I have the hiccups
As with so many things in my life, when I find a new interest (obsession), many other things fall by the way side until I get a grip on whatever it is I’m into. In this case, I havent’ posted in my blog for 5 days because I’ve been wrestling with ubuntu – a linux based OS. I have an earlier release fully installed on my daughter’s old Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop – but don’t have working wireless (a common challenge I’ve learned – there’s a whole thread dedicated to wireless networking on the ubuntu forums). She does have an internet connection via an ethernet cable though, and truth is I don’t think she’ll be taking her laptop to Starbucks looking for wifi anytime soon. 
I have a few years before that happens, don’t I? Compared to Windows XP – her computer is really fast now after completely erasing the system from her computer. Boots up in less than a minute.
I’ve also installed a dual boot system on my laptop (a 2005 Dell Latitude D810 running Window XP Pro) while I figure out the ins and outs of ubuntu and linux. My goal is to avoid buying a new computer when I return to school this fall. Originally, I thought I’d treat myself to a Mac Book, but after learning about linux, I’m wondering if it’s really necessary. I will be using a lot of software like Auto Cad, Photoshop and other memory sucking applications in school – I’m curious about the crossover or readability of various free open source programs and proprietary ones like the ones I just mentioned.
Speaking of school, it’s now official – I’ve received letters from CU that I have been re-admitted to the graduate in landscape architecture program at CU Denver. Now I’d better do all my recreational reading through summer ’cause there won’t be a whole lot of time for that sort of thing come fall.
I’m not sure where pottery fits in at the moment, but I’m pretty sure that my production levels (if you can call it that) will decrease even more. The Colorado Potters Guild Spring show is just around the corner – opening night is April 30th – eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkk! That’s less than 2 months from now – I had better start cranking some work out.
My daughter also received some school news this weekend – she has been accepted into Denver Center for International Studies for middle school for Japanese - Woohoo! It’s a Denver Public School magnet program and my first choice for her (her second choice). We’re still waiting to hear back from Denver School of the Arts and whether she’s tested “highly gifted” vs. just “gifted” which would guarantee her a spot at a different school. Decisions, decisions…. I did promise to learn whatever language she is going to be learning – Japanese will be challenging.
I hope to catch up with everyone now that I have ubuntu and running,
~Cynthia
It Takes a Village…
Village of clay huts by the students in my after school clay class
to forgive my kiln over-firing debacle from last Monday – the kids took it well. It may have helped that I promised to make them each a special “I’m sorry” cup to make amends. It was a good learning moment for them – firing a kiln is still a mystery for them – how hot is 1800ºF anyway? They don’t quite understand the whole concept of turning wet clay into permanent fired pottery since all they see is that I take their creations home with me and bring them back fired like magic! The repairs to fix some of the over firing issues with Jean’s jewelry box didn’t work. Jean took it well and I’m ready to try again. But, that will be a job for another day….
Meanwhile, I spent all day reading lazily on the sofa – the newspaper, back issues of magazines, books and yes, even a bit of internet reading. We have three lap tops in our home and all of them are starting to show their age. I’ve been reading up on other operating systems and have decided to install Ubuntu, a FREE Linux open source operating system on one of the oldest computers, and will delete Windows XP completely. If it doesn’t work, then no big deal – but if it does, it will extend the life of our computers and hopefully make them faster.
Open source software and hardware is a really cool turn of advents. Now, it’s nothing new – Linux is released under GNU or General Public License since 1994. GNU is an interesting business model – people are able to modify and even benefit financially from someone else’s intellectual work as long as attribution is defined. Wired Magazine (one of my new faves) touches on open source in quite a few issues. Companies that are closed and proprietary, like Microsoft, have quite a market share and frankly are afraid of open source because it is a threat to their long term viability. Reading about companies, such as Arduino, an Italian group that manufactures open source electronics platforms for a variety of uses. Pretty cool, don’t you think?
Anyway, it’s a little more work on my part to do the research and homework to install a Linux based system – after all Windows has @ 88% of market share. On the other hand, there are a number of free software applications that can replace everything that I currently have installed on my computer such as Open Office (replaces Microsoft Office Suite), Gimp (Photoshop), Archimedes (AutoCad) – along with a slew of any other kind of free software programming anyone could ever need. I was reading about how many open source contributers consider their efforts to be good old fashioned community barn raising. I like to think of my humble little pottery blog in the same light – I share what I learn, good bad and down right ugly because I enjoy learning from others in the field and I love receiving emails from folks who try making some of the techniques I have posted, including improvements or alternatives.
So, thanks for humoring me and for continuing to read & comment on my blog! 
~Cynthia
