Mac

Windows File Sharing with Apple's Time Capsule Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Known mostly as a companion to Apple Leopard's Time Machine automatic back-up system, the Time Capsule also plays nicely with others by sharing files and a printer. I recently installed a Time Capsule in an office to back-up Apple and Windows computers as well as serve files and a printer. True to Apple fashion, the Time Capsule is relatively easy to install and use, but there are a few gotchas which I did not find in the documentation. This article will help guide you in setting up Windows file sharing.

BBEdit 9 - It Doesn't Suck Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

BBEdit 9, a professional HTML and text editor, introduces several new features including Projects, text completion, preference syncing via MobileMe and a Scratchpad. Also updated is Ruby language support, JavaScript support and the ability to transparently open and save bz2 compressed files.

I think of BBEdit as the Swiss Army Knife of text editors. I use BBEdit for more than just creating web pages and scripts: reformatting text, massaging data into a database import format, finding specific text, comparing files, comparing folders of files, checking syntax, writing content, spell checking, sorting, removing duplicates, FTP transfers and reviewing tag attributes. This application is always open on my computers and is the focal point of any web development project. I also write content in BBEdit instead of a word processor like Microsoft Word and then copy the developed content to Word or InDesign.

Switching to a Mac Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

I recently switched to a MacBook Pro as my main laptop. My whole office is Microsoft based and all of the computers at work are Windows. I was concerned at first about how I would communicate and interface with our network and the software that we used and write. I have found over the past few weeks that alternatives are available for just about everything I need, often better and cheaper (or free!). And there are even answers for the few things I need that only run in Windows. I thought a list of what I have done might help those that are considering making such a move.

A Leisurely Look at Leopard - Part II: Look and Feel, Time and Space Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Leopard has introduced many new features to OS X -- more than 300, by Apple's count. This article focuses on some of the most important, including the easiest way to backup ever, multiple workspaces for enhanced productivity, and some controversial interface changes.

A Leisurely Look at Leopard - Part I: Installation and New Features Overview Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

If you have a recent Mac but don't yet have Leopard (the newest, 10.5 iteration of OS X), you're undoubtedly wondering whether to buy and install it. Some PC users too may also be wondering if the newest version of the Mac operating system warrants the switch they have been contemplating. This article will try to help answer such questions -- the short answer is "yes" -- by walking you through a Leopard upgrade installation and briefly describing some of Leopard's major new features. A future installment will cover key features in more detail.

Installing ColdFusion 8 on Mac OS X
Reader Level: Reader Level

ColdFusion 8, the latest and greatest, is the first version to be released under Adobe's auspices, and that makes a difference -- installing CF on OS X is easier than ever.

Approximate download size: 952k

Triple Threat III: Tri-Platform Perfection Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Although VMware Fusion is not as well known as Parallels, it gives you -- together with Apple's Boot Camp -- the smoothest, most polished way to run a killer three-platform developer machine.

The Triple Threat Series:
Triple Threat: Adding a Third OS to Your Dual-Boot Mac
Triple Threat II: Tiger, Vista & Ubuntu
Triple Threat III: Tri-Platform Perfection

Triple Threat II: Tiger, Vista & Ubuntu Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Are you using Parallels to run Windows on your Mac, or thinking about it? Then why not a Linux virtual machine as well?

The Triple Threat Series:
Triple Threat: Adding a Third OS to Your Dual-Boot Mac
Triple Threat II: Tiger, Vista & Ubuntu

Triple Threat: Adding a Third OS to Your Dual-Boot Mac Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Think you're cool for running Tiger and Vista on the same machine? Try this on for size.

The Triple Threat Series:
Triple Threat: Adding a Third OS to Your Dual-Boot Mac
Triple Threat II: Tiger, Vista & Ubuntu

Running Windows on a Mac
Reader Level: Reader Level

You've heard that others are doing it ... running Windows and other operating systems on their Macs. And you're envious. It's not as difficult as you'd expect. In fact, it's quite painless and much of the drudgery has been taken out of the process. Here's a look at how you can set up Windows to run on an Intel Mac using either Parallels or Apple's Bootcamp. This article compares the pros and cons of Parallels vs. Bootcamp, gives you insider advice and how-to's, and provides resources for further information.

My First MacWorld (with Flashforward!) Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Whoah. As in a Joey Lawrence, "whoah." Cheesy, but it's pretty much how I felt as a Macworld newbie this week in San Francisco. Lynda Weinman had asked me back in October if I was interested in presenting a Flash Video session at Macworld. Since I had never been to a Macworld conference, I took the opportunity to go. I arrived Sunday night and prepped my slides and sample files on my brand new black MacBook, packing a sweet Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Little did I know that night just how rewarding the following two days were going to be.

