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Create custom browsers

Suppose you want to change the permissions settings of most or all the items in a given folder. Perhaps you want to modify permissions so you can access the content of files you would normally be prevented from editing. Or perhaps the permissions of your own files have somehow gotten messed up so that you can no longer copy or move them.

Part of the $39 MacHeist bundle

Here's a version of a script we use on all our machines in an attempt to reduce energy usage with a minimum of visible impact on users. Our machines are set to not sleep during the day. This script runs hourly, and if it's after 7pm and the machine has been idle for 20 minutes or more, it tries to sleep the machine if someone is logged in, or shut it down if no-one is logged in. The machine is also set to automatically startup or wake at 6am M-F. The net result is that most of our desktop machines go to sleep or shutdown a little after 7pm each weeknight and wake up at 6am each week morning, and our users are none the wiser.

About a year ago, we bought an Intel-based Xserve with a pair of 80 GB SATA drives to act as our primary Web server. When the boot drive went flaky on us in October 2008, we were able to recover from the backup on the second drive and off-site backups, if a little shakily (see "TidBITS Outage Causes Editors Outrage", 2008-10-07). But although we were able to bring the machine back online, we didn't trust the drive that had failed. Since the Xserve has three drive bays, the obvious solution was to purchase another drive. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Not so much.

Strangely hidden from the casual user is a spiffy command line utility that allows you to view, configure, and troubleshoot your Mac's wireless connection. It doesn't appear to be well documented, and judging by the obscure location of the command, Apple probably didn't think it would be too useful for the average Mac user. But the hidden command line airport tool is very useful indeed, so here is how to access it, and how you can use it too. The first thing you'll want to do is create a symbolic link to the airport command, because it is situated in a very inconvenient location for quick usage.

Visage allows you to easily and safely customize the appearance of your Mac.  The preference pane's simple interface contains several tabs, each of which will help you customize a different part of your Mac. You can run screen savers as your desktop background, customize your login panel, personalize system alerts, and more! Visage keeps track of Apple's default settings for every customization, so you can easily switch back to the original settings at any time.

I've had a few instances where there was no way to setup round robin DNS or a load balancer and we were looking to alternate between a bunch of software update servers.  In order to do so, I've written a quick shell script to do so.  Here it is, in pieces, so it makes sense.

situations when you might need to defrag - and why you usually don't need to

An article discussing the features the rumored third generation iPhone might include. Before you fall in love what is talked about inside, remember, this is all just rumor and we'll all have to wait and see if it comes to fruition. Come check them out.

one more to print and keep at hand

A new private beta

Here's a cleaned-up version of the script I use, with site-specific stuff removed for the most part. If you use this, you'll need to modify the paths to any local user home directories for any local users you have on your image. There are generic examples for a local admin user named "admin" and the root user (which if you never login as root, you shouldn't have to clean up!)

vintage, obsolete, and incompatible software

A peek at the features that made it to the new iPhone 3G S, plus some of the lesser known announcements that came today at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference.

For iPhone users, Tipard iPhone Software Pack for Mac is really the all-in-one Mac iPhone Software to convert DVD/video to iPhone, transfer iPhone files and create iPhone Ringtone.

As discounted pack tool, Tipard iPod Software Pack for Mac is the professional Mac iPod software to convert DVD/video to iPod, transfer iPod files and make iPhone ringtone.

If you are thinking about deploying Microsoft Office 2008 in your environment, there are some preferences you should consider managing.

Tipard iPhone Transfer Pro for Mac is the professional iPhone Transfer for Mac to backup songs or videos from iPhone/iPod to Mac local disk to store files in case the crashes.