Technologists Notes

tl;dr reboot it or shoot it

Two mornings ago I discovered my ca 2015 Dell Optiplex 9010 was non-responsive, with the power button flashing amber. From experience (with mechanical disks obsolescent, power supplies are the most likely computer component to fail), I assumed the power supply to be the problem. So I ordered a replacement for next-day delivery. When the power supply arrived and I installed it, the machine seemed the same, still flashing amber. Though the code flashes also could indicate a failed system board, it seemed worth following through with the power supply. The replacement supply was failing, according to my tester. The tester said the old supply was good!? I pulled a known good supply out of a working Dell Vostro (ATX). Though not a fit mechanically, that supply brought the Optiplex back to life. Reinstating the original Optiplex supply, the machine is back to normal. Read the rest of this entry »

Narcotics Anonymous has a pamphlet The Triangle of Self-Obsession which says, in part,

“We never seem to outgrow the self centeredness of the child. … We become self-obsessed; our wants and needs become demands. We reach a point where contentment and fulfillment are impossible. People, places, and things cannot possibly fill the emptiness inside of us, and we react to them with resentment, anger, and fear. Resentment, anger, and fear make up the triangle of self-obsession.” Read the rest of this entry »

Before childhood amateur radio projects, before college freshman radio work, before sound engineering in San Francisco, at the Vulcan Gas Company, and the Armadillo World Headquarters, my mother taught me to repair lamp wiring when I was very young. I began building electronics projects with a crystal radio kit when I was 6 years old.

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A Mastodon thread initiated by Erik Uden today unleashed discussion of two seemingly separate controversies: the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian crisis and the massive proliferation of Large Language Models (LLM) aka Machine Learning aka Artificial Intelligence.
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It seems I am easily distracted. One thing leads to another. Inquiries spur new thoughts. Anomalies suggest investigation. Surprises remind of well-worn adages, e.g., newer isn’t always better, particularly regarding software. But, I keep on keeping on.
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