Slow OpenSSH client connect in Lion (OSX 10.7)

I reinstalled my trusty workhorse 13″ Macbook Pro recently (some buggy kernel extensions got the better of it).

Once I got the OS up and running again and data restored from backup, all ssh server connects from the Terminal had a 20 second delay upon initial connect.

Hmm – appareantly I had forgotten to backup some customization tricks from my last ssh config!

Putting the below lines in my ~/.ssh/config fixed the annoying connect delay:

Host *
GSSAPIAuthentication no
GSSAPIKeyExchange no
AddressFamily inet

I only use SSH private/public keys to authenticate to my remote servers, so no GSSAPI extensions were needed, the last line keeps the OpenSSH client from attempting a IPv6 connection to the remote host.

Heureka – no more delay and happy ssh’ing once again!

And while we’re at it …

iCal got a design upgrade in the latest incarnation of Apple’s big cats and while I’ve always thought the OSX calendar was very cleanly designed, the UI folks at Infinite Loop 1 musta been drinking the wrong Kool-Aid when they made this up.

That good ol’ cowhide skin may look good under your coffee table or maybe even have a slight appeal on your full-screen HD iPad view, but on my MacBook Pro, it sticks out like an F# in a G minor blues.

Beautiful human being that he is, MacNix comes to the rescue, with a pain-free way to replace that unsightly animal hide binding with a cool-Luke approved aluminium framing.

Gotta give the man some props.

Bona Fide Man

Written by a devil, recorded by a disciple and played by a god.

This track from the North Sea Jazz Festival gives me the goosebumps every time I watch it, simply some of the most beautiful energetic blues guitar playing I’ve heard in a long long time.

Courtesy of mr Joe Bonamassa, who never ceases to amaze me with just how good he really is!