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The human factor.
You can't discuss
computers without taking the human factor into account, and that's
mostly what this section is all about. All sorts of people use
computers for all kinds of reasons; some consider it little more than a
necessary evil (filled with ritual pain), while others use computers to
create and accomplish spectacular things with relative ease.
What makes the difference? |
 Computer Aversion Therapy: Teaching
someone to hate computers - to become filled with dread and loathing at
the thought of having to touch a computer - is easy. Here's how:
Point
is, if you think you're doing someone a favor by giving them that old
computer you replaced last summer because you couldn't use it anymore,
guess what? They won't be able to use it, either. Make a dedicated
rolodex out of it, or use it to store recipes in the kitchen. Sell it
on eBay for parts, or make a sculpture out of it, or a birdhouse, or
use it as a doorstop. But please don't condemn someone else to a
frustrating experience you know enough to avoid yourself.
By the same token: If someone wants to give you an old, outdated machine that cannot run a current OS or modern software, don't think you can make a silk purse out of it. Rather than drop $$$ on RAM, drives, OS and upgrades, put that money toward a new Mac. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. |
 You cannot be serious about security and run Windows.  If you look at regular maintenance time and resources spent in the ongoing fight against malware, data theft, network threats and so-called "hackers" - mandatory screening, updates and scans - well, what if none of that was necessary? What if all you needed was a little common sense? Common sense _should_ be enough to stop you from downloading and installing things that may appear online out of the blue (or in this case, green). Fact is, most Mac users today have never even seen a real virus. However, that's not to say the Mac platform is totally immune to security issues. The most serious "virus" currently facing Mac users are a few phony anti-virus apps that pop up online with bogus infection reports. How ironic is that? While these can't actually do damage, they will incessently nag you to send banking info, and therein lies the potential harm. Best to prevent or avoid such things, so here are a few suggestions:
In the
Security pane of System Preferences, click the General tab:
 Then there's the FileVault tab. Here you can set a master password and encrypt everything on your hard drive. DON'T do it! Encryption will slow read/write operations considerably, and if you lose your master password you're toast. FileVault is there with industrial-strength encryption if you really need it, but you'd have to have a _serious_ reason to make it worthwhile. Most of us are adequately protected by password protection without the added hassles of encryption. So, as long as we're all connected to the internet, you can assume you'll encounter something nasty sooner or later and we each need to use care. You can also assume a lack of privacy to some degree, because of a dirty little secret you might never notice: Virtually every app you use on your computer is phoning home these days. Yup. Just as GPS-equipped phones attempt to map wireless access locations by sending coordinates and network info, computer and software makers collect and send data too, including OS and app versions, CPU/machine specs, and other technical info. These are legitimate means of data collection used to monitor product performance and provide online assistance, but there is illegitimate eavesdropping going on out there, too. When personal data is sent without your knowledge, then security becomes a concern. As they say, "there's an app for that." Short of pulling the plug on communications altogether, we must rely on firewalls and utilities to intercept and identify potential leaks in order to remain connected while having some control over privacy, and the Mac comes well-equipped. Again, the #1 (and arguably only) security tool most Mac users really need is common sense - and a proper login password. |
 Might be time to drop a dime... If this is
the Information Age, it's being driven by the Internet and we each need
to grab ahold of those handlebars and pay attention. The web can be the
ultimate research tool, but like any tool it may be used in a variety
of ways, even as a weapon. As you read this, a fight is still being
waged over access control and profit from the internet that could
change it for better or worse. This subject, like most anything else
you might be interested in, can (still) be investigated on the Web
using Google, Yahoo, and/or a variety of other
search engines. Using information technology has become mandatory, like
being able to read and write, and we each must develop our skills at
dealing with search criteria and technique in order to be proficient.
Why? Because it is important to know what - and who - you're dealing
with today.
