Assuming it works (it won’t) then at least they’ll realise just how bad the spam situation is.

To help out anyone else trying to do the same thing, here’s how I did it.

First you need to install nspr

Add a user/group for it to run under:

Then download and extract the media server as per usual. Before installing it, you need to fiddle the install script so that it will install on your “unsupported” platform. Open installFMS in your favourite text editor and find the line that reads

Change it to something appropriate like

Then start the installation script as normal. Tell it that you don’t want it to run as a daemon (as it requires the Red Hat only chkconfig command) and that you don’t want it to start the server when done.

After you’ve installed the server, you’ll need to make the bundled libasneu.so.1 library available for use:

For some reason the install messed up the configuration files, adding things like the administrative user name twice. Check conf/fms.ini to make sure this hasn’t happened to you.

The installer creates init scripts at /etc/init.d but in order to use them you first need to create a file called .autostart in the installation directory:

You should then be able to start and stop the server normally:

And use rc-update to have the server start on boot:

Good luck.

To save you the trouble of running it yourself, I’ll tell you what happens - the unescaped percent symbol causes a URI malformed error to be thrown.

Very odd. The Prototype documentation for toQueryParams says:

Parses a URI-like query string and returns an object composed of parameter/value pairs.

Since it’s a URI-like query string and not an actual query string (by which I mean one that’s been through the browser address bar and as such subject to whatever text munging the browser does), my example above should be a legal use case.

After a little digging around in prototype.js, it seems that the problem is caused by the JavaScript function decodeURIComponent() not enjoying being given a string that contains an unescaped percent symbol. Usually percent symbols are used in conjunction with a number to represent a non-alphanumeric character in a URL - %20 for space, etc, but in the above it’s a literal percent symbol.

My first attempt to fix it changed lines 98 and 100 of string.js in the Prototype source to use the built in escape function:

This worked for my use case but caused Prototype to fail a different unit test. Changing them to the following worked out okay:

Granted the unescape(…(escape(…)) is a little clumsy, but it seems to get the job done.

Adding the following unit test to string.html allows to test for the above:

I’ve created some test pages which demonstrate the problem.

There is also a patch file available. Apply it to /src/string.js in your Prototype source tree.

Update

I’ve also filed a bug.

Recently I’ve been trying to get into programming applications for Mac OS X - I use it on a day to day basis so thought it would be best to get involved.  I’ve put some new things on the Stuff page for your perusal.  They are:

Backgrounderer

A little app to download desktop wallpapers from veer.com. If you wish to build from source, you’ll need to install RegexKit first.

Mail RSS Exporter

An application that exports your RSS feeds from Apple Mail and stores them in either OPML format or Safari Bookmarks.

TouchMe

A program to run AppleScripts on a computer on your local network from your iPhone or iPod Touch - I use this to control a Mac mini attached to a projector.  The projector is not always switched on so Front Row was insufficient.  It also allows you to force quit applications that have hung.

SimpleHTTPd

A Cocoa native web server packaged as a framework so you can use it in your own projects.  Based on Jurgen Schwiezer’s SimpleHTTPServer.

All of the above require OS X 10.5 Leopard as coming from a Java/PHP background I have a strange fetish for garbage collectors and consequently find manual memory management tedious.

They are all BSD licensed and source is included with each program so go crazy.

I’ll get round to posting about each one in more depth in the near future.

The major change is that I’ve switched from a custom back end to pre-written blog software as maintaining it became a bit of a nightmare. I say maintaining - what I mean is writing new versions of it as who wants to administer crufty old code when they get home? AB4 has been in the works for over a year but I never seemed to be able to finish it without wanting to re-write great big chunks of it so I’ve bitten the bullet and gone down the shoulders-of-giants route. And I have to say, so far it’s been relatively painless - the only thing that’s really given me trouble is getting apostrophes to play nice in code tags, but more on that later.

All the old content should be here somewhere. The only difference is a slight change in the URL structure but a little bit of .htaccess fiddling should mean that incoming links still point in the right place.

If you spot anything amiss, do let me know.

When the company introduced the iPod in late 2001, the most common calls to Apple’s technical support lines for a time were about how to turn the device, which lacked a clearly defined power button, off and on, says a former Apple executive.

