Marcus Hamaker is The Sleepy Geek

Just got notice that 10.6.3 is available for release from my update manager.

The update includes:

• performance of Logic Pro 9 and Main Stage 2 when running in 64-bit mode.
• printing reliability.
• sleep and wake reliability when using Bonjour wake on demand.
• a color issue in iMovie with HD content.
• glowing, stuck, or dark pixels when viewing video from the iMac (Late 2009) built-in iSight camera.
• an issue in which the Finder reports a -36 error when copying directories to a drive formatted as FAT32.
• reliability of photo screen savers.
• compatibility issues with OpenGL-based applications.
• an issue in which shadows in PDF of Aperture book are black instead of gray.
• an issue in which the microphone level in iChat may not increase the volume after reducing it to prevent a feedback event.
• the reliability of certain third-party USB devices.
• the Accounts preference pane can now limit login to members of groups hosted by a non-Apple directory service, such as Active Directory.
• DNS server ordering as specified in Network Preferences and DNS reliability. For details about how Mac OS X v10.6 handles unresponsive DNS servers, see this article.
• the reliability and compatibility of QuickTime X.

So go update and be merry. More details can be found here.

Geek on!

Since I was a kid and touched my first computer, the keyboard has been the primary user interface. Today there are a lot of substitutes and add ons but none has taken more of the burned off the keyboard than the mouse.

The problem is that today people have forgotten that using a keyboard combination is a lot of times faster than a combination of mouse clicks.

Here are a list of must know keyboard shortcuts:

Windows
Windows+L – Lock your computer (especially important in the corporate environment)
Windows+D – Show your desktop
Windows+M – Minimize all windows
Windows+E – Launch Windows Explorer
Windows+R – Open the RUN Dialog box (not many people use this box but if you do you probably use it a lot)
Windows+F – Open the Find Files or Folders box
Ctrl-C – Copy selection
Ctrl-V – Paste
Ctrl-X – Cut selection
Ctrl-Z – Undo (sometimes one of the most handy shortcuts ever used!)
Ctrl-A – Select all
Ctrl-B – Bold
Ctrl-U – Underline
Ctrl-I – Italic
Ctrl-ESC – Windows start menu

OSX
Command-C – Copy selection
Command-V – Paste
Command-X – Cut selection
Command-Z – Undo (sometimes one of the most handy shortcuts ever used!)
Command-A – Select all
Command-F – Find
Command-I – Get info
Option-Command-M – Minimize all windows

There are a ton more than these, but you have to know these ones. They are going to be the ones that save you the most mouse movement. If you can’t remember all of them, then remember the Copy, Pate, Cut and Undo.

Geek on!

I have been thinking about the way Apple has been operating their company in the past while and I think that they have a major strategy in place that we aren’t thinking about. At their release for the iPad, Steve Jobs started to change the way in which we think of Apple. Always a computer company that made laptops, desktops and some accessories – Steve is saying that their main business model is now that of a mobile device company.

More than 50% of revenue is now thanks to the sales of mobile devices but I think that there is something still to be said for the core of the company, their computers!

Here’s where the conspiracy theory comes into place. Apple has taken a lot of decisions in the past few years that align them closer to their Windows based competitors, of course the biggest to use Intel CPUs. The decisions to start moving toward the same hardware as the Windows machine manufacturers always felt downplayed to me – they always have a great reason that feels convenient.

Apple’s EULA is quite clear that you are not allowed to install OS X on a machine that isn’t made by Apple. We have all heard of them taking down the various clone manufacturers by suing them into submission, and yet for some reason there are a multitude of web resources built just how to tell us how to make a Hackintosh. I haven’t heard any buzz around that Apple or Steve Jobs has actually gone after one of these sites. They are big and if you search Google you find them right away and at the top of the search list: www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=hackintosh&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=hackint&gs_rfai=&fp=ae8f9588018abe0f

So why doesn’t Apple care? Let me first say that they have to care about the companies who actually make products and market them as Apple or OS X machines. They have a duty to the company and their shareholders to do so. But this underground movement seems to be doing something in their favour. Because of the shared platform, it is increasingly easy for other major Windows manufacturers to build their machines that are “Windows compatible” but then conveniently share the same specs as some Apple machines. If Apple uses a SigmaTel 9200 audio chip onboard and then a Windows manufacturer uses the same chip (revisions may matter) then it will work.

