VMware Server on Ubuntu Edgy Eft 6.10

I’ve just installed VMware Server 1.0.1 on Ubuntu Edgy Eft 6.10 by following Daniël Knippers’ instructions.

His instructions left me with everything installed fine, but with issues getting the VMware Management Interface to start:

# sudo ./httpd.vmware start
Starting httpd.vmware:-ne failed

I found the solution which is replicated below…

The VMware Management Interface’s startup scripts (/etc/init.d/httpd.vmware and /usr/lib/vmware-mui/src/lib/httpd.vmware) have a bug which makes the Apache server start fail after reboot. To fix the script apply the following patch.

# cd /tmp
# wget http://users.piuha.net/martti/comp/ubuntu/httpd.vmware.diff
# cd /
# patch -b -p0 < /tmp/httpd.vmware.diff

Patch for httpd.vmware

As a bit of background, I had previously followed Mark Chapman’s instructions to install VMware Server on Debian, but found the Debian installer didn’t support the SATA DVD drive in my new Dell Dimension E520. Searching the web turned up the above method for installing on Ubuntu.

Angela to Mexico

Angela is off to Mexico for a month to revive the backpacking. Very envious. I know she’ll have a great time.

Although not quite as adventurous, but just as exciting, I’m going to visit Millay in New York late April. Just a case of sorting out dates and getting the tickets booked…

iPhone

Apple announced their new magical iPhone on Tuesday.

Yay.

That’s about as much enthusiasm as I can muster. Sure it looks a well executed product, with a polished UI (although I wonder about the durability and bulkiness), but my views are more inline with those of a columnist for The Oldie magazine:

“But I don’t want this thing in the least. I rather like not wanting one. Presumably it’s a phone and you can get music off it, but I like silence … I don’t want to walk around listening to music.”

I’m sure the introduction of the iPhone will sharpen up the offerings from existing companies, so in that sense I’ll benefit because the next mobile phone I own might well be a better designed piece of kit. It’s just getting a bit too gadgety in my view. As Job’s said in his keynote, the killer app is making calls; my Sony Ericsson does that fine thanks.

I just hope Apple’s move to developing all these gadgets doesn’t deflect focus from their core product: the computer. (Although the name change from Apple Computer Inc to Apple Inc suggests it might.) And to devote so much time to the iPhone in the keynote and not even mention Leopard, iLife ‘07 or – what I was hoping for – the announcement of a slim line new MacBook Pro to fill the void left by the 12″ PowerBook G4, disappoints. I really like some of Apple’s products, but I don’t buy into the whole lifestyle thing.

To finish, I also rather hope Cisco successfully sue Apple over trademark infringement over their use of the iPhone name. I’m sure I’m naive about this issues, but from what I know it smacks of arrogance from Apple and an attitude to plough on regardless. Isn’t that a trait that would normally be pinned on Microsoft?

Seeing in 2007

Angela is off to Mexico for a month to revive the backpacking. Very envious. Good luck to her.

I travelled up to Liverpool on the last day of 2006 to go and stay with friends Chris and Lucy. The last few months has seen them settle in to a really nice apartment near Sefton Park, a 10 minutes bus ride away from where they’re both working/studying. The Boy Thorne done good!

Will and Siân travelled up direct from London by train and the five of us were all together by mid-afternoon.

Lucy and Chris were excellent hosts and thoroughly looked after our needs for the 24 hours we were with them, including a lovely dinner in the evening, and a cooked breakfast the next morning.

It was a really nice way to spend an evening and see the New Year in; away from crowded bars and hordes of people.