[Discuss] os x postresql startup question

[blu at nedharvey.com (Edward Ned Harvey (blu))]

> From: Bill Horne [mailto:bill at horne.net]
> 
> > OSX uses a case insensitive filesystem.  Don't expect anything different and
> don't try to change it.  You'll shoot yourself trying.
> 
> Mixed emotions: I was surprised to find that Yosemite has an option to
> create "case sensitive" file systems. I used it, more to feel at home
> than anything else.

As long as it's some secondary volume and not your OS drive, fine.  If it's your OS drive, you better backup and reinstall sooner rather than later.


> > Absolutely embrace timemachine.  It sets the gold standard that everyone
> else should strive to.
> 
> That's nice to know: my servers are going to be moving lots of data
> around, but I have to be able to prioritize things on-the-fly. Can
> Timemachine be used in that environment?

Oh, for servers.  Time machine is mainly a desktop system backup utility - Not sure how well it will work on servers.  Particularly, I would not expect it to handle VM's or databases sufficiently.  You'll have to exclude VM's, and you'll have to automate something to dump databases to files which can then be backed up.


> My employer has used fink in the past, but I'm agnostic since I've no
> experience with it. What are the pluses and minuses of fink or macports
> vs. homebrew?

A long time ago, I abandoned fink in favor of macports.  I forget why - I think it was missing packages I wanted, and there was no recourse, or something like that.  A couple years later I abandoned macports in favor of homebrew.  It was mostly due to complexity.  Macports installs lots and lots of stuff to support its own ecosystem.

These package managers are incompatible with each other.  You have to pick one and stick with it.  Looking around now, fink and macports are both current, and both maintained, so honestly, you'll probably be fine no matter which one you choose.  But I advise homebrew.


> Can I set up my own keyboard codes /and/ have them follow me between
> machines?

As an IT person supporting systems, I try not to get into nitty gritty details like that - Every user has their own preferences.  I have seen some mac geeks using quicksilver to do things that sound like maybe what you're asking for.  They swear by it and say they'll never go back.  I tried it and didn't adopt it myself.


> Please point me to any tutorials you recommend: I'm constantly changing
> between a touchpad and a mouse (docked) environment, so I am very
> interested in ways to make my interface more efficient.

Specifically, just click the apple, go to system preferences, and click on Trackpad.  Apple has video tutorials of how to get the most out of your trackpad built-in to the system preferences panel.  Enjoy.


> > Personal preference:
> >
> > Launch Finder.
> >      Change to View As List.
> >      Click on View / Show Path Bar
> 
> Thanks for your help!

A couple of gotchas, which are the reasons for the above preference:

If you're like me, you probably want to browse samba & nfs & other network filesystems.  This is an area where Apple is dumb.

You notice, when you're browsing your filesystem, that folders have a little triangle next to them, and you can open folders that way...  If you close finder and come back, finder remembers your preference for which folders are open...  Guess how it remembers?  By creating a ".DS_Store" file inside the folder.  Which means, if a bunch of users all browse a shared network resource, they all magically see folders randomly presenting themselves in the open or closed state, based on random actions of other users.    Grrrar.

The best way to deal with it is to just make the habit of not using the triangle.  Or don't use shared network resources with other people.