December 2003

Finally

December 18, 2003

Apple has released 10.3.2 via software update today. One of the enhancements mentioned in the notes is the ability to configure proxy servers via proxy.pac files. This has been one annoying area where OS X has been lagging for some time. I can't wait to finish the current project so we can upgrade and test it out.

WebObjects and Xcode

December 17, 2003

Does anybody have good tutorials on Xcode and WebObjects 5.2.2? I have found several pretty good articles on places such as MacDevCenter but none address Xcode specifically. My current problem is getting the EOModels to show up when I tell Xcode to create a display container. There is a list of Entities that now includes one I did for a tutorial but can't get it to include the "real" EOModels I created and want to use for a project. I've worked a bit with DirectToWeb - fantastic technology. I'm fearful of many of the books on WebObjects as they seem dated and I'm not sure if they'll add value or confusion. Read more about WebObjects and Xcode

The Wal Mart you don't know

December 14, 2003

Fast Company has a must-read article for business owners about Wal Mart and how they can manipulate suppliers.

Recording of the Press Conference about Hussein's Capture

December 14, 2003

Dave Winer: - I recorded the press conference. A couple of caveats before you download the 4MB file. I began the recording about fifteen minutes into the event. Second, it's a WAV file. Haven't figured out yet how to convert to MP3.

This turned out to be a job of ITunes. Here is Dave's .wav file in .mp3 format.

Safari text spacing errors

December 13, 2003

Has anyone else noticed problems with text spacing in Safari under 10.3.1. The condition I have observed is that the further to the right the cursor gets the further it gets ahead of the text. This is true both in the address bar and in areas such as textboxes. As you get past half way across the screen the cursor can appear a full character in front of its actual place.

Bah Humbug!

December 13, 2003

I made the pilgrimage to see about finishing up the Christmas shopping today. In addition there were a couple of little things like the knob for the gas control on the fire place I needed to replace. People are just plain crazy. I've decided that this will be an online and mail order shopping season. I am planning on getting a few things that I thought would be better to pickup in person but they too will be delivered.

What is it about Christmas shopping that makes people drive like they own the road? I can't count the number of times today I saw someone get out of a line traffic, into the right turn only lane, and then at the last minute stop and block traffic until they were allowed to cut back into the front of the line they came from.

Giving up I decided to pick up some Del Taco on the way home. Read more about Bah Humbug!

Parks fees may increase in Canada

December 10, 2003

I'd been meaning to write about park fees in the United States National Parks when this item about a possible fee increase in Canadian national parks came across the wire.

What I had not realized is how much the fees in the national parks of the United States vary. In the trip across Utah they varied from $20 in Zion to no fee for Capitol Reef. In between are Arches, Bryce and Canyonlands. I know that most of the fee goes to the general treasury but I didn't realize the wide variety in fees charged by each park. Even Bryce and Zion, which both operate free shuttle services have different fees. Read more about Parks fees may increase in Canada

Hints for Colorado non-profits

December 10, 2003

Thinking about soliciting donations? It will pay to be up to date with the Colorado Charitable Solicitations Act. The law applies to "every charitable organization that intends to solicit funds in Colorado." It requires a financial report from the most recent year be included. Attorney General Ken Salazar has an editorial as well that encourages anyone giving to a charity to ask certain q Read more about Hints for Colorado non-profits

Heads Up

December 8, 2003

New York Times:Heads-Up Displays Move From Cockpits to Cyclists' Helmets - Soon recreational motorcyclists and bicyclists will be able to take advantage of data projected into their line of sight.

This is quite similar to a device I was pondering while driving back yesterday. I want to combine GPS and a simple display with a wireless connection for updating road conditions and highway speeds dynamically. If the technology was used to track vehicle speeds like the fleet tracking or reporting from the ever more common roadside speed indicators.

CDOT has a pretty good site but it only does most people good while they are not in their cars but are at their computers. Read more about Heads Up

Customer service returns to the US

December 8, 2003

According to an article in the New York Times Dell is moving some customer service operations back to the U.S. that had at one time been sent to India. Dell is one of many companies that are finding that sending the work to India works for some highly repetitive work but not for widely diverse work. For supporting home users installing a new card it's fine, but for complex corporate networks its not working.

Pages