Macintosh Books

This book was a great help, Im currently attending the Art Institute of California-San Diego. and this book was recommended for my Motion Graphics class. It has a lot of good tutorials and pointers to do on your own. This book was a great asset to honing my motion graphics skills.

Are you new with After Effects? Adobe After Effects 7 Visual Quickpro Guide for Antony Bolante really gives you fast steps toward learning more about this product. This book gives you a strong base to start a leading career using After Effects.
Antony Bolante in his book considered that the reader is beginner in After Effects. So, he describes each tiny part in an easy to understand way.

The first chapters in the book describe this great program, anatomy and tools. And shows you with examples how to use these tools.
For example, chapter 12 shows all about creating text and text animation. It starts with setting the workspace for text and goes through creating text, editing, formatting, setting text options and describes in details how to get the most out of text animation, starting with making the text follow a path, using text animation presets and creating animator groups.
The last chapter teaches you how to get your work out to the world by using different rendering techniques in After Effects.

I think this book is the best resource for beginner After Effect designers and animators, as it really gives you a big push toward the proficiency of Adobe after Effects.

Since there are very little instructions with the Apple TV this Pocket guide was very informational. It not only helped explain set-up possibilities, but also explained the difference between streaming and syncing. This guide gives one the ability to use their Apple TV to the fullest.

This book is about the size of a paperback novel (160 pages). The inside pages are in black and white and contain many photos and screenshots to illustrate points. If you have thought about purchasing an Apple TV, then this book would certainly be a handy thing to have on hand. It takes you from explaining what the Apple TV is and what it isn't, to getting it set up and connected and then how to use it.
There is a good Index if you need to hunt for a particular word or phrase.

I do not have an Apple TV and don't plan on buying one anytime soon, but I am interested in what it can do. Who knows? Maybe I will find a reason that I absolutely need one.

Things you can do with an Apple TV include streaming content from your iTunes Library to watch on the television. You can even stream content from a friend's computer to your TV. Obviously, you can show photo slideshows from your computer to the television, and play your own home movies including high-definition content, assuming you have an HDTV also. Actually, you have to have a widescreen HDTV or "enhanced definition" to use Apple TV--that is something I didn't know to begin with.

I didn't see any mention of viewing youtube.com videos through the Apple TV but Apple has said you can do that. This book was published in 2007 but probably just before that news was out.

I am hoping that in the future the Apple TV will let you do a lot more. Currently, I have watched many TV shows online that I missed watching when they were broadcast. It would be great to be able to watch any of those with the Apple TV through my television set while kicked back on the sofa. I could do that if those shows are in the iTunes Store, but then I would have to pay $1.99 for each episode I watch. Of course, I would get to keep them forever, but when it comes to watching TV shows, I usually am satisfied to watch it once.

This is a good book I guess if you have never ever heard about Automator before. If you have spent 1 hour trying out automator, you already know more than whats in this book....

I've written in the past two years at least three separate how-to articles (here here and here about Apple's automation creation program, Automator. Since the program was introduced with Tiger, I've always looked for ways it can help me automate certain mundane tasks on my computer. Each morning, for example, I can come to my computer with five of my most frequented Web site feeds opened and ready for me to peruse. Thanks to an Automator workflow initiated by a daily iCal launch, I don't have to individually pull up those same Web sites each day in order to view them. Automator and iCal do the work for me. I have about eight other workflows like this that I use on a consistent basis.

Though I wish I were a skilled programmer, I couldn't create a bit of computer or software code to save my life. That's why Automator is a perfect program for those of us who would like to script actions on our computer but don't have the skills to do so. Automator is based on the type of select and drop features that you find in all of Apple's programs. However, I would not go so far as to say that Automator is an intuitive program for basic computer users. While my wife can put together a family newsletter using one of the Apple's Pages's template, she would be at a loss using Automator.

But for intermediate and power users of the the OS X system, Automator is very accessible. And finally, there's a introductory book about using the program that I've been wanting to see published for a while now. Not sure why it has taken Peachpit so long to publish a book about Automator, but it's great that it has.

