(Sounds like a program the Fox network would air…)
Some time between 2 AM and 11 AM PDT, both my server machines in the colo dropped off the network.  It seems implausible that both would fail for any reason other than a power failure, so I drove over to the colo to have a look.  Both [...]

As usual,Jacque ignored me most of the day, but as soon as the logic analyzer arrived he rushed over to help me set it up.
(click for gallery with more photos)

I was typing in a browser window, when all of a sudden this dialog popped up:

I don’t even know what software was trying to start; I don’t think it was related to the browser. I clicked on the Details expander, and it expanded to show this:

It would have been nice if the responsible program [...]

My call sign is AF6FG, though I’ve filed an application for a vanity call sign so it will probably change.

I’ve been trying to reverse-engineer a particular proprietary binary-only Linux library, to learn what algorithms it uses. Unsurprisingly, the vendor ships both the library and the application that calls it without debugging information and with symbols stripped. However, because they dynamically link to the library, the function names of the library entry points [...]

After years of being cajoled by friends and acquaintances who are hams, I finally took the exams today, passed them, and should have my own Amateur Extra class license and call sign by the end of the month.
Earlier this year the FCC completely eliminated the Morse Code requirement, making it easier than ever to get [...]

The U.S. Congress has enacted various legislation and regulations intended to encourage energy savings. Some of the better known programs are the EPA’s Energy Star program, and the DoE’s Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products. In some cases, though, poorly thought out legislation or regulations may backfire.
Last night I decided to buy a [...]

Today Guy and I removed the KW20 Master Oscillator from my KL10 (PDP-10 CPU, part of DECSYSTEM-20), so that it can temporarily be used in his KL10 until he can fabricate a suitable replacement.  As we removed the KW20, I couldn’t help feeling  a little like Dr. Chandra in the book and film 2010, sequel [...]

If you buy a Sony PRS-500 Portable Reader System (PRS-500), you can get 100 classic books “free” as ebooks. These are books that are in the public domain, so Sony doesn’t have to pay royalties on them, though Sony slaps DRM on them. I thought it would be nice to have a copy [...]