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I recently learned of the recall initiated Apple on some 2 million notebook batteries. The recall includes batteries for iBook and PowerBook models produced between 2004 and August 2006 (details). Sure enough, the battery for our 1.33 GHz PowerBook is included in the recall. I should be receiving a replacement battery in a mere 4-6 weeks...

But, in the meantime can I use the PowerBook? Sure! Apple says "...once you've removed the affected battery, just plug in the AC adapter to power the computer until a replacement battery arrives." Um...hwhat? So, that means the PowerBook is grounded and chained to the wall until the new battery arrives.

Hopefully the new battery will provide a longer-lasting charge than the current battery. I've been getting about 3 hours from it lately, though it was better when the battery was new. Incidentally, this is not the first time I've had battery problems with an Apple product: my 3G iPod was down to an hour of battery power, until the hard-drive crashed in July and rendered it dead.

Posted by Scott at 6:01 PM | Permalink

One of my favorite uses of the Internet is to look up product reviews and how-to's. Unfortunately, discovering such information is difficult using traditional search engines such as Google because they cover such a broad range of content sources. They cast such a wide net that it's difficult to narrow results with search terms alone.

Online retailers typically do not offer the objective, in-depth reviews that I'm interested in. This is why I love searching blogs. But searching blogs with the main Google engine is tough since search results for blogs are chaotically intermingled with those from retailers.

So, I often use the Google Blogs Search and Technorati engines to identify content coming from blogs. They offer a window onto the personal side of the Internet. I think that it's the left-field commentaries published through blogs that those opposed to Network Neutrality would love to squash.

Posted by Scott at 12:01 AM | Permalink

I've been really satisfied with the performance, features, and reliability of the OpenWRT firmware for the Linksys WRT54GS wireless gateway router. The WRT54GS that I purchased two years ago is equipped with 32 MB of flash RAM, most of which goes unused with the stock OpenWRT installation. So, I figured it would be a interesting exercise to install the Snort Intrusion Detection System (IDS) software on the WRT54GS to report potential network attacks or anomalies.

Snort is the most popular open-source IDS software available, and features an actively-updated list of signatures and rules that can be used to identify attack-patterns in network traffic. The primary concern with installing an IDS on the WRT54GS is the scarcity of computational and storage resources. It has got a fairly weak processor in comparison to the desktop systems we're familiar with, and the memory used for storage and running processes is extremely limited. Linksys equipped the early WRT54GS models with 32 MB of flash RAM, but later reduced it to 16 MB in what I assume was an attempt at reducing manufacturing costs. So, those with an older model are actually better off in most cases. Here's an indication of resource utilization with Snort running:

I installed the Snort utility using the OpenWRT Admin Console, pointing the installer to the "Nico Testing" repository (http://nthill.free.fr/openwrt/ipkg/testing). Once Snort was installed, I just edited the Snort configuration file (/etc/snort/snort.conf) and was snort'ing in no time. I found the article on Linux.com to be very helpful, as it inspired me to start hte project and offered guidance along the way.

I also configured Snort to log messages to a Linux PC I've got running on the LAN. Resources are so scarce on the Linksys WRT54GS that it's not practical to store log messages locally. Instead, I currently have Snort configured to send messages to the router's syslog daemon which redirect the messages to a Linux machine on the LAN. The Linux machine then commits the messages to it's local log. Next, I'd like to use the MySQL relational database to store the log messages instead of the flat syslog text file. There are several log-visualization tools (i.e. ACID) that can show log data in a more meaningful format, such as in a web browser.

Posted by Scott at 6:36 PM | Permalink

Since upgrading from a dial-up connection to a broadband connection, I abandoned the practice of keeping copies of software freely available on the Internet. This includes applications like web browsers, e-mail clients, and similar tools. My reasoning was that it's easier to download the most current copy of an application if I need it in the future because a new version will probably be released by that time, storing the program can be expensive and tedious (where do I put it?), and high-speed connections can download a 10 megabyte file in a couple of minutes. So, why keep local copies of such tools? Let it exist in the ether like any other piece of the Internet infrastructure.

Unfortunately, software applications are not immune to motives of business-minded individuals. I recently needed to download the XCode IDE for Mac OS X in order to conduct Java development on my Mac at work. The Mac uses OS X version 10.3, which is not the most current release of the OS (10.4). The most current version of XCode (2.4) works only on 10.4 systems, which mine is not. I expected to find a link to the 1.5 release of XCode for 10.3 systems, but found none. Fortunately, I remembered having stored the 1.5 release of XCode on a CD in April 2005, and had the CD conveniently located in a CD wallet in my briefcase. So, I used my backup copy of XCode and was in business. But had I not kept a local copy of XCode 1.5, I would have been screwed.

So, why might Apple choose to not make XCode development tools available for older versions of it's operating system? My suspicion is that Apple is forcing developers to build products for the most current version of it's OS, and carries this out by pulling development tools for older OS releases out of circulation. If this is their goal, then I believe they have been successful so far.

