If you know we well, you know that I stand firm on a few beliefs. One is my absolute distaste of Microsoft Windows. I was extremely proud to have been completely "Windows-sober" for several years- using nothing but Linux for everything computer-related both at home and work. But the rest of the world doesn't work that way, despite how much I beg and plead with the computer gods. Lately a lot of the support & development work I have been doing lately involves supporting Windows- whether I like it or not.
I find, however, that those who don't use an OS other than Windows don't see the reasoning behind my feelings towards it. For them, it "does what I need it to do" and nothing more. And to be fair- there's no point in running something as complex as Linux if all you're using it for is checking email, browsing the web, and maybe a little multimedia & gaming. (At the same time, I can't justify paying money for an OS just to do those things).
But as a "developer" (that's the title I'm claiming to be these days- I won't go into that here though), especially having come from using open source tools extensively, developing a solution in Windows is almost like being forced to type with one arm handcuffed to your chair.
Recently I've been assembling tools and writing scripts that will allow me to provide network services over a VPN service my company has begun to roll out. The idea is to be able to push service schedules and initiate services remotely from the server to clients on the VPN without having to remotely go onto the client system itself in order to initiate the service. A problem we've run into is computers that go into "Standby Mode" and sever their network (and, hence, the VPN) connection. We need a way to be able to tell the Windows machine to automatically wake-up so that the network services (such as a scheduled remote backup) can run.
Windows features a 'Task Scheduler' that allows you to not only run a program or script at a specified time, but can also wake the computer from 'Standby' in order to do it! Sounded like the silver bullet to my problem.
But as it always seems to be with Windows, a solution to one problem only brings forth a handful of others.
Firstly, the tool used from the command-line in order to manage scheduled tasks in Windows (schtasks.exe), will NOT allow you to perform two key requests:
- Create/Change a Task job to wake the computer from Standby mode.
- Change the start time/date of an existing Task job on the system.
These sound like pretty important items if you ask me. They can easily be manipulated from the desktop using the GUI tool- but that defeats the very essence of what I'm trying to accomplish by creating or changing Scheduled Tasks from a script 'behind the scenes' without having to remotely go onto the client computer itself to make that change.
Admitted, #2, above only applies to XP Pro systems. But consider this: how many people continue to use XP over Vista even to this day?
According to stats compiled by Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_desktop_operating_systems), as of the end of May 2009, Windows XP is still used by approximately 65% of computers today. So the solution I need HAS to support Windows XP- and not having access to a function like changing the date/time of a scheduled task from a script basically stops further development in it's tracks.
Secondly, in classic Microsoft fashion where one-size-does-NOT-fit-all, Windows XP Home doesn't even include Scheduled Tasks! Sure, one could copy it from an XP Pro setup, but in doing so violates Microsoft's (precious) EUA Licence. One certainly can't build business services around a necessity to void the client's EUA. So in that sense, my solution scope just became a little more narrow as a result of Microsoft's asinine decision to not include such a simple tool with XP Home.
In a sick, twisted way, the silver lining here is Vista! Yes, I'm going to say something (somewhat) positive about Vista!
The Scheduled Tasks tool DOES exist in the Home Premium version of Vista (which in my experience, is basically what most Vista users run anyways), and it's command-line tool (schtasks.exe) DOES allow you to change the start date/time of an existing scheduled task (though I haven't tried actually doing it yet).
However, according to the same Wikipedia stats from the link above, Windows Vista accounts for approximately a mere 22% of OS's used today. How much sense does it make to develop a product or solution that less than 1/4th of all computers will be able to actually take advantage of? Not much IMO.
Developing for Internet Explorer is even more of a pain, but I'll save that for another post. But this is a classic example of how a lack of openness from Microsoft with Windows inhibits innovation & creative problem solving.
Granted, I'm sure most 'casual' Windows users will read all this and still not see the problems and limitations as it relates directly to them. But consider this: now, you want to be connected to my VPN for a remote service, but I tell you that in order to things to work properly, your computer can basically never go into Standby mode (so your system remains fully powered, at all times- think of the effect on your electricity consumption & wear on your computer hardware) because by doing so, your system loses it's connection to the VPN, and because you run Windows XP, I can't schedule your system to automatically wake itself up in order to perform a service because Microsoft won't let me develop a solution freely to do so.
From what I've read, I could use Visual Studio to build my own software that would allow me to build Scheduled Tasks for me to push to the client, but that comes at a cost, and are you prepared to pay, say, $100+ per computer for me to be able to push it a Scheduled Task or install the software itself on your system just to wake it up? I know I wouldn't.
So in the end, everyone loses- you as a client can't (properly) take advantage of the network services I'm offering, and I can't grow my clientele, either because the service is now not convenient or comes at too high of a cost. In that sense, yes, larger companies with the money or financial backing to develop their own solutions are likely to be more successful, but it forces the "little guy", like me, out of the market, unable to compete. And in this day in age, isn't limiting innovation & competition the last thing the economy needs?
Sunday morning I woke up with an intolerable pain in my back. I've been seeing my Chiropractor the week before to deal with it as it's been bothering me for almost a month. On this day, however, instead of progressively getting better, it revolted on me causing me what is hands-down the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life, radiating from behind my right shoulderblade, shooting down my right arm. By mid-afternoon, the only position I could get into that felt even remotely comfortable was laying flat on my back with an ice pack on the floor with my arm extended.
After a few hours of that, I sat up and the pain shot down my right arm. I felt like I was stabbed. I tried Ibuprofen & a muscle relaxant- neither worked.
I got on the phone to call the HealthLink service and discussed my symptoms with a nurse. She told me I should "get checked out within the next 4 hours". This was Sunday afternoon at 4:30- few walk-in clinics were still open if they were open at all! She did mention that if I begin to feel numbness in my right arm at all, that I should definitely seek medical attention.
We hopped in the car and head towards the only open clinic near us. Halfway there, my Index Finger on my right hands went almost completely numb. The top of my right thumb and the tip of my right middle finger soon followed.
We changed route to hte Urgent Care centre in South Calgary. Over 4 hours later, I was examined by a doctor and told I have a case of Bursitis in under my shoulder blade. They said the inflammation likely was pinching a nerve causing my fingers and part of my hand to go numb.
Treatment was to take 600mg of Ibuprofen every 4hrs for the next week, dropping to 400mg the following week, and basically not use the arm at all for at least a week, and they provided me with this arm brace to rest my arm in so not to use it.
I didn't sleep at all that night. The pain was intolerable, but it was the numb sensation in my hand that kept me freaked out enough to keep me from falling asleep at all. I'm a bit of a paranoid hypochondriac, so I had visions of falling asleep with a numb hand and waking with a numb- and dead arm. I tried everything to get comfortable, but it didn't happen.
The following day I saw my Chiropractor and confirmed the pinched nerve. The inflammation is still there, but my Chiro doesn't seem to think the nerve is necessarily the RESULT of the Bursitis. We began treatment accordingly, but neither the numbness nor the pain has begun to subside as of yet.
I've seen my Chiro Monday, Tuesday, and will see him again on Thursday. He expects the pain to at least begin to subside by later this week, but the numbness may take "a few weeks, to a few years- or it might be permanent". He's kinda seen it all so there's no real way to give a prognosis for that.
Regardless, I wouldn't wish this kind of pain on my worst enemies. I guess if there was ever a sign that I'm no longer 15 and can punish my body with 12+ hour-long computer sessions anymore... I guess this is it. Getting old officially sucks.
From gotkube's Twittersphere Yesterday:
- 21:35 Out of Urgent Care. Have Burcitis- an inflamation of the muscle behind my shoulder blade. Still hurts like hell. Can't use the arm. #
- 23:11 twitpic.com/8qgwa - Hurts like hell. #
- 03:12 Can't sleep. Too much pain. Index finger, thumb & wrist are almost completely numb. Meds doing nothing for pain. OMG this SUCKS! :'( #
- 03:21 This is such crap. And why? Because of hard-as-rock shitty beds in the valley? Bursitis in the shoulder SUCKS!!!!! #
- 03:45 I really wish they would have given me something more hardcore to relieve the pain & numbness from my shoulder bursitis. This is intolerable #
- 13:52 Came back from the chiro. Bursitis is definitely there but isn't causing numbness in hand- not directly. Numbness is the biggest problem now #
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From gotkube's Twittersphere Yesterday:
- 18:14 Playing 1vs100 live on XBOX Live #
- 18:54 twitpic.com/8mptk - LMAO! #
- 10:35 My back has NEVER been this sore. I am in absolute agony with it this morning. Like a f***in' caning would feel better than this. #
- 11:48 OMG my shoulder is so tight my arm is half numb! #
- 13:35 Lying on the floor. Trying desperately to find some relief from the pain in my back. Nothing working so far. :( #
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From gotkube's Twittersphere Yesterday:
- 19:26 twitpic.com/8ix29 - Hat for Stampede? #yyc #
- 22:50 Ugh. WHY is Firefox using up to 42% CPU when it's doing nothing? At least I don't have to worry about plasma sucking up another 20-50% too. #
- 13:47 Oh, it's all so true!!! :) RT @grantimahara - 5 Tips on Proper Geek Male Maintenance by @geekgirldiva tr.im/pUV8 #
- 15:41 Watching a few 'Intro Videos' from various NHL teams on Youtube. Flames 08/09 seems SO much better than anything else I've seen. #yyc #
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From gotkube's Twittersphere Yesterday:
- 17:34 twitpic.com/8f2oq - Seems surreal. #
- 22:42 Smoke haze coming from Fish Creek Park. Seems like more than just a campfire. #yyc #
- 22:48 Checked out the smoke- there was a small grass fire. Under control already. Move along ppl, nothing to see here. #yyc #
- 22:49 Uhm, Twitter, where is the search & trending topics??? #
- 00:02 Everyone has said it, but not me yet. Clearly deserves the respect to have it said publicly. RIP Michael Jackson. #
- 00:06 Wow, what a day! 2 celebrity deaths (and countless others, sadly), Shaq gets traded, and I have a semi-usable Linux desktop. #
- 00:08 Kinda iconic that the man that popularized the moonwalk died during a new moon (no moon in the sky), no? Or do I just need some sleep. ;) #
- 00:22 Oh goodie! YouTube has a Michael Jackson spotlight. I guess I know what I'm listening to tomorrow. #
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From gotkube's Twittersphere Yesterday:
- 18:21 My HTC Touch just froze. Again. Where's my replacement Bell!?!?!??? #
- 18:34 twitpic.com/8bvpd - Albies Pedistal #
- 18:59 @kan_ LOL! It's so true! #
- 20:48 Mmmm. Shawarma dinner from our friends at Pita Stop in C'Meadows. Always a good time. #
- 20:51 Ugh. And Flash under Linux is a big bag of hurt too. I shouldn't have to restart my browser just because Flash consumes ALL the RAM. #
- 20:53 I just saw a banner ad on statcounter featuring a "Winter Special" sale- snowman and everything. :/ #
- 23:16 Updating my x.org to the v1.6.1 that arrived in slackware-current a few weeks ago. One way or another this ATI card is gonna 'just work'. #
- 10:26 Have been hacking at ATI's Catalyst 9.3 driver installer script to support X.org 1.6.1. Almost have it 'patched'. #
- 10:35 I can almost 100% guarantee that my next system will NOT be featuring an ATI video card. #
- 10:41 Oh! Whoops. Last tweet was tweet #1500! Guess that makes this one 1501. :P #
- 12:10 So close, yet so far. ATI Installer script works with Xorg 1.6.1 now, but still isn't building the X.org modules properly. :( #
- 13:16 Beginning to think I wasted half my day with this sh*t ATI driver. X modules not loading due to 'version mismatches'. I'm DONE with ATI. #
- 13:50 "X version mismatch - detected X.org 7.1.1.0, required X.org 7.4-1.906." Hmm. So how is xorg-server v1.6.1?? More investigation req'd. #
- 14:48 Giving up on X.org 1.6.1 with ATI Catalyst 9.3. Not worth wasting more time on. I at least have Xinerama & 3D with the old config. Still. #
- 15:29 Got X.org 1.4.2 working again. Things seem to be working- but now going to downgrade to KDE 3.5. plasma should NOT be using 20-50% CPU. #
- 15:59 twitpic.com/8etfn - Big Desktop (not Xinerama), 3D, and composite work fine with KDE 3.5. #
