Everytime (well, last night actually) when I need to do something with Applescript I shudder with horror. The syntax is actually something you forget all the time. There must be better alternatives for Apple to use as a scripting language. I agree with this article, but Python or Ruby would be a better alternative I think.
Mac OS X 10.5.2 hangs on wake from sleep
I have had this annoying problem with my Macbook Pro. Sometimes when waking the machine from sleep, the machine can not connect to the selected Airport network and then hangs with spinning pizza of death.
Apples next update to 10.5.3 looks like it will fix it. Hopfully Apple will release it soon…
From Fixed list of Mac OS X update 10.5.3
– Joining AirPort network after wake issue resolved
Fix for constantly running fan after 10.3.8 update
©John Lillis
I got fed up with the fan that’s running constantly on my Powerbook 12″ rev b 867mhz after installing the 10.3.8 Update. So here’s how you do it:
- Download Update 10.2.8 and use Pacifist to extract /System/Library/ExtensionsAppleADM103x.kext from MacOSXUpdate10.2.8.pkg to the desktop.
- Do a backup of AppleADM103x.kext from your startup disk at /System/Library/Extensions to your home folder.
- Copy AppleADM103x.kext from your Desktop (the one you extracted from 10.2.8) to /System/Library/Extensions, you’ll need to enter the admin password to do that. Start Disk Utility and do a repair permissions on your start volume. Problem solved. Just for good measure, reset the parameter-RAM by holding down Command-Alt-P-R at startup. My machine now turns on the fans at 148 Fahrenheit instead of 125 Fahrenheit.
For some reason Apple choose to change the temperature when the fan starts on Rev.A Powerbook 12″ after Mac OS X 10.2.8 from 148 Fahrenheit to 125 Fahrenheit. This gives the result that the fan runs almost constantly due to the fact that the powerbook operates normally at 125 Fahrenheit. I did this hack back when Apple changed stuff in the 10.3.2 update, and they haven’t updated AppleADM103x.kext until 10.3.8.
Another thing to note is that I tried to do the Install option from Pacifist instead of the copy to the desktop. That didn’t work. My guess is that it has to do with the kextcache. maybe you just have to do a sudo kextcache -e or similar to get the kext cache to update? Haven’t tried it though.
Just a reminder, I take no responsibility if you do this hack and something goes wrong.
Usenet – The forgotten network
Photo by Paul Hammond
It’s been awhile since I last logged on to Usenet to read some groups and to download stuff. I found this great application called Unison from a company called Panic. And it’s great. I even signed up for a Usenet account from them when buying the software. I now have a 10mbit line at home, and no Usenet provider has been able to provide a fast enough service to me, until now. Impressive stuff. The only downside with the account is that you only get 10gig of download. Now, that may sound like a lot, but I get through that fast.
The program feels like a native Mac OS X application, and it’s written in Cocoa. It’s reasonably fast to search, and the user interface is easy to learn. The same goes for saving links to different newsgroups.
Thumbs up for this one!
Little Snitch makes sure Mac applications doesn’t call home
Little Snitch keeps you covered
Use Little Snitch to monitor what developers of programs sends home. Then you can stop that specific traffic. More and more programs phone home with information to the software company. Sometimes it’s harmless, like checking if a newer version is available, but sometimes they also send data like serial numbers and your registration information. So is there a way for you to control what programs can do? Yes, there is! There’s an excellent program called Little Snitch that monitors all communication from applications on your Mac OS X machine and asks you if the information is allowed to be sent over the internet.
Great stuff! And you can tell the program to remember settings so you can allow regular communications to get through.