Linux distro for old computers

I’ve been looking for a Linux distro that will not bring an old Toshiba Satellite equipped with a Celeron 1.1 GHz to its knees like Ubuntu (and Gnome) does for a while now. I think I have finally found it: VectorLinux 5.9 Light. I’ve only spent about 1 hour on it so far, and I’ve already noticed a big difference. It’s not Ubuntu nor Fedora for sure, but I can actually use the laptop to do some productive work. How much productive work I will be doing on it remains to be seen, however, since most of my stuffs are on my MacBook. Maybe the only reason why I installed VectorLinux on this old computer is simply because I can 🙂

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New Toy

This is my new toy. It is “old” looking, heavy, and loud. But, it is a pleasure to type on and I love it.

There are three kinds of mechanical keyboards: buckling spring, Alps switches, and  Cherry switches keyboards. Of course you also have keyboards equipped with fake Alps or Cherry switches. That does not mean that they are not good keyboards, just that they are not equipped with the original switches.  You can find tons of information about keyboards here. I thought I was crazy about keyboards, but there are people out there who are even crazier than I am.

So far, my collection of mechanical keyboards is at its infant stage. I’m currently using a Unicomp Customizer 104 (bought new a few weeks ago) which is a buckling spring keyboard based on the old IBM Model M keyboard, I ordered a (new in box) Dell AT101W (Alps switches) from eBay for $10 yesterday. I can’t wait to test it, even if I have to use a USB-to-PS/2 converter. All I have to do now is find myself a keyboard equiped with Cherry switches and I will happy  for a year or two,because…there are various types of Cherry and Alps switches to try.

Here is a video I shot this morning using my MacBook’s webcam. It is not of the highest quality though. I still have to learn to touch type on the numbers row.

Update  25 March 2009

I was finally able to acquire a Cherry keyboard from geminicomputers.com. However, instead of being very happy, I am experiencing what Barry Schwartz calls the paradox of choice. According to Barry Schwartz, too many choices do not make us happy but unhappy. When I’m using the Customizer, I want to use the Cherry, but when I’m using the Cherry, I want to go back to the Customizer. Thankfully, the Dell AT101W stays at the office, otherwise the problem would have been worse.

That being said, I’m still on the look out for other keyboards. I guess it is safe to say that I have keyboard addiction.

Moyens de communications des bébés – Babies’ means of communication

Les bébés ont un moyen de communication très efficace: les pleurs. Les pleurs des bébés ne s’arrêteront pas si vous feignez de ne pas les entendre. Bien au contraire, ils ne feront que s’intensifier. Ceci dit, il ne faut, cependant, pas croire les bébés utilisent le même type de pleur à chaque fois. Ils ont un type de pleur lorsqu’ils ont faim et un autre type lorsqu’ils ne sont tout simplement pas contents. Par exemple, Angelica pleura d’une certaine façon pour signifier qu’elle a faim (ce qui arrive très souvent) et d’une autre pour signifier qu’elle n’est pas contente (lorsque je lui enlève le biberon pour qu’elle fasse son rot).

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Babies have a very effective means of communication: cries. The cries will not stop if you ignore them, but will rather instensify. That being said, we must not assume that babies use the same type of cry every time. They have one type of cry when they are hungry and another one when they are simply not happy. For example, Angelica will cry a certain way to let us know that  she is hungry (which happens a lot) and a different way to let us know that she is not happy (when I take away the bottle to burp her).