Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Ubuntu Hour becomes InstallFest

but not the kind you're thinking of...

It all began the night before the Ubuntu Hour in Winston-Salem. I went to the local food store and noticed the Brake and Battery warning lights were on in my truck. I jiggled the emergency brake handle which didn't change anything. "Well I'll check it in the morning..."

In the morning jiggling the emergency brake handle; checking the battery connections did nothing. Having seen this condition clear up on its own a few times in the last month I set off for the Ubuntu Hour. Just before turning out of my neighbourhood I tried to use the windshield washer, the wiper blades barely moved. Reverse, back down the hill into my driveway, 9.6 volts at the battery while it's running; not good.

So I missed the Ubuntu Hour; bummer man! Being cash strapped I decided to do the work myself. Another Ubuntu North Carolina Local Team member graciously offered to come over and help. To be that second set of hands and eyes on a task that isn't my forte at all.

What began as a missed Ubuntu Hour became an InstallFest: installing an alternator on a Nissan Frontier. John Ghormley was a big help; not only as the second set of hands but as the second set of eyes he saw several ways to make the process complete more quickly. But he didn't get nearly as greasy as I did...



Many, many thanks John; without your input I don't know how long it would have taken me to figure out to move that bushing. Plus you met SuperDave; he would have been my next choice for second set of hands/eyes.