Step one – Enabling the SMB Service

If the SMB service isn’t already running on your server, you’ll need to enable it. (This step assumes that you already have Open Directory running as a Master on the server you’d like to make the PDC.) To do this, open Server Admin, click on your server’s address, click on Settings, then Services.  Place a check in the box next to SMB.  Click save.  You’ll now see the SMB service on the left list under your server’s address as shown here.

Step two – Configuring the SMB Service

Click on the SMB service in the left list.  Click on settings. On the general tab, set the role to “Primary Domain Controller (PDC)”.  Enter something for description, your hostname under computer name, and the finally specify the name of the domain you’d like this server to be the PDC for.  In this image, my domain is named OSXTEST.

Under Access, set the options to the needs of your organization.

Medium logging is usually sufficient.  Feel free to change as needed.

Under advanced, if you use a WINS server you can configure this here.

Keep the box “Enable virtual share points” checked if you’d like to be able to be able to access the Mac home directory (assuming your using this in a mixed platform environment) via a mounted drive in My Computer when the user logs in.  More on this later.

Press save.  You can now start the SMB service by clicking “Start SMB” in the bottom left of the Server Admin window.

Step 3 – Configuring users in Workgroup Manager

Before moving on, you need to ask yourself, “Will I be storing these profiles on the same server that’s acting as the PDC, or would I like to store them on a different OS X Server?”  A good example of when this would be needed is if your organization has users grouped and placed on different file servers based on alphabet, grade level, etc.  In cases like that, it would make sense to keep the Windows profiles on the same server as the network Mac home directories.  Or, if you plan on making a new network share on a file server other than the one acting as the PDC to store all of the profiles, this would also apply.  If any of these situations are the case for you, it’s a little more complicated.  Read step A below.  If you’re fine with your windows profiles being stored on the server that’s acting as the PDC, jump to step B.

Step A (The more complicated one)

You just had to pick the complicated route, didn’t you?  Fortunately it’s not too bad, but it does require more time to configure and a special registry change on the clients.

Step one – Make a new network share on your secondary server.  Name it what you’d like. In my example below, I named it “NetUsersProfiles.” Set the permissions as root – read and write, staff – read and write, others – no access or read only is fine.  It’s also generally a good idea to uncheck “Enable Spotlight Searching” under the Share Point tab, too.  It should look like this when you’re done.  (This picture is on the same server, but just assume it’s a separate one named mini-xserve2.)

Step 2 – Make sure that this secondary server is bound to the Open Directory Master, Kerberized, and SMB is running and configured as a domain member, rather than a PDC.  Configuring SMB was described in step two. The only change would be selecting “Domain Member” instead of “Primary Domain Controller.”

Step 3 – Configure your users in Workgroup manager.  Open workgroup manager and select the user you’d like to configure.  Go to the Windows tab on the far right.  Where it says “User Environment Profile”, insert the path of the network share you made above.  Under “Windows Home Directory”, insert the path to the user’s network Mac home directory (if you’re in a mixed platform environment) and select the drive letter you’d like it to mount as in My Computer on the PC.  In this picture below, you’ll see the User Profile is stored on mini-xserve2 and the Mac home directory is stored on mini-xserve.  If you’d like to use a logon script to specify any sort of group or user policy enforcement, mount drives, etc., enter the name of the login script here.  It must be stored in the /etc/netlogon folder of the server acting as the PDC and the filename must be all lowercase.  When done, press Save.

Step 4 – On the client machine, login as the administrator and open the group policy editor by typing gpedit.msc into the Run window.  Go to Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > User Profiles and enable “Do not check for user ownership of Roaming Profile Folders”. (If you’re using Windows Vista or Windows 7, you may also have the make this change.) Reboot the machine. (Note: If you do not see “System” under Administrative Templates, right click on Administrative Templates, select Add/Remove Templates, select Add, choose system, choose open, then click close.)

Step 5 – After the reboot, finally join the client to the domain.  Login as the administrator again, go to the Start Menu, right click on My Computer, select Properties, choose the Computer Name tab, press the Change button.  Enter the name of the domain you specified in step one.  In my case it was OSXTEST.  Authenticate with a server administrator account.  Reboot the machine.

Step 6 – After the reboot, log in with the user you configured above and verify everything is working correctly.  If so, congratulations.  Jump down to step 4 below for some additional information.

