Meeting Notes - Aug 20, 2003

Section Links

1. What's New
   
2. Netboot in a Research Environment
   
3. WACOM Intuos & Cintiq Overview
   
4. Other Issues

What's New by Mikio Moriyasu

• 1.6GHz PowerPC G5, 800MHz Bus, 80GB Serial ATA; 7200 rpm, SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW), 4GB maximum DDR SDRAM, NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra with 64MB DDR SDRAM, Three open full-length 33MHz, 64-bit PCI slots
• 1.8GHz PowerPC G5, 800MHz Bus, 160GB Serial ATA; 7200 rpm, SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW), 8GB maximum DDR SDRAM, NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra with 64MB DDR SDRAM, Three open full-length PCI-X slots: one 133MHz, 64-bit slot and two 100MHz, 64-bit slots
• Dual 2GHz PowerPC G5, 1GHz Bus per processor, 160GB Serial ATA; 7200 rpm, SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW), 8GB maximum DDR SDRAM, ATI RADEON 9600 Pro with 64MB DDR SDRAM, Three open full-length PCI-X slots: one 133MHz, 64-bit slot and two 100MHz, 64-bit slots

• Requires Macintosh computer with a 600MHz or faster PowerPC G3 or any PowerPC G4 or G5 processor
• iChat AV software (free time-limited public beta available via Internet download. See www.apple.com/ichat for more information)
• Mac OS X v10.2.5 or later
• Broadband Internet connection (128Kbps or faster transfer speeds)

• $1,299.00: 1.25GHz PowerPC G4; 1MB L3 cache; 256MB DDR333 SDRAM; 80GB Ultra ATA drive; Combo Drive; ATI Radeon 9000 Pro
• $1,599.00: Dual 1.25GHz PowerPC G4; 2MB L3 cache/processor; 256MB DDR333 SDRAM; 80GB Ultra ATA drive; Combo Drive; ATI Radeon 9000 Pro
• $3,274.00: Dual 1.25GHz PowerPC G4; 2MB L3 cache/processor; 2GB DDR333 SDRAM; 2x160GB Ultra ATA drive; SuperDrive; NVIDIA GeForce4 Titanium
  

Location: Paris, France

Date & Time: Sept 16 - 20, 2003

Type: Conference and Exposition

Fee: Click here for registration information.

Topics: Click here for prgram information. Click here for information on exhibits.

Netboot in a Research Environment by Phil Ershler

• Simplify OS upgrades so as not to rely on the users.
• Keep all machines up to date in sync with one another.
• If the user "trashes" the system or system gets corrupted a reboot immediately restores the machine (does not apply to hardware issues).
• Allows more "mature" users (Guinea Pigs) to test new system software or configurations by publishing multiple Netboot images. People can test before it is widely distributed.
  

• Most people in lab have their own computer on the desk
• Users want to access the computer from other areas on and off campus so they want it to have a fixed IP address.
• User wants to be able to recognize his or her computer in a "Connect to Server" dialog listing. The problem with Netboot is the name of the machine the Netboot image was built on becomes the name for any machine set up and maintained with that image. Multiple machines with the same name is not useful in a "Connect to Server" dialog listing.
• User expects to have administrative privileges on their machines.
• User wants to addes to all latest software.
• Many users want access to ported UNIX or Linux programs
• Some users want to be able to schedule and maintain their own Cron jobs.
• Many users skeptical about Netboot. They were willing to try it but they wanted a locally bootable system on their machines that they could boot into if Netboot did not work.
  

• They wanted the home directory to always reside on the local disk.
• In the Netboot configuration, however, the local disk in the machine when Netbooted gets mounted on /private/var/netboot.
• If machine is locally booted, the home directory is located in /Users/<user name>, when it is Netbooted, it resides at /private/var/netboot/Users/<user name>.
  

• Was the hardest thing they had to come up with as there is virtually no way in native Mac OS X via applescript or any other method to rename the computer.
• A little research uncovered a freeware utility NCUTIL
• http://deaddog.duch.udel.edu/~frey/darwin/ncutil/
• Its use is discussed a bit later.
  

