wow. just wow.

i needed to automate some process on a windows server today for work. it’s been a long time since i’ve done any real work in a microsoft environment. i have been working with linux on both desktop and server platforms. my endeavor was labor intensive for what would have been super simple on a linux server.

my task: unzip a file into a specified directory automatically. that is, i needed to script it. since this is so unbelievably simple in linux, i had hoped it would be just a matter of finding the right executable in windows and making the command line calls. i was wrong.

native tools for unzipping on a windows server seem to exist within the window manager executables. these are not even callable based on a quick search around the internet. most solutions involved installing third party tools just to unzip files, and not all of these could be used from a command line. in fact, i was appalled to find this comment in this thread:

“…the normal way…”?! really?

i don’t know how people live in a click and drool world and not feel their geek being stripped away from them. nothing feels better than having so many options at my disposal. and if one doesn’t exist, i could simply write it using the plethora of tools existing on the majority of linux systems. perhaps i’m just too spoiled living in a world were i can script up so much using so many different and simple tools. and for that, i am very thankful because i could be working in a world where today’s sort of situation was my everyday job.

minor repair

i had been suffering with pain in my right knee for some time. i chalked it up to minor sports injuries that heal themselves after some rest. this one turned out to be different.

after a couple of people in one week mentioned that i should have it looked at, i scheduled a doctor visit. x-rays not giving a clear enough picture, the nurse referred me to an orthopedist. more x-rays and hands ob led to an mri which led to an arthroscopic procedure to repair torn meniscus.



i asked for local anesthesia rather than general so i could watch the show on the monitor. my doc gave me a play-by-play as he ran the scope in my knee and shaved down the damaged tissue. (that was way cool!)



i spent a couple of days doing little walking and almost two weeks on pain meds. oh, and some physical therapy.



i was glad to have the bandage off. just three entry points. i had hoped to be lightly jogging by now, but i am still healing. pain is not really the problem; it’s more of letting the insides herald properly ofwhich i am in total favor.

it is closer to normal life again. i really want to play basketball again. the knee is becoming stronger.

soon.