Jimiz.net – Jim Becher on the web

I am a fan of Hak5. I’ve been watching them for a few years now. Darren and Shannon do a great job with a show for tech lovers. “Your Daily dose of techno-lust”. Recently Paul, who runs their AV and does all the behind the scenes work did a segment on what is used to record the show. I’ve always been an AV geek at heart. This is good to watch.

If you have never seen hak5 head on over to hak5.org or revision3.com/hak5

I am not a designer. In fact, I’m pretty bad with design. However, I can tell when something looks good. It is just my way of saying I appreciate good design, I just suck at it. Here is a great video showcasing how design (brands) work. This is great work done by Erica Gorochow

The Fundamental Elements of Design from Erica Gorochow on Vimeo.

It is that time of the year.  I love Christmas.  I just realized at work that the the only pictures of the kids I have are getting pumpkins and a Christmas tree (multiple years).   Yesterday we went and got the tree.  It is always a fun event, and we have had snow each year we go.  We have been going the same place for the last 6 years.   (buy local

In the spirit of things we have been listening to Christmas songs since ThanksGiving (my kids love them).  But here are a few of my favorites:
These are songs that I’ve just enjoyed for a while.

1. Merry Christmas from the Family (REK) – Fun song

2. Merry Christmas from the family (MG) – just a fun twist

3. Dido (Christmas Day)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7heCppIC0_E&feature=related

4. Dave Matthews (Christmas Song) Live

5.
 

Every year I take the opportunity to do some winter cleaning on my computer systems.  Clean up directories, remove unused applications, and backup.   I typically choose Black Friday for this event because I can run out and get cheap storage (Hard Drives).   Last year I purchased 2 portable drives and an internal drive.

This year, I did not want to go out early.  So I spent the morning cleaning our computer systems and then headed out and purchased a few High Capacity SD cards.  I got 8, 16 and 32 gig cards.  Different manufacturers.   The 16 I intend to use in our camera so it was the higher speed.  The other 2 I plan on using for an “ON PC” backup.

I have many backup strategies for our home documents and photos, but I am adding a new one this year.   I have done this in the past at work with my personal documents but not at home.

Since we are almost exclusively laptops at our house I setup jobs to backup the home directory documents to the SD cards.  This does a sync that makes it easy to store on the SD card.   The actual directory and photos are sync’d every night to our backup server, but this is just a quick fail-safe.   I’m not sure how well it’s going to work, but the intent is to have a quick copy to pull back from of critical documents.

On my SD card I used truecrypt to create a volume and store information encrypted.  Overall it is working OK.  I will have to update this post as I progress.

Remote PC support has come a long way.  It used to be a long phone call and people would explain what they were seeing.  Then we added remote desktop sharing tools like VNC.  Now many sites and applications have these features.    I have discussed remote desktop sharing / support apps before - http://jimiz.net/blog/2008/07/open-source-applications/

Since then I have tried many versions.  Go2MyPC, webex, livemeeting, dimdim, view, and many more.   Recently on a family support call I decided to try two new ones.   I have recently been using go2assist (from citrix) however I decided to let my subscription run out and go back to open source.

Two players in this space.  join.me – a simple web site to allow you to share your screen. It was simple to use but not as intuitive as I would have liked.

I ended up using Microsoft’s SharedView.  Since I already had a live /hotmail account and so did my family member who needed help the requirments to use this tool were already set.

They basically went to http://connect.microsoft.com/site94  downloaded the application and ran the 3 step install.

After it is installed you can run the app and get a tool bar on the top of your screen.  Steps are simple.  Login, start or joine a session.    I was able to walk them through starting a session and quickly join them via email address in about 1 min.  If you are starting the meeting you just click the start a new session and you are presented with a link to email or a password to share (SIMPLE)

Thank you Microsoft for this great tool.   It is not as clean ad go2assist but very practical.

Figure 1

I updated all devices at our house today. Ipads, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4s. Everyone now has ios 5 and all devices are backed up and have iCloud working. If you have not ever heard of all the “i” things can you imagine what I just said. Before the iPhone people did not even know what an app was… now we talk in clouds, sync, and siri.

