Alright now, throughout the past few days I’ve been pondering what server software I should run on my new, old, home server. Hmm…. I’ve been playing with FreeBSD 6.2 and I LOVE IT! However, the downfall and sleepless nights I’m encountering with FreeBSD 6.2 is driver support. DANG-MABIT!! To install the drivers for an Nvidia, Geforce 5200, I’ve got to have the Kernal source code already on their and re-compile! Not to mention CUPS and LPD haven’t been playing nice with my old, parallel, Lexmark 3200 printer. FreeBSD 6.2 is awesome and very easy to setup. But I have a 22inch flat panel on it and it dosen’t look pretty.

OK, what I will do is have my FreeBSD server going without a video card and monitor. Remote the machine and throw it in my closet. After I can have a beautiful all-in-one network printer. Currently, my parallel is attached to the BSDbox and i’ll have to run to my closet for my prints. NOT FUN! SO, for the moment, I reinstalled XP pro and within 20 mins I had my version of a CoLinuX setup running (with a kde-gnome gui). Now, surprise, my gnome-colinux file system supports samba, apache and all the other stuff I was looking into form a FreeBSD-BOX. The plus side is all of my hardware is supported because I’m using XP pro drivers (yeah! my Fast-track RAID card has utilities again). Hmmm, the FreeBSD box did support legacy drivers that got my setup going. But what if I wanted to play Half life2 on my server? NOPE!

How about on a ubuntu server? NOPE! But I can on aa XP pro setup running a Gentoo-CoLinuX-GUI based server(currently the machine is in my living room on a 22inch monitor).

So, my plans are to play with and benchmark the XP pro-Colinux GUi server for poops and giggles. Then, I will FreeBSD 6.2 the box without a gnome GUI and throw it in my closet. I’ll get a wireless or maybe wired print server and connect an all-in-one in my home office. The parallel lexmark can stay in the closet for logs. Strictly remote control the sever and get started on building a quad-core … or a DUAL quad core rig for my living room, entertainment PC! It’s lots of fun gaming on a 22-incher and 7.1 surround sound setup…

Hmmm… server, server, server… for now colinux and expects the results on my web site.

Deals, Deals, Deals….

Did you get one? Before I went out to join a raged crowd, on Thanksgiving night I spent some time with one of my good friends (the internet) to research retailers. From my experience, it was a good idea. I knew what I wanted and where to get it. I also planned out what store to head too first. I didn’t join the raged crowds at midnight. Oh no, I got some well needed rest and left my home at 730AM, on Friday morning.

My first stop was the Microcenter. I had my eyes on a 22 inch X2Gen Sceptre flat panel monitor. The Microcenter advertised the monitors at $150.00 after an instant rebate and a mail in rebate (the list price as of September was $299.00). At the registers, I paid $188.00 after an “instant rebate” and MA sales taxes. I have a $30.00 mail in rebate that I need to send in this week. I like the monitor and have been pleased with the performance of it. I haven’t had a chance to use it for gaming yet.

After the Microcenter, I went off to Best Buy. Due to excessive lines inside the store. I deided against purchasing anything. I only went into best buy to browse around. I had no intentions of buying anything. So they did have a great sale on dvd’s and some software, but I didn’t even see anything else that caught my attention. In fact, the 32inch, 1080, HD TV I bought from them in mid September for $500.00 plus a 4 year warranty (total, around $600.00) was now on display for $699.00. I thought, holy hell bat man! I got that product for a cheaper price a month and a half ago. I would not pay $699.00 + $100.00 (TV, warranty and taxes) = $799.00 for a 32 inch HDTV. I would get something bigger and better for the price.

I did head over to other retailers and purchased other items (all deals). I consider it a deal becuase I receive 50 percent off of everything I bought. But, it’s not technical related, so I won’t post about it.

For now…..

Hello everyone!

Well now, after a brief discussion with an associate (sometime today). I decided to create this blog. I’ll call it the “iT LIFe Blog.” My intentions are to post my ‘public’ experience. I think some would benefit from the advice I have. I mean, at least I believe so. Then why else are they requesting it? Ultimately, instead of constantly re-iterating myself, I’ll say, “visit this blog, it’ll answer your question.” Hey, maybe I’ll stop wasting precious time on answering the same thing over and over….. and over again.

 BY THE WAY! I’m very excited about the LAUNCH of my new domain, www.RyanJB.com and all the BLOGs to follow. I initially, had http://ite4life.awardspace.com and the originaly .i.T.LIFe BLOG was located at http://ite4life-itlife.blogspot.com/ .I will not kill the old sites unless I’m forced to. Within a few days of the old ones, I release the new and will no longer support the old.

 CHEERS !_!3

++++this edit was made on December 28th++++

Hello, this is an addition to the About the .I.T.Life BLOG. Everything here is regulated with the Terms of Service - Policies section which is located at http://www.ryanjb.com/tos.html . But I will state, multiple times throughout this site and within the http://www.ryanjb.com/tos.html site about who I owe a reference to; also, what the rules and regulations and and and you know what I mean.

 OK, SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Ryan J. Bridglal = http://www.ryanjb.com/ : Yes, a special thanks to myself for making all of this possible. I do it all, everything. I wish I had help, but for now it’s just me, a one man army.

Wordpress = http://wordpress.org : for releasing the BLOG software that powers this site. It is really easy to use, implement and provides an excellent interface for blogs.

Michael Heilemann : for providing the default worpress theme 1.6; applied kubrick. Which can be found at http://binarybonsai.com/kubrick/ . I am using this theme and I have edited it to allow my site to appear the way I want it to. A good theme that easy to use and customize.

AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) = http://www.amd.com : for publicly releasing the images of the Die shots that I used in my banner pic. They do make excellent products; my laptop is powered by an AMD dual core, 64 bit chip and I LOVE IT!

INTEL = http://www.intel.com : for publicly releasing the images of the Die shots that I used in my banner pic. They also make excellent products; my personal desktop and home server is powered by INTEL chips; I LOVE IT! Soon I will build a 3.4 gig over clocked budget quad core gaming, server, media and an all around, in general usage machine (based on intel’s technology).

Whoever initially created the blue background that’s also in my banner. It was publicly released and I found it on google images. After I find out who you are, I will give you the proper name and recognition thoughout my sites that you deserve for your talent!