Why does all this matter… “You’re rambling Marcus!!!”? Well I have noticed an increase of models (mainly laptops) and hardware components that work with OS X. This increase is good for hardware manufacturers because it gives them a little niche sell for Hackintosh users and it’s also really good for Apple. The people who are going to use these components to install OS X on are not the type of people who are going to affect your end of year numbers.

Well not directly anyway.

These are the people that influence the buying market. They are the 24 year old geek of the family that everyone gets to fix their computer. They are the 32 year old IT pro that works in a major company who still happens to be the geek of the family that fixes everyone’s computer. They are the guy that does a little side work in IT. Funny how I happen to be all 3 of them, at least at one point or another.

Simply said – Apple is not worried about these people because for every geek who is building a Hackintosh, he or she is probably influencing about 10-20 others to buy a Mac. Apple’s market share for computers keeps increasing. It’s interesting to see what Apple things is part of the energy that is pushing that wave and what they try to kill as energy that holds it back.

Geek on!

It’s been a while since I switched to OS X and I am still not itchy to find something new. It’s strange because it is so controlled, so simple and so different than Windows. Since switching over to OS X, Microsoft has released Windows 7 – and I am still not looking to go back.

IMG SRC: http://bit.ly/bCzrHx

Reason for that is Spaces! Before anyone gets their panties in a knot, I know that there are alternatives for this in Linux and in Windows. It’s just that I think Apple has done it best. The integration right into the OS along with the ease of use is hard to beat.

The image here depicts a 4 desktop scenario but I actually use a 12 desktop system – 4 accross and 3 tall. This allows me to assign certain programs to certain desktops and organize my computer so that it is accessible fast. I assign the bottom right corner of the screen in Expose to point to Spaces so ever time I want to switch screens, simply hit the bottom right corner with my mouse and I have a 12 screen preview. This is the fastest and most organized way I have found to work with multiple apps to date. The only other option is 2 50″ screens that do the a 23040 x 3240 resolution total. I can dream can’t I?

Windows 7 is admittedly better with application switching using the hover feature of the task-bar, but in my personal opinion it is still far behind Spaces.

I found a video outlining some hints and tricks around using Spaces and it gives you a good idea of the flow:

Geek on!

In the first of a new strategy, @pcmichiana has asked if there is any free software that I recommend …. well here goes :)

@pcmichiana I’d actually like to know if there is any other free software you recommend I post at my site http://www.pcmichiana.com

This one is great because we can ALL benefit from free software. A split of 5 Windows and 5 OS X below to give you my favorite 10 :)

Windows Freebies

1. JSM GMail Notifier – Great little taskbar program that is simple to set up. Just lets you know if you have any unread gmail.
2. Notepad++ – If you do any scripting or text editing, this is a great open source option.
3. UltraExplorer – If you need more functionality than Windows Explorer gives you then you have an option, saves me time everyday.
4. Audacity – OS X has Garage Band but Windows needs Audacity. Great multi-track audio program. (I know there are version available for other OSs)
5. uTorrent – This is Windows best torrent program in my books.

OS X Freebies

1. Cyberduck – Great little FTP program. It just works and I bet you that many people use this for their FTP.
2. Colloquy – IRC Client for OSX, different than what I was used to on Windows but I like the interface.
3. Adium – Chat client for all the major IM protocols. Nice interface.
4. iTerm – For people who can’t stop using the terminal, this adds some cool features.
5. Transmission – If you are in to torrents this this is a great program.

I hope this list finds everyone with at least one new thing to try. After all, that’s the best part of reading someone else’s recommendations.

Geek on!

For ages I have been searching the internet for a clear guide to remote desktop for OS X. I know that in reality Apple doesn’t call it by this name but for the world switching from Windows to OS X, this is what it’s called. With that out of the way, I’ll call it screen sharing for OS X and remote desktop for Windows just so that it’s not confusing.

From what I have read it looks like screen sharing has been available in OS X since version 10.5. So if you are running an older version, please upgrade to follow this tutorial.

You must enable screen sharing on the host computer (the one you will be connecting to). To do this, access your System Preferences and then click on Sharing. A window will appear with all your sharing options. Check the box beside the Screen Sharing. Click on the Computer Settings button to see the pop-up box and set your options accordingly. I currently left both check boxes blank as I am connecting only from inside my network to my own machine. Click OK and then click on Show All to get back to the main System Preferences box.

