Rambling Minds

While writing some perl test scripts that I wanted to be able to handle both archived and current logs I came across PerlIO::Gzip for which there were pre-packaged rpms available through yum on the Centos machine I was using at the time. After bringing the scripts back to my (Ubuntu) desktop though I realised very soon that there was no package immediately available through the usual channels (main through to multiverse).

In brief:
If you have a combination of Vista, ext2 + ifs drivers and Steam and are receiving a 'parameter is incorrect' error from SteamService.exe then a solution that works for me is to move the application directory onto a Windows native formatted drive i.e. NTFS or FAT32.

I have recently had trouble installing VMware Server and have documented my travails in case I need to go through this again or another hapless person finds themselves in the same position.

Having installed vmware server 1.06 using the tarball and `sudo ./vmware-install.pl` I then went on to attempt to install the web interface vmware-mui.
After accepting the agreement I was presented with this:

Do you accept? (yes/no) yes

Thank you.

Installing the content of the package.

VMware Server must be installed on this machine for the VMware Management
Interface to work

I have had some trouble trying to get a new KWorld 399U dual dvb-t USB dongle working with my debian etch 64-bit (+mythtv) box [1] and so have decided to document it in case anyone else is having similar issues.
Physically dissasembling the dongle reveals the four chips on board are labeled AF9013-N1, AF9015-N1 and 2x MXL5003S.

Debian `Etch` 4.0r3 AMD64 install
AMD Phenom 9600

My aim was to enable cpu frequency scaling on my newly aquired hardware and fresh software install.

The cpufrequtils package came pre-installed, but a few others are needed:
# aptitude install powernowd
# modprobe cpufreq_userspace
# modprobe powernow-k8
# invoke-rc.d powernowd start

To see what frequency steppings are available:
# cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_available_frequencies

At long last the first page of my website Rambling Minds is under construction, in fact is is being created, as I write this, like magic, but without all the lound flashes and bangs associated with great feats. More like a rogue, backstabbing her way through the dark alley than the bloody headstrong palladin who just charges occasionally checking to make sure they're pointed in the right direction first. No this site will not be for headstrong blundering but rather the quiet, steady meanderings of a warrior monk: slow to anger, quick to resolve, implaccable.