====Introduction====

Raised in Corning and escaping with a purpose at the age of 18, Brian Ewanyk has returned to the land of his inception with a new sense of determination. 

He returns a veteran of the US Military, SCA member, and former entrepeneur.  He brings with him experience in pet training, management, logistics, fire fighting, diesel and automotive service and repair,and electrical and general contracting.  Having a fair amount of time traveling he is steadily working his way toward the title of Reinassance Man.

With his return to the GCEA (Greater Corning Elmira Area) the time has come to complete the college degrees that he started at RIT.

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===The Unix/Linux Experience===
==Week 1==

As summer winds to a close, new classes creep out of the morning mists to poke and prod at the brains of unsuspecting college students.  Those with true intestinal fortitude may venture into the bowels of the earth, seeking the elusive lair of the massive and evil Unix beast.  Of those making this perilous trip, only the most determined may emerge alive and with the glowing pearl of knowledge cradled in their awe-number hands.

The first impression of the lair is a suprisingly brightly lit cave.  The air hangs hot and wet as if the moist breath of the beast pulses against your skin.  Then just as all your courage seems to fail you, the wise hermit of this subterranean cell speaks.

//"Welcome to the beginning of your journey.  What you will learn here may seem strange and unusual.  It may seem impossible at times.  But, I am here to show you the way...and this is how we will begin."//

As the lessons are revealed, a tickle begins at the back of your brain.  "It's almost as if I've seen this before..." you think.  Memories begin to claw their way from your subconscious.  Memories of other caves in other places.  Excursions into VMS and VAX and finally a glimmer of Unix experiences past.  As the memories come clearer commands emerge; ls and cd, mk and rmdir, cp and mv, talk and kill, write and screen, echo and echo<sup>echo</sup><sub>echo</sub>.  Options float and flutter around the commands; -l and -r, -s and -ls, .. and ~, -o -a and -fn. 

--------------------
==Week 2==


In the beginning, life is easy;  Monochrome monitors, DOS, and processors where it makes a difference if you overclock them.  Then, one day you discover that your reality is incomplete.  Suddenly, the effort you put into broadening your universe to include things like GUI, mice, and telnet addresses is insignificant.  Not only do new vistas open before you, begging your attention, but whole new worlds, some of which don't require the cash to have an apple stamped on them, others claim the inspiring options of windows compatible programs if you don't mind a 'few' bugs...  Just when the basis of your existance seems settled back to something resembling concrete, it's hit with the same effect as a 6.0 earthquake would have on lower Manhattan!  



Come, delve back into your beloved, but recently neglected, command line structure!  You no longer have to secede the contr of of your reality to massive corporate entities and expensive, but ultimately useless trademarks!  Here's your new option, and you can fold-spindle-and mutilate it as you see fit!  See it's wonderous file structure?  See how, no matter which particular flavor of reality you prefer, it remains basically the same?  You can invite your friends and family into your world, and they can find their way without a map!  If they do manage to lose their way in your world, have them ask the 'man'!  If he can't show them the way, he can at least make things clearer, and his wisdom is greater than the sum of his pages.

So, you begin to explore this new environment.  As you create walkways and shortcuts, as you 'touch' new files and check on breading 'cat's a shining world appears in the vast darkenss available within the system. This new world, one of your own design, begins it's slow gracefull travel along it's eliptic orbiting the kernel.  Yet, as you craft the wonders of your imagination you realize that there is another step you could take.  Actually beginning from scratch, harnessing the full power of this new system, you could create a universe of your own.  Manipulating the ether into a reality in such a way that even DesCarte
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http://www.purerave.com/photos/5479321

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Temp Mode Dump...
<table>
<tr><th>/mode</th><th>User / Channel</th><th>IRCd</th><th>Description</th><th>Set By</th></tr>

IRCd</td></tr>
<tr><td>A</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Administrators Only.  Unknown.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
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<tr><td>G</td></tr>
<tr><td>G</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>G-Filter.  Censors swear words that are sent to the user in the channel or elsewhere.</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>

