http://johnbokma.com/ John Bokma, a freelance Perl programmer living in Mexico http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2009/04/16/hailstorm-xalapa-veracruz.html At the end of the day it started to rain, stronger and stronger. I took Alice up to our bedroom to look at the rain. A little later, when I was back behind the computer, and Esme and Alice were up, in the bedroom, there was a very loud [...] 2009-04-17T00:11Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2009/03/30/emacs-dired-rename-files.html At the end of the afternoon Esme complained about her Creative Zen Nano not playing the mp3 podcasts I had downloaded for her last week in the correct order. It soon turned that some files had an extra leading zero in the filename, in total 3 digits, which caused the podcasts being played out of order [...] 2009-03-31T03:53Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/11/27/windows-xp-virtual-machine.html I had started VirtualBox by selecting the Sun xVM VirtualBox entry in the System Tools submenu of the Applications menu. Next I clicked on the "blue sun" icon with the text "New" underneath. This opened the "Create New Virtual Machine" dialog [...] 2009-03-25T02:44Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/11/27/virtualbox-puel-ubuntu.html Over two years ago I created my first virtual machine running Windows XP. Back then I used the free VMware Player running on Windows XP. Nowadays, my main development operating system is Ubuntu 8.10 most of the time. Yet, for some projects I still have to fall back to Windows XP. VirtualBox had been [...] 2009-03-24T23:42Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2009/02/24/jpeg-to-pdf-using-perl.html Earlier this month I downloaded several Dutch comics, Suske en Wiske, as cbr files. I own the original dead tree copies, but they are still in the Netherlands, and I own too many to ask my mom to take them with her when she visits us. Besides, we're running out of storage space in our little [...] 2009-02-26T01:13Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2009/02/24/spreadsheet-parse-excel-ucs2.html After a quick examination I noticed that some cells had their data encoded as UCS2. So I decided to use the excellent Encode module to convert the data to UTF-8. At the top of the Perl program I [...] 2009-02-26T01:13Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2009/02/24/dell-vostro-part-numbers.html Today, around half past four in the afternoon I received an email, asking if I happen to know the Dell part number for the ATI Radeon 2400 XT card. So I checked my gmail account which had a quote from Dell, and emailed the Dell part number, 320-6008, [...] 2009-02-26T01:13Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2009/01/23/water-fun-on-the-roof.html Today the weather was fantastic in Xalapa, so around noon Esme decided it was a good moment for Alice to have some water fun on the flat roof of our apartment. Our daughter Alice had just recovered from a nasty infection, probably rotavirus, and certainly could use the [...] 2009-01-26T21:47Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2009/01/12/pidgin-msn-address-book-fix.html In the early afternoon, when I started Pidgin I got an error message at the bottom of my contact [...] 2009-01-12T19:54Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/11/28/burning-vob-bup-ifo-to-dvd.html Today I wanted to burn a video DVD on Ubuntu 8.10. I had a directory dvd with a subdirectory VIDEO_TS. The latter containing the following [...] 2008-12-04T00:10Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/12/01/start-alternative-ubuntu.html When developing software, mostly Perl programs, on Windows XP I use the command line a lot. And one of the commands I have learned to rely on is start. Now and then I have to open a certain directory in the explorer program, for example to drag and drop a zip file to Thunderbird in order to email it [...] 2008-12-03T20:28Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/12/01/mkdir-several-directories.html For example, assuming that the Downloads directory doesn't exists, the following [...] 2008-12-03T19:56Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/11/25/64-bit-adobe-flash-ubuntu.html Today I needed to install the Adobe Flash Player in Firefox on my Dell Vostro 200 ST running the 64-bit version of Ubuntu 8.10 in order to test a Perl module that I had written; the module was used by a Perl program to generate a web page with embedded Flash. When I looked for instructions I stumbled [...] 2008-11-26T02:36Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/09/30/subversion-svn-keywords-property.html After having read a bit more about the various subversion properties I decided to use the svn:keywords property to solve my problem: inserting automatically a timestamp in program code I publish on my website. Until recently, the Perl program that generates (almost) all pages on this site read the timestamp [...] 