Andy's Un-Official Unsolicited Mac Advice Thread

[Seamus]

So far it seems to work very well. I am using City Nav v7 and Topo USA. I don't know what normal is, but I am very happy so far.

Note that you will need a genuine XP install disk with Service Pack 2. The boot camp page has full details.

I hope that Parallels emulation software will work the same as boot camp, but I have not had time to try that yet.

Thanks Patch :thumb

[colourbox]

Has anyone tried running Parallels Workstation (http://www.parallels.com/en/products/workstation/) instead of Boot Camp? No rebooting, just XP emulation in OS X.

It isn't emulation. Emulation is slow.

I also hope virtualization is part of 10.5. Windows in a window!

[patch29]

It isn't emulation. Emulation is slow.

I also hope virtualization is part of 10.5. Windows in a window!


OK, even better if it works faster. Thanks for pointing that out. I have my hands full just making everything work in XP. :uhoh (attempting to use remote capture)

[patch29]

I was able to make EOS Capture run via DPP after I installed the driver. I also wanted to test DSLR Remote Pro v1.2 from Breeze Systems (http://www.breezesys.com/). It too worked, once the camera driver was installed. I really like the ability to shoot a 15 frame auto bracket. EOS Capture should be more like this program.

[patch29]

I am not the only one that really sees an increase in the wireless range with my Macbook. :D

Read it here. (http://www.tuaw.com/2006/05/23/macbook-has-great-wireless-range/)

[patch29]

Final Cut Pro benchmarks for the Macbook, MBpro and G5, find them here (http://www.creativemac.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=43717).

[patch29]

The Macbook definitely gets hot and you know it when the fan kicks it, which is rare, usually when I am running a large batch, etc in PS.

[wxwax]

Final Cut Pro benchmarks for the Macbook, MBpro and G5, find them here (http://www.creativemac.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=43717).
Wow. :jawdrop There really isn't much difference between the Macbook and the Pro.

[patch29]

Wow. :jawdrop There really isn't much difference between the Macbook and the Pro.

Apple must really want that 64 bit chip for the pro model's. :nod

[DavidTO]

Apple must really want that 64 bit chip for the pro model's. :nod


August/September

[patch29]

August/September

That I can believe. WWDC. :nod

[wxwax]

Apple must really want that 64 bit chip for the pro model's. :nod
I can see why. Taken to its logical conclusion, the Intel tower-macs will be so fast the machine will be waiting on you, not vice-versa.

Funny how they're being forced to essentially upgrade their line from the bottom-up, rather than from the more traditional top down.

[DavidTO]

I can see why. Taken to its logical conclusion, the Intel tower-macs will be so fast the machine will be waiting on you, not vice-versa.

Funny how they're being forced to essentially upgrade their line from the bottom-up, rather than from the more traditional top down.


It is. This is the third major transition Apple has made. 68000 series processor to PPC, OS9 to OSX and now PPC to Intel. All major transitions, and all made with very little pain, considering.

[DavidTO]

The Macbook definitely gets hot and you know it when the fan kicks it, which is rare, usually when I am running a large batch, etc in PS.


Have you checked out Dashcode yet?

[patch29]

Have you checked out Dashcode yet?


No, is it for making widgets?

[DavidTO]

No, is it for making widgets?


Yeah, apparently it's in the Developer Tools shipped with the MacBooks.

[patch29]

Yeah, apparently it's in the Developer Tools shipped with the MacBooks.


I have not looked. I have enough new software to learn at the moment. XP is :uhoh different. :D

[DavidTO]

I have not looked. I have enough new software to learn at the moment. XP is :uhoh different. :D


It looks like the release of Dashcode MAY have been accidental (http://www.dashboardwidgets.com/news/comments.php?id=61_0_2_0_C).

[patch29]

It looks like the release of Dashcode MAY have been accidental (http://www.dashboardwidgets.com/news/comments.php?id=61_0_2_0_C).


I read that somewhere this morning. Oooops. I still don't see myself using it. :dunno I have enough to learn at the moment.

[DavidTO]

Check out Shiira (http://hmdt-web.net/shiira/en). It's a browser that seems to be lightning fast, very configurable, and it will even use your Safari bookmarks bar bookmarks!

I'm liking it! (caveat: I've used it for all of 5 minutes...)

[wxwax]

Check out Shiira (http://hmdt-web.net/shiira/en). It's a browser that seems to be lightning fast, very configurable, and it will even use your Safari bookmarks bar bookmarks!

I'm liking it! (caveat: I've used it for all of 5 minutes...)
Go find some java pages and report back. Damn stuff gives my Mozilla fits.

[DavidTO]

Go find some java pages and report back. Damn stuff gives my Mozilla fits.


Gimme a link and I will.

[wxwax]

Gimme a link and I will.
This one just crashed my Firefox... again. I simply can't understand why Mozilla can't get a handle on the damn thing.

http://www.multicians.org/thvv/globe.html

[DavidTO]

This one just crashed my Firefox... again. I simply can't understand why Mozilla can't get a handle on the damn thing.

http://www.multicians.org/thvv/globe.html


works great.

[wxwax]

works great.
:thumb

[DavidTO]

:thumb


Of course, it IS Mac only...

[wxwax]

Of course, it IS Mac only...
Does it have extensions?
Tabbed browsing?

[DavidTO]

Does it have extensions?
Tabbed browsing?


Tabs, yes.

Extensions: it doesn't look like it.

[wxwax]

Tabs, yes.

Extensions: it doesn't look like it.
Bummer. I live and die with Google search and Dictionary search.

[DavidTO]

Bummer. I live and die with Google search and Dictionary search.


dunno google search, but it's got google in the toolbar, and dictionary is included in both the bundled apps and widgets.

You can also check any word by hitting a keystroke and hovering over it, you get the definition and everything.

[wxwax]

dunno google search, but it's got google in the toolbar, and dictionary is included in both the bundled apps and widgets.

You can also check any word by hitting a keystroke and hovering over it, you get the definition and everything.
What's a widget?

[wxwax]

You can also check any word by hitting a keystroke and hovering over it, you get the definition and everything.
Ooooh, now that's very cool!

[DavidTO]

What's a widget?


Read here. (http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/dashboard/)

And when you get there, click on this picture for a demo.

[DavidTO]

Ooooh, now that's very cool!


Yep.

[bigwebguy]

This one just crashed my Firefox... again. I simply can't understand why Mozilla can't get a handle on the damn thing.

http://www.multicians.org/thvv/globe.htmlworks fine for me. ffx on winxp sp2.

make sure you have the latest java and firefox updates.

[wxwax]

works fine for me. ffx on winxp sp2.

make sure you have the latest java and firefox updates.
That's another Firefox sore spot. I update those damn things every time I'm prompted to. Doesn't seem to make a damn bit of difference.

[patch29]

That's another Firefox sore spot. I update those damn things every time I'm prompted to. Doesn't seem to make a damn bit of difference.

just turn off the automatic updates. :dunno

[patch29]

For those who are interested I am going to replace my hard drive in my Macbook. It came with the 60 GB drive, which is a Fujitsu MHV2060BH (http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/computing/storage/hdd/mobile/mhv2120bh-sata.html) (as best as I can tell, that is the model # on the drive, but don't take my word for it since I am not a computer expert).

I found a 120 GB same make for $166 vs $250 from Apple.

It was just as easy as the video online shows it to take out and replace. I will have to wait until I get the new drive to see if the metal housing needs to be switched over, which uses a really small torx screw, of course my kit does not go that small.

I will post more when I get the new drive and install it. So far it was very easy and it booted back up with no problems.

[DavidTO]

For those who are interested I am going to replace my hard drive in my Macbook. It came with the 60 GB drive, which is a Fujitsu MHV2060BH (http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/computing/storage/hdd/mobile/mhv2120bh-sata.html) (as best as I can tell, that is the model # on the drive, but don't take my word for it since I am not a computer expert).

I found a 120 GB same make for $166 vs $250 from Apple.

It was just as easy as the video online shows it to take out and replace. I will have to wait until I get the new drive to see if the metal housing needs to be switched over, which uses a really small torx screw, of course my kit does not go that small.

I will post more when I get the new drive and install it. So far it was very easy and it booted back up with no problems.


Uh, I would check the Apple DIY site for details. I replaced the drive on my PowerBook, no problem, it's identified by Apple as a DIY repair. I know it's not on the iBook, and I doubt it is on the MBP. You may void your warranty if you do not have a certified Apple repair center do the work. Just sayin'.

[patch29]

Uh, I would check the Apple DIY site for details. I replaced the drive on my PowerBook, no problem, it's identified by Apple as a DIY repair. I know it's not on the iBook, and I doubt it is on the MBP. You may void your warranty if you do not have a certified Apple repair center do the work. Just sayin'.

I only have a Macbook. I will still have the old drive to put back in if there is a problem.

The DIY pdf can be found here (http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBook_13inch_HardDrive_DIY.pdf). :dunno

[patch29]

I did check here (http://www.apple.com/support/diy/.) and it does not come up in the list, but the pdf has DIY in it and the DIY link in from the pdf? :scratch

[DavidTO]

I called Tech Support about my son's iBook, which I was pretty sure is not DIY. I was right on that one. While on the phone I asked about the MacBook, and it turns out that the hard drive is a DIY part. Is this the PDF (http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBook_13inch_HardDrive_DIY.pdf) you were talking about?

