Linux
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http://www.spencerstirling.com/computergeek/powersaving.html - “Saving Energy in Linux” from Spencer Stirling
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PowerTOP - tool to assist with such energy-saving (on Intel boxes at least) by telling how well hardware power-saving is utilized and which software is causing problems
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Improving Boot Time on a General Linux Distro from Frederic Crozat
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Handy One-Liners for sed from Eric Pement… I used the venerable sed extensively at work to un-screw-up CSV files
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MediaTomb - an open source UPnP media server with a web interface; my coworker Uriah said he used this to stream things to his PS3 from his Linux box
Graphics
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MeshLab - free 3D triangular mesh processing software
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Caustics Mapping from UCF
Networking
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A Look at NoMachine NX - I discovered NX performs better for remote access than anything else I’ve tried (i.e. RDP, X11, VNC, and straight SSH+screen if you happen to need GUI), particularly over slow links. Unfortunately, it doesn’t handle links with 93% packet loss very well.
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Quagga Routing Suite - GPLed routing software for IPv4/IPv6 that handles a number of routing-related protocols (a list of them is here)
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Yersinia - network tool designed to take advantage of some weaknesses in different network protocols… I haven’t used this but the guys from cinci2600 did a presentation with it
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Etherboot/gPXE booting - an open source network bootloader, providing a direct replacement for many proprietary PXE ROMs. I have yet to try this.
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LTSP, Linux Terminal Server Project - adds thin-client support to Linux servers, so thin clients or dumpster PCs can be used for something useful within a school or business.
Programming/general computer stuff
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“Roles Before Objects” by Doug Lea - some sort of pattern for software development, particularly for “organizing activities that separate object-independent from object-dependent matters”
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“10 Amazingly Alternative Operating Systems etc." - maybe overly prophetic and lofty, but a good article nonetheless
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Twibright Optar - OPTical ARchiver, a codec for encoding data on paper; it gets about 200 KB per page at 200 DPI which is reliable for most paper, and contains some pretty heavy error correction. This might be neat for long-term archival purposes of smaller data.
Other projects
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MAgtALo (MultiAgent Argumentation, Logic and Opinion) - a prototype tool for virtual round-table meetings. I don’t really know much about this. I just read about it in some IEEE publication I found on the ground.
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LibriVox - free audiobooks from the public domain
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Geographic British Isles - a project aiming to collect geographically representative photographs of every square kilometer of Great Britain and Ireland
Electricity
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“High Voltage Sparks and Arcs” - My friend Mark found this, and it has a collection of videos and photos of some pretty spectacular incidents at high voltages. The only casualties are machines, if you are worried.
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How Transistors REALLY Work, from William Beaty who is annoyed at the way many textbooks teach transistors to students
Music
- Lunar - an artist Jeremy likes, self-described as “An eclectic blend of electronica, rock, dance, ambient, drum ‘n’ bass and classical.” They have two albums available for free download as of now.
Tinfoil hat stuff
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Money Masters: How International Bankers Gained Control of America (Google Video link)… I don’t know what to think of this, but I did watch it.
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Maltego: “Maltego is an open source intelligence and forensics application. It allows for the mining and gathering of information as well as the representation of this information in a meaningful way.”
Economics of the non-tinfoil-hat variety
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“Where to put your money if it’s just sitting in a checking account”
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ABSEL - Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning; “professional association whose purpose is to develop and promote the use of experiential techniques and simulations in the field of business education and development”
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M.U.L.E. - an early video game that was praised for its elements of economic simulation
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The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse, by Gregg Easterbrook (Amazon link)
Other stuff
- Anti-pattern - something that distinguishes itself from a conventional bad idea or bad practice in a particular way; “Some repeated pattern of action, process or structure that initially appears to be beneficial, but ultimately produces more bad consequences than beneficial results.”