This is the Linksys NSLU2, a network storage adapter. What this little (small as a paperback) guy can do is give you some network storage. Plug the NSLU2, nicknamed the slug, into your router and then plug an external USB hard drive into the slug, or even a flash drive(thumb drive). Now, your drives are available to everyone on your network.

So, if you have a hard drive full of music and you want it available to all the computers in the house, this is a great solution. Now, there are many routers that have a USB port on them to add storage to your network. Yet, some of them can be pricey, and maybe, like me, you already have a router. The slug can also be set to backup your computer to one of the hard drives connected to it. Again, this is not revolutionary but the key to the slug is Linux.

If you overwrite the firmware on the slug with a Linux build you can essential make yourself a small linux computer. The slug can then be configured to run applications, from it’s own memory or one of the drives. There are gobs and gobs of uses for it depending on what Linux you install. This was sort of attractive to me because I thought it might be a suitable replacement for my old 333MHZ that runs a proxy for mobile phones. I have been thinking about writing a post on how to set one up, but there are a considerable amount of tutorials online already. The 333MHZ is a giant old machine that has to be connected at all times to run the proxy, but currently that is its only use. Replacing it with something the size of a paperback book is appealing.

I am not much of a Linux guy, it is just one of those things I have always wanted to try. However, there is a Linux build for the slug that mimics Linksys’ own software. It all sounds like a bit of fun geekery.

Pros-
1)This is a $70, compact Linux computer.
2)Network Storage.
3)Instant Geek Cred.
4)Firewall, Proxy, Music Server, Mail Server, Video Server, Web Server, Backup, Audio & Video streaming to XBox, etc. The list goes on and on.

Cons-
1)Out of the box, without Linux, all hard drives have to be formatted in a format that I have never heard of and This means additional application drivers and headaches for PCs and Macs if you ever want to attempt to read the drive hooked directly to your computer and not through the network. I have read one person say they can be formatted differently if you use Linux, but I am not entirely sure, yet.
2)$70 for network storage? Unless you installed Linux, for that price you could get a decent router with a USB port, more than likely.
3)What about a Linux computer for real? It seems to me the only difference between the Slug and a Linux computer is size. Either the slug becomes a fun little project for you, or it becomes a tool that you can’t live without. In the latter case, you will most likely want to use it for more and more, when do your needs outgrow the slug?
4)It doesn’t look freakish enough to impress your fellow geeks, you’ll actually have to explain what it does. It’s missing that ominous H.A.L. red light or something.

What do you think? I was really digging this thing until I started to search, “Mac NSLU2.” I got scared away because of the strange Format of the hard drive and difficulties that could provide. Yet, if Linux doesn’t require the weird format, this might be a fun toy. Network Storage or backup would be cool, and playing with Linux. Do I go all out and make a Linux machine or stay compact with the Slug? Of course there is the small problem of cash and another external, though a simple 1GB or 2GB thumb drive would work to get started. Any thoughts?

Last week, it was bipartisan politics as usual, that is, if bipartisan means, “We are on different sides so we can’t possibly work together even if we want the same thing.” Bush was angry at Congress for wasting time trying to overturn his veto on the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan. He was “agitated and confused” because they were not working on his bill. The President has been trying to push a bill that would require McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Arby’s and Taco Bell to have “more fun-er, less crappy toys” in the kid’s meals.

MTV’s “Celebrity Rap Superstar,” latest in D-list celebrity game shows, ended last week. I believe the final two competitors, Kevin Federline’s first ex & a Playmate from another reality show, dropped beats and then performed drive-bys on each other’s trailers in the park for the final contest.

In other “reality” news, Buddha has signed on to be on the next “Dancing with Stars.” “With Christianity at an all-time high in the West,” said Buddha’s publicist, “and the Muslim world growing in opposition of the Western imperialism, we just thought it was time to generate some press of our own not related to violence, intolerance or war.”

In more bizarre news, it turns out that the beloved wizard from the Harry Potter books, Dumbledore, is gay. For some reason J.K. Rowling decided that we should know this. In a related story, Mark Twain rose from his grave, walked into a Starbucks and told the clerk that Jim, from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, was actually a member of the KKK, and hated himself. The rotting corpse of the famous writer then ordered a coffee, sat down, opened his laptop, downloaded Fergie’s new album to his iPod, left the coffeehouse and crawled back into his grave.

Interestingly enough, the title above could actually be describing what you’re doing right now. Sorry, I tend to blog some strange and boring events every now and then in hopes to remind myself to never do these things again. Of course, there is the possibility that I am boring and strange.

Anyway, on to the fun…

A good friend asked me to look at a family member’s troubled laptop. Apparently the laptop had been sitting for such a long time that the actual problem seems to have been forgotten. Theoretically, it is thought that the laptop just needs a clean install, which is a good practice for everyone. Windows, and even Mac OS, get ugly after a couple years of use. If you have the resources, the ability to back up your documents and install discs, a format and clean install will really speed up your computer. Seriously.

