Technology – the uncharted continent!

19Dec07

Things that work – or don’t work – fascinate me. I suppose things that have a purpose of some sort, or a function. I like figuring out what is it that they do, and how. So when I say “hack,” I mean tinkering with technology, not stealing someone’s credit card numbers. To me this expands beyond computer stuff, even though that’s exciting, too. Working on your own car is hacking. Rewiring your stereo. Circuit-bending. Taking apart an old TV. Building an excessively extravagant and probably pointless device just to figure out how its basic principles work. That’s all hacking to me.

I have a computer at home that’s running Ubuntu (I also have a laptop and a server box that run XP). So that’s one project – figure out what I can do with it. I want to learn more about Linux and the soft innards of a computer more, and Ubuntu is a nice start – very user friendly, but you can still fool around under the hood if you want.

I’m learning Python on my own. I’m working on a couple programs (Filehead and Spectrum Girl – will explain these later) for my own personal use. I’m writing them in Python. I figure I can stare at books all I want, but it won’t mean anything until I actually make something work. I’ve made stabs at it before, but never really finished anything. I’m determined to make something work this time around.

I love working with my hands, and even though I’m a physicist, I spend considerable time in the machine shop and with power tools. In our machine shop, we have an ancient DoALL industrial band saw (this thing is a monster – I’ll post pictures some time). I’ve been told it’s not broken, but they didn’t finish assembling it either. I want to make it a personal project to make it run again. That would be super sweet. I was just in there today, and I felt really, honestly sad looking at this hulk of a machine that’s only half-assembled.

Also, I occasionally fool around with my car. In the past, I’ve replaced a window actuator motor and I’ve started changing my own oil. Next on the menu are fuel line and air filters. I know changing your own oil saves you all of ten bucks – but it was fun.

And in hacking, fun is what counts.

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