[patch29]

I called Tech Support about my son's iBook, which I was pretty sure is not DIY. I was right on that one. While on the phone I asked about the MacBook, and it turns out that the hard drive is a DIY part. Is this the PDF (http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBook_13inch_HardDrive_DIY.pdf) you were talking about?


Yes it is.

[DavidTO]

Yes it is.


That looks pretty easy.

[patch29]

That looks pretty easy.


It was super easy to pull out, the ram took more effort.

[wxwax]

It was super easy to pull out, the ram took more effort.
Only 'cause it's rutting season. Usually they're easier.

[DavidTO]

It was super easy to pull out, the ram took more effort.


Are you going to get a portable enclosure (http://eshop.macsales.com/item/MacAlly/PHR250CC/) for the old one?

[patch29]

Are you going to get a portable enclosure (http://eshop.macsales.com/item/MacAlly/PHR250CC/) for the old one?

Yes that is the enclosure in my shopping cart. :D

[patch29]

I placed my order, so next week I will see if everything work right. The big question I have is do I do a new install or drag over my OSX and XP partitions and use those? I am tempted to do a clean install to keep OSX on the lighter side. I don't need all the print driver and extras they toss in. Does anyone know if XP is the same way? Can I do a custom XP install and save a lot of space?

[Mike Lane]

Can I do a custom XP install and save a lot of space?

:nod

[patch29]

:nod


Are there any helpful links on the stuff I don't need to install? I am using XP minimally, at the moment only for mapping software for my GPS. I am not even planning to use access the internet regularly with it, only for activation, so I don't think I need a lot of spyware or virus software, right? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Patrick

[DavidTO]

Yes that is the enclosure in my shopping cart. :D


I've had that enclosure for 2+ years now. I like it a lot.

[patch29]

I've had that enclosure for 2+ years now. I like it a lot.


I have another idea too. I want to test parallels, but it is buggy with the GPS, but I could use the old drive in the enclosure as a test drive, keep the OS on that and hopefully I can boot off it and put parallels on it. So far most garmin/parellels posts I have seen have been stating that it does not work well yet, so I will stick with boot camp, until someone comes up with a better solution.

[Mike Lane]

Are there any helpful links on the stuff I don't need to install? I am using XP minimally, at the moment only for mapping software for my GPS. I am not even planning to use access the internet regularly with it, only for activation, so I don't think I need a lot of spyware or virus software, right? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Patrick

Just google it. Lots and lots of resources on the net. But yes you most certainly absolutely do need virus software. If you're going to be on the net or using any disks from anyone else at all you need virus software. Spyware not so much maybe, but virus software definitely. There is free anti-virus software though.

[patch29]

Just google it. Lots and lots of resources on the net. But yes you most certainly absolutely do need virus software. If you're going to be on the net or using any disks from anyone else at all you need virus software. Spyware not so much maybe, but virus software definitely. There is free anti-virus software though.


Uh-Oh, XP sounds like a lot of work. :uhoh

[DavidTO]

Uh-Oh, XP sounds like a lot of work. :uhoh


Like you didn't know that...

[patch29]

Like you didn't know that...


but if I don't get on the internet with it, where is the problem? :scratch

[DavidTO]

but if I don't get on the internet with it, where is the problem? :scratch


But you will be for updates and what-not.

[patch29]

But you will be for updates and what-not.


I downloaded a lot of minor updates via OSX and moved them to the XP partition. :D

[patch29]

My new larger Macbook Hard Drive should be here today, so I am testing Parallels to see how it works, so far, so good. It loaded easily and I was able to install Mapsource and download tracks and I am currently uploading maps to my GPS. :clap

The only thing I need to figure out is the screen res in full screen mode. I am sure I just need to adjust a setting.

Anyone have tips on software to install on XP to keep it safe? I also have not found any good info on the custom install options for XP. I did find info on virus/spyware stuff, but I don't know which are ok. Should I active the MS updates?

[jimf]

Anyone have tips on software to install on XP to keep it safe? I also have not found any good info on the custom install options for XP. I did find info on virus/spyware stuff, but I don't know which are ok. Should I active the MS updates?

AVG antivirus. It's free and it works. I use two different anti-malware tools but I don't recall the names off the top of my head.

But the really neat thing about Parallels is that you can just clone the VM once you get it installed. If something bad happens, copy the clone back to restore the system to a happy state.

That's basically what Ghost does and is by far the easiest way to manage Windows rebuilds.

[wxwax]

Anyone have tips on software to install on XP to keep it safe?
Hoo boy, that's a can of worms.

I use a free firewall (not Windows) and three cleaners that I run everyday (when I'm not on the machine, David! :flip )

When I get home I'll list them for you. I only pay for one, and the free ones are highly rated by the debugging community.

These guys (http://forums.spywareinfo.com/) are great. Read around their forums, you'll learn lots about what they think works.

[jimf]

I use a free firewall (not Windows)

The Windows firewall is both free and effective. It doesn't have the notification features of other tools like Zone Alarm, but it's also a lot less buggy than other tools like Zone Alarm. I would simply use the built-in firewall, it works fine.

The issues to worry about mostly relate to malware (not even viruses, although antivirus is a good idea). Some of the malware programs, like CoolWeb, are incredibly difficult to remove and they're awfully good at finding ways to invade your system. It's best to plan to have to reinstall the system on a regular basis and set things up to make that as easy as possible. Using Parallels you have the ability to take a fully configured VM and clone it. Do this, it will save you a lot of effort come the day you need to recover from some piece of nastyware, or even just because Windows suffers badly from entropy.

The real question isn't if you'll get malware, it's when. But certain behaviors can dramatically reduce your odds of being infected. Two of the best ways to keep malware out of your system are to avoid using IE and avoid using Outlook/Outlook Express. Firefox and Thunderbird are far less susceptible to malware and I find them to be excellent products, but many other alternatives exist (eg, Opera).

[DavidTO]

Hoo boy, that's a can of worms.

I use a free firewall (not Windows) and three cleaners that I run everyday (when I'm not on the machine, David! :flip )

When I get home I'll list them for you. I only pay for one, and the free ones are highly rated by the debugging community.

These guys (http://forums.spywareinfo.com/) are great. Read around their forums, you'll learn lots about what they think works.


Gonna miss that windows box, Sid?

[patch29]

I don't really need to be online in XP for anything, maybe XP activation. Most downloads I need I can get on the mac side and move them to XP. I will take a look at some of the links and see what I need to install. I have yet to access the internet from XP anyway. I have not tried.

[wxwax]

Gonna miss that windows box, Sid?
:lol3 When the Mac gets here, been more than a week since I ordered.

I simply can't believe you Mac guys surf the net and yet don't have any software for removing spyware. That doesn't make sense. I suspect that you've picked up some spyware along the way and aren't aware of it.

[Andy]

Hoo boy, that's a can of worms.

I use a free firewall (not Windows) and three cleaners that I run everyday (when I'm not on the machine, David! :flip )

When I get home I'll list them for you. I only pay for one, and the free ones are highly rated by the debugging community.

These guys (http://forums.spywareinfo.com/) are great. Read around their forums, you'll learn lots about what they think works.
What's all this stuff :scratch

[patch29]

The drives finally showed up. I put the 300gb in my G5 with no problems.

The 120gb went in my Macbook very easily too. I am reinstalling the OS now.

The only problem I have is the enclosure is for a 44 pin drive, not a 2.5" SATA. I cannot find one, anyone have a link to on that will work or is this drive ahead of the curve?

[ChrisJ]

anyone have a link to on that will work or is this drive ahead of the curve?

If you're looking for a Firewire enclosure, I think you're out of luck... but a few USB2 enclosures seem to exist:

http://www.cooldrives.com/almiposa25in.html
http://www.addonics.com/products/external_hdd/#25sata

I've never used either of these companies' products, though...

[DavidTO]

If you're looking for a Firewire enclosure, I think you're out of luck... but a few USB2 enclosures seem to exist:

http://www.cooldrives.com/almiposa25in.html
http://www.addonics.com/products/external_hdd/#25sata

I've never used either of these companies' products, though...


That stinks, Patch. I so much prefer Firewire. What are you going to do with that enclosure? I might have reason to buy it from you....:D

[ChrisJ]

That stinks, Patch. I so much prefer Firewire. What are you going to do with that enclosure? I might have reason to buy it from you....:D

Ahh, looks like they're coming soon though:

http://www.cooldrives.com/2sahddencosa.html

Units will be available for shipment beginning June 28th

[DavidTO]

Ahh, looks like they're coming soon though:

http://www.cooldrives.com/2sahddencosa.html

Units will be available for shipment beginning June 28th


Whoa. 'spensive.

[StevenV]

I simply can't believe you Mac guys surf the net and yet don't have any software for removing spyware. That doesn't make sense. I suspect that you've picked up some spyware along the way and aren't aware of it.

I haven't seen any evidence that any of it runs on anything but Windows. I guess there might be some pages with java or javascript code on them that "do evil," but I've not seen any like that. Most that I've seen are fake "click here to speed up your downloads" or "download this free game" trojans that convince unawares to install win-specific junk on their systems.

[patch29]

That stinks, Patch. I so much prefer Firewire. What are you going to do with that enclosure? I might have reason to buy it from you....:D


I don't know yet. If I could find a good deal on a drive that would fit it, I might just build my own. How do I know if a drive will fit this enclosure with 44 pins? :dunno

[DavidTO]

I don't know yet. If I could find a good deal on a drive that would fit it, I might just build my own. How do I know if a drive will fit this enclosure with 44 pins? :dunno

Isn't it just and IDE/SATA thing? I don't know much about these things, but that's what I'm thinking....