Automator For Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard is part of Peachpit's Visual Quickstart Guide series. Books in this series provide you a nice straightforward introduction to software programs with plenty of examples, illustrations, tips, and recommendations for getting the most out of the programs that a book in the series covers. The author of this book, Ben Waldie, is president of Automated Workflows (www.automatedworkflows.com) which is one of four or five Automator sites that feature tutorials and sample workflows about Automator. He has "developed professional automated solutions for clients such as Adobe, Apple, CNN, and Microsoft." He has authored numerous articles about Automator and AppleScripting and has been a frequent presenter at Macworld Conference and Expo and other events.

Automator For Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard covers all the basics plus a little more. If you have never cracked open Automator, it would probably be a good idea to simply follow one of my tutorials. Have no fear, testing out and playing around with the program will not break or crash your computer. You might discover just how useful Automator and other similar programs can be in saving your time and stress. I won't say that every workflow you create won't have a glitch here and there, but as you keep refining the workflow, you will over time get some things done faster at your computer.

With latest version of Automator in Leopard, Apple includes what it calls a starting points screen to help you get going. However, if you never worked in Automator, I really don't see how the start up screen will help you. You first have to know what you want to do and what actions Automator can provide to help you do it. So it's best to select custom workflow in the start up screen and poke around and see what Automator has to offer.

Waldie's book is mostly a manual run down of the program. He breaks down each all the features and basic process for completing workflows. If you're a beginner in this program, the book might very well be useful. If you're an intermediate or advance user of Automator, I can't see Waldie's book being that useful to you. There are many articles and video tutorials on the Internet that will get you acquainted with Automator, so it's a bit of stretch to say that this book is necessary to learn how to get up and running with Automator.

Fortunately, Waldie's book covers the latest version of Automator, including how to use the much wanted Variable, Loop, Recording features. These features provide users more customization and greater control over workflows. He explains how to set up several workflows (including one that emails birthday birthday greetings, and another one that adds spotlight comments to photos) but sometimes it's not clear why a user would go to the trouble to create a few of the workflows he illustrates in the book. I say this because many of the actions that come installed with Automator are features used in the iLife programs themselves. For example, it would be pointless to create a workflow that simply opens up an application. That can be done manually or when you log in to your computer. However, it might be useful to have an application workflow that opens up two or three applications at the same time when you know you'll be using them together. You can also create another workflow that will close those same three applications at the same time. It sounds simple, but if you're doing something like this a lot, it can be definite time saver.

Waldie includes a list great sources and examples about using Automator with AppleScript and UNIX Commands. Being able to tie together the more advance actions of AppleScript with Automator enables you to create even better workflows. A recent example of this is a AppleScript command and Automator workflow that puts your Mac to sleep by sending an email to it. You can find out to easily do this by visiting Murphymac.com.

Automating and scripting programs may not be everyone's idea of having fun, but if you're using a computer on a regular basis and you're not finding ways to automate your tasks, then you're probably frustrated that your computer has more control over your time than you do. Check out Automator and learn how it can save you some time.

Like many people who make their living using a computer I perform many repetitive tasks. I've dabbled around in Applescript a bit and have managed to make a few scripts that help me but since I'm not really a programmer that is only worth the time if I'm going to use the same script often. Even then, if the sequence task requires only a few steps it doesn't seem worth the effort to struggle with the programming. Enter Automator.

With OS X.4, Apple offered a tool to make automation easier. With OS X.5 it actually is close enough to easy, or could be easy once getting past the intimidation factor. With this QuickStart guide to hold my hand I've actually gotten to the point where I start to think of Automator whenever I need to perform repetitive tasks. The writing is clear and straightforward. I love the visual cookbook format of the series and it works well here. Walde has chosen some useful examples to teach Automator and make it accessible. The learning progression - from simpler to more complex tasks is well thought out. For an introduction to Automator, this book is excellent and will take you as far as possible without having to learn to script with Applescript or a shell language.

