure you don't end up
                      threatening to quit unless you're willing to make good
                      on it.  And don't shoot yourself in the foot by somehow
                      making it look like it's your fault that you are
                      overburdened.
                 c) Thus, you need a junior or co-sysadmin
                 d) If the new sysadmin has any holes in his skill set, then
                    it will obviously fall to you to train him.  Training
                    the new recruit adds to your overburdened status, and
                    though it benefits the new guy, it takes away from time
                    that both of you could be doing productive work that
                    benefits the company at large.
                 And on that note, I may be looking for a job, I know perl,
                 and have references that can vouch for this.  If you do end
                 up looking outside your company, and you'd like to chat
                 further, drop me an email. -dans
               \_ In this climate i'd say someone already there for the last
                  year who is making 80K would be "mid-level".  You can
                  definiteley hire "senior level"  sys admins in this market
                  for 80K.  You CERTAINLY should be able to get someone
                  who knows at least some PERL.  Also, if this was 1 year
                  ago, i'd tell you that you should quit any place that
                  doesn't let YOU as the only Unix admin, have a pretty
                  damn big say in hiring another one.
                  \_ For 80K they should write perl while juggling hot spares
                     on the main file server and hand-crafting packets to get
                     them through the shitty router...  Call me.  I'd love to
                     do just a little perl on top of mid-level SA stuff for
                     80K. --scotsman
                     \_ Starving people are always willing to do whatever while
                        they're starving.  You'll quit the moment the economy
                        improves.  Desperate people stink of it.
                        \_ Um.  80K for midlevel SA is far from starving.
                           hell, it's about average for a senior, non-manager
                           admin.
                           admin. --scotsman
                           \_ Missing point: he's desperate to work for 80k now
                           \_ ...and he's a sysadmin.  enough said.
                              \_ So he gets to manage liquidating capital
                                 equipment?
                              but will quit the moment the economy turns around
                              in the slightest.
                              \_ when the mean goes up to, what, 81k?  if i
                                 like the position, i stay.  the job i have now
                                 was out of sheer desparation, and for a while
                                 it was hell, and i would've taken the first
                                 opportunity that came up.  Over the last 3
                                 months because of changes in management and
                                 raises, it's gotten much better and I'm happy
                                 to stay.  Avg. salaries don't rise as quickly
                                 as you seem to think.  Certainly not enough
                                 to risk my livelihood at "the moment the
                                 economy turns around in the slightest."
                                 --scotsman
                                 \_ You still reek of desperation.  Sorry, but
                                    if it shows on the motd, you're not making
                                    it through an interview until you mellow.
                                    \_ i agree. he should call em up and say
                                       "let me hear you beg, bitch."
                        \_ Dude, you work for a company that pays inflated
                           salaries in a down market.  Don't act so smug.
                           \_ Missing point: he's desperate to work for 80k now
                              but will quit the moment the economy turns around
                              in the slightest.
                           \_ I bet you were one of those bitches who bragged
                              about the six digits they were making in the
                              boom time.
2003/1/27-28 [Industry/Jobs] UID:27210 Activity:high
1/27    How accurate is http://salary.com in this market?
        \_ Seems about right to me. Read the job descriptions though,
           not just the titles.
2003/1/27-28 [Politics/Foreign/MiddleEast/Iraq] UID:27211 Activity:very high
1/27    "Anti-inspectors" in Iraq.
        http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_9.html
        \_ Wolfowitz is a lying scoundrel. He will do or say anything
           to advance his agenda. Remember when he claimed that the
           anthrax attacks were the work of Iraq?
           http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2001/2841wolfowitz.html
           \_ Not to defend Wolfowitz, but what makes you think Iraq
              wasn't connected to the anthrax attacks?
                \_ do you have any evidence connecting them to it?
                   i personally believe iraq was behind the 1993
                   wtc bombing
                   \_ no, but is there *any* useful evidence in this case
                      that has been made public?  as far as i know, the answer
                      is no.  all i'm saying is we don't know if it was
                      iraq or not.
                      \_ It is irresponsible for the assistant secretary
                         of defence to be making unsubstantiated charges
                         like that. If he was a private citizen it wouldn't
                         matter anywhere near as much.
        \_ we have as much evidence Iraq is behind the postal
           anthrax attacks as we have tom holub being
           the 5th Iman of Islam
           \_ but we do have proof that tom's the 2nd ass of a 3-assed monkey
2003/1/27 [Uncategorized] UID:27212 Activity:nil
1/27    So, what did you get at last night's riot?
        -- new stereo:
        -- new jacket:
        -- tear gas in my eyes:
        -- satisfaction for watching the Raiders choke: .
        -- a bloody nose:
        -- raped a chick:
        -- ran over an innocent pedestrian:
        \_ What should the rioters have got:
           1)  broomstick up ass:
           2)  water cannon: .
           3)  buckshot from shop owners defending property: ..
           4)  stomped by cops: ..
           5)  Criminal record: ..
           6)  death: improve gene pool, lower welfare and prison costs: ..
