WebFaction server down for almost a day

Do not get me wrong. I love webfaction. Half of our apps (including our clients) are running there. Over the last few years we have had small outages. But usually be back within the hour. This time, the web194 server has been down for almost a day now. I sincerely hope that:

1. they tell us what happened
2. and more importantly, why it took so long to recover
3. why  they wouldn't just swap in a new machine, especially this is one of the newer server

We lucked out in that our site is still in alpha mode ( Boston Private School Search ), but some much larger site like the bucketlist.org is on the same server. For us, it stopped our design process for a day as we use the alpha site for design testing and we run a virtual team with our designers.

Update 7/13/2011

Site is backup. Seems like the machine was restored from a backup that is more than one day old.

How to clean up your gmail account

I glanced down at the bottom on my gmail account. My mailbox is 30% full, almost 3G. While I have a very long way to go before the account become 100% full, the organized part of me just want to clean things up!

If you want to delete very old emails in GMail, use this search filter:

is:unread before:2011/01/01

This will return all mail that is unread and older than Jan 1st of 2011. I actually add in additional filter, as I organize most of my emails by label. So since I follow a large email list call "python", I can select and delete all the emails from that list by adding label:python to my search criteria. Noting that I created a automatic filter to label all emails from that mailing list with the label "python".

My iPad2 starting freezing

This started happening around Thursday. The touch screen do not response anymore. Hardware button works. Rotational sensor works. A hard reset (home+power for 10 seconds) sometimes work. Being a tech person, I systematically deleted apps that I installed to that date, but that was not the problem.

I wonder if it is related to network -- i.e. if it is access the wireless network (checking mail, push notification etc) and gets locked up.

Any one else starting to having this problem?

Mac Bluetooth wireless keyboard tips and tricks

[flickr size=small float=right]http://www.flickr.com/photos/pkshiu/5672596240/[/flickr]I bought a new bluetooth wireless keyboard for my MacBook Pro to reduce clutter at my home office. Immediately I run into a few "problems" that can easily be solved.

Volume keys do not work

The top of the bluetooth keyboard has all the special keys to control volumne, play/pause etc. I was so disapponted that they do not work! They invoke the normal function key functions instead, running spaces etc. Then I remembered. I most likely have to install the latest keyboard driver. Click on the Apple menu, software update, downloaded the new driver, and all is well. This happened when I added the magic mouse as well. So, remember to run software update after adding new hardware.

[flickr size=small float=right]http://www.flickr.com/photos/pkshiu/5672036643/[/flickr]

Changing the Caps Lock Key to Control

This is for the hardcore programming using emacs. We live by the control key. Almost all modern keyboard move the control key to somewhere horrible. Well, OS X (bless Apple) actually have a system wide setting that let you change the pretty much useless Caps Lock key into Control .Just go to System Preferences, Keyboard, Keyboard Tab, modifier keys and change the mapping for the "Caps Lock" key to "Control". Your hands will thank you.

Day 7: iPad Stylus is a must

I decided on Dan Bricklin's Note Taker HD as my note taking app. It is an amazing app with a lot of features, including:

• free hand input
• free hand input with shapes
• a zoomed mode that allow you to write in a larger space (hard to explain, go try it)
• PDF annotation
• image annotation
• and much much more

It is by, I would say a software artist, Mr. Dan Bricklin of VisiCalc fame. What's not to like? However, I was having a tough time writing on it with my finger. I was at Office Depot and I decided to pick up the only type of stylus they have, the Targus stylus. This is the rubber tip type, not the foam tip type. I actually like this better, and now I can really make hand writing notes on the iPad.

Day 6: Using the iPad in a Business Meeting

I used the iPad in a meeting today. We usually bring up documents and websites on the projector to review. Since I have the iPad with me, I decided to give the iPad try. I click open an email containing a powerpoint, click on the powerpoint, and it shows up immediately. My co-working came over and sat next to me. We look at the iPad screen on the table and work through the powerpoint presentation. We also needed to check a few competitor's website. Quick launch Safari, type in the site, and we are off. Observation: The iPad invites collaboration. We sit side by side instead of across a conference room table. This calls for a friendlier and more informal meeting. It is almost like back-to-paper. We can point and click on the iPad screen together, instead of passing the mouse back and forth with the traditional laptop and projector setup.

The iPad is a good meeting facilitator, for a two person meeting.