[patch29]

Isn't it just and IDE/SATA thing? I don't know much about these things, but that's what I'm thinking....


I guess. :dunno Where does Ultra ATA fit in? :scratch

[wxwax]

I so much prefer Firewire.
Why? Aren't they as fast as each other, USB2 maybe faster? :dunno

[wxwax]

I haven't seen any evidence that any of it runs on anything but Windows.
Wow.

Coming from a Windows world, that's mind boggling. (Cue David and Andy.)

[patch29]

Parallels is interesting with it's use of a virtual hard drive. I guess I will see how well it works. It looks as though it will keep the HD space to a minimum vs boot camp which makes a real partition.

[wxwax]

Parallels is interesting with it's use of a virtual hard drive. I guess I will see how well it works. It looks as though it will keep the HD space to a minimum vs boot camp which makes a real partition.
So would my Windows PS run as fast in Parallels as it would as a separate boot-up?

[DavidTO]

Wow.

Coming from a Windows world, that's mind boggling. (Cue David and Andy.)

Spyware is of 0 concern for me. The only protection I have is a backup.

EDIT: And Sid, haven't you been listening? Why is it mind boggling *now*?

[DavidTO]

Why? Aren't they as fast as each other, USB2 maybe faster? :dunno


Firewire is faster, and a better protocol, from what I understand. The more basic reason I like it better is that the connectors are the same on both ends. Daisy chaining is a snap.

[patch29]

So would my Windows PS run as fast in Parallels as it would as a separate boot-up?


Boot Camp works just as XP does on your machine, Parallels does not. It is still beta and has some bugs. I did see an article (http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2740&p=14) where they are close, maybe PW is a little faster? PW is only USB 1 at the moment, so that could slow you down.

[wxwax]

Firewire is faster, and a better protocol, from what I understand. The more basic reason I like it better is that the connectors are the same on both ends. Daisy chaining is a snap.
Not sure you're correct about speed. But the daisy-chaining is a big deal. My USB hubs look pretty darn messy with cables snaking everywhere.

[patch29]

Spyware is of 0 concern for me. The only protection I have is a backup.


See you did not believe me and I took back up my HD with Super Duper (http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html).

[patch29]

Why? Aren't they as fast as each other, USB2 maybe faster? :dunno

My new Lexar FW reader is super fast, we should test it against your USB2. :D

[colourbox]

Why? Aren't they as fast as each other, USB2 maybe faster? :dunno

USB 2 has a faster top speed on paper (in the spec). In the real world, USB runs into bottlenecks because of its architecture, and FireWire wins. See link:
http://www.usb-ware.com/firewire-vs-usb.htm

FireWire can operate without a CPU. USB must always go through the CPU. With USB, you need to hope the CPU doesn't have better things to process when you want to move a file.

[DavidTO]

Not sure you're correct about speed. But the daisy-chaining is a big deal. My USB hubs look pretty darn messy with cables snaking everywhere.

from http://www.usb-ware.com/firewire-vs-usb.htm
Read Test:

5000 files (300 MB total) FireWire was 33% faster than USB 2.0
160 files (650MB total) FireWire was 70% faster than USB 2.0
Write Test:

5000 files (300 MB total) FireWire was 16% faster than USB 2.0
160 files (650MB total) FireWire was 48% faster than USB 2.0

[DavidTO]

And from PC Mag (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,844061,00.asp)

Though USB 2.0 is rated at a higher throughput speed, FireWire delivered faster performance on external hard drives when connected to a desktop. Still, an upgrade from a USB 1.1 to a USB 2.0 hard drive is definitely worthwhile. And since nearly all new mainstream desktop PCs have USB 2.0 ports, USB hard drives will be the market winners.

[wxwax]

Spyware is of 0 concern for me. The only protection I have is a backup.

EDIT: And Sid, haven't you been listening? Why is it mind boggling *now*?

Let's put it this way: when you say "Macs just work," then list your maintenance routine, one becomes a little skeptical. :deal

Also, spyware/adware of various kinds is so common and its use so widespread, that I simply don't believe that none has been written for Macs. I think it's entirely possible you have some on your machine and are oblivious. I imagine they made this program (http://macscan.securemac.com/) for a reason. :evil


Mac Users: The good news is that the majority of the adware & spyware industry is focused on developing their "malware" to target Microsoft Windows PC users through ActiveX controls and DLLs that only work on Windows based computers. Here is a listing of additional resources for Mac Security:

* Secure Mac
* Macintosh Security
* MacSecurity.org
Source (http://www.mac-net.com/266089.page)

Note that the author says "the majority,", not "all."

[wxwax]

USB 2 has a faster top speed on paper (in the spec). In the real world, USB runs into bottlenecks because of its architecture, and FireWire wins. See link:
http://www.usb-ware.com/firewire-vs-usb.htm

FireWire can operate without a CPU. USB must always go through the CPU. With USB, you need to hope the CPU doesn't have better things to process when you want to move a file.
Cool, thanks.

[wxwax]

from http://www.usb-ware.com/firewire-vs-usb.htm
Thanks, I didn't know that.

Hmm, tempting to get Firewire hard drives. I think I'll hold off until i see for myself whether or not "Macs just work."

First test: do "Macs just deliver?" I'm getting impatient!

[DavidTO]

Let's put it this way: when you say "Macs just work," then list your maintenance routine, one becomes a little skeptical. :deal

That is the no-problem-guarantee, over-zealous, extra-cautious routine.



Also, spyware/adware of various kinds is so common and its use so widespread, that I simply don't believe that none has been written for Macs. I think it's entirely possible you have some on your machine and are oblivious. I imagine they made this program (http://macscan.securemac.com/) for a reason. :evil



They have Mac virus programs, too. But since OSX there hasn't been a single virus that has been found in the wild, and the anti-viral packages are more dangerous than caution and back-ups.


With dubious reports of a nascent malware menace threatening Mac OS X's current status as (for all intents and purposes) a virus-free platform, many readers have inquired about the need for installation Mac OS X anti-virus software.

Ask McAfee or Symantec and you'll be met with an implore that users purchase, install and regularly use their Mac OS X virus scanning software. With scare tactic statistics like "a 228 percent increase in malware attacks over the past three years" -- even though no single piece of Mac OS X malware has yet managed to successfully cause significant system damage or reliably spread -- it's easy to see why some users are taking the bait.

However, what the virus software companies aren't telling users in their barrage of press releases and dire statements to publications that dutifully pass claims of a rising threat onto readers as fact is that, to date, more problems have been caused by anti-virus software on Mac OS X systems than actual vulnerabilities thwarted. While this circumstance doesn't negate the potential utility of having anti-virus software installed, and won't let the cautious rest easier should the currently mythical Mac OS X attack horde materialize, it should give pause to users who feel coerced into purchasing anti-virus software.

First, let's look at some of the problems that have been caused, on a widespread basis, by Symantec's Norton AntiVirus:

Ironically, a "highly critical" flaw was found in Norton AntiVirus. The vulnerability was as follows: During decompression of RAR files Symantec is vulnerable to multiple heap overflows allowing attackers complete control of the system(s) being protected. These vulnerabilities can be exploited remotely without user interaction in default configurations through common protocols such as SMTP. Symantec posted an antivirus based protection signature to LiveUpdate on December 20, 2005, providing a heuristic detection for potential exploits of the Symantec decomposer RAR archive vulnerability. The company also recommended that users 'Scan Compressed Files' to 'Off' in the Norton Auto-Protect pane of System Preferences to mitigate this vulnerability.
Version 9.0 of Norton Antivirus spawned a file appropriately named "spacesuckingfile.xxxxxx" after it completed a virus scan. This was a temporary file that Norton AntiVirus created when scanning archives on your computer to help determine the amount of free space available on the disk before it begins unstuffing and scanning archives. The file contains no actual data and may be deleted. Normally, Norton AntiVirus deletes this file when scanning the archives is complete, though it may not be deleted automatically. Version 9.0.1 of Norton AntiVirus resolved this issue.
The AutoProtect component of Norton AntiVirus produced an issue with apparent corruption of Mac OS X temp files that could result in spiking processor usage and complete system unresponsiveness.
Sophos Anti-Virus is another popular tool that has succumbed to its own flaws in an attempt to "protect" users against a malware threat.

A previous version of Sophos' AntiVirus software generated false positives for the "OSX/Inqtana.B worm", invoking users to delete critical application and system files and causing serious issues. Inqtana.B was a variant of OSX/Inqtana.A -- a Java based proof of concept bluetooth worm that affects older versions of Mac OS X 10.4.x (Tiger). The vulnerability did not affect Mac OS X 10.4.5 or Mac OS X 10.4.6, and had not been found in the wild. Despite that, Sophos' software was identifying "infected" files -- sometimes numbering in the thousands -- on Mac OS X 10.4.5 systems.

Sophos quickly resolved the issue, but results of the false positives were, in some cases, disastrous. Users who thought their systems were infected deleted dozens (in some cases hundreds) of critical files rendering some applications useless and eliminating important data.

Virex from McAfee (the company that released the aforementioned warning that Mac malware threats were up more than 200 percent in the past year) was a component of the .Mac subscribers package up until mid-2005, when Apple decided to pull the offering due to a number of issues documented here on MacFixIt, including slow overall system performance, constant fan activity, degraded performance in some applications and more. We also posted instructions for removing Virex from a Mac OS X system.