Step B – The less complicated one

Step 1 – Open workgroup manager and select the user you’d like to configure.  Go to the Windows tab on the far right.  Where it says “User Environment Profile”, leave the path blank to have the profile stored in the default /Profiles directory, or specify a sharepoint on the PDC.  The permissions for the sharepoint on the PDC should be root – read and write, staff – read and write, others – no access or read only is fine. Under “Windows Home Directory”, insert the path to the user’s network Mac home directory (if you’re in a mixed platform environment) and select the drive letter you’d like it to mount as in My Computer on the PC.  In this picture below, you’ll see the User Profile is stored on a sharepoint of mini-xserve and the Mac home directory is also stored on mini-xserve.  If you’d like to use a logon script to specify any sort of group or user policy enforcement, mount drives, etc., enter the name of the login script here.  It must be stored in the /etc/netlogon folder of the server acting as the PDC and the filename must be all lowercase.  When done, press Save.

Step 2 – Join the client to the domain.  Login as the administrator on the PC, go to the Start Menu, right click on My Computer, select Properties, choose the Computer Name tab, press the Change button.  Enter the name of the domain you specified in step one.  In my case it was OSXTEST.  Authenticate with a server administrator account.  Reboot the machine.

Step 3 – After the reboot, log in with the user you configured above and verify everything is working correctly.  If so, congratulations.  Jump down to step 4 below for some additional information.

Step 4 – Additional Information

If you’re experiencing any access denied error messages using the more complicated method, again, make sure to set the permissions correctly, and make sure the secondary server is bound to the Open Directory Master, Kerberized, and SMB is running and configured as a domain member, rather than a PDC. Also make sure to make the registry change that’s needed on the client as described above.  If you’re using Windows Vista or Windows 7 this change may also need to be made.  All of this was described in detail under Step A of Step 3 above.

The only known issue with this configuration at this time that I’ve found is that Windows does not seem to want to cache the login credentials for SMB users.  Therefore, if you’re out of range from the PDC, it will not let you log in.  Currently I’m working with Apple Enterprise Support on a resolution to this issue and I’ll post it here as soon as I get one.

To supply SMB Print services, enable the Print service on your server, add a queue, and enable the SMB option for the queue.

The benefits of using Mac OS X Server as a PDC for your domain are endless.  You can harness the power, ease of use, security, and flexibility of  Mac OS X  Server all while still supporting your Windows clients and allowing for future Mac growth.

Thanks

Please leave any comments below and I’ll try and answer them to the best of my ability. If there’s some extremely technical issue that’s preventing this from working in your environment, please understand that this is just a general guide.  I do not have time to try and create a test environment for other users’ configurations.  Contact Apple Enterprise Support or an experienced OS X Server administrator for more detailed assistance.

Within minutes, Christi Day, the PR Person who manages Southwest’s Twitter and Facebook pages was bombarded with hate posts and tweets.  Many of which consisted of things like, “F— You, Southwest!”  So what did she do?  She immediately realized the magnitude of the situation and began investigating.  She tweeted back at him and called him apologizing and began collecting details.  Kevin, in the meantime, continued to bash Southwest.  On Sunday, Christi posted a blog post on the Southwest blog telling their side of the story and once again apologizing to Kevin.  There were several details in that post that Kevin just happened to forget in his original telling of the story.  Such as, the fact that he regularly purchases two seats, had purchased two seats for this flight, but then decided to fly an earlier flight.  Therefore, there ended up only being one seat available for him on the earlier flight, and he wouldn’t fit in it (or so says Southwest).

Why am I blogging about this?

Here’s the thing.  He complained on Twitter over the handling of the situation.  Perhaps the pilot was rude to him – we really don’t know.  Here’s what we do know.  What’s the purpose of complaining? To be heard, and to be given a reasonable resolution to your problem.  The company immediately apologized via Twitter, Facebook, and phone and then later wrote a blog post about it.  They gave him a credit for his troubles and a public apology via several mediums.  What more does Kevin want?  The company has done all it can do.  They’ve done exactly what they would do for any customer with the same gripe.  What do I think he wants?  He wants the press for his new film.

Today, he continues to whine on Twitter about the situation.  The AP has written a story about it.  It’s the talk of the media.  That’s what he wanted, and that’s what he got.

Now, Kevin, will you please stop whining like a baby and accept the apology and credit like a normal, mature adult?  Your continued refusal of all apology is only making you look bad at this point.

(And by the way, Kevin Smith blocked me on Twitter after seeing my Tweets about the situation.  I guess I’m special now, being blocked by a celebrity.)