• This was relatively easy.
• Added a new directory or entry to their root level Netinfo database.
• The database has all of the machine names along with the first part of IP address listed
• Once machine has it's IP address and it's fixed IP address they can consult this directory, find the machine, and then name of person who needs to be given administrator rights.
• Put that user in the admin group in the Netinfo database thats on the Netboot image.
• The information is "volatile" so it needs to be done every time the machine is booted
  

• This simple script is located in the Netboot image
• The script notifies the user in the Startup Window as it reports on what services are being activated.
• The script sets the client name using the hostname by stripping off the domain part of the hostname.
• The script has one line of code that instructs the use of NCUTIL
• For the complete shell script please click here to download the presentation slideshow pdf.
  

• Standard part of the Netboot facilities, very easy to do.
• In the local Netinfo database on the Netboot servers, you just need a list of machines, their ethernet addresses, and the IP Address that you want assigned to that machine.
• When you run DHCP on the machine the desired fixed IP address is assigned versus the variable ones that are normally assigned by DHCP.
  

• Fink is a project that has ported some 2500 - 3000 UNIX and Linux applications to Mac OS X.
• Fink also has an elegant way to pick up these packages, install them, and keep them up-to-date.
• From the beginning, with one or two exceptions, Fink was designed to keep all of its source code, include files, and binary files in its own tree
• A poll was taken to find out which of these 3000 applications was in demand. The list is regularly updated as requests come in. The current number is around 40
• A shared disk with up-to-date program builds in Fink that is set to be automounted at login time.
• The top level of the Netboot image contains a single alias that goes to the Fink volume so everyone has access to the Fink Installation
  

• Shared Applications are setup in essentially the same way they just on a share point on one of the servers
• Most applications run fine this way
• Microsoft Word is the exception.
• Word expects to have the application on the same physical partition as the User’s home directory.
• If it is not (on another partition on the same machine or anywhere else), Word will launch once and then crash as fast as it is launched from then on.
  

• The file "Carbon Registration Database" located in
• /Users/username/Library/Microsoft/Preferences has to be deleted before each time Word is launched.
• Launch Word Applescript - removes that file if it exists and then launches Word. Script is located in the Shared Applications.
• For the complete Applescript, please click here to download the presentation slideshow pdf.
  

• The Crontab keeps track of tasks that are supposed to be run at given times or repeating intervals.
• The OS expects to find the crontab in /etc on the boot volume.
• The problem is, if someone modifies the crontab on their boot volume and reboots the machine, with Netboot, the modifications are removed.
• Solution is to create a soft link /etc/crontab in the Netboot image that points to /etc/crontab on the user’s local disk.
  

• In machines with only one hard disk, the disk will always mount on /private/var/netboot. So one always knows where to go look for the user's home directory. On machine with more than one disk, a drive named "some disk" will get mounted on /private/var/netboot. Any others will get mounted on /Volumes. The determining process has yet to be figured out.
• If a netboot server must be taken down, any client machine Netbooted from that server will die. Fortunately, the Netboot servers only have to go down for software or hardware updates. We have never had one of their two Netboot servers crash (one X-serve and one older G4).
  

• Network Setup - All switches in the institute are the 10/100s and the server is sitting on one of those switches.
• For Netbooting, these switches doesn't seem to cause any issues with times to launch apps or even boot the machine UNLESS all 40 machines try to boot at once.
• The institute just added an Xserve RAID array so they are going to start changing the machines over onto a gig switch.
  

WACOM Intuos & Cintiq Overview by Michelle Lindsey

• Graphire -- Entry Level for general use ($99)
• Intuos -- Professional grade tablets in five sizes. WACOM's main line(4"x 5" = $199, 6" x 8" $349)
• Cintiq -- Professional level interactive flat-panel display.

