I ran into an issue configuring Linux (Ubuntu specifically) to use the native 1680x1050 resolution of a Dell 2007WFP widescreen monitor. So I came up with a modeline that worked, and thought I'd post it here. Following are the relevant sections my xorg.conf

BTW, I'm using the Ubuntu-provided NVidia drivers, and running a generic FX5200 card. Note that this is for the DVI input only (119mhz). Modelines for the analog input will be different. (Link to Dell's documentation)

SanDisk doesn't publish the steps to accessing the recovery mode on the e250 flash player. So when mine had some filesystem corruption, I eventually ended up with a device that would not boot. It went into database refresh mode, and stopped partway through.

Initially SanDisk suggested I format the drive from Windows, but since it wouldn't boot, I could not mount it. (Good to know, though, that the drive can simply be formatted without ill effects.)

To install GhostPCL on FreeBSD, first install ghostscript. I don't run X on my server so I used ghostscript-afpl-nox11 found in /usr/ports/print/

Next get GhostPCL, and save the bz2 file in /usr/local/src. For this article, I'm using GhostPCL 1.41, and FreeBSD 5.3.

Compiling GhostPCL on FreeBSD requires some changes to get it to go. Two of the errors you might see are as follows:

I hate the term 'blog'. I have hated it since the very first time I heard it. It's a nothing term, a weblog is, taken literally, a journal on a website. That's it. By that definition, I've been blogging for years in one form or another.

But, the actual use of the term has morphed to refer to a very specific type of website. One driven by software that provides a framework for 'entries', as well as a method of easily posting entries, generally requiring little or no technical skill. At this I have scoffed. Real Men don't blog, they edit HTML. Better, they generate XML. Blogs are for emo kids, dammit. Right?

I've recently been given some slides to scan, pictures from when Dana was a kid. After trying out the transparency adapter on my trusty Epson Perfection 1650, I realized that for these particular images I wanted more quality than the Epson could provide. It's an excellent scanner, but the slide/film part is a weakness.

So I purchased a Nikon Coolscan IV film scanner at the ol' flea market. The description was terse, simply saying that it was in good condition. Due the brief text and poor title wording, I gather that not many people saw this particular auction, because no one else bid and I got a smokin deal on the thing.

When good promo gimmicks go bad

Anyone that has worked in IT long enough to get on a few mailing lists has undoubtedly received a few gimmicky promotional items from prospective vendors. I'm sure other industries have their share, but the tech industry seems quite prone to this crap.

Most of it is basically useless...

Bug from an unknown software company promoting code debugging tools. Watches over my office door.