Merging 2 HFS Partitions using DiskUtil

As a Mac user, you’re probably aware of Mac OS X’s “Disk Utility” program for mounting volumes, repairing permissions, creating disk images, etc. However, the command line version of the tool, “diskutil” is also very handy and has functions that aren’t available in the GUI application.

Let’s say you have 2 HFS+ partitions; 1 called “Music” on disk0s1 and the other called “Photos” on disk0s2. Then, at some point decide that you don’t want those 2 partitions separated anymore and want to combine them into one partition called “Music_and_Photos.” It’s easy with the “diskutil” tool.

Open a command line and type :

“diskutil mergePartitions hfs+ Music_and_Photos disk0s1 disk0s2”

The partition disk0s1 (Music) and the partition disk0s2 (Photos) would at this point now be merged as disk0s1 (Music_and_Photos)

Keep in mind that only HFS partitions can be merged without data loss, and that the partitions being merged must be “next to each other” in the partition map. (Meaning that if you tried to merge disk0s1 and disk0s3 that s2 which is in the middle would also be merged.) If you don’t know where each partition’s place is in the partition map, simply type “diskutil list” on the command line to find out.

More info on DiskUtil can be found HERE.

Snow Leopard – Re-Enable Font Smoothing for LCD Monitors

From MacOSXHints.com…

“You can force OS X to use LCD font smoothing on all displays with this Terminal command:

defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2

The number 2 here corresponds to Medium – Best for Flat Panel. You may also use 1 for light smoothing, and 3 for strong smoothing, as per the original OS X font smoothing options.”

Les Paul, Modern Music Innovator Dies at 94

I’m a little late in posting this, but I wanted to just the same.

On August 13, 2009 Les Paul died of complications from pneumonia at the age of 94.

Les Paul was was instrumental (no pun intended) in the development of the modern solid body guitar, inventing overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects, and multitrack recording.

He was also a great guitar player, and a dedicated one at that. In 1948 he was in a terrible car accident that shattered his right elbow. The doctors told him that the elbow would never regain any free range of motion, so Les told them to set the arm in an “L” shape so that he could still play guitar.

More info about Les HERE.

Thanks for all you did for modern music Les. You’ll be remembered.

Who is Joseph Kosinski?

Now that the sequel to 1982’s Tron, Tron Legacy, is getting a lot of geek press; questions about the director Joseph Kosinski are being voiced. Where did this guy come from? Why is he directing 2 high-profile movies (Tron Legacy, Logan’s Run) with no past movie directing experience?

Well, Joseph Kosinski has a lot of experience directing “artsy” commercials for companies like Nike, GM, and Ford. He also directed trailers/commercials for Halo 2 and Gears of War.

If any of his past work shows why he’s a good pick for Tron Legacy, it would be the commercial he did for Nike. Check out his work at http://www.josephkosinski.com/

Microsoft to open “Microsoft Stores”

Really?

They’ve even stated that they plan to open many of them near existing Apple Stores. You might ask yourself, what would a Microsoft Store sell? Apple actually makes computers AND the OS. What will we find inside a Microsoft Store? I think Penny Arcade hit the nail on the head…

Penny Arcade Comic

Seriously though, my guess is that you’ll find a buttload of XBox games, XBox controllers, Microsoft peripherals, PC Games, and Microsoft software. Does that really warrant a store though? Especially since you can get all that at just about any electronics store?

District 9, a SciFi Movie I’m Just Now Hearing About

This appears to be a movie that I’m going to have to see. It arrives in theaters, August 14th.

Do Record Labels Matter?

All Songs Considered ponders this question in their current Podcast.

My answer to the question currently is ‘yes.’ Record labels are still entrenched in the music industry and for your album to get any wide distribution you’re going to need a record label and all the resources that it provides. In the near future however, the role of the record label will shrink and shrink since the distribution of music is becoming easier and easier thanks to the internet. If you can generate enough internet buzz, your album can be successful.

People use Radiohead as an example of not needing a record label, but Radiohead already has a huge following, thanks in part to a record label or labels when they were breaking onto the music scene. They don’t have a label now, but they used to, when it mattered most.

For now record labels are still necessary, but their end IS near.