Mac OS X Power Tools

by Dan Frakes

Expert Dan Frakes Toiled Endlessly with OS X So You Don't Have To... OS X expert and incurable Mac addict Dan Frakes delved into the deepest, darkest regions of Apple's newest operating system to uncover the best and most efficient ways to get things done. The result of his tireless efforts, Mac OS X Power Tools , takes you step-by-step through insightful and essential tips, shortcuts, and solutions. Filled with choice coverage on installation, the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0782141927
• ISBN13: 9780782141924
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Sybex
• Length: 607 Pages
• Weight: 2.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 7.5" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Mac OS X Power Tools, 2nd Edition

Being familiar with the author's expertise on the subject I found familiar ground, he answered my questions (even a few questions that I didn't know I had) in a way that was understandable and within the realm of my possibility. I would reccomemd the book to all that are not that versed in the new operating system. There are many books on the market and this is my recomendation, you will find yourself referring, and finding, the information it holds. Go buy it!!

Comment from the author

As the author of Mac OS X Power Tools, I'd like to make a quick comment, as I feel that M. Christianson's "review" misrepresents this book. As I've tried to make clear in the introduction to the book, it is written for the typical beginner to advanced beginner who is looking to become more of a power user. It covers the necessary basics and then goes well beyond them to help readers truly understand the inner workings of Mac OS X and how to best take advantage of its power and flexibility. However, if you're searching for advanced information on SSH tunneling, key generation, RSA authorization, and similar IT-level topics, this isn't the book for you. Instead, I highly recommend Mac OS X Unleashed by Ray and Ray, an excellent and exhaustive book that covers many of the advanced Unix underpinnings of Mac OS X.

No fluff and made with care

This book IS NOT WIMPY! It's really comprehensive -- there's something in here for everyone, but less for beginners, more for those who are familiar w/ OSX. Author does a good job of differentiating system-configuration variations and his companion web site is icing on the cake.Very well-written, very well edited, very well organized. Like a piece of century-old furniture, it's hard to find computer books with the overall quality of this book these days.

A solid OS X book

Here's the thing about book reviews: They're a lot easier to write when you either absolutely hated or absolutely adored the book in question. Once you've decided how you feel about it, it's easy to find a dozen examples of its mediocrity or excellence, as the case may be. However, I've been sitting on this particular review for a few weeks now, unable to finish it because I can't say that I feel very strongly at all about Power Tools. I recently decided, however, that being unable to form a definite opinion of it one way or another is itself a kind of opinion. There's nothing glaringly wrong with it or missing from it, but when it comes down to whether I'd choose to buy it over a different Mac book, I can't say that I would. I realize that this isn't a work of fiction - its goal isn't exactly to suck me in with thrilling plot twists so that I read the whole thing cover to cover in one sitting. Nevertheless, there are some other books out there that do exactly that (I'll get to them later), and I think I've been spoiled by reading them.What I LikedPower Tools covers its bases in a thorough, informative way. It's a solid OS X book, intended for anyone who understands the very basics involved in using a Mac. The author makes very clear early on that he's not intending to show you how to log in, or how to launch an application, but that's about the extent of the proficiency required, I think. Frakes seems to understand his audience and to address it consistently, which is rare enough to be refreshing. One of my pet peeves in technical writing concerns authors who can't decide who they're talking to - sidebars for beginners and power users are great, but when the body of the text itself waffles back and forth between skill levels, it can be both frustrating and confusing. This is a trap that Power Tools sidesteps completely: At the beginning of each section, you'll find a couple of lines telling you whether an Admin account is required for the techniques described, and whether the changes being made are system-wide or will affect only your own account. Mac OS X Hacks (which is, incidentally and confusingly enough, the Mac equivalent of O'Reilly's classic Unix Power Tools) uses a similar system to introduce each of the hacks in the book, and it's a practice that I'd like to see used more widely.What I Didn't LikeAlthough this is purely a matter of taste and I'm aware that there are many people who disagree with me, I just don't like Frakes's writing style. I have enjoyed some of his columns in the past, but it seems like his humor falls more than a little flat when stretched out over the course of a book. The alliterative titles were amusing for the first one or two chapters, but "Apple-ication Aptitude" is pushing it just a bit, I think. Although I realize that the first priority of a technical book is not to entertain its readers, exactly, is it too much to ask that it enthuse us? I was already interested in OS X before reading Power Tools, but I di

The best OS X book I've read!

I love this book because it's really different from other OS X books I've read. It provides tons of great tips and tricks, but it really does make you understand the big picture, too--the reasons why you can or should do something. The book's contents are presented in a well thought-out order, and it is written very clearly--no guessing about what the author means. No confusing or ambiguous steps, which is especially important for the more advanced topics. My Mac is working better than ever after reading this book and I feel like I have the kind of advanced understanding of OS X that I didn't get from other books.