Dashwerks, Inc. - Demo Carputer Development

This is how the car evolved to a higher form...


	Last update (2009-07-10 00:10:14):

I've decided to convert the Aspire to an Electric Vehicle. It'll be a little ways down the road, however. First I have to obtain a forklift motor and driveshaft coupler. I'll post more here when progress happens.


	Last update (2009-06-22 21:25:03):

It's been a while since I updated this site. I'm working on some fun new additions to the dashpc. Stay tuned.


	Last update (2008-05-09 21:12:10):

We're making some long overdue updates to the site.


	Last update (2008-04-09 22:00:25):

I removed the 15" aluminum wheels from the car because they were heavier and negatively affected the Coefficient of Drag substantially. For hypermiling, thinner wheels are definitely better. Be sure to use wheels that are safe for your vehicle!


	Last update (2005-11-04 22:04:25):

One of our users is conducting a carputer survey for school. If you have a few seconds, click here and answer a few questions about your carputer and what you like/don't like about it.


	Last update (2005-07-27 12:09:20):

The DashPC Project can be see in the following excellent books:


	Last update (2005-07-09 19:09:20):

Well, we're excited to welcome our newest member to the DashPC Family.

More updates to come...


	Last update (2005-06-09 17:09:45):

Well, we've started work on porting DashPC to the Mac Mini.

Much thanks to Mike Hooper, of Carnetix, for the gratious loaner Mac Mini.


	Last update (2005-06-04 22:04:49):

A good friend of mine is running for the QUEST FOR ANTONIA Contest. You can see her website here. If you'd like to do us a quick favor, please help us by please voting for her.


	Last update (2005-05-24 17:24:31):

It looks like Google Maps isn't responding to our XSLT requests right now. The "Where is the Car?" Maps won't be working until this comes back online.

This seems to be affecting everyone using the gmaps code - not just us.


	Last update (2005-05-16 22:16:20):

We just added a little mapping toy to the site. You can now track the Linux Car in real-time.


	Last update (2005-04-07 01:07:15):

We released a new version of DashPC today. It's primarily bug fixes, code cleanup, etc. You can download it here.


	Last update (2005-03-24 16:39:00):

Just stumbled across this site, while doing some carputer research - not sure what to think about it yet, though.


	Last update (2005-03-20 00:06:17):

Thanks to everyone that came out to the Atlanta carputer meetup. It was a fun time and it was great meeting all of you guys. There were some very impressive installations and fabrication / factory integrations. Our thanks to J. Uhl and his team for allowing us to use the General Motors Center in Alpharetta. We'll post pictures to the site soon - stay tuned.


	Last update (2005-03-19 01:28:17):

Reminder: Tomorrow, Saturday, March 19th at 2pm EST, we'll be demo'ing the Dashwerks Jetta at the carputer meetup at the GM Training Center in Alpharetta, GA (North Atlanta Suburbs). The address of the meet is: 6395 Shiloh Road, Alpharetta, 30005.

Rain or Shine, we'll be there demo'ing the VW prototype car; so come on out if you want to see some amazing car/computer integration. For more information - click here to read about the meet.


	Last update (2005-01-27 18:27:51):

The DashPC Linuxcar can be seen in a great new book about carputing: Geek My Ride: Build the Ultimate Tech Rod. The book is coming out in April 2005 and can be PRE-ORDERED from Dashwerks for $10 less than the cover price!


	Last update (2005-01-26 15:12:19):

Carputer Cartoon


	Last update (2004-12-15 23:15:36):

On Sunday December 19th, we'll [probably] lightly demo the Dashwerks Jetta at the Atlanta mp3car meet. Details can be found here. We'll be demonstrating the DSSC Startup/Shutdown Controller in action and we'll have DSSC units on hand for sale.


	Last update (2004-09-14 21:14:47):

We'll be holding a developers conference tonight at 21:30 EST (10:30PM) on Slashnet: irc.slashnet.org in the #dashpc channel.


	Last update (2004-09-02 22:02:04):

We'll be holding a developers conference on IRC on Tuesday, September 14th at 22:30 (10:30PM) EST. We'll [probably] host it on irc.efnet.net in the #dashpc channel.


	Last update (2004-06-07 12:27:00):


	Last update (2004-06-03 16:23:13):


	Last update (2004-05-29 10:01:23):


	Last update (2004-05-25 00:01:23):


	Last update (2004-04-15 00:01:23):


	Last update (2004-04-15 00:01:23):

We have a few DSSC Startup/Shutdown Controllers now available on eBay. Click here to view the eBay listing, or click here to see details about the the product. The reserve price for the product is $49 USD and we will ship worldwide.

Update: The DSSC is sold out. We will have more units available for sale on June 1, 2004 (20040601).


	Last update (2004-04-12 18:12:22):

We just received confirmation that the latest batch of DSSC boards have shipped from our vendor. They will be on sale sometime next week.

Please Note: We will have a very limited quantity available next week. We expect to do a much larger production run in about 3 weeks.


	Last update (2004-04-07 19:07:29):

Tonight we added a picture of our rearview / back-up camera installation in the back of the Volkswagen Jetta. The only step remaining is to drill out the badge, water-seal it, and re-mount it on the vehicle.


	Last update (2004-03-02 18:02:54):

A new version of DashPC is now available. It's very alpha code, and it needs a lot of work. Feel free to download it by clicking here.

To build it:
untar it (tar xvfz filename.tar.gz)
cd dashpc[hit tab key]
./autogen.sh
./configure
make
make install
dashpc &

We're in need of developers for it, so if you'd like to help with the project, please download it and let us know what you think.


	Last update (2004-02-19 20:19:20):

The Dashwerks DashPC™ (Dashboard PC) was featured as the "Creme de le Creme" Car PC installation at the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) by VIA technologies in January [2004].

Video footage of the event can be found here (sorry only WMV format right now).

NOTE: This is the video footage from the VIA event that featured the DashPC™. The DashPC™ itself isn't shown.

Thanks VIA!


	Last update (2004-02-09 14:09:51):

The website will be down for a few hours tonight while we upgrade our server. We apologize for any inconveniences.


	Last update (2004-01-26 16:26:10):

The DSSC™ circuit boards have come back from the production house and will be available on the site for purchase shortly. The final size of the controller is: 117mm (4.6") X 101mm (4.0") X 26mm (1").


	Last update (2004-01-23 14:23:21):

We added a couple of new screenshots of the new DashPC software this afternoon. They can be found on the pictures page.

Also, before you ask, I'm using an Internet Explorer Icon on one of the screenshots since it's pretty universal and I just wanted to demonstrate the themeable capabilites of the new interface. Clicking that button actually spawns Mozilla.


	Last update (2004-01-20 15:20:13):

Some of you have recently inquired about the new DashPC software. The software is currently being re-written for a new interface and some new features. The version that is currently available on sourceforge (via the Files link on this site) is very obsolete. Please email me if you're interested in the most recent version of the software. It's still very beta, and much of the functionality hasn't been completed. If you're interested in beta-testing / co-developing the new software, please contact me via e-mail.


	Last update (2004-01-20 14:20:04):

The new version of the DSSC™ (startup/shutdown controller) went into a production run today. We should have the new boards in a couple of weeks. The completed product will be available immediately thereafter. The price for the completed circuit is going to be $69 and the kit will sell for $49. In the near future we will be selling the pre-programmed PIC chip and circuitboard as a pair. However, at this time we're not sure what the pricing will be.


	Last update (2004-01-13 18:13:39):

On this night we added a few pictures of the forthcoming DashPC™ infotainment unit installed in the 2003 Ford Expedition.

Also, for those of you that are wondering - the VW Jetta prototype vehicle was wrecked on Christmas Day by the driver of another vehicle. We will still use it as a prototype vehicle, however, in it's current form it is undriveable. We're contemplating trading the vehicle in for a new VW Touareg, or just making payments on the Ford Expedition.


	Last update (2004-01-02 20:02:43):

Ok, we've added a "Route Registration" feature to the new DashPC software for our Dutch users. Now, using DashPC™ a vehicle computer and a GPS/OBDII device, you can generate your Route Registration automatically! In addition, the route registration output can be uploaded via Bluetooth or WiFi (802.11) to a home computer or PDA for filing purposes.


	Last update (2004-01-02 14:02:27):

The site has been down for the past few days due to a server relocation. We aplogize for not being accessible during this time.


	Last update (2003-12-25 18:25:03):

Merry Christmas everyone!!! My wonderful girlfriend got me a 40Gig iPod for Christmas. It's a GREAT device, and I highly recommend it. If you don't have an iPod, you should at least install iTunes. It's the most kickass MP3 / CD / etc. application around (for Win, Mac, etc). I was using it for a few months before I got my iPod, and when coupled with an iPod it's an AWESOME combo. Please don't take our praise lightly - it takes a lot to impress the Dashwerks group. We're really impressed with iTunes (and the iPod) though. I've never really been an Apple fan, but I've always liked the Mac's that I've used. Recently, however, I've started to really appreciate the beauty of the Apples.


	Last update (2003-12-03 17:03:21):

Ok, so its been a while since I last posted an update here. [Un?]Fortunately, I was laid of from my job on this day, so I'm very excited about being able to work full-time on the DashPC. I'll be updating the site more frequently and DashPC v2.0 will be unveiled much sooner. You won't be disappointed.


	Last update (2003-11-18 19:18:14):

We've been working with outside vendors on a BIOS replacement for the VIA Epia boards. By bypassing the BIOS altogether and booting straight into the kernel, we'll reduce our time from power on to GUI to about 5-10 seconds (possibly less). Stay tuned if you're interested in the latest developments.


