The next MiddleMan

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

The cover of the new \”The MiddleMan\” graphic novel, presumably this is the one that Javi spoke about containing the scripts for the unaired TV episode….After all, that episode supposedly had DubDub captured, and thus the cover image. And Tyler in the lower right ties it to the TV universe…
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(See the Rest of the Story at untitled picture.)

Is this the next step in Spam? Sponsorship deals?

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

I just was re-reading Irregular Webcomic again….And they had a fantastic idea that I can\’t believe that no spammers have yet considered.  Sponsorship Spam.  Yes, Spam that has a sponsor…

\”We reach tens of millions of verified e-mail addresses, every day!! Take advantage of our huge market penetration and high consumer awareness! Place your message on our spam!\”

I could totally go for that…  It would help my Spam filter…
via Irregular Webcomic! #652-656.

What do you mean? I\’m not an Administrator?

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

Apple has a technote out, regarding the fact that after performing an upgrade installation (the default type) of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, an administrator account may change to a standard one.  While I have not seen this, a co-worker has seen this once.
This only affects Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard).
How to fix this?  Enable the Root user, and fix the Administrator flag.

  1. Start from your Mac OS X 10.5 Install DVD. (You do not need to install Leopard again.)
  2. From the Utilities menu, choose Reset Password (do not choose Firmware Password Utility).
  3. Follow the onscreen instructions to reset the root password (the root account is not the same as your account). Specifically: Select the name of the drive that Mac OS X is installed on, select the user named \”System Administrator (root)\” from the pop-up menu, type the password in the first field, re-enter the password in the second field, then click the Save button.
  4. Restart from your Mac OS X Leopard volume.
  5. When the login window appears, select \”Other…\” and log in as the root user using the password that was created above.  Note: If Mac OS X automatically logs in, choose Log Out (name) from the Apple menu to get to the login window.
  6. Go to Accounts preferences and check (enable) \”Allow user to administer this computer\” for the affected user.
  7. From the Apple menu, choose Log Out root….
  8. Log in as the user account that had this issue. (Your account should now have administrator access.)
  9. Use Directory Utility to disable the root user via Directory Utility\’s Edit menu. You may need to click the lock icon first).

See Apple\’s Tech Note, for additional information, via Mac OS X 10.5: Administrator user changes to standard.

Apple has frozen Snow Leopard APIs

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

In the ongoing quest to finish Mac OS X 10.6, Apple has officially frozen the Snow Leopard API\’s.  For those that don\’t know this, that is a good thing, and allows the developers to know for certain that the API\’s that they are testing with are what will be shipped.
What\’s an API?  Advanced Programming Interface.  In other words, a programmer can call any of the \”hooks\” in the API, to perform specific functions (ie.  Play Music, display a graphic, etc).  Since those API\’s are now frozen they can be assured that they are using the finalized hooks into the core of the OS.

10 Things Parents Should Know Before Seeing The New Star Trek

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

Geekdad\’s cover the Star Trek Movie, with some SPOILER-FREE rundown of what you should know before going.

1. Will I like it?

You’re reading GeekDad, so that’s an almost-guaranteed yes. If you’ve got any love for any of the past Star Trek series or movies then you’ll like this one. It feels very Trek in spirit, with good effects and good acting. There is a lot of fanservice here for Trekkers, with a lot of catch phrases, inside jokes, and trivia that only hardcore fans will know.
2. Will my significant other, who doesn’t know anything about Star Trek, like it?

Probably. The plot is a bit complex, and I was lost in a couple of places. Many core plot points, such as background on the Romulans, are left largely unexplained. Still, it moves along quickly with good acting and nice effects. My only complaint is that the fight sequences seemed lifeless and awkward. The Bourne-Identity style shakycam action seems like it’s just there to cover up a badly scripted fight.

(View the rest of the article at 10 Things Parents Should Know Before Seeing The New Star Trek)

Elgato Video Capture records analog video to MPEG-4, H.264 | Video hardware

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

Elgato makes some good products, but they are typically a little expensive…. Macworld has just announced that they have released \”Elgato Video Capture\”. And it\’s pretty darn inexpensive at $100… What I am more concerned with is what Software is included. EyeTV, their normal software package has a history, this new \”Video Capture Software\” that they are including in this package is an unknown product, with no history.
When my ConvertX box bites the dust, I may consider this product, since I will want to be able to record from an Digital Cable Box…

Elgato on Friday introduced Elgato Video Capture, a new device that enables Mac users to transfer analog video to H.264 or MPEG-4 video files. It costs $100.

(View the rest of the article at Elgato Video Capture records analog video to MPEG-4, H.264 | Video hardware | Macworld)

What is OCSP?

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

5/7/09 9:09:34 AM /usr/sbin/ocspd[18764] starting
5/7/09 9:15:56 AM /usr/sbin/ocspd[18774] starting
5/7/09 9:31:07 AM /usr/sbin/ocspd[18820] starting
From the Man pages, OCSPD is responsible for (security) Certificate Revocation List & Online Certificate Status Protocol responses. In other words, it handles the heavy lifting portion of the security management for Mac OS X 10.4+. OCSP is an internet protocol used for obtaining the status of an X.509 certificate.
Overall, OCSP is needed for Security Certificate verfication, and perfectly normal for day to day operations. OCSP is not intended to be invoked directly by the user….

AutoREALM – The GNU Mapper

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

AutoREALM! is a free Fantasy Role-Playing mapper software (a \’cartographer\’) that can design maps of castles, cities, dungeons and more. AutoREALM is generally used by Role-playing Game practicants who enjoy doing their own maps. But it could fits the needs of other people. If you are a Role-Playing gamer or else, you are cordially invited to join the AutoREALM community: fellows gathered around a free hobbyist map tool. Originally made by Andrew Gryc (say \’grits\’), AutoREALM is now Open Source, creating a unique opportunity for the RPG world.

(View the rest of the article at AutoREALM – The GNU Mapper)