YuBlog

iPhone Announced!

// January 9th, 2007 // No Comments » // Technology

iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone,

a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet

communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and

searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also

introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch

display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything

with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and

sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely

redefining what you can do on a mobile phone.

More details on Apple.com

Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom

// December 9th, 2006 // 2 Comments » // Technology

Dr. Liu posted an interesting discussion about the relationships between data, information, and knowledge. In fact, there is another word, wisdom, which is always compared with them together. Simply put, data can be considered as the phenomenon of our physical world, information is the nature of the world, knowledge is the mapping of the world in our mind, and wisdom is our power to further understand and change the world. We have databases to manage data, information systems to organize information, and recently knowledge management systems are proposed to help people achieve knowledge.

But can we build something to unleash the power of thinking? We spend much time to build tools to reserve and retrieve information. We are more and more dependent on calculators, notepads, and Googles, meanwhile, we are losing our ability to compute, to memorize, and to think. Can you still calculate 124 X 237 in your mind? Can you still quickly remember a telephone number? Can you still believe in your own answer without the search engines? The wisdom, the creativity, the freedom of thinking, are the essential virtue of human. Please do not leave them away.

IT doesn’t matter

// November 16th, 2006 // 1 Comment » // Technology

We had a guest from MIT Lincoln Laboratory in our class today. Dr. Pensa, the assistant director of Lincoln Laboratory, gave us an introduction to the laboratory, which is the research center of national security in US. It is really frightening that they have more than 100 million dollars spend on IT infrastructure each year. During Lunch, Dr. Pensa complained the waste of investment on IT and just wondered where the moeny went away. It made me remember one of the articles we read in IST 501 class last week - ” IT doesn’t matter” from Harvard Business Review, which argued that, since IT has become a common investment for most companies, the cost/profit of IT investment becomes low. On the one hand is that more than 100 million PCs are purchased every year, most of which replace older models. On the other hand, most computers are used just for word processing, email, and web browsing, which require only a fraction of the computing power.

Much of the spendings, in fact, is driven by vendors’ strategies. Hardware suppliers have become very good at parceling out new performance and capabilities in ways that force companies to buy new computers; software companies upgrade their products frequently, and plug more features and components into products, which are never used by most people. What’s more, software engineers are relying more on the improvement of hardware performance, and no longer care much about the quality of the design and codes. The time has come for IT buyers to throw their weight around and impose hard limits on upgrade costs.

As information technology’s power and ubiquity have grown, its strategic importance has diminished. The way you approach IT investment and management will need to change dramatically.

Three rules for IT management provided in the article:

1. Spend less. As the commoditization of IT continues, the penalties for wasteful spending will only grow larger. It is getting much harder to achieve a competitive advantage through an IT investment, but it is getting much easier to put your business at a cost disadvantage.
2. Follow, don’t lead. Moore’s Law guarantees that the longer you wait to make an IT purchase, the more you’ll get for your money. And waiting will decrease your risk of buying something technologically flawed or doomed to rapid obsolescence.
3. Focus on vulnerabilities, not opportunities. It’s much harder for a company to gain a competitive advantage through the distinctive use of IT nowadays, but even a brief disruption in the availability of the technology can be devastating.

选择适合你的Linux发行包

// March 13th, 2006 // No Comments » // Technology, Web Resources

面对庞杂的Linux大家族，如果你不知道该如何选择合适自己的发行包的话，可以试试用Zegenie Studios的Linux Distribution Chooser来做个测试。测试结果说明我比较适合使用以下六个发行包：

	Debian	( http://www.debian.org/ )
	Debian is a free operating system (OS) for your computer. An operating system is the set of basic programs and utilities that make your computer run. Debian GNU/Linux provides more than a pure OS: it comes with over 15490 packages, precompiled software bundled up in a nice format for easy installation on your machine.
	Ubuntu	( http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ )
	Ubuntu is a complete Linux-based operating system, freely available with both community and professional support. Ubuntu includes more than 1,000 pieces of software, starting with the Linux kernel version 2.6 and Gnome 2.10, and covering every standard desktop application from word processing and spreadsheet applications to internet access applications, web server software, email software, programming languages and tools and of course several games.
	MEPIS	( http://www.mepis.org/ )
	MEPIS Linux is a desktop Linux system that is also easy to configure as a dedicated server. It is designed for both personal and business purposes. It includes cutting-edge features such as a live/installation/recovery CD, automatic hardware configuration, NTFS partition resizing, ACPI power management, WiFi support, anti-aliased TrueType fonts, a personal firewall, KDE, and much more.
	Fedora	( http://fedora.redhat.com/ )
	The goal of The Fedora Project is to work with the Linux community to build a complete, general purpose operating system exclusively from open source software. Fedora Core is built to provide choice. It includes the latest versions of many software packages, including both GNOME and KDE desktop environments. Fedora Extras, a repository built entirely by volunteers, provides thousands more packages, and is enabled for use by default.
	Kubuntu	( http://www.kubuntu.org/ )
	Kubuntu is a user friendly operating system based on KDE, the K Desktop Environment. With a predictable 6 month release cycle and part of the Ubuntu project, Kubuntu is the GNU/Linux distribution for everyone.
	SuSE	( http://www.suselinux.com/ )
	SUSE Linux 10.0 includes all of the latest desktop productivity tools to help you with your most common home computing tasks. Whether it’s instant messaging and communicating with friends, creating and designing graphics, or organizing digital picture and music files, you’ll find what you need on our easy-to-use desktop. And to make finding things even easier, we’ve included a preview of the latest version of the new Linux desktop search technology: Beagle Desktop Search. Beagle is the powerful new open source search engine that puts all of the content in your personal information space at your fingertips. Plus, to keep your desktop secure, SUSE Linux includes powerful built-in tools for spam blocking, virus scanning and application-level protection.

