Smarterware » Mac OS X http://smarterware.org A blog about software Tue, 15 May 2012 20:17:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 No Facebook in Ping After All http://smarterware.org/6633/no-facebook-in-ping-after-all http://smarterware.org/6633/no-facebook-in-ping-after-all#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:24:12 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=6633 Yesterday on TWiG, Leo and Jeff and I discussed Facebook integration in Ping--Leo didn't know it was there, but looking at the screenshots on Apple's site, before I got the iTunes 10 download, I said it was there. But even though the Ping web page reads "Find even more music fans...by connecting to your Facebook account" right now, Kara Swisher reports that Steve Jobs told her there's no Facebook in Ping because they wanted "onerous terms that we could not agree to." So, I stand corrected. Ping is a completely walled garden.

]]> http://smarterware.org/6633/no-facebook-in-ping-after-all/feed 8 Fill Every Last Megabyte of Your iPod’s Free Space http://smarterware.org/4176/fill-every-last-megabyte-of-your-ipods-free-space http://smarterware.org/4176/fill-every-last-megabyte-of-your-ipods-free-space#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:14:32 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=4176 When you sync your iPod/iPhone in iTunes 9 and you've got space left, check off the "Automatically fill free space with songs" box on the Music tab to use every last free megabyte. As David Chartier at The Finer Things in Mac site notes, there's no way to see what songs iTunes pulls and adds there for you. I'd like to think it uses some sort of smarts to determine what songs you haven't synced that you should have. Either way, nifty feature for quickly filling up your player without having to check off playlists manually.

]]> http://smarterware.org/4176/fill-every-last-megabyte-of-your-ipods-free-space/feed 3 Chrome Beta for Mac/Linux Released http://smarterware.org/3975/chrome-beta-for-maclinux-released-with-extensions-gallery http://smarterware.org/3975/chrome-beta-for-maclinux-released-with-extensions-gallery#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:53:21 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=3975 Today Google finally releases a beta of Google Chrome for Mac and Linux. I've been using a Chromium build on my Mac for awhile now, and while it's faster than Firefox on the Mac, it's not nearly as fast and stable as the Windows version of Chrome. Also, without Google Gears for Mac OS X 10.6, Chrome and Google webapps are even less useful on the Mac. While I was on the road with my MacBook over the last few weeks, I found myself missing my desktop PC back at home only because of the more-stable Chrome and Gears availability. Will Gears for 10.6 will ever come out, since they're phasing it out in favor of HTML5? With features that depend on Gears like offline Gmail coming out of Labs, you'd think so.

]]> http://smarterware.org/3975/chrome-beta-for-maclinux-released-with-extensions-gallery/feed 0 Free or Cheap Image Editors for Mac (More than Preview, Less Than Photoshop) http://smarterware.org/3512/free-or-cheap-image-editors-for-mac-more-than-preview-less-than-photoshop http://smarterware.org/3512/free-or-cheap-image-editors-for-mac-more-than-preview-less-than-photoshop#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:52:16 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=3512 After trying several of the suggestions, I settled on the $60 Pixelmator, which was my pick on today's episode of MacBreak Weekly. 184 replies


    Public replies to ginatrapani's post:

    Free/cheap image editor for the Mac? Something more than Preview, less than Photoshop... what do you use?

