I started working with web servers with Windows XP and then quickly moved to SuSE 10. After a couple of happy years in the Linux world, I took the opportunity to change over to Windows Server 2008 and haven't looked back... well at least not that often... well ok, only when stupid things force me to look back.

And today the big thing that has me looking back to the 'nix days is trying to find an IRCd program that runs on my server. And no, I'm not looking back with feelings of unbridled nostalgia. That red I'm seeing is no rose tint. Nope, I'm wondering when IRC is going to come out of the dark ages. I have some news for some open source people out there and that is: No one happily manually edits a 1000+ line configuration file anymore. I'm sure the coding process is hard, I know I can't do it, but you don't have to show off all the code in your configuration file. Get serious!

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for open source. There's some things that don't need a piece of the corporate pie and open source encourages sharing in a world where sharing is too often viewed as weak. Two of my all-time favorite utility type programs are open source: ISO Recorder and hMailServer. And as if marvels don't cease both of those were mostly written by one person each. Alex Feinman and Martin respectively. No, open source is good.

First I tried UnrealIRCd, which had worked pretty good with SuSE. I went out there and downloaded it and then did the install. After that the release notes pop up saying basically, that the code for UnrealIRCd is outdated and so they were starting a "new fork" on the code and would be working on a new version of IRCd called "InspIRCd" Yeah right... inspired... sure they are. I've seen people speak for a half-hour on the first Sunday of a month more "inspIRCd." Sheesh. Could have mentioned that before the install, like maybe on the downloads page?

So I uninstall the uninspired version and use the handy little .msi to install the inspired version. It asks at the end if I want to run the daemon and I think to myself, "Wow, that's slick if it can run already." Did they think that the install would autoconfigure the files for my system? Obviously not, because the first message I get as the daemon starts up is that there is no configuration file. It tells me I need to edit the files in the conf directory. Dummconf directory. A dialogue telling me that would have been more inspired than opening a program that can't possibly work.

So I start delving into the file. About half-way in there's actually a place that tells me that I need to comment out the next line, since they only put it there to force me to go through the configuration file. I'm laughing on the inside. Using my inspiring "inside voice." That's where I closed the text editor, told it not to bother saving and uninstalled the uninspired mess... part II.

Chat would be nice to have, but I don't need it. I can't code it. I'm patient though. I'll keep looking. And hoping. Maybe if I click my heels together three time and repeat "There's no chat on the homepage." I'll wake up magically on a homepage with chat installed.

Darn. It didn't work. Maybe if I paint my sneakers red or something...

Today's main goal on the server is getting things installed so that I can use a blog. Not that I think anyone would care much about what I can do with the server, but it gives me something to do and can serve as a handy reminder of things that I might have planned on. And hey, everyone can use a springboard for ideas and thoughts every now and again.

This entry will be really short, since it's only purpose really is to set up an entry that isn't the default entry that comes with DasBlog2. There actually weren't many issues to work. Two files needed to be edited manually, permissions needed to be sent and stuff copied and pasted into the right places. We'll see how the blog works out and if I actually am interested in it.

Today's jobs also include putting in the attic ladder, and setting up a bb to support Dave's ideas for Blue Ruby Games. I'm also still keeping up on making sure the new video cards work well. I'm a little paranoid about this KFA2 manufacturer. While the got pretty good reviews at TigerDirect.com they're new enough and the language translation at their website is poor enough, that I'll be a little queasy about it for a few more weeks. I did re-arrange the cards in all the PCs so that the PCI-E is one slot away from anything else.

It's kind of fun talking to myself. I might actually keep this up.