Maria’s Guides

Information from Software Update.

Apple has just released the following updates to its iLife suite of products:

iDVD Update 7.0.1

This update improves overall stability, supports general compatibility issues, and addresses a number of other minor issues.

iMovie Update 7.1

This update addresses several areas including video and audio editing capabilities, and performance associated with opening and switching iMovie Events and Projects. This update also supports general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues.

GarageBand Update 4.1

This update addresses isolated graphic display issues, compatibility with 3rd party audio software, fixes minor problems with Magic GarageBand, and supports general compatibility issues.

iPhoto Update 7.1

This update addresses issues encountered when moving photos between Events, plus new greeting card themes, including holiday card designs. It also supports general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues.

iLife Support 8.1

This update supports system software components shared by all iLife ’08 applications, improves overall stability, addresses a number of other minor issues, and supports general compatibility issues. It is recommended for all users of iLife ’08.

You ask, I’ll answer.

As I work on the tenth edition of my Mac OS Visual QuickStart for Peachpit Press, I’ve been thinking back to the introduction to Mac courses I taught for various training organizations and my own observations of beginners using Mac OS. My goal, in writing these books, is to answer the questions that beginner and intermediate Mac users might have.

What’s “Basic” Has Changed

The books I write are task oriented — that is, they explain how to perform a task without going into a lot of detail about theory. The whole Visual QuickStart Guide series is like this — it’s designed to provide quick answers for “How do I…?” type questions so you can learn what you need to know and get right back to work. (Who has time to wade through dumb jokes in a fat book when there’s work to be done?)

As computer literacy increases, the books need to meet the needs of a more savvy pool of users. So while important basics like how to click and how to close a window are still included in the book, there’s a chance that some of the really basic topics — or the background information about how Mac OS X works — may be excluded, in favor of more advance material.

An Example

What am I talking about? Here’s an example. I’ve often observed Mac OS users shutting down their computers. The first thing some of them do is painstakingly close every open FInder window — even if the first thing they’ll do when they start up is open the same darn windows. Do they have to close the windows before shutting down? No. Do they have to quit applications before shutting down? No. And why is it that windows that aren’t closed when you shut down reopen automatically in the same position onscreen when you restart?

These are the kinds of questions that are very basic yet may not be covered in my book (or others, for that matter). Remember — publishers only give writers a certain number of pages. We have to pick and choose among the topics we think the majority of readers would benefit from. So basic information you don’t need to know may be excluded from the book.

What I’d like to do here is answer some of these questions for users. All I need is the questions.

Send Me Your Questions

Got a basic Mac OS question you want answered? Use the comments link or form below to ask. I’ll create new entries that answer the questions that are not specifically covered in my book.

If a question is covered in my book, I’ll provide the page number(s) of its coverage in the Tiger and Leopard editions (if applicable) for reader reference. Similarly, if the question has already been answered on this site or in one of my Informit articles, I’ll link to the answer.

Keep in mind that if you’re a reader with a question about a topic covered in my books, you should use the Q & A for that book to look up an existing answer or ask the question. That’s the best place to get clarification about book topics.

Information from Software Update.

With iTunes 7.4, sync your favorite music and more with the new iPod nano (third generation), iPod classic, and iPod touch, plus create custom ringtones exclusively for iPhone with many of your favorite songs purchased from the iTunes Store. You can now also play purchased videos with closed captioning (when available), easily rate your favorite albums from one to five stars, and watch videos at a larger size inside the iTunes window.

iTunes 7.4.2 addresses an issue with creating ringtones using iTunes Plus song purchases and includes bug fixes to improve stability and performance.

Get your face in my book.

Sometime next week, I’ll be working on Chapter 19 of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: Visual QuickStart Guide. That chapter covers (among other things) iChat. And, as I do each edition, I need to illustrate an iChat video chat session.

Although I could chat with people I already know — or Lars, who managed to get his face in two of my books — I’d much rather chat with strangers. (My mother never managed to teach me not to talk to strangers.) Would you like to be one of the folks I chat with while writing the chapter? It could get your face in my book.

Here’s what you need:

• A Mac running Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger or later.
• iChat.
• A video camera that works with iChat. (iSight cameras work pretty well, as you can imagine.)
• Availability. When I’m ready to do my screenshots, I’ll start contacting folks to chat with. If I can’t get the first one on my list, I’ll move on to the second one — and so on until I find someone available.

To get on my list of contacts, use the Comments link or form below to enter a comment for this message. Include your name, country, and AIM or .Mac account info. Then wait patiently until I get in touch — if I don’t reach someone listed before you.

Oh, and there’s two more things to think about before signing up:

• By listing your iChat info in the Comments for this post, you are agreeing to allow your likeness to appear in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: Visual QuickStart Guide by Maria Langer, which should be published in October, 2007.
• In consideration for participation in this program, anyone who appears in the book will get a free, autographed copy.

Questions? Leave them in the comments. Don’t use the Contact form for this.

When it’s all over, if you want your info removed, please note that with your info. I can go in and remove the info from the comments.

Information from Software Update.

This update delivers increased compatibility with iLife.

• GuerrillaMail - Disposable Temporary E-Mail Address
  What an interesting concept. Get an e-mail account that’s good for 15 minutes — or as long as it takes to confirm your e-mail address on one of those social networking sites we’re all joining these days.
  (tags: emailprivacyonline)
• The terrified world view of Andrew Keen
  A very thorough review of Andrew Keen’s book which has turned me off to the book even more than the 3 Keen interviews I’ve seen on TV. On Terry Heaton’s PoMo Blog.
  (tags: bookreviewtechnologyweb2.0)
• Become a BookMooch power user
  Good article on using BookMooch to its fullest potential. By Robert Monroe.
  (tags: booktradefree)