The score:

1. Eee PC works great with Netbook 10.4
2. Two laptops upgraded from 9.10, both worked fine, though there is screen noise during booting on the Lenovo.
3. And the Lenovo does not properly drive the external VGA monitor??? I haven’t found the fix yet.
4. RAID5 server upgraded 9.04, worked great.
5. On one of the Laptops when using FireFox 3.6.3, I had to install Adobe Flash 10.1 (by hand) in order to watch Live.TWIT.TV (Google for adobe flash 10.1 download, grab the tgz file, flashplayer10_1_rc2_linux_041910.tar.gz, extract libflashplayer.so, and mv /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/, and then restart Firefox

Everything was going great, I installed Ubuntu 9.04 when it came out, and then I tried to “improve” the graphics.  I don’t remember what I did, but I ended up with it always booting into a frozen video, with hash garbage  on the screen.  Tonight, I did a google search for “Ubuntu fix for no video on boot” and found a reference to removing the following package xorg-driver-fglrx, well that was the magic incantation.  It worked.  And everything is great again.

Boot into Recovery mode, drop down into a root console and type apt-get remove –purge xorg-driver-fglrx then reboot, or type init 5 to get into multi-user mode.  Everything should be back to normal.

I have been learning the Phanfare API by implementing a clone of Flickr’s Badge javascript code badge_code_v2.gne. This is a PHP module which you install on a server, which mimics the behavior of the Flickr badge function.  In fact you can use the Flickr Badge generator and then replace the Flickr badge call “http://www.flickr.com/badge_code_v2.gne?count=10&display=latest&size=t&layout=x&source=user&user=18867172%40N00" in the generated code, with a call to your Phanfare version, and it will just work!

There are some differences:

1. For security the username and password for login into Phanfare is stored inside the PHP code.  Rather than being passed in the URL.
2. You can specify the album_id or year which the random images are pulled from.
3. I haven’t implemented the display, source,user arguments as it is always choosing from the specified Phanfare user

Example here

I have implemented a PhanfareAPI PHP class to encapsulate all the interaction with their site.  At first I was using SimpleXMLElement but didn’t like the organization of the returned  XML structure.  I wrote XMLParser which uses the PHP internal xml_parser_create, with startElement, endElement callbacks.  This returns a pure PHP nested array structure, which is much easier to handle when iterating over repeating structures with foreach.  The performance is slightly faster than SimpleXMLElement, and there is little (if any) special case code needed when walking the returned XML structures.

I am working on a Caching class to improve the performance using a sqlite DB.  The performance is excellent, but the programmer interface is not yet smooth.  The assumption is that the photo site meta information doesn’t change that often, and so can be cached for a longer period of time.

Example: The same badge test, using Caching here

• Uses SimplePie for parsing, rather than Magpie (allows for faster, easier parsing, with caching of feeds)
• Improved the random selection algorithm to speed up display. Should be faster with larger RSS feeds
• The feeds are verified during the widget configuration.
• Clicking on thumbnail will: (do nothing, show larger image, bring up a lightbox slideshow)
• The size of the thumbnail image can be specified
• When multiple resolutions are available in the feed, the closest size is used to avoid excessive browser scaling.
• Currently works with Phanfare, PicasaWeb, SmugMug, and Flickr

and modified it to use the RSS feeds from Phanfare
(both public and private feeds work!)

Here are the first 4 images from a public feed of mine:

If people are interested I will continue to port the remaining bits over into a true wp-Phanfare wordpress plugin.

Testing using Phanfare Slide show

It was a beautiful day! Quite windy, gusts to 15 mph.

I decided to try the Aspire glider with a different prop (was using a Aeronaut 11×8 folder), switched up to the 12×8 for more thrust.

It did make a difference, though I didn’t get a chance to really check it out, as the wind was a major factor. Sort of like flying at the beach, a constant strong breeze. I didn’t want the plane to get too high, and not be able to get it down onto the field. My new blue arrow ESC does not have a brake, … the wind did fold the prop anyway.

I “seagulled” the plane back down on to the tall grass for a soft landing, and then called it a day!

I also ordered some new LiPo’s (mine are 7 years old!).  I found some 7.4volt 700mAh for only about $10 at bphobbies, which are also about 10 grams lighter

The servos and control rods went in fairly straight forward.  Though attaching the elevator servo from underneath was a bit tricky.  I had to drill a small hole through a piece of balsa blocking the screw driver. 

I was going to use a 72MHz receiver, but I need to find the manual for my Hitec transmitter.  I have forgotten how to setup a new plane, reverse the elevator, and adjust the servo travel.  So, I used the Spectrum 2.4GHz, all menus are shown on the LCD, and are very intuitive.  (Those receivers are a bit pricey, especially when I have many 72 MHz receivers just sitting around!)

I am re-using a 4 year-old 2S1P 1000 mAH LiPo, we will see how long it holds up.

If the weather is right, I will try a maiden flight tomorrow (Mother’s day).

I am at the time to cover stage.

I received my Mountain Models Magpie (PropStoppers club plane suggestion) last week.  I am thinking of covering it with SoLite lo-temp covering rather than tape.  I haven’t started it yet.

I also purchased (at half price from another flyer) an Aspire glider. It came with an extra wing set, 3 channel 72MHz (Chan 46) transmitter, charger, the works.

I epoxied the wing together, rather than using their system of rubber bands??? Crazy!  I am wondering whether I should use a bit of carbon fiber tape around the center joint for strength?

After researching on RCGroups.com, and then spending much time with MotoCalc.

I decided on a Aeronaut 11×8 foldable prop, with an MPJET 3.33/1 planetary gearbox, keeping the original Speed 500 motor, and replacing the existing Speed Control (which has no brake?) with a GWS 30amp which has a brake.

The battery is an Enerland 3S1P 2500Mah LiPo, more than I need but I am trying to standardize my battery collection.

I had to add 1.5 oz of lead to the nose (under the gearbox) to balance at C/G.

I will probably replace the Hitec single Conversion, with a BERG 4 channel receiver.  I could even use a Spectrum 2.4Ghz receiver

4) Today, I got an email describing a system of R/C flying a Helicopter using the accelerometers in an iPhone!!!

Amazing! Story is here

I was trying what is listed here http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=6055900&postcount=161

1. Synced the phone to iTunes 7.7.1
2. Then selected the phone in the devices list on iTunes
3. Selected the Applications Tab and unchecked “Sync Applications”
4. Pressed the Sync button at the bottom of the page which then removed all apps from the phone.
5. After that was done a few apps were still left on the phone so I deleted them on the phone itself.
6. I disconnected the phone from the USB cable and powered it off then powered it back on.
7. When the phone started up I then was able to get to my music and videos on the iPod part on the phone.
8. then uninstalled iTunes 7.7.1 from my PC and rebooted the PC……..

I got through step 7, and then decided to try something less drastic. I only selected the applications I really wanted (and was using) on the iPhone. I had about 80 apps loaded. I used iTunes, (on Vista, … sorry ) and only 71!!! applications I liked.

Wow, now everything works again…Only took about an hour!