The laptop is a Dell with a Pentium II, 320mb of ram and what appears to be a 4GB hard drive. So I boot it up and Windows 98 SE finally comes up and I want to know exactly what sort of Pentium chip is in this thing. Right clicking My Computer and choosing properties tells me, nothing. In other words, Windows kindly says, “Hey, I have a Pentium II.” I knew that much from the sticker, thanks. After some more searching I find that the laptop is sporting a 331MHZ chip.

At this point, I have to ask, “Is this laptop worth looking at?” In 1999, this thing would be the bee’s knee’s, whatever that means. What can this thing do for a user today? Not to be a computer snob, I mean your grand parents hardly need a 3.8GHZ Quad-Core to send emails to you from Florida. Unfortunately, every time I give someone the advice to purchase a computer to suit their needs(email & word processing) rather than the latest-greatest they call me six months later and complain that their computer won’t run some crazy game or burn DVDs. Personally, I still have the first computer I ever built, a 333MHZ PC, running in my closet as a proxy for mobile devices. Every now and then, I think a faster machine would be better but I am lazy and cheap. I have never upgraded the 333MHZ to Windows XP because Windows 2000 suits my needs and I am not sure it could handle XP.

I figure that the laptop is not helpful if it can’t run XP, after all, things are moving to Vista. The Microsoft page says the minimum requirements for XP is a 300MHZ with at least 128MB of memory. It sounds risky, but in my continuing pursuit of waisting time I figure I will try it. I will spare you the details of the install, after all, you have read this far. Just know that it is a painfully slow process on PC’s for some reason which is exasperated by the CPU speed.

So, does it work? Read my install journal below.

10-16-07 11am:

The laptop is about to boot up to Windows XP for the first time. I am nervous because I have read, in my research, that people who have tried to install XP on this very model have had it freeze at this point. Golly, I hope it works but if it doesn’t I should be able to get into DOS and install 98 or 2000.

Day Two 10-16-07 11:10am:

The screen is still black, um did it freeze? I’ll let it go because I can hear the hard drive turning so, maybe it is working.

10-16-07 11:29am:

Excitement is brewing, the black screen now has the bar across the bottom. Have you ever seen the bar I am talking about? It is just a gray perforated bar that fills up quickly before you get the Windows XP logo on the screen with “please wait…” below. Yeah, at this point the bar is 1/8 complete. I think, I may be going out on a limb here, that XP and this laptop are a bad idea. Perhaps that is a snap judgment, I mean we are only a half hour into turning on the computer.

10-16-07 11:47am:

I made lunch, ate it and did the dishes. The gray bar is almost full. Hooray!

10-16-07 12:18pm:

When the gray bar disappeared I had an arrow that I could move around on the black screen for awhile. For the last 7 minutes or so, I have had the pleasure of finally seeing the Windows XP logo on the screen with “please wait…” below. Cool.

10-16-07 12:34pm:

Hey, it is 1234 on the clock, make a wish. Did I mention that XP and this 331MHZ computer are a bad idea?

10-16-07 12:49pm:

A blueish screen. I am bored. Note to self: Inform friend that they need to turn the laptop on at least 3 and a half hours before they want to use it. Well, that is a rough estimate at this point.

10-16-07 12:53pm:

The blue screen now says, “Welcome.” I am not sure what I am being welcomed to, as the screen is not changing and I can’t yet use the PC.

10-16-07 1:12pm:

The screen is now advertising all the great functionality of Windows XP while it “finalizes the installation.”

10-16-07 1:39pm:

A lot of time has passed. A lot. Now, I am finally being asked to click next to personalize my install. Pushing “Next” didn’t do anything yet, I’ll have to give it some time.

10-16-07 2:03pm:

Well, it took about 6 minutes for the computer to switch from one screen to the next as I set up time & language, networking & security and users. After all that, the computer is now showing me the default wallpaper, the rolling green hills, in a sort of mocking way like, “Don’t you wish you were here instead of sitting at a computer?” The fun continues because I only have the wallpaper, no mouse, taskbar or “Start” button. Oh wait, there it is! Sweet!

10-16-07 2:04pm:

Now what? Was all that just because it was finishing the install? Will it boot in less than 3 hours now? Do I dare try, or should I just put in the Windows 2000 disc and call it done? Maybe it could be used as a boat anchor instead? Or a cutting board in the kitchen? You got ideas? Post them in the comments.

Update–The old thing actually only takes 10 minutes to boot up, now that the initial install is finalized.  I’d like to blame the 331MHZ and Windows, however a curious thing occurred during the switch, the computer has somehow found 5 more GB of hard drive space.  In the beginning, before install, Windows 98 said the computer had 4GB of total space, now it says it has 9GB.  I think the hard drive might have some bad sectors.

