A multi-touch world awaits…

Posted on December 2, 2007 by Chris Brewer

Multi-touch interfaces are taking the computing world by storm. While not completely new (multi-touch research has been around since the 80’s), researchers such as Jeff Han are hard at work bringing it to the forefront of computing interfaces.

Traditional touch screens allow only one point of contact at a time. Apple’s iPhone utilizes a technique that allows for two. Han’s technology allows for multiple *people* to use all their fingers, simultaneously. Multi-touch computer screens may herald the end of the point-and-click mouse. Continue reading →

Crash (and I don’t mean cymbals)!

Posted on November 29, 2007 by Chris Brewer

I’m sitting at my Mac this morning, facing a window that looks out onto the street in front of my house, working on a web site.

I hear the throaty growl of an accelerating engine, and look up just in time to see the smear of a black car flying past. Simultaneously, I hear an enormous BOOM, and see pieces of my car showering all around. Continue reading →

Mute system audio when increasing/decreasing volume

Posted on November 26, 2007 by Chris Brewer

Here’s a cool tip from The Distant Librarian on how to silence the audio feedback you get when using the keyboard to increase or decrease the volume in Mac OS X.

Hold down the shift key while depressing the volume keys will silence the auditory feedback while raising and lowering the volume, but still show the visual cue.

Other cool tricks:

Hold down option while clicking one of the sound keys to access the Sound system preferences.

Get more granular volume control by holding down shift-option while clicking one of the sound keys to increase/decrease volume in 1/4 the normal increments. Normal, the Mac provides 16 volume levels. Holding down shift-option gives you 64 increments.

Screencasting on Mac OS X: What you need to get the job done

Posted on November 13, 2007 by Chris Brewer

Your choices for screen capture on Mac OS X are increasing, both in quantity and quality. Screen capture and screen casting is cake using these low-cost (and sometimes free) applications:

Continue reading →

Configure Apache Web Sharing for user accounts in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard

Posted on November 8, 2007 by Chris Brewer

Apple’s new Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) changes how web sharing is set up. Thankfully, they’ve moved us all to Apache 2 codebase (a good thingâ?¢). But in doing so, they’ve disabled the ability to serve web pages contained in your home Site directory.

If you turn on Web Sharing from the System Preferences panel, it works for the main computer (http://localhost) but not for user accounts (http://localhost/~username/). Most perplexing is that Apple’s graphical interface confirms that web sharing is turned on for your personal account, but it doesn’t work. This is *very* un-Apple.

Even if you turn on web sharing from the System Preferences panel, you’ll still receive the dreaded 403 Forbidden. You don't have permission to access /~username/ on this server.

Thankfully, it’s a simple oversight on Apple’s part. Your options are two-fold. You can either set it up to activate the Sites directory in all your user accounts, or just for individual ones. I’ll cover both. Continue reading →

How to own that pesky telemarketer

Posted on October 23, 2007 by Chris Brewer

Next time a telemarketer calls, use this slick routine to teach him/her a lesson:

Apple bug breaks 3rd party USB web cams; no fix from Cupertino

Posted on September 23, 2007 by Chris Brewer

Since the release of Apple’s 10.4.10 update, users (including me) have been complaining to Apple that their third-party USB web cams have lost audio capabilities. Although a bug report was issued and acknowledged (ID #5285354) by Apple, no fix has been forthcoming. In fact, Apple has stranded a large number of users in a void where iChat AV no longer has audio and video chat functionality. Continue reading →

Activate Apple Remote Desktop Sharing from remote command line

Posted on September 23, 2007 by Chris Brewer

I recently needed to access the GUI of my Mac at work from home. Alas, Apple Remote Desktop Sharing was turned off.

Here’s how to turn on Remote Desktop Sharing from the command line. This assumes you have Remote Login (SSH) turned on in system preferences. If not, you’re hosed. Continue reading →

In bold digital move, Almighty shuns analog world, preferring cell phones as miracle conduit

Posted on July 21, 2007 by Chris Brewer

The pastor and members of a Memphis church claim the face of God recently appeared on the ceiling of their sanctuary.

Pastor Reginald Lowery of Miracle Crusade Bible Church Holiness was preaching a sermon entitled “God Knows Where We Are” on a recent Friday night, when God chose to reveal himself to his daughter. The Lord, apparently as enamoured with cell phones as the rest of his creation, chose the ubiquitous device as a conduit for his holy works.
Continue reading →

Commutation of Libby sentence reveals Bush administration’s utter contempt for American laws and American citizens

Posted on July 5, 2007 by Chris Brewer

I cannot express any better my feelings regarding the Bush Administration than Keith Olbermann does in this video:

In that moment, Mr. Bush, you broke that fundamental compact between yourself and the majority of this nationâ??s citizens â?? the ones who did not cast votes for you.
In that moment, Mr. Bush, you ceased to be the President of the United States.
In that moment, Mr. Bush, you became merely the Presidentâ?¦ of a rabid and irresponsible corner of the Republican Party.