Slashdot Mirror
Apple Updates G5 Firmware, ARD Client; Not MPEG-2 Decoder
obirt writes "A G5 firmware update provides changes for initializing and running your Power Mac G5. It provides some performance improvements for some PCI-X configurations, patches a security hole and improves fan behavior in Open Firmware."
sandrift writes "Software Update just popped up with a new version of the Apple Remote Desktop Client; the version 1.2.4 update delivers improvements to security, performance, and reliability of the Apple Remote Desktop 1.2 client software running on Mac OS X versions 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3." ARD Client is included with Mac OS X 10.3.
tdemark writes "MPEG-2 decoding is not supported by default in QuickTime; it is added by purchasing an additional component. Those of us that have this component discovered that it stopped working as of yesterday; it will not run after December 14, 2003. The suggested workaround is to set your clock back. VideoLAN can also be used in emergencies while Apple fixes the issue."
JP
Mplayer OS X is a nice little package that helps with those files that quicktime can't play/recognize/dies-when-even-mentioned-around.
http://mplayerosx.sourceforge.net/
Its interface is lighter weight than VLC, though not as flexible, and it tends to "just work" for most files.
Integrate Keynote and LaTeX
There's an update version available at the Apple Store. If you did purchase it from the Apple Store you can re-download an updated version!
We got the Apple MPEG2 playback component with Conmpressor, but its performance is really nothing to write home about. It's about time that Apple integrated MPEG into QuickTime properly (including encoding MPEG1, 2 and MPEG1 Layer 2 and 3 audio) they could then bump up the QT Pro price to a $100 or so and give us the standard toolkit that QT SHOULD HAVE HAD for the last 2 years.
Cleaner is dying, Apple should step up to the plate.
That was classic intercourse!
find --mtime 1 / | grep -i remote
and here is what I found: a startup time service.
this cant be good. It seems to be on by default as there is no preferences to control it. It looks like the client is a slave to some other user. So how does this work. If someone guesses my password do they own my desktop?
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Well, a 'hacker' would need at least three things to break into your machine.
/System/Library/StartupItems/RemoteDesktopAgent
s udo rm -rf /System/Library/PreferencePanes/ARDPref.prefPane
First, IP address. If you're behind a firewall with NAT, forget about it.
Second, the admin software. $200-$400 and somewhat tough to find on the p2p networks. But something to worry about.
Third, an admin username AND password to allow control. If these are secure and unknown, forget about it.
Oh, and a fourth. You have to turn it on in your sharing control panel. If it's turned off, then even if they have the other three, it's not useable.
If you really want to get rid of it:
sudo rm -rf
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
So, what you're basically saying is:- he's wide open!
That was classic intercourse!
if someone ever hacks my box, either by physical access, user access, trojan horse, ssh access, or some yet-to-happen security hole, then they can get this program running. then I'm basically owned.
Unfortunately, QuickTime as architected can't deal with out of order data in frames, and so can't natively deal with MPEG-1, MPEG-2, or Advanced Simple MPEG-4. I suppose you could make export components for those, but it'll take some serious refactoring before QuickTime could really treat those formats as first class citizen.
As far as QT Pro for $100, I assure you that the user base would go ballistic. Apple does install MPEG-2 encoding (fast, but not very flexible) as a QuickTime component for owners of Final Cut Pro or DVD Studio Pro.
My video compression blog
Why would any normal user want this installed? I blindly installed it now I wish I had not. Seems like a potential security hole lurking. But I cant figure out how to uninstall it.
Again, as noted in the story, if you have Panther installed, you have the ARD Client installed. This is just an update to it.
The ARD Client allows an ARD Admin to remotely control your box. Potential security hole? Probably, but you're soaking in it by virtue of running Panther.
I have no idea if other files such as xinit and rc files that might start these services were affected by the update. I dont know if there are other ARD files not affected by the update and I dont know if its safe to remove these.
I would like to know where the settings to turn on and off the ARD service are. I dont see them in the System Sharing preferences or in any other obvious place. I'd like to know what ports it uses to invoke itself remotely or to communicate. I'd like to know how to set my firewall using apples firewall gui to block this (manually setting the firewall seems to cause the apple gui to quit and go home).
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Actually, I think Apple quit trying to fight Windows Media quite a while ago. They're not pushing or enhancing the .mov file format anymore - the best codec available is still Sorenson Video 3, which shipped two and a half years ago.
QuickTime's importance to Apple today is much more as a digital media SDK, and hence the foundation of their very successful products like iMovie, iDVD, Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, iTunes, iPhoto, etcetera.
QuickTime is also the best authoring architecture out there, with wonderful features like reference movies.
But as a delivery format, Apple has been letting it linger, but isn't putting much effort into enhancing it. They've talked a lot about MPEG-4 being the future of the file format, but haven't done much technically to make that viable either.
My video compression blog
No, he's wide shut.
I didn't mention that the default settings are that remote sharing is turned off. You have to go into the sharing panel and turn it on, then parts 1-3 apply...and I doubt you know his admin username & password.
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
The ARD Client allows an ARD Admin to remotely control your box.
I see Apple has decided to adopt a backwards naming system, just like X11. Shouldn't it be called ARD Server?
From MacNN:
Pixlet? As a distribution codec? RTFM.
Pixlet is great if you need an intraframe-only codec for playback on Mac OS X 10.3 systems only (no Jaguar, no Windows). Pixlet is meant for film production workflows, since it offers frame-accurate rough cuts at half D1 resolution on a fast G4. It is in no way useful as a codec to distribute content to end users.
Think of it as a souped up version of Photo-JPEG, or a complexity constrained version of JPEG2000. It no more competes with Sorenson Video than a Freightliner competes with a Ferrari.
Apple's excellent marketing has actually backfired on them a bit here. Pixlet is very useful for what it's meant for, but if you're not a film professional, it isn't meant for you.
My video compression blog
How about some more info? Did the installation fail? What happened exactly? Did Apple tech support say anything interesting about what might have caused this? Anything notable at all that we might watch out for? It would be nice to figure out if it's something that's avoidable in any way.
"I like systems, their application excepted", George Sand (French)
Not that I condone the behavior, but it took approximately 15 seconds* for me to find a torrent for the unlimited version.
*wall clock timings YMMV
I just got a job running a network of macs and this totally threw me for a loop. I ended up including the client AND server on the image though, that way I can 'control' any machine from any other machine on the network. Overall it's a great product, it saves my ass every day (large campus in wintertime, prevents icy walks).
"Sometimes, I think Trent just needs a cup of hot chocolate and a blankie." -Tori Amos on Nine Inch Nails
Well they could have called it NXHost but that would have not sounded as cute and besides ARD does some other stuff that NXHost never did on NeXTSTEP/Openstep.