Without a Traceroute

So of the three free internet terminals at the hostel, one of them has never worked (the screen is just dark), and the other one has been frozen all day (based on the error message displayed, it’s actually running eLux NG). Yes Virginia, Linux can freeze. Although, based on the errors it looks like what actually happened was bad javascript killed Firefox 2 (update, people!). The mouse still responds, so X seems to be working. For all I know, Linux is actually humming away fine in the background, but the system is locked in a terminal mode, and none of the system interrupt keys (ctrl+alt+del, ctrl+alt+bkspace to restart X) are available. We’ve asked the hostel clerks to reboot the box, but they “don’t know where the computer is”, although it seems to me like it’d be a simple matter to follow the cables into back room, but whatever.

The terminals are connected to a wifi network which is locked (WPA encryption), and “not ready” for guests to use until October, so they won’t give us the key, which is very strange. BUT, there are wired ethernet jacks underneath each terminal. I’m assuming there used to be computers connected with ethernet here, but the jacks are still live so I pushed the keyboard and mouse from the non-functional terminal out of the way and set up my laptop. Since setting up here, I’ve loaned my laptop to like 5 different people to check their email or banking stuff.

Also, I am apparently the only person in the world who carries an ethernet cable along with my wireless-capable laptop. Maybe it’s just because I’m kind of a geek, but that seems very strange to me. There are still plenty of places where there’s no wireless, and carrying a patch cable just seems like carrying the power cord  to me.

But about 3 people have seen me with the laptop and been like, “Oh, is there wifi?” and I go, “No, but you can plug in right here.” and they’re like, “Oh, I don’t have a cable.”

Anyway, this XKCD is incredibly resonant.