- 16:21 Holy crap! Michael Jackson !?!?! I almost don't believe it. I think him, Biggy & Tupac are all hangin' out somewhere. #
- 16:25 CNN reporting Michael Jackson is in a coma after suffering Cardiac Arrest- not dead. But, I mean, can Twitter be WRONG? #
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From gotkube's Twittersphere Yesterday:
- 18:22 twitpic.com/88kxq - Lost cat found by Canyon Meadows LRT. #yyc #
- 18:29 Took the lost cat to the 24h pet hospital in Millrise. #yyc #
- 19:05 @altrockwulf Agreed! King Dave & his posse NEED to go! #
- 22:54 I think my Backspace key is officially packing it in. Very hard to push. Crap. #
- 22:56 Moved desktop back to Xfce, I have dual monitor (without being able to move windows across screens) working, desktop effects work, 3D works. #
- 22:58 Correction. 3D works- but is VERY flakey. ATI+Linux=Hurt #
- 10:28 Just called the pet hospital in Millrise about the 'lost' kitten we 'rescued' last night. Doesn't sound like they've found his owner... yet. #
- 10:44 North Korea? "wipe the U.S. off the map"? Srsly? You couldn't wipe out Hawaii wit yo defective-ass shit! Funniest thing I've read today! #
- 10:51 So KDE 4.2's Weather Station widget decided to choke & go on vacation apparently. Says that 'Calgary' can't even be found! LAME! #
- 12:18 Waiting for my follow-up appt at the Chiropractors. #
- 13:05 Chiropractor says I should be ok for paintball. Still day-to-day though. #
- 13:51 Followed up with the pet hospital again. Our 'lost' kitten from last night is doing well and is going home this afternoon. <3 Happy Endings! #
- 14:01 @scottdellinger Me too. Seeing that little guy yesterday broke our hearts. So I'm happy he's going home to his family today. :) #
- 14:16 My GAWD I watch some F'd up sh*t on Youtube. #
- 14:35 @boomer960 twitpic.com/8b5cl - Nice catch! #
- 15:35 Windows 7 upgrade deals ONLY affects NEW Vista purchases? I heard it was to all Vista users. I see Linux on @MsAnge's system very soon. #
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From gotkube's Twittersphere Yesterday:
- 17:38 Hmmm. My followers count keeps going up, but no one seems to be added to the top of the list. :/ #
- 18:25 So, what? No announcement about Brent Sutter taking over as Flames HC? The Herald PROMISED there would be news today! ;P #yyc #
- 18:28 Ugh. Converting 200+ RAW photos to JPEG's takes for-ev-er! Glad I have a script that does it for me- but still. Screw this. AFK ;P #
- 18:48 Still not done converting. 20 more to go. Still AFK. #
- 19:06 Pictures from the weekend done converting! Now to upload to Flickr *sigh*... #
- 19:35 Going through the pictures of the valley. Damn I <3 it out there. #
- 00:18 Finally got all the photos from the weekend up on Flickr- and then some! Amazing how a task that seems so simple takes up so much time. #
- 10:22 Alarm on my Windoze phone didn't go off. Again. I'm beyond getting pissed off with this thing- I just go straight to disappointed. #
- 10:35 Just read a list of the Top 10 worst US cities to work in IT on CIO.com. Detroit was #1. Poor Detroit can't buy any positive news these days #
- 10:42 Holy CRAP, Albiecat wants a LOT of attention today! #
- 15:16 Chatted w/ Dad for a bit about the new place in Phoenix. Read up on the city only to find that #phoenix & #yyc are sister cities! #
- 15:18 Worst kept secret in professional sports today: Brian Sutter will be the new head coach of the Calgary Flames next season. #yyc #
- 15:23 @spacegirlspif13 Well said! I support the revolution going on in Iran- but I also support Breast Cancer survivors, and animal rights too... #
- 15:25 @spacegirlspif13 ...but I'm not going to change my avatar color the related color just to 'show' my support. Twitter is an amazing tool... #
- 15:26 @spacegirlspif13 ...but it's a discussion tool, and I have the right to discuss whatever I want with it.... #
- 15:27 @spacegirlspif13 ..and if ppl are going to be that self-centred about it and it's role in Iran, or any other topic, then I'll happily leave. #
- 15:32 @gotkube Wow. Harsh words. Makes me wonder what those ppl have done to 'support' the Iran situation beyond changing their avatar green. :/ #
- 15:33 whoops, my last tweet was meant to be addressed to @spacegirlspif13. #
- 15:33 @spacegirlspif13 People are always quick to judge the actions of others- especially from the comforts of home. *rolleyes* LAME! #
- 16:48 Despite being the worst-kept secret in sports, I think it's a step in the right direction to have a Sutter behind the bench in #yyc again. #
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