Spy versus spy.There's a quirky quasi-documentary out called "Catfish" that should be required viewing for social network denizens in general, and Fbook subscribers in particular. It says a lot about what happens when social networking meets human nature. No academy awards from the beautiful peeps in Hollyweird, but the flick was certainly on point, especially with Fbook seemingly everywhere (like it or not). Regardless, the cybersleuth issue has many faces, and Fbook is only two of 'em. If you
still respect privacy and decency, and you think "spying" is beneath
you, please think again. You really do need to take those gloves off in
cyberspace if you want a fighting chance, and don't wait until it's too
late. Do it immediately, before making any decisions or commitments,
before clicking that send button. It's not about spying or being rude, it's about staying on top of changing circumstances and
making informed decisions.
Why bother?
If you (more correctly) consider online research to be a valuable tool and useful asset, but not necessarily appropriate in social circles - I sympathize, but can no longer agree. Personally, I believe those sentiments belong in the past now, along with so many other matters of civility and common sense these days. In some quarters, it's every man for himself. So call it spying if you like - or researching or investigating or shopping or sleuthing or advertising or promoting or networking - as these terms all do apply. But also consider it prudent and necessary in the modern world. And while you're at it, you might consider investigating yourself to see what others will find out from researching you. It's easier
than you might think. If you're on Fbook, you've thrown open all the
doors and joined the party, so you might as well start there. But, as
research tools go, those social sites lack validation and we only want
facts here. I recommend skipping right past Fbook and others sites of
that ilk in favor of drilling much deeper for official records,
detailed stats, facts and figures from reliable sources.
The Internet may be the ultimate "killer app" of the computer world, long as regulation and greed doesn't throttle it back. You should know, and be aware, that many forces are at work trying to control your access and redirect your attention (see Electronic Frontier Foundation for the latest), so you must stay focused and be determined to get at the truth. It helps to be resourceful as well. Your degree of difficulty will vary depending on what type of info you seek and how sensitive that info might be. Here are three broad categories:
Every
private eye on the planet keeps a variety of go-to web sites and
sources for searching out answers and locating info, and so should you.
Create a folder for search sites in the bookmarks menu of your browser
(Safari, Firefox, Etc.) and start collecting site bookmarks that serve
your purposes best. We can help you sort thru countless resources
available on the web and suggest a few ways to obtain factual data you
may be unaware of, but be advised that most of these services require
accounts and many charge fees.
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 Market reflects lifestyle and philosophy. "Prosumer" is a targeted subset of
professionals in any given market. Whereas the vast majority of
consumers are generally focused on price, prosumers tend to aim for
technical specifications and professional quality. In the computer
world, the difference is often between those who only use computers as
an "information appliance" (email, Internet, word processing), and
so-called "power users" who design, illustrate, analyze, edit, explore,
program and create on computers.
The Prosumer market is a relatively small target, probably less than 10% of computer users as a whole. High-end products that appeal to power users can be as specialized as they are expensive; as technical requirements increase, competition and choices tend to narrow. A decision often hinges on a critical component or a single specification. Prosumers research their options to the nth degree, usually with specs and plans in hand, prepared to examine, discuss and use all relevant technologies. They take pride in being computer-savvy, they use serious tools and get spectacular results. Picky lot they are, too.  Consumers, on the other hand, don't
wanna know all the grisly details - they just want it to work. They
know there's more to life than technobabble, and they'd like to get on
with it. They want the bottom line as quickly as possible..... which is
fine, provided they're getting good advice and can afford equipment
that works easily with a minimum of trouble. Computer technology
doesn't come cheap, especially with a trial-and-error approach, and a
seemingly simple decision can lock you into an unpleasant routine for
the duration. As they say, "the devil's in the details." You won't get
the right answers without knowing what questions to ask.
Even if all
you want to do is email and internet, at least take a look around at
the different equipment and software others are using (and their degree
of success). Ask lots o'questions. Compare ease of use, speed,
efficiency, capabilities, quality. Compromise any of these for a low
purchase price and you'll be paying for it every time you use your
machine. If delving into details is not in the plan, taking a good look
around can at least suggest a path to follow.
Altsumers - alternative consumers -
deserve special mention here in CA. Altsumers are in a whole different
world of their own making. They've found alternatives to just about
everything that has ever proven effective, including alternative foods,
medicine, energy, lifestyle, you name it. Using complex calculations
involving geopolitics and organic chemistry, decisions are made
according to what products don't contain, or won't do, or where they
haven't been. Superstition, astrology, pseudo-science, witchcraft,
global nonsense - none of these things have any place in a discussion
about computer equipment. Only logic applies here.