	Last update (2003-11-10 18:10:22):

DashPC 2004.2.0 is coming soon.


	Last update (2003-11-03 11:03:49):

Happy Halloween!


	Last update (2003-10-30 14:30:56):

We've been playing around with Framebuffer code quite a bit lately. It's interesting, but we're not sure if it offers a significant enough performance increase. Although updates to this portion of the website haven't been very plentiful lately, we've been working on quite a few new advances. The next version of DashPC (both hardware and software) will be pretty amazing. The new interface is like MythTV on steriods and it features transparent(alpha) icons, video, etc. In addition, we'd like to make it work with MythTV modules/plugins, eventually. Stay tuned for updates.


	Last update (2003-10-26 13:26:12):

Unfortunately, due to a scheduling issue, we were unable to attend PhreakNIC 7 this weekend. Our apologies to those whom wanted to see the vehicles this weekend.


	Last update (2003-10-17 21:17:15):

2 updates tonight:
We just obtained a 12 function joystick style remote. We're going to use it to control the dashpc interface remotely via joystick. We'll add more details as we develop the joystick protocol and integrate the changes into the new DashPC code.

Also, we found an interesting link for recovering bad HDs in Linux. It can be found here. Specifically, this site deals with bad sectors and recovering drives that have failed because of them. Since the most likely failure of a hard disk drive in a car, is a sector read/failure I've posted the link here.


	Last update (2003-10-06 00:16:40):

I finished the Slackware 9.1 upgrade tonight (which was much easier to configure than I expected). I also finished upgrading to kernel 2.6. Alsa was automatically configured and all my modules now work perfectly (powermate, via-rhine, etc.). I also had to make a slight modification to Todd Johnson's XMMS powermate plugin to get it to work with my powermate. On my system it's /dev/input/event2 and it's hardcoded in his code as /dev/input/event0. I made a quick change, recompiled the module and it now works perfectly.


	Last update (2003-10-04 16:04:53):

I upgraded the dashpc to Slackware 9.1 this weekend. Partiticularly for a few bug fixes and the new Bitstream TrueType Fonts.


	Last update (2003-09-30 18:30:14):

I've been very interested in reducing my boot time lately after doing some research on booting linux faster. I just started tweaking, but at present I'm at 32 seconds. Here's the general breakdown:

0 - 10 seconds = POST [motherboard / BIOS] (10 total seconds)

10-17 seconds = Linux kernel (7 total seconds)

17-22 seconds = INIT and startup scripts (5 total seconds)

I'm going to use a great new technique that uses make and the (-j) flag and a modified Makefile to load all the services in parallel instead of in series like a normal boot. Hopefully, I'll be able to shave a few more seconds off of the boot time here. Also, I haven't really stripped the kernel down yet so that should save me quite a few more seconds. Finally, the new linux kernel 2.6.0 has an embedded flag that allows stripping the kernel of all unbuilt code. This will probably offer a HUGE improvement and should bring my kernel time down to almost nothing. At this point, I'm most concerned with my POST/BIOS boot time and my X startup time.


	Last update (2003-09-29 23:29:21):

One of the dashpc members pointed out this link: Software tweak boots Linux in under 200 mS. It's a great link to information about the potential of a linux kernel that can boot in approx. 200 milliseconds!!! For those of you that have been thinking about moving to Linux, but still aren't convinced; I doubt you'll EVER be able to find this kind of functionality with any other operating system. Thanks for the link!!!


	Last update (2003-09-26 20:26:04):

I added a D-LINK DWL-120+ USB WiFi 802.11b card to the car tonight. I modded the antenna connector to work with the homemade antenna that I already installed in the car.

Update: 2003-09-26 22:16: I can' t get the D-LINK DWL-120+ to work in Linux. It uses the Texas Instruments (TI) chipset, and the vendor won't provide the protocol. Avoid D-Link if you use Linux.


	Last update (2003-09-17 20:17:51):

I added a picture of the car to the pictures page. You can find it here.

I haven't added many updates lately, but I've been working on quite a few new things. I'll post details as I make things happen.

Also, I'll be adding a search function to the site in the near future. Hopefully, this will allow you all to find more specific information more easily.


	Last update (2003-09-02 12:02:06):

I had a novel idea this morning. It occurred to me that part of my boot up time is spent while the 2.5" notebook hard disk spins up to speed. I figure that I can probably shave a few more seconds off of my boot time by spinning the drive up when the car is unlocked by my remote control. In this way, the drive will be spinning at speed (by a separate power supply) by the time the motherboard POST begins the IDE detection routine. I'm going to experiment with it more tonight. I'll post details if it's something worth persuing.

Update (2003-09-02 17:55:00): Hrmm, well it appears that the 2.5" notebook HD won't spin up until the IDE channel tells it to do so. Most ordinary 3.5" drives spin up when power is applied to them. I'm guessing that this is a feature of the low-power notebook drive.


	Last update (2003-08-27 18:27:30):

I upgraded the car to Slackware 9.0 last night. I also installed the distributed net client. The distributed.net client is a peice of software that uses unused computer cycles to help crack encryption keys and solve massively parallel research projects. Maybe if I get some free time I can write some quick code that will tell me how many keys I try to crack per mile. Also - There will not ever be a dashpc distribution. We may release a demo CD/.iso in the future, however, I've decided that I'm not willing to maintain a full distribution. It's a tremendous amount of work in itself. I give much respect to all of the distribution maintainers for all of their hard work.


	Last update (2003-08-24 15:24:36):

The ALE presentation was a blast. Thanks to everyone who attended.

Also, this weekend I worked on creating a macro that puts the car windows up when the speed goes above 70 MPH (since I usually do it myself anyway).


	Last update (2003-08-21 15:21:03):

For those in the Atlanta area, I'll be doing a demonstration / presentation of the dashpc vehicle and software at tonights Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts (ALE) Northwest meeting at 8 PM EST.


	Last update (2003-08-18 12:18:15):

I wrote a new module for the dashpc software this weekend. It can control the windows, doorlocks, and trunk using the relay board. A temporary screenshot can be found here.
I also installed my WiFi antenna and added a picture in the pictures section of the site. Thanks to Todd Johnson for building the antenna.


	Last update (2003-08-15 18:15:30):

I took apart the sunroof power switch last night (and burned the hell out of my finger in the process). Unfortunately, it's not a simple switch like I had hoped. At any rate, I'm trying to control the sunroof via the DashPC software. I'm using a relay board to interface the DashPC with the sunroof controls, door locks, power windows, etc. I'll take pictures once the installation is completed, and I'll post them here.


	Last update (2003-08-06 18:06:30):

The board design is finished. It will be going to the production house in a couple of days. It will be coming back from the production house in about 3 weeks.


	Last update (2003-08-04 13:04:14):

The circuit board is almost finished. It currently measures in at 4.6" by 3.9" an about 3 / 4" tall. I'm interested to know if people would like to have the circuit in a completed form, a kit form, or just a component form. All 3 forms will be available eventually, but you can vote for what you'd prefer: here


	Last update (2003-08-02 13:02:58):

I added a new pictures of the new DashPC software interface. It has an aqua-like theme, and some custom icons. There's a GPSdrive picture and a picture of some slashdot internet browsing. You can view the pictures here.


	Last update (2003-08-01 17:01:10):

It looks like Griffin Tech. has re-released the "black" annodized PowerMate. It can be found here.


	Last update (2003-07-23 16:23:37):

I just found a cool new keyboard customization app. called linEAK. It's a much easier way to program the multimedia (granny) keys to load apps, control volume, etc. You can see a screenshot of it here.


	Last update (2003-07-19 14:19:33):

I just found a new GPS mapping package: GPSilon. It's a Java app, so it will work on any platform. Some screenshots can be seen here.


	Last update (2003-07-15 21:15:12):

Holy SHIT!!! I just tried out kernel 2.4.21 (from 2.5.67) and I'm booting in 27 SECONDS! That's a _huge_ improvement. I haven't tweaked my startup on 2.4.21 yet, and I don't have sound working, but I used the same .config file from my 2.5.67. I'm very happy about this, and once I get the hibernate code working (I finally have the patch that fixes the pse checking problem on the VIA Epia), I'll be down to just a few seconds. I'll post more details as I make them happen.


	Last update (2003-07-15 19:15:32):

I will be donig a formal presentation of the DashPC vehicle and software for the ALE (Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts) group in August. Anyone in the Atlanta, GA, US area is welcomed to attend. The presentation will be on August 21st in the Northwest Atlanta area.


	Last update (2003-07-10 10:10:53):

Well damn, it looks like suspend-to-disk/hibernate isn't available for the VIA C3 processor because it doesn't support PSE.

Update: (18:21:00 EST)
I found a patch that will allow the EPIA to work with suspend! Once I get it all cleaned up, I'll post a link and instructions on using it here...


	Last update (2003-07-07 20:07:32):

I should've posted this a long time ago, but I missed it somehow. Anyway, I've been having some problems with the Morex 60Watt DC Power supply that came with the Casetronic EPIA case. I think that the EPIA is trying to draw more power than the Power supply can provide. It enters the startup phase, but then just chokes. I've got a PCI card installed in the EPIA board and a few USB devices. In addition, I'm using a 40A relay with the startup/shutdown circuit. In the interim, I'm using an inverter and a standard ATX power supply.


	Last update (2003-07-05 19:05:17):

After fighting with SWSUSP trying to get Linux to hibernate nicely on the VIA EPIA-M, I finally found a useful solution. In order to get suspend-to-disk/hibernate working with the VIA EPIA you need to comment out the "panic(...)" line from the linux/include/asm-i386/suspend.h file. Apparantly, the EPIA's CPU doesn't support PSE and the linux kernel (2.5.67, and probably others) checks for it in the suspend.h file. By commenting out this line, you can get suspend-to-disk/hibernate working in Linux.

