Closing a Google Apps domain: document liberation and more

I'm closing down a Google Apps domain because the domain name is moving (donated) to a new owner. Since I don't know what happens to the data after I transfer the domain name I've so far:

• Exported the "Sites" pages using a Data Liberation Tool
• Deleted all the existing site user accounts

My next step is to get a local copy of all the documents. Again, the DLF has directions. This turns out to be built into the Docs framework. On export you can specify a file format, I chose RTF for documents, Excel for spreadsheets, and native for the rest (PDF).

I also made sure so share all the documents with my personal account, but I wasn't able to transfer ownership. Currently that's not supported in Google Apps.

We had the non-profit version of Google Apps (free from Google) so we had all the yummy pro features, like the ability to associated a secondary domain. I have some I could use and I considered doing that to provide a way to access data post transfer, but I decided to skip that step in the interests of time.

Closing a Google Apps project: downloading sites

When MN Special Hockey signed up with a web hosting project, I needed to transfer the domain.

The domain was managed through my Dreamhost (love 'em - click here to evaluate my discount on their ISP services) accounts. There it has associated Google Apps services. I really didn't know what would happen to the account data when I switched away the host name, so I decided to see what I could backup.

Naturally I turned to Google's Data Liberation Front - my heroes. They provide a Java app for this purpose. It can allegedly be used to move a site from one location to another! 

Sites - the Data Liberation Front

A site can be downloaded using the open-source tool available at the Google Sites Liberation Project Page. Note that this tool requires Java 1.5 or later. Once the tool has been downloaded, double-click on the JAR file to launch the application. 

It opened easily on OS X 10.6.

You will need the documentation. Instead of www.mnspecialhockey.org (didn't fit their model) I tried sites.mnspecialhockey.org and I found two sites to copy:

• http://sites.google.com/a/mnspecialhockey.org/www/
• http://sites.google.com/a/mnspecialhockey.org/mn-special-hockey-site/

From their documentation I think the values are:

• host: sites.google.com (optional)
• domain: mnspecialhockey.org (optional)
• webspace: www and mn-special-hockey-site (two webspaces)

There's an option to download revisions, but I didn't care about that. I was fine with the latest version.

It worked, but the result was not pretty! Without style sheets it renders poorly in Safari, and  some of the character encoding was off. Still, the bulk of the content was there including associated PDFs that were a part of the site.

The Java app is pretty simple. You have to quit and restart to do a second site. Still, did I mention it worked?

The language hole in Blogger's comment spam filtering

This comment evaded Blogger's comment spam filters ....

На нашем Видео каталоге вы можете Посмотреть Видеосюжеты, захотите на Простой видео сайт

It contained an embedded link.

The language is Russian [1]. Google translate gives us ...

On our video directory, you can watch video projects, you want for a simple video site

Blogger needs to treat non-blog-language posts as spam, or at least require review with auto-translation to the native language. This one should have been caught.

If I get another one like this (presumably later today) I'll have to turn on authenticated commenting until Google catches up.

[1] Why would anyone bother to post spam in a language that cannot be read? Well, for one thing, Google's search engine can "read" the link, and so the source gets link kharma. It's also a way to find vulnerable blog targets to further exploit. I'm sure there are other benefits, such as very foolish people curiously clicking on the link; those people likely have vulnerable machines that are easy to pawn.

Cautionary tale about Google Apps for business

Bad outcome with using free Google Apps for business operations.

A few quick comments:

• Dreamhost is the best way to use free Google App. They give you document hosting, domain registration and control, support and service, and associated Google Apps. (see my kickback deal with promo code KATEVA). I use 'em, I like 'em. Unusual company.
• The connection between Google Apps and domain name is tenuous. App content and services will survive domain divorce.
• Gmail has the same problem. So do all Google services, including identity management. There is no support. That scares me.
• Google Apps pricing is a great deal for a school or even a modest business, but it scales oddly and it's too much for a paid Google Apps family account. I'd like to see Google offer more price/service options.

Facebook documentation: How do Pages work anyway?

Apple, like Galactus, is beyond Good and Evil. Google, by contrast, is the cool-kid-wannabe that sold its soul to the Devil for a pittance.

Facebook though, Facebook was born evil. Alas, it cannot be avoided. For example, I help maintain the Minnesota Inline Skating Club facebook page.

Maintaining that Page has been painful because, as one might expect for a demonic creature, Facebook is essentially undocumented. For example, I couldn't find any explanation of the rules for broadcasting "Page" status updates to "followers". (Admin posts go to all Page followers, but I think non-admin posts either go nowhere or are shared only with personal friends.). Nor could I find explanation of best practices for "Page" ownership. (Use an email address specific to the Organization to create a Facebook account that will manage the Page. The best way to proceed is to use the "Create a Page" link to create a Profile and a Page together.)

Thanks to a Pop17 post, however, I have found a few FB official pages that sort of hint at documentation  ....

