|-| @< |< ! |\| 7 0 5 |-|, ATmega8, Photoshopping

Managed to update to the 5th release.  Was easier than I expected because last time I borked the installation.  Just had to make sure a file was deleted and to change one line of the start up script.  Still stuck with VESA 3.0 video.  Still can't get it past the max resolution.  Got wireless so that's good enough for me.  One thing that does bother me is that I have to reduce the allocation of shared graphics memory (Intel 3100 GMA) for it to boot through.  But if I do that, then Vista falls back to the "basic" window manager.  Meh.

I did some more improvements to my ATmega8 library.  The wireless / light sensor now reacts to any pulses of light.  Whenever the light is de-asserted the counter will increment.  Basically I have a function / method for detecting positive edges (sensor is active low).  I also added a reaction to the length of time that the wireless sensor is asserted.  When the period exceeds a threshold, a status light is asserted and remains asserted until the wireless sensor does not detect the light anymore.  I managed salvage the Intel Pentium !!! CPU from the old Compaq desktop.  It's a Coppermine revision.  I also took the fan and heat sink used to cool the CPU and I've now attached it to my dumb ATmega8 project.  It's got three inputs; ground, Vcc and a tachometer output.  Since it's only a three terminal fan, the tachometer output is distorted for any PWM input signal.  Basically the ideal tachometer output is AND-ed with the input PWM since the tachometer will output a low whenever the PWM is low regardless of whether the tachometer should be outputting a high or low; Tachometer output = (Ideal tachometer output) AND (PWM).  I have yet to write a library for abstracting the tachometer output and PWM output and control.

Started photoshopping some cards today.  Got a birthday card and two good-bye cards to make.  I'm having a photoshopping block.  I've run out of ideas for making good-bye cards.  Getting harder and harder each year because you can't exactly give someone a card they've seen before . . .