.. -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

=========================================
 `David Goodger’s <../>`__ Mac OS X Page
=========================================

:Contact: goodger@python.org
:Updated: $Date: 2005-10-13 09:06:05 -0400 (Thu, 13 Oct 2005) $

Some notes about Mac OS X that may be helpful to others.

.. contents::


------------------------------
 Installed 3rd-Party Software
------------------------------

For **Unix/Linux geeks** adopting the OS X platform, `Fink
<http://fink.sourceforge.net/>`_ and `DarwinPorts
<http://darwinports.opendarwin.org/>`_ are indispensible.  There’s
also `Gentoo for Mac OS X
<http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/macos-guide.xml>`_, but I can’t vouch
for it as haven’t tried it yet.

Two great utilities for **efficient application launching** and many
other tasks are `Butler <http://www.petermaurer.de/butler/>`_ (for
menu-based shortcuts) and `QuickSilver
<http://quicksilver.blacktree.com/>`_ (keyboard-based).

2005 PowerBook models include **two-finger scrolling**.  Older
PowerBooks and iBooks can get this feature via `iScroll2
<http://www-users.kawo2.rwth-aachen.de/~razzfazz/>`_, a free trackpad
driver.  `SideTrack
<http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/sidetrack/>`_ is a shareware
trackpad driver with a different implementation.

To **monitor your CPU**, `MenuMeters
<http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/>`_ is great.  It
also lets you monitor memory, disk, and network activity, but I just
use it as a CPU monitor.

A great **pop-up mini calendar** is `CalendarClock
<http://www.petermaurer.de/calendarclock/>`_, which is no longer
available from its author |---| it has been merged into the shareware
`MenuCalendarClock <http://www.objectpark.net/mcc.html>`_.  A
“donationware” alternative is available: `MenuCal
<http://s87431262.onlinehome.us/>`_.

Several OS X ports of **Emacs** and **XEmacs** exist.  For example,
`Carbon Emacs Package
<http://home.att.ne.jp/alpha/z123/emacs-mac-e.html>`_ and `Carbon
XEmacs <http://members.shaw.ca/akochoi-xemacs/index.html>`_.  `Or you
can build your own from source
<http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/emacs.html>`__.

`Firefox <http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/>`_ is a free,
cross-platform **web browser**.  Apple’s Safari works fine, but
because I work on multiple operating systems, Firefox’s cross-platform
nature makes it a winner.

`Thunderbird <http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/>`_ is a
free, cross-platform **email client**.  Again, Apple’s Mail works
fine, but Thunderbird also works on Linux and other operating systems.

`NeoOffice/J <http://www.neooffice.org/>`_ is an OS X port of
`OpenOffice.org <http://www.openoffice.org>`_, a free **integrated
office software suite**.  Includes word processor, spreadsheet,
presentation, and drawing functionality.

`Colloquy <http://www.colloquy.info>`_ is a good IRC client.  For more
flexibility than iChat offers (such as multiple accounts and
services), use `Adium <http://www.adiumx.com>`_ or `Fire
<http://fire.sourceforge.net/>`_ (which also does IRC).

`VLC <http://www.videolan.com>`_ is indispensible for playing
DivX/XviD video and obscure codecs.

For backing up DVDs: `MacTheRipper <http://www.ripdifferent.com>`_,
`yade X <http://www.macetvideo.com/dl_center/dl_center.html>`_ (Yet
Another DVD Extractor), `DVD Imager
<http://lonestar.utsa.edu/llee/applescript/dvdimager.html>`_, and
`ImageBurner <http://homepage.mac.com/adg/ImageBurner/>`_.


---------------
 Tips & Tricks
---------------

Keyboard
========

* [fn] + [delete] makes a forward-delete.

* Hold down [command] and hit [tab] repeatedly to switch between open
  applications.  With an application icon selected, hit [Q] to quit
  that app.  Hold down [shift] to reverse the order.

* Hold down [command] and hit [`] repeatedly to cycle between open
  windows in the current application.

* Shift-Command-G (same shortcut as in the Finder) in Open/Save dialog
  boxes brings up a "Go to folder" dialog, enabling keyboard-driven
  filesystem navigation and access to hidden directories.  The dialog
  supports autocomplete with [tab].


Finder
======

* [option] + [command] + [i] (or [option] + File -> Get Info) opens an
  info panel which always reflects the currently selected file(s)
  and/or folder(s).


.. |---| unicode:: U+02014 .. em dash
   :trim: