MacTips: February 2013

Learn all about the new features introduced with Mountain Lion and iCloud as well as regular up to date tutorials all about the Mac and OSX. In addition, we have tutorials on some of Apple's leading applications including iLife, iWork, Aperture, iBooks Author and more...ScreenCastsOnline

OS X 10.8 Hidden Features

OS X 10.5 to 10.8 Upgrade

Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8) is available from the Mac App Store for just $20. Unfortunately, installing Mountain Lion requires that you already have a Mac running Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) or Lion (OS X 10.7). If you're currently running a Leopard system, you're out of luck, and need to pay $29 to upgrade to Snow Leopard, and then an additional $20 to upgrade again to Mountain Lion.

That sounds like way to much trouble to me. But why exactly is Leopard incompatible? Turns out it's not—mostly anyways. The one actual compatibility issue is that Mountain Lion is only available in the Mac App Store, which is available in Snow Leopard onwards.

However, if you have an alternate machine to make the purchase on, or you have put Mountain Lion on a flash drive or DVD, there's actually no technical reason why Mountain Lion wouldn't work. One way to get this to work is to do a clean install of your Mac, backing up all of your files first, then transferring them over once you've installed the new OS. However, some came up with a much quicker and easier method to "tricking" your Mac into thinking it already has Snow Leopard installed. However, it does involve editing a .plist file, so if you're a bit squeamish about going into your OS's insides, this might not be the method for you.

1. Navigate to Core Services

Navigate to the /System/Library/CoreServices folder.

2. Edit SystemVersion.Plist
Using a text editor that lets you edit system-level files, open SystemVersion.plist. Locate the line with the ProductVersion key. Just below it is a string of characters indicating what OS you are running. Your number might look something like 10.5.8, signifying you are running OS X 10.5.8. Change that number to 10.6.8, then save the file.

3. Restart Your Mac
Lastly, shut down your Mac and restart it. You'll need to boot from a drive running Snow Leopard or later, such as the bootable Mountain Lion drive I mentioned earlier.

When the OS X Utilities screen comes up, select Reinstall OS X to install Mountain Lion over your Leopard drive.

System Configuration

Software Update

Do a Software Update in the Apple Menu
Install all the suggested softwares
Restart the computer if needed, and come back to Step 1 while there is a new software to install

Installation of complements

X11 environment is now installed by default with Leopard
If you want to a programming environment, the installation of XCode might be useful from the installation DVD of Leopard
Proceed to a Software Update as in the first paragraph

Security

In the Apple Menu, select System Preferences
Go to Security
In General, proceed to the following seetings
In Firewall, proceed to the following settings in Firewall Options, where the list of the applications might differ depending on your configuration. This list is automatically updated by popup window, when an new application is asking for an incoming connections.
I consider this Firewall settings enought, therefore I personally do not use any other antivirus software such as Norton
Go back to all the preferences by selecting Show All
In order to update your system automatically, go to Software Update, and select all the possible options as

Terminal

Install a shortcut in the Dock. The Terminal application is the folder Utilities, which is itself in the folder Applications. To create the shortcut, move the Terminal icon inside the Dock. Terminal is just an xterm but under the Mac environment
Do the same with the X11 application which is in the same place. X11 is a fully X terminal. It can be used in order to launch applications located in a X server.
Clean the Dock by removing all the unnecessary applications.
The .ssh folder. In your home directory, using Terminal create a folder .ssh if it does not exist
- Under X11, it is possible to condifure ssh the distant opened windows will be open on the Mac. This is very useful for running distant applications such Matlab, Mapple... For this, inside folder .ssh, create a file config with the following content: FallBackToRsh = no ForwardAgent = yes ForwardX11 = yes
- You can also setup a default remote login different from yout Mac login as follows User = login where login is your default remote login
To log in using a private/public key, for not entering your password anymore, you need to create a secret and a public key using the Terminal command ssh-keygen -t dsa. The public key file id_dsa.pub need to be copied to the remote .ssh folder, under the name authorized_keys, where has the private key file id_dsa should be in your Mac .ssh folder.