Intego's VirusBarrier X, which was the first anti-virus package to become a Universal binary and has been among the least problematic of commercial offerings, has also exhibited various issues through its lifetime.

In 2003, Virus Barrier X caused an issue where the system became totally unresponsive and refuses to start up properly from that moment forth.

Intego's later fixed the issue a March 2003 virus definition release.

Another minor issue was caused by VirusBarrier in late 2005, where hard drive space was rapidly decimated by the creation of several thousand tiny (4 KB) files spawned by VirusBarrier.

Fortunately, your best bet for Mac OS X virus protection at this point is completely free. ClamXav is a free graphical interface (GUI) for the open-source ClamAV virus checker. The ClamAV scanning routine is also built into some Mac OS X utilities like Tiger Cache Cleaner.

Even this tool, however, has been known to cause some issues -- particularly when installing software. In one case, application of the Adobe Illustrator CS2 12.0.1 updater was prevented by ClamXav's scanning operation.

The bottom line is that Mac OS X virus software has, collectively, precipitated more security flaws, slow-downs, accidental file deletions and overall system issues than perhaps any other grouping of software.

It's also important to remember that just because you have an AntiVirus software package installed and regularly scanning your hard drive does not -- by any means -- ensure you will not contract a Mac OS X virus should one materialize. Virus scanning software works by checking files on your hard drive against a pre-defined set of file types that could potentially be malware. Should the dreaded effective Mac OS X virus surface, current AntiVirus software will be rendered impotent against its spread until virus definitions are updated to account for the new type.

Some virus scanning software packages use routines to check for "suspicious" actions that could indicate the presence of malware, but the chances of such a routine actually stopping a cleverly crafted piece of malware are slim -- especially since there has yet to be a compelling piece of malware for Mac OS X to compare against.

In fact, the single best reason for installing anti-virus software on your Mac OS X system remains one of a good samaritan nature -- prevention of passing malware along to users of Windows systems.

For some practical tips on reducing the threat of contracting malware on your Mac, see our tutorial "10 simple steps for securing your Mac".

[wxwax]

Note that a virus is not the same thing as adware/spyware. Two very diferent animals.

I accept that a Mac virus is a rare beast.

It's the spyware stuff I'm not so sure about.

[DavidTO]

Note that a virus is not the same thing as adware/spyware. Two very diferent animals.

I accept that a Mac virus is a rare beast.

It's the spyware stuff I'm not so sure about.


Understood. I have heard nothing about Mac spyware...neither that they are a threat, a concern, nor had I ever heard of an app that dealt with them. That's how low on the radar it is.

[colourbox]

Hmm, tempting to get Firewire hard drives. I think I'll hold off until i see for myself whether or not "Macs just work."

I wouldn't get just a FireWire drive. It's never fun to try to use a drive to move big data and find out a computer doesn't have a certain connector. I have Macs and PCs, old and new, and so what works for me is both USB and FireWire connectors so that a drive is useful to any of my computers.

There is FireWire 400 and FireWire 800. Some say external SATA ports/cards will start to give FireWire 800 serious competition at the high end. Apple dropped the FireWire 800 port from the 15" MacBook Pro, but kept it on the new 17" MBP, which confused everybody. All Macs have FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 ports.

[DavidTO]

I wouldn't get just a FireWire drive.


I agree, don't turn your back on USB 2, it's way too prevalent to ignore. But firewire is great, and preferable, IMO.

[patch29]

Hmm, tempting to get Firewire hard drives. I think I'll hold off until i see for myself whether or not "Macs just work."


My newer external drives are both firewire and USB 2.0.

[wxwax]

I wouldn't get just a FireWire drive. It's never fun to try to use a drive to move data and find out you have mismatched connectors. I have Macs and PCs, old and new, and the best drive to get should have USB and FireWire connectors so that any drive can access the data.

There is FireWire 400 and FireWire 800. Some say external SATA ports/cards will start to give FireWire 800 serious competition at the high end. Apple dropped the FireWire 800 port from the 15" MacBook Pro, but kept it on the new 17" MBP, which confused everybody. All Macs have FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 ports.

Thanks. I note that the test David posted was between FW 400 and USB 2.

My first Mac is a Macbook. Or it will be, when I finally get it! I only have one external that's both USB and FW. The others are USB only. Never thought I'd need FW! :lol3

[patch29]

I only have one external that's both USB and FW.


Buy more now!!!!!!!! :deal :lol3

[DavidTO]

Thanks. I note that the test David posted was between FW 400 and USB 2.

My first Mac is a Macbook. Or it will be, when I finally get it! I only have one external that's both USB and FW. The others are USB only. Never thought I'd need FW! :lol3


If you decide you need it, you can always just buy new cases and move the drives. Easy peasy, and cheaper, too.

[wxwax]

Buy more now!!!!!!!! :deal :lol3
:lol3

[wxwax]

If you decide you need it, you can always just buy new cases and move the drives. Easy peasy, and cheaper, too.
I never thought about that!

That might be because I have no idea how these things work. :lol3

[patch29]

My reinstall is going well. XP is up and running via Parallels. I just found out that my internet connection is live. :uhoh I went back to OSX and turned off the airport for now, that solved that problem.

Do I want Automatic Updates On? :ear

I guess I need to download some virus software now. :cry

[Mike Lane]

Do I want Automatic Updates On? :ear
:nod :nod :nod :nod

[patch29]

:nod :nod :nod :nod

Thanks.

I am in the process of installing Firefox, Ad Aware SE personal and AVG free. The windows firewall is on and I am also accessing the internet via my airport which should have a firewall too. So am I safe enough? I am not checking email or surfing (outside of updates). :dunno

[colourbox]

My first Mac is a Macbook. Or it will be, when I finally get it!

Hope you're maxing out the RAM (with cheaper non-Apple sticks). A friend bought a MacBook for non-demanding uses (Word, e-mail, web) and I took a look at its virtual memory usage and at the out-of-the-box 512MB RAM it hit virtual memory much more than I expected. If I were running Photoshop on one I would definitely go to 2GB as soon as possible and plug in a Photoshop scratch drive into the FireWire port.

[Mike Lane]

Thanks.

I am in the process of installing Firefox, Ad Aware SE personal and AVG free. The windows firewall is on and I am also accessing the internet via my airport which should have a firewall too. So am I safe enough? I am not checking email or surfing (outside of updates). :dunno
If you're not surfing for pr0n or warez or c1a1!5 you'll be more than fine.

[patch29]

If you're not surfing for pr0n or warez or c1a1!5 you'll be more than fine.

only for V$AGRuH :lol3

No I will only go to known sites that I need updates for that I cannot access on the mac side. I will leave the internet connection on, just because it is a pain to turn on and off.

The only Windows update that came up was a publish update, I did not do it, since I am not using publisher. :dunno

Thanks for the info.

[patch29]

If you're looking for a Firewire enclosure, I think you're out of luck... but a few USB2 enclosures seem to exist:

http://www.cooldrives.com/almiposa25in.html
http://www.addonics.com/products/external_hdd/#25sata

I've never used either of these companies' products, though...


Thanks, The top one looks good, the price is right, but it is out of stock and unknown. I will keep searching. I am not in a big rush, but it would be nice to have a spare drive.

[jimf]

I accept that a Mac virus is a rare beast.

It's the spyware stuff I'm not so sure about.

The biggest difference by far is that the Mac makes good use of its security infrastructure and Windows does not.

Notice that Mac malware was common prior to OSX. It disappeared. Why? It's not because the Mac lost marketshare; it's been growing ever since the release of OSX. The issue is that OS9, like Windows, provided no protection against the modification of system files. As such anything that managed to run at all could change the system to its heart's content. And people wrote software that did exactly that.

Windows, despite moving to a platform with inherent security in NT, 2K, and later XP, has continued to run most user accounts with full system privileges -- thus rendering the security infrastructure completely worthless.

It is possible to secure NT, 2K, and XP. In fact, I wrote a software package that did just that for NT3.5. The problem is that if you do this a remarkable amount of software will fail, having been written assuming full system privileges. This includes children's software -- which, to me, is total insanity. Microsoft's problem is that if they chose to turn on security they'd break a lot of software and they were having a hard enough problem getting people off of the unstable Win9x codebase. So they opted for loose security and we've all been paying the price for it.

The good news for Windows folk is that Vista will (supposedly) move to a security architecture very similar to OSX. In so doing we should see malware issues largely evaporate. It couldn't happen soon enough for me.

It will always be possible to write that malware because there are always bugs in operating system software. But with a locked-down system it becomes orders of magnitude more difficult. And that is why there are no known spyware applications on OSX, Linux, or FreeBSD yet Windows is completely infested.

By the way, it is possible to substantially improve OSX security with two simple changes. First, create an administrator account separate from the normal user logins. Second, disable administrator privileges for all other accounts. This makes a big difference because /Applications is otherwise writeable by user accounts, and that allows malware to modify applications therein. From that point it's a fairly short step to infecting the rest of the system.

The annoyance in doing this is that you will no longer be able to simply drop new applications into /Applications; you'll have to switch to the administrator account to do it. Apple was smart enough, at least, to have all system administration tasks authenticate if necessary ... so administration can still be done by random accounts, you just have to supply the administrator account and password.

[ChrisJ]

Thanks, The top one looks good, the price is right, but it is out of stock and unknown. I will keep searching. I am not in a big rush, but it would be nice to have a spare drive.

