Jan 14
Backing up is something that everyone needs to do. Links on the next page.
Jan 09
Think about getting a new Mac.
usually don’t
the old one isn’t slow yet.
subscribe to something: MacWorld is obvious but even better is something like MAKE, 3d World, Photoshop like Layers or Photoshop User.
subscribe to a DO podcast like: MAKE weekend project, PhotoshopUser.TV, Russel Brown Photoshop tips or I should be Writing.
Use Automator more.
Get more RAM.
.Mac aka dotMac.
Backup my phone, PowerBook, MacBook, iMac.
Retire old hard drives.
Upgrade to OS X 10.5
Play with GarageBand.
Make a DVD.
Learn to use Smart Folders in the Finder, iTunes and Mail.
Change passwords.
Upgrade the network to Gigabit.
Spaces.
Sketch Up
http://www.apple.com/downloads/
Sell whatever you aren’t using. If you’ve got an old computer that still has some life in it, off it for $300. Don’t bother selling CRTs though. Just give those away. That way if they aren’t perfect, nobody will ask for the money back.
Schedule time to learn new stuff. Whatever it is. Python, AppleScript, GarageBand, or features of Word. Take just a small part of your day and figure out how to use features you didn’t even know where there.
Spend time at your local Apple Store Theater. The SF store has a amazing line up during Macworld. But there’s always something going on. Check your stores schedule. If something isn’t being covered, ask the store manager to schedule what you want. They really want to help.
No Apple Store near you? Don’t like to travel? Try online:
Upgrade your seat. Not your software license, the thing you sit on. Make a point to shop in the chair section of your office store. Sit in a few chairs, but don’t buy right away. Compare those chairs with your old chair. Everyone’s butt is different so you have to find what fits you. For that reason don’t buy a chair “because it was a good deal.” If you have a real business, some chair stores will let you demo several for a week or so at a time.
Get a new game.
Dec 24
Craig wants to know all about configuring his network.
Dec 18
Why bother learning Quartz Composer? It works practically every where in apps like Final Cut Studio, Motion, iTunes, Keynote, QuickTime and embedded on a web page. Both artists and programmers alike can do great things with QC.
You don’t need Leopard to get started with QC but to take advantage of new features you’ll need it installed. From a learning point of view it doesn’t matter if you start in 10.4 or 10.5. Either is fine. However, you may find it confusing at first. Be sure to examine all the examples found in the Example folder. Which can be found in /Developer/Examples/Quartz Composer.
Inputs can be practically anything! iSight camera, keyboard, RSS feeds, MIDI and Bluetooth devices like a Wiimote, and USB devices like a Guitar Hero Guitar or a Wacom tablet.
A good guide to getting started can be found on Apple.com.
http://developer.apple.com/graphicsimaging/quartz/quartzcomposer.html
The link to the very cool digital level meters is here:
http://www.coremelt.com/products/products-for-final-cut-studio/download-veeyou.html
Other visual programming languages mention are
The Audible book pick: The Puppet Masters Correction: In the show we said the ATI buy direct was store.ati.com. It’s not. Use the link shop.ati.com instead.
Dec 11
Ignore the specs, the price and focus on what you really need your Mac to do.
Dec 06
Automator is a powerful but confusing tool. Generally speaking Automator isn’t going to be much use to you unless you have something you need to do over and over again. If you haven’t used Automator much you’ll run into the first common problem of automation. Which is by the time you figure out the automation you could be done with the task if you did it yourself. But this is more of a lack of knowledge problem. You have to be familiar with what Automator can do before Automator can do for you.
There are 262 or so actions built in depending on what you have installed. iWork 08 installs a bunch on its own for example. Automation tasks can be sorted by Task or by Application. Some tasks are listed in Other.
I learned some new things about my apps. For example in the Contacts app you can add fields. I dididn’t know that you could. Like b-day. URL. Maiden name (seems to take you back to a time when you’d slay the dragon by saying that).
One confusing thing about automator is that there often is no last step. Like Save for example. An output of a module is always the last step. You can see the results using the View Results module or in Leopard click on the Results button to see what happened.
When making a Automation that starts with the Finder you need to always start with “Get Selected Finder Items”. Without this step what you drag and drop to your Automator app will get ignored.
An interesting app is one called Do It. But it turns out you don’t need to download it to make it. All you have to do is add a “New iCal Events” to a workflow then in the Options box click the “Show this action when the workflow runs.” Turns out there are lots of automation actions that could be made using this option.
