Backing up using Time Machine

At the same time I got the Magic Mouse I also treated myself to a LaCie Hard Disk MAX Quadra. A 2TB version to be specific, with a range of connections from USB to FireWire 800. The drive contains an array of two hard-disks of 1 TB and is able to run in one of two RAID modes, RAID-0 and RAID-1.

Using RAID-0 means the data is spread across both disks while using RAID-1 means both disks contain exactly the same data. When using RAID-0 one will have 2TB of storage and when using RAID-1 this is reduced to 1TB (the capacity of the smallest capacity disk in the array). As I intend to use this drive as a backup system I opted for RAID-1, so in case one disk fails I can replace it without losing data.

In my search for a program to make automatic backups of my system I did not have far to look. Time Machine has been a part of the Mac OS X operating system since version 10.5 (Leopard) and automatically creates backups every hour.

Setting it up was easy, much easier than I initially anticipated. On first connecting the new drive it automatically asked my if I would like to use Time Machine to make backups on the drive. It only needed a single click of approval and it was done. After that it needed a few hours for the first backup but now it just needs a few seconds every hour to backup the files that have been created or altered since the last backup. Very easy, very efficient, very much recommended.

All this Time Machine talk just gave me a nice little brainwave, the Doctor Who mini-marathon I just had might have something to do with it: A TARDIS shaped backup disk. Would. Be. Awesome. With the light on top flashing during backup! If someone cares to make one of these I’d be willing to sacrifice some time to do a review

Unpacking the Apple Magic Mouse

It was planned for a while and now I finally got around to ordering the Apple Magic Mouse. I’ve been using it for a few days now and it is proving to be worth every cent. What follows is a short unpacking and review of the Apple Magic Mouse.

The Unpacking

The actual Magic Mouse and it’s stylish-as-always packaging fitting snugly in the rather generic looking box.

The Magic Mouse packaging reminds me of the iPod nano packaging.

This is what you’ll find;
- Magic Mouse
- Batteries (inside the Magic Mouse)
- Instruction booklet

Con: No Exposé or Dashboard
Having moved to the Magic Mouse from a (wired) Mighty Mouse there are a few differences. With the Mighty Mouse Exposé could be activated by squeezing the sides of the mouse and the dashboard could be activated by clicking the scroll-ball. These controls are absent on the Magic Mouse, so it’s back to the keyboard for these functions.

Pro: No cable, one extra free USB port
If you already use a wireless mouse this will not make any difference to you, to me it was a new experience. I held off on wireless mice until now, but I must admit it is ideal to have the mouse free from cables. Your motions are no longer restricted and there is one less USB port that is occupied. Pairing the bluetooth mouse with my iMac was easy, just needed a few clicks.

Pro: Easy scrolling by touch
This is exactly what Apple is known for, take a new or existing technique and apply it in a new way. Scrolling without a wheel or ball is so much easier, it is something you really must try for yourself. Most of the surface of the Magic Mouse can be used to scroll in any direction. No more sticky scroll controls!

Pro: Precise and nimble
Compared to the Mighty Mouse I feel it is more precise (it should be, laser compared to optical) and easier to slide. It is light but heavy enough, thanks to the batteries, so you will not accidentally launch it across your desk. Clicking is comparable to clicking using a Mighty Mouse.

In conclusion, I would recommend the Magic Mouse to any Mac user. I imagine it will work great on any other OS out there, but honestly I cannot be bothered to check that out myself.

Praktica LTL 3

This Praktica LTL 3 was my father’s camera while he was in the navy. It has been all around the world and found itself, years later, in disuse on a shelf in the garage. Being the collector that I am, I quickly grabbed it for safe keeping.

Aside from the familiar history the Praktica LTL 3, like many older cameras, is a nice object in itself. The lenses, a Pentacon 1.8 50mm and a Carenar 2.8 135mm, are something to look at too.

After cleaning of years of dust the camera and lenses show their age. The camera is in good condition. A sad part is the fact that both lenses seem to be broken. I might look into getting these fixed and using them on my new cameras using an adapter.

The camera itself is in working order but without good lenses it is, for the time being, destined for desk duty.

Bees and Butterflies

Our garden has been in full bloom the last weeks, and thanks to the good weather there has been quite a bit of insect activity.

Especially the Oregano flowers (Wild Marjoram) attract a lot of bees.

Aside from the bees there was also this female Gatekeeper, or Hedge Brown, butterfly. You can distinguish male and female Gatekeepers by the dark streaks on top of the male’s wings, a random fact I picked up while determining the kind of butterfly it was.

Obviously attracted by other insects, this small yellow crab spider was trying to ambush smaller insects like fruit flies, too bad for him (or is it a her?) only bees and butterflies came close.

You can view the rest of the photos on Flickr

I still have quite a few photos to process, so the set will probably expand in the coming days.

Stephen Fry In America

If you like a good travel book, are interested in America or is you enjoy Stephen Fry‘s writing then you should go out, buy and read his book “Stephen Fry In America”.The book allows you to follow Stephen, who was almost American himself, during his journey through all the states in the union for the BBC series of the same name. His mode of transportation? His London black cab of course!

Starting with lobsters in Maine, the journal first takes you on a zig-zag trek through the 48 contiguous states before flying over to Alaska and ending on the volcanoes of Hawaii. Along the way you meet numerous remarkable people, and typical American icons and landmarks like Ben & Jerry’s, real wise-guys, hippie occupied Missile silos, Monument Valley and San Francisco to name a few.Apart from the amusing writings by Stephen there are some key facts about every state, like state capitol, state motto, state flowers and sometimes even the state beverage. Scattered throughout the book are numerous pictures of the people and landmarks visited.

I really enjoyed the book and I suspect it will not be left unread on any bookshelf it may occupy.