Work Journal
For Week of October 4, 1999
Page Updated Wednesday, December 22, 1999 10:02 PM
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday
I spent some time on the Caldera web site and see no problems with the hardware I am trying to use other that it will not support a full install which is what I have been working with. So now I have downloaded the minimum install and will see if that will work.
I got the CD made for a minimum Linux install and first tried the install by booting with a Windows 98 startup disk which failed due to available memory problems. Next I booted with the Linux boot disk I made yesterday and found success. It took a long time to install, but Linux is now up and running, but now I can't do anything with it. Every time I try to logon into KDE, the GUI comes up then kicks me back to the login screen. Time to do some reading up on Linux so I can have an idea of what I am doing.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday
Having two UPSs sitting on your desk when the power goes out can cause you dirty your shorts. Well I exaggerate a bit, but not much. This evening I came into the house after going for a walk, and sat down in front of the computer to check my email. Just as I grabbed the mouse, the power went off and both UPSs started to scream a warning at high volume. I nearly fell over backwards in my chair, as the combination of the room going dark and UPSs warnings caught me by surprise. Having UPSs is nice, even though the power was only off for a few seconds, this would have caused my server and main workstation to go down if it were not for power from my UPSs. As soon as the power came back on my monitor powered up and I was back at work.
It was a busy day of replying to emails, checking all my internet sources for potential jobs, and touching base with contacts who maybe able to help me find work.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday
Steve Jobs of Apple computer was interviewed on TV today. Apple is releasing 3 new models of the iMac this week. The low end model is priced at just under $1000 U.S. to compete with the sub $1000 PCs from Compaq etc.. The two higher end iMac models have higher end parts such as better graphics support and wireless networking.
I went the the local Chapters to get a Novell book to compliment the hands on work I have started with Netware 5, in preparation for writing an exam to upgrade my certification to CNE 5. To my surprise there where only a half dozen or so books on Novell. There used to be nearly as many Novell books and there where Windows NT books. Now it seems that the Windows books are much more plentiful and pushing Novell books off the self. This is to be expected I guess as there are currently far more people studying to become an MCSE than a CNE, and/or just working with NT instead of Novell. I can buy books online but find the descriptions lacking, I like to be able to flip through a book before I buy it, especially books in the $60 - $100 range. I ended up buying Mastering Netware 5 by James E. Gaskin which is not a study guide for a Novell exam, but a practical guide for those who work with Netware 5.
Starswarm by Jerry Pournelle was finally in stock so I picked up a copy. I have been watching for the paperback version for sometime. These new books plus the ones I already have on the corner of the table provide me with so much reading material both for study and pleasure that I don't know where to start.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday
I messed up my latest install of Netware 5 somehow so thought today would be a good day to reinstall. I have been using RAM in my Novell server from another system, which the other system needs back if am ever going to use it again. So I pulled the extra memory out which reduced the server to 32 MB of RAM which is supposed to be enough for a basic test bed system to run on. Yes it runs but the install gives you a message that 32 MB is not enough and that 47 MB is required. Then the install GUI runs like molasses during winter in the arctic.
4 a.m. I can't sleep so I am taking care of some emails and checking on my Netware 5 install. I started this install around noon and it is still grinding away. With only 32 MB of RAM the hard drive is thrashing allot, and screen updates are very, very slow.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday
Just as I was posting the entry for Thursday the NetWare 5 install finished. The install is incomplete as several utilities are missing. I think I'll have to put some more memory in the server and start over again from scratch.
Finished reading Starswarm by Jerry Pournelle, which was a good read. Probably the best sci-fi book I have read in a long time. Reminded my a lot of the Heinlein books I read in my early teens.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday
5:00 pm: I have not felt very computerish today so have been enjoying sports on TV and being a vegetable. Time now to catch up on my email, the adventures of the daynotes gang, and see if I can get a proper install of Netware 5 done after upgrading my server to 64 MB of RAM.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday
Late doing my post today as I was planning to watch the NASCAR race in Charlotte North Carolina, not surfing the web or working on computers. The race has been postponed due to rain, so my plans have been dampened.
I seem to have trained myself so that I totally ignore all advertising on web pages. Well luckily yesterday I for some unknown reason happened to look at the advertising on a page. One ad was for Ajilon Canada which is an information technology services company. I had never heard of this firm before so I checked their job postings for Canada and found listings for Calgary. The listings where mostly for programmers and very senior level networking people, which seems to be the norm. Ads for programmers and very senior level networking positions account a large part of the openings when I look at postings by other firms and in the classified ads. But then at the bottom of the list I found a position for tier 2 and 3 desktop and network support which is right up my alley. So I put together a cover letter with a copy of my resume and emailed it off to the appropriate contact person.
The net is a great tool I find when job hunting, for reasons other than just locating a job opening. If a job is in a town I am not sure of the location of, I can do a search at Expediamaps, and get a map showing the location of the town or city. Often cities and towns have there own web sites from which I can get specific details such as the size of the population etc..