Shifting dx13 over to a new server: if you can see this, you’re in =)

We like -_^

Getting more hardcore: I now have a Gentoo desktop system and a Debian Stable mail server =)

The email server runs a combination of fetchmail, exim, procmail and uw-imapd, which does the following:

1. fetchmail downloads the email from the dx13 server
   
2. exim delivers it locally
   
3. procmail sorts mail from mailing lists for one of my accouts
   
4. uw-imapd serves it up to my desktop machine
   

I set this up because switching between Windows and Linux and having to keep email in sync was becoming rather a chore. I had to use the same email client in both Windows and Linux. Though I used the very capable Mozilla Thunderbird — sharing mail files on a common vfat disk — the solution always seemed restrictive. Now I can try out whatever email client I like, and not have to worry about setting up filters and such for each one.

A while ago I talked about my search for a Windows music player, as Winamp was too basic and iTunes was to slow and annoying. I found Musik. I’ve been using it for a month or so now. In general I’ve been very pleased with it.

It works in a similar way to iTunes, with the familiar browse windows, search box and so on. The difference is that it is fast. Compared to iTunes, it’s blazing. My flatmate has my old PC, an AMD 450MHz job. ITunes ran horrendously slowly, but it was suffered because it is a good music player. I installed Musik on his computer the other day, and the difference is very noticable. The UI is much more responsive, searches don’t freeze the program up for thirty seconds and it is generally more smooth. Even on my PC, iTunes UI was rather juddery, so Musik is better for me too.

To those who like RealPlayer content, but don’t like RealPlayer. That’d be everyone then? Well, visit this page fill in some fake info and grab a slightly less intrusive version of the player. There’s a field where you are supposed to fill in what your “project’ is where you want to use RealPlayer. I suggest you fill in something like “Wish not to be annoyed the hell out of by other RealPlayer. Project is saving my sanity” or something along those lines. Perhaps then Real will get the idea that taking over a user’s computer is, ehm, rather damn annoying.