Our development team found this article quite helpful during development of a custom portal. Unfortunately, the project is on indefinite hold.
Tag: Technology
Map Hacking
A friend of mine came across this page with a bunch of interesting googlemaps-related hacks. I haven’t sprung for one of those GPS gadgets yet, but I’m sorely tempted.
Goodbye Blogger, Hello WordPress
A quick note of thanks to the author of the illustrated tutorial, and Andy Skelton, the author of the import script.
Giant Steps, Animated
Came across this via Scobleizer (who came across it via Tim Bray). It’s a recording of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”, with animation set to it. If you like jazz, the music is great. It makes the animation more interesting in the same way that soundtracks enhance movies.
Mac OS X Address Book
Once I got over trying to import a CSV file into it (silly me), getting contacts out of my Yahoo address book into the Mac was easy. I exported it as a Netscape address book. The Mac OS X Address Book imports those files (.ldif) very easily.
“Free” Project Management Software
I was looking for information on the right way to modify the ASP.NET Issue Tracker starter kit to handle Windows Authentication. One of the things Google search returned was an app called Gemini that does a similar thing. Up to 10 people can use the version they offer for download before they start asking for money. Considering the way the current IssueTracker installation is behaving right now, I’m beginning to wish I’d found Gemini earlier.
The mini has landed
The Mac mini I ordered online back in February finally arrived tonight. The only real problem I’ve encountered so far is that it had trouble detecting my Linksys router from upstairs. What I’m not certain of is whether this was because I had MAC address filtering enabled initially. Once I disabled that and set everything up closer to the wireless router, Internet access worked fine.
Software installs were very simple. For the most part, I’d just download a file and drag it to the applications folder. Very easy, very clean.
I still have plenty of configuration work left to do though. If the mini can’t access the Internet wirelessly from a distance, I may spring for an Airport Express to see if that will boost the signal enough. If I can get a DVI cable, Bluetooth keyboard and mouse for less than the Airport Express, it may be worth it to hook it up to my HDTV & stereo instead.
Networking it with my Win2K server will be another challenge.
Update: I moved the mini upstairs and turned everything on again. Now it’s connecting wirelessly with no trouble at all.
“Free” Project Management Software
I was looking for information on the right way to modify the ASP.NET Issue Tracker starter kit to handle Windows Authentication. One of the things Google search returned was an app called Gemini that does a similar thing. Up to 10 people can use the version they offer for download before they start asking for money. Considering the way the current IssueTracker installation is behaving right now, I’m beginning to wish I’d found Gemini earlier.
Why Your Broadband Sucks
A good column by Lawrence Lessig on a problem with Wi-Fi access in the U.S. In short, lobbyists are spending money to convince lawmakers to prevent municipal governments from competing with broadband providers instead of actually providing broadband. The really eye-opening stat in the piece is that our country is 13th in broadband deployment. Given how long it took me to get broadband initially, I can believe it.
When the free market is clearly not working in an area, government stepping in may not be a bad idea.
More Mac mini Ideas
1. Make it a low-cost recording studio.
2. Make it a media center.
I’ve already got a digital piano at home, so I’ll probably try option 1 first. After reading the article, option 2 sounds like a whole lot of work.
Someone already thought of the mini Beowulf cluster idea.