Apple | I do Mac

Time Machine is super!

Jul 05
2009

Time Machine is a backup and restore program from Apple, it comes standard with OS X Leopard. To use Time Machine you need a USB or Firewire drive, or an Apple Time Capsule (officially).

Since I have a MacBook I do not want a drive, I have to connect to the MacBook. So I went with a LaCie d2 Network. This is a NAS that is Time Machine compatible. You have to have a NAS that can communicate over AFP and is Time Machine compatible , or it will not work (very well).

I have the LaCie d2 Network hooked up to an AirPort Extreme which uses the N based wifi network. I have noticed this helps a lot when making backups. It goes about 3 times (if not more) faster, compared to a G based wifi network.

Time Machine makes backups every hour so you can go “back in time” using Time Machine to restore individual files or folders.

I had made all these backups, but would they really restore?

I had installed a lot of applications just to try them out, and I felt my MacBook was a bit cluttered with junk. I wanted to reinstall my MacBook, but did not want reinstall all the settings, applications, etc… so I did a full restore. A full restore can be done via the OS X install.

I did have some problems. The LaCie d2 Network was not found, but turned out I needed to use the original cable that came with the LaCie d2 Network (usually connected to the AirPort Extreme) to connect the MacBook. And voila, there is was. OS X install will just copy a full backup from the NAS to the Mac and after a few hours I was ready to go. All I needed to do was restore some files that where added and backupped after the full backup and I was done.

I know some people prefer iBackup, or the better known SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner. I personally use Carbon Copy Cloner to make a second backup just to be sure. But Time Machine is a very good backup program and I do advise everyone to give, it at least, a try.

Written by Egon in: Apple Macintosh | Tags: afp, airport, apple, applications, backup, ccc, I do Mac, ibackup, lacie, mac, macbook, macintosh, nas, superduper, time machine

Follow I do Mac… in style, baby

Apr 12
2009

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After hearing a few things about it, I downloaded and installed Xcode. Xcode is more or less the Microsoft Visual Studio for Apple. You can develop applications, widgets, and much more with the Xcode package.

I am no programmer, so I was not sure if I could work with it. After finally finding it on the hard drive, I opened up Xcode. I had no idea what to do or where to start. So I closed it again quickly.

A few days later I saw on Twitter that Jo Oak made a new Mac Tips & Tricks screen cast. I love his shows, very informative. In Mac Tips & Tricks #55 he talks about making your own Dashboard widgets. He did this using Dashcode, which is part of the Xcode package.

It looked fairly simple, and I got the idea to make a Dashboard widget that shows the I do Mac RSS feed. So after some thinking, fidgeting, cussing, redoing… it is here. The first ever “program” I made, and I am very proud of it. The I do Mac RSS Dashboard widget. I even made a DMG file for easy installation, using DMG Canvas.

Feel free to download and install the I do Mac RSS Dashboard widget, so you are always up to date!

Download it here: I do Mac RSS Widget (165)

Written by Egon in: I do Mac | Tags: apple, applications, dashcode, develop, I do Mac, mac, macintosh, rss, twitter, widget, xcode

When does it stop!

Apr 05
2009

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Well, in 3 days actually.

The MacHeist 3 Bundle sale is almost over. So they added yet another application. This time it is Times.

Times is an RSS reader, that displays the feed as a real life newspaper.

Next to that, BoinxTV is about to unlock. Only $7700 dollar to go as I write this.

Help unlock, and buy a bundle NOW!

http://www.macheist.com/

Written by Egon in: Discounted Software | Tags: apple, applications, boinxtv, bundle, I do Mac, mac, macheist, times

Internet Explorer 8, how great is that eh!

Apr 02
2009

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As you might know, since I mentioned it on my About page, I am a Mac user. But I am also a Windows user, still. My main machine is a PC, and I have a MacBook.

So I heard Internet Explorer 8 got released. I have always been an Internet Explorer user. I do not like Firefox at all. But since I got a Mac, I use Safari on my Mac AND on my Windows machine. And I’m loving it.

For no real reason, I thought I would install Internet Explorer 8, just to see if it was any good.

I ran the installer, and it asked me if I wanted to reboot (which was recommended) or do a reboot later. So I did a reboot, why not! So the PC is rebooting. The BIOS comes by, Windows is starting. And there is it, a blue screen of death (BSOD).

THANK YOU INTERNET EXPLORER 8!

Thank goodness, this was just this one time. I find Internet Explorer 8 silly and too much buttons and bars and what not. And than there is the “revert back to Internet Explorer 7” option. That is just… stupid (I can not think of a politer word for it).

Windows seems alright with Internet Explorer 8 in the background. I will just stick to my Safari.