So I just spent a week building Gentoo. Not quite set up all the way yet, but I'm getting there. I use Gnome because its easier to say than KDE, and after all the hassle building the damn thing, the last thing I want to be worried about is how to pronounce my desktop manager. The whole process wasn't too bad, but I went to sleep with something compiling one night, and had a power outage. Didn't know how to pick up where I left off, so I had to start over. Everything built more slowly the second time around, which confuses me. The kernel in particular too a lot longer. I noticed, because the first time it only took like ten minutes. I was surprised, having been led to believe it should have taken a few hours. The second time, it did take about two hours. I was surprised, experience having shown it should have only taken about ten. I assume I did something wrong the first time.

This is a very specialized thing, I need it for a project that only compiles on VC6 in Windows. Very much a hassle, as I made the upgrade to VC.NET just before Christmas. I was unsuccessful importing the workspaces, and this seemed easier than trying to fix the problem. Of course, I'm not certain it'll wok in Linux either, as i need direct rendering, and apparently my video card requires special drivers. Stupid ATI. Or stupid Linux, or stupid somebody. I haven't decided yet. Whatever the case, I'm still entirely unconvinced that Windows isn't the OS for me, having tried out Gentoo, Fedora, Mandrake, and Ubunto with mostly similar results. So I'll keep this around instead of installing cygwin on Windows. I can't get it to install properly, so this is convenient.

I am officially graduating in May. I was almost one credit short of getting my CS degree, because a professor in the CS department has no soul. But it worked out in the end, so I forgive him. You are all formally invited to attend commencement on 2005 May 13. Weather permitting, it'll be outdoors with limited seating, but there's plenty of standing room in the back. If you like, you can also attend my birthday celebration on 2005 May 11. It shall be a very good week. A birthday, and not one but two silver diplomas.

I have done literally no programming since my last journal update. Finals got in the way, then I went to Phoenix for the holidays where I was without access to my source tree, then I spent a week building a Linux distribution. Lord willing, I'll be able to get some work done this weekend. Video games'll take a hit, but I can live with that.

CM