Other

This group of projects encompasses everything that is NOT on the boat… but is nevertheless necessary to pull this off. It includes facilities, computers, web presence, publishing, nickel generation, tonnage, and so on. For privacy, since this is on the web, I’m obviously leaving out financial and personal issues… some things are still better with traditional paper to-do lists!

Computers and LAN

Migration to MacBook Air

The new Maclet is an awesome contraption, and I deliberately resisted the default method of turning Migration Assistant loose on it. I really don’t want 860,000 files anymore, with the cruft of ancient caches, useless drivers, irrelevant prefs from a decade past, old collections of weblocs, and so on. The down side of this is that doing it selectively is non-trivial.

• Update to Filemaker Pro 11 ($179) and move over all the databases
• Buy Pixelmator for image editing
• Confirm email client choice, install, and setup IMAP account. Update: after two weeks, I see that mail.app in Lion sucks in countless ways; try Postbox
• Compact mailboxes.  Eudora Mailbox Cleaner, it turns out, tries to install everything in Mail… so do it manually. First, delete all unnecessary old mailboxes.
• Decide whether the library model of iPhoto is tolerable, and if so, import the photo archives. (No, decided NOT to use iPhoto)
• Install Picasa
• Transfer photo library, selectively, with low-priority clusters in offline HD. Integrate forking that happened during the months on Mini post-crash.
• Transfer Anarchives
• Copy Jumpstation
• Transfer relevant PDF library
• Transfer all Nomadness Report files from Mini (which is moving to boat)
• New Scrivener version and transfer projects
• Acquire Pages
• Set up an FTP client (Filezilla)
• Install 1Password
• Import address book
• Install OmniGraffle Pro and move artwork files
• Install Front Panel Express CAD tool
• Set up an HTML site editor other than broken old KompoZer
• Do final Time Machine backup on MBP and park the HD for archives
• Initiate routine backups for MBA
• Clean up the old LaCie drive for offline storage in lab
• Slim down the MBP after all the transfers, then let it do a TM backup to the TC for convenient LAN access to things forgotten.

LAN-resident machines

This has become a category of its own, with so many gadgets dependent on the local WiFi.

• Set aside Linksys as backup in case of TC failure
• Install Time Capsule and get LAN back online
• Order and install lock
• Get CrashPlan account for offsite
• Configure LAN with mix of fixed IP (cameras and other servers) and DHCP (everything else)
• Fire up new Linux box
• Install AISdispatcher software, connect SR162, hook up J-pole for testing
• Get AIS hub account and test data forwarding
• If test works, set utility to autorun
• Move the Canon inkjet to USB hub off Time Capsule
• Set up printer drivers and network configuration on the Laser and the 11×17 AOI
• Get Zebra ZP 450 label printer working on Air
• Try to get the Zebra to work via sharing on the Time Capsule
• Set up Axis cams for stand-alone use via their own web interfaces (static IP)
• Acquire SecuritySpy software and configure in a Mini
• The boat’s link to the LAN is a Pepwave Surf Mini, which has been extremely flaky… requiring a power-cycle every day or two. Tech support says to try firmware update, so do that.
• While aboard, do update on CradlePoint MBR1200 and disable Integrated Access Point to eliminate confusion with lab LAN

Physical Facilities

Development Lab

The lab space is extremely inefficient at the moment, since half of it is a dumping ground for incoming tonnage that needs to be eliminated. The key here is to use what’s available as well as possible; I’ve already migrated tools and parts inventory from the Polaris mobile lab, but haven’t really gotten a workflow established yet.

• Set up a standing workbench for light fabrication over by front door
• Order transfer punch set
• Bring stand-alone vise/anvil for general use to lab (shop trailer has the Wilton)
• Install shelving in the Zone of Tonnage to use the Z-axis more effectively, and move the clutter that is taking over the Inventory Room and the edges of the lab region
• Sell the retail display cabinet

Shop Space

The place for “dirty work” is in the building that currently houses my Polaris mobile lab.

• Bring old Craftsman tool cabinet from Camano to hold the subset of tools used in this facility

Tonnage Reduction

Much remains to be moved from the old facilities, and it’s largely just a tedious grind of hauling, stowing, and eliminating. The free cart and Freecycle are moving a steady stream of small stuff out the door, but there are some things that require special attention.

• Find a home for the Microship, somehow, somewhere. Lower price on Yachtworld listing and evangelize widely.
• Decide whether to separate the solar panels from the Microship
• Sell BikeE recumbent
• Sell Havahart live animal trap
• Freecycle Ab-Doer
• Sell old AIS receiver and Fanless SolarPC MiniITX 12V machine.
• Sell Technologic board
• Hanging plant pots to Bonnie
• Sell Pioneer PL-30 turntable
• Sell keyboard X-stand
• Sell pink sink
• Sell gutter
• Contact Kokomo Joe re getting inventory back to him (probably bringing truck in February)
• Complete deal with new owner on furniture, ladder, Stihl chainsaw, and other “homeowner” goodies
• Bring Microship solar panels, Sail-O-Mat, spare prop, and spinnaker pole from Camano
• Clear north region of white work tables
• Clear main workstation region of white work tables
• Clear drive-in bay across from Microship
• Most old computers to recycling

Websites

Nomadness.com

This is the site for the Nomadness project, and consists of this WordPress installation.