My thoughts on Buzz are that Google is trying to simplify people’s workflow by giving them more of what they already use elsewhere, inside of a single location – Gmail.  They’re really testing to see how many people use Gmail as their primary communication tool, and how many are willing to make it even a larger part of their communication schema.  For me personally, similarly to Twitter, I use Gmail as a service, not a website.  I very rarely, perhaps once or twice a week, go to Gmail.com.  I get all my messages via IMAP sent to Apple’s Mail application on both my iPhone and on my Mac.  So for users like me, there’s no real benefit to using Buzz because I not only never visit Gmail.com, but I also don’t use Google contacts for any other reason besides Google Voice.  However, for anyone completely engulfed in the Google experience, that is, users who use Google Docs, Chat, Wave, Gmail, Voice, etc., then Buzz is just one more service added to your current toolset to simplify your life.

If you’re interested in giving Buzz a try or learning more, check out http://www.google.com/buzz

What is it and what does it do?

The iPad is, in the words of Apple, “Our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price.”  They claim it is, “The best way to experience the web, email, photos, and video.  Hands down.”  Ok, minus all the marketing, it’s essentially a giant, beautiful iPod Touch (or iPhone if you buy the 3G model – more on that in a minute).  They’re looking to fill the gap/market between the phone (mobile) and laptop/desktop (computer).

It includes many of the same applications that are included by default on the iPod Touch/iPhone including Safari, Mail, Photos, YouTube, iPod, iTunes, App Store, Maps, Notes, Contacts, and Calendar.  Two apps that were made specifically for this device include iBooks and Videos.  All of applications, however, got a major UI overhaul and look like much larger, advanced, grown-up versions of their little siblings on the iPod Touch/iPhone.

The tablet isn’t meant to be your main machine.  It’s meant to be something to use to enjoy your content when you’re out and about, or just relaxing on the living sofa.

Is there anything really special about this device?

The Apple iPad. Image courtesy Apple.com

This device has the ability, if executed correctly, to revolutionize several industries.  The main industry it will hopefully impact in a positive way is the publishing industry.  The print business is hurting so terribly right now that they’re essentially begging for anything to come to their rescue.  The iPad could be it.  The iBooks application on the iPad essentially takes the same functionality as the Amazon Kindle or Barnes and Noble Nook and makes it 10x as pretty looking and versatile.  Also, because this device includes the App Store, and special apps will be made for the size of the iPad, each individual newspaper, for example, can create an app for the device.  The New York Times showed off its application for the iPad today, and it looked awesome.  It’s essentially like reading the paper.

It’s also very versatile.  It can do a lot of things in an excellent form factor.  There’s many times I’d like to use an app on my iPhone in a bigger, more powerful context, but do not feel like taking out my MacBook Pro.  This bridges the gap.

Does the device have any shortcomings?

In my opinion, yes.  There are many, in fact.  There’s almost more shortcomings than identifiable positives.  However, as I said above, the possibilities are endless.  Here’s my list of shortcomings:

• The UI/OS is just a giant version of the iPhone/iPod Touch OS.  The home screen looks silly with such small application icons and the lock screen looks absolutely ridiculous.  Also, for those hoping for some sort of filesystem or structure that is available to the user to store and create documents, you’re out of luck.  On top of that, there is no multitasking (yet – unless iPhone 4.0 ships before this device and this functionality is included), and for a tablet, that’s a huge disappointment.  That means you can’t IM and e-mail, or IM and surf the web at the same time. This makes me wonder if Apple is trying to stretch the iPhone OS too far?  Perhaps a brand new, hybrid OS X / iPhone, OS would have been better?
• No Cameras.  None.  This means no video conferencing and no picture taking.
• No HDMI/HD Video Out – Apple is touting the gorgeous screen and the fast CPU to be able to play HD video.  Why not allow users to connect this to an HDTV?
• No Flash – I can understand this on the iPhone, but this is part computer.  Suck it up, Apple.  People still need Flash.  HTML 5 hasn’t been widely enough adopted yet.
• Adapters – There’s no USB port on this device.  Apple is selling two adapters for it, one being a USB adapter for cameras, and another being an SD card reader.
• The name iPad.   Slate would have been much better.  Hell, anything would have been better than iPad.
• No Handwriting Recognition – This was my biggest letdown.  PC tablets running Windows for years have supported this, and OS X has excellent pen/stylus recognition software called Inkwell already built into the core of the OS.  Why not port that over to this device and allow people like me, students, or artists, to draw on this with something else but our fingers?  Sure, third parties will make input devices, but are you really going to trust a third party company to write a handwriting recognition algorithm and notepad app to go with it?  No.  This is a huge letdown.

Technical Specs/Models

The iPad has a 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology that runs at a 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi).

There are two distinct model types: One with 3G cellular data provided by AT&T, and one with WiFi only.  The one with cellular data allows you to purchase data without a contract.  You can pay either 15 dollars a month for 250 megabytes of data (think e-mail only, or limited web browsing online), or unlimited data for 30 dollars a month.  Again, there’s no contract and you can cancel at any time.  The activation takes place right on the device.

