Other Sites
DoktorKleanor can help you to solve common problems experienced while running MacOS X 10.2, and also perform routine system maintenance chores that will make such problems less of a likelihood.
DoktorKleanor installs in either of two modes:
Apprentice mode :
This mode automatically launches a series of tasks which fix the most common issues :
• Permissions repair
• MacOS X maintenance tasks
• System Preferences cache cleaning
• Verification and (if needed) fixing problems when mounting disk images
Wizard mode :
There are 4 categories in this mode : Cleaning/Setting, Network/Internet, M$ applications and Miscellaneous treatments.
All these categories contain short descriptions of the issues that DoktorKleanor knows how to fix. Just check the boxes corresponding to the issues you are experiencing, then click on "Start selected treatments".
The first category, Cleaning/Setting, has additional options as its name implies : you can set the disk spindown delay, launch MacOS X's maintenance tasks, delete additional languages and clear the list of recent folders in the Finder's "Go" menu.
Preferences that revert to defaults depending on treatments :
Apprentice mode : no preferences revert to defaults.
Wizard mode :
Safari is unstable :
QuickTime MIME Settings revert to defaults (System Preferences -> "QuickTime" prefpane -> "Plug-In" tab -> "MIME Settings..." button)
Issues with Mac Help :
Custom font size setting in Mac Help revert to default
Custom window size setting in Mac Help revert to default
Help cache is deleted, it will automatically be rebuilt on next Help Viewer launch
Find by content is very slow :
The disk content indexes are deleted, they will automatically be rebuilt at the next indexing (which will take longer than usual)
Word won't let you choose another font :
--All Word preferences revert to defaults--
Word font cache is deleted. It will automatically be rebuilt next time you launch Word.
Drag & drop no longer works :
Light :
Desktop preferences revert to defaults
Finder preferences (including Find preferences) revert to defaults
Custom file mapping (correspondences between file extensions and applications) preferences revert to default mapping
Full (in addition to the preferences mentioned in Light) :
Displays preferences revert to defaults
ColorSync preferences revert to defaults
Energy Saver preferences revert to defaults
Time Zone preference reverts to default (in Date & Time prefpane)
One Modem preference reverts to default (Country setting in Network prefpane)
Sound preferences revert to defaults (Volume settings)
Default browser setting does not stick :
Custom file mapping (correspondences between file extensions and applications) preferences revert to default mapping
Running DoktorKleanor is simple. Check the boxes that correspond to the problems you are experiencing, and let 'er rip. However, before any attempt at troubleshooting your Mac, DoktorKleanor's developers recommend using Disk Utility (First Aid tab) to fix possible disk problems. Sound advice.
Another entry in a field that's getting crowded, but DoktorKleanor has a useful collection of features (including a dedicated on for MS apps if you're unfortunate enough to be using them), and the advantage of being freeware.
System requirements:
• MacOS X 10.2 with BSD subsystem installed
• This application was not designed to be used on MacOS 10.0, MacOS 10.1 (Puma) or MacOS X 10.3 (Panther).
Doktor Kleanor is freeware
For more information, visit:
http://www.doktorkleanor.com/en/
2003 O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference Wrapup -- First Look at Panther
About Pfinder
Fuzzy text follow up: "Daring Fireball: Panther Text Rendering"
2003 O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference Wrapup -- First Look at Panther
Taking place just three days after Panther's release, the O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference was one of the first organized public events to delve deeply into the latest version of Apple's remarkable operating system. From October 27 to 30, keynotes, tutorials, and sessions led Mac aficionados attending the conference in Santa Clara, CA -- developers, script writers, system administrators, IT managers, and power users -- through all of the juicy new features available in Panther. "One thing Apple does especially well is to realize the potential in a technology, and to frame it in such a way that people discover that they need it," notes O'Reilly founder and CEO Tim O'Reilly. "Apple's refinements with the latest version of its Unix-based OS increase its effectiveness in the areas of user interface design, security, bundled applications, cross-platform file sharing, networking, and developer tools. Apple has a great sense of where technology is going and how to make getting there more fun."
Tim O'Reilly and conference co-chairs Derrick Story and Rael Dornfest opened the conference with a keynote address designed to inspire attendees to look with fresh eyes at where the network and new applications are going. Specifically, they suggested that Apple take cool aspects of each of their apps, such as Rendezvous, buddy lists, and permissions, and incorporate them into all of their other apps. Other keynotes included David Pogue and Adam Engst, who scrutinized the wealth of changes Panther brings to Mac OS X; Andy Inhatko's hilarious tour of the flotsam and jetsam--and irreplaceable gems--of computer geek paraphernalia he's squirreled away over the years. Guy "Bud" Tribble and Terry Gaasterland rounded out the keynote speaker lineup with talks on the exciting role Macs are playing in the life sciences arena.
Two evening events were conference highlights: On Tuesday, Dr. Srinidhi Varadarajan wowed attendees with a presentation on Virginia Tech's new "Big Mac" G5 supercluster, the world's third-fastest supercomputer created with 1,100 Macs at a fraction of the cost of most supercomputers. On Wednesday, the infusion of top Mac OS X developer talent at the conference was embodied at the finale of the MacDevCenter's Mac Innovators Contest, sponsored by Apple Developer Connection. Three new winners were presented, and local and international winners from past rounds gathered on stage to discuss their cool and useful projects.
Immediately preceding the conference, Apple Consultants Network held an in-depth "Tech Camp" for its members at the Apple campus in Cupertino. Tech Campers spent three days--including a more than a few wee hours--immersed in learning the ins and outs of Panther, before heading to Santa Clara to participate in the O'Reilly conference. Apple's presence continued at the conference in the form several important speakers, such as Sal Soghoian, Scott Anguish, Bob Fraser, and mmalcom Crawford; Apple once again created its signature Rendezvous Lounge at the conference, stocking it with the latest sleek hardware--all running Panther, of course.