Update: Ok, now I'm getting a kernel panic for some reason - I'll post the resolution once I get it figured out.


	Last update (2003-07-03 18:03:12):

I've decided to add a new feature to the DSSC circuit. It's a software change, so it won't add any time to the wait for it. I've decided to add a serial input to it, so that an adjustable delay can be sent to the circuit to extend the time until the unit shuts down. The purpose is basically to allow the option of providing a software interface to the circuit in addition to the normal valet switch function. The valet switch will have to be hard wired in order to work properly. The new function will allow for a dashpc screen that will let you just hit a button in order to add an additional delay. It's kind of hard to explain, but it will basically allow you to hit a button called, "20 MINUTES" or something similar; and after you turn your car off, your dashpc will stay on for 20 MINUTES until the circuit forces it off.

Update update: (2003-07-03 19:12:24)
There's a very good possibility that voltage monitoring may make it into the first revision of the circuit. I can't say for sure if it's an option, but based on the current status of things, it's very likely that we'll be able to include a fixed voltage monitor into the circuit. This will help prevent dead batteries in the event that the valet switch is kept on indefinately, or the key is kept in the ignition with the car turned off for too long a period of time. I'll post more as I know more.


	Last update (2003-07-01 20:19:00):

Circuit Update: I've been trying to bring the cost of the DSSC startup/shutdown circuit down to a reasonable level before making it available. At present, the cost of the circuit will probably be: $46.96 USD for the completed circuit; $29.25 USD for the full kit; and about $10-$15 USD for the circuitboard, programmed PIC, and schematic (and the component list). I've been working hard to make the circuit both very available and very affordable. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the circuit. I'm not going to say when it will be available; however, we are in the very final phase of development. As such, we're asking that the community let us know if there are any more questions/concerns/etc...


	Last update (2003-06-28 00:00:00):

Last weekend, I fried my Motherboard and CPU on my main desktop workstation at home. It's not the dashpc (thank God), but it was a pain in the arse none-the-less to have to remaster my desktop machine. Because of this, I haven't worked on the DashPC this past week.


	Last update (2003-06-11 22:11:02):

I gave the website a quick little facelift [again] tonight. It's not quite finished yet, but it's getting there. Much thanks to my great high-school buddies Samson Cranford and Steve McCain for their help in designing the new images (and [forthcoming] flash). They are with-out-a-doubt the best graphic designers that I know. Thanks guys!


	Last update (2003-06-08 20:08:08):

Some video footage from PhreakNIC 6 is now available over at hacksec.org. Among the videos is some footage of the VW and GM dashpc vehicles. Click here to download the video. It's 51 Megs, so a fast connection is pretty necessary. A RealAudio version is here. . We've come a long way since that video was taken back in November of 2002. We're probably going to be a PhreakNIC 7 this year, so if you're near Nashville, Tennessee, USA come on by! There are also some pictures from the event here and at Todd's website here. Also, here's a neat picture that someone took of my car, and here's a cool one of Todd's Grandamp.


	Last update (2003-06-08 00:08:08):

A friend of mine has built a great mini-itx case: A cigar humidor! Pictures can be seen
here (German website). Also, please vote for it on the poll over at Epicenter.de.


	Last update (2003-05-31 19:31:34):

Well, unfortunately, the startup/shutdown circuit is way behind schedule again. I'm NOT making any more projections on when it will become availabile for sale. It _IS_ forthcoming [soon], but it's not coming this month, or likely next...

In other news, I'm moving into a new place next month and I [finally] have my own garage, a dedicated office, and I'm saving about $200 USD in the deal. I'm very excited, and hopefully this will bring about a rapid increase in development of the DashPC software and the demo vehicle.


	Last update (2003-05-24 17:24:05):

I spent the morning working on the new forward camera fiberglass mount. I added quick preview picture to the pictures page. After the fiberglass dries, I'll sand it smooth, and drill out the camera opening. I haven't started on the rear bumper cameras, but I'm planning on doing that in the coming months. I figure it'll be trivial to modify the transmission shifter with a pressure switch. The end result will be to have the display switch to the rear camera(s ?) when the car is put into reverse. The plan is to use a toggle switch set for the reverse position on the gearshift, and when it's toggled "on" it will send the dashpc code a signal, and it will switch the display. I'll post more as it develops.


	Last update (2003-05-12 20:04:00):

One of the forum members, Tom, posted this link in the forums and I figured I'd post it here: http://www.xmradio.com/xmpcr/ It's a USB XM Radio receiver (Sirius is better, in my opinion). None-the-less, it looks like a promising little unit, however, there currently isn't any support for it for Linux. If you'd like to see some Linux support for it, please click here (middle click if you have tabbed browsing), ask for support for Linux (don't forget to mention the product - the XMPCR - in your message).


	Last update (2003-05-09 01:03:00):

Good news and bad news tonight for those that are waiting for the DSSC circuit. The good news is that I have the final schematic, the code, and the prototype works great (there are a few quirks that I'm working on, but I'll post more about that later). The bad news is that I just finalized everything _tonight_. It's probably going to take me a week or two to do the PCB layout. Once I have that finished, the unit will go into production and about 3 weeks after that you guys can have at it. Soooo.... we're still a few weeks off, but we're definately in the home-stretch.

Also, here's a fun picture taken during PhreakNIC 2002, in Nashville, TN. of the current Dashwerks crew (picture courtesy T. Johnson). I'm the guy pointing at the DashWerks logo on the train.


	Last update (2003-05-01 00:00:00):

Apparently, there are a few "scam artists" on eBay that are trying to sell products by using my copyrighted pictures. One such member is: indashpc. This user has sold _1_ product (a 32 Meg CFcard) and is trying to pose as me by saying that the pictures are of HIS car installation. I've contacted him about his violation of my copyrighted pictures; and I'll post more news as this situation develops. Much thanks to Andy for pointing this out to me. In the future, if anyone would like to use my pictures, please just let me know. If you'd like to use them for a legitimate purpose, I'm very considerate, and I'll likely let you use them.


	Last update (2003-04-25 00:00:00):

Believe it or not, we're actually on schedule for the startup/shutdown circuit. I've got the linux driver already written (for the people that don't use ACPI). If anyone from the Windows crowd would like to write a windows driver (in C with source), I'll give you credit for the code. Basically, all that's needed is a daemon that listens on a user-defined serial port for the letters "SHUTDOWN" (less the " symbols) and when received makes a call to the SHExitWindowsEx function of the SHELL32.DLL. I'm not a windows programmer (anymore) or I'd write the driver myself. Email me with code or questions.


	Last update (2003-04-21 00:00:00):

I added a couple of pictures of the new EPIA-M board and the casetronics case. I modfied the case a little bit. I added some screw terminals and put the startup/shutdown circuit prototype inside the case. The entire unit just needs 3 connections: GND, B+ (battery 12v), and ACC (accessory line). The other screw terminals are for the delayed turnon of the LCD and AMPs. Click on the pictures link, and sort by DATE to see the new pics.


	Last update (2003-04-09 19:39:53):

April 23rd has been designated as "Contact Your Favorite Software Vendor Day". If you care about Linux, and want to help spread the joy, you're asked to call your favorite software vendor and ask them when they're going to port their application to Linux. Post on your Blogs, and email your local LUGs (Linux User Groups).


	Last update (2003-04-03 00:08:03):

We're not sure where all of the traffic is coming from, but the site has been getting a steady smack all day. Anyone care to share what site you linked from?


	Last update (2003-04-02 19:54:20):

A friend of mine sent me a minimal Dashpc based distro a few weeks ago, and I figured I'd share it with you guys. It's optimized for solid-state devices, it's small enough to fit within a 128 Meg CFcard, and it has all of the necessary libs to run DashPC. It's still very beta, but after I've cleaned it up some, I'll post it here ... Stay tuned !


	Last update (2003-04-01 11:44:13):

Tonight I found a great new suite that lets you "hop" IP networks regardless of your interface's stability. From their website: it provides IP mobility across multiple networks, ensuring that all active TCP sessions will be maintained upon client migration. No client-side software or alteration to the IP stack is required. It sounds pretty interesting. I'll post more details as I learn more.


	Last update (2003-03-30 00:00:00):

Ok, we're moving forward with the circuit design. Within a couple of weeks we should have the final design finished, and a few weeks after that the circuit will be available. As things stand, the price will probably be around $49 fully assembled. I will probably sell them as kits for $39 (just parts). And I will probably sell the programmed PIC's alone for 5-10 bucks or so.

NOTE: These prices are very preliminary right now. They are subject to change. They could be higher, or they could be lower. For your benefit, your price will directly reflect what the components cost me / us.


	Last update (2003-03-20 00:00:00):

On behalf of the "The DashPC group": We support our troops 100%. War is never right; and it's not always wrong.

Regardless, our hearts are with our troops and ultimately with a peaceful resolution of the situation in Iraq. Our hearts are with the Iraqi civilians and the American soliders. Let's hope that the Iraqi military surrender peacefully, and therefore expedite the liberation of Iraq and it's people!


	Last update (2003-03-19 00:00:00):

For those of you Redhat users (or other distro's that use mingetty) that want to configure your boxes for autologin, I have a copy of the mingetty-0.9.4+redhat-7.0+autologin.tar.gz file. The only other site on the web that I could find that had it has disappeared. So, it looks like this is currently the only place out there to get it. As such, I put up a Goooogle mirror of the original site here.


