Tech Observer: Linux And Open Source

I found this guide informative, easy checklist to go through!

Hardening Tips for the Default Installation of Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard"

This is a very awesome java app. You can synchronize your Lotus Notes Calendar to your Google Calendar site!

Lotus Notes Calendar Sync to Google

It's difficult to access your IBM Lotus Notes calendar from outside Lotus Notes. Google has great interfaces to access its calendar, so why not use Google as a bridge to Lotus Notes? On top of that, why not keep it simple? Set and forget!

How do I get started developing an app for the Apple iPad?
It is simple easy to start-you apply to the developer program and with a $99 subscription per year you get access to the full SDK and a developer key to synchonize your apps to a iPad and you also get the iPad simulator so you can test and develope your app without the hardware!

So how much does it cost to get started?
Well if you have a keyboard, mouse and a monitor all you need is an Apple Mac Mini to begin your development work. The Mac Mini is the computer you will install the SDK on and with a DVi monitor you will have a full desktop experience.

So here's your shopping list:
Mac Mini

Mini-DVI adapter cable so you can use your DVI monitor:

If you have a VGA monitor you need this adapter:

And Finally sign up for the developer program on apple's website:
Start Developing Your iPad Apps

And if this all seems like TOO much just to get your feet wet in the scene, check out the open source framework:
PhoneGap which is an open source development tool for building fast, easy mobile apps with JavaScript. The site includes a simulator written in Adobe AIR!

Head First iPhone Development

Developing Hybrid Applications for the iPhone

iPhone Advanced Projects

I am deploying some test guest OS on my ESX platform and want to use the FULL 10GIG of bandwidth I can support on the NIC. I discovered that the client install ISO doesn't recognize the NIC but that I can configure it post-install!

Right click the guest virtual machine in vSphere Client, and slect GUEST menu and then Install/Upgrade VMware Tools, this will mount the iso to the /dev/cdrom next:

sudo mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom
cd /tmp
tar zxf /media/cdrom/VM*
cd vm*
sudo ./vmware-install.pl

I accepted the defaults...

test with:

sudo ifconfig -a
should see eth0

cd /etc/network
sudo vim interfaces

add these lines:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

I purchased this dj mixing deck recently - I am testing it on windows xp currently.
I have found a couple gotchas, the buttons on the unit can be programed, and in the torq 1.5 software you can in the preferences set custom MIDI events for specific actions. So...

If you monkey with the LEARN button in the preferences, you will change some defaults. If you do this and a button stops working, just go into your APPLICATION data folder under your profile and delete the config files that TORG creates. They will be recreated with defaults and your back up and running.

This unit is VERY responsive, I am running on a AMD platform 4200+ processor and like the software so far. I have it plugged into a USB 2.0 Full Speed port, but will try moving it to a Hi-Speed port to see if the latency can be reduced even more.

I can mix MP3's, and also Apple Audio Lossless format files which compress a CD track to about half size. This is incredibly powerful since you can carry so many tunes on a hard drive.

There are a number of training options available I liked these youtube videos:

M-Audio Torq Lesson 01 Setup (Part 1 of 2)

M-Audio Torq Lesson 01 Setup (Part 2 of 2)

M-Audio Torq Lesson 02 The Browser (Part 1 of 2)

Torq with Xponent (M-Audio) with Steve Nalepa is a DVD course you can check out as well!

A good set of headphones are a MUST especially if you are in the club!
the Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone is a quality item!

or the Sony MDR-V700DJ DJ-Style Monitor Series Headphones

you might need an adapter:

I want a hard case, but for now this will do just fine:

This case has a laptop stand!

The ESXi platform does support the Intel 10 Gigabit adapter. I found drivers in an ISO on the VMWare site:

VMware ESX/ESXi 4.0 Driver CD for Intel 82598 and 82599 10 Gigabit Ethernet Controllers

Driver CD for VMware ESX/ESXi 4.0

Driver version: 2.0.44.14.4 | 2009-12-17 | Build: 215251
Filename: vmware-esx-drivers-net-ixgbe_400.2.0.44.14.4-1.0.4.164009.215251.iso
Md5sum: cb86c8f01cbf5969d0ac259c5348aed3
Sha1sum: b8376e52a833656b18e0a7bc9ccd51569188527b

I already have SSH access to the baremetal on the ESXi server: I downloaded the ISO and with 7zip could navigate and so I extracted the offline-bundle and INT-intel-lad-ddk-ixgbe-400.2.0.44.14.4-1.0.4.164009-offline_bun.zip was what I needed! Putting that on a web server on my network was super easy.