Both models include WiFi (a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology.

The processor inside is a 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip.  The reviews so far say this chip is blazing fast.

It has a built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery that provides up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music.  Standby time is over a month!!

Finally, for pricing, here’s Apple’s official chart:

Your thoughts?

I’d love to hear them in the comments below.  Also, if you have any questions about the device, I’ll try my best to answer them.  Be sure to check out http://www.apple.com/ipad

Download Mike’s Predictions

- Apple has invited select members of the media to the now confirmed media event on January 27th at 10:00 AM PST.  The title of the event is “Come see our latest creation.”  Will it be the much-rumored tablet, iLife/iWork 2010, iPhone OS 4.0 with true multi-tasking?  We’ll have to wait and see.  I will be writing a long wrap-up at the end of the day on the 27th.

- Apple released BootCamp 3.1 today for Intel Macs and finally includes support for Windows 7.  Apple promised that by the end of the year 2009, but they missed the mark.  It was finally released today.

- A rumor was published today claiming a new version of iTunes, combined with Apple’s recent LaLa acquisition, could allow iTunes users to move their entire library to the cloud so they can play their music on any device on the web.  Neat!

Hardware:

• A 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.  That’s super fast for a phone!
• A  480×800 AMOLED screen – consumes less power than a typical OLED screen.
• A 5.0 MP camera with a LED flash.
• A trackball with a multicolored backlight, for different notifications.
• A2DP Stereo Bluetooth and Wireless-N capabilities.
• 2 microphones for “active noise suppression.”
• Compass, GPS, light and proximity sensors, and accelerometers
• A 1400mAH battery, for 5 hours of 3G browsing or 7 hours of 3G talk.
• Skinnier than a standard pencil.
• A QR code printed on the back, which, when read, takes you to an android-themed game of Memory.

Software:

• The Nexus One sports the new Android 2.1 firmware, which is gorgeous looking, and only available on the Nexus One for right now.  It’ll be on the Droid soon enough
• 5 home screens
• Live Wallpapers, or interactive backgrounds.
• A revamped photo gallery
• Background syncing to online Picasa photo galleries
• Voice enabled text fields using Google’s voice recognition
• Apps will soon be able to stored on an external SD card
• No multitouch in the default Google Apps.
• According to Gizmodo, “If you want Android phones, this is the one to get.”
• According to TechCrunch, “The Droid You’re Looking For”
• The phone has been rooted, or,  “jailbroken.”

Carriers and Pricing:

• The phone is $530 to buy it unlocked: meaning, you can use it with any carrier, including AT&T,  although it won’t work with AT&T’s 3G service.
• The phone is $179 if you want to buy it with a 2 year contract with T-Mobile. T-Mobile offers a plan for $80 including 500 minutes and unlimited internet and TXT/SMS.
• The phone is said to come to Verizon some time this spring.
• If you live in Europe, the phone will come to Vodaphone sometime in the spring as well.
• You can get the phone custom engraved.
• Buy it here.

Personally, I can’t wait to get my hands on one and give it a shot.  I liked the Droid, so I imagine I’ll enjoy the Nexus One quite a bit as well.  Apparently, Verizon and other carriers who are using the Android platform are not concerned that this will negatively impact their business.  I’m not so sure.  Google worked super close with HTC to make sure this is the shining star of the Android line.  We’ll have to see how it plays out.

Thanks to Salem from TechnoHeads.org for allowing me to use his excellent, simplified list of what the Nexus One is all about.

Here’s what MagicPrefs adds:

This app makes me wonder why Apple shipped the Magic Mouse so crippled out of the box; It obviously can support a lot more than they enabled by default.

The app works super well, and it’s something every Magic Mouse owner should go and install immediately.  Just bringing back the “middle click” for Dashboard did it for me.  I’m sure you’ll find something incredibly useful for your workflow as well.  Let me know what you think in the comments down below.

When he returned, I laid them all out in Corel Draw 4 and drew the rounded frame around each one in addition to the hole to put the hook through.  We ran a batch and they turned out pretty well.  Although, some dust from the plexiglass got on the mirrors, so we printed them once more.  The second time around, they turned out perfect.  Here’s what they look like, laid out:

Yes, I realize I forgot to cut out the center of the 9 on the calendar icon.  Settings and Safari were really hard to do too, so I’m pleased the laser was even able to rasterize/print them at all.  Overall, I’m really satisfied.  Here’s some pictures of them on my tree:

Original GigaOM Story