Product Description
The follow-on to Apple Training Series: Mac OS X Deployment v10.6 and Apple Training Series: Mac OS X Directory Services v10.6, this volume takes an in-depth look at the many options provided to administrators to secure access to intranet services. System administrators and other IT professionals will learn how to configure Mac OS X Server v10.6 to provide secure access to vital network services such as web, mail, and calendar from mobile devices such as the iPhone. The Providing Network Services section covers establishing critical network services such as DNS, DHCP, and NAT/Gateway services. Systems & Services focuses on connecting private and public networks securely using firewalls, certificates and VPNs. Finally, the Working with Mobile Devices section teaches students how to successfully configure Snow Leopard Server’s Mobile Access Server and securely deploy intranet services such as web, mail, and calendar services to mobile devices, such as the iPhone, without the need for VPN services.   ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A fine classroom primer and text for any advanced computer collection!
Mac OS X Security and Mobility v10.6 provides a powerful Apple-certified training course filled with options for administrators to secure access to intranet sites. It teaches IT professionals now to tweak Mac OS X Server v10.6 to provide secure access to network services and covers the basics of establishing critical services. A fine classroom primer and text for any advanced computer collection!
... Read more

Product Description
Do you prefer instructions that show you how instead of telling you why? This book is packed with easy, visual directions and full-color screen shots that show you how to tackle more than 150 tasks with Mac OS X Leopard, including adding applications to the Dock, color-coding files and folders, viewing windows in Exposé, using the QuickTime player, storing files on your iPod, creating your own Web widgets, and more. Succinct explanations walk you through step by step. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

INDEX Errors
Try finding iPhoto or the many other i"things" in the index and get referred to page 264. NONE of these are on that page and I can't find them elsewhere in the book either.

Teach Yourself Visually MAC OS X LEAPORD
It is very good but now they have snow leopard is it a big change??

Great.
I am very happy with this seller and the product.It arrived in timely fashion and in good condition.

Teach Yourself Visually
This is a great Book for first time Mac users and seniors.

Well illustrated and easy to follow instructions.

Very Good Book.

Mac OS X Leopard book
Handy book - goes over the basics, making this a great reference book, especially useful for applications that are not often used. I like the visual part which allows me to relate what is being said to where it's at on my computer. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (142)

Good Reference Book; Mac OSX Tiger Operating System
I wanted to have a reference book for the Tiger Mac OSX which this book satisfies more for the beginner or intermediate user rather than the advanced user; but I still find it useful even though I have used the Mac OSX since it came out years ago. I run Debian (Lenny) with my Mac OSX; dual boot. I did hope there would be more command line programming. It is easy to read.

os x tiger
David Pogue writes a book that is very easy to understand and read. informative and thorough.doesn't leave anything
out.doesn't assume you already know that.Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition

What should have shipped with Mac OS X
I purchased an older iMac G4 (iLamp) so I could get my bearings with the Mac.I have never owned a Mac and my time on the OS has been very limited, thus I needed a resource to guide me through some of the details of moving around the OS.This book has definitely fit the bill.It is well written and very detailed.It provides more than enough information to get your system configured and running smoothly.More importantly it gets you comfortable with the OS, which is extremely hard to do in a book.This book, however, does just that!

The missing Mac manual
This book provided some information that was not in my Mac owners' manual but I wish the index of topics would have been a little clearer.I am satisfied with the overall information it provided and think it was helpful in understanding the Mac Tiger OS.

Great book greater service
I knew that I wanted this book, after buying a used Mac laptop. Mr. Pogue is one of the most knowledgeable authors on Macintosh computers. What was the best part of my book was the fantastic customer service from Better World Books. Whenever I shop for books on Amazon they will be my first choice.

Scott Blanchard ... Read more

Product Description

Topics covered: How to get around in Darwin, the UNIX implementationbuilt into Mac OS X. Sections deal with basic maneuvering at the command line, LDAP services, C programming, and graphical user interfaces under Aqua. There's a short section on building the kernel itself, but it's limited in scope. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Makes the transition easy (mine, anyway)
Bought this after a co-worker let me borrow their copy ... had to have my own.Definitely helped to understand some of the inner-workings and to correlate with what I'm accustomed to.

