I hate OS X.

For years I've heard Debian folks brag about how superior .deb is to .rpm. Whatever. I've been using some Debian and Ubuntu boxes for several months now and I can assure you that the package management tools on those platforms are as primitive as any other distro, and in many ways they are far worse.

Here's a quick example. From the command line, locate and install OpenSSL development files:

Ubuntu 9.10:

# apt-cache search openssl
erlang-crypto - Erlang/OTP cryprographic modules
libcrypt-openssl-bignum-perl - Access OpenSSL multiprecision integer arithmetic libraries
libcrypt-openssl-random-perl - Access to the OpenSSL pseudo-random number generator
libcrypt-openssl-rsa-perl - Perl module providing basic RSA functionality
libcurl3 - Multi-protocol file transfer library (OpenSSL)
libcurl3-dbg - libcurl compiled with debug symbols
libcurl4-openssl-dev - Development files and documentation for libcurl (OpenSSL)
libneon27 - An HTTP and WebDAV client library
libopenssl-ruby - OpenSSL interface for Ruby
libqca2-plugin-ossl - QCA OSSL plugin for libqca2
openssl-blacklist - list of blacklisted OpenSSL RSA keys
openssl-blacklist-extra - list of non-default blacklisted OpenSSL RSA keys
openvpn - virtual private network daemon
python-openssl - Python wrapper around the OpenSSL library
python-openssl-dbg - Python wrapper around the OpenSSL library (debug extension)
python-openssl-doc - Python wrapper around the OpenSSL library (documentation package)
ssl-cert - simple debconf wrapper for OpenSSL
aolserver4-nsopenssl - AOLserver 4 module: module for SSL mode
cl-plus-ssl - A simple Common Lisp interface to OpenSSL
cl-ssl - Common Lisp interface to OpenSSL package
cryptmount - Management of encrypted file systems
cryptonit - A client side PKI (X.509) cryptographic tool
ebox-ca - eBox - Certification Authority
elfsign - ELF binary signing and verification utilities
etpan-ng - console mail user agent based on libEtPan!
fp-units-net - Free Pascal - networking units
gjots2 - A simple jotter (outline processor) for X11/gtk-gnome
globus-openssl-progs - Globus Toolkit - Openssl Library Programs
libace-ssl-5.6.3 - ACE secure socket layer library
libapache2-mod-gnutls - Apache module for SSL and TLS encryption with GnuTLS
libcrypt-openssl-dsa-perl - module which implements the DSA signature verification system
libcrypt-openssl-x509-perl - Perl extension to OpenSSL's X509 API
libcrypt-ssleay-perl - Support for https protocol in LWP
libengine-pkcs11-openssl - OpenSSL engine for PKCS#11 modules
libengine-tpm-openssl - OpenSSL engine for TPM modules
libglobus-gsi-callback0 - Globus Toolkit - Globus GSI Callback Library
libglobus-gsi-openssl-error-dev - Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Error  Handling Development Files
libglobus-gsi-openssl-error-doc - Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Error Handling Documentation Files
libglobus-gsi-openssl-error0 - Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Error Handling
libglobus-gsi-proxy-ssl1 - Globus Toolkit - Globus GSI Proxy SSL Library
libglobus-openssl - Globus Toolkit - Openssl Library
libglobus-openssl-dev - Globus Toolkit - Openssl Library Development Files
libglobus-openssl-module-dev - Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Module Wrapper Development Files
libglobus-openssl-module-doc - Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Module Wrapper Documentation Files
libglobus-openssl-module0 - Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Module Wrapper
libneon26 - An HTTP and WebDAV client library
libnewpki2 - PKI based on the OpenSSL low-level API (core library)
libopenssl-ruby1.9.1 - OpenSSL interface for Ruby 1.9.1
libpathfinder-dev - Development files for pathfinder
libpathfinder-openssl-1 - Pathfinder integration Library for OpenSSL
libpoconetssl6 - The C++ Portable Components Network library with SSL
libpoconetssl6-dbg - The C++ Portable Components Network library with SSL, dbg version
libruby-extras - a bundle of additional libraries for Ruby
libruby1.8-extras - a bundle of additional libraries for Ruby 1.8
libssl-ocaml - OCaml bindings for OpenSSL
libssl-ocaml-dev - OCaml bindings for OpenSSL
libtcnative-1 - Tomcat native library using the apache portable runtime
libxmlsec1-openssl - Openssl engine for the XML security library
mcrypt - Replacement for old unix crypt(1)
newpki-client - PKI based on the OpenSSL low-level API (client package)
newpki-server - PKI based on the OpenSSL low-level API (server package)
python-ncrypt - python wrapper for OpenSSL
somaplayer - player audio for the soma suite
stone - TCP/IP packet repeater in the application layer
tcl-tls - the TLS OpenSSL extension to Tcl
tinyca - simple graphical program for certification authority management
zope-externaleditor - Zope External Editor
zopeedit - Helper Application for Zope External Editor
libapache2-mod-php5 - server-side, HTML-embedded scripting language (Apache 2 module)
libopenssl-ruby1.8 - OpenSSL interface for Ruby 1.8
libssl-dev - SSL development libraries, header files and documentation
libssl0.9.8 - SSL shared libraries
libssl0.9.8-dbg - Symbol tables for libssl and libcrypto
openssl - Secure Socket Layer (SSL) binary and related cryptographic tools
openssl-doc - Secure Socket Layer (SSL) documentation
php5-cgi - server-side, HTML-embedded scripting language (CGI binary)
php5-cli - command-line interpreter for the php5 scripting language
ruby1.8 - Interpreter of object-oriented scripting language Ruby 1.8
libapache2-mod-php5filter - server-side, HTML-embedded scripting  language (apache 2 filter module)
libopenssl-ruby1.9 - OpenSSL interface for Ruby 1.9