The Mac Developers Journal, a joint publication effort between O'Reilly and Macworld, was launched at the O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference. This electronically delivered quarterly journal is the first digital-only publication for software developers working in Apple's Mac OS X to create applications in UNIX and Cocoa technologies. Another new product released at the conferences was Nicecast by Rogue Amoeba, a platform-neutral product that allows a user's iTunes music library to be broadcast around the home or around the globe
The formal learning portion of the conference wasn't the only important take-away from this year's event--face-to-face networking was a highlight for most participants as well. As program co-chair Derrick Story noted after the conference: "I'm sure for many, expectations were set on the familiar aspects that we all use to justify the time and financial investment that comes with attending a technical conference. But once the event began to unfold, it took on the characteristics of those who are present--innovative software developers, sys admins, part-time programmers, content creators, QuickTime authors, news media, and conference staff. The second O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference was as much about sharing information around a table in the upstairs mezzanine as it was about dispensing tips and techniques in the session rooms. As the week moved forward, a new conference emerged, and it was one that I don't think anyone could have anticipated beforehand."
For complete conference details, visit:
http://conferences.oreilly.com/macosxcon/
Articles, photos, weblogs, and the conference wiki can be found at:
http://www.macdevcenter.com/mac/osx2003/
Complete results of the Mac Innovators Contest are available at:
http://www.macdevcenter.com/mac/developer/
Slides of speaker presentations can be viewed at:
http://conferences.oreillynet.com/pub/w/25/presentations.html
For more information on Mac-related issues, visit the O'Reilly Network MacDevCenter:
http://mac.oreilly.com/
Information about the Mac Developers Journal can be found at:
http://www.macdeveloperjournal.com/
For information on exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at O'Reilly conferences, contact Andrew Calvo at (707) 827-7176, or andrewc@oreilly.com.
About Pfinder
From Thierry Chambon
Hi Charles,
Thanks for your report about Pfinder. I would almost start using OS9 again for some tasks if that application would also support long file names the way Kilometre Browser does (this is possible because HFS-+ does support long file names, i.e. names containing more than 31 characters).
Maybe the developers of these two apps could join their efforts to create the ultimate OS9 Finder substitute...
The next best thing would be to find a way to trick Entourage 2001 or another high-end Classic mail client into supporting long file names for attachments. The only workaround I found so far is to save the composed message with the attachment as a text file, edit the attachment name with a text editor, and then re-import the edited message file in Entourage. Not really efficient...
If these two long file name support issues were solved by some third-party solution, I would happily go back to OS9 for some of my production work. The main reason being that the only translation memory* system available for the Mac, called Wordfast, is a cross-platform Word extension written in Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications and it is much faster and much more stable with Word 2001 than with Word X (I can't believe Microsoft had the nerve to charge users for that kludgy carbonization of Word 2001 that does not even support long file names under OS X!!!).
(*)FYI: a translation memory system is basically a database program paired with a fuzzy matching engine that automatically records source language sentences with their target language(s) equivalent(s) as a qualified translator translates them. Recorded pairs are then proposed as a reference to the user when an identical or similar sentence needs to be translated. Now if some Mac-based database gurus are looking for a market niche, I could tell them where to look for existing standards, etc.
Again, I am convinced that third party solutions supporting long file names would significantly increase the useful life of OS9 for many users.
Best regards,
Thierry Chambon
Hi Thierry;
Glad you enjoyed the Pfinder review. Long file names is not an issue that has loomed very large in my computing needs, but I expect that you have some compelling requirements for it.
Charles
Fuzzy text follow up: "Daring Fireball: Panther Text Rendering"
From Dr. Jonathan K. Tyzack
Hi Charles,
Following up on the "fuzzy" text in MacOS X, you and your readers may be interested in this article at Daring Fireball:
http://daringfireball.net/2003/11/panther_text_rendering
It includes an easy to follow (historical) description of why fonts are designed and look the way they do. Below is a quote to what some might find the more relevant section:
"The controversy stems from the fact that many people simply don’t like anti-aliased text, period, regardless of the algorithm or technique used to achieve it. Many other people adore anti-aliased text. Those who dislike anti-aliased text tend to describe it as fuzzy or blurry. Those who like it tend to think anti-aliased text just plain looks better: that it’s smoother and more accurately conveys the style and feeling — the je ne sais quoi — of a typeface.
"There do exist people with no strong feelings on the matter, but for those who do feel strongly, there is no middle ground. The problem is that both camps are right. Anti-aliased text is fuzzy and blurry. But it’s also true that it is smoother. Anti-aliasing is an illusion — the illusion of higher resolution than is actually available. Unfortunately, the illusion doesn’t work well for everyone.
"Non-anti-aliased text is dorky but sharp. Anti-aliased text is elegant but fuzzy. You can’t win, because truly winning would require on-screen text that is both elegant and sharp, and that requires higher-resolution displays than those we have today."
It goes on to show how text rendering has been further improved in Panther over Jaguar.
Enjoy.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan;
Thanks for the forward.
I guess I'm one of those with no strong feelings on the matter. I like the look of anti-aliased text, but can live happily with the "dorky kind" as well.
)Charles
***
Charles W. Moore
Note: Letters to Moore's Mailbag may or may not be published at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
Opinions expressed in postings to Moore's MailBag are those of the respective correspondents and not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Editor and/or Applelinks management.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in Moore's Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
Tags: OSX Odyssey ď
(0) Trackbacks ď
