So I just made the switch from OpenOffice.org to LibreOffice. Really nothing has changed to much. There have been some improvements, but also bugs. I just felt like I wanted a true open source office suite. The issue I had been hearing about OpenOffice.org was that since Oracle bough Sun, that they have kind of been moving at a slow speed and only letting Oracle staff work on it.

When LibreOffice spun up with the community members leaving OpenOffice.org, Oracle lashed out and had them step down.

What they want with LibreOffice is a true open source model such as the Linux Kernel, they wanted to also have the community add features and not be slowed down by one company who at any time could just change license and lock it down. I feel like I made the best choice for me. Also I kind of enjoyed telling Oracle what I thought. When you uninstall it take you to a website to ask questions on why and well I told them.

So I got that error while working on a Linux router. It runs on Soekris hardware, its running custom rolled Linux. I was not the one who set it up.

In order to even get that error you would have to run dhcpd -d ethX once you did that it would do that every time a DHCP request was sent.
Turns out in the end it was the clock. The box is set to sync time with the net well the router was not fully up so no internet. So when it started it got a time in the 1920s which causes a big big big issue with DHCP. So a few lines about syncing the clock after a NTP update was attempted fixed it from  happening again. I googled the hell out of this and got nothing. Just thought it would not hurt to put it up so someone might find this.

So if anyone ever reads this might wonder why go with a RepStrap well I think I was inspider by Gavilan. He had a good a point about building and what he learned.

However, I now know how to write firmware and hostware to interface with microcontrollers, thermistors, endstops, and microstepping motors. I know how to solder through hole and surface mount components. I know how to model CAD parts to spec, and design schematics and circuit boards with Eagle. All this with only a software engineering background.
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I am more from the software engineer side (self taught). I have most of the basic things I need already since I dabble in the Arduino.

So I hope to gain more knowledge and insight. Also it will be really cool, I think my son who is four who loves robots, space and now Mario Brothers will really enjoy the things I can make for him and the things we can make together.

My dream goal would be to expand upon this and to make a more accurate version that can compete with the professional models.
I have looked at the CupCake CNC – MakerBot Industries but I want to learn more then just making a kit. Also in the long run it would be fun to see how cheap you could make one.

So I have been looking at the RepRap for a while (RepRap is an open source rapid prototype 3d printer) and have not been into it much untill I ran across a post on hackaday about a guy who created a RepStrap which is a kind of hand built version of thd Darwin (v1) to a Mendel unit (v2).

Now what got me was that he built a RepStrap which I was unaware of; which then helps you make the parts to turn your RepStrap into a RepRap or make the Mendel version. So now I have decided to look into making my own with the end goal of turning my RepStrap to a RepRap and then make a Mendel. This guys have some great links and posts about it and I hope to startup a conversation about it soon.

Check it out.