Pretty much anything that utilizes OpenSSL is listed. Not terribly useful, if you ask me.

Now here's CentOS 5.4:

# yum search openssl
globus-gsi-openssl-error.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Error Handling
globus-gsi-openssl-error-devel.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Error Handling Development Files
globus-gsi-openssl-error-doc.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Error Handling Documentation Files
globus-openssl.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Openssl Library
globus-openssl-devel.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Openssl Library Development Files
globus-openssl-module.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Module Wrapper
globus-openssl-module-devel.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Module Wrapper Development Files
globus-openssl-module-doc.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Globus OpenSSL Module Wrapper Documentation Files
globus-openssl-progs.i386 : Globus Toolkit - Openssl Library Programs
m2crypto.i386 : Support for using OpenSSL in python scripts
mingw32-openssl.noarch : MinGW port of the OpenSSL toolkit
openscada-Transport-SSL.i386 : Open SCADA transports
openssl.i386 : The OpenSSL toolkit
openssl.i686 : The OpenSSL toolkit
openssl-devel.i386 : Files for development of applications which will use OpenSSL
openssl-perl.i386 : Perl scripts provided with OpenSSL
openssl097a.i386 : The OpenSSL toolkit
openvpn.i386 : A full-featured SSL VPN solution
perl-Crypt-OpenSSL-Bignum.i386 : Perl interface to OpenSSL for Bignum
perl-Crypt-OpenSSL-RSA.i386 : Perl interface to OpenSSL for RSA
perl-Crypt-OpenSSL-Random.i386 : Perl interface to OpenSSL for Random
perl-Crypt-SSLeay.i386 : Crypt::SSLeay - OpenSSL glue that provides LWP https support
perl-Net-SSLeay.i386 : Perl extension for using OpenSSL
pkcs11-helper.i386 : A library for using PKCS#11 providers
pyOpenSSL.i386 : Python wrapper module around the OpenSSL library
tomcat-native.i386 : Tomcat native library
tomcatjss.noarch : JSSE implementation using JSS for Tomcat
xmlsec1.i386 : Library providing support for "XML Signature" and "XML Encryption" standards
xmlsec1-openssl.i386 : OpenSSL crypto plugin for XML Security Library
xmlsec1-openssl-devel.i386 : OpenSSL crypto plugin for XML Security Library

We won't even complain about the fact that there is ONE utility "yum" to both search and install packages vs Debians two ("apt-get" and "apt-cache"), but the search results speak for themselves.