• The work area of any Tablet represents the desktop. The upper right corner of the tablet work area = the upper right corner of the desktop.
• The Pen is a very "point" based device. The cursor/pointer jumps to where ever the pen tip is placed on the tablet work area.
• WACOM tablet pens can be used to click and drag just like a mouse but in general use, dragging actually limits what one can do with the tablet.
• The mouse operates just like a regular mouse when you use the tablet like a mouse pad. The mouse's operation is limited to the tablets work area.
• Users can switch back and forth between pen and mouse. The devices have their own ID chip and can be programmed individually.

• In an application like Photoshop, using the mouse, aside from being very clumsy and lacking precision, give you a very evenly weighted line.
• The pen gives you precision as well as the ability to adjust the weight of a drawn line depending on how much pressure you apply to the pen.Light pressure = thin line, Heavy pressure = thick line.
• This can be applied to all Photoshop drawing and painting tools: Opacity -- light pressure = transparent line, heavy pressure = opaque line.
• Photoshop 7 has improved pressure support for Wacom products. Pressure support is built into the application controls and pallets.
• 170 graphics applications support WACOM's pressure sensitivity
• To see a demonstration of using an Intuos Tablet, pressure sensitivity, and Photoshop to and visual interest to a flat photograph, please click here to view the presentation video.

• Pen tip is the equivalent to the mouse "Left Click".Two finger control
• Buttons on pen shaft equivalent to 2nd & 3rd mouse button - completely programmable. They can be programmed to carryout specific keyboard commands
• The end of the pen is an "eraser". When used, it automatically engages the application's "erase" function. It's behavior otherwise is identical to the tip with pressure sensitivity.

• Moving the pen tip on the surface of the tablet is equivalent to drag selecting with the mouse.
• Moving the pen tip above the surface of the tablet moves the cursor around.
• Tap the Pen tip for a "single-click" to select files for example.
• Tap the Pen tip twice in quick succession for "double-click" functionality
• Tap & draw for "Click & Drag" functionality
• Pen can be used as mouse.
• Pen with tablet can be used in lectures to move away from the instructors station.

• Above the work area are programmable function buttons for example there is a "file open" and a "file new"
• The buttons can also be made to open up "pop-up" menus that access keystrokes. This can be done for a different application.
• Tilt - The pen can be set to respond to tilt and bearing in Painter, this can be used with the airbrush tool so that the direction of the brush spray corresponds to the tilt and bearing of the pen.
• Dual Monitor Support - The tablet's work area can be programmed so that it is divided down the middle; Right half = right monitor, Left half = left monitor. It can also be programmed so that the work area covers the desktop of just one of the monitors.
• To see a demonstration of how one can program buttons of an Intuos Tablet please click here to view the presentation video.

• PowerPoint - With the tablet, select the pen tool to mark up documents, draw and make notes.
• InkWell - Can make handwritten entries and have it convert it to text same in word good for handwriting recognition.
• Acrobat - You can annotations on acrobat files. Business using it to save paper.

Some have difficulty with the hand-eye coordination of working on the tablet while operating what's on the monitor.

• The shield that has been compressed onto of the LCD allows the user to have all of the exact same functionality of the tablets. The shield also protects the LDC surface from impacts (it has to be resistant to impact for pressure sensitivity to work)
• Pen functions are identical.
• 18" model can be elevated using the hydraulic stand from horizontal to vertical so as to act as as a regular monitor (15" model built in stand has the display in a fixed upright position).
• 18" model can be spun around in the stand or removed from the hydraulic stand and held like a sketchpad while the user works on the "image"
  

• Video conferencing where they can mark up documents
• Professors use it for annotations on documentation
• Animation instruction.
  

• WACOM offers both educational discounts and bulk purchasing discounts (packs of 5 and 10 units). The Intuos 6 x 8 is around $309.
• Note: Bigger is not necessary better. The big tablets are used by true video and animation professionals, most use the 6 x 8.
• WACOM has an evaluation program where they will loan out for a limited time a tablet for testing
  

• WACOM - http://www.wacom.com/index2.cfm
• Graphire - http://www.wacom.com/graphire/index.cfm
• Intuos - http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/intuos.cfm
• Cintiq - http://www.wacom.com/lcdtablets/index.cfm
  

Other Issues