OS X laptop deployment with puppet

Nice. The MacWorld IT conference has been pretty lame so far but, finally, here’s a useful topic and an excellent presentation.http://code.google.com/p/puppet-mw08/Hoping I can use this at The Crucible to improve the way we deploy software on all of our machines, especially on the few laptops. Primarily for improving configuration deployments and, I think, maintaining a backup that can be used to quickly repair/replace a bad machine.Looks like the time is coming for me to dip my toe into Ruby. Just learned that Ruby on Rails is part of the Xcode 3/Leopard deployment.

Changing the shortname in Leopard 10.5

1. /Applications/Utilities/Directory Utility
2. Edit>Enable Root User
3. Log out of current user
4. Login window shows “Other…”
5. User: root, Password: <password>
6. Go to /Users/<username> and rename the home directory to the desired shortname.
7. System Preferences>Accounts
8. Choose account in left column and control+click the account. An option window will pop-up labeled “Advanced Options…”. Click on this.
9. A new drop down window will appear. You may type in the new desired Short Name. You must also rename the Home Directory path.
10. Click OK and log out from the root user.
11. Login with the new short name.
12. /Applications/Utilities/Directory Utility and Edit>Disable Root User

Google Maps StreetView demo

John Hanke demo’d the new Google Street View functionality of Google Maps. Streets have been driven with vehicles with panoramic HD cameras creating a seamless and zommable view of any location along a route. Routes with available imagery are indicated as blue lines and are exposed by clicking the new Street View tab in Google Maps.

MacMini Millenium Falcon mod

Gotta love it, a Playskool toy disguising a home media center.