Continuing my "avoid the console" series, I'm going to cover remotely managing partitions on a Linux server. Yes, this will involve a bit of console, but this will set you on a path to using GUI tools on your servers without having to install a complete windowing environment. Installing a complete desktop-like environment is a waste of resources for most servers, so keeping things to a minimum helps to streamline and allow your servers to do more things with less hardware.

A lot of new Linux users don't realize it, but a Linux desktop has both a "server" and a "client" for drawing things on the screen. This allows you to separate the program's interface from the machine it's running on and display it remotely.

The most powerful way to remotely manage Linux servers is using the SSH (Secure SHell.) It's like a DOS prompt for your server that you can use securely and remotely. The beauty is that if set up properly, it can tunnel a windowed program through that connection to display on your local desktop. Just don't get confused as to what is running where.

I've been considering a switch to DirecTV. Suddenlink, my local cable provider doesn't offer ANY of the major four networks in high definition. Initially when I signed up, I was told that I would get NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX all in HD.Low and behold, it ain't so. In fact, without paying extra for HBO or CINIMAX, I only get something like 7 HD channels, and one is in Spanish.

So, I checked with DirecTV who claims to have over 100 HD stations by the end of the year.

Wow, I can get 9 HD channels from DirecTV, and get this - none include ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX. Thanks.

Idea two: try to get MythTV to record digital cable / HD. In researching capture cards for MythTV I stumbled across this little gem from PcHDTV.

And, it's cheaper than what I paid for my analog Hauppauge capture card. I might just have to try that out!