Guides & How-Tos

Performance tip: Keep the Desktop clutter-free (empty, if possible)

Mac OS X's Desktop is the de facto location for downloaded files, and for many users, in-progress works that will either be organized later or deleted altogether. The desktop can also be gluttonous, however, becoming a catch-all for files that linger indefinitely.

Unfortunately -- aside from the effect of disarray it creates -- keeping dozens or hundreds of files on the Desktop can significantly degrade performance. Not necessarily because the system is sluggish with regard to rendering the icons on the desktop and storing them in memory persistently (which may be true in some cases), but more likely because … Read more

How to Reinstall the System (Mac OS X)

Users sometimes scoff or cringe at the notion of reinstalling the system. But consider this: on the one hand, system software is complicated, and the source of problematic system behavior can be difficult to track down; on the other hand, software arises in files, so the mystery is merely which files are causing the problem. Reinstalling the system is thus a guaranteed, straightforward solution, because it removes all files that can affect system behavior, starting you afresh with a completely clean, vanilla system. Users whose computers are misbehaving should not be reluctant to reinstall the system. It is perfectly safe, … Read more

Applying system updates: A minimalist approach

We do not insist upon the full "goat-sacrifice" approach to updates. Some people recommend rather elaborate procedures: back up before updating; both before and after updating, clear caches, repair permissions, and run DiskWarrior; and so forth. None of this is likely to do any harm, but if updating is made overly complicated, users won't do it at all or, even worse, will just be confused.

On the other hand, it is reasonable to accept the premise that Apple's Software Update, as presently implemented, is inherently dangerous. An application is going to download important system components and … Read more

Tutorial: Flash content will not play in Web browsers, resolving

[Published Wednesday, April 25th]

When Flash content embedded in Web pages will not play, there are a few generally successful options for dealing with the problem.

Update to the latest version of the Flash player Visit the Adobe Flash Player version test page to check what version of Flash is currently being used by your browser. This page also shows the latest version of the Flash player available for your system, which can be downloaded from the Flash download center.

Make sure QuickTime is not attempting to play Flash Apple's QuickTime has the ability to play Flash content embedded … Read more

Troubleshooting-related changes in Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)

The case for disappointment over Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)'s delay lacks a key component -- anticipation fueled by the existence of compelling, publicly announced features beyond those unveiled during Steve Jobs' 2006 WWDC keynote presentation. Fortunately, with regard to the troubleshooting and general stability of Apple's next-generation operating system, there is cause for excitement. Among the improvements that should make for a more problem-free computing experience in Leopard:

The Software Update mechanism in Leopard will force the user to quit all open applications before applying most updates. This change is made in an attempt to obviate … Read more

Speeding up Safari: Reducing spinning pinwheels, other performance bottlenecks

Safari is generally one of the fastest browsers for Mac OS X with regard to page rendering. Unfortunately, its also prone to significant slowdown -- including repeated stalls accompanied by the spinning pinwheel progress indicator, slow launch times, and more. There are a few procedures you can use to minimize the occurrence of stalls and eliminate other hindrances, improving the overall speed of Apple's Web browser.

Slow launching

Clean startup routines There are a number of routines Safari has to perform each time it is launched, and making sure there aren't excessive steps in these routines -- by … Read more

Blocking in-line content rollover or keyword advertisements in Safari

Numerous sites have implemented "keyword rollover" advertisements that are inline with content. Generally they appear as underlined or double-underlined text strings that are part of an article or other content, and trigger a bubble-shaped pop-up whenever the mouse scrolls over them.

Unfortunately, routines for blocking these advertisements -- which can interfere with the display of content and significantly slow page load times -- are not built-in to most browsers, as are routines for blocking traditional pop-up or pop-under ads. With the use of a shareware utility called PithHelmet, however, you can eliminate the display of these ads while … Read more

Controlling PDF display in Web browsers (using Preview instead of Adobe Reader or vice versa, etc.); forcing Safari to download

Less than intuitive are the controls for determining how PDFs accessed through Safari and other Web browsers are displayed. Options are generally hidden within specific applications rather than accessible via universal system controls, and it's sometimes not clear how to invoke given options.

There are two basic alternatives for viewing PDFs from the Web, with variations:

Display the PDF in the browser window with the aid of either Safari's built-in PDF display, the Adobe PDF Viewer Plug-in, or a shareware utility like PDF Browser Plugin Force your Web browser to download the PDF for viewing in Adobe Reader, … Read more

Mini-tutorial: Force-deleting stubborn or problematic files in Mac OS X

Mac OS X can experience difficulty deleting certain files due to the following (and other) reasons:

The file is in use by an application or system process The file is locked The user does not have permission to delete the file The file is damaged or otherwise corrupt and "cannot be found" by the system A. (File in use) If you receive an error message indicating the the file is in use by an application, try one of the following: Quit any and all applications you think might be using the file Open Activity Monitor (located in /Applications/… Read more

mac.column.ted: An Alternative FAQ for Apple TV

Ted Landau April 2007

If you have questions about Apple's new Apple TV, there's already a wealth of answers on the Web. Considering that the device has only been available for a few days, that's pretty impressive. Such is life in the fast-paced world of the Internet. For this column, I sought to come up with some "alternative" information that had not yet been widely covered, if at alland combine it with some personal comments. The result is the following FAQ collection:

Q. How exactly would you categorize an Apple TV? Is it a … Read more