Securing Open Directory on Leopard Server

Awhile ago I wrote about how insecure Open Directory was on Leopard Server. I was not the first person to have discovered this, but apparently no one has found a real workaround. I did find information on how to secure it, but then you can't use Directory Utility to properly setup the machine. After much head bashing, I have completely given up on securing individual components of Leopard Server. It would appear that the only way to secure it is to use a VPN, turn on the firewall to block all, but VPN traffic, and set Open Directory and iCal Server to NOT use SSL. Turns out there are bugs in the iCal (CalDAV) server that don't handle a GoDaddy SSL certificate.

It still amazes me that an experienced software engineer like myself can't secure a server designed for small business that don't have an IT person. Maybe this will work in Snow Leopard.

To Migrate or to Not Migrate

My new MacBook Pro arrived today and I had to decide how to set it up. Apple has a great Migration Assistant for transferring information from an old machine. So I could either use that or do things manually. I decided for a mixed approach. I copied all the info from my old machine (via Gigabit Ethernet) and installed everything by hand. I didn't copy the preferences over as they sometimes contain cruft. After about 5 hours, everything was working! Yeah. I just have to get backups going again and then I'll have an even bigger smile on my face.

More Negative Campaigning

Following up on my previous post about the local city council election, I've decided to post copies of ads I received from both candidates (these ads are only the ones I received today; I receive ads a few times a week from both candidates).

From April Boling, the extremely negative campaigner:

From Marti Emerald, my candidate of choice:

Please, oh please, don't elect April Boling; we need cooperation in government and all she seems to want to do is put down her opponent. To me, this seems like someone that has no good qualities to be in government, so she slams her opponent.

Any quote can be taken out of context and misconstrued. Let's not stop there; the photo of Marti Emerald has been flipped horizontally; the original is the other way. And while I'm on a roll, that picture comes from a site that is copywritten which may make using it a copyright violation.

(The images above are posted with the understanding that I can use them under the Fair Use Doctrine of US copyright law. If asked by the copyright holder, I will remove the images.)

Enough with negative campaigning

I know I've written about this before, but I finally decided to write a letter to the editor about it.

The race for City Council District 7 is heating up with both sides sending numerous printed ads to us, but each side has a different tactic. April Boling has decided that negative campaigning is the only way to win the race; instead of focusing on what she can do for San Diego and our council district, she has chosen to show what Marti Emerald hasn't done. Of course, it hasn't been Marti's job to change city council, but April feels it is necessary to blame the city's problems on her.

While I'm disappointed that the Union Tribune has decided to endorse a candidate that has nothing positive to say nor has any real solutions for San Diego, I'm not surprised. I hope that voters in council district 7 don't simply take the Union Tribune's word on who should represent this district and can see that we need a city council member that is an outsider and can bring much needed change to our city.

Will they publish it? Probably not.