Mastering Mac OS X, Third Edition [Paperback]

Todd Stauffer (Author), Kirk McElhearn (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0782142834 | ISBN-13: 978-0782142839 | Publication Date: October 24, 2003 | Edition: 3

Covers OS X v.10.3, Panther!

On the Prowl for In-Depth, Step-by-Step, Mac OS X Coverage? Your Search Is Over

Whether you're new to the Mac, upgrading from a previous Mac OS version, or converting from Windows or Unix, Mastering Mac OS X, Third Edition is your one-stop resource for Apple's powerhouse operating system. Filled with detailed explanations, step-by-step instructions, and thorough examples for newbies and old-timers alike, this book answers all your questions and shows you how to take advantage of every aspect of Mac OS X. Expert authors Stauffer and McElhearn divulge their Mac OS X troubleshooting and problem-solving know-how. Over 900 pages of coverage includes:

• Personalizing Mac OS X: Dock, Desktop, and Finder
• Using the latest features including iChat AV, FontBook, FileVault and Exposé
• Encrypting data, storing passwords, and using built-in applications
• Connecting to, troubleshooting, and securing your Internet connection
• Using, automating, and securing e-mail from viruses
• Using QuickTime 6, QuickTime Pro, and iMovie to play, edit, and export movie files
• Burning audio and data CDs and playing MP3s, Internet radio, and DVD movies
• Importing, exporting, and editing digital images using iPhoto
• Building a secure network and sharing files locally and over the Internet
• Using Windows and Unix documents, networking protocols, and applications
• Working with Terminal and Darwin command lines and Darwin applications
• Backing up and recovering data, managing your disks and peripherals
• Configuring and tweaking Apache, FTP serving, PHP, and MySQL
• Quickly diagnosing and solving common system-level problems
• Troubleshooting Classic and native applications

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Covers OS X v.10.3, Panther!

On the Prowl for In-Depth, Step-by-Step, Mac OS X Coverage? Your Search Is Over

Whether you're new to the Mac, upgrading from a previous Mac OS version, or converting from Windows or Unix, Mastering Mac OS X, Third Edition is your one-stop resource for Apple's powerhouse operating system. Filled with detailed explanations, step-by-step instructions, and thorough examples for newbies and old-timers alike, this book answers all your questions and shows you how to take advantage of every aspect of Mac OS X. Expert authors Stauffer and McElhearn divulge their Mac OS X troubleshooting and problem-solving know-how. Over 900 pages of coverage includes:

• Personalizing Mac OS X: Dock, Desktop, and Finder
• Using the latest features including iChat AV, FontBook, FileVault and Exposé
• Encrypting data, storing passwords, and using built-in applications
• Connecting to, troubleshooting, and securing your Internet connection
• Using, automating, and securing e-mail from viruses
• Using QuickTime 6, QuickTime Pro, and iMovie to play, edit, and export movie files
• Burning audio and data CDs and playing MP3s, Internet radio, and DVD movies
• Importing, exporting, and editing digital images using iPhoto
• Building a secure network and sharing files locally and over the Internet
• Using Windows and Unix documents, networking protocols, and applications
• Working with Terminal and Darwin command lines and Darwin applications
• Backing up and recovering data, managing your disks and peripherals
• Configuring and tweaking Apache, FTP serving, PHP, and MySQL
• Quickly diagnosing and solving common system-level problems
• Troubleshooting Classic and native applications

About the Author

Todd Stauffer is the author or co-author of over 25 books covering topics such as Web publishing, upgrading Macintoshes, and using the iMac. He's a contributor to MacAddict and a writer for a number of other publications, a humor columnist, car reviewer, speaker and the publisher of a news and entertainment magazine.

Kirk McElhearn is a freelance writer, journalist and translator. He has written user manuals for many popular Macintosh programs, and articles for publications including MacWorld magazine and TidBITS. He is also a translator for leading computer and telecommunications companies. A native New Yorker, Kirk currently lives in the French Alps.

Product Details

• Paperback: 912 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 3 edition (October 24, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782142834
• ISBN-13: 978-0782142839
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,658,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This suited my specific needs, February 12, 2004

By 

Christopher Lim (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Mac OS X, Third Edition (Paperback)

I didn't want to buy a book where a significant portion is devoted to introductory comments for beginners. When I bought David Pogue's Jaguar Edition of the OSX Missing Manual, I was new to OSX and it suited my needs perfectly (Pogue is a great writer). However, I've moved on a bit and Pogue's Panther Edition covers too much of the same ground for me.

Stauffer and McElhearn's book gets straight to the point and gives me enough details for the tips to be useful. I found the sections on networking especially useful, and liked how many of my questions were anticipated by the authors. I also found the book well-organized and getting to the sections I needed wasn't a problem. If you're an intermediate-to-advanced user, this is probably for you.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and thorough, February 23, 2004

By 

Steve Rickaby (Cornwall, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mastering Mac OS X, Third Edition (Paperback)

I have to confess that I approached the nearly 900 pages of Todd and Kirk's book with a feeling of 'Oh no, not another Mac operating system book - I'll leave that until I have time for it... maybe when I retire'. My shelves contain many such books, dating back to MacOS 7. Most are unthumbed.

However, I was wrong: this book stands out by its thoroughness, and the fact that, while thoughtfully catering for OS 8/9 migrants, it also goes well beyond the basics of OS X. Now that MacOS has 'come of age' with the Panther release, this book is appropriate.

'Mastering Mac OS X' covers just about everything you could need to know about OS X and its bundled applications, with welcome mentions of shareware and commercial software where this appropriate. It starts gently for those unfamiliar with OS X, but - and this is where it differs from a lot of its competition - goes well beyond into heavyweight stuff like AppleScript, X Windows, Darwin, using OS X as a web and ftp server, the command line, shell scripts, and even 'secret' features such as Inkwell.

I found it hard to criticise anything about this book. There are one or two omissions: AppleScript Studio is mentioned only in passing, and iDVD not at all - but to be fair, AppleScript Studio is the subject of a book in its own right. There are also places where the extra warning or two might not be inappropriate, such as when wildcards are introduced immediately after the 'rm' command, but my only main gripe is nothing to do with the authors at all - I found the italicized paragraphs a bit hard on the eyes.

The sections on AppleScript, networking, security and troubleshooting are probably worth the price of the book alone. If you only buy one OS X book, this should be a strong candidate. Recommended.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, comprehensive reference, perfectly written, January 26, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Mastering Mac OS X, Third Edition (Paperback)

Todd Stauffer has done it again -- this version of his book doesn't disappoint. I bought David Pogue's book for the Jaguar edition and couldn't figure out what the fuss was about it. Pogue's book pales in comparison when it comes to meat and detail, Mastering Mac OS X covers everything I wanted and needed. Sure, Pogue's book is smaller and lighter and so maybe more convenient in that sense, but Stauffer's book really helps you learn Mac OS X inside and out.

A lot of books on Mac OS X seem rushed, but not this one. Stauffer probably brought on Kirk McElhearn to help get this book out on time and it shows in quality and quantity. Good work, guys! I wish there were more authors like Stauffer and McElhearn.