Again this year the German hacker club "Computer Chaos Club", which consists of data protection specialists, civil-rights activists and of course hackers is doing their annual congress between Dec 27th and Dec 30th. If you can be there try to, if not check out their numerous video and audiocasts lateron.
Geek Happens is very proud to announce an exclusive comic strip in the next issue of the club magazine, the "Datenschleuder". For that special event we introduce a new character who will represent the average consumer: Mike Middlebrow. So, if you have the chance to get a copy, get one! The cartoon will also be released on this site after the magazine is published.

Quite a time ago we did a raffle and I informed you that the winners are drawn. Finally the winner comic is done and we can proudly present it :)

The winner of the first prize is S. Bothe from G. who wanted her husband to appear in the cartoon.



The other winners have been informed and received their prizes.

I just tried to do something I did lot of times in the past. I wanted to dump a mysql database using the "mysqldump" command and pipe it directly into mysql to put the data into another (empty) db.

The command complains that the sql is malformed. What? Stuff I exported with mysql commands not wellformed. Well, here is my explanation:

Steve Jobs released the iPhone SDK which warped time and space. This is a yet undiscovered side-effect of the RDF. Any other explanations?

Our anniversary raffle is over. Thank you for the numerous e-mails. And guess what? Nobody gave the wrong answer. Guess I have to find a harder question next time ;)

The winners will be drawn and contacted within the next few days.

Just found out that a programming language called Shakespeare exists. Wow! That is even better than Chef. Just laughed my a** of at the following declaration:

Hamlet, a temporary variable from Denmark.
The Ghost, a limiting factor (and by a remarkable coincidence also
Hamlet’s father).

I really have to find out the syntax and semantics of this thing and furtheron program, speak and think in it.

Yesterday I called the Apple Hotline as my legally unlocked iPhone (Germany) was locked again after the 1.1.3 update though several blogposts claimed it worked.

The actually very competent hotline guys at Apple were very friendly. You could hear they were under stress, therefore regard this dialogue as a result of confused personnel who were bombarded with user calls. I swear the dialogue happend like this.

Pre-Hotline (where they gather some data during you have to wait for a free hotline guy)

This is the Apple hotline. Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you?
Well, my iPhone has a sim-lock again after the update, but it was legally unlocked by T-Mobile. They told me to contact you!
Yes, this is a problem currently. Before I can connect you with the technical hotline, I need to know a few things about your system...
Ohkay...?
Do you use XP or Vista?
I use a Mac.
Sorry sir, I didn't get that. Was that XP?
No, I use a Mac.
Err, I still didn't quite understand. I am sorry. Is it XP or Vista?
(slowly) I use a Macintosh Computer with OS X Leopard installed on it.
Ahh, ok. (embarrassed) Nice. (quickly) I connect you to the technical Hotline now.

Lots of nice music in the line ... about three or four full titels. Phone shows 15 passed minutes...

Hello. This is the technical hotline - Apple. How can I help you?
(again describing my problem)
Ok. You will have to delete a file on your computer. Do you use XP or Vista?
Leopard
Sorry, didn't get that. XP?
No, Leopard (I slowly start to wonder whether there is a problem with my voice)
What's that?
That is an operating system which runs on Apple computers.
Ohhh, Leopard (pronounced very German)
Yes! Leopard (pronouncing it English)
In this case... You will have to delete a file on your system.
Ok
The file is situated at c:\windows\ ......
(arrrghhhhhhh) Ok. I guess it is on ~/Library/iTunes/....
Errr. Yes. (embarrassed)

Wow. That is what I call overworked! ;)

Maybe I should create a comic sequence out of it? What do you think?

Best,

Ben

Hi there,

To provide you with some news from the geek scene and whatever bothers me, I decided to start this blog. Hope you'll enjoy!

Best,

Ben