Wow, I’d forgotten all about that. Years ago Will left his iPod at our house for a week or two and I had such trouble trying to figure out how to turn the damn thing on.

When Apache starts whinging about “dlname not found, assuming libtool archive” and shit, and refuses to produce .so modules instead kicking out a bunch of .a and .la files in their place, it means you’ve fucked up somewhere along the line, probably because this isn’t the first time you’ve tried to run the configure script.

Delete the entire Apache source directory and start again. If you are lucky you’ll even get a nice copy of libexpat.0.dylib at the end of it all.

And then a little later:

It is not possible to put an exact timeframe on when BBC iPlayer will be available for Mac users.

–bad, indeed.

The corporation’s governing body asked the BBC to ensure that the iPlayer could run on different systems - such as Apple Macs - within “a reasonable time frame”, initially twenty-four months.

Twenty four months for porting to Mac OS X is reasonable?! I dread to think about the poor old Linux users out there.

The BBC has previously said it cannot commit to a two-year time frame as many decisions would have to be made by third parties.

i.e. Either Microsoft decide to port their DRM software or someone else will have to decide to write some.

A statement from the BBC read: “Our ability to deliver this open approach will be influenced by the availability of alternative DRM systems on the market.

i.e. Microsoft have no plans to port their DRM software to any other operating system so the BBC will have to find some other system to use and so far haven’t so we’ll just have to wait.

What a load of rubbish. I’ve always been a strong supporter of the BBC but this is utterly unacceptable.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6236612.stm

My latest favourite is Tyrannosaurus Alan. I don’t know why I am so enamoured by a fuzzy felt dinosaur and shouty volcano. I once had a conversation with a marketing type who had to find out why Volvic was continuously outperformed by Evian sales-wise. I didn’t know the answer then, but told him that it was because Volvic sounded like part of the female anatomy and everyone knows that Vittel is better than both of them. I think however he must have found the solution; everyone loves the wacky dinosaur and his volcanic buddy. Today’s Metro even featured a three (half-)page long advert featuring the aforementioned characters in cartoon strip style (and revealed Mr Volcano’s first name √¢‚Ǩ‚Äú George!), I just can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Does it really work though? As much as I am entertained by Mr (George) Volcano’s peculiar pronunciation of water I won’t start buying Volvic until they decide to do a ‘free’ (¬£2.99 for P&P of course) Tyrannosaurus Alan toy. Now, there’s a thought!

Off road riding extracts a severe toll on footwear. On and off the pedals thousands of times, lots of walking, days of 150 degree heat rotting the shoes in your trunk all means these shoes will eventually wear out. When the rubber is worn smooth off the bottoms and your riding buddies locate you by following the flapping noise of your torn uppers, BUY NEW SHOES. Don’t return them to your dealer with your altar boy face on and mmble, “Uh, I only used them once and look what happened. Gimme new for nuthin.” (sic)

Of course, if we screwed up and forgot to send you (sic) your particular pair through our patented top secret bulletproofing process and they come apart for no good reason, give us a call at the number listed below and we will see what we can do to remedy the problem or come up with another bit of creative customer relations to keep you happy. Just give us a call.

I appear to have just bought a pair of shoes from a company that not only regards its customers as a bunch of scroungers but also feels the need to press this point home in a rather patronising manner.

It’s a shame - they are rather nice shoes.

Honestly, what with all the pre-registering bollocks it’s not like they were unaware of the demand. Why can’t they design a server infrastructure that can handle enough requests?

So I thought I’d leave it for a bit until the demand died down. It’s just a new games console whose sales are feeding of the intense hype surrounding it. It will sort itself out after a month or so.

On Saturday while ktm was queueing in Argos for a replacement bathroom light (it’s a rented property - what, you want us to go to Habitat?), I nipped out to see if, on the off chance, there was any Wii in Woolworths.

No

I was told, but I could order one. How long?

3-5 days, if they are in stock

said the pimply faced youth. Wicked, I think. So I queued to be greeted by the very same PFY at the counter.

Ah, you want a Wii. I’ll just pull it up on the computer. Oh, they are out of stock. My gosh! You can’t even order them!.

My gosh indeed.