Very useful!
I am very happy to have found this book.I have been using BSD and Linux based platforms for many years now, and I was a little bit blown away by how much there is to adjust to on OS X.This book provided a fantastic set of hints as to where I should look to discover the OS X way of doing things.Highly recommended!

Exactly what the title announces
As the title say, this is a book to facilitate the transition of Unix
experts (or at least, proficient users) to OS X, and it certainly does.
We recently bought a Mac Pro to be used as a server but it came with the
usual OS X (not the server version) installed. I have worked before in
Linux an other Unices. Since our needs are restricted (serve file systems
via ssh, open remote desktops and serve web pages) the client version of
OS X (which, as Linux, is also server is some capabilities are enabled)
can be used. The book gives tips to make this and many other things,
apart from pointing to the most useful packages of software to be installed in a machine that is to be used for desktop, server and
programming.
Summarizing, an excellent book.

Some good information, some fluff
I am a longtime Unix/Linux user/expert. I also used MacOS before switching to Windows (partly so I could dual boot into Linux) in ~1998. I just switched back to Mac, largely because Macs now have Unix under the hood and let me run (via virtualization) Windows and Linux simultaneously. I wanted a book to help me understand the things that are similar and different between Mac OS X and Linux. This book was generally good, but had some fluff that I wasn't interested in. In general the book had enough technical details to be useful and I could just skip the fluff.

Learn how to compile code, install open source software through Fink and MacPorts, and more
Brian Jepson, Ernest E. Rothman and Rich Rosen's MAC OSX FOR UNIX GEEKS, 4TH EDITION now covers Leopard and offers a fine survey of the 'geekier' side of Mac OS X. This book bridges Apple's Darwin OS and traditional Unix systems, offering insights on how to perform common Unix tasks in Mac OS X's different environment. Learn how to compile code, install open source software through Fink and MacPorts, and more.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (34)

Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac
I have used several "Missing Manuals" over the years and find them very useful.Information is in a logical order and almost everything is explained fully.The author attempts to make the text interesting and entertaining. My only complaint of this book, (and series) is that they could edit out half of the 'cuteness', saving paper, lowering the cost, and still have an entertaining book.
The "Missing DVD"that is supposed to save $5 off the cost (see inside back cover) refers you to a web site which has nothing of value to offer, so really is no big deal.I would have liked a link to a practice spreadsheet.

Photoshop Elements 6 For Mac
Even though Photoshop Elements is now well past version 6, for macintosh users who still have the good ol' Motorola processors, version 6 is the last version offered on this format. This book is fully dedicated for the macintosh version of Elements 6.

Shoddy graphics
It was a big disappointment opening up the book and seeing the poor-quality illustrations and photo images--no doubt related to inferior paper quality. Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac (the application) is a significant improvement over Elements 4, but The Missing Manual for the former is a serious DOWNGRADE in quality. The photos and illustrations are so poorly rendered that it's sometimes difficult to see any difference between Before and After shots. I was surprised that O'Reilly Press would put out such a book--one devoted to top-notch image quality--with such disregard for clarity in its own photos and graphics. I know they can do better; I own their Elements 4 manual, and there's a world of difference between it and the Elements 6 book. Holding the two side-by-side and comparing identical photos is dismaying. In Elements 4, the images are sharp and crisp; in Elements 6 they are grainy, fuzzy, and washed out. It's as though they used an old dot-matrix printer to generate the images. Until O'Reilly can put out an edition in line with its usual high standards, I would not recommend purchasing this title.

Photoshop Elements 6 - The Missing Manual
An excellent instruction book for a good program. This is something that the program manufacturer should provide.

Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac
Warning Will Robinson! When it comes to Adobe Photoshop Elements 6, the Mac and PC versions of the software are different. Hence, there are two different books: one for the Mac and one for the PC whose covers look identical but for the added words, "for Mac," on the cover.

The main difference between the two versions of the software is that the Mac version comes with Adobe Bridge to sort and organize your photos whereas the PC version comes with a far less robust "Organizer." Bridge is better at handling RAW files.