  • robpegoraro: How many people have already suggested Graphic Converter? ($34.95 shareware, lemkesoft.com)
    2009.08.31, 6:24am
  • Gyroscope352: Seashore. Based on GIMP, but is native! No X11 required. Hasn't had an update in a long time, but is supposedly still supported
    2009.08.31, 6:17am
  • mtechman: scroll down to "if you need more powerful..." http://bit.ly/41Gc9z
    2009.08.31, 6:44am
  • kiala: We use Lightroom. Love it!
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • alexchoi: seashore is ok, gimpshop is painful and so is aqua gimp but doable
    2009.08.31, 7:00am
  • mattforsythe: Pixelmator.
    2009.08.31, 6:11am
  • chicageek: I use Pixelmator: powerful enough for editing, yet fast and simple to use - http://www.pixelmator.com/
    2009.08.31, 6:15am
  • tcabeen: The GIMP isn't much less than photoshop, but it's free. Open Source, even. And super robust.
    2009.08.31, 6:10am
  • StephenFleming: Acorn. Bought all of them, happiest with Acorn.
    2009.08.31, 8:30am
  • monagrayson: I wish Irfanview existed for the Mac. I loved that thing for my Sony Vaio.
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • joshfraser: skitch.com
    2009.08.31, 6:13am
  • dougkaye: Free/cheap image editor for the Mac? Seashore: Free/cheap image editor for the Mac?
    2009.08.31, 7:08am
  • dougkaye: Free/cheap image editor for the Mac? Seashore: http://seashore.sourceforge.net/
    2009.08.31, 7:10am
  • njashanmal: re free image editor: GIMP is a good, if slightly complex one. Several simpler online ones like Picnik
    2009.08.31, 12:37pm
  • kimbui: I've always used Imagewell or picnik for simple editing.
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • jeffmacintyre: Gimp
    2009.08.31, 6:17am
  • mattthomas: http://www.flyingmeat.com/acorn/
    2009.08.31, 11:50am
  • lawduck: GIMP is open source and very usable for Mac. Photoshop-level in some bits, less so in others.
    2009.08.31, 6:10am
  • mheerema: Pixelmator?
    2009.08.31, 6:16am
  • barrysaunders: seashore.
    2009.08.31, 6:39am
  • herbg: http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/ is the fist thing that comes to mind.
    2009.08.31, 6:13am
  • allysonrobinson: ImageWell. It's fast and lean, just like they say. One of my top apps...couldn't get along without it.
    2009.08.31, 6:13am
  • azrael: imagewell
    2009.08.31, 6:20am
  • BRoodman: Xee or Skitch http://bit.ly/2NFnV7
    2009.08.31, 6:19am
  • JoelEsler: iPhoto.
    2009.08.31, 6:14am
  • 1lenore: Putting in my vote for GraphicConverter.
    2009.08.31, 2:41pm
  • lwaldal: i use iphoto and http://www.picnik.com
    2009.08.31, 6:37am
  • kottkrig: Pixelmator is nice but a tad expensive. Seashore is the best free alternative.
    2009.08.31, 6:13am
  • williamsmith: Pixelmator is pretty cool
    2009.08.31, 6:20am
  • kylekeesling: sometimes I use Seashore, great for resizing and some other basic editing, has layers too http://bit.ly/mS3Cj
    2009.08.31, 6:13am
  • NekoNick: I love Acorn. I got the registered version as part of the last MacHeist bundle, but the free version is exactly the same.
    2009.08.31, 6:59am
  • tom_murphy: gimp
    2009.08.31, 6:11am
  • thesp0nge: pixelmator works fine imho and it's not expensive
    2009.08.31, 6:23am
  • raawmarkus: Check out Pixelmator!
    2009.08.31, 6:11am
  • raawmarkus: Pixelmator is great, many more simular alternatives here: http://alternativeto.net/desktop/pixelmator/
    2009.08.31, 6:24am
  • NoahGK: I use GIMP with x11 which is OSS and I've heard folks dig Acorn for $50, http://tinyurl.com/396ggs
    2009.08.31, 6:37am
  • jmoo2: Pixlr.com. I thought u were "Cloud Girl"?
    2009.08.31, 2:15pm
  • robsheppard: Gimp. http://www.gimp.org/
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • mattg: Seashore
    2009.08.31, 6:14am
  • paulidin: GraphicConverter is my go-to for tons of minor image editing, including giving an image transparency.
    2009.08.31, 7:33am
  • ppival: Pixelmator? http://www.pixelmator.com/
    2009.08.31, 6:27am
  • henrylim: I use picturesque when i need to quickly crop pictures or add simple effects : shadows, perspective, reflection...
    2009.08.31, 7:00am
  • charlesjbarry: GIMP? Isn't that on OS X?
    2009.08.31, 8:10am
  • john_cozen: picasa for mac, skitch
    2009.08.31, 7:12am
  • EricaFenik: I've had good luck with Paintbrush for image editing... though a bit rough for photo work
    2009.08.31, 6:10am