               \_ Why didn't the Washington sniper wait for this riot to pick
                  his targets?  Then people wouldn't feel bad for the rioters
                  being shot.
           7)  syphilis: .
           8)  Got beaten up by real Raiders fans heping shop owners to defend
               property: .
           9)  more hidden packages: .
2003/1/27 [Computer/SW/Languages] UID:27213 Activity:nil 62%like:27217
1/27    How do i print on hard sheets of plastic? I'm trying to make a fake
        ID badge for a conference.
        \_ print on clear tape or on a transparency and tape/glue it on?
           \_ good idea! thanks.  i'll try that.
2003/1/27-28 [Academia/Berkeley/CSUA, Academia/Berkeley/CSUA/Troll] UID:27214 Activity:high
1/27    Was anyone able to generate a gpg key on soda? I tried a couple of
        times but everytime gpg starts generating key pair, it prints:
        "Not enough random bytes available.  Please do some other work to give
        the OS a chance to collect more entropy! (Need 300 more bytes)",
        and then sits forever without doing anything. I hit Ctrl-C after
        four hours of waiting.
        \_ if it were your local machine, you could wiggle your mouse,
           but but I don't know what you could do on soda. maybe run
           find /
        \_ Soda is too predictable.
           \_ I knew you'd say that.
              \_ I knew you'd say that.
                 \_ I didn't know you'd say that!
        \_ Don't use soda. Generate the key somewhere else and scp
           it to soda.
           \_ What's the point of that? Either way, you're exposing
              your keystrokes on soda were it to be comprimised.
              The best thing to do is to generate and use your key
              on your local machine.
                \_ I ment scp the public key to soda. I would never
                   put a private encryption key on soda.
                   \_ Which pretty much confirms my suspicions of how
                      little real utility PGP has for most of us
                      who don't operate from a "local machine" except
                      at work.
                        \_ I keep my public/private key pair on my
                           laptop with a copy of my public key on
                           soda. I encrypt all my sensitive messages
                           on my laptop and then send them using
                           soda. For normal messages, I just don't
                           bother.
                           If OP is interested in a DSA key, maybe
                           it would be okay to store the key pair
                           on soda.
                           \_ no it's not okay to store ssh keys on soda unless
                              you want to accept the risk that your key (and
                              the hosts where you login with it) could become
                              compromissed.
                              \_ we're talking about PGP here, not SSH.
                                 fucking stay on fucking topic.
                                 --jon
        \_ I generate my keys by hand and transmit them using a one time pad
           over S-IPV7.
        \_ I write my keys out long-hand and leave them in the men's room
           stalls.
2003/1/27 [Uncategorized] UID:27215 Activity:nil
1/27    Who deleted my "two managers" post? I hadnt read all the replies.
        Hopefully the archive has it all intact.
        Been so busy this morning, had to tell them we'd meet after lunch.
        \_ true.  people delete some messages way too early
2003/1/27-28 [Computer/SW/OS/OsX] UID:27216 Activity:high
1/27    macheads:  where is a good place to get mac service in the east bay?
        hard drive is not happy and needs restoration.          -brain
                                          \- Restoration Hardware --psb
                                             \_ :-)
        \_ in the peninsula, there is one in Palo Alto near the Fry's
           Electronics there.
           \_ I never used it but I think there is one right across the
              street from the Apple campus in Cupertino.  Ages ago I got
              the power supply of a mac replaced at the university's computer
              repair service.  They may not exist any more.  I thought they
              were lame.
                \_ Elite Computers (the place across the street from
                   Apple) is one of the most unfriendly and expensive
                   places I have ever had the misfortune of dealing
                   with. They are at least 10x worse than ComputerWare
                   (the place across from the old Fry's on Lawrence
                   Exp.) You'd be better off sending your Mac to Dell
                   than to let Elite get their hands on it.
        \_ What kind of Mac is it? If its a G3 or newer, your best bet
           is the Apple Store (I think that there is one in Emeryville).
           Does your Mac still boot? If so, your cheapest option is to
           just buy a new HD and do a fresh OS install and copy over
           the files you care about. Other things to try might be running
           Norton (don't try this on OS X disks) or DiskWarrior.
2003/1/27 [Computer/SW/Languages] UID:27217 Activity:nil 62%like:27213
1/27    HOW DO I PRINT ON HARD SHEETZ OF PLAST1C?? IM TRYING 2 MAKE A FAKE
        1D BADGE FOR A CONFURENCE,
        \_ PRINT ON CLEAR TAPE OR ON A TRANSPARENCY + TAPE/GLUE IT ON?!?1?
           \_ K00L 1DEA!! THANKS,  IL TRY THAT,
        \_ dude. don't say "confurence" unless you really mean it. ew.
           \_ i googled to figure out what you meant, and i found this:
              http://www.rottweiler.org/www/CF8/CF8-5710.jpg (SFW) --aaron
              \_ search string?
2025/03/15 [General] UID:1000 Activity:popular
3/15    
Berkeley CSUA MOTD:2003:January:27 Monday <Sunday, Tuesday>