See the follow-up msg posted a couple below that one... Firewire/USB2 combo coming later this month, but it's $99(!) for the enclosure. I'm sure other manufacturer's will follow soon enough.

ATA/IDE/PATA are pretty much all the same thing by different names. You just need the 2.5" size.

[pathfinder]

Thanks. I note that the test David posted was between FW 400 and USB 2.

My first Mac is a Macbook. Or it will be, when I finally get it! I only have one external that's both USB and FW. The others are USB only. Never thought I'd need FW! :lol3

One advantage of FW external drives, is that you can boot from them if you have a duplicate copy of your system drive in OS X on the external drive, as with Super Duper for a B/U.

You cannot boot from a USB 2.0 drive on a MAC. You can just store data on a USB 2.0 drive.

[patch29]

See the follow-up msg posted a couple below that one... Firewire/USB2 combo coming later this month, but it's $99(!) for the enclosure. I'm sure other manufacturer's will follow soon enough.

ATA/IDE/PATA are pretty much all the same thing by different names. You just need the 2.5" size.


I saw that, just a little pricey.

So is SATA the one with a different connector?

[colourbox]

You cannot boot from a USB 2.0 drive on a MAC. You can just store data on a USB 2.0 drive.

Actually, this is changing. Reports on the Apple forums say that Intel Macs can boot off of a USB 2 drive.

[StevenV]

I guess there might be some pages with java or javascript code on them that "do evil," but I've not seen any like that.

Ah, frack. IE And Firefox Sport New Zero-day Flaw (http://ddj.com/dept/database/188702264?cid=RSSfeed_DDJ_DataBase). It's more a phishing/data-harvesting type thing, but it's reportedly cross-platform and cross-browser.

[wxwax]

Hope you're maxing out the RAM (with cheaper non-Apple sticks). A friend bought a MacBook for non-demanding uses (Word, e-mail, web) and I took a look at its virtual memory usage and at the out-of-the-box 512MB RAM it hit virtual memory much more than I expected. If I were running Photoshop on one I would definitely go to 2GB as soon as possible and plug in a Photoshop scratch drive into the FireWire port.
Thanks. I have 2GB ready to install. I don't know what you mean wrt the PS scratch disk, I'll root around. Thanks for the tips!

[wxwax]

By the way, it is possible to substantially improve OSX security with two simple changes. First, create an administrator account separate from the normal user logins. Second, disable administrator privileges for all other accounts. This makes a big difference because /Applications is otherwise writeable by user accounts, and that allows malware to modify applications therein. From that point it's a fairly short step to infecting the rest of the system.

The annoyance in doing this is that you will no longer be able to simply drop new applications into /Applications; you'll have to switch to the administrator account to do it. Apple was smart enough, at least, to have all system administration tasks authenticate if necessary ... so administration can still be done by random accounts, you just have to supply the administrator account and password.

What a great post! I'll see if I can figure out how to do that.

[patch29]

I ran XP today and it wanted to install 44 updates, does that seem normal for a new install? Most were MS security updates. I guess it would be good to run all of them at once?

[jimf]

I ran XP today and it wanted to install 44 updates, does that seem normal for a new install? Most were MS security updates. I guess it would be good to run all of them at once?

Yes, as of last week an XPSP2 install required 44 updates.

jim

[patch29]

Yes, as of last week an XPSP2 install required 44 updates.

jim


Thanks. I will let them install. :thumb

[Mike Lane]

Install whatever the updater says to install for sure. In IE go to the windows update link in the help dropdown and drain it dry. Then restart and go back to the windows updater and drain it dry again. Repeat until there are no mor updates. Oh and install TweakUI, the Raw thumbnailer and viewer, and the other powertoys that interest you here (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx).

[colourbox]

I ran XP today and it wanted to install 44 updates, does that seem normal for a new install?
Install whatever the updater says to install for sure. In IE go to the windows update link in the help dropdown and drain it dry.

BTW despite how some Mac folk like to bring up about Windows' need for patches (and I am definitely a Mac guy) the same advice goes when you buy a new Mac. Every I see a newly purchased Mac (mine or a friend's), Apple Software Update has a bunch of updates that need to be downloaded. I was surprised to see my friend's new MacBook needed a long list of updates, and she bought it within a few days of the machine's introduction. It might not be 44 security patches as in Windows, but it was over 100MB of updates for Mac OS X, QuickTime, the iApps, and, yes, security updates too. In other words, you still have to set aside time for a big download/install, whatever the platform.

[patch29]

In other words, you still have to set aside time for a big download/install, whatever the platform.

I am just familiar with the Mac way of downloading updates and trust what I am doing. In XP, wxwax has made me too paranoid, so I don't know which are real vs potential spyware type stuff. So I am being very cautious.

Thanks for the info.

[patch29]

What are you going to do with that enclosure?


I went and bought a matching 120gb 5400rpm drive for the enclosure today, so now I can wait and find the SATA enclosure for the other drive when they are more available and hopefully cheaper. The 120 will allow me to clone my entire drive on the road and always have a bootable drive if the main one goes down. :thumb It would be better if it were SATA though because I could just swap them in the Macbook. I guess I can always carry the old drive with me. :D

[patch29]

Does anyone have any sources for a good freeware word processor? I am trying to get away from Office and don't want to install it on my Macbook. I tested out Google Spreadsheets today and it works well and can save an excel copy to your desktop, maybe they have a word processor that is hidden somewhere. I also tested their calendar and liked it too. :D

[DavidTO]

Does anyone have any sources for a good freeware word processor? I am trying to get away from Office and don't want to install it on my Macbook. I tested out Google Spreadsheets today and it works well and can save an excel copy to your desktop, maybe they have a word processor that is hidden somewhere. I also tested their calendar and liked it too. :D


Neo Office (http://www.planamesa.com/neojava/en/faq.php).

Open Office (http://www.openoffice.org/).

[wxwax]

BTW despite how some Mac folk like to bring up about Windows' need for patches (and I am definitely a Mac guy) the same advice goes when you buy a new Mac. Every I see a newly purchased Mac (mine or a friend's), Apple Software Update has a bunch of updates that need to be downloaded. I was surprised to see my friend's new MacBook needed a long list of updates, and she bought it within a few days of the machine's introduction. It might not be 44 security patches as in Windows, but it was over 100MB of updates for Mac OS X, QuickTime, the iApps, and, yes, security updates too. In other words, you still have to set aside time for a big download/install, whatever the platform.

:nod My updates took about 20 minutes, maybe more, last night.

[DavidTO]

:nod My updates took about 20 minutes, maybe more, last night.


With apologies to Grease:

Tell me more, tell me more,
Was it love at first sight?
Tell me more, tell me more,
Did she put up a fight?

[Andy]

With apologies to Grease:

Tell me more, tell me more,
Was it love at first sight?
Tell me more, tell me more,
Did she put up a fight?
http://i.timeinc.net/people/images/specials/schooldays/tooold/onewtonjohn.jpg

:lust :lust :lust

[wxwax]

With apologies to Grease:

Tell me more, tell me more,
Was it love at first sight?
Tell me more, tell me more,
Did she put up a fight?

:lol3

So far, so good.

Airport and the internet put up a fight. But only, as it turns out, because I needed to power down the modem then turn it back on, so that it could shoot its magic signals into my willing laptop. Now I just need to figure out how to password protect my Airport. In wading through the menus, I found everything to be just as perplexing as on a PC, not intuitive nor simple language.

I like the keyboard very much. Nice and wide spacing for my fat fingered typing. Typical for laptops, the display only has a narrow viewing angle. I like how wide it is. I like the look and feel of the white Macbook, much more so than the black one.

With help from Patch I downloaded and installed Firefox. I don't think the downloading process was at all intuitive - nowhere did it tell me I had to drag the icon to Applications in order to save it. Is there a key stroke that puts my cursor in the URL bar, and a keystroke that puts my cursor in the Google bar, in Firefox? On a PC it's Control-L and Control-K, respectively.

I tried the default browser for a while, as well. It's OK. Interesting how some fonts are different: for example, the thread titles in "Latest."

I very much like the two finger scrolling and two finger right-click - very nice feature, completely eased my concern about right clicking not being available. Again, I needed Patch's help to decipher the language on the keyboard/touchpad settings interface, no better than XP-lingo in my opinion.

I like the easy f-key access to widgets for calculator and calendar, clearing the screen, etc.

Even though I'm a stranger in a strange land, I wish PS ran faster in OS than in XP, so that I didn't have to load XP. I may try Parallels, Patch says it's working well for him and doesn't seem to be slowing anything down (my main concern.) Also, based on Patch's suggestion, I'm going to spring for the student (non-upgradeable?) version of Mac Office, rather than load my Windows version. Can't work without Word.

Overall, slight tension headache because I simply don't understand how computers work. But so far, I like it.

[patch29]

Neo Office (http://www.planamesa.com/neojava/en/faq.php).

Open Office (http://www.openoffice.org/).

Thanks, hopefully those will work for me, maybe wxwax too. :wxwax

[patch29]

Is there a key stroke that puts my cursor in the URL bar, and a keystroke that puts my cursor in the Google bar, in Firefox? On a PC it's Control-L and Control-K, respectively.

The apple key + L for the URL, I usually tab to the google search. apple+K enables/disables pop ups in Safari.

[patch29]

I used Super Duper to clone my drive to the portable and I booted off of it very easily. :thumb

[DavidTO]

:lol3

So far, so good.

