Wednesday, October 31, 2007

linux,windows,linux,mac

Spectrum-Amiga-WIndows-Linux-Windows-Linux-Mac, this has been my Operating System periple. Some time ago I wrote a blog post entitled 'switch back to windows', when I recalled windows sucks, I got back to linux, and new I've got a mac with a Leopard in it.
In editors, I've been using VI *a lot*, also Eclipse *a lot*, then I learned EMACS and I loved it.

becaus I'm learning ruby, I have a mac, I bought TextMate, as all of the rails core developers use MAC with TM. 39 euros.
It works quite nice, but EMACS is OSS, so it has far more plugins, modes, and stuff. I got used to emacs keybindings, so after having spent 39 euros on TM, I'm sticking to EMACS again. It's just more powerful and it helps you to learn LISP which is also a plus.

Aquaemacs has nothing to envy to textmate. its MAC-OS look'n'feel, with keybingings, integration with OS and the like.

But its a *fkin* hell to configure it with the META symbol bound ALT key, and then also get the ç, {, }, á, ] and all that stuff, this was my first approach:
(when (eq system-type 'darwin)
(progn
(setq mac-option-modifier 'meta)
; (setq mac-pass-option-to-system t)
;and because the last statemet, we need all this weird stuff... no AltGr in mac!
(global-set-key "\M-`" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "[")))
(global-set-key "\M-+" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "]")))
(global-set-key "\M-7" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "\\")))
(global-set-key "\M-´" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "{")))
(global-set-key "\M-ç" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "}")))
(global-set-key "\M-1" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "|")))
(global-set-key "\M-2" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "@")))
(global-set-key "\M-3" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "#")))
(global-set-key "\M-4" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "~")))
(global-set-key "\M-º" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "\\")))
(global-set-key [(control return)] 'set-mark-command)))

but couldn't get the { and } to work, but I'm thinking the best will be to switch off the (setq mac-option-modifier 'meta)

UPDATE
I seem to have found the solution, just look at site-lisp/macosx/emulate-mac-keyboard-mode.el
and you'll see how to modify your .emacs to achieve the beautiful { and } and \ with your aquaemacs with spanish keyboard :D

back to electronics

I used to study quite a bit of electronics back at university. At some point, I assmebled a printed board with a microcontroller, 8052 or something like that. I knew voltages and so.

But I've been devoted to software for long time now, and I dont remember anything. I love the internet, so I found instructables.com and creationist.net, then I wanted to do electronics again.

These are my two next projects:

Build a laser burner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chC8fz-RxTs

build a Time Fountain (this one is _amazing_):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvY7NGncCgU

yesterday I was trying to make the laser. I have lots of electronic devices in my room, because everytime a broken electronic gadget comes to my hands, I 'deconstruct' it and keep the interesting parts (for fun) (motors, lasers, sensors, etc) so I had 3 spare lasers from an HP laser printer and a DVD burner.

so I went to ondaradio and bought a power supply (110 euros), asked for 1W laser but they dont sell lasers anymore. They dont have UV leds (for the time fountain).

at home, I burnt the 3 lasers. Advice: a laser needs a resistor, otherwise it burns.
Next DVD burner I get, I'll have my laser, with a resistor :)

Interestingness

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult

also see

http://fogonazos.blogspot.com/2007/04/esperando-los-dioses.html

:)


this is also great :

http://www.behance.net/Gallery/energie-in-motion/42738

specially the video: