2009-12-21: Update - Working just fine with Ubuntu 9.10 !!

After using the Auto Update on Ubuntu 9.04 recently, the Intel wireless in my laptop stopped working. More exactly, it would associate to the same-old AP configured in the Network Connections applet, but after 20-30 seconds trying to authenticate it would fail.

The output of sudo dmesg would be along these lines:

[ 1494.509061] wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:1d:68:0a:fb:11
[ 1494.511257] wlan0: authenticated
[ 1494.511264] wlan0: associate with AP 00:1d:68:0a:fb:11

linux test pge

At the heart of the Idratek setup is ideally a PC running the intelligent 'management' software Cortex. Of course, this means having a PC running 24/7 - potentially costing more in electricity to run than the smart management of the heating will save in fuel. Cortex requires Windows as the base operating system, so a Windows PC is required. I already have a home-server, running Linux, to do a number of 'server' type things (file, print, email etc). The linux box is already a moderately low-power device, pulling around 20w but it's age is starting to show: it's a bit slow, still running Fedora Core 3 (remember 'Core' ?) and the harddisk is almost full.

Baulking at the idea of having 2 hungry servers running 24/7, I decided to try to combine both servers into 1 machine, so I got an updated version of the low power machine and have set about trying to get this combination working.

In no particular order, a list of things I want to sort out during 2008...

1. Last few CDs not yet ripped.  I've been routinely archiving my CDs since the late 90's.  I've never lost the archive (touch wood) and always used MP3 and the higher quality sample rates, so most of the earliest MP3 files are still on the server.  Over the years, I've archived almost all of my CDs (currently 3200 tracks) but I know that a few have slipped through the net.  I've despirately avoided being anal enough to pull every CD off the shelf and check it's on the server, but the absence of the missing few on my iPod is starging to annoy me, so it's time to do it.  It's especially 'needed' now that the archive feeds not only 2 iPods and the desktop PC but also the new Roku/Pinnacle Soundbridge.  This is linked with my next "must do":