Apple Briefs

Our ethical obligations as lawyers makes computer security even more important than for regular computer users. Apple has stepped up with a very thorough Leopard security guide. The guide is not short, at 240 pages. It isn’t for the faint of heart, and reading it is like drinking from the security fire hose. The guide begins with background information about the Unix features that are the basis for OS X security. After that is a stream of recommendations and settings that can be used to improve security. The vast number of suggestions is difficult to absorb, but there are some nuggets to be found. For example, on page 145, the guide explains how to delete all Time Machine versions of a file. That could be important if you ever need to delete privileged or confidential information that you are no longer entitled to possess.

Obviously, the guide is aimed at more experienced Mac users. But, even novices might find the guide useful. Mac OS X is pretty secure right out of the box. But if you’re concerned about security, you might consider checking the guide before changing any of the default system settings to see if Apple has identified any potential security consequences.

Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual is finally out. Written by David Pogue, the New York Times technology columnist, The Missing Manual series of books for the Mac are a great resource for novice to intermediate users of Macintosh computers.

When I bought the Missing Manual for Panther (two versions of Mac OS X ago), there was only one version of Mac OS X: The Missing Manual. Now there are two. The first, Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual covers the operating system in great detail and has introductions to the iLife applications – iMovie, iDVD, and iPhoto (for which Pogue also wrote separate Missing Manual books). The second book in the series is Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition. This book is for someone who has just made or is thinking about switching from Windows to the Mac.

When I bought my first Mac, I had used one at the Apple Store a few times, but I wasn’t exactly “fluent” with my new computer. Reading The Missing Manual helped me get the most out of my Mac. It really was a great book. Given the consistent high quality of Pogue’s books, I trust that the Leopard versions will be equally useful.