The command is from the SSH or TECHNICAL support console.

# esxupdate --bundle=http://web.server/INT-intel-lad-ddk-ixgbe-400.2.0.44.14.4-1.0.4.164009-offline_bun.zip update

Note the trailing update command!

# esxupdate --bundle=http://10.83.240.157/pdf/INT-intel-lad- ddk-ixgbe-400.2.0.44.14.4-1.0.4.164009-offline_bun.zip update
INT-intel-lad-ddk-ixgbe-400.2.. ######################################## [100%]

Here's a good buy on one:


~ # lspci -v
01:00.00 Ethernet controller Network controller: Intel Corporation 82598EB 10 Gigabit AT2 Server Adapter [vmnic1]
Class 0200: 8086:150b

I use a cordless telephone headset for a POTS line during the day. It is convenient the sound is actually quite good and it has worked well for almost two years.

Today the headset would not hold a charge so I opened it up the part is serviceable, and Part No. 65358-01 is carried by amazon:

The newest model is a CS70

Prediction for Apple's forthcoming product.

I am privy to no inside info nor do I have contacts that have this information. What I intend to discuss today is the design and ecosystem for Apple's next product introduction.

In retrospect, the iPhone was a brilliant compromise of form and function with technical limitations, but what has cemented its lasting power is the vibrant application store and the developers that support the platform with nifty, innovatiove or just plain obvious functionality.

A new device would have to have a similar design methodology and ideally be supported by such an ecosystem.

I believe the next logical market for the iPod generation is college and the teens who grew up with iPods will be used to consuming media and information in a format as mediated by the iTunes store.

Analysts See iPod Market Share Gains Among Teens

Piper Jaffray analysts Gene Munster and Michael Olson on Wednesday released the results of their tenth bi-annual teen survey, which showed gains in iPod market share from the spring numbers. Specifically, 74% of the teens who possess an MP3 player said they own some type of iPod[...]

Based on this assumption and the fact that the RESALE market for textbooks allows most students to recoup some of the money spent on textbooks albeit at the expense to the publisher of a lost sale; I believe that Steve Jobs and Apple have negotiated hefty discounts from the publishers on content sold electronically based on the assumption that each student will buy a book and it will not be resellable.

That in itself would be enough to have a winning product, an ebook that eliminates the stack of books required for an education.

The game changer will be, a general purpose computing platform, most likely NOT x86 compatible and a partnership with a VoIP provider such as Skype to allow unlimited domestic calls and sms.

By teaming three such important features, books, applications for any area of education and the always on VoIP and SMS functionality they would have an obvious winner.

I predict that the icing on the cake will be that it will have full media support for itunes songs and movie downloads.

Although a student may need a laptop for some content creation, for class, for notes for reading and studying and for communicating with peers I think the niche that Apple serves with a new tablet will be a real game winner for Apple and establish Apple as the preeminent educational brand.

This document explains in a comprehensive and methodical method the way to lock down, secure and harden a VMWARE installation. Although updated for ESXi or 4 the methods and critical areas are usefull for your reference.

VMware ESX Server 3 Configuration Guide Enterprise Applications Division of the Systems and Network Analysis Center (SNAC) Information Assurance Directorate National Security Agency I733-009R-2008

If you haven't heard, the BSDmag switches to a free online format. In the past they have offered in depth and feature articles on all flavors of BSD from NETBSD to OpenBSD to FreeBSD this is an outstanding resource and I'm glad to see that the magazine will continue!

I'm excited to see this and will be looking forward to the next issue February!

I ordered a Blue Yeti Microphone - it is a USB Powered Condenser Mic which is in my opinion the BEST deal in a USB Microphone.

Previously I've tested a G-Track from SAMSON but the unit I received before the Holidays was defective and would FADE OUT while I was recording vocal tracks with it. I sent it back as defective and ordered the BLUE Yeti Mic when I found out it was coming out. I considered the RODE Podcaster instead but realized it was a Dynamic mic and preferred the sound I got with a Condenser so went with the yeti.

The Zero Latency Monitoring works on Windows XP but not Under Ubuntu 9.10 and an ASUS EEE PC netbook. I'm not sure what the difference is so I'm pasting in to this post the lsusb -v output for the device in case anyone has an idea.

I bought a stand and pop filter subsequently and with the isolating earbuds I have this is a great low-end quasi studio sounding setup on the cheap.

Very pleased with the results and would buy another for remote sites if I needed it.

I found the specs for and bought and tested this memory on a desktop I have, total memory installed currently is 6GB!

So far a good buy!