Make auto-login somewhat secure

Here's a great security tip for those who enjoy auto-login on their Mac. Use the screen saver password feature in a new way.

Macworld: Mac OS X Hints: Make auto-login somewhat secure

A nice, tight font panel

A nice and tight font panel is a blog entry that gave me a simple piece of information I had lacked on making the font panel smaller for your work space.

Password Autocomplete Always On!

It's really quite annoying that some web sites circumvent Safari's integrated (very secure) access to encrypted keychains. What I'm specifically referring to is the tactic of preventing your browser from remembering web site login information and entering it the next time for you automatically, provided the keychain itself is unlocked.

It makes sense not to store your login information for banking and credit card sites, but even this doesn't really make much sense if you're a Mac user and enjoy the encrypted goodness of your keychain using Keychain Access--which lets you access tons of password and other critical information with ONE password.

However, certain sites, such as Yahoo, shouldn't have this ridiculous block. It's frustrating and annoying.

There is a way around it in most cases, though I have one particular site I visit that is extremely annoying (http://nextcat.com - is a social networking site) in its method of preventing one from storing login information. All the work-arounds I've looked at so far are ineffective for this site, so they must be using another method of blocking.

Autocomplete Always On! is a little Applescript application that will do some hacking for you of the Webcore engine, allowing you to store login information for MOST sites (except sites like Nextcat). You can handle this hack yourself using the instructions here, but I chose to use the AAO app above. Make sure you back up your Webcore too with the Applescript, just in case (you won't really need to, but I'm a worry-wart).

There are some other methods for doing this, using a Python script run through Pith Helmet's Machete function. One must remember to save the script as a plain text file with the ".py" extension and then make it executable, which can be done simply through the Terminal using instructions here.

But the method described earlier using the AAO Applescript seemed like a quick, global fix for my personal situation.

Slow keyboard performance when using Word 2004 for Mac

If you experience slow keyboard response in Word 2004, here is a potential fix for you to nix the sluggishness. It worked for me!

1. Start Word 2004.
2. Click Tools, point to Macros, and then click Macros.
3. In the Macro name box, type ToolsAdvancedSettings.
4. Click Run.

Note: If Run remains unavailable, click Word Commands in the Macros in list.

5. In the Advanced Settings dialog box, click Microsoft Word in the Categories list.
6. In the Option box, type CACHESIZE.

Note: Make sure that you type CACHESIZE in all capital letters because this setting is case sensitive.

7. In the Setting box, type 1024.
8. Click Set.
9. Click OK.
10. Quit and then restart Word 2004.

Applejack: Getting New Features

Applejack, the command line troubleshooting utility for Mac OS X, is undergoing prerelease testing now for version 1.4.3rc3, which adds a new experimental expert mode. From the read me:

+ Experimental expert mode exists, but is currently hidden until it can be tested further. (see Appendix B). The only well-tested options at this point are the memory test using the included Memtest utility, and the option to disable auto login.

This is great, because among other neat features, it adds the memtest utility as well, which will save you the $1 download charge from its developer.

Memtest and Applejack are must-have utilities, IMHO. Memtest saved my butt on bad memory (via the GUI version in the form of rembr), whereas Tech Tool Pro told me my memory was fine. Wrong! Changed it out and my numerous problems went bye-bye!

Nix Yojimbo: Journler plus Keychain Access

Yojim-blows:

I tried to make Yojimbo work for me, but there were just too many problems with .Mac syncing. So, I moved all passwords and secure notes to Keychain Access that comes with OS X. I started a new keychain to store my stuff, and it syncs perfectly with .Mac since Tiger.

For everything else (i.e., PDFs, notes, scribbles, pictures, etc.), I went with Journler...a great, free (donation-ware) application that can also be used for your blogging needs in many instances. I gave the developer $10 for his work--very much worth every penny. It still has some problems, bugs, glitches, and quirks, but it's hard to beat the price.

Now, Journler has no .Mac syncing function. However, it's easy to use an Applescript or syncing application to keep your Journler items synced between computers, and it has a lot of features that Yojim-blow lacks. I'm sure the developer will add .Mac syncing later.

Hacker targets iPod, iTunes restrictions

Yahoo! News: Hacker targets iPod, iTunes restrictions

This will be an interesting struggle to watch. Jon Lech Johansen's blog is here.

Yojimbo 1.2 Quick Input Panel Crap (and .Mac syncing)

MacUpdate: Yojimbo Reviews: I like the app, but the Quick Input F-key keeps saying:

'Yojimbo could not communicate with the Quick Input Helper.'

Nothing I've tried seems to fix the error. (9/30/2006, Version: 1.2)

1 Reply To Review:

I finally fixed this problem. Solution: Close Yojimbo, move ~/Library/Application Support/Yojimbo to Desktop, reopen Yojimbo, close it again, return the above folder to its original position.

Now Quick Input Panel works again...go figure.

However, .Mac syncing hasn't worked. I'm hoping this will fix it too.

(10/10/2006, Version: 1.2)

Google Software Downloads for the Mac

Google Software Downloads for the Mac: "All kinds of great Google goodies for the Macintosh!"

Memory = the source of many problems!

For the last several months, I had numerous problems with my old G4 AGP dual 1.2, which has been as upgraded just about as far as it can go. The problems included recurrent program crashes (especially Safari) and random kernel panics.

