Microbits

This file will put a more standard Linux prompt on your Cygwin login shell (file should be ~/.bash_profile):

#!/bin/bash

# Custom prompt
PS1='\[\e]0;\w\a\]\n\[\e[32m\]\u@\h:\[\e[33m\]\w\[\e[0m\]$ '

Launching MC in rxvt showed all the box drawing characters replaced with strange looking accented characters… What?

Turns out none of the Windows fonts support box drawing characters (from what I’ve read, it seems that they don’t have the characters in the expected positions in the character table)…

The easiest solution is to tell MC to use non box drawing characters to draw boxes with the -a switch. The other solution is to get the Lucida ConsoleP Font. (42), and set rxvt to use it (as suggested by this guide).

How do you set the fonts? You could set them with command line switches, or use a .XResources file in your Cygwin home directory (base file from here)):

rxvt.font:             Lucida Console-14
rxvt.boldFont:         Lucida Console-14
rxvt.scrollBar:        True
rxvt.visualBell:       True
rxvt.loginShell:       True
rxvt.background:       Black
rxvt.foreground:       White
rxvt.saveLines:        3000
rxvt.cursorColor:      Green
rxvt.scrollBar_right:  True

If you want to use the box drawing font (you have to install it on the system first):

rxvt.font:             Lucida ConsoleP-14
rxvt.boldFont:         Lucida ConsoleP-14
rxvt.scrollBar:        True
rxvt.visualBell:       True
rxvt.loginShell:       True
rxvt.background:       Black
rxvt.foreground:       White
rxvt.saveLines:        3000
rxvt.cursorColor:      Green
rxvt.scrollBar_right:  True

If you use the standard DOS terminal for Cygwin, you may want to change the code page setting in the batch file (original file is in this post) to:

set CYGWIN=codepage:oem

UPDATE: For solutions to box drawing issues, see this post.

I just spent a good 30 minutes trying to figure out why the portable Cygwin installation (I haven’t really tested the portable part yet) I was working on refused to set my custom prompt automatically.

Turns out that bash doesn’t look for .bashrc for login shells, but instead looks for .bash_profile, which is what I’m used to using. For more info, see this nice page.

As far as making Cygwin itself portable, it seems to be as simple as this article suggests, however, there are some invalid and possibly unneeded (still worked when I removed them) commands in the batch files.

Here’s the batch file I use to start rxvt (I fixed some invalid options and removed some stuff):

@echo off

for /F %%A in ('cd') do set WD=%%A
set path=%WD%bin;%WD%usr\X11R6\bin;%path%
set SHELL=/bin/bash
set CYGWIN=codepage:437
set HOME=/home/user

:: Custom font for box drawing issues (not used atm)
:: bin\run rxvt -sl 1500 -bg black -fg gray -sr -fn 'Lucida ConsoleP-13' -tn rxvt-cygwin-native -e /bin/bash --login -i

:: Normal font
bin\run rxvt -sl 1500 -bg black -fg gray -sr -tn rxvt-cygwin-native -e /bin/bash --login -i

Even with decent learning skills, it still takes a few days to train a skill to level 5… At the moment, I’m waiting for Drones V to complete so I can use all the drones in my mini carrier (Dominix).

If not skills, you’re most likely waiting for something else. Earning standings and ISK, or waiting for war decs to run out so you can operate in Empire. I suppose that’s a part of every MMORPG, but it can sure get boring.

As far as long term training goals, once I’m finished with all the Dominix skills, it’ll be time to start T2 ships. Assault Frigate, Stealth Bomber, Interceptor, and eventually, Heavy Assault Ships.

This is probably the second cruiser I’ve lost in low sec. Unlike the last time, I was paying attention, and had a better idea of what I was doing.

After jumping into a near by low sec system, I started ratting in the belts. After the 5th or 6th belt, a strange looking ship warps into the belt. Confusing it with a Retriever, I almost laughed when it locked and started firing. Then I realized it was a force recon cruiser (should’ve checked my overview). After neuting and scramming me, a little gang of Battlecruisers warps in, and pop goes the Vexor.

The Vexor cost about 6 mil or so to buy, fit and insure. I got back about 3 – 4 mil, so I’m not complaining.

Some lessons to take away from this:

1. If you are going to rat in low sec, pick a system that does NOT have a high sec gate. Systems with high sec gates will have more people, and therefore, more risk. Often, these systems are 0.4, which means lower quality rats than a 0.3 or 0.2.
2. Keep an eye on local. If you see several people jump into the system, leave. They’re probably working together, and most likely a PvP gang.
3. If your ship is about to die, get ready to warp your pod immediately. Leave the system, return to high sec, and dock up (wait out the aggression timer).

A friend of mine recently had a pirate in a Heron warp in and start stealing from his wrecks. Being in a Drake, he could’ve popped the Heron if it stuck around. However, the whole point of stealing from people in something non threatening is so that they will shoot you. Why? Once you shoot them, they will have 15 minutes to shoot you without CONCORD intervening.

Now, you might ask, why should I care? A Heron wouldn’t even break my shield tank. The pirate doesn’t intend to shoot you with the Heron; they most likely have PvP ships near by that will easily destroy whatever you’re flying.