	Last update (2003-03-10 00:00:00):

Spring is almost here! The weather has been great here in the ATL for the past week. Within a few weeks, I'd like to get back into "hacking" the car.

Also, I was just browsing around, and Darkangel's site reminded me that we didn't include the "theme-selector" code (that Fred Schade [and others] - thanks guys!) submitted. I'll get the tightest code into CVS within a week or two, and we'll do a file release immediately after. Keep in mind that the "themes" are just standard GTK themes, and if you're "testing" the dashpc code on a desktop machine it will change your theme universally. We'll probably add a function that will save your existing ~/.gtkrc file for backup purposes. We'll just have to see what develops.

Also, I fixed the "forum powered by Yabb" image as per s3minol3's request. I changed the dashpc.com title image (above) for no good reason.


	Last update (2003-02-28 00:00:00):

We did a file release of the Dashpc code this afternoon on Sourceforge. Carlos did all the work, so he deserves the credit. It's not quite as complete as we wanted, but we're not finished with it either. You can find the files here.


	Last update (2003-02-19 12:49:00):

Much thanks to Frank Schade (?) for giving us the code to change themes! It'll be integrated in the next file release. We'll try to have it in CVS pretty soon.


	Last update (2003-02-17 00:00:00):

Are there any C programmers out there? We need a little help... Can anyone port this code over to C for us? This program just opens up the /root/.gtkrc file and changes the font line and selects a random theme from the /usr/local/themes directory. We'll list you in the release notes for doing the port for us, and we'll do what we can to make it up to you.

If you port the code, please email it to us here. Thanks!!!


	Last update (2003-02-10 21:06:00):

Ok, we made a preliminary commit to the CVS tree. The bit-bangers out there can pull it down and scope some of the new features. The rest of you guys will have to sit tight until we finish what we've got and do a file release (tarball). We're working on several things (the circuit, graphics, etc) right now, so I'm not going to try to predict when we'll post it. Much thanks to Carlos Mora for all of his hard work on the latest release!!!


	Last update (2003-02-08 15:33:00):

We're working on a new version of the dashpc code. We're going to try to release it on Monday.


	Last update (2003-02-01 13:56:00):

Our hearts are with the 7 great Astronauts and thier families in the wake of this tragedy.


	Last update (2003-01-30 16:13:00):

Developers Conference in IRC tonight at 8PM CST. Chat channel irc://irc.freenode.net#dashpc.


	Last update (2003-01-25 09:25:57):

I've added another picture of the new circuit. You can see it here. The only major difference is that each relay has it's own LED and the serial port has been added.


	Last update (2003-01-19 04:07:54):

I gave the site a little bit of a facelift tonight. The goal is to give the entire site a more cohesive look and feel.


	Last update (2003-01-15 17:52:00):

I finally have a picture of the new startup and shutdown circuit. You can see the prototype circuit here. At the bottom of the picture, you can see the serial header (there will also be a DB9 connector under it). It can be powered by either a DC adapter, or straight wires (into the headers at the bottom). There are currently 3 relays, and 5 adjustable "timers". The LED can be used to "tune" the timing in a development environment. There's a "valet" override for deactivating the unit or overriding the timers. The Master power relay is not mounted on the board, it's controlled by one of the terminal blocks. This unit will work with serial drivers to provide a clean shutdown, or it can (simultaneously) toggle a motherboard ACPI jumper. I will provide Linux drivers, however, Mac and Windows drivers won't be available until someone writes them. :) The adjustably timed relays can be used to turn on LCDs, AMPs, or whatever. I don't have an availability date yet, however, I'd like to have it available by March.


	Last update (2003-01-14 19:33:00):

Here's a little update on the startup / shutdown circuit (which I've dubbed the "DSSC"): The current prototype measures in at 3.5" x 5" and it's less than 1" tall with the on-board relays. The final unit will likely be smaller (but probably the same height).


	Last update (2003-01-12 15:38:00):

Well, after fighting with my soundcard all weekend, I decided to move the soundcore to the ALSA drivers. Moving to Slackware wasn't easy, but I learned a hell of a lot about how Linux works by making the change. I finally got everything how I like it, so now it's time to move back into the tweak / feature add phase...


	Last update (2003-01-11 00:08:00):

Car Cam: The car cam has been put on hold for a while. It's not a terribly difficult component, however, it's not a very useful one either. I'll probably get back to it in the spring or summer of 2003.

Parallel doorlock / window controller: I stopped development on this portion of the project due to the weather. It's pretty damn cold out these days (even in Hotlanta), and I haven't had an opportunity to install the controller in the car. It should be trivial to run a set of wires from the driver's door controller back to the trunk. Another issue putting this part of the project on hold is the startup/shutdown circuit. It's required for this, since most BIOS'es toggle most (if not all) of the parallel ports bits at boot time. The new circuit has an output designed to turn on "after" this BIOS sequence. Without it, the doorlocks, windows, sunroof, etc would activate insanely everytime the car is started; and that's not a good thing. Once the weather gets better (and I have the new circuit), I'll get back to this portion of the project.


	Last update (2003-01-05 20:20:00):

Well, I officially changed my distro to Slackware 8.1 today. I've found that with Slackware, it will be much easier for us to "trim the fat" and decrease the boot time. Since I was loading my modules and my daemons from my .bash_profile anyway, it was an easy switch over to Slackware.

Also, the circuit prototype should be finished in just about one week. As such, I will have details about it on here in about 3 weeks, and the unit will be for sale about a month or month.5 from now.


	Last update (2003-01-02 14:02:27):

The new GPS unit arrived today. Looks like I might have to go out for a war-drive later tonight.


	Last update (2002-12-31 21:31:58):

Happy New Year!


	Last update (2002-12-29 16:29:05):

I ordered a new usb GPS unit last week. It should be here by Friday. I've been GPS'less for a few months now (since I sold the Earthmate). Todd's been doing some fun wardriving lately and he's mapped about 50 networks in the past week.

Also, I changed the control buttons on the left side of the webpage.


	Last update (2002-12-28 00:00:00):

Here's the latest on what we've been up to:

Startup / Shutdown circuit: The circuit is still under development. It will take about 3 to 4 weeks from the time the circuit prototype is "finalized", until it goes into production. The updated ETA is mid to end February 2003.
Car camera: I've removed the camera for the time being. I'll re-install it and start broadcasting it again in the next few months. Until then, it's on hiatus. The pictures weren't that exciting and they're not a big priority right now. It'll probably go back online with the ODBII statistics page.
ODBII statistics page: Still under development. I hope to dive back into ODBII development this weekend, thanks to Todd's latest progress on the ODBII front.
Internet Connectivity: Again, thanks to Todd's efforts, I don't have to go this alone. Todd has working roaming internet access using near-3G cellular technology. It was on my to-do list, but Todd has lifted the burden for us. Much thanks to Todd for all of this hard work and his continued efforts. I'll post links to his most recent how-to's once I get the links from him.
Sirius/XM radio Yes, we are also working on a great new Sirius (and XM if necessary) implementation for the project. Some of the list members and I had a good discussion about it, and we're currently working with some of the folks over at clubxm.com to bring a good Satellite radio solution to the dashpc's. It's a little farther down the road, but we should have something no later than mid-year 2.003k.


	Last update (2002-12-25 00:00:00):

Happy Holidays!!!


	Last update (2002-12-20 00:00:00):

I'm out of town on business until Dec. 23rd. I'll get back to working on the car more when I get back.


	Last update (2002-12-16 17:47:00):

I found a cool little app to control the "granny keys" (extra multimedia buttons) on my wireless keyboard. It's called hotkeys. Using it, you can control your keyboard's multimedia features like volume up, volume down, next track, prev track, etc. in linux.

Also, the new startup & shutdown circuit is still forthcoming. It's been delayed quite a bit (obviously), but I hope to have it available sometime in January 2003. In the meantime, the finalized specs for the circuit can be found here.

If you have any questions about the startup/shutdown circuit, please feel free to contact me.


	Last update (2002-12-11 00:00:00):

I'm working on adding a series of temperature sensor to the project so I can keep an eye on various parts of the car. I'm planning on putting one:

Under the hoood
In the trunk
In the cabin (possibly 2)
In the PC case

I may add more later, but this should give me plenty to do. I'm also getting ready to install the relay board that I got a couple of months back. I'd like to connect it to the sunroof, the door locks, windows, and whatever else I can think of. I'd like to do a lot more integration with the car. I'll keep you posted on my progress.


	Last update (2002-12-06 18:02:00):

The project is somewhat stagnant right now, so if there are any developers (C/C++/Qt/KDE/Gnome) out there that can offer a hand, we could really use it.


	Last update (2002-12-05 18:51:00):

Well, it looks like the shutdown circuit is going to be delayed into the new year. I have a few other circuits that I'm going to develop once the startup/shutdown circuit is complete and available for you guys.


	Last update (2002-12-02 21:01:00):

After 2 dead batteries in a row, I decided to get a new battery. So, I just bought an SVR80-12 "Audio Series" Battery for the car. It's one of those Deep-Cycle deals so I can discharge it and re-charge it and not worry about paying a taxi $20 bucks to get me to work. So far the battery, uhh, starts the car. It'll take a while until I can gleam the long-term benefits of this battery, but in the meantime, it's comforting to not have to worry about power issues.


	Last update (2002-11-30 13:38:00):

Well, I'm back from my trip to New England. It was a great time. Now that I'm back, I'll be working on the circuit so we can get it out there soon. Here are a few pictures from our family trip up to New England for Thanksgiving. Nothing really DashPC related, but some fun pictures none-the-less.


