I've seen some of the new Sun Microsystems commercials, and they're really good. Done in a movie trailer style, for some sort of action or dark dramatic movie. Probably the best computer commercials that I've seen...

So our network is on the fritz again. Getting a lot of interference somewhere along the line from my apartment to Dave's apartment, keeping his computers from reaching my side and sometimes interfering with my side of the network. Dave is thinking of looking for the broken section and replacing that part of it.

I think it would be easier to set up an Airport network. Use a base station at his apartment, set up to bridge the Ethernet and wireless networks. Get an iMac to connect to the base station and the Ethernet network on this side. Set up IPNetRouter on the iMac so that Dave's computers can get on the Internet. Pretty simple.

There may be a couple of problems. One is that there may be interference from the intervening apartments. I doubt it, as the Airport is designed to go through walls. It doesn't interfere with standard consumer electronics, with the exception of microwave ovens which block the signal, and cordless phones which may get interference. Another problem is that this is a TCP/IP only solution, Dave will not be able to use the printer unless some sort of print server software is set up.

This would give me a new computer to use as a server, replacing the PowerMac 6100, which I'll have to replace in a few months anyway. An iMac is cheaper than a G4, and good enough for a server since it won't be taxed much. A simple USC to SCSI adapter so that I can hook up the scanner and other SCSI drives. A tempting solution that would help Dave and I. Naturally Dave is against unnecessary (in his mind) expenses. I think he's been married to Julie too long...

Yesterday I saw my brother in a high school play. This is West Campus so I think it's the only play this semester. The first skit was three girls talking about what they're going to do after they graduate -- didn't quite get the point of this one. The second skit was the venerable Who's on First? that Abbott and Costello popularized. The third thing was a three-act play, Love's Labours Lost, by William Shakespeare.

Chris did a good job. Surprisingly understandable to the audience, good facial expressions and gesticulations. He had a relatively minor role, with a couple of dozen lines throughout the play. A lot of times he was in the background doing things while the other characters talk. The whole cast did a good job.

Afterwards we took Dad out to dinner. Really the whole family but the excuse is Dad's birthday is next week and we won't all be together then. Once again, a Chinese restaurant where we ordered some combination dinner that was a lot of food. I can't stop myself from eating. Anyway, Chinese food can be pretty cheap compared to other restaurants...

Just got back from Food 4 Less, where I bought way too much food that won't fit in the freezer section of my refrigerator. Especially since I brought back food from my parents. When I get this much food at once I have a desire to eat a lot for a day or two. Probably not a good idea, as I'm not really hungry. I just have that desire to eat something...