The folks at Server Logistics have put together native Mac OS X package installers for many commonly used server tools, such as Apache 2, PHP, MySQL, and Tomcat. These installers should make it easier for people approaching these technologies for the first time, since these installers appear to obviate the need for cryptic Terminal commands. These packages even include System Preference panes for performing several useful functions, such as starting/stopping MySQL and Tomcat.

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Posted at 2:57 AM PDT with these tags: mac, tools, web, apache, database

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Networking Macs and PCs has always been somewhat of a hassle, often requiring configuration of file sharing settings on multiple machines. In an article for O’Reilly, Massimiliano Bigatti demonstrates the power of Rendezvous (aka Zeroconf) by writing a simple cross-platform file sharing application called iSafe that requires no configuration. While apparently written as a proof-of-concept application, iSafe is hopefully just one of many Rendezvous-enabled networking applications that will emerge as the technology proliferates. [iSafe download links: application and source; also need to download jrendezvous]

Posted at 2:19 PM PDT with these tags: mac, network

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This week the Eighth Annual Apple Design Awards were bestowed upon a number of server-related software products. The esteemed SFTP client Fugu bagged the award for Best Mac OS X Use of Open Source, while Panic’s Transmit shareware FTP client took the runner-up award for Best Mac OS X User Experience. Collaboration tool Hydra received top honors for Best Mac OS X Student Project. Last but not least, the Best Mac OS X Server Solution award was given to bioinformatics application iNquiry, with distributed client management system Radmind coming in second.

Posted at 4:21 AM PDT with these tags: mac, tools

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Apple announced at this year’s World Wide Developer’s Conference that Mac OS X 10.3 “Panther” Server will be available by the end of 2003. In addition to the new features added to the core OS itself—including X11, integrated IPv6 networking stack, and expanded Kerberos and Python support—Panther Server will include an all-new mail server, new Automatic Server Setup and Server Admin tools, enhanced LDAP support, new Workgroup Manager and Network Image Utility tools, improved Windows integration via Samba 3, built-in JBoss J2EE Java application server, new VPN server, and many other enhancements. Priced at $499 for a 10-client edition and $999 for an unlimited-client edition, Panther Server offers a far greater value delta vis-a-vis the OS X client than any previous version of OS X Server.

Posted at 4:54 AM PDT with these tags: mac, network

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Applications such as FileMaker and Excel would seem like natural front-end interfaces to server databases such as MySQL and PostgreSQL, since the latter do not come with the GUI administration tools that Mac users are accustomed to. This type of configuration, however, can be difficult to set up properly. Luckily Andrew Anderson has published an article via MacDevCenter on how to connect to MySQL from Excel via Jaguar’s ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity) protocols. A future installment will describe how to get ODBC working with PostgreSQL. (It seems the PostgreSQL installment is MIA.)

Posted at 3:16 AM PDT with these tags: mac, database

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Wikis are web databases that are usually built via community participation and often take the form of how-to manuals, documentation, and help support centers. MacDevCenter recently published instructions on how to install a Wiki on Mac OS X. While there are many implementations of the Wiki concept, the PHPwiki software used in the above article has the benefit of using the PHP and MySQL infrastructure that we covered in our most recent feature article.

Posted at 5:54 AM PDT with these tags: mac, web, wiki

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We all know that starting up GUI-based applications in Mac OS X simply involves adding Applications to the Login Items list in the System Preference’s Login preference pane. OSXFAQ’s guide to using startup items in Mac OS X, however, also has a particularly handy section on how to initiate background processes at login and/or at system startup. These techniques can be used to automatically start SendMail, MySQL, or any other non-GUI service that you want to always be available.

Posted at 4:37 AM PDT with these tags: mac, cli

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Updates were recently released for two web server tools: Schroedinger 1.0.1 and Tenon iTools 7.0.1. Micromata’s Schroedinger is a graphical front-end to the Apache Tomcat Java servlet engine, while iTools provides a GUI interface to a wide range of advanced Apache server configurations. (Note: Micromata’s site has not been responding for several days; here we provide a link to Apple’s much more reliable server.)

Posted at 6:44 PM PDT with these tags: mac, web, tools

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There are various software applications that can turn your Mac into a web log, news portal, or even an e-commerce storefront. A large proportion of these server software applications have three components in common: a web server, a scripting language, and a database. Follow the steps below to get some of the most popular versions of these components — Apache, PHP, and MySQL — up and running.

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Posted at 12:41 AM PDT with these tags: mac, web, apache, database

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For those that haven’t noticed, Kevin Hemenway has posted his latest installment on Apache Web Serving with Jaguar. The fourth article in this series explains how to set default index documents, create custom error pages, require password authentication, and customize other parts of Apache. If you missed the previous three installments, here are the links: [Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3]

Posted at 4:48 PM PDT with these tags: mac, web, apache

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