Sorry for a bit more downtime (well, 13 minutes to be more precise). Switched the site over to the release version of Windows Server 2008 (Windows Web Server 2008 x86).

Overall, pretty painless...just install Windows, install the Web Server role, enable a bunch of Role Services, then add a few Features (like Windows PowerShell). Finally, install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SP1 & do a minimal amount of configuration using the Central Admin tool. Create a dummy site, then go over to the existing standalone server, change my internal DNS settings, kick off the site backup, and then kick off the site restore on the new server. By the time the DNS changes had replicated, everything was done.

Except I forgot the HTTP SPN again, and so had to set that and change the ISA configuration to point to sharepoint4 instead of sharepoint3. Oh, and I fixed the SSL stuff, so https://www.ntldr.com/ will now work (assuming you've installed & trust my root CA).

Now playing: Pete Samples – Yours Makes Mine – 04 Between Exhales

So, apparently I'm getting static IP's, and providing WiFi access to my neighbours now. So this site will be going down on the 22nd (2008-01-22) and should be back up whenever I complete the order with Qwest. Changeover from MSN to Qwest.net for my ISP will happen on 2008-01-25, and after that the static IP's come directly into play.

Also, I'll be getting a new HP ProCurve switch. And I bought a Zune at the beginning of the month, and have been loving it. And I bought 2 750GB Western Digital hard drives, only to have one of them DOA. Which means I need to ship it back at my expense. Bleh. Too many changes. But at least all these changes have been reviewed, approved, and are certified to help move towards the desired future-state.*

 

* Feel free to interpret this sentence as a cry for help to become free of Corporate life.

Now playing: Brandi Carlile – The Story – My Song

Pittock Acres Park, Portland, OR : Looking north-ish

Pittock Acres Park, Portland, OR : Looking east-ish out over downtown Portland. Mount Hood is visible in the background.

Pittock Acres Park, Portland, OR : Pittock Mansion itself. As can probably be inferred from all the windows, this is the side of the building with the good view.

 

Washington Park, Portland, OR : Roses in the International Rose Test Garden.

Washington Park, Portland, OR : More roses in the International Rose Test Garden.

 

Washington Park, Portland, OR : Statue of Sacajawea near the main entrance.

Washington Park, Portland, OR : Reservoir #3 (? - I'll double check that the next time I'm up there). That green colour makes me glad its not used to supply Portland's water anymore.

Washington Park, Portland, OR : Fountain near the statue & reservoir.

Now playing: Brandi Carlile – Brandi Carlile – Fall Apart Again

Microsoft released new Zunes on Tuesday. They also updated the Zune desktop software to v.2.0 (or something…in any case, it's the second version users can install). I switched over to having a Zune Pass when Urge went away and switched over to being Rhapsody. So I've used the "old" Zune software. And I got forcibly upgraded to the new software on Tuesday.

I had been planning on using this opportunity to do another MP3 player review like I did with my iPod a few months ago. Unfortunately, I don't actually have a Zune, I just use the software. So the best I can do is a review of the Zune desktop software.

...

...

...

Okay, screw it, this software is just a big pile of crap. I couldn't be bothered to do a review of iTunes, and it looks like this is WORSE than iTunes, so I really can't be bothered to review Zune. At least iTunes sat there and picked up my library correctly, even if it did have to spend days converting the songs to its own format.

...

...

...

Okay, I've used it a bit more, and I just can't resist complaining about it. Zune:

• Gets the wrong album art for the wrong albums (Creedence Clearwater Revival's Chronicles is not Delerium's Chimera!)
• Puts the wrong songs under an album (Emm Gryner's Public is actually an album…with, you know, SONGS, and her album PVT IS NOT 'Emiliana Torrini: the complete collection'!)
• Decides I want to see "File Not Found" errors when I try to play Disc 2 of a 2 disc album
• Assumes I LOVE a song just because I gave it 3 stars
• Shit files all over my library (instead of, you know, embedding the album art…or picking up the WMP art)
• Downloaded ~5GB of podcasts that I already had in the Podcast folder…after telling it to use the existing files
• Doesn't let me view what's playing (am I the only one who likes being able to see what's currently playing, what just played, and what's queued up?)
• Doesn't look like a Windows App (white on Vista…hurray, matching color schemes!) (this would be forgivable if WMP hadn't adopted a new Windows Vista look)

 

I apologize to any iTunes lovers who were offended by my reviewing Zune (worse than iTunes) when I couldn't be bothered to review iTunes (better than Zune) because I thought it was so bad.

Now playing: KT Tunstall – Eye To The Telescope – Other Side Of The World (using Windows Media Player 11)

Part 1 of several? : The announcement

So, Thanksgiving (in the US) is coming up soon. And I'll be flying back to Indiana on Saturday (2007-11-17). And I'll be back in West Lafayette & around Purdue for a week. If anyone wants to hang out/meet up/have lunch/etc., feel free to contact me. If you're my Friend on Facebook, you can grab my cell # (yes, it's changed since I moved across the country) off my profile there; otherwise, email should work.

Now playing: KT Tunstall – Drastic Fantastic – Someday Soon

The rainy season came to Portland on Friday, and it looks like it's here to stay for a bit. So here are some bright, sunny pictures from around the 4th of July ☺.

The main entrance to Washington Park. In this view, you're looking OUT of the park.

The main entrance to Washington Park again, only this time in front of the column, again facing out of the park. I'm on the first floor of the orange apartment building that can be glimpsed between the trees & the white/gray Vista/St. Claire building, down towards the bottom of the hill.

I didn't take this one (you can tell because it's at a MUCH higher resolution than what my poor camera can support), but my sister did. And I was the one driving the car to get us to this point, so I kind of at least played a part in taking it... Anyway, this was at a viewpoint on US 101 on the Oregon Coast. Sorry I can't be any more specific than that.

Now playing: Emm Gryner – Public – Hello Aquarius

Here's a couple of links I found interesting on the Internet today. I'll try not to just turn this into a link blog, but I've had a few requests to aggregate some of my blog readings for people, so...

 

Judge strikes down parts of U.S. Patriot Act (go Portland!)

John P. Harvard goes Halo

The Etiquette of Death by Helicopter (okay, this one is kind of weird...)

The first day at Microsoft: A fender-bender

Now playing: Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter – Wildfires

"Insane Super Fast Tetris. Click HERE to watch." (well, obviously clicking there wont work, but that was the suggested "improvement" to this post) (clicking on the below links will work. unless the Internet is dead. again.)

Just video links, no actual content...

From Larry Osterman: http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2007/09/12/got-tetris.aspx

From Emil, via YouTube search reading the comments after showing him the previous vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CUoviec-uY

(I've now tasked Emil with following up on his search with a bit of real world research. Right now we're thinking mandatory freshman dorm project...)

Now playing – Amy Millan - Honey from the Tombs - Wayward and Parliament

More pictures from Rose Festival Weekend (these are the LAST, I promise). Next up are pictures from the 4th of July when my sister came and visited.

Lewis and Clark Bridge over the Columbia River, near Rainier, Oregon.

 

Slightly different angle of the Lewis and Clark Bridge over the Columbia River. Taken from a lookout point on Highway 30 outside Rainier, Oregon (while it was raining/drizzling).

Some beach on Highway 101. For some reason I can't remember which one this was, but it was basically just a spot to pull off of on the road. I think it was between Warrenton and Seaside, but not sure now.

Nehalem Bay from another pullout on the 101. It was drizzling again by this point.

Now playing: Lifehouse – Who We Are – Broken