Podcast Producer... Again
So, we're still running Leopard Server because I'm waiting for any snow leopard issues to get ironed out before I upgrade. We were about to put our internal podcast into use when I noticed Podcast Producer forgot how to talk to the Xgrid controller. After spending some time staring to the settings, I finally realized that the Xgrid Controller setting at to be set to the same domain as the Kerberos domain, which in my case is improperly set to Server.local instead of the server's actual name.
So, for future reference: The xgrid controller address is tied to the kerberos domain, and server names need to be set properly the first time (and not setup by outside consulting companies...)
Art "0" returned score "0" for agent
So, I spent quite a bit of time trying to get Podcast Producer running on our not-so-correctly-setup xserve. After getting podcast producer connected to Xgrid I thought everything should work. I fired up Podcast Capture and recorded a screen capture podcast. I pushed publish and watched it go into the Xgrid jobs list. Then I watched it stay in the Xgrid jobs list indefinitely while the lone Xgrid agent sat idle. I searched to no avail, then the project had to sit a while during Sold Out and Easter. I started tackling Podcast Producer again today. With a bit of poking I found the last job message in Xgrid admin: "Art "0" returned score "0" for agent". Interesting. Sticking it in google lead me to the solution to my problem. After updating the UUID, Podcast Producer started working without a hitch. Now to see how it works in production.
Releasing, the antonym of Controlling
Experience has proven Brent's rogerism, "let the sheep onto the field and they poop all over it". Unfortunately, making a mess of things is part of the learning process. If developing leaders are never given a chance to learn how to "clean up" when they make a mess, they never will. They'll be stuck at square one; they'll never get to the point where you don't fear giving them control. The antidote? Slow down and teach, then get out of the way. Show them what needs to be done and how to do it, then step back. Let them do it themselves and be there to support them. If you don't risk the result of releasing control, you may never have a mess on your hands, but you're capping yourself, and them. Remember, someone took a risk with you when you were learning.