• Facebook Platform
• Known Issues on Facebook
• Facebook Pages*

Buried in a post on the last link, I found the Box.net hosted Facebook Pages "manual". I guess FB doesn't have a server. The 10 page "manual" doesn't answer any of the questions I listed above.

* Couldn't they have come up with a more searchable and meaningful term than "Pages"? Like I said, pure evil.

Apple's battery charger - hold off for now

We tried NiMH chargers a few years ago, but we gave up because of high battery defect rates and short battery lifespans.

Apple claimed to address the latter, and I was willing to try them out on the former.

Unfortunately the first two batteries we charged were defective:

Amazon.com: John Faughnan "John G...'s review of Apple Battery Charger 

The first two batteries I charged generated a blinking yellow signal. Either the batteries or the charger are defective; I suspect it's the batteries.

It could be just bad luck, but I suggest waiting a while before ordering a charger.

I'd hold off on this device for a while. Wait until there are at least forty Amazon reviews so we find out how common this problem is.

NAVIGON MobileNavigator and Kensington Dash Mount - my reviews

At this time there are only two automotive GPS iPhone Apps worth considering: TomTom and NAVIGON MobileNavigator. Navigon originally cost about $80, but I bought the US/Canada version on sale for $40. TomTom is about $60 for the same app.

You can purchase real-time traffic and personalized routing services for an additional fee. There is no commitment from Navigon to provide any map updates and no information on map updates on their web site. 


There is no documentation for the MobileNavigator. It desperately needs documentation. Some users recommend the manual for the Navigon 8100T.

We've installed the app on two phones, so the per-phone cost was about $20.  Installation requires 3GB of free space, the installed product uses 1.5GB.

Navigon will not work on an iTouch, but it will work on an iPhone without a data plan. It needs a GPS, but since it has to work even when there's no cell service it's not data plan dependent. My son inherited my 3G but has no data plan, Navigon works on his phone (albeit slowly on startup). The lack of compass doesn't hurt once the car is in motion.

I have had only limited prior use of a traditional GPS device.

Very quickly, my impressions of this app are:

• It feels quite similar to a traditional automotive dedicated GPS. This is not a feature. It is only a 2nd class iPhone citizen. Even Contact integration seems to be an afterthought.
• There's no true search. We've grown so accustomed to search on iPhone Maps.app that we've forgotten how amazing that is -- and how complex. You can't simply enter a street name and choose from all the matches. It's very traditional GPS data entry. It's much easier and faster to find locations on Google Maps, Latitude or iPhone Maps.app than in Navigon.
• The turn directions don't say "take the next exit", they say "right turn in 200 feet".  When approaching exits it may not be obvious whether than's the 1st right exit or the 2nd right exit.
• I believe location services work only with the iPhone GPS. They don't have access to the cell tower triangulation or WLAN location services. So they don't work indoors very well.
• Local "Point of Interest" data in Minneapolis St. Paul is very limited.
• The map voice pronunciation is peculiar. Some local streets names were incomprehensible.
• The graphics are acceptable and visible from a dashboard mount. I remember thinking volume control was a bit odd but I can't remember why.
• Some of the routes we're given have been peculiar. It seems to be avoiding highways.
• You really need a mount to safely use the iPhone as a GPS device. I have ordered the older $21 Kensington car and dash mount because newer models don't fit the iPhone 4. We wanted a device that works with both 3GS and 4. I'll review that separately.
• Your phone gets hot using Navigon while charging. This can be a problem on a hot sunny day if the phone is beneath the windshield. Consider routing air flow to cool the phone.

Overall Navigon needs to be a lot more open about their map update plans. It is at best a 2nd rate iPhone app. The installation package of 3GB is going to be a problem for many users. I'm surprised their map data doesn't compress more than that.

It's worth $20 per phone, but only just worth $40 per phone. It's not worth $80.

Update 8/29/10:

My review of the Kensington dash mount ...

The big appeal of this car dash mount is that it works with both iPhone 3GS/3G and with iPhone 4. Very few devices can do that. 

There are two joints. If you adjust both (don't force it) you can mount this on a van windshield. It has stayed in place for days; the iPhone is a lightweight GPS. It will only adhere to glass or smooth plastic, not vinyl. For any other surface you need to use the adhesive mount, the suction cup will bind to that. 

It is lightweight, and so is the phone. So they'll vibrate, you may need to mount so the phone rests on something. 

The side grips spring out; the button and apparatus feel fragile. I try to only close them as much as needed. 

Works well with a standard Apple power connector. 

Note an iPhone will get hot when used as a GPS in this cradle. The cradle doesn't carry heat away, it is an insulator. You will want to let the windshield air conditioner run to keep the phone comfortable.

Also my route profile was misconfigured to "bicycle speed" and "scenic". I don't know if that was the default or the kids. It explains the peculiar routing
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