Relying on the ether to be storage medium for infrequently-used files such as application installers makes a person vulnerable to the software vendor's release and support schedule. Since disk space is cheap and broadband connections are nearly ubiquitous, it's like having an enormous storage pantry with a convenience store located next-door. Do you stockpile food in the pantry, or run to the convenience store anytime you need an item? These choices represent a double-edged sword that is tricky to handle.

Posted by Scott at 4:14 PM | Permalink

My wife has the luxury of working from home which permits her to set-up camp on the couch with laptop and cell-phone. I imagine it's a comfortable place to sit, though it lacks the organizational features of a traditional office desk. While browsing the MAKE Blog, I came across a really interesting design for a coffee table that includes a hinged tabletop that can extend up-and-out to a person seated on an adjacent couch. This allows the coffee table to serve multiple roles, thus saving cost, space, and preserving the casual appearance of a living space.

Posted by Scott at 3:11 PM | Permalink

While upgrading my Movable Type installation, I figured I'd exeriment with some new site themes. The one I settled on is called 'Stevenson', and is what you're currently viewing (most likely). It's a little jazzier than the old-skool 'Vicksburg' theme circa 2004, and looks good on the Safari and Firefox browsers in Mac OS X. Please let me know if you have difficulty viewing any of the content!

Posted by Scott at 11:24 AM | Permalink

Toile Card Keeper Wallet


Originally uploaded by misseskwittys.

I've tried various methods of keeping my index cards, the most recent involving nothing more than a stack of cards and a binder clip. However, if Natalie were to try GTD and felt a spur of DIY craftiness, this wallet might be perfect for her. Unfortunately, I don't think this would fit comfortably in my pants pocket :) I love the styling, though!

Posted by Scott at 10:52 PM | Permalink

I recently received a fantastic Nokia 6682 mobile phone for use on the Cingular wireless network. Our plan includes unlimited Internet usage for the first month, so I figured I'd experiment with as many features possible while the service is free.

I love the idea of being able to access the Internet on my Apple PowerBook laptop using a mobile phone. Mac OS X supports using a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone as a modem. I figured that configuring the phone and computer might be difficult, but it was pretty much self-guiding.

First, I paired the phone and computer by invoking the "Setup a New Device" wizard from the Bluetooth preferences in OS X. I indicated that I was adding a mobile phone, and that it should be used for connecting to the Internet using GPRS.

Then, I configured the Bluetooth PPP settings for the Cingular network. Here's what the settings look like (derived from a Cingular support page):

Then, I configured the Bluetooth modem for the Nokia 6682 mobile phone. I chose "Nokia Infrared", which seemed to work alright:

The last thing for me to do was click 'Connect' for the Bluetooth modem on the Mac. Everything just worked perfectly from that point forward. The transfer-rate wasn't anything to get excited about - it was reminiscent of the days of dial-up Internet access. Now, I can get my geek on from any place with mobile network coverage!

Posted by Scott at 10:11 PM | Permalink

Last Wednesday, Natalie and I went to a book-signing event that our friend Evany was holding in North Berkeley. While at the bookstore, we browsed the diverse collection of books for sale. I don't think I've ever seen so many interesting titles in such a small, general-purpose bookstore.

I purchased the book "To Engineer is Human," a title that I recall some of my college-friends majoring in civil engineering reading. I began reading it just last night, but am already gaining insight into why engineering disasters occur. Mostly, they're due to a series of mistakes or design considerations made in the interest of completing the project on-time and on-budget. Engineers are constantly faced with the problem of deciding what constitutes an adequate level of safety: it's possible to make a structure 1000-times safer than is adequate, but it may destroy some design aesthetics and have a exorbitant price-tag. So, engineers aim for 'safe, but not too safe."

It might distress a lot of people to learn that the planes that carry them cross-country, or the bridges that suspend their car a quarter-mile over the ocean are not constructed with absolute safety. But human beings routinely disregard safety in the interest of accomplishing goals and choose to accept or ignore associated risks. We exceed the speed limit while driving, run with scissors, and drink water out of the tap. All because we feel comfortable with the risks.

So, why are engineered structures expected to have high standards of safety built-in? Mostly because they are complex in their processes and materials, and because they are often intended to solve problems previously unattainable. Their complexity increases the level of risk. But why are they complex? I don't think it's due strictly to the number of steps - there are plenty of products made consistently-well with a high number of steps involved. Rather, I think it's the number of steps involving compartmentalized, highly-trained individuals. Most engineers are highly-trained, and highly-skilled. Reliance on this category of knowledge-workers makes the project more complex and risky. I believe that engineering is a characteristically-human field: our determination to conquer the unknown is largely what has driven the advancement of civilization.

Posted by Scott at 2:47 PM | Permalink

Here is a shot of my new Power Mac.

Posted by Scott at 9:24 AM | Permalink