Let’s see… It has been some time since I have updated this blog and a number of things have changed.
- My home virtualization solution of VMware ESXi 3.5 (32-bit) on a IBM x225 (dual Xeon, 2GB RAM, 146GB RAID-5 storage) has been replaced by VMware ESXi 5.1 (64-bit) on an HP ML310 g5 (single quad-core Xeon, 4GB RAM, 500GB RAID-1 storage). It is much faster (dunh!) but 4GB isn’t quite enough RAM. VMware ESX simply rocks!
- My old desktop with an Intel E6600 Core2Duo on an Asus P5W-DH Deluxe went flakey. Sometimes it would stay up for 14, 15 hours; then it would not even get to the BIOS screen before restarting. It was replaced by an Intel Core i5 3450 Quad Core Processor on an MSI Z77A-G43. Much, much faster than the old Core2Duo. I do not overclock. Then again, I don’t run Elder Scrolls either.
- After spending about a year with the original iPad I came to realize I still do not like Apples. (While Mac OS X underlying BSD Unix is great I hate the Mac interface. I also hate the new Ubuntu interface as well – I do not want to have a Mac-like interface for cheap…) I purchased an Asus TF-300 with the detachable keyboard. I really like Android and the things I can do.
- Linux Mint is still the best distribution I have found. Ubuntu was great but as I noted above I hate the interface they have come up with – and the “we will tell you what it will be” lack of customization. Linux Mint 14 and Cinnamon 3 is great!
About Mike Pelley
Let’s see… A little about me…
I’ve been around information technology since 1983 with computers such as DEC Rainbows (weird machine – the standard DOS couldn’t format its own floppy disks – remember them? – and I had to format them on a friend’s IBM PC) to Radio Shack TRS-80 to Apple ][e and Apple //c in the beginning.
I have programmed in 8-bit assembly language on 6502, FORTRAN and COBOL on IBM System/370 (and I still hate JCL), VAX BASIC and COBOL (and a weird and massive WordPerfect 4.0 macro) on DEC VMS (Alpha), C/C++ on Digital Unix (ALPHA), and C/C++, Perl (it may be powerful but I still hate it), PHP on Linux (Red Hat, Centos, Ubuntu, etc.).
I have work with databases such as Digital RDB (later to become Oracle RDB), Oracle DBMS, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL and PostgreSQL on VAX, Alpha, Sun and Intel.
Check out my professional profile and connect with me on LinkedIn. See http://lnkd.in/nhTRZe
I still think that Digital created some of the best ideas in the world: VAX clustering, DSSI disks (forerunner to SCSI) and the Alpha processor (first commercial 64-bit processor – Red Hat screamed on an Alpha!). DEC just could not seem to be able to give air conditioners away to someone lost in the Sahara Desert!
VMware is one of the best ways to get the most out of an x64 server. And I have tried Oracle VM, Virtual Box and Microsoft Virtual Server.
Outside of that I am a huge military history buff starting in the early 20th century. I love Ford Mustangs (my ’87 Mustang GT was awesome) and if I had the money I would have a Porsche 928S4. If I had a lot of money I would have a Porsche 911 Turbo.
I also play too much AmrA 3 Exile mod. Over 5,000+ hours...
I have a wonderful son, Cameron. I have a long suffering (Do you really need all that computer junk?) wife, Paula. I live in Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador.
