terminator

How-To: Installing and using open-source Unix software in OS X with Fink

Thanks to the "Darwin" underpinnings in OS X, Mac users can compile and run many useful open source projects that are available for Unix operating systems. These include everything from command-line tools and editors, to graphical desktop environments and games. While websites such as "Sourceforge" try to make it easy to access the latest versions of open source projects, the projects will still need to be compiled if a binary is not available. Usually this process is straightforward, but at times modifications to the source code and installation scripts may be required to get them running.… Read more

GAO to FCC: Wireless users need more protection

WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Federal Communications Commission got a slap on the wrist Thursday from federal auditors for not doing enough to protect wireless subscribers.

The Government Accountability Office issued a report Thursday that said the FCC needs to improve oversight of the wireless industry to protect consumers. The agency said the FCC needs to do a better job enforcing consumer protection rules and educating the public about how they can submit complaints when they have experienced problems with their carriers.

The report was requested by Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) when he was chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications … Read more

Move your Time Machine backup and continue using it to backup

This advanced tip allows a Time Machine backup to be made and transferred to an alternative storage location, all while still being available as a backup disk. Using Terminal, users can move their backup disk without losing the previous history stored in the backup.… Read more

FCC questions Verizon over ETF hike

There was a lot of hue and cry last month when Verizon raised its early termination fees for "advanced devices" to $350, and understandably so. Even with $10 decrease with each month of service, that's quite a large sum to pay in case you need to get out of your contract before the time is up.

It appears the FCC is just as curious about this change as are we--the FCC has sent an inquiry to Verizon (PDF link) asking it the tough questions of how the ETF will be implemented, like what exactly constitutes an &… Read more

Four unit conversion options in OS X

Number conversions are always convenient to have around. There are many times when you may need to convert grams to pounds, miles to kilometers, or see the latest exchange rates. In OS X there are some convenient ways to convert numbers that are readily available.… Read more

Deactivate your Sudden Motion Sensor on your Apple portable

There are a number of reasons users may wish to deactivate their Sudden Motion Senor technology in their Mac portables. Environments where extreme vibrations and movement occur frequently, such as live performance venues, can inadvertently trigger the Sudden Motion technology in your Mac and cause interrupted sound or video playback as the hard drive heads are required to park.… Read more

The 411 on early-termination fees (FAQ)

If you are considering buying a new BlackBerry, Android phone, or Netbook from Verizon Wireless, you better make sure you won't want to break your contract early, as the penalty for ditching your service before the end of the contract has just gotten a lot steeper.

But what does Verizon's move to increase early-termination fees mean for the rest of the wireless industry? That's a good question.

Early-termination fees are not new to the wireless industry. For as long as wireless operators have been selling and subsidizing cell phones, they've required customers to sign contracts. And … Read more

Terminal fun: Options for printing folder and subfolder contents

Periodically you may have a collection of files that you may wish to catalog by printing a list of the file names out on a per-directory basis, or by saving the name list in a document. Unfortunately there is no way to do this directly in the Finder. There is a "Print" command in the Finder, but this will open a document in the preferred application and try to print it from there instead of printing the current folder view.… Read more

OS X Terminal displays a blank window instead of a command prompt

If you use the Terminal, you may run into a problem where the Terminal will display a new window but will not show you a command prompt. You can enter text, but nothing registers as a command since there is no active shell. I very frequently use the Terminal, and periodically this has happened to me and can be quite frustrating.… Read more