  • tone_def: Check out LiveQuartz. I love it. It's lightweight and does a great job. http://tinyurl.com/29zaqx
    2009.08.31, 6:17am
  • kylepott: GIMP FTW!
    2009.08.31, 7:31am
  • turkchgo: Pixelmator or Acorn ($50). Cheaper than that, Skitch ($free).
    2009.08.31, 7:04am
  • inactinique: The Gimp!
    2009.08.31, 4:20pm
  • billturner: Give Acorn a spin. Nice and simple image editor for easier tasks: http://flyingmeat.com/acorn/
    2009.08.31, 7:00am
  • SeB_or_Sam: Acorn?
    2009.08.31, 6:28am
  • greenido: http://seashore.sourceforge.net/ is 'ok'... not more - but it's fine.
    2009.08.31, 8:05am
  • EricJD: Pixelmator! http://pixelmator.com
    2009.08.31, 6:10am
  • jonnyskov: I use Seashore for quick minor image edits. The UI is a bit clunky but it runs well on my aging Powerbook.
    2009.08.31, 7:55am
  • tofumatt: The Gimp is a good cross-platform choice if you want free (as in beer and freedom).
    2009.08.31, 12:13pm
  • signaleleven: Seashore
    2009.08.31, 6:16am
  • ansate: Seashore http://seashore.sourceforge.net/ it's... ok. I want something with a little more drawing ability. Like MS Paint.
    2009.08.31, 6:11am
  • sarahloyd: Picasa does what I need it to do - color-correct and touch up family photos. Makes it easy to share w/family, too.
    2009.08.31, 6:30am
  • johnnychadda: Pixelmator perhaps?
    2009.08.31, 6:27am
  • winnjr: Gimp
    2009.08.31, 6:17am
  • bradheintz: GIMP? http://www.gimp.org/
    2009.08.31, 6:10am
  • alexknight: Pixelmator
    2009.08.31, 6:22am
  • rajeshja: The GIMP + Inkscape for vector-based stuff. Both work on Mac.
    2009.08.31, 5:32pm
  • alpha1beta: GIMP.
    2009.08.31, 6:14am
  • jasmeet: ToyViewer.
    2009.08.31, 9:22am
  • flpatriot: Acorn for Photoshop-esque editing, LittleSnapper for screenshots/annotation.
    2009.08.31, 6:10am
  • simplynutty: Check out Acorn, which isn't free but I don't remember it costing anything close to Photoshop.
    2009.08.31, 6:31am
  • rubywhite: Image editors. Gimp, Pixlr, Aviary, Skitch - gotta watch the explanatory video to learn how to really pronounce Skitch.
    2009.09.01, 8:19am
  • nealschmitt: picnik!
    2009.08.31, 12:15pm
  • kyleejohnson: pixelmator. Like $70 and very nice GUI.
    2009.08.31, 7:18am
  • johnrambow: For my low-tech needs (clip n resize, basically), I like ToyViewer.
    2009.08.31, 6:11am
  • eaitken: Image editor - picnik.com
    2009.08.31, 6:27am
  • namp: Gimp! It's open source and works for Mac
    2009.08.31, 6:48am
  • domr: http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/
    2009.08.31, 6:18am
  • chrisdaida: pixlr.com. it's a webapp, but it's great!
    2009.08.31, 8:05am
  • macosxguru: Pixelmator. RT : Free/cheap image editor for the Mac? Something more than Preview, less than Photoshop... what do you use?
    2009.08.31, 6:36am
  • nomaded: I like Pixelmator for some quickie image editing.
    2009.08.31, 7:44am
  • cenglish: I haven't seen anything besides Gimp.
    2009.08.31, 6:57am
  • dannystewart: I'm a loyal devotee of Pixelmator.
    2009.08.31, 6:22am
  • lloyddoppler: Pixelmator is a great value proposition for Mac image editing.
    2009.08.31, 8:47am
  • BushWilliams: Gimp
    2009.08.31, 9:59am
  • matthewlang: Pixelmator is the best! Lots of great functionality and cheaper than Photoshop.
    2009.08.31, 6:06am
  • leifnordberg: GIMP 2.6 via X11
    2009.08.31, 6:11am
  • Oakwright: gimp
    2009.08.31, 7:08am
  • darrinholst: I use pixelmator, $60, but I picked it up off of a macheist so it qualifies as cheap to me
    2009.08.31, 7:34am
  • holyspidoo: photoshop... Oh right. Crap.
    2009.08.31, 6:18am
  • markdr: Since I usually am only doing small stuff like adding text or arrows to images, I like skitch.
    2009.08.31, 6:17am
  • bloodsugarwilks: That's a really really tough question. Retweet when you get some consensus. I'd like to know! :)
    2009.08.31, 6:18am
  • refulgentis: Gimp
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • rinserepeat: I like LiveQuartz...
    2009.08.31, 6:21am
  • squealingrat: Seashore http://seashore.sourceforge.net/
    2009.08.31, 8:02pm
  • vincetran: Pixelmator. Not totally cheap, but compared to Photoshop it's quite cheap.
    2009.08.31, 6:22am
  • EddieVal: Thats a good question. I was on the hunt for one this weekend myself! Eager to hear what you find out.
    2009.08.31, 6:17am
  • jmccyoung: I use Seashore for simple stuff: http://seashore.sourceforge.net/