	Last update (2002-11-28 10:29:00):

I've been visiting my cousin's estate all week, so I've been away from the inbox. So far, I've gotten to play with a Lamborghini Marceilago, an Aston Marton, a Ferrari f406 (I think), a Bentley, and a few others. I'm taking a few pictures so I might put one or two on the site when I get home.

Unfortunately, It looks like I won't be able to put a dashpc in any of them.

:)


	Last update (2002-11-17 17:09:00):

I've been working on a new community site for the dashpc crowd. It's basically a combination forum and news site. It's PHP based, of course. I even hired a professional graphic designer to help with the graphics.

The startup/shutdown circuit design is still pending and I should have the prototype real soon now (possibly this week).


	Last update (2002-11-11 01:57:00):

I got the OSDclock code working perfectly thanks to Tim's assistance! Thanks Tim! Also, Darrick H. pointed out that the xOSD driver lets you pipe shell output to the On-Screen-Display via osd-ctl (or something). It's a command line utility that's in the xOSD package. Eventually, I'll look at piping the output from the ODBII unit (Fuel, MPH, etc.) to the screen using it. For now though, I'll just use it for my on-screen clock (I'll post pictures later) and for my song/title/track updates. It's a very cool app... Highly recommended.


	Last update (2002-11-07 18:49:00):

Tim got back to me and offered a patch for OSDclock. Thanks for the help Tim!!! I'll post the links after I test the code and get it uploaded.


	Last update (2002-11-07 00:42:00):

Here's what I've been working on lately:

I got the quad serial port PCI card installed and I've used up all 4 ports (ODBII, IrMan [infrared], CrystalFontz text LCD display, and mouse). It looks like I'm going to have to configure it to work with the 2 onboard serial ports as well. I got the IrMan working again, and using a cool plugin that Todd told me about (kinda) it works great. The plugin is xOSD. It's an on-screen-display that displays volume, song-title, and status (play/pause/stop/etc). It's pretty cool. I'm also trying to get OSDclock working. It's an "always on" clock display. The developer hasn't responded to my email yet, so maybe you guys can email Tim and ask him to help out our project.

I have the serial text LCD installed and working in the driver's sunvisor. It's pretty wild. Hopefully, I'll add pictures tomorrow/today (2002.11.07). I'm going out of town for my Dad's birthday; so if I don't add the pix today, I'll have to add them next week.


	Last update (2002-11-04 15:50:00):

PhreakNIC was a blast! I think our demo went pretty well. The presentation was supposed to begin at 4, but while Todd and I were tweaking and tuning the cars, the crowd began to form. We started with a sweet shoutcast demo. Patrick and Mike J. configured the laptop as the shoutcast server, and we were streaming wirelessly into both cars. Once in a while they drifted off sync of each other, but overall it was pretty wild. I have a feeling it's the first time it's ever been done between 2 vehicles. We showed the cars until about 7. It was a lot of fun.

Thanks to Dolemite and the rest of the PN6 crew for a great event!!!


	Last update (2002-11-04 15:50:00):


	Last update (2002-11-01 00:00:00):

Well, Mike and I are getting ready to head to Nashville for the PhreakNIC Convention. We'll take pictures and we'll post updates as things happen. We'll be demoing the car at 4PM EST on Saturday in the Amphitheatre.


	Last update (2002-10-25 21:17:00):

I got the PCI 4-port serial port yesterday. I was running out of serial ports in the dashpc, so I got this card. I haven't gotten it working yet, but I plan on working with it some this weekend. I'm also going to run wires from the doorlocks and windows back to the trunk for the integration with the relay board when it gets here. I ordered it last week from the UK, but it might be another week until it gets here. Hopefully it'll be here before the Conference. This is going to be a busy week since there are a lot of things I want to get done before the Con.


	Last update (2002-10-21 21:30:00):

Tonight Todd walked me through the new PowerMate kernel patch and configuration. It works perfectly under linux now, and if we're nice it looks like we might even get an XMMS plugin and possibly an Mplayer plugin in the near future. Much thanks to Todd Johnson for bearing with me during this last kernel build and the hard work! His kernel patch can be found here and the powermate device can be found here.


	Last update (2002-10-15 16:44:00):

I moved the website over to the new Penguin box. Its a dual Athlon 2.2Ghz box

Also, Ill be uploading some (not many) pictures later today.


	Last update (2002-10-13 14:31:21):

Well, I have the WiFi working on the Zaurus, but, unfortunately, I don't have enough storage space on it to install TightVNC. I'm going to order a 128MB SDcard for it next week and go from there.

Today, I rebuilt my kernel with framebuffer support built into the second video head, so now the OpenGL screensavers work on the headrest display and I can watch DVD's back there as well. I also built the kernel with WiFi (prism2) support and bttv support. I don't load any modules at all with this new configuration. My boot time is slightly higher (since I can't control when the modules get loaded) but it's not that big of a problem.


	Last update (2002-10-11 14:50:41):

Yesterday I got my WiFi CFcard for the Zaurus. Hopefully, I'll be able to work with it this weekend. My goal is to be able to control the car while standing outside of it using a program like TightVNC or something.


	Last update (2002-09-27 02:00:59):

Here's the latest info about our appearance at PhreakNIC: We'll be "showcased" on Saturday, November 2nd in the afternoon. We'll have 2 parking spots in the garage just outside the main conference room (I think). Todd just pointed out to me that we're listed on the PhreakNIC schedule; which can be seen here.


	Last update (2002-09-22 15:40:25):

Both my car and Todd's car are going to be at PhreakNIC in Tennessee this year. PhreakNIC is an annual Hacker convention (with a linux edge). We're trying to get a booth inside the convention center, but we're not sure where we're going to be at this point. We'll post updates as we have them.


	Last update (2002-09-18 20:23:29):

My webcam showed up yesterday out of the blue. It turns out they didn't label the zipcode properly and thus, FedEx couldn't deliver it. I guess someone figured it out, and viola, my camera arrived. Only 1 month late... but I'm not going to complain because I thought it got stolen and I'd have to fill out a form at FedEx and wait 4-6 weeks for it to get processed. Turns out I don't, and my camera is here. Anyway, I'm going to mount it in the next few days (maybe this weekend).


	Last update (2002-09-15 16:36:49):

Well it looks like our man Mike J has come through for us again with another great release! He also made a release over at: freshmeat.net.

Thanks Mike!!!


	Last update (2002-09-12 21:54:51):

I've been playing with Gentoo linux lately, and I'm really impressed. I think I'm going to make the next version of the DashPC with this. I'm also talking with Mike Javorski about creating a DashPC distribution of linux. At this point it's only on the drawing board, but it's a great goal that we really want to work toward(s).


	Last update (2002-09-11 00:14:12):

Much respect to the Military Professionals in every civilized country of the world. I will spend this day thinking about those lost; but working harder to make up for the day of work that I missed last year on this day.


	Last update (2002-09-09 00:23:05):

Well shoot...! It looks like they "lost" my webcam at FedEx. I tracked the package and it was "delivered" according to them. The only problem is that the driver signed for it and it's not here. I have to file a "claim" with FedEx and it'll take from 4-6 weeks to complete. Grrrrrrr. Well, hopefully, I can have this resolved very soon.


	Last update (2002-09-05 00:27:46):

I added 2 [preview] pictures of the new box for the trunk. These pictures are just "preview" pictures and the finished case will probably not look anything like these pictures. The overall design and finish, however, are accurate.


	Last update (2002-09-04 14:53:50):

Well, I have some mixed news and some bad news. My windshield got smacked on the highway the other day and it's cracked. It's going to be replaced for free and I even convinced them to give me the glass windshield with the "rain sensor" on it. I'm not sure how I'll interface with the rain sensor, but I have a feeling I'll be able to connect the BS2 to the sunroof and a temperature sensor and the rain sensor. The result would be the sunroof "opening" when the temperature gets too hot, and closing if it rains. It's probably going to be a ways off, but at least I'll have the option once I get my new glass.

In other news, I talked with FedEx today and it looks like my x10cam package has disappeared. They said it was delivered on the 8/27 but I haven't received it yet. I'm waiting for a callback from the driver to tell me where the hell my new cam is. I have a few other things keeping my busy in the meantime, but I'm getting eager to get the cam.


	Last update (2002-08-26 20:54:19):

I just found a local WiFi "freenet" access group. It's Atlanta FreeNet . org. They have a local WiFi database and map of the area with markings on where the "Wireless Access Points" are. Very cool indeed.


	Last update (2002-08-25 15:41:18):

A lot of things are have been going on with the project for the past few days. The harddrive crashed (somewhat). I've been remastering the system and getting back to the state it was in before the failure. Ugh.

I'm also waiting for the new x10 cam to show up. Once it gets here I'll install it and upload pictures from the road in a "delayed" webcam format. It should be a fun little addition.

Lastly, this weekend I built a faux [prototype] box for the trunk. I made it out of posterboard so I could get the specs right. I'll build the actual unit next weekend. It's going to be pretty sweet. I'll post updates and pictures as I progress...


	Last update (2002-08-20 01:16:27):

For the past few days I've been working on the new "webcam" module. Since I've gotten my TV tuner working, I've been trying to put it to good use. Unfortunately, my x10cam died today. It didn't really die but something is broken in it because it's scrambling the NTSC signal. I've checked the wiring and power supply but neither fixed it. I bought a new "wireless" one today. It should be here in a few days. The code is done and when the new cam shows up it'll be found here. I'll be taking 1 picture every minute and I'll upload them periodically. The page will let you view any given days' pictures. I'll post updates as I get closer to finishing this part of the project.


	Last update (2002-08-08 12:45:36):

Sprint just announced the first US 3G wireless network today. I'm very excited about the implications of this. From the press release, I'll probably be able to pull 50-70kbps average, with 144kbps peaks. Nice!