2008-10-03T00:59Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/09/03/dhcp-static-ip-dnsmasq.html Today I configured dnsmasq, running on Kamikaze 7.09, to serve out static IP addresses via DHCP to the computers connected to the router, a Linksys WRT54GL. The original firmware that came with the WRT54GL didn't support this feature, hence the major reason for me to use an alternative firmware. I had [...] 2008-09-08T23:44Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/09/03/no-new-browser-war.html Today I continued a discussion on the new browser by Google; Chome, in the Usenet group alt.www.webmasters. Yesterday I had already stated that I don't think that Google's browser is the beginning of a new browser [...] 2008-09-09T00:22Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/09/03/six-books.html In the morning, while I was taking a shower, the doorbell rang. I was expecting several books from Amazon, payments for help with Perl programming. I had already delayed my shower after spinning a bit to prevent just this. So I grabbed a towel, and dried myself as fast as possible, and checked from the [...] 2008-09-08T23:44Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/09/02/google-chrome-first-impression.html Today, like probably a lot of people, I downloaded Google Chrome, a brand new browser made by Google, released today. I played a little with it, and this is my first [...] 2008-09-03T04:03Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/09/01/kamikaze-linksys-wrt54gl.html Today I finally decided to flash my router with a new firmware: Kamikaze version 7.09. Despite the promise on the OpenWRT website: "Last day in August - final release: OpenWrt Kamikaze 8.08 Release", no new release was available on the first day of September. Someone in the forum stated that "it's done [...] 2008-09-03T01:59Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/23/mexican-gray-squirrel-parque-de-los-berros.html On our way to Angel Carbajal we reached Parque de Los Berros, a well-known small park in Xalapa, close to our house. Esme asked if I wanted to visit the park. Since it was still early, I might be lucky and be able to take photos of the gray squirrels that live in the [...] 2008-08-25T01:44Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/22/five-must-have-perl-programming-books.html Below follows a list of what I consider five books any serious Perl programmer must have, or at least having read once. The list is restricted to books I actually have in my office, so if you're missing a must-have book, it's probably because I don't own it (yet). Please feel free to comment with [...] 2008-08-24T21:43Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/22/posting-usenet-groups-perl.html Yesterday I played a bit with the Net::NNTP module, and used it to write a short Perl program that posted a simple test message to the Usenet group alt.test, which is dedicated to exactly such testing. And today I cleaned up the program a little, and decided to put the Perl program online as a short [...] 2008-08-24T23:19Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/21/mysql-alter-table-examples.html Due to new requirements for a project I am working on I had to alter an existing MySQL table: the primary key constraint had to be removed (and later added to a new column), a new column named ID had to be added as the first column with a primary key constraint. Finally, the column that used to have [...] 2008-08-24T23:18Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/20/books-fatal-revenant-catalyst.html Today two books arrived, one after another, both gifts in exchange for Perl help I had given some time ago. I like to mix books for pleasure with books I can use working as a freelance Perl programmer, and the books that arrived today are a good example of [...] 2008-08-25T02:09Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/18/2nd-instar-centruroides-gracilis-feeding.html In the early evening I decided to feed the second instar Centruroides gracilis scorpions, about 20, still sharing the enclosure with their mother a pre-killed superworm; a larva of the darkling beetle (Zophobas morio). Viewers of Fear Factor might recognize this "worm" since it has been used several [...] 2008-08-24T20:04Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/19/java-open-url-default-browser.html If you ever wondered if there is an easy way to open a URL from your Java program in the default browser, with Java 1.6 there is. Unless your platform doesn't support this, that is. The good news is that you can test for [...] 2008-08-20T00:51Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/05/partitioning-planning-and-how-to.html The first time I had installed Ubuntu on the Dell Vostro 200 ST, I just had selected the option to use the entire hard disk in the installation program. This gives two partitions: one dedictad to swap, and one for the [...] 