Author: dale

I started as a technician, first setting up sound reinforcement and projection equipment at a convention facility, co-founded a DJ business and constructed our PA system from scrach, then got into electronics maintenance and repair at a community college. After obtaining a university degree in engineering, I designed integrated circuits for the first generation of 900 MHZ analog cellphones, the first generation of CA-code-phase tracking GPS receivers and digital pro-audio. I then progressed through a variety of leadership roles in product management, marketing, engineering product development and manufacturing, in fields such as industrial GPS-based positioning and navigation, pipeline integrity inspection and industrial process control.
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Father’s Day 2011 Ride

I recently cycled “the big circle” on Father’s Day with a couple of friends. It was an opportunity to explore the city, and get some fresh air after the seemingly endless rain we had been having.

Even before the ride started, I had two flat tires. I had swapped my balding 2.25’s on my sturdy Rocky Mountain that morning for narrower 1.9’s, and had somehow managed to pinch-flat both tubes in the process. However, after some hasty patching (and as an omen of things to come, watching the first rain deluge of the day from the comfort of my garage), Ian and I we were off.

The route was a counter-clockwise loop starting and ending in Calgary’s deep-south community of Sundance. Entering FCPP (Fish Creek Provincial Park), we headed west to the end of the park, then north out of the park to the west Glenmore Weaslehead area (where Jamie met up with us). Some scenic residential riding took us through the Tri-Glen communities to Edworthy Park, where we had a snack and then followed the Bow River pathway east to downtown Calgary. Continuing south past the killer weir, we had a forced detour onto the Eastern Headlands irrigation canal due to construction blocking the pathway north of the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. We got back onto the Bow River Pathway north of Glenmore Trail, then back into FCPP at the Bow Valley Ranch and home.

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I captured our track with my Garmin Legend (you’ll see it in the slideshow), downloaded it to my PC using GPSBabel, and then mapped it using LePetitPoucet.

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FreeBSD mention on Linux Outlaws

I was lucky enough to get a shout-out for FreeBSD from Fab and Dan recently on Linux Outlaws podcast #213. Fab conceded he had “… heard from other people that FreeBSD was a good server” and Dan grudgingly commented “I know it’s a very well used server.” On a Linux podcast, I couldn’t have hoped for more!

The origin of this shout-out was when I was cycling home from work one day listening to Linux Outlaws # 210 (AFAIR). Fab had launched into a tirade (in beautiful Fab fashion) on what a loss it would be to the Linux server community if the CentOS project collapsed (CentOS is a free GNU/Linux distribution based on and functionally identical to Redhat Enterprise Linux). I immediately got off my bike and e-mailed Fab the solution – FreeBSD. Not only is FreeBSD the absolutely best Unix-like server OS, but the FreeBSD project has easily stood the test of time with its genesis in 1993.

I like Linux Outlaws to get a overview of the open source community and updates on foss software projects, new and old (I also like listening to Fab and Dan banter back and forth, although the language is closer to sailor’s than nerd-speak. I admit I’m envious of the attention GNU/Linux attracts, but most of the attention is for desktop features – shiny widgets, graphical applications, etc. When I was selecting a server OS, I wanted a GUI-less interface, minimal cruft between me and the silicon, a stable consistent architecture, good documentation, a reliable release strategy, and a community that felt right. For me, that’s clearly FreeBSD!

FreeBSD Beastie Image
FreeBSD Beastie

(BSD Daemon Copyright 1988 by Marshall Kirk McKusick. All Rights Reserved.)

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My Japanese friend Toshi

IVL and Xing Staff in Japan, 1997

My thoughts have been with Toshi Ikeda lately in the aftermath of the devistating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Toshi was the Japan business agent for IVL Technology in the mid-to-late 1990’s when I was responsible for technical product managment and licensee support. On my many trips to Japan, Toshi accompanied me as both colleague and friend. He made sure I knew where to catch my next train, and where the best noodle shops were for a late night snack.

Some years later, I was in Japan on behalf of NovAtel and was able to catch up with Toshi at a Yakitori bar. I don’t know how he has fared as a result of the earthquake, but sincerely hope he and his family are well.

Here’s a picture of Toshi from a 1997 dinner in Japan, including Fred Speekeen and Barry Larson from IVL, and Nishikawa from Xing.

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2011 New Years Day Ride

It was a great New Years Day ride in Fish Creek Provincial Park. 90 minutes, 15 km (c’mon, we were riding snow covered footpaths – it was like jogging in sand!). We saw only one other cyclist (heading west on the cleared paved path from Glenfield), and our tracks were the only ones on the single track).

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Best Wishes for 2011!