Michelle Robinette, a former teacher, explains how to integrate ClarisWorks into the classroom in this easy-to-use reference book. She explains how to utilize each of ClarisWorsks six environments: word processor,database, drawing, painting, spreadsheets, and communication functions, with simple step-by-step instructions that will make your busy life as a teacher more simplified. A few of these instructions include the ability to print certificates, prepare slide shows, customize lesson plans, and create an automated gradebook. In chapter 20, Robinette shares some of her great ideas about how to put your students to work by utilizing ClarisWorks. Robinette recognizes this is a more challenging task when there is only one computer available for an entire classroom; however, she shares some of her suggestions for this all to common situation. A classroom journal, an ongoing story center, and a skill-and-drill review station are three ideas teachers working with a variety of subject areas, and grade levels can get their students to use ClarisWorks. If you are looking for a concise, fun-to-read ClarisWorks reference book, that includes wonderfully witty technology cartoons; this is the book!

In her introduction, Michelle Robinette states that one of her goals is "to write books that serve as useful references - books that you find worthy of a spot on your desktop or beside your computer." Well. this one has a spot on a shelf near my computer, but I don't consider it a "reference". Like Ms. Robinette, I too am a teacher and something of a technology expert - at least among educators. I found the book far to elementary to be useful as a reference - but that doesn't mean that you will. What I'd like to do is pose a couple questions that might help you to decide whether this book is worth the investment, or whether a more advanced book (of the same cost) might be more appropriate.

Are you a complete neophyte when it comes to computers? Or are you at least an experienced beginner? If you have only recently begun to use a computer and are still feeling your way around your Mac or PC, this is an excellent book. If you're already familiar with the basics of your Mac or PC operating system and a word processor, then you just might find Charles Rubin's =The Macintosh Bible Guide to ClarisWorks= a far better investment (even if you use a PC).

Are you a Mac user or a PC user? I am in total agreement with Michelle Robinette that ClarisWorks is a simple, user-friendly, integrated suite that is exceptionally well suited to cross-platform (Mac-PC) environments. It's a perfect choice for schools which have traditionally been 'Mac shops', but are now making a sometimes painful transition to PCs. Unfortunately, the CD that comes bundled with Michelle Robinette's book is oriented mainly to Mac users. Be advised that if you are using a PC, the CD that comes with this book will be of very limited value.

Are you an elementary school teacher or a secondary ed teacher? Michelle Robinette is a technology expert at an elementary school near Atlanta, and the her most useful software and lesson plan suggestions are oriented towards this population and its curriculum. Middle school teachers will still find many of her 'learning links' useful, and may be able to extrapolate appropriate lesson plans from her suggestions, but high school teachers (such as myself) will likely find them much less useful.

Finally, I must take issue with one shortcut suggested in the book, namely, the suggestion to use specialized grading software. ClarisWorks offers teachers a means to master a simple, user-friendly, integrated suite that students will find very similar to the 'flagship office suites' commonly found in the workplace. Teachers should be strongly encouraged to use these applications for their own daily classroom management tasks - like attendance, grading, student and parent database, etc. I seriously doubt whether teachers who adopt Michelle Robinette's suggestion to use specialized grading software for these tasks will ever master ClarisWorks' spreadsheet and database applications and gain the necessary competence to integrate them into their curriculum. There is, after all, no need for teachers to have an integrated suite if all they use is a word processor, drawing tools, and grading software.

PS On July 28, 1997 Claris announced the release of ClarisWorks Office which includes ClarisWorks 5.0.

I cannot believe they want $100 for this commentary on sale. It's about a $30 commentary in my opinion. After consulting this as a technical resource to solve a debate between two other commentaries on Hosea 1:2-9, I found no convincing argument in the passages he gives. I had to read it twice because it is so thick linguistically just to grasp what he was saying.

Having said that, he gives way more than the other commentaries I have on a passage. For example, on the issue of whether God spoke to Hosea or in Hosea to those around him, MacIntosh gives an entire page! For technical details like that he is very helpful.

On the meaning of the term 'prostitute' in Hosea 1:2 his argument is very technical, but may not take into account the typical historical setting.