    2009.08.31, 12:25pm
  • egra: GIMP for photos, Inkscape for vector graphics (I make a lot of data plots)
    2009.08.31, 6:57am
  • juancmuller: The GIMP.
    2009.08.31, 11:55pm
  • Ledlow: I need one too for Mac, love Paint.NET on Windows.
    2009.08.31, 6:33am
  • jtwilkins: Pixelmator is a great program. Very fast and easy even on my old machine.
    2009.08.31, 11:51am
  • blee27: Gimp ftw
    2009.08.31, 6:30am
  • chiefted: Iris http://nolobe.com/iris/ or Pixelmator http://www.pixelmator.com/
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • rjsmith608: pixlr.om is online photoshop style http://pixlr.com
    2009.08.31, 6:35am
  • dlimiter: Don't have a mac, but I use the GIMP for everything. It's not light, but certainly lighter than Photoshop and free as in beer
    2009.08.31, 7:39am
  • tismey: all about the GIMP surely? Although if there's anything close to good as that doesn't require X11 I'd love to know about it.
    2009.08.31, 7:42am
  • nhancox: You could always use Gimp if you want to go oldschool X11.
    2009.08.31, 9:46am
  • slashdev: $60 for Pixelmator is cheapish.
    2009.08.31, 6:10am
  • saadware: Gimp for OS X - http://gimp.org/macintosh/
    2009.08.31, 6:20am
  • emilerl: how about Pixelmator? http://bit.ly/pXgBw
    2009.08.31, 6:37am
  • peterhellberg: I use Pixelmator http://www.pixelmator.com/
    2009.08.31, 7:41am
  • thtlvlmidnight: Acorn, got it with MacHeist bundle.
    2009.08.31, 7:23am
  • andusa: iPhoto :)
    2009.08.31, 6:25am
  • TheRealDamo: Don't worry about an image editor app! This site is amazing: http://www.pixlr.com and does everything an app does.
    2009.08.31, 8:36am
  • dixoncrews: Acorn by Flying Meat
    2009.08.31, 6:20am
  • danpalmer: Acorn and Pixelmator both have their strengths. I would go with Pixelmator I think.
    2009.08.31, 6:14am
  • jonasdowney: Pixelmator http://www.pixelmator.com/
    2009.08.31, 6:28am
  • DanielGenser: I've been impressed with Pixelmator ( http://www.pixelmator.com )
    2009.08.31, 8:16am
  • cpharmston: Pixelmator & Acorn.
    2009.08.31, 6:14am
  • augmentedfourth: Seashore... a Cocoa port of the GIMP. Works really well for mid-range editing.
    2009.08.31, 6:31am
  • rickhuizinga: One of the few apps I run under Windows is Paint.NET. It supports layers. Let us know if you find something similar for OSX.
    2009.08.31, 12:29pm
  • rachaelr: lightroom!
    2009.08.31, 6:51am
  • WadeBiery: - gimp
    2009.08.31, 6:44am
  • tuxedobuford: The GIMP of course
    2009.08.31, 6:39am
  • deniswalker: Pixelmator ftw!
    2009.08.31, 7:23am
  • noahpurdy: Acorn is a fantastic for just that purpose!
    2009.08.31, 9:24am
  • SuperRunt: I like Sumo, but it's online, not a local app... http://www.sumo.fi It's free.
    2009.08.31, 6:13am
  • yacoob: tell me, once you find out. Last night when I had to edit an image (just circle some things) I used ImageWell.
    2009.08.31, 6:33am
  • fabien_schwob: Pixelmator is really good (http://bit.ly/f6kQg) but it costs 59$.
    2009.08.31, 4:11pm
  • crumpy: Pixelmator
    2009.08.31, 7:47am
  • siancu: Pixelmator. Hands-down the best.
    2009.08.31, 7:29am
  • ibuys: seashore?
    2009.08.31, 6:34am
  • daftviking: mostly GIMP, but occasionally Pixelmator (when I tire of the cognitive dissonance of X11 vs. Aqua)
    2009.08.31, 6:49am
  • solesby: Acorn by
    2009.08.31, 8:23am
  • spag: there is a mac port of GIMP: http://gimp.lisanet.de/Website/Download.html
    2009.08.31, 4:27pm
  • derekrose: Pixelmator
    2009.08.31, 11:00am
  • liamh: pixelmator
    2009.08.31, 4:46pm
  • cbandes: Pixelmator, Acorn, Graphic Converter, GIMP, ChocoFlop...
    2009.08.31, 6:11am
  • Cornfedtech: Pixen right up until I installed Snow Leopard.
    2009.08.31, 6:59am
  • DaveHendrix: Acorn (FlyingMeat.com) and/or Pixelmator (pixelmator.com) each win in different areas.
    2009.08.31, 7:35am
  • ibaldr: I use Gimp for Windows and Linux. There is a version for Mac http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/ Oh, it's free (open source).
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • b82: Seashore http://seashore.sourceforge.net/
    2009.08.31, 7:08am
  • wardepartment: I've been using GraphicConverter for years. http://bit.ly/3xKEZ3
    2009.08.31, 6:47am
  • petieg: pixelmator
    2009.08.31, 8:49am
