I stumbled upon this tip for speeding up Apple Mail and it works beautifully. My Apple Mail is now very snappy with virtually no lag. Sort of makes you wonder why Apple doesn’t just include this functionality in the first place?

This particular netbook has an Intel Atom processor, 8GB SSD drive and 1 GB Ram.

The netbook came with an Acer version of Linpus Linux that was quickly replaced by Ubuntu. I initially installed Cruncheee, a version of CrunchBang! Linux designed for Asus eee and other netbooks. I actually really like it, but decided that it might not be user friendly enough for the eventual end user. I ended up installing another Ubuntu derivative called Easy Peasy (brutal name – I know – what is with the name of Linux distros anyway?) which has a very nice layout for netbooks and still runs quickly on the Aspire One.

Overall the system runs very well, but there were a few problems with audio and wi-fi, particularly after the netbook has been suspended. I managed to solve those issues by upgrading to a Linux kernel that has been optimized for the Acer Aspire One.

Good Information on SSD Disk Partitioning and file systems for the Acer Aspire One:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Acer_Aspire_One#Recommended_partition_schemes_for_A110L

The custom kernel image:
http://www.kuki.me/releases/kernel/linux-image-2.6.28-sickboy-kuki_0.2_i386.deb

Kuki Kernel Install Instructions are here:
http://crunchbanglinux.org/wiki/howto/aspireone#kuki_kernel

A few days later I was in the Apple Store in Market Mall picking up my 15″ Macbook Pro that was having its 2.5 year old logic board replaced courtesy of Apple Care (money very well spent!). I showed the iPhone to the Apple employee at the Genius Bar and was told that they would replace it if I made a reservation and came back tomorrow.

I went back the next day for my reservation, showed the employee my iPhone, sheepishly told my story, and then he disappeared into the back. He emerged with a brand new iPhone (probably refurbished) in a tiny black box (not the original packaging). He switched out the GSM SIM card, I signed a Genius bar work authorization, and walked out of the store with a fully functional iPhone. The entire thing took less than 10 minutes.

I was instructed that this was a “one time” deal, and that I would have to pay for the repairs if I dropped the phone and cracked it again. But am I complaining? Not at all!

Thanks Apple!

I’ve been busy working on the user interface for RideBooker.com and stumbled upon Minify while reading Yahoo’s Rules for High Performance Web Sites. I’ve got javascript in 7 files and CSS in 5 files. That is 12 HTTP requests!

It turns out the easiest way to reduce my javascript and CSS requests was to install Minify. Now, my (soon to be released) site only serves 1 javascript and 1 CSS file. These files are gzipped and can be cached for maximum performance. Any time you can reduce the number of HTTP request from 12 to 2 it is going to help improve your page load times!

Installation and setup is super easy. You just install the files in your document root and then use the included wizard to generate your new minified javascript and CSS links.

1. The browser – The iPhone 3G’s browser allows me to login to webmin on my Linux and BSD servers to administer them remotely
2. Web application testing – I need to be able to test all the new features of RideBooker.com on the iPhone.
3. The promise of an SSH client – The ability to login to the command line on Linux & BSD servers is incredibly freeing!

So the SSH client that I’ve been waiting for is finally here and I couldn’t be more happy. Now I can go on vacation without having to worry about how I’m going to login and restart MySQL when it goes down! On a side note, have you ever noticed how servers only crash when you’re on vacation?

I haven’t spent a lot of time with pTerm. But so far I’m very happy. I’ll update with more impressions after I’ve had some time with it.

Instant Cocoa – pTerm
pTerm’s features include:

SSH, Telnet, and Raw Socket TCP support
xterm terminal emulation
80×24 standard unix terminal window
Pinch to zoom in the terminal
Landscape and Portrait modes
Support for CTRL keys
Works over Edge, 3G, or WiFi connections
Entirely based on PuTTY; if the features are in PuTTY, we can probably provide them on the iPhone

The rumors are getting louder…

Throw in a couple of new entrants and there could potentially be as many as 4-5 GSM carriers in the Canadian market. Wouldn’t that be something?

Did you you realize that an Asterisk IP PBX Linux based phone system matches up very favourably with commercial PBX systems that cost orders of magnitude more money to implement?

You can very easily implement a 20 workstation Asterisk based solution for under $5000 in hardware costs and no ongoing licensing fees. Try that with any of the major IP PBX vendors!

I’ve been running Asterisk servers for several years for my companies and for clients. Give me a call and we can talk about a solution for your company that could save you a lot of money on your communication costs!

July 2007 Interview with Don Morrison RIM COO

Okay, so I’m a little late to the party. About a year. But I think that this article and the accompanying interview excerpt deserve to be highlighted given what is happening in the Canadian media concerning Rogers recently announced iPhone 3G pricing.

I’ve seen several Canadian wireless apologists on various forums attempting to defend the telcos by implying that they have MASSIVE overhead because they have to service a HUGE country with so few people in it.

Apparently RIM and Google doesn’t feel that the sparsity argument is valid, otherwise they wouldn’t be publicly taking the Canadians wireless telcos to task in the media over their pricing!

“This will be the best-selling phone in Canadian history.”

He added that the 6-gigabyte promotional offer won’t be limited to the iPhone, but will be available on all devices that run on Rogers third generation, or 3G, wireless network. That includes the soon-to-be launched BlackBerry Bold.

Boynton said existing price plans for the iPhone will go back into effect Sept. 1.

“What we’re trying to do is satisfy a very small group of people, the early adopters,” he said. “When those customers are done, we’re back to our basic user.”

Some semi-random thoughts:

• We’ve already determined that the Rogers iPhone plans suck. Otherwise they wouldn’t have done the 6GB promotional offer in the first place. Yet on September 1st everything reverts back to the “craptastic” plans that caused the massive public outcry. And somehow the iPhone is going to be the best selling phone in Canadian history? Not bloody likely.
• If you only satisfy a “small group” with the 6GB promotional offer, how are you going to set sales records with the large group of people who continue to be unsatisfied with the Rogers rate plans?
• Mr. Boynton should probably realize that his comments really just look like a desperate way to shut up the geeks (like me) who are railing on Rogers, Telus, and Bell for gouging consumers. It sounds like Rogers just thinks everything will blow over if they can buy off the geeks. Somebody should explain to Mr. Boyton that its not just about the iPhone. I’m not sure that Rogers realizes just how many people they’ve ticked off in the last week. Good will is hard to gain back.