From: adam@address.invalid
[combining three overlapping replies]
Moe Trin wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Jun 2012, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.os.linux.mandriva,
> in article , Adam wrote:
>> The new box has 8 GB RAM.
>
> For a while, it's unlikely to need much (if any) swap. Later, as the
> applications bulk up and/or you start trying to do more things at the
> same time, it may need it.
By coincidence, its recovery partition is 17 GB (with max RAM of 16 GB),
so I may eventually reuse that space for swap.
>> I have a partition for automated nightly tarball backups on my
>> external HD. I'm going to change it to VFAT so it can be read by
>> Windows or Mac. This way, if my internal HD dies completely, I can
>> bring the external HD to any other computer and retrieve my backups.
>
> If the other system isn't running Linux, why not have a LiveCD that
> can do so?
That's a good idea, but I can't count on the other computer and its
owner allowing that. I'm guessing "secure boot" for Windows 8 won't
allow booting live CDs. I'm also not sure what live Linux CDs there are
for Macs.
[partitioning]
>> The main Windows partition is now shrunken to 250 GB, leaving about
>> 400 GB free.
>
> I don't have any windoze partitions, but 250 GB seems enormous.
I've shrunk it down again, to 160 GB. I don't know the minimum that
Windows 7 would be happy with, so I figure better too large than too
small. That still leaves me over 500 GB, plus the 1 TB external HD.
>> I'm thinking 80 GB for each root partition
[...]
> But I agree with Bit Twister that 80 GB is larger than needed
> - a third to a half that might be a better choice. On the other hand,
> disk space is there to be used ;-) Just don't waste it 'cause you've
> got it.
I'm trying to think ahead. The new box will probably be my primary
system for the next 4-5 years, and what will the distros of 2016 want?
I'm now thinking 50 GB for each root partition.
[my next computer]
>>>> Yep, that model only hit the market in March and is already on
>>>> clearance.
[...]
>> Most likely reason: it didn't sell.
>
> That seems awfully quick to react - the pipeline simply isn't that
> short.
Well, maybe the "clearance" was only by Staples (office supply chain),
who found they were overstocked with that model. They may also be
starting to clear out the Windows 7 machines.
> Have you come up with a new hostname?
Yes, although first I had to search for my dictionary and thesaurus and
also keep in mind the RFC guidelines for choosing a name. Nothing
lengthy, confusing to spell, or easily confused with anything else, also
something I can stand seeing at the command prompt for the next few
years. From several dozen possibilities, my second choice was
"quadium", both for the quad core, and the name of the Q-bomb in "The
Mouse That Roared." I settled on "stolid," a genuine but little-used
English word. I liked its implication of "insensitive to anything
outside of the normal routine" which I hope will prove accurate. :-)
>> That reminds me -- do both boxes have to have the same subdomain name?
>> If this one stays "eris.pantheon.invalid" does the new box have to be
>> called "something.pantheon.invalid" or can I name it
>> "something.foobar.invalid"?
>
> That's more the domain than sub-domain
True -- gonzaga.edu is a domain, and alpha.gonzaga.edu would be one
computer at Gonzaga U.
> but you probably want to try to retain the domain name consistency.
Makes sense. Well, nothing says I can't rename my existing equipment.
After considerable thought for a name that could apply to both, I
decided the new box will be stolid.aplomb.invalid, and eris will become
eris.aplomb.invalid, as aplomb would likely be the /last/ thing that
Eris, goddess of chaos, would want. My expanding LAN will then include
dslrouter.aplomb.invalid and hpclj5.aplomb.invalid.
> Eris is moving to the other room, is it going to have a monitor?
Yes, it's going to be a complete standalone system with monitor (the CRT
that came bundled with it), keyboard and mouse, speakers, surge
protector power strip, and all. Functionally pretty much the same as
now except with wireless Ethernet instead of wired, no external HD, no
UPS, and no local printer (but access to the network printer). As I
mentioned, I may add a PATA HD or two from my parts collection, as it's
probably the last machine I'll have that could use them. I don't do
anything fancy enough for a headless box to have a purpose.
>> This will be the first time I'll have two decent systems running, but
>> frankly I don't know yet what the second (older) one will be used for.
>
> Other than having local real-time backups (save "important stuff" to
> both systems)
Which would only work if both systems were up at that time.
> we've also found it useful when something wonky happens
> and locks up the keyboard. Being able to telnet/ssh in from another
> system and either fix things or shut things down cleanly and reboot
> has been helpful on more than one occasion.
That sounds like something I should implement eventually.
>> I realized that getting it completely set up is going to require one
>> non-computer task, namely getting the other room straightened up
>> enough so I can get to the desk there and have room to set up and use
>> "eris".
>
> Know about that little problem.
I got the other room done enough for that, but still getting things set
up and reasonably comfortable to use is going to take some planning.
[kitty news]
> Good Sam knows where she is - unfortunately she doesn't seem to be
> concerned where he is, and he gets all bent out of shape because she's
> ignoring the turf borders.
All the time my parents had two cats, one was definitely the alpha cat,
so there were no disputes, despite a few "challenges" from Louise. Do
you think you might be getting a new cat anytime soon?
[ZIP codes]
>> My P.O. box has its own ZIP+4!
>
> Given a lot of cities have a separate ZIP for the post-office (or in
> this case, one for each post office in the city), that's sort of
> expected.
No, my P.O. box shares a ZIP code with about half of the Po'k street
addresses, but gets its own ZIP+4.
>> I got a newer edition of "Linux in a Nutshell".
>
> Which one?
4th ed., just recently pulled from a library's shelves. It replaces the
3rd ed. I got a few years ago at the same book sale.
Adam
--
Registered Linux User #536473
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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