<tr><td>G</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>G-Rated.  Censors swear words that are said in the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>g</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid</td><td>Caller ID.  Unknown.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>g</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Global Notices.  Allows the user to see global notices.  IRC operators see more global notices than regular users.</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>

<tr><td>g</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Network Globals.  Allows the irc operator to see and use /globops and /chatops.</td><td>IRCops</td></tr>
<tr><td>H</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Hide IRC Operator Status. Hides the IRC operator line in /whois.</td><td>IRCops</td></tr>
<tr><td>h</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Help Operator.  Marks the user as available to help users.  Depending on the IRCd, also allows the operator to see /helpop notices.</td><td>IRCops</td></tr>

<tr><td>h&nbsp;&lt;nickname></td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Hybrid, Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Half Operator.  Marks the user as a half channel operator.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>I</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>IRC Administrator.  Unknown.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>I</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Invitation Block.  Prevents users from inviting anyone into the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>I&nbsp;&lt;hostmask></td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Hybrid, IRCnet</td><td>Invitation.  Allows any user that matches the hostmask to join the channel without an invitation.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>i</td><td class="user">User</td><td>All</td><td>Invisible.  Prevents the user from showing up in /names and /who output.</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>
<tr><td>i</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Invitation Only.  Prevents anyone from joining the channel without an invitation.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>K</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Knock Block.  Prevents users from using /knock on the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>k</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid, Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Kill Notices.  Allows the user to see when a user is killed from the local server.</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>
<tr><td>k&nbsp;&lt;key></td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Keyed.  Prevents everyone who does not know the key (password) from joining the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>L&nbsp;&lt;channel></td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Overflow.  Specifies which channel users should be sent to when the channel reaches its limit (+l).</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>l</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid</td><td>Locops.  Unknown.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>l&nbsp;&lt;users></td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Limit.  Restricts the size of the channel.  After so many users are in the channel, no more can join until one leaves.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>M</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>See Hiddent Channels.  Allows the IRC operator to see all modes, and +p and +s channels, in /list.</td><td>IRCops</td></tr>
<tr><td>M</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Moderate Unregistered Users.  Doesn't allow unregistered users (-r) to talk in the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>m</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Whois Notification.  Allows the IRC operator to see when users /whois him or her.</td><td>IRCop</td></tr>

<tr><td>m</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Moderated.  Marks the channel as moderated.  Members of the channel who do not have channel privilege (+v, +h, +o, etc) can not speak in the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>N</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Network Administrator.  Prevents the user from being killed by anyone except services and protected (+p) users.</td><td>Services</td></tr>
<tr><td>N</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Nickname Block.  Prevents users in the channel from changing nicknames.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>n</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid</td><td>Nickname Notice.  Shows the user a notice every time a user changes nicknames.</td><td>IRCops</td></tr>
<tr><td>n</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>No External Messages.  Prevents users who have not joined the channel from talking in it without joining, first.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>O</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Local IRC Operator.  Marks the user as a local IRC operator.</td><td>IRCd</td></tr>

<tr><td>O</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Operators Only.  Only allows IRC operators to join the channel.</td><td>IRCops</td></tr>
<tr><td>o</td><td class="user">User</td><td>All</td><td>Global IRC Operator.  Marks the user as a global IRCop</td><td>IRCd</td></tr>
<tr><td>o&nbsp;&lt;nickname></td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Operator.  Marks the user as a channel operator.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>P</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Services Administrator.  Marks the user as a services administrator.</td><td>IRCd, Services</td></tr>
<tr><td>p</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Protected.  Blocks users from kicking, deoping, dehalfoping, devoicing, and killing the user.</td><td>Services</td></tr>
<tr><td>p</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Hidden Channels.  Hides the channels from the user's /whois.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>

<tr><td>p</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Private.  Hides the channel from /whois.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>Q</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Kick Block.  Only allows services to kick users from the channel.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>q</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Kick Block.  Only allows services to kick you from a channel.</td><td>IRCops</td></tr>

