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Monday, 22 May 2006
tiny mac thing (a bit techie)
It's all rather exciting, really... I've finally saved up to buy my first Apple product - a dinky little Mac Mini that I intend to use as my webserver, once I've got it all set up. I'm sure you can guess what I'll be spending my evenings doing, then!
pip, as it will now be known, arrived this afternoon, and I've spent much of this evening learning how to use it. I have to admit that, since it's based on Linux, I have spent a fair amount of time 'under the hood' but it's fair to say I've been blown away by the main user interface.
The children have really enjoyed playing with the remote control, too and media player thingy - it's certainly a device that would be equally at home in the lounge.
At the business end, though, it's really quick, and I've managed to get ssh access, and a remote desktop connection (using the rather marvellous guide at www.redstonesoftware.com.
The web server's up and running, I've updated the mysql database software, and played around with print and file sharing, so that the family can access the various bits and bobs that are connected to the box.
What remains to be done, then?
important stuff
- Get php to work with Apache
- Attempt to migrate the website over
- Test file and print sharing
- Move the USB data drive upstairs (it's still connected to the current webserver), ensure it works and import all the audio into iTunes
- Migrate my email server to the new machine. This isn't going to be trivial (I wrestled with it quite substantially when I carried out the last install) but there are a couple of fairly substantial projects to port Linux applications to Darwin (the Mac's Unix core) - Fink and The Darwin Files - so hopefully they'll be of some use.
trivial stuff
- install handbrake - a rather neat DVD-to-MPEG4 tool, so I can download videos to my ipaq
- Install icecast or similar (nicecast?), so I can do MP3 streaming
- Find out if there's a way to make internet radio available through the little remote controlly thing, too
- Oh... loads of other things to distract me!
Special thanks must go to Ed who has been really helpful (and something of a Mac evangelist!) and to Pete and Emma at pr.ag.ma for their suggestions.
Onwards, then.. to a faster blogging experience (at least!)
Posted by james at May 22, 2006 10:36 PM