After you make a “app” make it look unique by changing it’s icon. Click on the automation then press Command - I for Get Info. Click the icon then paste to change icon. You will have to get a new icon from someplace like IconFactory first.
Some practice Automations that you can make are:
1. Make is a Renamer. Make start with “get selected finder items”
2. Make a resizer
3. Make a recorder
4. Make a PDF contact sheet
Note: the example Automator actions for the above will be posted by Dec 10th. In the meantime try to make them yourself.
Apple has a large number of pre-made Automator actions that you can download for free. Here’s the link.
Nov 29
For about a $100 you can upgrade your Mac to make it seem like it’s new. Some upgrades are as simple as plugging in a new device. Others require a bit more work.
keyboard typing utility
Matias Keyboard
This keyboard uses the same key switches as the old Apple battle ship keyboard. Remember that thing? It’s big, heavy and nearly indestructible.
iMate ADB to USB
If you want to use one of those old behemoth with your new Mac with this converter.
Frog Pad
What is the sound of one handed typing? It’s much louder then one handed clapping. This is just one solution for small, portable, go almost anywhere keyboards.
Logitech MX 1000 Pro mouse
We like Logitech rodents. Whether corded, uncorded, simple 2 button or more complex multi button. Just about any mouse will work with a Mac without a driver.
SideWinder game mouse from Microsoft. You can add up to 30 grams of additional weight.
USB Overdrive
This incredible tool allows you to make all kinds of normally unusable USB devices work with your Mac. The Nostromo N52 for example really rocks in combination.
A Wacom Tablet but even better is a Cintiq is a great thing for cartoonists, drawers, and Photoshop drivers.
Cotour Design Shuttle Pro is a must have device for editors of video and sound.
Go to TechShop when visiting Menlo Park.
Pandora Jam fixes the huge problem accidently closing a Safari window that stops the rocking.
Nov 14
CocoaTech PathFinder manages files, shows more info, has tabs and best of all shows the files path. [More notes go here...]
Link: CocoaTech PathFinder
Nov 14
Oct 31
Originally I wanted to talk about Leopard from a tech point of view covering overlooked features. And after working on an outline for that all day I’ve decided that I’d rather do something else. That is that Leopard will have the same effect that the Macintosh 128 had on computing. It’s a bold thesis. In looking at these features I’ve come to the conclusion that Leopard positions the Mac in a way that radically changes the way that I will work with people.
Paradigm shift for Files
unix is all about file names
OS as we know it have been defined by this
Mac Finder added icons for file types
Type and Creator made app and files work better.
OS 9 could have little tiny previews but were largely worthless
Cover Flow means I can search visually NOT by name.
Quick View for just about anything means just about anything will just show up.
Click the file, press Space.
Add in Sticky Views for a Finder window and it’s very powerful
for example having the Pictures folder always in Cover Flow mode.
Finding is different because of Quick View
searching for “Logo” discussion
found a document that I thought I’d lost discussion
was browsing I saw something that looked like something I’d lost
it was named untited3
User based app building
Smart Folders
a different view of data.
they were there in Tiger but Smart Folders run MUCH faster now.
Web data can be a Dashboard
Find something on the web.
Select it.
There it is.
Automator
FAR better ability to automate.
DashCode - not beta anymore! Awesome way to make a Dashboard.
make something in 10 minutes!
Quartz Extreme.
Programming without programming.
Lots of other dev tools ready to go.
Dictionary is the wrong name based on what it does.
It should be called Reference because that’s what it does.
the speed is stunning.
how long will it be before other “libraries” are hooked to this?
urban dictionary for example
or can they be.
Unification of Content
Photo Browser in Mail
Email / Contacts
incoming data
Events
Work space is different once again with Spaces
If Exposé didn’t change the way you work then Spaces will
Spaces built in does more then extend the screen.
Back to My Mac
The reason to have dotMac.
iChat Theater
Sure there are all kinds of solutions for screen sharing but this one is amazing.
Reach out and help somebody.
Being able to screen share into anyone’s screen is a revolution
as long as you have the right router.
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/os/mac-os-x-10-5.ars
http://www.macworld.com/2007/10/reviews/leopard_review/index.php
http://www.macworld.com/2007/10/features/leopard_pricing/index.php
http://www.thinkmac.co.uk/blog/2007/10/leopard-stupidity.html
http://mattgemmell.com/2007/10/28/get-rid-of-your-code-with-leopard
MacBreak Weekly 64… http://www.twit.tv/mbw64 goes feature for feature.