CertificatesSSL communications are authenticated with the help of certificates for Internet applications such as Mail and Safari. The first time your computer is communicating with a third party, it receives a certificate that will prove its authenticity. Usually, the process consists in accepting the certificate for further communications so that the computer will automatically check the authenticity of the third party compared to its previous sent certificate. This protects the computing from fishing attack. When an unknown certificate is received, such a window appears:

Then to install the certificate for ever, do the following steps:

Click on Show Certificate
Click the option Always trust... as below
Click on Connect

Use a Network Printer

First try the simplest method that might work. When a print job is launched, select a printer from the Printer menu in the category Nearby Printers.
Other possibility: install a printer via IP when the printer is on the network but was not detected by the previous method (or there is a fonts issue)
- Go to System Preferences in Apple menu
- Select Print & Fax, and click on the + button
- Select IP and fill the options as below:
- Note: the printer might be only reachable from the local network, and therefore not with external wifi networks

Remote Folder and Synchronization

Dropbox
One favorite solution comes from a third party application. Dropbox provides 2GB free storage that is automitacally synchronized among all your computers and on remote servers of Dropbox. This safe, fast and robust. By using the above link, you will get an extra 500MB of free storage. For even more free storage, link your dropbox to your twitter/facebook account. One drawback is that your files are copied on Dropbox servers. If that bothers you, simply encrypt sensible datas or don't synchronize those with Dropbox.

SSH Mount
The package sshfs lets you mount a remote volume from anywhere through assh access. Together with the front engine osxfuse (previously known as Macfuse), it provides a very convenient solution that works both from office and home.

Install both oxfuse and sshfs from the webpage FUSE for OS X.
In order to mount the remote volume, write into a terminal:

sshfs login@remote_address:remote_folder local_folder-oauto_cache,reconnect,volname=volume_name

Synchronization
A remote folder can be synchronized to a local one using rsync command.

To backup a remote folder: rsync -auz -vv -e ssh login@remote_address:remote_folder local_folder
To export a local folder: rsync -auz -vv -e ssh local_folder login@remote_address:remote_folder
One can also exlude some file by adding --exclude "pattern" between the source and the destination

Which Mac is Worth Your Investment?

Everything about the Mac notebook line is out of the ordinary. Its simple yet sophisticated design does not compromise its performance due to the fast processors and generous memory built in it. And when it comes to variety, the Mac notebook line has more than enough to meet any kind of preference.

Every member of the Mac notebook family is individually equipped with their own set of features and specifications to offer something different to a wide range of users. The MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air, however, are two of the most reliable notebooks that can operate like a full–featured desktop computer. So if you're thinking of getting a Mac notebook, your first step is to identify which model best suit your needs. Here are some important points to help you know which Mac notebook is worth your investment.

Fast, Efficient Processors Like No Other

Professionals dealing with urgent, demanding tasks will find all Mac notebooks their reliable work companions. No matter how intense the duties are, Mac notebooks can meet any kind and amount of demands as they are equipped with top-of-the-line Intel processors.
The MacBook Pro, the fastest Mac notebook, runs up to 2.7GHz with an Intel Core i7 processor; while the MacBook Air has more than enough power to get your job done with its 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz configurations despite its size.

Generous Memory Capacity

What makes Mac notebooks ideal for professionals is their generous memory capacity. This allows Mac notebooks to become perfect choices for professionals who need to keep heavy document files. Both the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air can support up to 4 MB of RAM.

Better Visual Experience

Clear, panoramic, and glossy, the displays of all Mac notebooks come with LED-backlit widescreen format, giving users a more refined visual experience that is comfortable to the eyes. The MacBook Pro offers a larger screen size with its 13-inch, 15.4-inch, and 17-inch models and resolutions of 1280 x 800, 1440 x 900, and 1920 x 1200 pixels. On the other hand, the MacBook Air has 1330 x 768 pixels in 11.6-inch display and 1440 x 900 in 13.3-inch screen size.
Also, both notebooks are equipped with the Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor, giving no trouble and better visual experience as you watch movies and author multimedia content, or play video games.

The Convenience of Portability

The MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro differ in their physical dimensions with varying degrees of portability so consider how much mileage you can expect on your notebook.

If you are a business traveler who is always shuffling from one flight connection to the next, then the incredibly light and compact MacBook Air is the perfect choice for you. For half a pound to two pounds more, you can have all the power and larger display of the MacBook Pro.

Fit For Your Budget

The MacBook Air has a very reasonable price that starts at $999 only. It also has all the features you need in one compact, robust package. But if you want more than a MacBook Air can offer, the MacBook Pro, which price starts at $1199, is the perfect choice for you.

Everything will eventually come down to how much your budget can accommodate. Identify your needs and choose the notebook that can best provide them. Whichever Mac notebook model you end up with, it will surely be a worthy investment.