Airport and the internet put up a fight. But only, as it turns out, because I needed to power down the modem then turn it back on, so that it could shoot its magic signals into my willing laptop. Now I just need to figure out how to password protect my Airport. In wading through the menus, I found everything to be just as perplexing as on a PC, not intuitive nor simple language. I think that's the nature of WIFI. Confusing, standards, encryption. Oy. You want to protect the Airport in your lappy? Why? I think all the protection you need is enabled. Check your Sharing Preference Panel, and I think you'll see that it is.


With help from Patch I downloaded and installed Firefox. I don't think the downloading process was at all intuitive - nowhere did it tell me I had to drag the icon to Applications in order to save it. Is there a key stroke that puts my cursor in the URL bar, and a keystroke that puts my cursor in the Google bar, in Firefox? On a PC it's Control-L and Control-K, respectively. Blame the lack of intuitiveness on FF. But any application you download just gets dragged into the Apps folder. Unless it's got an installer, then run the installer. Should be obvious, as they should call the installer "Install XXX". When in doubt, use the same keystrokes, substituting command for control (the command key is the one with the Apple and the Splat on it.)


Even though I'm a stranger in a strange land, I wish PS ran faster in OS than in XP, so that I didn't have to load XP. I may try Parallels, Patch says it's working well for him and doesn't seem to be slowing anything down (my main concern.)

Uh, you may find that PS is fast enough for the few months that you ahve to wait for the Universal Binary. Personally, I'd rather put up with the speed hit than mess around with Parallels/Windows/Partitioning/Headaches. Seriously, think twice about installing Windows. Not that you shouldn't. Just think twice. Or maybe even thrice.

Also, based on Patch's suggestion, I'm going to spring for the student (non-upgradeable?) version of Mac Office, rather than load my Windows version. Can't work without Word. Not a bad suggestion, also see the free alternatives I linked above. Not pretty, but fine.

[DavidTO]

I used Super Duper to clone my drive to the portable and I booted off of it very easily. :thumb


SuperDuper is one of my all-time favorite apps. What a great package.

[DavidTO]

With help from Patch I downloaded and installed Firefox. I don't think the downloading process was at all intuitive - nowhere did it tell me I had to drag the icon to Applications in order to save it.


OK, so I didn't believe you on this one, and I re-downloaded FF.

Are you high? How much more intuitive can it be?

[Andy]

OK, so I didn't believe you on this one, and I re-downloaded FF.

Are you high? How much more intuitive can it be?
:lol3 :lol3 Go easy on him, David - he's a macN0000b

[bigwebguy]

OK, so I didn't believe you on this one, and I re-downloaded FF.

Are you high? How much more intuitive can it be?lots.

seriously, how hard would it be to put "drag the firefox icon to your apps folder to install"

a case of style over function. i blame steve.

[colourbox]

Is there a key stroke that puts my cursor in the URL bar, and a keystroke that puts my cursor in the Google bar, in Firefox? On a PC it's Control-L and Control-K, respectively.

Shortcuts for commands are listed on the menus, just like Windows. For Firefox URL the command is File/Open Location, menu says Ctrl+L on my PC and Command+L on my Mac.

[DavidTO]

lots.

seriously, how hard would it be to put "drag the firefox icon to your apps folder to install"

a case of style over function. i blame steve.

If you're going to blame anyone, blame FF.

[patch29]

I think that's the nature of WIFI. Confusing, standards, encryption. Oy. You want to protect the Airport in your lappy? Why? I think all the protection you need is enabled. Check your Sharing Preference Panel, and I think you'll see that it is.


I think he wants to use WEP encryption, since he lives in an area with lots of wifi signals and users. He will be a no freeloader zone. :wxwax

It should be fairly easy with the Airport Admin Utility.

[patch29]

Neo Office (http://www.planamesa.com/neojava/en/faq.php).



Do you or anyone use Neo Office?

How compatible is it with MS office?

I like the look and I am tempted to pay a few bucks and try it out. I feel better about spending my money supporting open source.

[wxwax]

The apple key + L for the URL, I usually tab to the google search. apple+K enables/disables pop ups in Safari.
:thumb Thanks. I thought I tried all the combos last night, must not have.

[bigwebguy]

If you're going to blame anyone, blame FF.the power of the turtleneck compelled them. they are helpless.

[wxwax]

OK, so I didn't believe you on this one, and I re-downloaded FF.

Are you high? How much more intuitive can it be?

I'm with the big guy from the web. How hard is it to say, in simple English (you remember English, our common language?) what we're supposed to do?

That little drawing made no sense to me. Also, when I double clicked on it (my natural reaction,) it shrank. That little globe icon in the middle of the drawing, why is that supposed to mean something to me? And exactly how am I, a first time user, supposed to know that the curly-cue A stands for Applications folder?

:rolleyes

Your sure are defensive about Mac stuff. Take a pill, relax.

[DavidTO]

Do you or anyone use Neo Office?

How compatible is it with MS office?

I like the look and I am tempted to pay a few bucks and try it out. I feel better about spending my money supporting open source.


It's become the default install at my office. I've not used it, but it's passed the test with the tech dept. Not much to lose there, Patch. It's free. If you dont' like it, you can try something else.

It's fugly, though. Very windows in its interface.

[wxwax]

If you're going to blame anyone, blame FF.
Wow, you have it bad.

[wxwax]

Shortcuts for commands are listed on the menus, just like Windows. For Firefox URL the command is File/Open Location, menu says Ctrl+L on my PC and Command+L on my Mac.
Thanks. :thumb

[wxwax]

I think he wants to use WEP encryption, since he lives in an area with lots of wifi signals and users. He will be a no freeloader zone. :wxwax

It should be fairly easy with the Airport Admin Utility.
Thanks, thought it was obvious.

[DavidTO]

Wow, you have it bad.


Stop trolling, Sid. :D

[wxwax]

Stop trolling, Sid. :D
:cool

And next time you ask someone what their experience is like, you might consider lowering your defensive Mac shields just a wee bit.

[DavidTO]

Thanks, thought it was obvious.


Probably was. Didn't realize you bought an Airport as well. I thought you were talking about the Airport card in your lappy.

[DavidTO]

:cool

And next time you ask someone what their experience is like, you might consider lowering your defensive Mac shields just a wee bit.


Sid, it's all good, at least on my end. You can trash Apple and your Mac all you want, just don't see the sense in blaming Apple for FF's install.

[wxwax]

Sid, it's all good, at least on my end. You can trash Apple and your Mac all you want, just don't see the sense in blaming Apple for FF's install.
Perfect example.

What on earth makes you think I'm trashing Apple or Macs? I forked over almost two grand to buy one of their machines. You asked for feedback, I gave an honest response.

That you see it as trashing Apples or Macs says much about you.

[patch29]

It's become the default install at my office. I've not used it, but it's passed the test with the tech dept. Not much to lose there, Patch. It's free. If you dont' like it, you can try something else.

It's fugly, though. Very windows in its interface.

I will check it out on the G5, the intel version requires a donation for the next few weeks, then it too will be free.

[DavidTO]

Perfect example.

What on earth makes you think I'm trashing Apple or Macs? I forked over almost two grand to buy one of their machines. You asked for feedback, I gave an honest response.

That you see it as trashing Apples or Macs says much about you.


Oy. Sid... You said the downloading process was far from intuitive. You're looking for ways in which your computing experience on a Mac is different than your PC. Of course you're talking about the Mac.

Sorry if I ticked you off, just trying to help, and have a little fun with you along the way. Lighten up, Francis.

[pathfinder]

When I set up my home network with a D link router and wireless access point for my cable modem, it took me less than five minutes to set up my wireless access complete with WAP encoding for my PB. No one else even sees my wireless signal.

I run my Mini wirelessly the same way.

Using a Mac is different than a PC, Sid, expect a few changes. In a few weeks/ or months, you will forget all about PCs, and think that the MAC is intuitive. That has been my experience and I used PCs for the last 20 years. But no longer.

Having a bootable external FW drive full backup is so superior to a disc image stored somewhere, there is no comparision.

[patch29]

NeoOffice is on the G5. I opened an xls file, created and saved a doc file. So far so good. I was able to print without a problem. This may be the solution I was looking for. Now only if Photoshop were open source. :D


I would take a look at it Sid. :nod Of course the Intel version is not quite as far along as the G5 version.

[DavidTO]

NeoOffice is on the G5. I opened an xls file, created and saved a doc file. So far so good. I was able to print without a problem. This may be the solution I was looking for. Now only if Photoshop were open source. :D


I would take a look at it Sid. :nod Of course the Intel version is not quite as far along as the G5 version.


Glad to hear it's working out. I'm planning on installing it on my step-son's MacBook (when he finally gets it) before he goes off to college. Hopefully the Universal Binary will be up to snuff by then.

[wxwax]

Oy. Sid... You said the downloading process was far from intuitive. You're looking for ways in which your computing experience on a Mac is different than your PC. Of course you're talking about the Mac.

Sorry if I ticked you off, just trying to help, and have a little fun with you along the way. Lighten up, Francis.
Ay, obviously I'm talking about the Mac. I'm not trashing it.

Tell you what: I'll not get pissed off, if you don't get defensive anytime someone points out that a Mac is sometimes less than a little slice of heaven.

Deal?

[DavidTO]

Ay, obviously I'm talking about the Mac. I'm not trashing it.

Tell you what: I'll not get pissed off, if you don't get defensive anytime someone points out that a Mac is sometimes less than a little slice of heaven.