Podcasting for Teachers Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Trinity University teamed up with Teach for America to provide a Masters in Education program for some of its teachers in Washington, D.C. Throughout the month of June, I taught 28 young, eager K-12 teachers - mostly of special education students - how to better utilize technology in the classroom. One of our projects was the podcast. This article will tell you all about how we built our podcasts from completely free resources.



A Parallels Universe
Reader Level: Reader Level

Parallels Workstation is an inexpensive desktop virtualization solution that has been generating a lot of buzz lately. This review puts the software through its paces and lets you see how it stacks up against its competition. You'll see how to install a Linux virtual machine on your Windows workstation, so you can develop and test on both operating systems and have the best of both worlds.

From iPhoto to Flash Video: Creating a Custom Slideshow for the Web
Reader Level: Reader Level

Recently the school district where I work conducted our annual technology conference—a huge event that requires months of planning by the team that I work on, culminating in a single-day event attended by over 1,300 teachers.

To capture the whirlwind of activity that it requires to pull this off I wanted to grab as many photos as possible during the set up and then share them with members of my team and with the other volunteers that help us. And to make it more engaging than simply sharing a bunch of pictures, I decided this year to set the photos to music and produce a slideshow that has the proper musical accompaniment.

In this article I'll discuss how I created our little music video using a number of tools on my Macintosh. Yes, this is a decidedly Mac specific project. The video itself was generated using a combination of iTunes, iPhoto, Quicktime Pro, and finally published as a Flash video so that everyone would be able to see and hear my tribute to all of those who worked so hard to make our event a success.

Build a Dashboard Widget
Reader Level: Reader Level

Widgets and the new Dashboard feature introduced some serious eye candy with the debut of Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" last year. But widgets can be seriously useful, too — not to mention great fun. This tutorial walks you through a fully functional CMX RSS feed reader widget created for Tiger. You'll see how it works...and how you can modify it to create your own Dashboard widget.

Approximate download size: 552k

Cool GoLive Features Part 4: The QuickTime Editor
Reader Level: Reader Level

It's really rather surprising. Hidden in Adobe GoLive you get a whole other application: a QuickTime movie maker and editor. It includes everything from Sprite tools to Flash integration to drop-dead simple slide shows. So don't despair if you don't have an expensive, dedicated movie editing program but you do have Adobe CS2. You will be amazed at what you can do with the GoLive QuickTime Editor.

In this first tutorial in the QuickTime series, we'll look at the GoLive QuickTime tools and environment, and then create a slide show movie with picture, sound and text tracks. In upcoming tutorials we will look at Sprites, Flash integration, filters, and other more advanced GoLive QuickTime features.
This tutorial includes a sample MP3 and folder of images so that you can follow along.

Approximate download size: 1.8MB

ColdFusion 7 on OS X: Finally, It's Official
Reader Level: Reader Level

With the 7.01 release of ColdFusion, Macromedia (or perhaps Adobe) has seen the light and officially designated OS X Tiger as a supported platform. There is a slick new Mac installer to go with the new designation, and this tutorial will walk you through the process of installing the latest, greatest, officially supported version of ColdFusion on your Mac.

What To Do with an Obsolete Mac
Reader Level: Reader Level

A (semi-)lighthearted look at Apple's coming transition to Intel chips, and strategies for coping before and after the change.

Best of Both Worlds: Open Source on OS X Tiger
Reader Level: Reader Level

Tiger is a great upgrade, but it requires some tweaking to maximize everything on your system. This article shows you how to install or upgrade the Fink package manager, so you can run all the latest Linux/open source programs on your Mac. The article also addresses the Mac's unique position in the open source world, and lists other alternatives developers have for running open source apps.

A First Look at Tiger Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Mac OS 10.4 Tiger has been eagerly awaited and heavily hyped. Now that it's here, should you upgrade? In a word, yes.

AppleScript: A Mini Introduction
Reader Level: Reader Level

AppleScript has long been one of the distinguishing features of the Macintosh, and it's better than ever in OS X. This mini introduction to Apple's scripting language will show you how to set up and use Script Editor, and walk you through a few example scripts.

ColdFusion MX 7 on Macintosh OS X: Part 2 Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

Part 2 in our CF 7/Panther series shows you how to install the latest version of ColdFusion with JRun 4 in a number of different scenarios: as a new version, as an upgrade from an earlier version, or as a parallel installation with your existing version of ColdFusion.

ColdFusion MX 7 on Macintosh OS X: Part 1
Reader Level: Reader Level

Want to run the latest version of ColdFusion on OS X Panther? Part 1 of this tutorial will walk you through an installation of CF 7 that will work even if you're already running CF 6.1 on your Mac. Part 2 will show you how to upgrade an earlier ColdFusion installation to ColdFusion MX 7.