Woo Hoo! and the site just broke 100,000 unique visitors. Thanks!


	Last update (2002-08-08 00:43:04):

I just received my ODBII module today from B. Roadman. With my car (ISO-9141-2 protocol) and this interface, I'm able to monitor (in near real-time) the following:

Engine Trouble Codes
Coolant Temperature
Engine Load Percentage
Short Term Fuel Bank
Long Term Fuel Bank
Engine Speed (RPM)

Vehicle Speed
Timing Advance Degrees
Intake Air Temperature
Air Flow Rate
Throttle Position
Secondary Air Status
Oxygen Sensor(s)

This is looking very promising. I see an incredible amount of statistical data that I'll be able to compile and add to the website for your enjoyment. The new statistics page can be found here.


	Last update (2002-08-06 15:01:17):

I added a statistics page to the website. Right now it just records the duration of travel in the car. I also ordered my ODBII converter a few days ago so it should be here any day now. Once I get that, I'll put as many stats on the page as I can. As usual, suggestions are welcomed.


	Last update (2002-07-29 22:52:50):

I drove down to Tampa this past weekend. I was worried about the heat and the dashpc, but nothing went wrong. It did overheat about 3/4 of the way there, but I just put down the rear seats (so the AC could enter the trunk) and restarted it and it was fine until I got into town. It was a great ride. I also thought up a few new ideas that I hope to implement soon. The only thing that bugged me were all the people riding in my blind spot trying to catch a glimpse of the screens.


	Last update (2002-07-23 21:25:14):

Developers conference tonight at 9PM in IRC. We'll be discussing the dashpc code and where the development is going... Feel free to join irc.openprojects.net - forum #dashpc.


	Last update (2002-07-16 23:12:57):

Well, I spoke too soon. Mike J is back on the scene. We'll be having a developers conference in the IRC channel on Wednesday at 9pm EST. Anyone wishing to join the project is welcomed to join.


	Last update (2002-07-15 16:43:30):

Well, it looks like the lead developer of the core C code has moved on. As a result, I think I'm going to port the code (yes, third time) to PHP. I'm thinking about coding the new interface with PHP/Flash so I can do some cool multimedia effects, etc... From the looks of it, there will be 4 of us working on it.


	Last update (2002-06-21 22:57:52):

I've become slightly disappointed with my wireless performance lately. I'm looking at my options for amplifiying antennae. I've heard that people can get up to a quarter-mile with a good high gain antenna. Anyone have any recommendations / suggestions?


	Last update (2002-06-08 20:15:19):

Well, I actually stopped spending money on the DashPC for a spell. I bought myself a sweet 2GHz AthlonXP. After I get my system re-installed I'll post more news.


	Last update (2002-05-26 23:28:06):

I've been working on the software all day. Recompiling the kernel; installing modules; compiling dashpc code; formatting drives; recompiling kernels... etc. The goal is to get ACPI working, but I have a feeling that my motherboard just doesn't support it. Looks like it might be time to upgrade. I "re-mastered" my dashpc today. I put RHAT 7.3 on it. I ran into a few hurdles but I think everything is running smoothly now. I'll go for a "power-drive" tomorrow to test out the new software. Thanks again to Mike J. for his latest dashpc update!


	Last update (2002-05-20 12:45:04):

The new pictures that I've been promising are finally up. Enjoy!


	Last update (2002-05-17 19:10:12):

My PowerMate got here at lunchtime. It's a really slick little unit. When I installed it I couldn't get it working right, but after some fiddling I got it to work. I talked to Kip at Griffin Technologies and he said that they might be interested in letting me port the drivers to Linux. Sweet!


	Last update (2002-05-17 12:36:12):

I'm still waiting for my PowerMate to show up. I ordered it 2 days ago "overnight" and it isn't here yet. I'm starting to get slightly pissed.


	Last update (2002-05-17 10:10:58):

Okay, so far I've taken 237 pictures. Of those, only a handful will be added to the pictures page. The pictures will probably be added on Sunday.


	Last update (2002-05-15 00:00:00):

I'm an idiot. I took about 25 pictures tonight, buuut... I left the lenscap on. Oops. I'll post the few that I can salvage (the one's I took after dark) if I can.


	Last update (2002-05-14 00:00:00):

Okay, after the recount it turns out that 137 pictures were taken tonight. 18 of which had the lens cap on. I'm going to do another picture session tomorrow and probably another one on Friday, and I'll most likely post the pictures by Monday. Based on my estimates, it would be wise to assume that the new pictures will be up at the end of next week.


	Last update (2002-05-10 00:00:00):

I added 5 pictures to the site today. The weather is really bad right now (approx 17:15 EST). I live in the middle of that little red circle. Luckily, I got these pics taken before the storm moved in. I might put more up this weekend if the weather clears up.

Update: (18:20 EST) - I will _never_ understand Atlanta weather. It has only been 1 hour since a terrible storm, and now the sun is shining. Go figure!


	Last update (2002-05-06 00:00:00):

I've been having major website issues all weekend. Right now I have 2 different DNS entries going on for the domain, so as soon as I remember the second DNS password, I'll update it. Sorry!


	Last update (2002-04-30 00:00:00):

This isn't really related to the car directly, but I officially changed my browser to Mozilla v1.0. It's way faster than IE and I just like it better. I did notice that the HTML up in my title/logo page is incorrect (here at dashpc.com). Does anyone know how I can get it to line up properly? Please email me with suggestions.


	Last update (2002-04-28 00:00:00):

False alarm! No pictures tonight unfortunately. I'll probably be taking them some time during the week. The "upgrades" are almost finished. I ran into a few big hurdles this weekend (one of them being an amazing girl). I'll take the pictures as soon as I can, I promise!


	Last update (2002-04-22 00:00:00):

I didn't get to take the pictures this weekend like I wanted to. BUT the new code is ultra-quick (thanks Mike!). I did a lot of work on the hardware side of things this weekend. I added a "teaser" picture of the USB in the ashtray to the pictures page. Now that the code is mature enough to use in the car, I'm hoping to take some sweet pictures very soon. Mike is cleaning up the installer so that _everyone_ will be able to use the code and join the project. There are some great things on the immediate horizon! Also, Atlanta updated thier traffic page so my traffic images look much more professional. Stay tuned for some fun stuff this week...!


	Last update (2002-04-20 00:00:00):

I've spent all day working on the hardware. I fixed a few little issues I was having, but nothing really worth noting here. Worth noting, however, is that Mike has been working on the code quite a bit lately! Also, it looks like Todd is back in the scene and working on the WiFi plugin among other things. If you're interested in this project, please download the latest code and give feedback/suggestions!


	Last update (2002-04-19 00:00:00):

Mike J has been helping the project tremendously! I have to give him mad props for all his help lately. We ran through a few code issues tonight and he developed the new "blank screen" module. Thanks Mike!!!


	Last update (2002-04-16 00:00:00):

I made a few changes to the website. Not much happening with the actual "car" right now. I've moved the new picture session to the weekend.


	Last update (2002-04-14 00:00:00):

The website was down for the past day or two. Sorry! Something came up and it took me a bit to get it resolved. As a result, I wasn't able to put the pics up that I promised. I'm going to try to add them sometime during the week or possibly on the weekend.


	Last update (2002-04-10 00:00:00):

"Working for the weekend." - I'm definately looking forward to this weekend! I'll be installing some new hardware this weekend and I'd like to have a new picture session as well. I'll put pictures on the site toward the end of the weekend.


	Last update (2002-04-08 00:00:00):

Implemented a new guestbook on the site. Deleted an unneeded link from the control bar (on the left) and added Todd and Carlos's cars. Carlos has a sweet Jetta too. Check 'em out!


	Last update (2002-04-07 00:00:00):

Lots going on. We added a sweet splash screen to the dashpc startup. The splash screen might not make it into the next CVS commit, but it will definately make it into the following one.

I also updated the code for the Basic Stamp 2 and the Perl daemon that watches it. This is the Basic Stamp 2 code. The init script (Redhat 7.2 style) is here, and the daemon is here. Put the daemon in /usr/sbin/ and put the init script in /etc/rc.d/init.d/.


	Last update (2002-04-02 00:00:00):

Okay, so you guys probably figured out that I didn't sell the dashpc.com domain and that yesterday was April Fools Day. I just bought 2 pairs of Boston Acoustic 6.5" separate speakers. 2 are going in the front of car, and 2 are going to the backseat. I won them on eBay and I got a great price. I'll post more info and probably pics after I get them installed.


	Last update (2002-04-01 00:00:00):

The dashpc.com domain has just been sold to a very large company (I'm sure you can guess which one). I couldn't resist the offer (I refused 2 previous offers). I've decided to monetarily compensate those who have contributed the most in the past few months. You know who you are. It's just my way of saying, "Thanks" for being a part of this project. Hopefully, the community will continue to flourish (somewhere else) and hopefully people will still create dashpc's in our absence. Thanks to all the readers/contributors/coders/posters and thanks to all the people who have sent me hundreds of emails over the years praising the project.

Cheers guys; it's been a great time!

Always,
Christopher M. Bergeron


	Last update (2002-03-31 00:00:00):

I sold the Earthmate GPS and StreetAtlas RWE/7.0 on eBay last week. Good riddance! I've decided to get a NEMA compatible GPS so I can use GPS drive and drop Windows completely.


	Last update (2002-03-27 00:00:00):

A lot going on in the software side. Todd, Mike and myself have decided to collaborate in C/C++ on the existing code. Mike and I are in the process of moving the perl code over to C. The code on sourceforge will be ULTRA alpha code until this weekend when I can put some good time into it. Hopefully by Monday, we'll have a single codebase that we can all develop on. The code may fork in the future (which is fine); but for now having a common language will let the project grow exponentially. If any C/C++ programmers want to be a part of something big please join us at sourceforge - project: dashpc.