Deal?


Deal. We could talk about the Finder. That's a little slice of hell, IMO. Not as hot and fiery as a PC, mebbe, but still hellacious. :D

[wxwax]

When I set up my home network with a D link router and wireless access point for my cable modem, it took me less than five minutes to set up my wireless access complete with WAP encoding for my PB. No one else even sees my wireless signal.

I run my Mini wirelessly the same way.

Tell me how. :ear

Using a Mac is different than a PC, Sid, expect a few changes. In a few weeks/ or months, you will forget all about PCs, and think that the MAC is intuitive. That has been my experience and I used PCs for the last 20 years. But no longer.



Naturally, I'm aware of that. But I have a sneaky suspicion you're extremely computer literate. The same, alas, cannot be said for me. I told David I should probably buy the Mac for Dummies book, makes perfect sense for someone with my weak skills.

[StevenV]

I told David I should probably buy the Mac for Dummies book, makes perfect sense for someone with my weak skills.

it might be worth stopping by your local Apple store (or checking out apple.com/retail, I think) to see what classes they have available. Not that you're really a "dummy," but seeing someone familiar with the platform operate it might point out some of the "norms" that Mac people "just know" because they've done them so long and find "intuitive."

[bigwebguy]

Ay, obviously I'm talking about the Mac. I'm not trashing it.

Tell you what: I'll not get pissed off, if you don't get defensive anytime someone points out that a Mac is sometimes less than a little slice of heaven.

Deal?MOD FIGHT!!!!

[patch29]

Glad to hear it's working out. I'm planning on installing it on my step-son's MacBook (when he finally gets it) before he goes off to college. Hopefully the Universal Binary will be up to snuff by then.


I am debating spending a few bucks to try it early, the earlier you try the more it costs. :huh :scratch

[patch29]

it might be worth stopping by your local Apple store (or checking out apple.com/retail, I think) to see what classes they have available. Not that you're really a "dummy," but seeing someone familiar with the platform operate it might point out some of the "norms" that Mac people "just know" because they've done them so long and find "intuitive."


wait a minute. I am trying to negotiate a steak dinner out of this deal. :lol3

There are three Apple stores local to Atlanta now. :D

[StevenV]

There are three Apple stores local to Atlanta now. :D

you counting the new one at Perimiter? Hey Sid, maybe we can all meet there for a long lunch some day. :eat 'course, in no way would that take away from a steak dinner.

[patch29]

you counting the new one at Perimiter? Hey Sid, maybe we can all meet there for a long lunch some day. :eat 'course, in no way would that take away from a steak dinner.


Yes, I have not been there yet. I can meet up there one day. :thumb

[patch29]

I think I just figured out where someone will be with their laptop tomorrow. :wxwax

Saturday, June 10th
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Getting Started Workshop
Got a new Mac? Thinking about getting one? Learn how easy it is to use a Mac at the Getting Started Workshop. We’ll show you the basics, including setting up your new Mac, connecting to the web, sending email, importing and sharing photos, syncing music to your iPod, connecting a printer, and searching and organizing files. (Workshop)

Apple @ perimeter (http://www.apple.com/retail/perimeter/week/20060604.html)

[wxwax]

MOD FIGHT!!!!
:lol3

[wxwax]

you counting the new one at Perimiter? Hey Sid, maybe we can all meet there for a long lunch some day. :eat 'course, in no way would that take away from a steak dinner.
Absolutely! That would be great.

[DavidTO]

Sid,

I'd also be happy to help via iChat or phone...

[wxwax]

:lol3

Hey, great link, very helpful, Patrick.

Can't do Saturday AM. That's reserved for England - Paraguay.

But they have the same session on Sunday from 12pm - 1pm. Then off to shoot GaTech baseball.

[wxwax]

Sid,

I'd also be happy to help via iChat or phone...
iChat? :scratch

:lol3

Thanks David, I may take you up on that.

[W.W. Webster]

We could talk about the Finder. That's a little slice of hell, IMO. Not as hot and fiery as a PC, mebbe, but still hellacious..... but about to be completely replaced in 10.5 Leopard, isn't it?

[DavidTO]

.... but about to be completely replaced in 10.5 Leopard, isn't it?


Rumor has it...

[DavidTO]

Sid, the page is kinda messed up, you have to select the text to see it :wxwax, but this page (http://idiosyncrasies.org.nyud.net:8080/wordpress/2006/04/25/switch-from-windows-xp-to-mac-osx-with-ease/) might be helpful.

[DavidTO]

And this one, too (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1953186,00.asp).

[patch29]

The NeoOffice is getting aqua on the intel version, see it here (http://www.planamesa.com/neojava/en/earlyaccess.php). :thumb

[DavidTO]

The NeoOffice is getting aqua on the intel version, see it here (http://www.planamesa.com/neojava/en/earlyaccess.php). :thumb


Are you demoing it? Is it working?

[patch29]

iChat? :scratch



Now that I have an isight camera in the Macbook, does ichat only work via mac.com? :ear

[patch29]

Rumor has it...

Can I call in with some ideas to make it better?

One, make the finder have the ability to save a workspace as you can in Photoshop.

[DavidTO]

Can I call in with some ideas to make it better?

One, make the finder have the ability to save a workspace as you can in Photoshop.


Yep (http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback/).

[DavidTO]

Now that I have an isight camera in the Macbook, does ichat only work via mac.com? :ear


Nah, I don't think so. .Mac is just using the AIM network, AFAIK.

[wxwax]

And this one, too (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1953186,00.asp).
Cool, good reading material for when I get home. :thumb

[patch29]

Yep (http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback/).


I better start my wishlist now. :D

[Seamus]

Please let me preface this question by saying that I have a macbook specced and sitting in a basket on the apple site. I am not trolling or looking to upset anyone.

I have spent the last couple of days re-reading this thread and the links in it. There are reports on some websites that the macbooks get very hot. I was wondering if Patch and Wwax have noticed this?

I presume that because this (supposed) problem hasn't surfaced on this thread that everything is ok. I just want to be sure before I drop a substantial amount of money.

Thanks,

Shay.

[W.W. Webster]

There are reports on some websites that the macbooks get very hot.You may find the explanation here (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1790) is helpful.

[patch29]

Please let me preface this question by saying that I have a macbook specced and sitting in a basket on the apple site. I am not trolling or looking to upset anyone.

I have spent the last couple of days re-reading this thread and the links in it. There are reports on some websites that the macbooks get very hot. I was wondering if Patch and Wwax have noticed this?

I presume that because this (supposed) problem hasn't surfaced on this thread that everything is ok. I just want to be sure before I drop a substantial amount of money.

Thanks,

Shay.

Mine gets hot, but the fan does not kick on high very often, only if I run PS or something that needs a lot of processor power. So I hope the heat won't be a problem and so far it gets hot, but works. :dunno I am happy with it and I also have an older Ti Powerbook that ran hot too, so I don't see it as a huge problem.

[patch29]

Are you demoing it? Is it working?


No I can wait for the bug to get worked out and download it in a couple weeks. I have used NeoOffice on my G5 and I am starting to like it more than MS Office. :D No install keys to enter either in NeoOffice. :clap

[patch29]

You may find the explanation here (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1790) is helpful.


My vent was clear when I received it, glad it was not blocked like some were. :uhoh

[Seamus]

Thanks for the reassurance :thumb .

Shay.

[DavidTO]

No I can wait for the bug to get worked out and download it in a couple weeks. I have used NeoOffice on my G5 and I am starting to like it more than MS Office. :D No install keys to enter either in NeoOffice. :clap


MacAddict had a write up on Office replacements this month...I guess some important questions (for others making this decision) are do you need an OFFICE replacement, a word processor, does it have to be compatible with MS, what kind of WP do you do (i.e. Pages is very cool for a more graphic approach), etc., etc...

[patch29]

Thanks for the reassurance :thumb .

Shay.


I also think you can add the Applecare within the first year of purchase. $250 on a $1300 laptop, I will take the gamble and not purchase it, but if I see a lot of threads on them having problems in a few months I would probably add it, but I have faith that everything will work well. :thumb

[DavidTO]

I also think you can add the Applecare within the first year of purchase. $250 on a $1300 laptop, I will take the gamble and not purchase it, but if I see a lot of threads on them having problems in a few months I would probably add it, but I have faith that everything will work well. :thumb


I always get AppleCare on lappys.

[patch29]

MacAddict had a write up on Office replacements this month...I guess some important questions (for others making this decision) are do you need an OFFICE replacement, a word processor, does it have to be compatible with MS, what kind of WP do you do (i.e. Pages is very cool for a more graphic approach), etc., etc...


I use office for basic word processing, opening doc/xls flles from clients and simple spreadsheets, so NeoOffice should do everything and more than I need.

I don't do too many layouts, but I have access to PS, Illustrator, InDesign and GoLive, so I am covered for most of what I could need. The Apple apps are attractive to if I ever start making a lot more graphics and text pages.

I was at a friend's house and was having fun watching her ten year old nephew build is new web page in iweb on his ibook. He loves it. I cannot imagine how good young kids today will be with computers when they get to college. :thumb :thumb

[Mike Lane]

Please let me preface this question by saying that I have a macbook specced and sitting in a basket on the apple site. I am not trolling or looking to upset anyone.

I have spent the last couple of days re-reading this thread and the links in it. There are reports on some websites that the macbooks get very hot. I was wondering if Patch and Wwax have noticed this?