So to WHSmiths. Nope. To Dixons. Nope. Return to Argos. Nope. Having picked up the better half, we headed back to Dixons in search of a FM radio aerial and I took the opportunity to quiz a member of staff on their availability. Nope. I thought I might as well go for it and ask if I could order or join some sort of waiting list. She laughed.

We got a couple in last week, but we are still filling our pre-orders.

!

From November

!!

There are Wii available, however. Game’s online store occasionally has stock. However they are opportunist bastards and only sell the console in a bundle with four non-discounted games. Then again I did really want one and the games it comes with are rather good. I took one for the team.

Having come into possession of possibly the most elusive bit of gaming kit currently on the market (save a copy of Duke Nukem Forever) I thought it would be an easy ride from here on in.

The thing is, I haven’t told ktm that there’s a Wii arriving at some point in the near future*. Consequently, I need to be able to placate her when it arrives. This may be possible via a game or two of Wii tennis. For this, as any 12 year old will be able to tell you, I need two controllers, or Wiimotes to use the approved lingo, and the console only comes with one. I stepped out of my Wii owning friend’s trendy Farringdon design studio at lunch time to attempt to locate a second of these fabled devices.

Dixons. Nope. WHSmiths. Nope. Hmm, not so good. Having exhausted the local possibilities, I resolved to head to Oxford Street after work. Virgin Megastore. Nope. Dixons. Nope. Game. Nope. HMV. Nope.

Against my better judgement, I tried some of the little nameless electronics stores at the bottom of Tottenham Court Road who take no greater pleasure than in ripping off gadget crazed geeks with their inter-shop price fixing database. No Wiimotes there either.

?!?@?!?!?@?!

Urgh, this was becoming a little silly.

Since every major store and most minor ones have come up empty, I was forced to try the black market. Computer Exchange.

Yes, we have one Wiimote in stock, but it’s ¬£35

the little goth pixie behind the counter tells me.

??!?!?!??!!@@@@?!?@1/

I looked at her incredulously, trying to come with some counter argument about how dare they have the nerve to sell me a second hand controller at above RRP. She stared blankly back at me. I opened my mouth. She put her hand on her hip and tilted her head slightly, as if she was about to begin lecturing me on market forces dictating the price of goods in a free market. ktm’s disapproving look as I open the box from Parcel Farce loomed out of my imagination. All right, I’ll have it, I grumble. When I protest sarcastically at the lack of box, the happy capitalist goth chirpily informs me that there’s a one year guarantee. Hooray. I grab the bag and walk out.

I can’t help but feel ever so slightly taken advantage of.

* = It’s just possible that I may have blown my cover

Hardly smile inducing.

Genius. Well, almost. Close enough.

At the moment I am on hold to IT and for some reason they have chosen a tasteless midi version of the music from France Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet (more popularly known for its use on Our Tune).It is driving me round the bend, and I am just wondering why on earth IT thought that the romantically-tinged midi strains of Our Tune would inspire me to continue to hold rather then destroy the telephone with a sledgehammer.

I would like to know what the readers of achingbrain have heard while on hold, either truly awful or pleasantly surprising. My personal favourite is the one at my Dad’s office, a marine salvaging and surveying company, where they have chosen to greet callers with the Titanic soundtrack (with its terrible midi choir, but that’s another blog in itself) - awful music, but appropriately snigger-worthy given the line of business.

Alternatively please join Pipedown in their crusade against ear-assaulting piped Muzak in general.

After a lot of whispers and countless rumours it appears that the proposed Cross River Tram has finally gone to, wait for it, consultation. This means that they will probably push some bits of paper around for a long time and then might finish it by the time I’m forty and living in the sticks somewhere. As part of the consultation they want the local opinions of local people to add to their paper pile.

It is thoroughly important that you exercise your democratic right to inform our elected mayor of your opinions. Get your consultation document here. It won’t even cost you the price of a stamp to get your opinions on the route and the termini heard.

I am however rather miffed that some locals have already hijacked this scheme and decided it’s an entirely stupid plan because apparently artists’ studios, churches and businesses might have to be bulldozed to make way for a tram depot, which, after looking at their map, the businesses in question seem to be Trinketz, Ash’s Meat Centre, I think a car wash place, and that unsightly factory with the yellowed and broken windows you see as you come into Peckham Rye station from London Bridge. It is, according to these locals, an “area with potential for redevelopment.” They have already had their petitions out, you may have seen one floating around your nearest twee shop recently. This attitude says to me that a better, sustainable, and environmentally sound transport system for the area would be entirely pointless if they couldn’t buy unique prints entitled “Pain” and “Freedom” to put on the mantelpiece of their Bellenden boudoir.