If you are interested in cutting the cord and syncing with wifi here is a quick tutorial. We have many iOS devices in our house. I sync a few with my computer and a few with my wife’s. Our media server (windows media server) holds almost all the songs and videos. We just map a drive (that is a topic for another day). However the use of wifi sync is great. I have consolidated to the media server to be the itunes primary for a few devices. This allows for that machine to always run itunes (in the startup folder) and the devices to just connect to it via wireless.

Figure 2

To set this up you first have to enable wi-fi sync. Plug in your device and select the summary tab of your iOS device. Add a check box to the options area to “sync this iPad over Wi-Fi”.  (figure 1)
Once you have done this the basics are complete. Your next step is to connect your iphone or iPad to a power outlet and watch it sync over wifi. You need the iOS devices to be on the same wifi network as the computer that has iTunes. NOTE: also the computer should have iTunes already running before the sync will happen.

I’m not sure of why the device needs to be plugged in, but that is needed. Here is the screen from your iOS device (figure 2)

Here is a great video tour of Artprize 2011 from people in the crowd. What a great video.

The Art of Inspiration from Bill Bergen on Vimeo.

Schwinn s9five6 Commuter

I have started biking into work again.  It has been enjoyable and an interesting adventure.   This time around I’m using my commuter, a converted mountain bike (Schwinn S9five6 – Purchased in 1995).    This is one of my favorite bikes, I’ve had a great amount of fun over the years with this bike.   In the last 5 years it has sat in my garage gathering dust.

When I started commuting this year I was using my Fuji road bike.  I love that bike, it is fast, light and nimble.  However, using it for commuting became difficult.   The route I take to work takes me across 2 major roads.  One of those roads does not have bike path.   To accommodate I typically ride on the sidewalk.  The road bike does not handle the sidewalk that well.  Too many curbs and opportunities to pop a tire.

To make commuting easier I decided to use the Schwinn.  I have put Bontrager slicks on it and added some safety lights and flashers.   Other than the items above and adding a Roc Shock back in 1998 it is stock.

Over the last week it has been fun to ride to work.   Not having to worry about what I ride over; curbs, cracks and gravel.    Though I only ride 6.8 miles into work, it is about 30 minutes across a few busy roads and a few bike paths.

I typically don’t ride on a sidewalk, especially on the road bike but it is much safer earlier in the morning.   People don’t often look for bikers when they are driving into work.

If you have not tried to commute into work via bike, I would suggest trying it a few times.

I’m not a huge person on fashion but I do like watches.  I have always had a thing for a good watch.  The problem is how you define a good watch.  When I was younger it was the most features wins.  Stop watch, timer, multi time zones, etc…  Now I’m more focused on style and function.    For the last 3 years I have had a great dress watch and a great everyday / running watch.

Dress Watch:  Seiko Kinetic watch – my wife got this for me and I wear it for most dress occasions.  It is self winding when you move, so if it sits on the shelf it is not keeping time.  I don’t have a fancy winder, that moves your watch while you store it (some day I should get one).

About the same time my running watch an older Nike watch broke.  It was a Triax 50, the kind that had a tilted watch face.  It had a common flaw with the bands, they just somehow broke.   After my great luck with the nike watch, It looked good and functioned well.  I decided to find another.   I ran across a sleek looking watch at the Nike store in Chicago.  After I saw it I had to have it based on it’s look.    The Nike Torque watch was perfect, It looked good and

Nike Torque

could pass as a  dress watch, and functioned as a running watch.  I got more comments on the Nike torque than any other watch I’ve ever had.  People were always asking me who made the watch and what it did.  I think the square face that was dark made it look good.   The band on that was was the most comfortable I have ever had.   The down side was that the alarm was quiet.     Unfortunately  the watch broke when I was changing the battery.  The seal around the battery latch failed after 4 years of wearing it every day.    I have since tried to find this watch on ebay or any other site only to find that the prices are so inflated.  I think I originally paid $80 for the watch.   I recently saw one for sale on ebay for 200 (ebay) .   This little nike watch is by far my favorite.  The watch face was solid and did not seem to ever scratch.

