Windows Home Server: Not for MSDN Subscribers

I have been waiting for Windows Home Server since Microsoft announced the product.  I have been anxious to download it through my MSDN subscription and test it out.  As long time user, fan, and programmer of Microsoft technologies, I like to investigate their products so that I can recommend products to fill the needs of my clients, friends, and family. 

Someone I work with was showing me his copy of Home Server, which he purchased.  Very excited to test it for myself, I went out to MSDN, only to find that it is not available on MSDN.  After a little searching, I found this blog that talks about why WHS is not available on MSDN.

It’s Not a “Samurai Sword”

One of the most annoying thing people can do around me, other than driving like an idiot, is to use the phrase “samurai sword”.  Here is why using that term is incorrect, disrespectful, and completely idiotic.

1. If you see a western-style sword, you don’t call it a “knight sword.”  If you do, please don’t.

2. The real name is katana.  Use it.  Other perfectly acceptable terms include shinken (live blade), or Japanese sword.

3. The katana changed over hundreds of years.  It started out as a straight edge (like most western style or chinese swords) until it earned it’s curved edge.

4. The katana is to be regarded with the utmost respect.  It is part of Japanese culture.  By calling it a samurai sword you are not giving the katana the respect it deserves, and are disrespectful to those who train in Japanese sword arts.

5. Samurai actually carried two swords - the wakizashi and the katana.

6. Other classes were allowed to carry a single sword, the katana, up until the classes were seperated and all swords were taken from anyone who was not a samurai.  Samurai were the only class allowed to carry 2 swords.

7. It’s all about respect.  Call the katana by a propper name and I won’t call you an idiot (or beat you senseless with a bokken).

Storm Season is on the Horizon

I live in the middle of the “fly over zone,” also known as the Midwest.  We are known for corn, cattle, ignorant conservatives, and tornadoes.  I happen to be one of those crazy weather geeks who gets a thrill out of chasing tornadoes in the spring.

It all started when I was in high school.  I became so enamored with the big storms, that I began taking a cheap disposable camera out to snap a few pictures as impressive storms would roll in.  During this time, I managed to get some cool pictures, but none of them came even close to the awesome display I saw.  At first I would go out and get pictures of the wall clouds and wind shear as it was rolling in, and then go home before the actual storm hit.  As my high school career began to near it’s end, I was getting braver and braver by going out when the weather was promising tornadoes and rotation.  Thus began my career as an amateur spotter.

IT Consultant - The Modern Day Shugyosha

In the times of feudal Japan, a samurai would travel through Japan in Musha Shugyo.  These wandering Samurai are not to be confused with Ronin, or “Masterless Samurai.”  Ronin are samurai who have been expelled by their master, or their master has been killed in battle.  A shugyosha is a samurai who has left his family and school to travel from town to town, taking challenges and learning at various schools to hone their skills.  This time is also used to seek a daimyo to serve.   The shugyosha would carry only a few supplies, their swords (or weapon of choice), and would hire themselves out for food or money.  During this time, the shugyosha would not be protected by his family or school.  The most famous shugyosha was Miyamoto Musashi.

Being an IT consultant is much like the life of a Shugyosha. Being a consultant and being a samurai require a lot of training and skill. There are good consultants and bad consultants, just like there are skilled samurai and unskilled samurai.

The End of Days?

I was fortunate enough to enjoy a weekend of sitting around and doing nothing.  I noticed the History Channel was having one of their “We’re All Going to Die” weekends, which I suppose is better than 72 hours of Hitler, since it was Veterans Day weekend.  One of the dooms day shows they were playing was “10 Ways the World Will End”.  One of the ways is an asteroid, of which they discussed that Apophis will dip below our satellites as it passes through earth orbit on April 13, 2029 (Friday the 13th).  Then, if it continues on it’s path as expected, it will hit the earth and kill us all.  Only a handful of people are actually preparing to defend the earth against Apophis.  They believe that by flying a ship close to it, the gravity of the ship will be enough to pull Apophis off course so that it won’t hit us.  This theory is untested, and scientists only think it will work.  But that’s not the the odd thing that came to mind.