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macaframa · Aug 11, 2006, 10:10 AM

I have a PowerMac G4 running Tiger connected to an Ubuntu box via ethernet. I need to transfer the files from ubuntu to the mac. I can only connect to the mac from ubuntu (after i setup sharepoinst), however, I can't connect to the ubuntu from the mac. I can see it in finder, but every time I click on it to connect, finder stops responding and I have to force quit or relaunch finder. Any ideas why this happens? I want to connect from the mac, because when I connect from ubuntu I have to re-enter the password after every folder and I have a lot of folders to move.

Tomchu · Aug 11, 2006, 01:26 PM

It's because the Finder is pathetic, and needs to be overhauled. There is no excuse for a modern OS to freeze up when it's waiting for a network timeout connecting a file share.

It was really f***ing annoying in XP, and it's really f***ing annoying in OS X.

ghporter · Aug 11, 2006, 01:40 PM

As Tomchu says, it's because Finder just waits. And waits. And waits some more. It's expecting to see a Mac, which should either respond or give it some sort of error, but since your Ubuntu box isn't a Mac (and isn't configured to respond at all, apparently) Finder just waits.

I think this is more of a problem with your Ubuntu configuration than anything else. Make sure that box is set up to connect to the outside world and FROM the outside world and try again. All it will cost you is time.

Tomchu · Aug 11, 2006, 02:23 PM

As long as you properly set up either Samba or NFS on the Linux box, you should be able to connect to it from the Mac just fine -- but if the Linux box is firewalled, then yes, the Finder will go into Stupid Mode even if you've got the actual services configured just fine.

macaframa · Aug 12, 2006, 12:00 AM

What a lame ass setting. I love OS X, but come on. There are two big alternatives I have been looking for, an alternative to finder and an alternative to itunes. I haven't had any luck with either. I use cog to play flac files, but it isn't robust enough and I tried to compile amarok on the mac with no luck. Anyhow, I will see what is going on with the ubuntu. I have samba turned on and I have the folder shared, so I don't know.

ghporter · Aug 12, 2006, 08:35 AM

Again, it's the Linux box causing the problem. It is apparently NOT set up to be able to connect, so Finder just waits for it. If you open the Ubuntu firewall (whichever one you're using) and set it up to connect and be connected to, I'll bet Finder "finds" it right away.

Tomchu · Aug 13, 2006, 09:01 PM

The Finder's design is still pathetic in that a Mac more or less becomes unresponsive if the Finder is looking for a network drive that has disappeared.

ghporter · Aug 14, 2006, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by Tomchu

The Finder's design is still pathetic in that a Mac more or less becomes unresponsive if the Finder is looking for a network drive that has disappeared.

No arguement here. But the OP wouldn't have seen the problem if his Linux box was configured properly...

I think a "next generation" Finder should do a lot more than just "wait, wait, wait" when a newtork resource doesn't respond immediately. And for starters, some sort of feedback about what it's trying to do and its progress are a must. "Looking for 'Ralph' (external drive)..." or "Attempting to connect to 'Potsie' (network drive)..." are the very least we should expect. Even Windows Explorer does better at telling you what it's trying (through the Status Bar -which you have to turn on, but at least it's there) than Finder.