Code Free or Buy - Part 2: Open Source Options for OS X Web Developers
Reader Level: Reader Level

Can you really do professional-level work using free and open source software? Actually, yes--and surprisingly often. This article looks at the current open source options available to OS X-based web developers and contrasts them with the commercial alternatives, so you know when to Code Free and when to Buy.

ColdFusion on OS X
Reader Level: Reader Level

ColdFusion, Macromedia's powerful server-side scripting language, is not just for Windows developers. You can harness the power of ColdFusion and Java on your Mac by installing the free CF Developer Edition, which provides the same functionality as the top-of-the-line ColdFusion MX Enterprise. This tutorial will walk you through the installaton step-by-step, show you how to install the latest updaters for both JRun and ColdFusion, discuss your database options for ColdFusion on the Mac and show you how to write a shell script to start JRun and ColdFusion automatically upon login.

Testing Safari Compatibility on a PC
Reader Level: Reader Level

Safari is quickly becoming the dominant web browser for Mac users. Unfortunately, because it's a Mac only product, many PC developers fail to adjust or even make any considerations for how their sites will appear for all those Mac people on the web. In this article we'll take a brief look at the history and common ties between various browsers, how they affected Safari's development, and how the PC developers can better optimize their sites for Safari without having to rush out and buy a Mac themselves.

BBEdit 8: Better Than Ever Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

The last version of BBEdit was a tough act to follow. This world-class, Mac-only text editor excelled at web development tasks and Unix command line scripting alike. But the new BBEdit 8 looks even better. It's packed with over 100 new features, including some major productivity enhancers. This review will take a look at the major new features offered in this release, so you can determine whether to upgrade (or switch!).

More Fun With Fink
Reader Level: Reader Level

Want more open-source apps for your Mac? How about 3500?

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to modify your Mac OS X Fink package manager configuration to access and install a wider range of open-source applications (including the latest and greatest), and run them side-by-side with your favorite Mac apps. You'll also learn how to install the current version of the GIMP, an open-source Photoshop alternative.

Parallel PHP: Running PHP 4 and PHP 5 on the Same Computer - Part 1
Reader Level: Reader Level

The advances in PHP 5 take the language to a new level, yet most of the world is still running PHP 4. Here's how to have the best of both worlds on one development machine. Part 1 of this article shows you how to add PHP 5 to an existing PHP 4 installation on OS X, and seamlessly switch between the two. Part 2 will show you how to do the same on Windows.

BBEdit: The Basics and Beyond - Part 2
Reader Level: Reader Level

In Part 1 of this article, we toured BBEdit's basic setup and core capabilities and learned why it's widely regarded as a great HTML editor. Part 2 takes BBEdit to the next level, showing you how to leverage its extensibility with AppleScript to create a lean, mean PHP-coding machine, and a perfect partner for Dreamweaver on the Mac.

BBEdit: The Basics and Beyond - Part 1
Reader Level: Reader Level

Everyone knows BBEdit is a great HTML editor, and a long-time favorite on the Mac platform. But did you know that BBEdit can be extensively customized to work with various web programming languages? Or that BBEdit is thoroughly integrated with Unix, Perl and Python? Part 1 of this two-part article walks you through BBEdit's basic set-up and core capabilities. In Part 2, you'll learn how to use AppleScript and Unix to turn BBEdit into a lean, mean PHP-coding machine (with techniques you can apply to other languages as well).

Fun With Fink
Reader Level: Reader Level

Fink is a powerful package manager for Linux and Unix open-source software on Mac OS X/X11. Using Fink, you can install more than 1700 flexible (and free) open-source packages — including valuable web development tools — from binaries or source. This tutorial will show you how to get Fink installed on your Mac, and then show you how to install and configure Bluefish, a popular Linux-based text editor for programmers. You'll learn how to run Linux programs side-by-side with your OS X favorites, via X11.

X11 on OS X
Reader Level: Reader Level

Mac OS X is the only Unix-based system that can run a wide range of world-class creative software like Macromedia Studio MX or Adobe Photoshop. You can make OS X an even sweeter creative/development platform by installing X11 and extending the power of the Mac's Unix core. This tutorial gets you started with X11 by showing you how to install and configure it, and then takes you through an install of the increasingly popular open-source office suite, OpenOffice.

Should You Upgrade to Panther? Free!
Reader Level: Reader Level

The latest version of the Macintosh OS, nicknamed Panther, is said to significantly improve your Mac experience. Is the upgrade worth the expense? What new features are most significant? And for Macromedia MX users, are some of the performance issues on the Mac addressed by upgrading? Find out the answer to these questions and more.