“Everybody remember where we parked the Imperial Star Destroyer !”
clamp this
Latest
Little did they suspect
that lurking beneath their feet was the secret hiding place of Thunderbird 1.
Visiting the US – Occasional Report – pt6
Three days of training later on the forthcoming IPA product as adapted for the Red Hat Enterprise Linux family and I think I’ve got my brain wrapped around the functionality, expectations and wrinkles
In fact, this has been more of a case of receiving the first draft of the training material and having to fill in the blanks and provide feedback to help produce what will become the real training materials. Even so, it looks like this project finally provides the framework to address the shortcomings and complexities in building an integrated secured cross-machine access system based on standardised components. Certainly the various elements involved have been around for a while, but as is so often the case it has taken someone the time and effort to disect the common attributes and standard use cases and put the elements back together into a more cohesive whole. With any luck the result should kickstart a more general re-appraisal of how various disparate components and projects interact, and what basic assumptions they make about their operating environments.
Most of the guys attending the training sessions have either left or will do so early tomorrow, so then begins the task of learning the details of supporting the existing, and more variably complex products. Perhaps I should patent the idea of headphones with cups underneath to capture the leaking brains for any others who are faced with similar training ordeals.
Men In Black – Hiding Work In Plain Sight
looks like the MiB in SF can get away with leaving their handiwork around for all to see and have everybody think it’s art.
Visiting the US – Occasional Report – pt5
Sunday, a day of rest, ish.
Taking my time to catch up with the folks on IRC and discussing possible lens purchases delays my leaving the motel until mid-morning.
I decided to head to SF and see if I can do a boat trip around the bay. On driving along the Embarcadaro I end up parking too soon, and spend the time prior to lunch wandering along the even numbered piers, noting the state of disrepair. Lunch is some calimari followed by cajun-peppered red snapper whilst looking out over the inner bay.
In the mini-market in the main port building I note the following sign
I cannot help but think they had to add the second piece on the sign after receiving complaints or excessive curious solicitations.
Headed back down the even piers (all the while wonder where the odd ones have got to) I discover on checking the map back in the car that the odd-number piers are beyond the main port building and that I’ve done all the wrong end. Unfortunately by this time I was succumbing to the effects of backpack friction on the sun-burnt areas accumulated the previous day. In the spirit of the great intrepid explorers I conclude it’s all bollocks and return to the motel for a nap.
Eventually I headed out fairly late for a bite, and decide to try the kebab place I’d noted a previous night. After ordering, paying and then waiting at a table for ten minutes the owner comes to apologise after realising they’d handed my meal to someone else. He invited me to the till where my money was refunded and he then offered me something slightly different on the house. After a few minutes he delivered it to my table along with a little box of regional sweets along with further profuse apologies and a chit for a further free meal the next time I turn up. Two meals for nowt, that’s service, especially as I could have coped with a doner kebab in a paper bag.
Visiting the US – Occasional Report – pt4
Saturday p.m.
I decided against visiting San Francisco and headed instead out into the hills east of San Jose to Mount Hamilton to visit the Lick Observatory. Despite being unprepared for the obvious after-effects I drive, top-down, all the way. As soon as you starting climbing from the valley floor you leave the urban sprawl behind and start up a distinctly long and winding road which climbs over one mountain ridge and down into the valley before climbing an even taller ridge to Mount Hamilton, 4200-odd feet high. The one thing that is apparent is that there are a lot of mad people here, I rarely went a minute without passing a cyclist going one way or the other. The things some people do for fun !
The trip back down (and up, and down) is taken at a slightly brisker pace having noted nothing too scary on the way to the observatory. On stopping at the first proper intersection back in civilisation to pick up some after-sun I note the distinctive smell of burnt brake-pads. Well at least I don’t have to pay for them 
Saturday evening I decide to wander to the local establishment that resembles a pub (that doesn’t also claim ginyouine oirish descent) and sup a few Sam Adams. Kept being amused by the presence of a particular beer on tap CzechVar in a distinctive red on white type. Enjoy explaining to a couple of bemused Americans that their country is almost the only one in the world where that particular brew is named as such.
Visiting the US – Occasional Report – pt3
At last, some free time.
So, I reach the weekend. The guys in the office have been working like trojans all week on keeping things ticking whilst simultaneously covering for sick colleagues and manning the exhibition stand, so I’m left to occupy myself for the weekend whilst they catch up with their families.
Visiting the US – Occasional Report – pt2
Well, not too much to say about work days really.
Thursday I was drafted to be on the stand at the RSA2008 Expo at the Moscone Center(sic). Your typical trade show which I’d have to sum up as “1001 Corner Cases”.
Friday was spent catching up on email and setting up an RHN Satellite server
as the availability of updates for deployment in the office was limiting support and the developers.
Visiting the US – Occasional Report – pt1
As some of you may know I’ve been shipped to the US for some training, not as much as originally planned, but at least I should get a decent grounding in the subject matter.
Shipped out Wednesday morning, or at least that was the plan. The usual horrible early start and SWMBO kindly gave me a lift to Heathrow airport and got me there well before 7am. Decided the company paid-for economy ticket was going to be too cramped for my liking and paid for an upgrade to premium economy. Through security (this week the laptops stay in the bags, and you keep your shoes on) and gently amble in the direction of a fried breakfast. After which I started on whichever tome of space-opera I’d thrown in the bag, with the occasional wander to the Dixons store to ogle at the Macbook Air they had on display. After a while I realised they’d not updated the gate-open time for the flight, one hour delay, which turns into 1.5 hours. And then suffer the ten hour tedium of the flight itself.
Arriving at SFO the weather turns out to be pleasantly warm compared to the UK and I conclude my decision not to bring a leather jacket was a good one. The car rental seems to have warped me into an alternate reality of opulence, either that or my decision to have all the insurance made his day. I got a choice of almost anything they had, and plumped for a Sebring convertible with 800 miles on the clock.
Top down, drive down the 280 and head into Palo Alto for some shiney Apple goodness. One SSD Macbook Air, and wired ethernet doobry, and superdrive, and 1TB Time Capsule later I feel suitably saited and pop to the office and find that the ID card we were issued in Farnborough this time last year on moving into the new offices there actually lets me into the office here at Mountain View. Organisation ? Who’da thunk it ?
And to conclude this missive, the view from the office facing East,
The odd roofline of the build on the left is the NASA Ames wind tunnel, the big grey lump with the black top is the old airship hanger at Moffett field, and the two green things behind are the existing hangers as occasionally featured in Mythbusters.
