The last metre we tick , more than 60 percent of you had upgraded to OS X 10.4 , also known as Tiger . If our reader surveys about the October issue are to be believed , pretty much every one of you who has made that switch — plus a tidy numeral who haven’t — say that issue ’s cover tarradiddle , Tiger Secrets declassify . And approximate by the volume of mail we receive , pretty much every one of you Tiger switcher wrote to tell us what you thought of the new osmium and our story .
Burning bright
Roseann Hanson — One of your tips in “ Dashboard Confidential ” ( “ Tiger Secrets Declassified , ” October 2005 ) predict a room to “ root for as many widgets into the Finder layer as you wish . ” I followed the charge , but I can get only one widget at a prison term to stay in the Finder . Even then , I ca n’t manage the widget ’s functions . For good example , when I trail World Clock ( which I use to cue myself what meter it is in Nairobi , where I have business ) onto the Finder bed , it revert to my nonpayment metropolis . Same with Phone Book . Also , if I draw up splasher using F12 , the thingmajig I added to the Finder level show up there , and then I have to drag in it to the Finder all over again . This seems like a tremendous musical theme , and I ’d get it on to make it work . Any fixes ?
What you ’re describing is what happened in versions of Tiger prior to 10.4.2 if you did n’t successfully switch to devmode first ( which , as the original instructions aim out , you get by establish Terminal and typingdefaults save com.apple.dashboard devmode YES).—Ed .
Alan Oppenheimer ( President , Open Door Networks)—I have to disagree with what you say about Stealth Mode and the Mac ’s security in your tip “ veil Your Mac from Hackers . ” Although there are a few potential advantages to using it with any firewall , it really wo n’t keep most cyberpunk from discovering a Mac — or any other machine , for that subject . It will block ICMP pings , but most hackers are n’t using those any longer . They ’re in the main just looking around for specific open ports , so if those embrasure are opened on your Mac , that ’s when you might be in trouble ( although usually , of course , the tone-beginning take on that a Windows machine is attached to the opened port ) .
William E. Parberry — I appreciated “ Tiger Secrets declassify , ” but some of those “ secret ” needed more account . For deterrent example , in the bakshish “ Get Networked On - the - Go , ” the account of how to set up a Fire - Wire connection between two computers omitted a step or two after you set off Personal File Sharing . I thought Connect To Server would mechanically make one computer get the other , but it was not that simple . Neither computer could obtain the other until I enabled Using DHCP With Manual Address ( in the web taste pane ) on each and supplied disjoined IP addresses to them .
We do n’t doubt that extra step are required in some case ; because internet setup can motley so much , it ’s hard to track all the hypothesis in one inadequate lead . But that tip should work as written for most users.—Ed .
What are we losing?
A. W. Labrador — I believe you need to do more than regurgitate Apple and Intel praseodymium about why the Mac changeover to Intel processors is such a good thing ( “ Intel ’s Road Map,”Mac Beat , October 2005 ) . What I ’d care to see inMacworldis an article explaining what we willlosewhen Apple stop over using PowerPC chips . For example , as IBM ’s late announcement of low - tycoon PowerPC chips exhibit , just because there is n’t a PowerBook G5 now does n’t mean that it ’s impossible to make one , or that a PowerBook G6 is just a aspiration . Why did n’t you mention that Sony and Microsoft are using PowerPC - related chips in their next - multiplication game consoles ? I do n’t handle how Intel ’s succeeding CPUs equate with IBM ’s current PowerPC chips . I want to do it how Intel ’s succeeding CPUs will ( or may ) compare with IBM’sfuturePowerPC chips . ( Just because IBM had problem in delivering on its route map in the past does n’t mean that Intel wo n’t have or has n’t had similar problem . ) And while performance per watt is a valid metric for laptops , what does the Intel move intend for future workstation - course desktops , where thoroughgoing public presentation matters most ? As a scientist and a Mac exploiter , I ’d care to cognise about the implications of the Intel changeover for scientific and other high-pitched - performance calculation . do it what we are throw up in this transition is as crucial as what we endure to gain .
Not really “pro”
Lee Carroll — Yikes ! You give Soundtrack Pro your in high spirits rating ( Reviews , October 2005 ) . As a professional videographer and phallus of the Audio Engineering Society who uses Final Cut Pro , I find Soundtrack Pro almost unserviceable . Importing a multitrack video project from FCP into STP for admixture simply is n’t viable . STP does n’t recognize the constellation of stereo system and mono tracks and assigns these attributes any way it wants . Also , STP does n’t let you aggroup or make stereo track “ after the fact , ” as FCP does . Mixing , creating effects , and so on are then moot : your running are everywhere , not linked as you would await . I ’m waitress for an rise to fixate this . It ’s a great political program concept , and I ’m sealed it work well in the area you tested . But it ’s not quick for prize time for those of us who thought it would go well with FCP , and it ’s not deserving five mice just yet .
Off base
Grant Kielczewski — In his review article of Griffin Technology ’s AirBase ( Mac Gems , October 2005 ) , Dan Frakes justifies spending $ 25 for what he admits is a “ exalt power cable ” just so he can grade his AirPort Express on a desk , a ledge , or another accessible placement ; see the indicator light ; and have a cable - direction eyelet . I must be leave out something . The AirBase provides no advantages that could n’t be had by buying a 10 - cent nylon conducting wire tie and moving the AirPort Express to a different localization . Reviews like these are an attack to free the existence of a surfeit of useless products that extend no advantage to a Mac user beyond esthetic appeal . I expect more fromMacworld .
Dan Frakes ’s initial response to the AirBase was exchangeable to yours . But after using it for a while , he changed his tune . Sure , you’re able to buy an reference cable for $ 5 or $ 10 that would have you put your AirPort Express on a ledge , and you’re able to envelop your power , Ethernet , and USB cable length together with a conducting wire tie . But if you ’ve ever had to retrieve your AirPort Express after it fell behind your desk , you ’ll apprise the weight down , nonslip AirBase . Plus , wing cords and twist ties are n’t very attractive . Many Mac users — and we admit ourselves in that group — are willing to pay a few special dollar for unspoilt design.—Ed .
Don’t forget Safari
Josh Locker — study about Taboo ( Mac Gems , October 2005 ) , I was surprised that anyone atMacworldwould admit to prefer Safari over Firefox . Almost everyone I know who has tried Firefox now swears by it . For the disk , I tried Firefox before it had reached interlingual rendition 1.0 , but I switched back to , and have quell with , Safari 2.0 ever since .
Super error
Richard Stovall — On page 74 of the October way out ( “ Which Mac Is Right for You ? ” ) , you state that all PowerBooks come with a SuperDrive . I found that odd since , at the time , I was reading that very issue on a PowerBook with a Combo drive . Dreading the possibleness that perhaps Apple had made the SuperDrive a standard feature film on all PowerBooks , I hopped on over towww.apple.comand detect that the 12- and 15 - inch PowerBooks are still available with Combo drives . Fortunately for my obsessional nature , you guys were mistaken , and I can rest well in the fact that I did n’t buy my PowerBook too presently .
You are correct . We apologise for the fault , which was introduced during redaction and is not present in the Adam C. Engst e - book on which the clause was based.—Ed .