	Last update (2002-03-26 00:00:00):

I finally put the code up in CVS on Sourceforge. It's under the dashpc checkout. You'll need the GTK module and if you want to use it you'll want XMMS and GTCD. They come with most distros. I've been using Redhat 7.2 thus far, but I'm going to roll my own here when I get a chance. For the radio functionality, you'll need a WinTV card (or equivalent) and the bttv driver. I use a program called "fm" to tune the radio. If the code for it isn't in the CVS I'll add it later. If anyone wants to help me port this to C/C++ please let me know. The code is short, and it basically does a lot of system() calls. Enjoy!


	Last update (2002-03-24 00:00:00):

New pictures coming soon. Probably later tonight.


	Last update (2002-03-20 00:00:00):

I've been working on the code quite a bit lately. I'm porting it to perl/GTK completely, so I can bring the # of files it requires down to a handful (not counting the necessary perl libs). I'll do a _real_ CVS update soon and start using CVS exclusively very soon.


	Last update (2002-03-13 00:00:00):

I've taken some time off from the dashpc project due to some major family issues. I will be resuming the project full-force next week. In the meantime, I've spent a little bit of time on the new center console housing. I think I've decided to have it professionally done. I'll know when my quotes come back. As usual, I'll post news as it happens.


	Last update (2002-03-07 00:00:00):

Today I worked on the new center console. Once it's finished, I'll put the Denali finish on it (that I keep talking about); re-mount it in the car; and put the new pictures on the site! I think this is going to be the end of the appearance portion of the Jetta DashPC. I think it's time to start working on the software interface more. No more pretty pictures to impress you the viewers. I have to use the thing every day, so it's time to start making the interface really user friendly.


	Last update (2002-03-02 00:00:00):

I still haven't gotten my hands on a digital camera for the new pics. I have most of the dashboard refinished in the Denali finish. I'm going to have a new keyboard done in the Denali next week along with the new center console housing. The point is that next week I should have the entire interior refinished. I'm also going to clean up the mounting in the trunk this weekend. I might build a box for it and do my own custom install like the car audiophiles do. We'll see what happens.


	Last update (2002-03-01 00:00:00):

Today, I also put up the new server for the new dashpc site. Members can request a dns entry for thier cars like: http://jettamp.dashpc.com and we'll host the websites here if they want. I'm probably going to set up a template system so members can easily set up pages similar in format to this one.


	Last update (2002-03-01 00:00:00):

I decided to bite the bullet and buy a sweet digital camera today. It does up to 1600x1200 with a billion megapixels (or something like that). Anyway, I put up a funny picture of the JettaPC development area on the pictures page. You can expect the rest of the real pictures soon. Enjoy!


	Last update (2002-02-27 00:00:00):

Okay, I've decided to start updating this page again. I've got some sweet new pictures of the install, the hardware mount in the trunk, the amps, and the software interface. Stay tuned because they'll be up on the site in the next couple of days.


	Last update (2002-01-17 00:00:00):

The link to the Sourceforge CVS code (courtesy Todd Johnson [tejohnson]) is: http://cvs.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/dashpc/#dirlist. Thanks Todd!!!


	Last update (2002-01-10 00:00:00):

I added some of the dashpc code to sourceforge. It's built using GTK/perl. The project name is: dashpc. The code will appear on the page in a few days. Also, for some cool stuff check out my new company: http://www.carbonfiberpc.com/


	Last update (2001-12-14 00:00:00):

I've decided to just put updates on the DashPC-nuke site. I'm co-mingling other users' car updates with my own in order to create a searchable progression database. All news and upgrades will be posted here: http://www.dashpc.com/html. I know that everyone and thier mother uses php now, but it's just more efficient for me and it looks better.


	Last update (2001-12-08 00:00:00):

I'm working on a news/forum site for the dashpc. It's still rough, but it's here. Let me know what you think.


	Last update (2001-12-07 00:00:00):

Okay, thanks to the pear-shaped taco that we all love (some to hate), I got slashdotted at approx. 2pm EST and I've been busy ever since. Rob probably doesn't even know it(or care) but we met in person at the ALS back in '99. Thanks!!! (I think)


	Last update (2001-12-07 00:00:00):

It looks like the site just got /.'ed. Hopefully, I can handle the traffic (no pun intended).


	Last update (2001-11-26 00:00:00):

I've had lots of requests for pictures of the PC mounted in the trunk and the wiring that's been done. The pictures of the wiring are non-dramatic as all the wiring is [mostly] hidden (which was my objective). The PC mounted in the trunk is just a plain-vanilla CompUSA case mounted upright in the trunk. No shock absorbtion, no nothing, no problem. I'm using a bungee cord to hold it in place. Pretty high tech, eh? Anyway, I'll put pictures up when I get some taken.

I've also decided to add a DC power supply to the PC. When I initially looked at them they were expensive and not very stable so I liked my inverter. Well... now it looks like they are much more stable / affordable and as a result, I'm going to get one. I haven't settled on a brand yet, but as usual suggestions are welcomed here.


	Last update (2001-11-24 00:00:00):

I've decided to start taking indications of interest for a car-pc-boot unit. The unit will boot a pc when the car is turned on and shut it down when the car is turned off. I will have either different units with different timings built into them, or one unit with adjustable timing. I haven't yet decided which, probably the latter. The cost will be around $20 dollars US. The input of the module is: 12V DC and ACCessory line (or remote turn on wire from amps, headunits, etc.) and the output will be 2 computer connectors. One to go to the motherboard and the other to the serial port of the computer. I'll provide software for linux and depending on interest possibly Windows. Optionally, it will have 2 terminals on it to "switch" a DC device. This would likely be used to turn an inverter on or off or possibly amplifiers or something. If enough people are interested in this, I will build it and start distributing it. Please email me here if you would be intersted in buying one. This is not a committment, just an indication of interest.


	Last update (2001-11-23 00:00:00):

Due to the overwhelming number of requests that I've gotten for schematics, I've decided to put them up online. This is the design of the system, and this is the electronic schematic of the BS2 boot module. Please Note: This schematic is not 100% accurate. If you build this it will not work properly. I will post the "corrected" diagram shortly. I just didn't have the "actual" pinouts handy when I did the diagram. If you know anything about electronics, and read the BS2 documentation you could easily figure this out. I will answer questions if you have any.


	Last update (2001-11-13 00:00:00):

I synthesized a few voices for the car. Each respective sound is played when you touch the onscreen button. So when I press the "weather" button, it plays the "weather.wav" file.
Here they are:


	Last update (2001-11-05 00:00:00):

I've been playing with Festival a bit lately. It is highly-super cool. I'm going to thoroughly integrate it into the car. If for nothing else than to greet passengers with, "Buckle up, Shithead!!!".


	Last update (2001-11-03 00:00:00):

I decided to port my code over to Perl/Gtk from perl/Tk. This way I can use spiffy new themes. I'm going to put the code on sourceforge when I finish the port.


	Last update (2001-10-26 00:00:00):

I'm using imagemagick to generate my new button images. It's a quick way to create buttons from the command line. In the future, this will let me use skins on my car interface. Fun.

Also, I decided to hack my garage door remote. I'm going to use the parallel port to drive a small relay that will "push the button" on the garage gate remote. A lot of work for a little benefit, but it's just cooler this way.


	Last update (2001-10-25 00:00:00):

The screen resolution on the display is limited to 640x480 so I've decided to drop the window manager. I'm going to use perl/Tk to roll my own UI. I put a few pictures at the bottom of the pictures page. I'm currently downloading the images (via 802.11) for weather and traffic before I leave the parking garage. By the time I get out of the parking garage, the system has booted, the network connection is live, and the system pulls the images off the web. In addition, the car uploads the latest GPS coordinates, so if the car ever disappears, the authorities can recover it. Since ricochet went down, I'll have to figure out another way to do the wireless connectivity. I'm thinking about cellular at this point, but I'm not sure just yet. The user interface is coming along nicely. I also added a radio card to the system. It was killing me not having talk radio on my way in to work. The Hauppauge cards have a coax connector which is why I chose it.

Sometimes, when I'm stopped at a red light, I can get an ethernet connection. I must be jumping on to someones 802.11 base unit. All your 802.11 base are belong to us.


	Last update (2001-10-11 00:00:00):

I moved the site over to a T1.


	Last update (2001-10-05 00:00:00):

I was recently hired for a new job. I was asked to implement Linux so we can dump our Windows Server licenses. Who could ask for anything more?


	Last update (2001-09-19 00:00:00):

Today Parallax linked to my site under the "Customer Applications" section. Thanks Erik!!!


	Last update (2001-09-09 00:00:00):

Today I wrote a script that lets me update this page from my linux command-line. I'll probably be adding updates more frequently now.


	Last update (2001-09-07 00:00:00):

Added some new pictures to the site. And, I got the woodgrain center console finished finally! For those interested in buying woodgrain computer parts, check out woodgrainpc.com.


	Last update (2001-09-06 00:00:00):

Been a while since the last time I updated. Well, I got new pictures coming soon because my girlfriend bought a sweet digital camera a few days ago.


	Last update (2001-08-10 00:00:00):

Last night was the ALE (Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts) meeting. It was quite cool. Cheers to all the people that were there last night.


	Last update (2001-08-07 00:00:00):

I'm so lame. I just put another 128 megs of ram into the car. That brings me up to 256 megs in MY CAR!!! Anyway, I also just added a 100Mbit ethernet card to the car too. I've almost got the center console finished. When it's done it's going to have the same woodgrain finish as the keyboard and air-conditioner. Es ist Ueberpimp.


