Ask MetaFilter posts by ChrisR

Shed some (infrared) light on my mac

ChrisR — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:08:55 -0800

Other than the apple remote, what universal remote controls can be used with a Mac Mini (Intel) and, ideally, XBMC for the mac? I'd like this not to require the current XBMC hack (nifty though it is) that maps multiple presses to the functions of the remote.

Hide my SVK addiction

ChrisR — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 08:55:26 -0800

I would like to use SVK in a manner that's invisible to my svn-using co-workers. Naturally, there are compllications. First, what I'd like to do:

I want to have an svk mirror of my three SVN source code repositories set up in such a way that I can do everything that svk lets me do (mainly I want to be able to commit intermediate work without dealing with our review process until it's ready to be pushed to the core product's source tree)

Complicating this is that we have a change review tool that is based on svn, and therefore assumes a simple working-copy <> repository model. This tools is not practically modifiable beyond very basic changes, and in particular it's very sensitive to the command line output of the version control command being used.

Is there any way I can make these two worlds work together?

Please keep in mind, by the way, that I'm very new to DVCS, but I'm fairly familiar with svn itself. If there's svn-trickery required, I am probably up to that but you might have to hand-hold me through the svk parts.

Old Console Wireless

ChrisR — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 10:31:58 -0800

What are the best options for wireless original xbox controllers? Ditto for PS2? You can imagine how staggeringly difficult this is to find via google. I have a 360, and its controller is great; I'd like something similar for my Xbox.

I've tried one aftermarket wireless controller, whose name I can't recall, but it was a lemon. It literally didn't work at all at any distance. I'd rather not repeat the experience. So, I'd like a quality wireless controller for these two consoles.

Pipe command output, but keep the error code

ChrisR — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 14:55:15 -0800

How do I get the correct return code from a unix command line application after I've piped it through another command that succeeded? In detail, here's the situation writ small:

# mycmd_that_fails | postprocesor_that_succeeds

# echo $?

0

And, what I'd like to see is:

# mycmd_that_fails | postprocesor_that_succeeds

# echo $?

1

The obvious solution was to capture the output of mycmd_that_fails into a file and then pipe it through the postprocesor_that_succeeds, but since my command is a build script it's nice to see the progress as it runs. I'd rather have the postprocessor operate on the command as it runs than after the fact.

Does anyone know how to accomplish this?

Quick, en-lighten me!

ChrisR — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:26:55 -0800

How do I set up Quicken without ending up with a negative balance at the end when I import historical account information? I've got Quicken 2007 for Mac, and I'm trying to import all of my old account information (from TD Canada Trust, if that makes a difference). This would seem to be straightforward, except that the end result of these imports is that I have a negative balance; it starts all of the imports from a $0 balance, despite the fact that my balance at the start of the import was much higher than that. Moreover, I can NOT change what Quicken sees as the starting balance on the accounts. This has been the blocker for me when I've tried to track my finances this way before, but I don't want to give up this easily again. So, can someone walk me through the right way to start using accounting software like this with historical information, in a way that does not result in my going mad?

Newbie warning: Much of the terminology in dealing with accounts ("reconcile"?) is unfamiliar to me. I may require some hand-holding.

Thanks in advance!

I hope that you all succeed at solving my problem

ChrisR — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 18:22:45 -0800

What's a good alternate well-wishing statement to "good luck" that doesn't have anything to do with luck, fate, deism of any kind, or assorted other superstitions that still conveys good wishes? I realize that my constraints limit things significantly, but I'm hoping that people here will come up with some suitably well-thought-out, brief equivalents.

I'm trying to move away from the 'good luck' thing because I feel that it implies that the person to whom I'm speaking needs luck to succeed, which is not the message I want to convey (explicitly, implicitly, or imaginarily). I also intend to avoid long-winded replacements, anything religious (I'm not) or referential to fate/karma et al.

So, how about it?

Confused by the Tangled Web of Cell Phone Information

ChrisR — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 06:43:59 -0800

I'm probably going to get a cell phone (yes, I'm a holdout) and I want to know what is and is not going to work for me. I've been wandering the web looking for useful, coherent information about the features I can expect to have working on my phone, but it's such a mess of provider/phone model/hacks that I'm unable to suss out what exactly is possible with it. I'm hoping that, given a set of constraints, someone here can tell me what I can expect to accomplish.

Here's the things I want to do:

Use Apple iSync to sync at least my address book and calendar with the phone.

Use the file transfer modes to copy snippets of my own music to use as ring tones (this is optional, but a friend of mine has had lots of fun with custom ringtones for us). I'd rather not pay $2/ringtone, and I don't expect that I would find the songs I want there, anyway.

Make phone calls. I realize that this seems obvious, but you never know...

Here's my constraints:

I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, so my provider choices do not include cingular or Verizon, or any of the other US-only providers for whom there is lots of information.

I want a Razr because A) most of the models are supported by iSync, B) it's actually large enough that the microphone is near my mouth, and C) because I'm a gadget nerd and they look sweet.

I'm leaning towards Rogers or Virgin, because Rogers is a GSM network, and Virgin seems to have the least painful plans.

Can someone interpret all of these constraints and help me make a sane, informed choice?

Building up my shoulder after a dislocation

ChrisR — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 07:08:48 -0800

How do I build up the muscle strength required to allow me to keep using my shoulder without surgery, after a dislocation? Here's the story, more or less:

I dislocated my shoulder this past October in a relatively odd way: A zero-impact, high-altitude freefall injury. I was in a tumble at the time, and I suspect that I spun too fast in some direction, and then ... well, the rest is really painful.

I got my MRI results back yesterday, and my doctor informed me that I have cartilage damage that means I am almost certain to dislocate again, if I put the arm in the same position. I take this to mean the tumbling, not controlled, stable falling. That's the first question - is my belief a valid one?

So, I have at least two options: Surgery and (I am told) build up the muscle to support the joint without surgery. I'd prefer the latter, even though it'd require me to become a disciplined exerciser.

My questions are many, and I'm not sure I have the knowledge needed to adequately ask them, so here's kind of a blanket few: Is it possible to build up muscle to compensate for flawed cartilage in the shoulder? What is the exercise regimen that is needed to do this? Would, for example, rock climbing be a safe way (ie: not going to dislocate me again) to do this? How about swimming? Weights? The only solution I'm not willing to accept at this time is not to jump again.

Obviously, if there are any other skydivers in the room, your input is welcome, and doctors' answers would be appreciated greatly.

... and run(time) with it!

ChrisR — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 15:42:00 -0800

How best to extract the Java runtime environment for repackaging with an application? I need to package the JRE on windows and linux in a ./jre directory for distribution with my application, and I'd like to do so with a minimum of fuss and registry|/usr/local mess. How should I go about it?

Make my Gnome OSX'y

ChrisR — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 14:16:16 -0800

How do I configure Gnome (on Fedora Core 5, if it matters) and X11 to act like OSX with respect to keyboard input? I've migrated my home PC to OSX, in a dramatic change of direction, and I love it. However, for consistency's sake I'd like to keep all of my computer interaction consistent, and it's unlikely that I'll be replacing my Linux desktop at work with a Mac any time soon (or ever).

So, how can I make it work in the same way? Ideally, what I want is the same keystrokes on my 104-key keyboard for both OSs for text navigation and (to the extent that it's possible) application shortcuts. The only caveat is, none of these changes may break Emacs :)

Even incremental improvements are welcome.