<tr><td>q&nbsp;&lt;nickname></td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Owner.  Marks the user as channel owner.</td><td>Services</td></tr>
<tr><td>R</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Restricted.  Blocks user from becoming a channel operator or changing nicknames.</td><td>IRCd</td></tr>
<tr><td>R</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Registered Messages Only.  Blocks messages and notices from unregistered (-r) users.</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>

<tr><td>R</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Bahamut, Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Registered Users Only.  Prevents users who have not identified with services from joining the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>r</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid</td><td>Rejected Notice.  Shows rejected client notices.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>r</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Bahamut, IRCu, Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Registered.  Marks the user as having identified with services.</td><td>Services</td></tr>

<tr><td>r</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unknown</td><td>Restricted.  Blocks user from becoming a channel operator or changing nicknames.</td><td>IRCd</td></tr>
<tr><td>r</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Bahamut, Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Registered.  Marks the channel as registered with services.</td><td>Services</td></tr>
<tr><td>r</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>IRCu</td><td>Registered Users Only.  Prevents users who have not identified with services from joining the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>S</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Services Client.  Prevents the user from being kicked, deoped, dehalfoped, devoiced, ans killed.  Also hides the channel list from /whois.</td><td>Services</td></tr>
<tr><td>S</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Strip Colours.  Strips colours from text in the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>s</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid, Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Server Notices.  Allows the user to see local server notices.</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>

<tr><td>s</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Secret.  Hides the channel from /whois and /list.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>T</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Technical Administrator.  Unknown.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>T</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>CTCP Block.  Blocks CTCPs from getting to the user.</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>

<tr><td>T</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Notice Block.  Doesn't allow users to send notices to the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>t</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>V-Host.  Signifies that the user is using a /vhost.</td><td>IRCd</td></tr>
<tr><td>t</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Only Operators Set Topic.  Prevents users who are not channel operators from changing the channel topic.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>u</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid</td><td>Unauthorized Notices.  Shows unauthorized client notices.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>u</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Auditorium.  Makes /names and /who only show channel operators to regular users, and show everyone to channel operators.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>V</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>WebTV.  Marks the user as a WebTV user.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>

<tr><td>V</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Invitation Block.  Prevents users from inviting anyone into the channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>v</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Infected DCC Notices.  Unknown.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>v</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>All</td><td>Voice.  Allows the user to speak in a moderated channel.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>

<tr><td>W</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Watcher Notices.  Unknown.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>W</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Whois Notification.  Allows the IRC operator to see when users /whois him or her.</td><td>IRCop</td></tr>
<tr><td>w</td><td class="user">User</td><td>All</td><td>Wallops.  Lets the user view wallops when they are sent by IRC operators.  This is restricted to server wallops in Hybrid</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>

<tr><td>X</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Network Monitor. Unknown.</td><td>Services</td></tr>
<tr><td>x</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid</td><td>External Notices.  Shows remote splits and server connection notices.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>x</td><td class="user">User</td><td>IRCu, Ultimate, Unreal</td><td>Masked Hostname.  Hides the user's hostname or IP address from other users.</td><td>Anyone</td></tr>

<tr><td>x</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Colour Block.  Rejects any lines that contain colour codes.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
<tr><td>y</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid</td><td>Spy Notices.  Shows when users use /stats, /links, and /trace.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>Z</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>Network Co-Administrator.  Unknown.</td><td>IRCd</td></tr>

<tr><td>z</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Hybrid</td><td>Operator Wallops.  Shows wallops that were sent by IRC operators.</td><td>Unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>z</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Ultimate</td><td>IRC Co-Administrator.  Unknown.</td><td>IRCd</td></tr>
<tr><td>z</td><td class="user">User</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Secure User.  Marks the user as connected via SSL.</td><td>IRCd</td></tr>

<tr><td>z</td><td class="channel">Channel</td><td>Unreal</td><td>Secure Users Only.  Only allows secure (SSL) users join.</td><td>ChanOps</td></tr>
</table>