However, the PC version of the software comes with fancier slideshows and web galleries than the Mac version. Brundage's explanation of the differences between the two platforms helped me understand why my friend in New Jersey could not follow my Elements tips on her PC.

Confession: I've always thought of Photoshop Elements as Junior Photoshop... a playtoy version of the real thing. However, when the majority of my students were using Elements, I needed to learn the program.

I started with Elements 4 which was pretty lame. However, Brundage showed me that there was very little I could not do in Elements 6 that I was doing in full-blown Photoshop.

When one has spent nearly twenty years becoming proficient with Photoshop, the one-click Quick Fix in Elements seems overly simplistic, yet Brundage demonstrates that with many photos, it does a pretty good job.

Many of the techniques she demonstrates in Elements can also be used in Photoshop. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that you can jump back and forth between various tools to refine a single selection without having to default to the selection brush to clean up a mask.

Brundage deftly demonstrates the power of layer adjustments which I was surprised to learn one could even apply in Elements. Although layer adjustments in Photoshop are more robust, Elements still provides a more than adequate amount of control over the image.

If there's one area that drives most digital graphics artists to drink, it's understanding monitor calibration and how to choose a color space for an image. Encyclopedias have been written on this subject, yet Brundage manages to give us a basic understanding of a very complicated issue.

By far, my favorite section in the book was where she walks you through coloring an old black & white photo... something I've wanted to do for years but just never got around to.

Easily following the steps she outlines, I worked on a scanned 1934 childhood photo of my uncle. Employing the selection and retouching techniques learned earlier in the book, I was able to turn a faded, aged black & white photo into a fairly respectable color rendition, erasing 75 years of creases and yellowing. And all within Photoshop Elements!

Make no mistake: even after reading the book, I'll continue to use the full version of Photoshop for my digital image work. But Brundage has given me new-found respect for Photoshop Elements. Indeed, 90% of all the things I do in Photoshop can be done just as easily in Elements and, in many cases, with a more straight-forward approach.

The forty-five dollar price tag may seem a little steep, but it's worth every penney and will remain on my bookshelf as a reference for some time to come. I was able to get my copy from Amazon.com for $31.70 including shipping.

Just make sure you get the right book for your operating system. ... Read more

Product Description
As more and more vulnerabilities are found in the Mac OS X (Leopard) operating system, security researchers are realizing the importance of developing proof-of-concept exploits for those vulnerabilities. This unique tome is the first book to uncover the flaws in the Mac OS X operating system—and how to deal with them. Written by two white hat hackers, this book is aimed at making vital information known so that you can find ways to secure your Mac OS X systems, and examines the sorts of attacks that are prevented by Leopard’s security defenses, what attacks aren’t, and how to best handle those weaknesses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good book but needs an update
The Mac Hacker's Handbook covers a lot of useful technical topics surrounding vulnerability analysis and exploit development for Mac OS X.That said, it doesn't so much teach you directly, as guide your learning.For example, it introduces the use of DTrace on OS X for dynamic analysis.It makes a very good case for DTrace's usefulness in reverse engineering, and for you to go out on your own and learn about it.Its DTrace examples aren't really freestanding, and require some background that you must get yourself.If the book were to give you the necessary background on every topic it introduces, it would be an enormous tome, and the authors probably would still be writing it.

Think of the book as explaining to you what all tools you need in your Mac hacking toolbox and why you need them, and how to put them together once you have them. It's up to you do go develop those skills on your own.

The biggest shortcoming of the book, however, is it is out of date.The concepts are sound and still very applicable, but the examples are written for OS X 10.5.Most do not work on Snow Leopard.Many you can get to work if you go out and beat the pavement trying to figure them out.I recommend this, but be aware, your progress through the book will be slow going as you get bogged down trying to figure out how to adapt each example so that it works.

This book succeeds if taken for what it is: a guide for your learning.You'll need to invest a fair amount of sweat equity to get the most out of it, though.

Well, it at least had Mac in the title
I have to disagree with the other reviewers of this book. The book seemed to be a jumbled collection of thoughts with only a very faint sense of direction. The book consist of a large number of code samples, but the explaination of these samples lacked.

