Getting around pesky account limitations on a linux box

To counteract my relative lack of skill with java, I use the smartest IDE I can find; Intellij IDEA. It is really helpful in getting syntax right (and lots of other things, too). Unfortunately, the CS labs do not have it installed, and at 170 MB, I can’t spare enough space to put it on my account.

To solve this problem, I have tried the following solutions:

• VNC using X11VNC
• X forwarding using ssh -X (with and without -C)
• NX

Unfortunately, although my ping time is 6 ms, both VNC and X forwarding are terribly slow. NX has some issues with my ssh configuration, and I have been unable to get it to work properly.

Today I built a little script to solve the lack of this excellent editor. Here is the first iteration:

Caching and queueing

My roommates were just giving me a hard time about a few things; heating up pans on the stove and forgetting about them and making toast and then not eating it.

I really have no recollection of leaving pans on the stove within the past 2-3 weeks, and 3 of my roommates have only lived here for 6 weeks.  The fact that they have noticed the elements being left on and commented on it probably means that I am guilty of the act within the 2-3 week period.  I remember none of this, which is definitely a bad thing.

As far as toast goes, I have noticed that my toast disappears.  Just a week ago I went to eat some toast I had made the previous day, and it was gone!  Of all the things, I expect my toast to stay put until I am ready for it.

Practicing Programming

I have recently come to the realization of how rusty I am at programming.  I haven’t been doing enough small applications to keep APIs, etc. in memory.  A few years ago, when I was pretty new, I studied and programmed compulsively, but I haven’t been giving as much in school of late.

To solve this problem, I have decided to go through a sort of training regime.   The first phase is to brush up on or become more proficient at I/O, and implementing basic algorithms.  As I progress, I will probably focus more on specific languages.  The second phase may be to develop a basic application in these languages, hopefully changing languages and challenges every week or so.  I may stagger the study, focusing on a few at a time.  We will see how things go.

These are my target languages:

Password Protection

My brother just finished all the projects for his first CS course.  He seems to have enjoyed it, which is definitely good.  As he finished early, he stated that he didn’t know what he would work on.  Although there is a possibility that this statement was purely rhetorical, I proceeded to try to get him to think about what he could do.

The first program I built outside of class that could be used for anything was essentially a quiz/game-show program.  It was extremely basic, but that’s all I could muster.  (Come to think of it, I also built programs that would generate sequences of numbers or act as scripts, as I knew nothing of spreadsheets and had only passing experience with batch files.  I really didn’t know much back then.)

In the middle of expressing that, my brother interrupted me, asking if I remembered the password protection program I built for my calculator in high school.

Updating a BIOS

How many times have I flashed a bios?  Probably less than 50, but enough that I can’t say.

However, today I had a very unique experience.

Consider the following factors:

• This bios update must be installed from either windows or DOS.
• This laptop has no windows or DOS installation
• This laptop does not have a functioning CD-ROM drive or floppy drive.
• This laptop does not support booting from USB.

Hello world!

Well, here I am starting up a blog.

We shall see what form it takes.  I hope it doesn’t become dangerous or deadly.