My most current watch was purchased for both look and function.

Speedo Vibration Watch

I use my watch to wake me up almost all summer.   I purchased the Speedo Vibration watch.  It allows for the alarm to vibrate as well as beep.   This is great because I would not wake up the rest of the family with the alarm during the summer.  Overall this has been a pretty solid watch. However the face scratches easy.

In looking for my recent watch I was very interested in the new NIKE+ GPS watches.    They are a bit pricey but look and have GPS

Nike + GPS

build into them.   The issue  was both the cost and at the time I needed a watch Nike had sold out of the first batch.   I have yet to see anyone wearing one, but it is still on my radar.     In the last week I’ve read a few great articles on how the watch was thought to be dying because of cell phones.

These articles are pushing that watches may come back.  Look at the ipod nano watch band.   There is a new watch called i’m watch.  I’m excited to see this come.  It looks to run an android OS for the watch.

As you can see, I like watches.

I currently have many things that I would love to acquire.    Some of these I consider great design and others I find as great tools.

Seating:

Eames Aluminum office chair – a great office chair that is comfortable and also good looking:  http://store.hermanmiller.com/Products/Eames-Aluminum-Group-Management-Chair

Eames Lounge – I have  wanted this chair for years.  It would be a great addition to the house as both a show piece and also seating:  http://store.hermanmiller.com/store/servlet/dynamicKit__10151_-1_10051_1097?CAWELAID=846660089

Backpack – Waterproof backpack that would be great for commuting and work:  http://www.missionworkshop.com/products/bags/backpacks/rucksack/sanction.php

Backpack – Not as good looking as the mission backpack but the same function: http://www.amazon.com/Overboard-Liters-Premium-Waterproof-Backpack/dp/B004D13NCE

Commuting coat – Mission workshop makes some of the best looking functional items: http://www.missionworkshop.com/products/apparel/jacket/waterproof-orion.php

Digital Lock – A door lock that kids can use on the house, never leave a key lost: http://www.amazon.com/Schlage-FE595VCAM619ACC-Camelot-Keypad-Accent/dp/B000NJJ1TY

Stereo – I love hi-tech gadgets but this is just pure vintage goodness.  My father had the Pioneer SX-727.  I have been watching for a good version of this.  Pioneer SX-1010 - http://www.classicaudio.com/value/pio/SX1010.html

This is just a good list of things.  I will eventually get around to buying  a few of these.

For the last 2 months I have been standing up at work.  I’ve borrowed a rolling laptop cart to be my stand up desk.  You can see from the pictures that it is adjustable and also has a mouse tray to the side.

The stand I am using is an instand, deluxe with roller wheels. Using a standup desk has been a great learning experience.  The first week my feet were killing me.   At the end of the day all I wanted was to sit down and take off my shoes.   After about 5 days my feet got used to it.

I also found that people are very curious about the stand-up desk.  I work in a large corporation and there are many cubes in my area.   I would get about 1 person a week stopping over and asking me questions.  Most of the questions were regarding health.  Many people asked if I was doing this because of back issues.   I find that interesting that everyone relates standing to back pains.

The reason I decided to give this a try was from an old email I found.  I had wanted to know how long I had gmail and looked back at the oldest email I had in my account.   I had forwarded an article about a future treadmill desk from one of the furniture makers.  In that article they talked about the benefits of standing while working.    I did a few searches and found that it is a growing trend and a health one.  I’m not saying that I’ll die if I sit at work like this article, but standing could be healthier.

http://mashable.com/2011/04/22/standup-desks/#13017A-standup-desk-in-action

There are many solutions and desks available for standing, I chose this one because it wsa available.    The only issue I have is that there are 3 rollers on the bottom and because of where I have it positioned one sticks out towards me while I am working.

Overall I have found that standing is a great way to work.  I am not sure I could go back to sitting all the time.  I have found that for some tasks sitting is more appealing.  I find that I am most comfortable talking on the phone when seated.  I also realized that If I am doing any type of heavy mouse usage that sitting helps.