[转载]U盘debian系统

// March 4th, 2006 // No Comments » // Quotation, Technology

Debian U盘制作方法
chinajz
c_xvidtune@hotmail.com
http://spaces.msn.com/chinajz

这次制作没有编译内核，u盘 256M usb1.1接口。
一、制作条件：
1. debian网络安装光盘：debian-31r0a-i386-netinst.iso；
2. U盘:256M,usb1.1接口；
3. 笔记本电脑：dell D800 ,mem 256M ,hd 40G
4.OS:debian sid (kernel 2.6.15.4)+RHEL 4 U2
二、制作步骤：
1.用fdisk分区u盘(这步可省略，放在下步做，但有时粗心直接装至sda导致系统可能不正常运行)
debian:~# fdisk /dev/sda
Device contains neither a valid DOS partition table, nor Sun, SGI or OSF disklabel
Building a new DOS disklabel. Changes will remain in memory only,
until you decide to write them. After that, of course, the previous
content won’t be recoverable.

Warning: invalid flag 0×0000 of partition table 4 will be corrected by w(rite)

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sda: 263 MB, 263454720 bytes
9 heads, 56 sectors/track, 1020 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 504 * 512 = 258048 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

Command (m for help): n
Command action
e extended
p primary partition (1-4)
p
Partition number (1-4): 1
First cylinder (1-1020, default 1):
Using default value 1
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (1-1020, default 1020):
Using default value 1020

Command (m for help): t
Selected partition 1

Hex code (type L to list codes): 83

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sda: 263 MB, 263454720 bytes
9 heads, 56 sectors/track, 1020 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 504 * 512 = 258048 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 1020 257012 83 Linux

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-4): 1

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sda: 263 MB, 263454720 bytes
9 heads, 56 sectors/track, 1020 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 504 * 512 = 258048 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1020 257012 83 Linux

Command (m for help): w
The partition table has been altered!

Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
Syncing disks.

2.用debian光盘直接安装到u盘(不要装grub,不然你会后悔的,因为如果你装grub,系统会以为你从u盘启动，本地硬盘grub将不能正常工作），然后在chroot 状态下安装grub
3. 在已经装好的linux上用chroot启动U盘linux操作。（在我的电脑上，光盘上resuce模式后，在控制台（Ctrl+Alt
F2）可以完全操作成功，但做出的内核启动选项配置映象文件initrd.img不能正常启动，我想可能是光盘版本太低的缘故。execute a
shell下则不能完成。）
建议最好在控制台下操作，而不要到xwindow下操作（如果操作最好只开一个xterm），防止对硬盘linux系统误操作.
3.1增大U盘自由空间，用chroot启动U盘linux
debian:~# mkdir -p /mnt/u
debian:~# mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/u
debian:~# rm /mnt/u/var/cache/apt/archives/*
debian:~# rm /mnt/u/tmp/*
debian:~# chroot /mnt/u
以下操作全在u盘的linux环境里，别搞错了.
3.2定制源
vi /etc/apt/sources.list
# /etc/apt/sources.list generated by apt-spy v3.1
deb http://debian.cn99.com/debian/ sid main
apt-get update
3.3删除旧内核
apt-get remove kernel-image-旧内核版本
3.4安装新内核
apt-get install module-init-tools
apt-get install kernel-image-2.6-686
3.4 升级u盘linux至sid最新版
rm /var/cache/apt/archives/*
rm /. Trash/*
apt-get upgrade
rm /var/cache/apt/archives/*
rm /. Trash/*
3.5 配置编译映象文件initrd.img的相关文件
3.5.1 修改mkinitrd.conf
vi /etc/mkinitrd/mkinitrd.conf
增加usb 1.1和2.0接口及usb-storage编译的选项：
ehci_hcd
uhci_hcd
ohci_hcd
usb-storage
3.5.2 修改modules,这里设定内核装载时间为15s
vi /etc/mkinitrd/modules
# The length (in seconds) of the startup delay during which linuxrc may be
# interrupted.
DELAY=15
3.5.3 修改fstab文件
vi /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/sda1 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/hdc /media/cdrom0 iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0
3.6 制作内核启动选项配置映象文件initrd.img
mount -tproc none /proc
如果你电脑上硬盘linux系统和u盘linux系统版本一样，可用以下简便操作
mkinitrd -o /boot/initrd.img-$(uname -r) $(uname -r)
如果不一样，查下/lib/modules/目录
ls /lib/modules/
以2.6.15-1-686为例
mkinitrd -o /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-1-686 2.6.15-1-686
3.7 制作u盘的grub引导
grub-install /dev/sda1
exit

4.修改/boot/grub/menu.lst文件
对usb是2.0和1.1接口，在我的电脑上/boot/grub/menu.lst不一样才能正常启动：

usb 1.1U盘

#/boot/grub/menu.lst
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.15.4
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15.4 vga=792 root=/dev/sda1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15.4
savedefault
boot

usb 2.0移动硬盘

#/boot/grub/menu.lst
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.15.4
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.15.4 vga=792 root=/dev/sda1 ro
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.15.4
savedefault
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
选择从u盘重新启动电脑,或在另一台电脑上从usb启动，应该会成功。如果有什么问题欢迎联系:
我的 email是:
c_xvidtune@hotmail.com