  • roberthodapp: Hi Gina.. Pixelmator http://www.pixelmator.com is quite cheap and powerful piece of software or the great GraphicConverter :-)
    2009.08.31, 6:35am
  • LeslieBright: um, iPhoto?
    2009.08.31, 6:18am
  • kbporter: GIMP all the way!
    2009.08.31, 7:41am
  • celfyddwr: I love Pixelmator ($59) and there's Acorn ($49). I feel Gimp is awkward and not very intuitive.
    2009.08.31, 6:14am
  • wubbels: Acorn or Pixelmator. I've heard okay things about Sumo Paint also.
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • curiousbiped: Have you looked at pixelmator? I've used it a bit, though I confess I end up going back to Photoshop out of habit
    2009.08.31, 7:18am
  • palmerjp: seashore!
    2009.08.31, 6:30am
  • RyanSylvestre: picked up pixelmator with one of the macheists I think, works well
    2009.08.31, 6:12am
  • mkchu84: I use Pixelmator which is $59. Does all I need from an Image Editor http://www.pixelmator.com/
    2009.08.31, 6:16am
  • petermahler: Picasa for Mac. GIMP is great, though maybe more than what you're looking for.
    2009.08.31, 6:55am
  • papplegate: Always use photoshop. Shotgun to kill a fly :)
    2009.08.31, 6:19am
  • nonjo: Acorn is a nice, light, inexpensive pixel-pusher for the Mac.
    2009.08.31, 6:39am
  • programzeta: There's always GIMP http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/ if you want something moderately powerful
    2009.08.31, 6:28am
  • janinsanfran: RT : Free/cheap image editor for the Mac? Something more than Preview, less than Photoshop... what do you use?//telll me too!
    2009.08.31, 6:18am
  • MrSnowgarden: 'Gimp', Free. If you can handle X11.
    2009.08.31, 6:14am
  • neil_: pixelmator - picked it up in a bundle and it's one of the few reinstalled apps after the Snow Leopard wipe & load weekend
    2009.08.31, 8:25am
  • mrappleton: Acorn is awesome.
    2009.08.31, 6:10am
  • jthatcher79: doesn't Mac have a GIMP app?
    2009.08.31, 7:08am
  • TheSohnly: Doesn't the gimp come in osx flavor?
    2009.08.31, 7:29am
  • nicolaguidi: Pixelmator (http://www.pixelmator.com/) P.S. You rock!
    2009.08.31, 8:17am
  • 3miliano: How about http://www.pixelmator.com/ ?
    2009.08.31, 8:11am
  • alanbarker: Acorn
    2009.08.31, 6:49am
  • sangrehirviendo: GIMP
    2009.08.31, 6:09am
  • PodunkPaul: Gimp is what I use. Will be nice to see what you learn on this one!
    2009.08.31, 6:20am
  • quotingstu: does it count if Photoshop was free?
    2009.08.31, 10:06am
  • mcepl: never tried, but there is http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/ :)
    2009.08.31, 6:13am
  • toomNation: Pixen is good
    2009.08.31, 8:41pm
  • velenux: Gimp? :) http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/
    2009.08.31, 6:14am
  • krasmus3: picasa for mac: http://picasa.google.com/mac_tools.html
    2009.08.31, 6:37am
  • CapitalJigga: how about Aviary?
    2009.08.31, 6:33am
  • davidhass: http://seashore.sourceforge.net/ Free Software. Based on GIMP (but much simpler) and OS X native (Cocoa)
    2009.08.31, 7:15am
  • drsparris: : Go for Gimp http://bit.ly/VOGwX, works on all major OS:es and has the functionality you need. Oh, and it's free :-)
    2009.08.31, 6:47am
  • kallistec: tried to GIMP but couldn't deal with X11--it's crappy enough on Linux. Seashore was too crashy; switched to acorn. Happy now.
    2009.08.31, 7:12am
  • littledrewsky: the Gimp
    2009.08.31, 1:20pm
  • notagolfer: Acorn and Pixelmator. But after years with Photoshop it's hard to adjust to their UI.
    2009.08.31, 8:24am
  • j883376: The GIMP. I *think* it should have OS X builds. It's got a lot of photoshop-like features. And open source!
    2009.08.31, 6:13am
  • kkeithlea: Pixelmator http://bit.ly/HjhtM
    2009.08.31, 6:52am
  • peterangelos: Of course Gimp is what most people must have already mentioned. http://gimp.lisanet.de/Website/Download.html
    2009.08.31, 2:57pm
  • revjim1stUMC: Gimp or Pixelmator.
    2009.08.31, 6:29am
  • hughscott: Not cheap, but I use Gus Mueller's Acorn. Switched after my old copy of Photoshop Elements didn't work with Leopard
    2009.08.31, 6:33am
  • ToddBryan: I don't use a Mac, put Picasa works great for both preview and quick editing. --> http://www.toddbryan.com
    2009.08.31, 10:16pm
  • gemarks: have you tried the online editor, at http://pixlr.com I don't know how it compares, but take a look.
    2009.08.31, 2:22pm
  • Ray_Gunn: pixelmator. It makes image editing fun again
    2009.08.31, 9:13am

What's your Mac image editor of choice? Lemme know in the comments.

]]> http://smarterware.org/3512/free-or-cheap-image-editors-for-mac-more-than-preview-less-than-photoshop/feed 5 Cmd+Shift+. Toggles File Visibility in OS X 10.6 http://smarterware.org/3206/cmdshiftperiod-toggles-hidden-file-visibility-in-snow-leopard http://smarterware.org/3206/cmdshiftperiod-toggles-hidden-file-visibility-in-snow-leopard#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:56:49 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=3206 I used to use an Automator action for this, but Mac OS X Hints unearthed a sweet Snow Leopard shortcut for geeks: the ability to show or hide hidden "dot" files in any Open or Save As dialog. The magic combination to start imprinting into your fingers' muscle memory is Cmd+Shift+Period. Press it again to toggle the visibility. Hit the play button above to see what it does in my Mac's home directory.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for Mac users who try out my Todo.txt CLI is finding and opening hidden "dot" configuration file (which is the standard Linux naming convention), so this will help me help them. Sadly this shortcut does not work when you're just browsing in Finder. [via DF]

]]> http://smarterware.org/3206/cmdshiftperiod-toggles-hidden-file-visibility-in-snow-leopard/feed 4 Sync Your Google Calendar to iCal in One Step http://smarterware.org/3172/twig-tip-sync-your-google-calendar-to-ical-in-one-step http://smarterware.org/3172/twig-tip-sync-your-google-calendar-to-ical-in-one-step#comments Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:19:18 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=3172 GCal in iCal On each new episode of This Week in Google (details) I’ll highlight a tip for using cloud/Google apps smarter, faster, and better. I’ll document those tips here.