He gives Hebrew phrases in Hebrew fonts (great if you know Hebrew), but if you have a bit of vision difficulty, you will find the characters hard to see because the Hebrew fonts are small, and the pointers impossible to read.

I would recommend that you borrow this commentary from a library rather than buy it. If it were reasonably priced, I would urge everyone who works seriously on Hosea to get a copy. Otherwise it's a four star book only because of the steep price.

A hundred years ago, the International Critical Commentary was synonymous with the best Biblical scholarship in the English language. Some of these old volumes still have value today. Here is a new volume in this great tradition, the result of 15 years' work by a great scholar. In this densely packed book, made even denser by the use of small print for the more technical sections, you will find nearly everything worth saying about this "minor" prophet. MacIntosh casts a powerful new light on the text of Hosea by showing that many of the hard to understand passages can be explained by realising that Hosea spoke a Northern dialect of Hebrew rather than the dialect of Jerusalem. At a stroke, he clears up difficulties that have perplexed his predecessors for generations and caused William Harper (author of an earlier ICC commentary on Hosea) to propose dozens of amendments to the text; MacIntosh shows that these are mostly unnecessary. However, he does find evidence of some editorial activity and explanatory glosses added by priestly circles in Jerusalem. In summary, this book is hard going, but those willing to persevere will find one of the very best commentaries ever written on a minor prophet, and a book that holds its place among the best commentaries on any Bible book.

I bought Sonkin's work to amplify what my local jurisdiction requires for Domestic Violence assessment. It provides a very helpful nuts and bolts treatemnt for all aspects of working with perpatrators, and I really appreciate the CD of documents included. Sonkin's work is very comprehensive and useful for the domestic violence professional.

As a facilitator for a batterer's treatment and anger management program, this book outlines the basis for presenting a complete program to address the dynamics of domestic violence and the impact on families, society, and community. Taking a multi-faceted approach is important for a multi-faceted issue.

This book is wonderful when it comes to telling about different shareware I could load onto my Mac, lots of different tweaks, great humor.

Best of all this book helped me regain sanity, by telling me I could reboot, then click and hold my mouse button down to force-eject a CD when no operating system is installed.

It's still not David Pogue's OS X: The Missing Manual, but I will give Bob LeVitus credit for helping me out on that one!

I've been getting used to OS X Panther for about a month now, making slow, incremental progress with my comfort level and efficiency. I picked up this book yesterday, and WOW, what a difference! In just 24 hours I feel like I'm some kind of power user -- all thanks to this book, which explains how to streamline and customize Panther with cool, focused tips and some well-chosen shareware apps. And it's such a good read -- I love Dr. Mac's clear and easygoing style! I especially like the "What Other Power Users Think You Should Know" chapter. Great stuff!

I do locum tenens (temporary) doctoring and when I go on an assignment this is the first book to go in my suitcase. I take it to the office with me in the morning and take it home at night in case I get a question that I need it for. It is clear, concise, comprehensive and as authoritative as any text can be. If you care for or prescribe meds to pregnant or lactating women, this is a "must have".

Big, bountiful, beautiful book. Heavy, hard to get around, huge for transport reference guide. Quite expensive and not very portable... palm pilot version would be nice or quick, pocket reference....

Easy iPod and iTunes - Que Publishing

By Zac Mac, AAUG Member
Reviewed 10/01/06

Que Publishing's Easy iPod and iTunes book provides instructions on how to get the most out of your iPod and iTunes in easy to digest one to three page segments. The beginning user will learn a lot from this book without becoming overwhelmed. Easy iPod and iTunes also provides limited advanced instruction.

Easy iPod and iTunes is divided into 17 chapters ranging from "Getting to Know the iPod" to "Advanced iPod and iTunes". All of the chapters are further divided into topical segments. The segments are organized with a brief description of the segment, a visual of a screen shot or iPod shot or other photo, numbered steps to follow to complete the segment, explanation of the numbered steps, and "Tips" or "Notes" or "Cautions". The author labels the beginning of each segment as "Start" and the completion of each segment as "End".