—I was also thinking instead of a boat anchor, we could take the screen out, put a mirror there, take the keyboard out and put some make-up in there and it could be the world’s largest compact.  See, I still got nothing.  Post something funny to do with it in the comments.

Hey, instead of doing anything productive you can play some of these oddities. Of course, I don’t excuse such behavior, nor do I participate in such time wasting. Whoa, it is getting deep in here, who am I kidding, I can’t remember the last time I used the net for something productive so check out these enjoyable distractions.

Gravity

I found this one quite a long time ago, maybe 2003. It is simple, quick and to the point. Each level adds another body to the screen. The bodies are sources of gravity. When you click on the game area you place an atom that will be attracted to the bodies, see how long the atom survives before it smashes one of the bodies. Hint: Drag when you click and you can send the atom flying in the opposite direction.

Play Gravity Here.

Manifold

I just recently found this on Milk&Cookies. A really interesting concept, where you create and remove gravity defying bubbles to maneuver around the board. It looks beautiful, the concept is different and it had minimal instructions and ease of use. The only problem is that I finished rather quickly. Though, I once tried to make a game in Flash for a class project and it was horrible; it is so bad I haven’t posted it on the site. So, I have a lot of respect for this game maker because I know a lot went into it. My game? It was a hunting game, you were Cheney and you were hunting your lawyer friend. See, poor concept=bad game=not on the site.

Play Manifold Here.

Orisinal

I stumbled on this one day and the art style makes me think of cutesy greeting cards or something. I think it is hard to make something in Flash that doesn’t look like, well, it was made in Flash. This page has quite a few games, most of them arcade versus any drawn out adventure type. Some of these games have a unique look and concept. Many of them seem suitable for children. If you like cute, or you want wide variety to choose from, check it out.

Play Orisinal Games Here.

Adult Swim

Where would I be if I didn’t plug Adult Swim games. After all, I am just a big kid who watches more cartoons than anything else. Back in the day, I used to play this game called the Insult Master, a multiplayer game that gave you 30 some words to make a sentence in 30 seconds that was an insult to the other online player. It was hilarious, but I think that is no longer around. No fear, their new games are quite fun, like Bible Fight, Viva Caligula or Orphan Feast. The fighting game, Bible Fight has some great “special moves,” but works much like a real platform fighting game and is just as challenging. Caligula is an all out massacre, show your citizens who’s boss. Orphan Feast is a decent looking game, I like the look. It was fun, but I could only get so far. There are a dozen other games too, have fun.

Adult Swim Games Here.

Sprout

I have to thank the Randergeist for this one. He is the one that showed me this little gem. A great story, you are a coconut seed and that is all your peers say you will be. However, you want to be an Oak. So, begins your adventure, as you make your way through the game you learn how to grow into different plants to get around. The images are simple and stylish and I have played and beaten it more than once, it is that good.

Play Sprout Here.

We are nowhere close to election time and I am already sick of the whole ordeal. Honestly, I think that is part of the reason everything started so early. Voters who are disenfranchised with the system may not even go out and vote because they got fed up with the race months before. Anyway that is another whole rant, for now I thought I would post some videos about a race I am really following. Imagine if the candidates said what was on their minds for real. Thank the gods for Frisky Dingo.

The other candidate:

A few, just for fun–

Wait for it–Campaign bus?

Too much fun, I have to add one more:

The latest ins and outs, in my opinion.

Totally Unnecessary:

Spice Girls Reunion

Totally Necessary, but yet not available:

Howard the Duck Special Collector’s Edition DVD with Soundtrack, Action Figure, and numbered copy of PlayDuck from the film.

What motivates politicians:

$

What I wish would motivate them:

Peace

Why Bush doesn’t like the UN:

They don’t follow his orders

Why I don’t like the UN:

They don’t stop him or say anything when he does what he wants.

What Iran really Said:

Why do you get to use nuclear power and we don’t?

I say:

Because we can’t trust you with that sort of power, you might use it to invade a country just because you don’t like them and try to install a new govern….Oh wait, I see your point.

What everyone heard Iran say:

We don’t have gay people in Iran.

What I say:

Thank you mainstream media for not giving us any news except this and Britney.

Latest favorite Quote:

“Hey, I got a big plastic bread bag full of my own hair! Whatcha give me for it?”–Killface, Frisky Dingo

Latest Not so silly Quote:

“Insanity is doing the same old things and thinking you’ll get different results.”–Albert Einstein

Verizon’s iPhone Killer:

The LG Voyager.

My iPhone Killer:

The freakin’ economy and credit debt of the average American?

Intriguing New Show:

Journeyman.

Least intriguing show:

I Love New York 2.

What I’d Rather Be Doing Instead of Watching that Show:

Grinding my own appendages into chum to be used as shark bait.

Worst Category to put this post in:

Humor.

Best Category to put this post in:

Time Killer.