If you've upgraded your Mac to Snow Leopard (10.6), it's now dead simple to synchronize iCal with your Google Calendar. While in Leopard you had to either know detailed CalDAV settings or install a helper application, in 10.6's iCal you can just open up the Preferences pane. Under Accounts, click the + button to add an account. Enter your full gmail address (you@gmail.com) and your Google Account password, and iCal will detect and configure the CalDAV settings for you. This is full two-way sync, so changes you make to events in iCal show up in GCal and vice versa.

Pro tip: Google Apps account users, iCal won't automatically detect you're using a Google Account. From the Account type drop-down, choose "Google" and then enter your full email address and password to get your GCal in iCal. This also works for Yahoo Calendar, Exchange 2007, and any other CalDAV server as well.

CORRECTION: Contrary to what I posted earlier and said on TWiG, multiple Google Calendars are indeed supported! In iCal's Preferences, go to Accounts, then Delegation to check off as many secondary calendars as you want to sync to iCal. My apologies for the mistake! Thanks, Stuart!

Update: Sadly this sync only works with your primary GCal or Outlook calendar, not any of your secondary calendars. Google's official word on this:

It's not possible to sync events on secondary calendars at this time. Google Calendar Sync will sync only events from your primary Google Calendar (first one in your list) and your default Microsoft Outlook calendar. If you've scheduled events on a secondary calendar in Google Calendar that you'd like to sync with your Microsoft Outlook Calendar, you can either move the event to your primary calendar or export your entire secondary calendar and import the events to your primary calendar."

]]> http://smarterware.org/3172/twig-tip-sync-your-google-calendar-to-ical-in-one-step/feed 16 Snow Leopard Benefits for Users http://smarterware.org/3153/snow-leopard-benefits-for-users http://smarterware.org/3153/snow-leopard-benefits-for-users#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:06:20 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=3153 My positive take on Snow Leopard published over at Lifehacker this morning, where I tackle what all the non-developer-specific improvements 10.6 offers to upgraders. In a nutshell, it's speed, a better Dock and menu bar, Microsoft Exchange support, QuickTime X and helpful Finder tweaks. Here's the full article: Snow Leopard's Four Best Improvements (for Civilians)

]]> http://smarterware.org/3153/snow-leopard-benefits-for-users/feed 4 Snow Leopard Reports Hard Drive Capacity “Correctly” (in Base 10) http://smarterware.org/3122/snow-leopard-reports-hard-drive-capacity-correctly-in-base-10 http://smarterware.org/3122/snow-leopard-reports-hard-drive-capacity-correctly-in-base-10#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:55:44 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=3122 OS X capacity reportsZDNet reports that Snow Leopard has changed the way it calculates disk capacity from earlier versions of OS X: now it matches the advertised size of the drive you purchased it's actually accurate. When it's running Snow Leopard, your Mac shows you the same gigabyte count on your drives as appear on the manufacturer's box, calculated in base 10, and not in base 2, which is what Leopard, all earlier versions of OS X and all current and earlier versions of Windows uses. This Apple knowledge base article explains:

A 200 GB drive shows 200 GB capacity (for example, if you select the hard drive's icon and choose Get Info from the Finder's File menu, then look at the Capacity line). This means that, for example, if you upgrade from an earlier version of Mac OS X, your drive may show more capacity than in the earlier Mac OS X version.

My own tests confirm: a 4GB Cruzer thumb drive in my Snow Leopard Mac shows up with a capacity of 4.01GB. Leopard reports the same drive's capacity as 3.74GB. (Click to enlarge the screenshot on the right.)

Kudos to Apple for leading the charge on this change for the better, which will reduce age-old consumer confusion and questions about why a drive seems smaller in the software than it says it is on the box. This change also raises two other interesting questions: Is this new "found space" part of the reason why Snow Leopard "saves" you disk space? (Because if it is, SL isn't actually saving you anything--it's just an accounting adjustment.) More importantly for the rest of the market: When will Windows follow suit?

