Linux stuff

rlocate is a really nice locate replacement which places hooks into the kernel to update its database on file operations. (Presumably this slows things down a smidgeon, but since we know disk operations are slow as hell anyway, I don't particularly care.) Since this will give us a locate that not only finds files nearly instantaneously, but also has a database that is never out of date, I think it's a rather nice idea.

It's in Portage, of course.

Note: I haven't used it yet. I just like the idea, and if it works as advertised and causes no problems, I'm going to use it.

Addendum: Now installed and running. The ebuild did not create the database, so I had to run rlocate -u (to create the database and index my entire filesystem). Now it should take care of itself by running rlocated and a daily updatedb cron job (the database will always be up to date, but it's managed as a diff, so unless you updatedb regularly, it will slow down; with the cron job you're probably already running, it will be fast and accurate, if it all works as advertised).

The Death of Second Cup

This Saturday, the on-campus Second Cup café closed its doors forever. (The door will in fact reopen, but it will then open on a Blenz coffee shop, instead.) Since I have been a big fan and regular customer of said café, this made me sad. Disha and I decided to go mourn its passing—at her suggestion we even wore black: Mourning clothes. When we explained this fashion choice to the employees, they went "Awww" and announced that since were such great customers (and I know I was: Went there often, behaved pleasantly, and always tipped) we'd get those last cups of coffee free.

Ah, such bitter sweetness! ... Or sweet bitterness, I'm not sure.

The most posts in one day, ever

Yesterday, it did not rain. This may not sound groundbreaking, but in Vancouver, it is. From what I understand, if it had rained yesterday, we'd have a new local record—as it is, we only matched the old record of twenty-seven consecutive days of rain.

Honestly, I think it's a record that may as well be left unbroken. I don't mind a bit of rain, but this is ridiculous.