The visual shots are extremely helpful and allow the user to work along on the computer while reading the book. A downside to the visual shots is that iTunes has already moved onto iTunes 7 and the book is using older versions of iTunes that do not always match up with iTunes 7. However, most of the time the visuals are accurate and guide the user through the learning process.

The linear thinker will enjoy the numbered steps to follow and the explanation of those steps. Most steps entail an action that is highlighted in the explanation for quick reference. The segments require about 3 to 7 steps for completion. Most segments are one or two pages in length.

The "Tips", "Notes", or "Cautions" add a little more insight to the segments. "Notes" tend to provide further explanation. "Tips" suggest alternatives to the steps in a segment or ways to get more use from the topic being taught.

The "Start" and "End" designations mean that you should know if you have learn the finite information from the segment without wondering into the next segment confused or thinking that there is more that needs to be applied for the topic at hand. This really makes learning a topic more appealing as each topical segment can stand alone as well as each of the seventeen chapters. However the knowledge from one segment or chapter often is built upon in subsequent segments and chapters.

Although the table of contents contains good detail on the segments provided in each chapter, the index is handy for that issue that pops up occasionally. Truly Easy iPod and iTunes' strength is its ability to act as a quick reference for trouble shooting or exploring a new use of the iPod or iTunes.

A weakness that faces Easy iPod and iTunes is that for all that brevity and simplicity of information, you might need to look elsewhere for greater detail and/or more advanced instruction on iPod and iTunes useage.

I chose chapter 12 "Using Your iPod As a PDA or Hard Disk" as my test chapter and focused on synching my iPod with my Address Book contacts and iCal calendar function as my test segment. I was successful in less than 15 minutes of reading the segment and performing the tasks. The instructions lead me through the task without any extra challenges and I feel comfortable that I could use my iPod to retrieve contact information and view calendared appointments on a regular basis.

For $19.99 Easy iPod and iTunes would certainly assist a casual iPod user in learning more about their iPod and the functions it possesses. A more advanced user will probably want to search for another resource.

Shelly Brisbin's "Easy iPod and iTunes" by Que publishing may be the best book available for using an iPod or iTunes. (After reading it, I have no need for an alternate book to learn from.)

Shelly writes clearly and concisely, in a "playful" tone. Her "Easy" book is indeed easy to read and follow. Or you can skip to what you want since the Parts (chapters) are divided well. Every single page is filled with large, colorful pictures, making it appealing and quick to learn with the aid of pictures. "See it done. Do it yourself." A manual cannot be easier to use, plus this soft-cover book doesn't have the "dry" feel of a manual. The back cover says, "No need to feel intimated; we'll hold your hand every step of the way." Why struggle through a manual?

Thanks Shelly Brisbin for writing this "reference" book!

As a long time user of FM, I find myself still referring to this excellent book (now presently worn and post-noted to the nth degree..). The authors have a major focus on real world practicality and interface design, concepts that are quickly forgotten in the world of databases. Although the book refers to version 2.X, many of the ideas still apply to the latest version (5). There are numerous tips and tricks, many that were obviously developed in "real world" environment. The authors patiently remind the reader of the overwhelming and timeless importance of INTERFACE design and how to do it, something that is often forgotten or misunderstood in our database and web world. The book reflects the nature of the product: ease of use and simplicity for both the developer and the user.

The book covers FileMaker Pro version 2.0 in intimate detail. Since FileMaker has progressed to version 5, many people will discount this book as irrelevant. It's not. It's written in a very readable style and it's goal was to get as much as you possibly could out of FileMaker back when all there was were flat files. Much of FileMaker hasn't changed since version 2 including the various "modes" of operation, defining fields and calculations, writing scripts, implementing security, and making an easy to use data entry layout. Rich's writing is clear and jargon-free. While the files on the Mac 800K disk may be unusable to you, the content of the book is rich and rewarding as an introduction to the world of FileMaker. This is by no means "all" there is to know, but it's a darn good start before drowning in some of the newer and more advanced features introduced in versions 3, 4, and 5. Hopefully, when Rich's new book comes out that has been updated to version 5, that will completely eliminate the need to hunt this one down, but until that time, it's a nice starting point.