Your computer is now setup to share it’s screen.

The next step is to make a connection to your shared computer or host computer. This can be done in a number of ways, but I would like to share with you the best way in my books. If you are coming from the Windows world and are used to running a program to connect to a remote machine then follow this.

The program you are looking for is already on your computer but it is hidden away in a System folder. Open up your hard disk in the finder and then go to System, then Library and then CoreServices. In that folder you will find the icon for Screen Sharing. Drag that icon down to your dock and now you have it available all the time.

Open up the program to find a very simple window that will auto search for hosts via Bonjour or will let you specify a host by name or IP. Either double click on one in the list or enter one manually (I like to leave the check in Add to My Computers so it is there automatically next time) then press the connect button.

This is about as difficult as it gets. Only one thing could screw that up for you and that is trying to do it from outside the network. At that point you need to configure port forwards and all that fun stuff. Here is the info:

TCP: 5900 – 5902, (3389 for connecting to Windows machines)

UDP: 4500 (for Back to My Mac users)

I love to be able to access my machines from where ever I am. The terminal and SSH are extremely powerful, but I didn’t start using OS X because of the fun I can have with the terminal :)

Geek on!!!

There are a lot of levels of the old “installing Windows XP” onion, but sometimes the first portion of the installation is the hardest to explain to someone when they are not close to you. Most of the geeks I know are the default technical support number for their family and friends. Cool enough… most of the time we don’t mind doing it. But it gets very frustrating if we can’t be there to do it ourselves.

Microsoft in all their wisdom has made a step by step guide online to help people install Windows XP. This guide is very well done and is also current, which is not always the case with Microsoft’s support content.

This actually got me thinking about installation guide for other operating systems – and here are my favorite 10 -

1. Windows Vista – Paul Thurrotts’s guide for installing Vista. Very good layout and very easy to follow!
   http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_install_03.asp
   

   Vista

2. Windows XP – Made by Microsoft and the inspiration for this article as stated above.
   http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx
   

   XP

3. Windows 7 – This is done by Strider on techtalkz.com and is very nice for an OS that isn’t released yet. Good also for looking at something new!
   http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/514412-windows-7-installation-guide-tutorial.html
   

   7

4. Ubuntu – The Linux communities have traditionally been the best at these things and they did a very good job with this one as well.
   https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GraphicalInstall
   

   Ubuntu

5. OS X Leopard – Made by Apple, a little too much like a manual but very clear and concise.
   http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Leopard_Install-Setup.pdf
   

   OS X

I think it’s great to have a resource like this that we can share with our friends and family if need be. Most of us want to help but trying to install an operating system can be daunting and without having the ability to see what we’re doing makes it very difficult.

Hope these help you with your ‘support’ calls :)

Geek on!

In a blog post this afternoon on their official Blackberry Blog, RIM has announced that a version of the Blackberry Desktop Manager will be released for OS X. A welcome relief for all of us OS X users who up until now have been fighting with a Windows version (you know we all have Windows somewhere cause of these kinds of issues).

From their post they list some features:

Sync your iTunes® playlists, calendars, contacts, notes and tasks

Add/Remove applications

Update your device when new software becomes available

Backup and restore your device data with such features like automatically scheduled backups and optional encryption (security is #1 as always…:) )

Manage multiple devices

Head on over to their post and take a look at some of the screen shots of the new software that is supposed to hit the web in September.

Geek on!

A fantastic little article with a graph that depicts reality ;) Too funny to pass up sharing with you!

Seems that the following graph, though not comprehensive, arrives at one stark conclusion: your choice of operating system is irrelevant when it comes to…

via Windows, OS X, Linux all the same for one thing….

I always run my Software Update on my machines. I like to be up to date no matter what OS I am running. For some reason my OSX machine that is already at 10.5.7 won’t update any of the things that require a system restart to install. I am looking for alternative means to install the updates but it’s frustrating that they won’t just go :P

I will keep you posted on my woes but this isn’t the most interesting way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Lucky for me I am not too mobile due to back pain so this is appropriate activity.

*** Update – I was able to download the updates and install them manually from www.macupdate.com. Worked like a charm. Still is concerning though :|