• Remove boat trailer rental page when possible; title already shrunk to keep menu on one line. Redirect when target site specified; send page text.
• Blog post re Vancouver Island loop
• Set up account for Kirsten to create blog posts under her name
• Set up public project management documents (this page and associated files)
• Now that I finally understand page hierarchies (Parent…) and have E-junkie working well, create the Boat Hacking store that is already started here. Add categories for tools, kits, parts, kayaking, and med chests.
• Create countdown-to-launch widget

Microship.com and the Archives

This is my long-established web “front door,” first started in 1994. Much of it is terribly antiquated, with lots of dead links and ancient page layouts that are rough on modern eyes. The primary goal with this site is to transform it into a single archive of all publications, posts, audiobook chapters, and media coverage… with every item carrying the actual date and thus forming a well-tagged timeline. The intent is for this to replace both my wall of old media binders and the various little collections of postings with a single thread of over a thousand entries. The list of to-do items here is thus mostly incremental… just keep doing this a little at a time. In all cases where we are relocating web content, and delete old to prevent duplicate text… that makes Google unhappy.

• Most urgent archive update: the 2001 Microship adventure (link from blog post re Microship and Flotilla)
• Remove 2005 flotilla pages and redirect/update to 2012 plan
• Deal with that Apple Touch Icon thing for mobiles… needs a handler
• Transfer all Bikelab Reports
• Transfer all Microship Status except some of the early UCSD ones that were directed to small group
• Transfer all Nomadness Notes
• Transfer Microship blog
• Scan and import all print media coverage
• Do YouTube conversions of all TV coverage and embed (a huge ongoing job)
• Scan and add atlas segments as well as overall
• Place CAA audiobook chapters appropriately, interleaved with other material
• Once all to-do items have migrated, delete the table on the old live page
• Install WordPress on exploraging.com

Nomadicresearchlabs.com

This has been just for the store, historically, but would be better as a front door to everything.

• Create landing page since it is mentioned at the beginning of each audiobook chapter
• Now do it right

Storefronts

My Zen Cart installation died when the hosting provider did an upgrade to PHP5, and since I had made the long-ago error of not modifying the graphics with proper upgrade-resistant methods, my old version was still there. I do need to fix this; the E-Junkie stuff is great for download management, but it’s a ridiculous way to have a store with tons of small parts since they charge monthly based on number of items.

• Forget upgrading Zen Cart, since it’s as ugly as ever…
• Create a parent page at nom and move publications under it
• Flesh it out Nomadness Reports, technomadic pubs, kits, Medical Chests, vintage downloadables, kayak products, NRL surplus, and boat bits.

General Server Stuff

Like the old Mac, there is a lot of obsolete stuff here… as well as a few things that I may or may not still be hosting for friends. All this needs to be eliminated.

• Saved for the Demon… if inactive, close folder and FTP account
• KLM likewise
• Bionode likewise
• Cruisingdogs likewise
• Old Microship forum (phpBB) likewise
• Probably still have camanoforum files even though domain long gone – nuke it
• Music school is active but should relocate to a free host and be more easily updated (suggest WordPress)
• Transfer Sky’s domain names (auto-renew off)
• Find a new home for shoaldraft.com
• There are folders of dead, redundant, and irrelevant material… sit down with FTP and do a decent clean-up.
• Point other idle names at appropriate redirects (boat hacking, datawake, gonzo engineering, shoal draft, etc)
• Transfer lumigro.com… email them now for status
• Delete old omnifocus export file

Print Publications

Computing Across America

This really needs to get back out there after the publishing fiasco of ’88 (I am still owed royalties, but fortunately kept the copyright in my name). I have started a free audiobook reading that will trickle out in the archive pages, then be available as a complete product, and need to do a Kindle edition of the entire combined story.

• Disassemble and scan a copy with Fujitsu ScanSnap
• Edit to reduce some of the FAA content
• Integrate complete MWM sequel and selected tech material, with sidebars and interludes
• Create Kindle edition
• Publish print version with Createspace

Nomadness Report

This is the print/ebook compilation series of the “weekly compendium of boat hacking and gonzo engineering” as well as the PDFs.

• Adjust overall layout size at PDF level (not Pages) of Book 1
• Replace two blurry images
• Create page at boathacking.com (presumably) for the print-edition link redirects
• Re-upload to MagCloud and order the first batch; advertise
• Do Issue #16 with focus on the Hybrid analysis and current project status
• Issue 17 AIS receiving station, network, console Mac.
• Change schedule to monthly with larger (20+ page) issues; modify website; notify subscribers

Boat Hacking Design Packages

These are focused monographs about specific how-to topics (rather than the orthogonal slices through the same reality that take the form of development narratives).

• Establish a production style to standardize the series (same Pages template as NR but with project-specific header graphic and front-page intro)
• Helm seat (with bonus sidebar on Companionway step)
• Video-integrated remote-controlled spotlight
• Forward head system (and lessons learned)
• APRS from tracker to web integration
• Building an integrated power distribution panel with BlueSea, Front Panel Express, and custom hardware.
• Shared project with Steve & Daniel