I’m posting this mainly because I had a really hard time finding the solution. Hopefully someone in the same boat can find this solution helpful.

I usually use uTorrent to create torrents, however since I switched to my sheevaplug and installed transmission I’ve had to learn how to manage my torrents with a very limited cli. I did learn how to create a torrent:

transmissioncli -n <file to be shared> -a <URL of torrent announcement> <torrent file filename>

The problem I ran into after creating the torrent and uploading it to my private tracker of choice (demonoid) and then downloading the posted torrent file, it would try to download the files. It would not see them as already existing in my torrent directory. I did some sleuthing and found that the first character of any file or folder in the directory of my torrent was cut off. For example, if in my transmission cli command I put

transmissioncli -n Ignotus/ -a <URL of torrent announcement> <torrent file filename>

it would successfully create a torrent for the directory Ignotus. However any of the files in that folder would be listed without the first character. So, if the files were tracks from the Ignotus album with leading zeros (01, 02, 03 etc) they would instead be (1, 2, 3). This made the torrent client not recognize that the files were already downloaded.

I sleuthed on the transmission irc channel (#transmission) and someone pointed me to the following bug. So, to solve this issue either download the latest nightly or simply do not use the trailing slash when specifying a directory. This might get hairy if you have files the same name as your directories but that probably won’t be a problem.

A lot has happened since I last posted about my carputer so I’ll try to be complete and short.

After installing the computer underneath the passenger seat, I didn’t do much with it. I had the mindset that everything would have to be complete before I could start using my carputer but I soon realized that’s not necessarily true.

While I was in this carputer limbo, I did cut down my subwoofer box and attach the amp to the back of it and install it in my trunk.

I did such a crummy job of cutting the box down that they didn’t sound that great (they weren’t sealed). Eventually I got around to getting some silicone based sealer and sealed it right up. It sounds great now, although the amp and subs are from my high school days and even then weren’t great.

About a month ago I had the realization that I could temporarily mount my screen and get things running despite it not being completely put together.

I have windows 7 running Centrafuse. I just hooked up my Visteon HD radio using Mitch’s cable and I’ve added a USB GPS module. After hours and hours and hours of troubleshooting annoying little bugs it all seems to work pretty well! For some reason it takes forever to come back from hibernation, so I just have it shut down each time the DSATX sends a kill signal. I plan on using the brainstem on the DSATX to keep the 5V hot so that I can just send my computer into standby. I use it at least once a day so there’s no danger of killing the battery. Here are a few pics of how it’s set up under the seat:

Since these pictures have been taken I’ve grinded the case a bit to make it smoother, repainted it, replaced the 3.5” PATA HDD with a 2.5” SATA HDD (much faster) and got a better WiFi card installed. I also upgraded the RAM to 2GB.

Since then I also installed a security system I bought off Amazon.com for about $50. Even if most of the security is in the window stickers and the blinking light I feel better knowing that if in the middle of the night someone wanted to take a peek inside, I would know.

I love birds so I decided to make a theme pack with some high resolution wallpapers. I got most of them from interfacelift.com, a FANTASTIC wallpaper / photography website. Even if you don’t like birds you will find a wallpaper there that suits your fancy.

You need Windows 7 to install this. Most of the photos are 1920×1080 and so appear best on a widescreen monitor. If you have a 4:3 monitor it will still work but there will be black bars above and below the images.

I expect this note, if printed in the Daily Universe, to receive heated responses denouncing it as unrighteous and heretical, an unfortunately common response on BYU campus when alternative ideas are offered. Maybe it is a tired subject, but daily reminders compel me to write this. I understand that this is a private university and as such BYU can create any code of conduct it believes prudent. However, as it is also a church institution, it should represent the ideals of the church while employing means to achieve these ideals that are compatible with the gospel.

This isn’t Sunday school so I will spare you the reminder of Satan’s plan, or Joseph Smith’s quote about ‘correct principles’ and self governance. Even though High School is still a recent memory for some, most of us have left that dependent stage of life behind us and are ready now, yes now! to be adults in the world and the church. But how can we really be independent (in critical thinking, self expression, and anything else) when we are compelled to conform to an antiquated and artificial standard set by a disconnected administration? How much more rewarding is it for you to actively make good decisions, as opposed to those decisions being made for you (or having the opportunity to make bad decisions limited)? When can we grow up and practice for real life, not this vivarium. And when has any rule contained a person with a mind set to break it?

Know that I am not arguing the right of the university to have a code of behavior, nor am I saying that I am a victim. I do remember signing the honor code when I was admitted. I am committed to follow it. But neither you nor I should believe that by committing ourselves to this code we surrendered any right to question it. It may be based on good intentions, but that does not and should not remove doubt of its effectiveness or necessity.

A brief example of what I believe should be changed:

Beards and Hair: The nuances of this rule reveal it as silly and outdated. Beards and long hair weren’t against the honor code until the 1970s. Mustaches at the time were still considered fashionable and compatible with a clean appearance so they were allowed to stay. This rule is loosely based on scripture and church authorities on the subject of clean appearances, yet it was created nearly 40 years ago as a response to cultural changes. If we have a rule based on a time and culture that is much different than our time and culture, we need to re-evaluate this rule so it best suits us now. The stupidity of being told to shave before you can take a test, or use school facilities is only slightly eclipsed by the beard card and what it represents.

Curfew: I don’t expect this rule to stop anyone committed to late night liaisons. It only serves as a reminder to how little trust the administration has in its students. Those committed to being morally clean don’t need it, and those uncommitted don’t follow it. What, then, is its purpose?

I could continue for several pages outlining other ways I’ve seen the university disregard its students (parking, student government, housing, etc.), however I would like to dedicate this to what I see as imperfections in the honor code.

The honor code has changed before, evidenced by beards/long hair now forbidden for men and pants/jeans now allowed for ladies. In fact, the honor code as we know it was non-existent before 1949 and since then has gone through many changes. I hope it does again. I hope others who feel the same as I do will raise their voices to those in power to change it. I am very grateful to be a student at BYU. I know it can be better than it now is. A roommate of mine and old mission companion said it well when he said, “I know the church is true, but BYU isn’t.”

Bradford Law

Provo, Utah

I just wanted to announce to all my readers that my blog is back up. Julie, you now know.

It was an arduous process made all the more arduous because I didn’t know what was wrong with Mr. S (the new name for my Sheeva Plug server that hosts this blog). In the end, I just had to re-flash the linux kernel onto the NAND.

All’s well that ends well I suppose. I am glad to have Mr. S back though. I didn’t know how much I needed him until he left me.