I have a feeling that they may have missed the point. The tramline will bring better access to jobs in central London for many people. It will provide redevelopment in their “area with potential for redevelopment” and jobs on the trams and at the terminus and depot for local people. It would involve new building, and I suspect a more light and open feel to the area around Peckham Rye station. Not to mention the fact that it will hugely help the redevelopment of the bit of Peckham that no one likes to think about, which includes everywhere North of Peckham High Street as well as the Aylesbury and Heygate estates, by providing them with a fast and much needed link to Peckham town centre, and to Waterloo and beyond, and thus jobs. At then end of the day people living there have far more need for a better transport system.

I might sound like I’ve swallowed a bit of Ken’s propaganda on this, but having seen the change that the tram brought to Croydon (okay, I still wouldn’t like to spend too much time there, but the place has smartened up a lot since the tram was opened) I am convinced that the benefits far outweigh the problems of having a depot in Peckham.

I’ve said my thing, whichever way you lean on this, and whether you think I’m talking rubbish or not, please examine the consultation document and make those opinions heard to ensure that the area continues to thrive in the future.

Me: Oh look, they’ve released a pink Zune. Would you like one for Christmas?

Her: I’d rather stick my head on a pike.

Although on closer reading of the article, it seems that the pink Zunes are a very rare limited edition and they are not marked as such. Consequently the guy who bought it thought he was getting a white one, didn’t like the pink, saw an opportunity and promptly put it on eBay.

Honestly, that’s a stroke of genius only matched by releasing a brown Zune in the first place.

You can just see little Jimmy’s parents in some electronics shop going:

Parent: Oh look, there’s one of those Zune things Jimmy wants. Excuse me, Mr Shop Assistant, we’d like to buy a Zune.

Shop Assistant: Wonderful, here you go.

Parent: Excellent, he’s going to be so pleased.

Of course, the parents left it to the last minute and the black/white Zunes sold out a long time ago - something the shop assistant neglects to mention lest it should damage his chances of making a commission and/or missing his sales target.

Little Jimmy then spends the next six months being bullied at school for having a poo coloured Zune before it’s finally stolen and destroyed by muggers on the bus who can’t bear to suffer it’s existence any longer. Little Jimmy is secretly thankful.

Hi,

VjAGRA_zd_$1,78
CjALiS_lx_$3,00
LEVjTRA_fz_$3,33

www [dot] removed [dot] info

——–

tiny growl is permitted.

Tiny growl indeed. Fuckers.

Hmm. I can’t quite focus on the text on this screen. Either my hangover is really, really bad or I need to get my eyes tested.

Oh, wait, it’s just ClearType.

Aside from that, I’m amazed at how complicated they’ve made everything. For example, when downloading files through IE7, you now have a “Downloads” folder in your home directory. Can you get to this via the start menu? No. Is it a sub-folder of your Documents folder? No. What’s wrong with just putting them on the Desktop? Isn’t it what it’s there for - files you are currently working on and/or might not want to keep?

The Windows Explorer seems to have become a maze of semi-coherent short cuts and file system abstractions - see the address bar for what I mean. Even the Control Panel has succumbed to this mess. It seems they’ve sat around a table and gone “What are the most popular things people do with the Control Panel” and made shortcuts to them all, rather than organising the different areas in a logical manner in the first place.

And then there’s the whole off button thing.

Never mind the hundreds of pop ups “This program wants to do this” “Do you know this program?” “Do you want to let this program do this?” “Are you sure you want to let this program do this?”. And the really obnoxious one that greys out your entire screen and puts the dialogue box right in the middle. “LOOK AT ME”, it screams. “FUCK OFF”, I think.

And what happened to the File/Edit/etc menus? It took me a good twenty minutes to work out how to show hidden files and folders. In the end I had to ask Google for the answer.

Ugh. Maybe I’m just getting old, but does it really have to be this way?.