I used a little utility called Rember and discovered that a few memory sticks I had were bad. Tech Tool Pro (grumble, grumble) did not catch these errors, so if you think you're having memory issues, please run another utility (apparently, the hardware test disc Apple ships with newer Macs can catch these problems too). You can also run Memtest (which is really the command-line basis of Rember); the author charges $1 to download it (very reasonable given that you can boot in single-user to test MOST of your RAM).

In my case, Memtest wasn't necessary. Rember caught the defective RAM right away, and I narrowed it down to 2 sticks by pulling them one at a time, restarting, and testing with Rember until the errors were gone.

I had 2 bad DIMMs--one at 128 MB and another at 512 MB. So I ordered 2 new 512 MB sticks from OWC (with lifetime warranty). The new memory checked out fine with Rember, and I've had no kernel panics or other major issues since installing it. The old Mac is rock-solid!

Now, how did this happen? I think a Tiger update somewhere down the line didn't agree with those two older RAM sticks. The lesson is to suspect bad RAM (or other hardware) if you're having weird crashes and random panics suddenly.

Yojimbo sync stynk

Apple - Support - Discussions - Yojimbo sync problems ...:

Michael Lafferty over at Apple Support Discussions may have found a trick to help users through problems with Yojimbo syncing. In my own experience, I finally got most of.Mac syncing to work with Tiger 10.4.7, but Yojimbo was the exception. My Powerbook would never update its database using the info from my other Mac.

"Has anyone at Bare Bones Software explained how to reset the Sync Services framework?You can do so by launching iSync, opening the Preferences pane and pressing the Reset Sync History button.

What this does is simply reinitialize the truth, leaving your data intact, all sync clients registered, and creating a condition in which the next synchronization event is considered the first you have ever performed.

Doing that will often clear up what appear to be stalled or incomplete synchronization tasks on the part of any registered client.Here is a link to a document which explains how this 'hidden' framework operates: http://developer.apple.com/macosx/syncservices.html "

Tweaked Firefox - Surf Anonymously

Tweaked Firefox Lets You Surf Internet Without a Trace:

"A tweaked version of Firefox that makes Web browsing anonymous has been released by a group of privacy-minded coders."

If you're a paranoid privacy type, this just might be for you.

Text Encoding: Question mark inside a diamond

Text Encoding: Question mark inside a diamond [Archive] - OSCR Help Forums:

If you encounter this issue with UTF-8 text encoding (or other encoding), adjust your preferences to Western (ISO Latin 1).

ATPM 11.08 - How To: Is Your Memory Failing?

ATPM 11.08 - How To: Is Your Memory Failing?:

Great information on testing your Mac's memory in single-user mode. Memory failure is a common kernel panic problem.

Here's another great link on the same subject at Macworld:

http://www.macworld.com/2006/02/features/speedmemory/index.php

inessential.com: Flash Crash? WebKit Crash? Both?

inessential.com: Flash Crash? WebKit Crash? Both?:

"2   ...romedia.Flash Player.plugin  

0x06b14140 Flash_EnforceLocalSecurity + 47880"

I've had recurring Safari crashes that are quite annoying. Most of them appear related to the Flash Player plug (both version 8 and 9 for OS X); they all appear similar to the crash report line above.

Apparently, it's a bug in Webkit, FLash, or some synergistic malfunction. Safari crashes about 5 or more times a day. And it's weird, because though it says it has crashed I still have to force quit Safari.

Macworld: Mac 911: Auto-changing iPhoto 6 desktop pictures

Macworld: Mac 911: Auto-changing iPhoto 6 desktop pictures: If you run into this issue, there are a couple of easy workarounds to rotate iPhoto pics.

First, use iPhoto, select an album, then hit the Desktop button in iPhoto. This will open System Prefs, allowing you to randomize your iPhoto selection. However, this does not seem to work for mulitple monitors (only the main), and the selection is not auto-updating. You'll have to repeat the process if you add other photos you want rotated.

The other way is a little more complicated and requires some .plist hacking. See the link above. Using this method, multiple monitors should be able to use the same photos.

Technorati Tags: Macintosh, OSX, Tiger, Troubleshooting, iPhoto

Missing iCal animated alarm clock

Restore a missing iCal animated alarm clock : If you find that your animated alarm clock is missing from the iCal reminder dialog, you'll need to go into Quicktime prefs and select to allow Flash under the Advanced tab.

The iCal scheduler application will need restarting by logging out and back in again.

Technorati Tags: Macintosh, OSX, Tiger, Troubleshooting, iCal

Quickly set "Always Open With"

Macworld: Mac OS X Hints: Quickly set Always Open With app:

"Proceed as if you were going to open the document using the contextual menu, but don’t select Open With just yet. Instead, press and hold the Option key down. Just as with the top-level menus, holding down the Option key reveals choices that aren’t normally visible. In this case, Open With changes to read Always Open With. So that’s it—select Always Open With, scroll down to find the application you’d like to use, and release the mouse. Bingo! You’ve now set the Always Open With application for the selected document (or documents, if you highlight more than one)."

Open VISE get Script Editor?

This was a new one for me. Double-clicking a VISE Installer application opened the Script Editor. I did a quick Google search and found this Mac NN:

Installer VISE Installers?

None of their suggestions worked for me, but I discovered something simple. I just added the extension ".app" to the file using Get Info from the Finder! Problem solved.

Can't hide .app in application bundle?

Why is ".app" in the filename? [Archive] - MacNN Forums: ""

If you run into this problem, check to see if there are extra "." in the filename other than the one preceding "app." This can cause the Finder not to hide the .app extension.