Update: All the passionate points about the difference between base 2 and base 10 are well-taken. I've updated this post to put the word "correctly" in the headline in quotes. The base 10 calculation change is "correct" as per consumer perception--i.e., I bought a 500GB backup drive and my operating reports that there are 500GB free, which is exactly what I'd (reasonably) expect. Right now the base 10/base 2 difference is totally confusing to regular people. Software does indeed use base 2 computation, but as far as I'm concerned, reducing human confusion is more important. The possibility that this change will increase confusion for folks who now won't get the same file size and usage stats across operating systems is a valid one; it will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

]]> http://smarterware.org/3122/snow-leopard-reports-hard-drive-capacity-correctly-in-base-10/feed 21 Fine, I’ll Say It: Snow Leopard Is Ultimately a Service Pack http://smarterware.org/3071/fine-ill-say-it-snow-leopard-is-ultimately-a-service-pack http://smarterware.org/3071/fine-ill-say-it-snow-leopard-is-ultimately-a-service-pack#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:14:47 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=3071 Merlin Mann's tweet Merlin Mann's tweet about Snow Leopard hits the nail on the head. Even though David Pogue says this is an "uninformed wisecrack," I'm still calling Snow Leopard a service pack. "Snow Leopard Fixes Leopard's Bugs" is not the headline you're going to see in the NYT or WSJ. Instead the tech press told just the story Apple served them on a silver platter: that they did something noble and interesting and efficient by making their operating system smaller, faster, leaner, and even improved in a couple of "subtle" ways (a word I used). And for only $30!

It's not a very original story. In the wake of a bloated Windows Vista, with netbooks and smartphones offering smaller but less powerful hardware, the "smaller/faster/leaner" sell is the marketing tact of the year, and everyone's trotting it out. Look at Google Chrome (which is taking a piece of Firefox's bloated pie) and Google Chrome OS and Windows 7.

Don't get me wrong, "smaller/faster/leaner" is exactly what Snow Leopard is, but it doesn't deserve a +.1 version number increment. To end users, it's just a faster Leopard. While we all swooned over Apple's cheap-cheap pricing, on further thought, this is an upgrade I'd expect to see come down for free via Software Update.

I'll admit: I've never built an operating system, and Snow Leopard's code improvements, which are invisible to me, might be a lot more significant than I'm acknowledging. Taking Apple on their word about Grand Central Dispatch and 64-bit computing and OpenCL--all things that ultimately mean nothing to me--Snow Leopard appears to be a solid upgrade that future-readies your Mac. It's an upgrade I'm installing right now because the speed improvements and disk space savings alone are worth the $30, especially on older Intel Macs like my MacBook Pro. However, in terms of impact on the end user, Snow Leopard is not even close to the 10.4 to 10.5 upgrade from Tiger to Leopard that gave you 200+ new features. Charging anything more than $30 would have been highway robbery. After forking over the 30 bucks, I just feel kind of nickel-and-dimed.

Make no mistake: Snow Leopard is all about Apple readying their operating system to run on smaller, less powerful hardware (a tablet, perhaps?) and you just get to help them test it on your current hardware now. For $30, I guess that's not such a bad deal.

]]> http://smarterware.org/3071/fine-ill-say-it-snow-leopard-is-ultimately-a-service-pack/feed 18 Snow Leopard Reviews: Speed Boosts and Subtle Improvements (for Cheap) http://smarterware.org/3046/snow-leopard-verdicts-worthy-speed-boosts-and-subtle-improvements-for-cheap http://smarterware.org/3046/snow-leopard-verdicts-worthy-speed-boosts-and-subtle-improvements-for-cheap#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:17:35 +0000 Gina Trapani http://smarterware.org/?p=3046 Leopard and Snow Leopard side by sideMajor tech pubs put out their Snow Leopard reviews last night, and they're all predictably positive. Snow Leopard offers lots of small and subtle improvements to your Mac plus gets speed boosts out of even older hardware for an affordable $30. This jibes with my experience of the developer build the last few months. Here's the rundown of reviews I've seen so far:

Best way to see how much faster Snow Leopard is than Leopard doing a simple task like opening a few high-res photos in Preview? This video clip, courtesy of Gizmodo.

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