Even better, let's look at Gentoo:

# esearch openssl
[ Results for search key : openssl ]
[ Applications found : 8 ]

*  app-crypt/openssl-blacklist
     Latest version available: 0.4.1
     Latest version installed: [ Not Installed ]
     Size of downloaded files: [no/bad digest]
     Homepage:    https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/openssl-blacklist/
     Description: Detection of weak ssl keys produced by certain debian versions between 2006 and 2008
     License:     GPL-2

*  app-crypt/openssl-tpm-engine [ Masked ]
     Latest version available: 0.4.1
     Latest version installed: [ Not Installed ]
     Size of downloaded files: [no/bad digest]
     Homepage:    http://trousers.sourceforge.net
     Description: This provides a OpenSSL engine that uses private keys stored in TPM hardware
     License:     GPL-2

*  dev-libs/openssl
     Latest version available: 0.9.8h-r1
     Latest version installed: 0.9.8h-r1
     Size of downloaded files: [no/bad digest]
     Homepage:    http://www.openssl.org/
     Description: Toolkit for SSL v2/v3 and TLS v1
     License:     openssl

*  dev-perl/Crypt-OpenSSL-Bignum
     Latest version available: 0.04
     Latest version installed: [ Not Installed ]
     Size of downloaded files: [no/bad digest]
     Homepage:    http://search.cpan.org/~iroberts/
     Description: OpenSSL's multiprecision integer arithmetic
     License:     Artistic

*  dev-perl/Crypt-OpenSSL-RSA
     Latest version available: 0.25
     Latest version installed: [ Not Installed ]
     Size of downloaded files: [no/bad digest]
     Homepage:    http://search.cpan.org/~iroberts/Crypt-OpenSSL-RSA-0.25/
     Description: Crypt::OpenSSL::RSA module for perl
     License:     || ( Artistic GPL-2 )

*  dev-perl/Crypt-OpenSSL-Random
     Latest version available: 0.04
     Latest version installed: [ Not Installed ]
     Size of downloaded files: [no/bad digest]
     Homepage:    http://search.cpan.org/~iroberts/
     Description: Crypt::OpenSSL::Random module for perl
     License:     || ( Artistic GPL-2 )

*  dev-perl/OpenCA-OpenSSL
     Latest version available: 0.9.91-r1
     Latest version installed: [ Not Installed ]
     Size of downloaded files: [no/bad digest]
     Homepage:    http://search.cpan.org/~madwolf/
     Description: The perl OpenCA::SSL Module
     License:     || ( Artistic GPL-2 )

*  dev-python/pyopenssl
     Latest version available: 0.6
     Latest version installed: [ Not Installed ]
     Size of downloaded files: [no/bad digest]
     Homepage:    http://pyopenssl.sourceforge.net/
     Description: Python interface to the OpenSSL library
     License:     LGPL-2.1

That's pretty ideal. Now to be clear, I do like a lot of stuff about Ubuntu, but frankly the package system isn't one of them. I think the Debian/Ubuntu communities would do well to stop inviting comparisons of this aspect of their favorite distro until it stacks up a little better.

One thing I've noticed is that Ubuntu and Debian seems to have spent more time ensuring that packages are correct and they lack good tools for dealing with the inevitable package that is bad (broken dependencies, etc) whereas the Red Hat side tend to have more bad packages and better tools for dealing with them. Clearly neither approach is anywhere near ideal, but I'd be hard-pressed to say which is worse.

Effing awesome.

Xronos is a DLR-based Lisp variant. It is a Clojure-like language for .NET. Xronos shares the same syntax and base library as Clojure (but not any source code).

I usually bitch mostly about software and services that suck. However there's a large amount of suckage to be found in the physical world as well, and every so often I find it worth mentioning in case someone who cares stumbles across it.

About a year ago I purchased a new sink for the kitchen, and while I was at it, decided to replace the faucet as well. I found a nice Peerless brand faucet for around $70 at True Value. It was absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, time has proven that this beauty was chrome-deep.

First of all, once it was installed, I noticed that the spout itself was a bit... wiggly. This hasn't caused any problems to date, but was my first indication that the quality was perhaps a bit sub-par. The second indication came about 6 months ago when my girlfriend accidentally hit the side of the spout with a pan. It left a visible dent in the side of the spout. Now, I imagine it's possible to dent almost anything metal given enough force, but it turns out that this faucet is paper-thin. The next indicator of poor quality came about two weeks ago when the hand-sprayer started leaking water from the handle. Better yet, if you actually tried to use the handle, water would literally spray out the back of it, usually all over your shirt and pants. Now, this is only a $10 replacement part, but really, the damn thing is less than a year old and the spray handle only gets used on occasion. There's no way it should have failed already.

In any case, I won't buy Peerless again and if you are doing some home project, I'd look at other brands.