Panduit S050X150YAJ Label Template

So I've come up with a system of labeling each end of a cable with a "serial number" so that when your running cables between racks of servers inside of bundles of wires you can locate which 2 cable ends connect. Then adding the serial number of the cables that are plugged into a server in your server database you're able to easily track them. My customer I am working on this project ordered a pack of Panduit cable labels (S050X150YAJ) that can be printed with a laser or inkjet printer. Panduit also makes their own software for labeling, etc but its at least $200 depending on what options you want. I created a template for these labels and I wanted to post that template here in case anyone else could benefit from it. This is in the open document format and will work in Open Office and should also work in Microsoft Office (but you may need a plugin).

Template: Panduit-S050X150YAJ-Blank.odt (Or ZIP version)

Just for reference, I put this together in NeoOffice 2.2.2 Patch 11 on a MacBook and based on a Samsung ML-2010 printer. It should be universal but if something is wildly different, you may need to tweak it.

Reference Link

OSX is refusing to eject a CD

I had an ordeal tonight..... I needed to burn an ISO to a blank CD so I put a, what I assumed was blank, CD in my MacBook and Toast informed me that it was not writable. What was it? Some Windows CD, I guess. The problem was my machine refused to eject it. I clicked the eject button multiple times (both on the keyboard and in finder) and it just wouldn't do anything. I figured if I did a reboot of the machine I could eject it when it came back up -- wrong. Whatever was going on on this CD was confusing the hell out of OSX. After the reboot finder never loaded for me and half of my typical start up applications got stuck during boot up. I happened to have Disk Utility in my dock so I tried to open that and, again, no luck.

First thing to try (did not work for me):

• Put the computer into sleep mode
  
• Press the eject button on the keyboard

Second thing to try (this worked for me):

• Power down your mac
  
• Hold the mouse button (or trackpad button) down
  
• While holding the button press the power button
  
• After 30-120 seconds your mac should eject the CD
  
• Let got of the mouse button and the machine should boot the OS

I will now list the three biggest wishes I have for Mac computers and despite how small and petty they seem they make a night and day difference to me (Please, Steve Jobs, take note):

1. CD-Rom eject button and/or emergency pin hole
   
2. Hard drive activity light
   
3. Network (NIC) lights for activity and link

Reference Link