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 The 90s were not kind to "Apple's rabid fans." That's what
a pair of butthead staff writers at the SF Chronicle called Mac users
(front page, 1/24/96). In fact, local news media pounded Apple on a
regular basis for a very long time. Stories of Apple's imminent demise
appeared weekly, if not daily. It was relentless. Rumors were rampant.
Every tiny hint of trouble was reported in mindless minutia by media
"experts" as though delivering a postmortem. Almost gleeful, they were.
 CalPERS
(California Public Employees' Retirement System) made headline news
when it dumped all of its Apple holdings at almost exactly the same
time Apple hit its all-time historic low ($13/share). Someday I'll do
the math and figure out how much money CalPERS lost.
Buy low,
sell high. Duh.
Not that
Apple's history is lacking drama, no. It's one heck of a tale, told on
magazine covers, in strange, sometimes ugly headlines and in more than
a few books. There was even a goofy, made-for-TV movie that was just
plain dumbstupid.
So, why all
the bad press? Makes no more sense now than it did then. Seems Apple
has to be four times better than anybody else just to get a nybble of
attention. Not to say the news media is capable of getting their facts
straight, but it's nice to see the Mac gaining visibility and the
recognition it deserves after so many years of innovation and
excellence.
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 We've used Macs to remodel houses, design and build
furniture and mechanical devices, make motorcycle modifications, create
artwork, design databases and produce printed circuits. It edits and
stores audio and video, photographs and graphics, text and data of all
kinds. Plus, it keeps the books, manages communications and provides
endless material for research purposes and entertainment. I mention
this because there are still people out there who wonder what they'd
ever do with a computer. Hello?
The first "killer
application" was word processing.
The ability to type and edit a document _before_ printing
was reason enough to buy a computer, just to replace that old
typewriter. Today, most folks recognize internet access as being a
whole new window on the world, with email serving as the new means of
written correspondence, both of which are excellent reasons to invest
in a computer. (Even if all you use a computer for is email and web,
using a Mac provides a big advantage due to security features and ease
of use.) But there is so much more you can do, it seems like a waste of
power to stop at communications without branching off into other
things.....
Your Mac comes equipped with software designed to manage a
great many basic necessities, such as communications, photos, text,
music, addresses, all sorts of things. It even comes with a set of
developer tools for creating your own programs. All the basics are
covered right out of the box. For specialized applications, you'll find
all kinds of additional hardware and software available for most any
use these days. Our Link pages contain a wide variety of recommended
products and vendors; there's also a link to Apple's index of OSX
applications where you'll find thousands of programs designed to do
almost anything you can think of.
One odd thing about
software:
Good programs always seem deceptively simple, with a
tasteful, coherent interface, easy to use and understand - which tends
to conceal the program's power. If you can accomplish a given task with
one click, it's because the program's designer has dealt with all the
details for you. If, on the other hand, you have to wade through an
assortment of buttons and dialog boxes to accomplish that same task,
then the programmer has decided to let you do all the work. Easy for
them, not so easy for you. And somehow, bad software seems to leave an
impression of "sophistication" due to the complexity of dealing with it.
It pays to shop around and test drive applications before
buying. The cumulative effect of using bad software can translate into
a considerable waste of time and repetitive effort, which will more
than offset any money saved in its purchase price. (Also true of
Operating Systems and hardware, by the way.) Having said that, you may
find you already have a program capable of assisting with whatever
project you have in mind and additional software won't be necessary.
I've often used simple graphics apps for remodel projects and precision
design work, everything from MacPaint to Photoshop.
Be creative! Apply the
power of your Mac to whatever holds your interest. You might find an
app onboard that can handle your project, or you might decide to invest
in specialized software to accomplish something amazing. Just,
p-p-please don't look at the Mac as an ordinary computer or some sort
of appliance. Use it! Explore just a few of the things it can do and
you'll be amazed.
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