Category: Computing

For a while now, every time I started Safari I would get an error message warning me that a plug-in was not supported and would be disabled.  The plug was SplashID.bundle.

I have searched for this plug-in but up to now have been unable to find it.  I tried the usual plug-in directories in the main /Library/Internet Plug-Ins and the users library ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins.

Finally I have now been able to find it, delete it and get rid of the error message.  It is in fact located in /Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins and called SplashID.bundle

Apart from this irritation, I have found SplashID a very useful password manager on my Mac and my iPhone.

WordPress is extremely reliable, and far easier then maintaining a standard website.

For the first time these weekend I had an issue with it.  I have a test site which is a duplicate of my main site, and whenever I upgrade a plug-in or WordPress itself, then I test first on my dev site.

I needed to update a plug-in on this site but WordPress got stuck in maintenance mode.  A quick web search and I soon found the solution on WordPress’s support section.  When the site goes into maintenance mode it creates a file in the root directory called “.maintenance”, this prevents the site being accessed or administrated, in order to login again you need to ftp into your site and delete this “.maintenance” file.

As with most things easy when you know how.

It was with some degree of controversy that Apple released OS X 10.6 and a download only.  Many people wanted the physical media, something I well understand.

With Snow Leopard and then Mountain Lion, I never got round to creating a bootable install disk, but I am thinking of upgrading my hard disk and putting in a solid state disk to replace my current traditional hard disk.

Creating a disk is not hard but does require a degree of patience.

The first job is to get hold of the install files. Not as hard as you might think.  If your have not bought it yet then just purchase it from the App Store.  If like me you purchased it sometime ago, you will find the install will have deleted itself after use.  Just Option-Click in the Store to re-download it.  It will download into your Applications folder.  I suggest you save this file into a safe location.

To make the re-install faster, I am creating an bootable external hard drive.  Launch Disk Utility and create a 10 GB partition.

Make sure you make it a GUID Partition, via the Options button, on my disk above, I have a small 10 GB partition for the Mountain Lion Install, a small Window partition and then a native OS X partition.

Right click on the downloaded Mountain Lion Install file and select show package contents.

Browse to ./Contents/SharedSupport/ and Open InstallESD.dmg, this will mount the image.

Now go back to Disk Utility and select Restore;

Now drag the newly mounted image into the Source box and then drag your destination Disk Partition into Destination, then just click restore, depending on the speed of your disk you will have a bootable disk within a few minutes in which to use for rebuilding your Mac.

Finally to test your disk, go into System Preferences, and select Startup Disk, then select your new Disk Partition to boot from.

Easy, when you know how.

This morning while everyone was waiting for the expected announcement of Apple’s iPad mini. I sat down and wrote the first half of this blog post, with what I though would be announced and my thoughts.

I have a full sized iPad so the mini does not interest me, I was more interested to see if the new iTunes would be announced, it is more then due a rewrite. Originally just a program to manage your music, its grown into a media manager to look after your songs, music videos, movies, books and even games. An extensive shop and lets not forget podcasts,radio, and iTunes U.

The other thing I was hoping for was an announcement of the 13″ Retina MacBook, while also a product I am not interested in, the smaller retina screen and whatever graphics hardware is needed to drive it, is something I would like to see in the smaller 11″ Air.

So tonight I fired up the iPad and watched the live stream of the event.

First up was the new iBooks, this was not a surprise as the new ePub standard was announced earlier in the week.

Then the new 13″ MacBook; tempting for travel but for now I am going to hold out for a MacBook Air. No updates to the Air though, hope there going to get the retina screen soon.  Even if I don’t buy that it will mean I might get the current version cheaper.

A bit of a surprise was the new iMac, lots of improvements but the lack of a DVD drive may put some off.

Then the big surprise of the night an updated iPad, basically the hardware from the iPhone5 but with even more Graphics performance.

Then the main event the iPad Mini. Not as cheap as people were expecting but then Apple do not do cheap they try and do quality!

No announcement yet of the new iTunes but it is expected this month.

So did Apple deliver what you expected?