While starting to  write an android application I had to re-install the Android SDK on my new system.  When I did this and tried to execute the Emulator I go the following error:

"invalid command-line parameter: Files.

Hint: use '@foo' to launch a virtual device named 'foo'. please use -help for more information"

After some google searches and some testing I finally found a fix.  The issue it appears is the referenced path that Android is using.  Since I have an x64 system, the location that the default android install is : C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk

One of the posts and install documents I read was to add that directory to your “Path” in windows.  I made that change and still had the same issue.  After some more digging I found that the issue is related to the spaces in the folder path.   To solve this issue I added the “SFN” directory location into the PATH variables.

Short File name is sometimes called 8.3 file name.   Because it envokes a limit on the filename and extension length (wikipedia)

Since x64 machines place files that are 32bit into a different Program files directory the install location is : C:\Program Files (x86)\android\android-sdk

SO THE FIX IS:

Add the location sfn name into the path.  My 8.3 file location for the sdk is:

C:\PROGRA~2\android\android-sdk

This will remove the spaces from the path.  To add a folder location in your path on windows 7 you need to:

• go to control panel
• 
• System | Edit the System Environment Variables
• Click the Environment Variables button
• 
• Scroll Down under “system Variables” until you find path
• 
• Place a “;” before you add the path to the sdk folder (C:\PROGRA~2\android\android-sdk)
• 

I often find myself following a link from a twitter post or some other blog.  Not having the time to read it immediatly I either add it to Readitlater or I email myself.  I normally don’t add any comments just the link.   What often happens is a few weeks / days / months later I get to reading these links I sent myself.  Sometimes, I get to them right away but most of the time I find a neat little article or site of interest a few days later and don’t remember the context of why I sent myself this link.

I decided that I should just include a few here for everyone’s enjoyment (the comments in front is where I think I got the link):

Person I follow on G+: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/are-your-co-workers-killing-you/

Twitter: http://geekli.st

Blog Post (aspx) https://github.com/robconery/Manatee

twitter: http://knockoutjs.com

As you can see this is just a random mix. But there are some goodies involved.  A mvvm js tool kit, an asp.net deployment tool, and a geek site.

Enjoy.

I’m a huge fan of a tool called nmap (nmap.org).  It is a network tool that can do many things.  The most simple is to determine if a host is active.  Anytime I connect to any network I run a quick scan to see who my neighbors are on the network.

To do a network scan with nmap you only need one bit of information. Your IP address.  Below is a scan from my local network.  I was able to do a quick ipconfig to see my local IP was (192.168.2.118) armed with that information I can tell that the network segment is 192.168.2.1/24.

To scan the network you only need to issue the command

nmap -sP 192.168.2.1/24

Here is the result on my windows machine.

The scan took 9.16 seconds.  This is a pretty fast network scan.  In 9 seconds I was able to determine I have 12 devices connected, a few iphones, ipad, printer, and other machines.

I am always interested in performance and I wanted to see if my linux machine would do the scan faster.  (NOTE:  the windows machine is using a 802.11 G network and the linux machine is over the LAN bridge using Wireless G as well)

The Linux results of the same nmap command ran in 5.4 Seconds.  In this simple test the linux nmap process was a bit faster.

 Overall it is always a great idea to see what and how is around you when on a network.  I did not go into more detail but you can always use nmap to do more investigation.   I can cover that in a later article.

Happy scanning.

I think it is time to get a new chair for my home office.  I recently saw this chair posted on a site and have the desire to get it.  The problem is that we don’t use our office that much and a good chair seems like a waste.

http://www.westelm.com/products/wrap-office-chair-g047/?pkey=coffice-desks

Since we have all laptops in our home, I keep wondering if a laptop stand would not be a better option.   The ideal desk / chair would be an Eames chair.

http://www.dwr.com/product/eames-lounge-ottoman-vicenza.do

These all sound great, until you see how much they cost.  Well, I can always ask for this as a Christmas gift.  Or if anyone on the web feels like purchasing me one.