I've been asked whether my R/C four wheel steering controller can share a channel with some other function; until now it couldn't.

This has changed today: you can now configure it to listen for quick "flip-flops" of your mode switch for cyclic mode (before it only recognized high-to-low transitions). That way you can run something else on the same channel (with a splitter cable) as long as that something else doesn't have a big problem with such "short blips".

Source code and manual have been updated:

[ published on Fri 30.04.2010 01:09 | filed in mystuff | ]

For the non-natives: the proper word is "mechaniker", and this spoonerized version Stems from "machen" = to make or create and "hinig" = broken. Unfortunately the mangled version is appropriate much more often than not.
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[ published on Wed 28.04.2010 15:12 | filed in interests/au | ]

I finally decided to get rid of Blosxom as the formatting engine for this website: there were some nice ideas but the plug-in system never matured properly, the internals were rather ugly and overall it was way too cranky to make it DWIM.
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[ published on Wed 28.04.2010 02:11 | filed in about/site | ]

...when I will have paid off my house loan. This week I've reached a milestone towards that goal: the outstanding amount is finally in the five-digit AU$ range.
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[ published on Wed 21.04.2010 14:24 | filed in interests/au | ]

says I, after reading their recent announcement that they now archive all the billions of twitter ยต-blobs of drivel. Apparently the yanks' excuses for 'culture' and 'significance' now also include the observation of gnat farts and what John and Jane Doe had for lunch.

[ published on Fri 16.04.2010 18:55 | filed in interests/anti | ]

Today, after reading up on couchdb I decided to take a break from vapour-ware and high-flying ideas and Do Something Practical, like finally take apart my whipper snipper to figure out why it doesn't start (different kinds of vapours are involved, this being a cheap two-stroke FPOS).

Enthusiastic tool application quickly demonstrated one big issue with any metal FPOS (remember, I said cheap): very rough edges. Slipping and sliding the back of your finger along such edges is highly counter-indicated.

 bloody sink

Well, there must have been a caterpillar lurking beneath the skin on my index finger, because this not-so-deep cut was dribbling red juice beyond what I'd have expected; and the motor oil, petrol and other assorted grease-suspended gunk on my hands didn't exactly make my journey to the bathroom any cleaner.

But the icing on the cake came later: I did, of course, finish the disassembly after wrapping up my finger - only to find out that the whipper snipper engine is beyond salvation. Just about zero compression, most rubber/plastic parts rotten. A new one will likely cost less than the replacement parts, never mind the time and effort for a potential repair.

WAAAAAAH!

[ published on Sat 10.04.2010 17:24 | filed in still-not-king | ]

Read on for some happily raving blather...
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[ published on Mon 05.04.2010 19:20 | filed in interests | ]

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