2008-08-07T21:38Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/03/the-walk-to-grandmother-house.html In the late afternoon we went to visit Esme's mother, Alice's grandmother, and Esme's grandmother, who lives with her daughter.. Although the sky was quite cloudy, we decided to walk to her [...] 2008-08-04T21:11Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/08/03/10-reasons-why-i-use-firefox.html I am not the first person writing on 10 (or a different number) of reasons why I am using Mozilla Firefox as my day-to-day web browser, and I am sure I won't be the last. However, this blog entry is not going to be some strong advocacy, trying to force Firefox on you, nor the ranting of a zealot. I just [...] 2008-08-04T21:11Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/06/13/the-hike-to-the-cactus-garden.html After I had taken photos of the juvenile gecko, Esme and I drank some water. It was getting really hot. In front of us, looking west, was a slope with cactuses and low shrubs. We decided to walk parallel to the slope, following the dirt road, with trees to the [...] 2008-07-30T00:26Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/07/26/second-instar-centruroides-gracilis.html In the afternoon I moved quite a lot 2nd instar scorpions (species Centruroides gracilis) from the enclosure they shared with their mother to a plastic container each. The reason for separation is that, especially in a small enclosure, the scorpions might start to eat each other with this species. And [...] 2008-07-29T00:26Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/07/26/saturday-books-day.html In the morning we went to the post office to pick up the books that the postman had tried to deliver last Thursday. The books were a present in exchange for writing a Perl program about a year ago. For some reason I didn't receive the orginal order made in August last year or so. Since someone else had [...] 2008-07-29T00:26Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/06/13/the-hike-to-the-hills-south-of-chilac.html In the morning when Esme put some sun block on my face I suddenly remembered (too late) that the brand we had bought some time ago, Coppertone (50 FPS), made my eyes tear and caused a bad taste in my mouth (no, I don't eat the stuff). Somehow Coppertone, or at least the 50 FPS bottle we have, releases [...] 2008-07-28T19:34Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/07/26/infinite-number-of-web-pages.html Today I read an article on a Dutch web site, which was based on a blog entry on the official Google blog. At first I thought that the translator had come up with the following silly statement, but it turned out to be in the post on the official Google blog as [...] 2008-07-26T22:10Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/07/17/practical-guide-ubuntu-linux-arrived.html The 23rd of the last month I got a request by email for a Perl program able to email attachements. The sender asked me if I did such small projects, and what the cost would be. After some email exchange on some details we agreed upon Perl help in exchange for a gift and I asked a copy of "A Practical [...] 2008-07-18T18:08Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/06/12/police-encounters.html We climbed up a sandly slope and had a good view of our surroundings. In an arroyo to our left Esme spotted a rabbit. We kept looking for an easy way to walk in western direction. After several minutes we noticed a police car standing on a ridge in the distance. We didn't give it much thought, and kept [...] 2008-07-18T00:29Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/07/17/scars-on-broadway-torrent.html Last Wednesday I received an email that I could pre-order on iTunes the self titled debut album of Scars on Broadway. But like I predicted / joked on a forum a few months back, it would be out before the official date of July the [...] 2008-07-17T18:55Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/07/12/recycling-an-old-calendar.html In the early evening, while working on my blog, I needed to know on which day a certain date fell. Normally I use the calendar on my Dell Axim X51v in such circumstances, but I hadn't reconnected the cradle since the return from our trip to [...] 2008-07-16T23:50Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/06/12/velvet-mites-and-cactuses.html After a nice breakfast at Sabores we walked to Chedraui. Since it was clear that we would get rain that day, even a lot, Esme wanted to buy an umbrella. We had left both of our umbrellas at our apartment in Xalapa when we left for Tehuacán yesterday, somewhat in a [...] 2008-07-02T00:37Z http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2008/06/11/puebla-city-tehuacan-bus.html On the bus to Tehuacán I was wondering which route the bus would follow. I had the feeling the bus would travel in the direction of Cuesta Blanca, and then go straight down to Tehuacán, but was hoping it would travel via Tecamachalco, and then down to Tehuacán via Tlacotepec de Benito Juaréz since this [...] 2008-06-30T20:56Z