I presume that because this (supposed) problem hasn't surfaced on this thread that everything is ok. I just want to be sure before I drop a substantial amount of money.

Thanks,

Shay.

My 17" MBP hasn't gotten all that hot. No hotter than the past 3 windows laptops I've had for sure. When it's really kicking, it's uncomfortable on exposed skin just like all my other lappys. But some jeans or a blanket solves that (I know, don't block the vent fan...) I hear 17"ers don't have as much of a heat problem since they have more surface area to dissapate the heat. Sounds reasonable to me I suppose.

FWIW...

[patch29]

I always get AppleCare on lappys.

If I had more money invested in it (pro model), I probably would, but on the macbook it is 20% of the cost of a new one. :huh It is a lot smaller percentage on a 17" MBP, about 12.5%. I would rather put the $250 towards my next Macbook, which wxwax told me I will be buying in two years. :wxwax He forgot to factor in that I will probably get a 17" or 15" sooner than that. :deal :uhoh

[DavidTO]

If I had more money invested in it (pro model), I probably would, but on the macbook it is 20% of the cost of a new one. :huh It is a lot smaller percentage on a 17" MBP, about 12.5%. I would rather put the $250 towards my next Macbook, which wxwax told me I will be buying in two years. :wxwax He forgot to factor in that I will probably get a 17" or 15" sooner than that. :deal :uhoh


Or mebbe a MacBook Thin!

[Mike Lane]

MacAddict had a write up on Office replacements this month...I guess some important questions (for others making this decision) are do you need an OFFICE replacement, a word processor, does it have to be compatible with MS, what kind of WP do you do (i.e. Pages is very cool for a more graphic approach), etc., etc...

I'd like to jump in on this office thread too. I'd like something super cheap with a word processor, spreadsheet, and database. MS compatibility is preferred but not required. The internets haven't been all that willing to share this information with me just yet :D

[patch29]

Or mebbe a MacBook Thin!


I want excellent wifi, 8x or better DVD burning, 64 bit proc and I will think up some more later. :D

[patch29]

I'd like to jump in on this office thread too. I'd like something super cheap with a word processor, spreadsheet, and database. MS compatibility is preferred but not required. The internets haven't been all that willing to share this information with me just yet :D


As David posted, NeoOffice (http://neooffice.org/) looks like the right fit. It is free and I really like it so far. I have opened xls files and saved back to xls and doc files, so I think for basic use it is compatible. If you were heavy on charts and graphics it might not be as good with the compatibility, but I think it would still work very well on its own. The price is right, give it a try. I plan to donate towards the cause once I test it on my Macbook. Hassle free installation. :thumb

[Mike Lane]

As David posted, NeoOffice (http://neooffice.org/) looks like the right fit. It is free and I really like it so far. I have opened xls files and saved back to xls and doc files, so I think for basic use it is compatible. If you were heavy on charts and graphics it might not be as good with the compatibility, but I think it would still work very well on its own. The price is right, give it a try. I plan to donate towards the cause once I test it on my Macbook. Hassle free installation. :thumb

It didn't look like it's ready for the intel macs yet. Did I not look closely enough?

[patch29]

It didn't look like it's ready for the intel macs yet. Did I not look closely enough?

No you are right, they are still in Alpha testing, so it would cost a little to try it now, but in a couple weeks it should be available for free. I think it will be worth the wait.

[jimf]

You may find the explanation here (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1790) is helpful.

They get pretty warm even without something blocking the vent. When I pushed mine particularly hard with Aperture I saw the processor hit 87F (that's 188F). That's way hot. But most of the time it hovers in the mid to high 60s, warm but not ridiculous, and it's rare it breaks 80C even running Photoshop under Rosetta.

Even so the left underside gets pretty warm in normal use, don't rest it on bare skin.

I'm still quite happy with the purchase, warm running, glossy screen, odd keyboard and all. It is a better work machine than my old 12" powerbook, particularly since I can run Windows under Parallels and basically get two laptops for the price of one.

Someone mentioned skipping AppleCare. I wouldn't. We've had pretty good luck with the laptops but we've had issues too; my wife's 17" powerbook has been back for a new motherboard and latch sensor and the WiFi still doesn't work reliably (meaning sometimes it stops working completely, not merely poor reception). AppleCare was a good deal on that one. I probably wouldn't get it for most of the desktops (except the Quad, with its liquid cooling system) but the laptops are more likely to develop issues.

[StevenV]

Even so the left underside gets pretty warm in normal use, don't rest it on bare skin. I haven't measured the temp, but my Powerbook (non-Intel) and wintel laptop are also "pretty warm in normal use," and I make sure I don't rest them on bare skin either.

[wxwax]

I want excellent wifi, 8x or better DVD burning, 64 bit proc and I will think up some more later. :D
4GB memory.

Send me a .doc written with NeoOffice, I want to see what it looks like on a PC.

[wxwax]

Please let me preface this question by saying that I have a macbook specced and sitting in a basket on the apple site. I am not trolling or looking to upset anyone.

I have spent the last couple of days re-reading this thread and the links in it. There are reports on some websites that the macbooks get very hot. I was wondering if Patch and Wwax have noticed this?

I presume that because this (supposed) problem hasn't surfaced on this thread that everything is ok. I just want to be sure before I drop a substantial amount of money.

Thanks,

Shay.
The bottom front left corner gets pretty warm.

It's not painful. But I do notice that it negates the AC in the living room - I don't cool off as well with the Macbook on my lap.

I'd say it's a bit warmer than my tiny Vaio, but it's not as if it feels like it's going to catch fire. Not that big a deal, to me. :dunno

[wxwax]

MacAddict had a write up on Office replacements this month...I guess some important questions (for others making this decision) are do you need an OFFICE replacement, a word processor, does it have to be compatible with MS, what kind of WP do you do (i.e. Pages is very cool for a more graphic approach), etc., etc...
From my point of view, if it can't interact seamlessly with, and (equally importantly) look good on Office, then it's dead to me.

The world uses Office, so any substitute must be interchangeable not only in basic function but also in aesthetic capabilities.

[patch29]

4GB memory.


right'o, add in a larger 7200 rpm HD too.

[Mike Lane]

If I can get MS office for Mac for cheap (full version for $30-ish cheap) would that be better than the openoffice/neooffice in your guys' opinions? MS office for Mac, good or bad?

[DavidTO]

If I can get MS office for Mac for cheap (full version for $30-ish cheap) would that be better than the openoffice/neooffice in your guys' opinions? MS office for Mac, good or bad?


That would be fine. Supposed to be better than the Windows version, from what I hear. But either way, fine.

[W.W. Webster]

... I can get MS office for Mac for cheap (full version for $30-ish cheap) ...I'd stay with MS Office at that price. Neo is fine for free, but it's interface is a bit clunky and it renders documents on the screen a bit strangely, IMHO.

[wxwax]

If I can get MS office for Mac for cheap (full version for $30-ish cheap) would that be better than the openoffice/neooffice in your guys' opinions? MS office for Mac, good or bad?
:huh Where?

[Mike Lane]

:huh Where?MS company store :D

[patch29]

Macbooks and staining? read here (http://blog.wired.com/cultofmac/index.blog?entry_id=1501430).

maybe I should have held out for the black one after all. :wxwax

I noticed mine looking a little dirty the other day and hoped it would just clean up.

[wxwax]

MS company store :D
:wxwax

:bluduh

[Mike Lane]

Anyone using the firefox that's been optimized for macs (http://www.beatnikpad.com/archives/2006/06/04/firefox-1504)? Supposedly runs faster and has native aqua form widgets (sounds more teh s3xy david :wink).

[patch29]

Free apps for OSX. I found the link on digg. :thumb

Nifty OS X apps list (http://generaldisarray.wordpress.com/2006/02/11/nifty-os-x-apps-list/)

[patch29]

Any repair tips?

I have an old G3 PB Pismo. It just stopped getting power one day, long ago. I never bothered to look at it, but today I took it to the Apple Store to see if the power adapter was broken, they plugged in a new one and nothing. So I think it might be the part where the power adapter plugs into the PB, it does fell a bit odd. So what to do? :dunno I wonder if it is fixable, inexpensively. If it did get back to working it would be good for surfing, email and simple stuff. Just curious to see if anyone has any good ideas. :ear

[patch29]

Boot Camp vs Parallels article here (http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2990&article=Apple+Bootcamp+versus+Parallels).

[jimf]

So I think it might be the part where the power adapter plugs into the PB, it does fell a bit odd. So what to do?

I am not sure how Apple mounts their connectors but it has to be attached to the motherboard somehow. Often the connector is soldered right to the board and the board provides a lot of the support for the connector. If this is the case it is pretty easy for the connector to be pried loose from the board by pulling on the plug the right (wrong) way, in which case it will work intermittently or not at all.

I have killed both consumer electronics and laptops this way. If this is the case it is probably possible (and not especially difficult) to re-solder the connector onto the board.

[patch29]

I am not sure how Apple mounts their connectors but it has to be attached to the motherboard somehow. Often the connector is soldered right to the board and the board provides a lot of the support for the connector. If this is the case it is pretty easy for the connector to be pried loose from the board by pulling on the plug the right (wrong) way, in which case it will work intermittently or not at all.

I have killed both consumer electronics and laptops this way. If this is the case it is probably possible (and not especially difficult) to re-solder the connector onto the board.


Thanks, I will have to see if I can disassemble it. I found some documentation, but it is not the simplest thing to do on that Powerbook. I have nothing to lose by try to fix it.