	Last update (2001-07-30 00:00:00):

I decided to put some of my code online. I'm going to open a project on sourceforge for this pretty soon. In the meantime, here is the perl program that watches the serial port for "[SHUTDOWN]". When "[SHUTDOWN]" is received it shuts Linux down (properly). The Basic Stamp 2 sends "[SHUTDOWN]" to this script about 30 seconds before it kills the power to the inverter. This way, if it doesn't shutdown properly, it will still get powered down. I also added some questions to the FAQ page.


	Last update (2001-07-11 00:00:00):

I added some more pics of the interior. Enjoy!


	Last update (2001-06-21 00:00:00):

I decided to add a Dallas Semiconductor DS1620 temperature sensor to the car. I'm going program the Basic Stamp so that when the temperature gets too hot, it will crack my sunroof open. I'm going to have to add a rain sensor too so if it rains it'll close automatically. Should be a fun little addition...
I also decided to add bulletproof window film to the car. It's SUPER expensive, but it'll be good for peace of mind.


	Last update (2001-06-15 00:00:00):

Today I gave the website a facelift. You like? I also got the Matrox card working with DualHead under linux. Very cool. Thanks to Ben in the Matrox Linux forum for all the help.


	Last update (2001-06-13 00:00:00):

Lots of cool stuff going on. I upgraded the main board to a Duron 700. I also got a Matrox g450 DualHead video card. This card rocks because I can display VGA and NTSC simultaneously. My headrests are now be in sync with the main display or I can run DVD's on the headrest screens and still have GPS on the center console screen. I added more pictures to the pictures page. And also, I'm still trying to get a perfect finish on my center console. Once it's to my standards I'll put it back in the car and prepare to mount the touchscreen.


	Last update (2001-06-11 00:00:00):

This weekend I fixed the Basic Stamp 2 starter circuit. I'll add a diagram when I get some time. When the accessory line goes high, the circuit turns on the inverter, turns on the PC, then after the PC is booted turns on the LCD in the dash. When the accessory line goes low, the circuit turns off the video screen, tells Windows to shutdown, and then after a minute kills the power inverter (just in case; to prevent a dead battery). It works perfectly; I'm so stoked!


	Last update (2001-06-07 00:00:00):

Today I just changed the look of the page. I'm still sanding down the filler glue that went into the crease on the center console. Once it's even, I can proceed to the painting/finishing phase. I'm looking forward to finishing this part.


	Last update (2001-06-04 00:00:00):

I've been working on mounting the new screen in the center console. I still have a lot to do to get this baby up and running again. I made a housing for the center screen and sanded/glued/finished it this weekend. I'll have to do some final prep work before I can have it finished professionally. I've decided on the Matrox G400 video card because it can do simultaneous VGA/NTSC output. The NTSC is going to the back seats and the VGA is going to the center console (of course!). This saves me from having to buy a VGA->NTSC converter. Also, I now have access to a Digital Camera, so I can put pictures on the page more frequently. I've added a few pictures of the construction of the center console.


	Last update (2001-05-14 00:00:00):

I've been doing a lot to the car lately. I had a 5" LCD installed in the driver's headrest. I also painted it black to match the interior. I put in a PSone (Playstation I) which I also painted black. I'll be putting another 5" LCD in the passenger headrest pretty soon. I'll put up some pictures in the next few days.


	Last update (2001-04-11 00:00:00):

I'm still working on the car, but it's been put on the back burner for now while I look for work.


	Last update (2001-03-11 00:00:00):

Things are coming along nicely. I fixed the software on the BS2 so it turns the computer on 1 second after the car has started. The reason for the 1 second delay is that the starter draws all the power from the battery so it wouldn't work without the delay. So to recap:
Startup Sequence:

BS2 waits 1 second after car is started
Turns on the power inverter
Turns on the computer
Waits 30 seconds for boot
Turns on the LCD
Computer is ready for battle

Shutdown sequence:

After power is removed from accessory line (key removed) the BS2 sends "kill" signal to serial port
A Perl program watches serial port for "kill" signal, and when received sends shutdown signal to Linux
BS2 waits 30 seconds for shutdown and turns off power inverter


	Last update (2001-03-01 00:00:00):

My friend Nick had a copy of the recent pictures, so I was able to recover them! WHEW! Thanks a million Nick!


	Last update (2001-02-18 00:00:00):

I lost the webpage and all my recent pictures. I've put the old pictures page back up for now.


	Last update (2001-02-18 00:00:00):

I've added a Basic Stamp II microprocessor to the car. I modified the ashtray to have 4 buttons and a few blue leds. The BS2 is programmed to turn on the voltage regulator, turn on the computer, and after 30 seconds it turns the screen on. This is a much cooler solution to having startup and shutdown screens. Now I just press a single but and when the screen comes on its ready for action. The BS2 also controls the headrest displays. When I press the shutdown switch, it turns off the screen first, then sends a kill signal to Windows and turns the voltage regulator off after about a minute. The reason I decided to cut power to the voltage regulator, is because I noticed in the summertime that the fan inside the regulator would continually run to keep it cool. The electronics in it down stop the fan if the power falls below the 10 volt minimum, so I've actually had a dead battery on a few occasions. This elimates that problem entirely and add a nicer interface to the computer in general. The final plus of this is that it prevents the jerks at the carwash and dealership from messing with the computer. You have to press the turn on buttons in sequence and only I know what the sequence is. I'll put pictures up shortly.


	Last update (2000-12-19 00:00:00):

I came into some backstage passes for the "Anger Management Tour" and this is who I met. He's a really cool guy, but his bodyguard Tiny was tough. "NO GUYS ALLOWED" in the after show. Even with 60+ hot women back there we couldn't get in. The crew seemed to have a blast though.


	Last update (2000-12-12 00:00:00):

Damn. I just saw my keyboard at Office Depot for $29 dollars. I paid almost $6o. Shitnat.


	Last update (2000-12-12 00:00:00):

I got a new cell fone that has a GSM wireless modem feature. I'll be able to push about 21 KB in Hotlanta so I'll probably drop it in the car for some weekend-wireless-minutes-slow-ass-internet-while-driving-around-town fun. At least I'll be able to check my email while I wait in the Steak N Shake drive-thru, ugh. d00d, I can be an _elite_ hax0r on the r0ad! *grin*


	Last update (2000-12-12 00:00:00):

I wrote a VB program that shuts the computer down at the touch of a button. Now when I exit the car, I just hit a button and it shuts down windows (and gives apps a second to close) and then turns off the computer (ATX power supply). It doesn't sound like much but this makes my life a lot easier because I don't have to hit the close button twice then wait until Windows decides to shut things down (and usually gets stuck because Windows just plain sucks). Now I can just hit the U/P (user programmable) button and get out of the car and know that it'll get shutdown properly and turned off.


	Last update (2000-12-12 00:00:00):

I removed the blue rubber bands that were holding the headrest display up. I figured out a way to mount the display permanently. The wiring for the headrest display runs through the existing poles on the headrest so no wires are visible.


	Last update (2000-11-24 00:00:00):

I FINALLY added the new pictures!!! I have pictures from the 4" display in the driver headrest and new pictures of the LCD housing. I've decided to add a Tivo the car, so that the passengers can watch pre-recorded TV shows. I'm going upgrade the Tivo to hold A LOT of TV shows, so that when people are in the car they can look through the display and find something cool to watch. I'm planning on recording a bunch of Simpson's episodes, some X-Files, FSU football, Sex in the City, Saturday Night Live, ZDNet TV, and some episodes of the New Detectives. In the car, its easier to watch a 30 minute show than to watch a 2 hour movie. For long trips the DVD is great, but for trips out in Atlanta people enjoy TV!


	Last update (2000-11-21 00:00:00):

Okay... I promised new pictures. I'm going to have access to a digital camera tomorrow so expect them in the next few days. I've done a lot to the car since the existing pictures were taken. The new pictures should be pretty sweet. Also, the page was down for a while.


	Last update (2000-09-21 00:00:00):

I fixed the counter on the start page and added a comments page. I haven't done much to the car lately. I'm going to be getting back to it soon, and I have some great new ideas.


	Last update (2000-08-14 00:00:00):

The server was down for the past 2 days. I upgraded apache to the latest version. Sorry.


	Last update (2000-08-08 00:00:00):

Changed the control list on the webpage. Decided to start putting updates on the top instead of the bottom of this page.


	Last update (2000-08-01 00:00:00):

Cleaned up the web page some. Fixed a bug on the visitors table that didn't sort by the hit count.


	Last update (2000-07-29 00:00:00):

I added a visitors section to the page today.


	Last update (2000-07-28 00:00:00):

I redid the webpage today. The 4" LCD still isn't finished yet. I made a sweet leather frame for it, so it's going to look 100% factory when it's done.


	Last update (2000-07-22 00:00:00):

I feel bad because I haven't put pix up in a while. The car is so much cooler now than it was when any of the above pictures were taken. Also, I have no pictures of the "whole package". I'll do what I can to get some sweet pix on the page soon.


	Last update (0000-00-00 00:00:00):

It's a little bit late, but here are a few pictures from the March Atlanta Carputer Meetup. Thanks to everyone that attended! It was a good time.


	Last update (0000-00-00 00:00:00):

We've been forced to dump meetup.com because they've decided to charge absorbinant fees with no notice what-so-ever. We'll probably post meetups over at: carputers.org from now on. It seems like the only neutral site around. If you know of another site, please contact us.

To go back in time and visit the dashpc archives, click here.