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2008/04/17

Playing with new software ...

I have 3 computers receiving power in my Den. I have two monitors. I use a KVM for the Linux machines, and the Windows machine (a laptop with a broken monitor and decaying keyboard) has it's own mouse and really needs a keyboard. And these, I should mention, are CRTs, not LCDs, so they monopolize lots of desk space. What's a poor geek to do?

Use Synergy!

I'm actually not using it at home. I am using it at work, typing through a desktop machine to the laptop running the browser window here. It's a soft, seamless virtual KVM. And so cool. One day soon, I shall have to get it working at home, which will be cool.

I might even get video of the mouse moving from one screen to another.

The next question is, how do you handle the real KVM with the fake KVM?

2008/04/03

Coming in from the cold ...

Yeah, it's been a while.

I always find it's easier to learn a new technology if you have a use for it. So, when I learned Perl and CGI (both together), I wrote up a program to automate the docs library I was in charge of at ECN.

A while ago, I saw that Mozilla supports Scaled Vector Graphics (SVG). And that you can write them using Javascript. I said "Cool. What can I do with that."

So I put together a design as close as I could with those tools to a maple Telecaster neck. Black position dots and frets. and strings.

Then I put together functions to put dots down where scale notes and chord notes should go, so I could see and then learn scales and chords up and down the neck.

Call it the Guitar Tool.

But it has issues.

It doesn't work in IE. Only Firefox and Safari. I would only use Firefox if I could get away with it. New job says no.

I know that IE works with SVGs now. Google SVG image maps and you'll see examples that work on IE. But mine doesn't.

BTW, I got a new job!

Also, it doesn't handle hovering. Or image maps. Or whatever technology you choose. I want to be able to mouseover a dot and have it proudly announce "C#!" or whatever note it might be.

If you have ideas or pointers on how to make any of this work, please comment.