Day 4: Making my own iPad Smart Cover

Sunday is DIY day. I attached a magnet to the Incase cover to make my own smart cover. I am a big fan of Instructables. So I wrote up the instructions there. Go check it out! The video is a part of the instruction:

http://www.vimeo.com/22200902

Day 5: Sorting out NPR and PBS on the iPad

There are too many apps for NPR and PBS, for iPhone and iPad. I spend half an hour cleaning up all the apps. There are two pair of apps that are useful:

• The official PBS (tv) apps published by PBS, for iPhone or iPad
• The official NPR (radio) apps published by PBS for iPhone or iPad

The NPR (radio) apps both let you do live streaming or catch up on old shows. The Video program has selected content for viewing, but obviously no life streaming. These apps are confusing because they use the same icon for both iPhone and iPad, but the apps are different. On first sync I have both versions on the iPad and I need to launch them to figure out what is what.

There are other apps out there, the Public Radio Tuner will stream radio, and WBUR has their own apps. But I am not sure if they are necessary if you have the official apps.

Day 3: iPad at BarCampBoston

Lots of iPads at BarCampBoston, just not mine! I wanted to test it out as a note taking device. But I also have to give a talk about teaching 6 years old to program, and Scratch does not work on the iPad. So I had to bring my Macbook Pro instead. People were using the iPad, first and second generations, as note taking devices. At least one speaker was using it as notes for his talk, but at least in sessions that I attended, no one is using video out from it to give a presentation directly. I certainly think that is very doable. In fact I am looking forward to trying it out in small meetings myself.

So I had a fun and productive day learning things from solution marketing, to accelerometer driven music performances, to BBQ. (BBQ is not grilling, just FYI). But not much iPad time today for me.

iPad day two: protect and serve

Yesterday I realized that I do not have a way to carry the iPad home! I ended up finding a part of my backpack that is padded enough for me to carefully put the iPad in. So today's main task is to find something to protect the iPad. In the meantime, I "made" my own iPad case: (yes it is just a towel). I don't like covering up the iPad with too much "stuff" I believe apple design their devices beautifully and they are meant to be touched and held as is. However this is a touch based device, and I know it is going to be hard to protect the screen. So I broken down and bought a protective skin from Best Skin Ever. Their prices are much lower than ZAGG's. I think that's because theirs do not come with a spray bottle, and "tools" for application. You will have to get your own water sprayer and a credit card to apply the skin. I am going to use a used iTunes gift card as the squeegee tool.

That will protect the iPad while it is in use, but how do I carry it in my bag? I went to the Apple store thinking they will have third party cases, but they do not. They claimed that they are not available yet. But I think they just want to push their smart cover. I went to Best Buy and they have several cases available. I ended up buying the "way over priced" incase convertible magazine cover. I like it because

1. it is thin and light
2. it has the thick rubber band holding the cover close, reminding me of the Moleskines notebooks.

I would prefer a leather case but the few they have are really cheap feeling.

My iLive is now complete, iPad day 1

My iPad finally arrived. I think the FedEx guy knows it is an iPad. Even him sounded happy. First thoughts: Problem that I didn't think I will have -- OMG! How am I going to organize all the apps? It took 20 minutes for the first sync. It brought over ALL my apps. I am still going through cycles of removing apps that are not suitable for the iPad, while are useful for the iPhone. Then reorganizing where apps should go.

Do you notice the little virtual marks on the F and J keys on the virtual keyboard? It will have something to do with their new haptic patents?

Typing on the virtual keyboard is harder than I thought. It is too narrow, and I have small hands. Yes I am typing this on the iPad.

I went to the apple store trying to buy a protective case but they do not have any third party cases in store yet. "we only have the smart cover" conspiracy to get you to buy their cover? You decide.

Final gotcha of the day - the iPad cannot be charged by the USB port on my powered USB hub. I have to separately plug in the included 10watt charger to charge it.

Upgrading to Django 1.3?

Should you upgrade to Django 1.3? Upgrade any web framework in your application in general? Try this decision chart here http://www.djangopro.com/2011/03/should-i-upgrade-to-django-1-3/:

How to Find a iPad 2 using Python

I did not buy the version 1 iPad because an iPad without a front facing camera just does not seem right. At iPad 2 launch day, I was going to go stand in line (as I did for my iPhone 3GS) for one, as my office is about a mile away from the Boston Apple Store. However real work got in the way.

I did not anticipate the demand for this thing. I guess a lot of people were like me, skipping the iPad 1 and waited for the iPad 2. I did place an order order days after, which is of course too late.

Python to the rescue! Someone posted the links to check for stock on the Target mobile site. I threw together a quick python script, using BeautifulSoup (Don't you love BeautifulSoup ?) to scrape the site. Saturday night, I found a 32G black iPad 2 available in a Target close by ! I drove over almost first thing Sunday morning, only to find that the two that they had in stock was already purchased by someone who got there, waited for the store to open, at 8am.

Lesson here? Programming is easy. Actually getting up in the morning and driving over to wait in line is, well, a bit overkill. I think I will just wait for the online shipment.

Meanwhile, you can try out the python program here. Rename to .py for running.

Get the CSV QuickLook plugin for your Finder

I have been using Macs for three years now. Yet I did not know you can install additional plugins for QuickLook so that you can quickly view different types of file in the finder just by pressing the spacebar ! I work with CSV files a lot and it has always been a pain having to open them in numbers or openoffice to view them. Now come (free) CSV quicklook plugins. You can find a lot of different plugins at this site . This CSV plugin is the one that I installed.

How to Install

1. Go to the download site, often it is something on code.google.com
2. click on the <whatever plugin name>.dmg to download the software
3. Click on the downloaded DMG file and it should open in Finder
4. copy the <whatever plugin name>.qlgenerator file into your quicklook plugin directory: Either at /Library/QuickLook/ or ~/Library/QuickLook/
5. If you copy into ~/Library... it will only be available to your account. If the ~/Library/QuickLook directory is not there, create it first.
6. either reboot, or start a terminal session and type: qlmanage -r

That is it!

My Starbucks Gold Card

Consumer marketing at it's best? I did not even know there is such a program. They just sent this to me in the mail. Yes it is pure marketing, but shouldn't I be "proud" that I am a Starbucks member since 2003?

How to use the new iOS4.3 HomeSharing on your iPhone

With the new iOS4.3 firmware, HomeSharing finally work nicely across all device. This is particularly important if you have an second generation AppleTV in your home network. Will all the new sharing feature you can do two really cool things:

1. You can finally show any video or pictures from your iPhone on your AppleTV, especially photos and video from your camera roll on the phone. Isn't this the normal use case? You took some pictures of the kids, and when you are at Grandma's house, you can now beam the pictures onto their LCD TV seamlessly. (You did buy the grandparents an AppleTV, didn't you?)
2. You can, via HomeSharing, listen to any music on your home iTunes library on your iPhone/iPad. Typically in a house hold, you will have most of the shared music and video sitting on an iMac. Now you can listen to any music from there remotely.

How to enable HomeSharing on your phone? There are actually TWO different settings. Go to "Settings / iPod" and enter your Apple ID for sharing. Then you can stream music from any iTunes library on your home network to the iPhone/iPad.

Secondly you can also enable Home Sharing on the Remote app. (you did download that didn't you?) Enter your Apple ID there, then it will automatically find any iTunes library on your network without you having to manually link the remote app to the library.

Tip: The remote app now also can control the AppleTV user interface!

Oatmeal: What I want from a restaurant Website

Oatmeal is great. If you have never saw his comics, you are missing out. Today's comic on "what I want from a restaurant" is another classic. All web designers should show this to their clients. It argues clearly for "functional website". Visually pretty website is nice, but do not trade it for function.

• Answer the most important question: What information does your website visitors want?
• Give them the information -- your website is not sticky if the visitor leaves immediately instead of trying to find the information buried somewhere
• Do not get in their way -- putting text in images, no matter how pretty, prevent people to copy and paste the text.

Reserve the Oatmeal book

You can watchMatthew Inman talks about his comic in this Ignite presentation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYyJZOHgpco

Amazon order delivered in four hours?

Yes. (just less than) four hours. I ordered a Klean Kanteen insulated bottle on Amazon.com at 11:20 am Monday morning. I selected one day shipping because I have Amazon Prime. So for $3.99 I get the bottle tomorrow, I thought. At 3pm, which is 3 hours and 40 minutes later, my door bell rings and it is the delivery guy from their delivery service. Bottle delivered. Less than four hours. How is this possible? It is a combination of inventory management system, and they must have a fulfillment center right here in Massachusetts. But even then, someone has to pick up the bottle, boxed it, call the courier service, pick up the box, and delivery down to my loft, all within four hours.

Amazing, Amazon.

Django South Explained

Posted my tutorial on using Django south, the database migration tool, over at DjangoPro. Check it out!

New web design using blueprint

Christmas and last week of the year is traditionally clean-up and catch-up time for me. One project that I have been putting of again and again is to redesign my personal website. Here we are -- I spent the last two days learning blueprint, the grid based CSS framework, throw in a bit of CSS coding, and redesigned my personal site. I am also going to split up my larger "brands" into separate sites. I find that visitors to this site sometimes get lost in big mashup of information here. I am going to use the personal site for more personal and general writing. The Django, parenting, and CTO related materials will be moved off to other sites.

Love this new look?