The arena for Mac hacking books is relatively small. While I appreciate the effort to put together a basic understanding of the Mac attack surface, the manner in which this book does this seems less than cohesive. Admittedly I have not finished the entire book yet and that is largely due to the fact that reading the book more than a chapter at a time is tiresome.

I will give the authors credit for venturing into a new area of security research and hope that future books on the subject are easier to read. Not easier as in smaller words, but easier as in thought flow.

The best Mac security reference
The Mac Hacker's Handbook is the best reference for Mac-specific attack information that I have found. At 368 pages, it may appear small compared to the typical 750+ page security tome. That's because the authors have done a near-perfect job of sticking to the topic at hand, the Mac. The authors do not succumb to the usual temptation to try and teach assembly language or reverse engineering. Rather, they do an excellent job touching on those topics in an OS X context, and assume the reader has a little background in that area already, or can otherwise keep up. I have done some limited research into the areas of Mac malware and process injection in the past. This book has done a fantastic job of filling in many holes in my knowledge that I hadn't been able to take care of before. Plus, it introduced me to a number of Mac-specific security features I wasn't aware of before. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Mac security.

Breaks new ground into the Mac
As a security professional Mac's are an interesting subject. They combine many of the best features from other operating systems into a wonderful package. I purchased a Macbook during a pen test about 8 months ago and have been in love with it since then. Before this book looking at security on Apple products was a difficult dive into the unknown. Charlie and Dino have done a lot of hard work and figured out the internals of OS X as related to security. They clearly present what's going inside the OS and how they learned the internals. This enables other security professionals to follow their method to both gain better understanding and to know what's wrong when something inevitably changes.

I'd definitely recommend this book for experienced security professionals looking to do exploit development on the Mac.

Fantastic book for understanding details of Mac OSX
Well-written, readable, and fascinating, Charlie and Dino describe what goes on under the covers of Mac OS X, warts and all. They explain the obscure, badly-documented, and unsupported. Well worth reading for anyone who wants to know what's under the covers. ... Read more

Product Description
Tractor Mac is awestruck when Plane Jane swoops in to land in his hayfield with a cabin full of sightseers.If only he could learn to fly like that and give hayrides in the sky!Soaring through the air is all he can think about - until Mac learns that maybe he's meant to keep his wheels on the ground after all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Loved by Grandson, TJ
We purchased these books for our grandson, TJ, who adores tractors & everything that tractors hook on to as well as every part of a tractor.He had one of the series & was always looking on the back & telling us that he would like more in the series.They are one of his favorites.The author must have little boys like TJ in his mind when he writes this series.We are very grateful to him.

Excellent Books!
We bought 2 of these books for our 1 1/2 year old son who LOVES tractors. He now can't go anywhere without them. I just ordered the other 4 to complete the collection since as much as he carries them around and sits quietly (alone) and looks at them, they are sure to be WELL worn in a few months. He is already recognizing the animals and mimicing the animal sounds from looking at the pictures. Our 4 year old daughter (who is HUGE princess fan)loves to climb up in the chair and listen to the stories as well!

Great to read aloud!
My 3 year old loved this book so much that when we left it behind on a trip I had to order it again.It has all the right elements for little boys (or girls!): tractors, farm animals, and an airplane.A simple, short story with great illustrations make this a good read for kids and parents. ... Read more

Product Description
The snow builds and so does the worry on Stony Meadow Farm.Where are Sibley the Workhorse, Farmer Bill, and the town Christmas Tree?There will be no town tree lighting unless Tractor Mac can brave the blizzard, resue his friends, and help a lot of new friends along the way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Tractor Mac books are our favorite!
My son loves the Tractor Mac books series.The Christmas one is especially fun.So many books feature green tractors but we have my husband's great grandfathers old 1939 red tractor that we are going to fix up and these books remind us of that.

What a treasure these books are!
These books are not only colourful and descriptive, but thoughtfully laid out and a joy to read! They go through the "mechanics" on the front and back covers on the inside of the books of the breakdown of the different parts of the tractor - how neat! I ordered all of the books and they truly are a treasure that will be kept and handed down to my future grandchildren!

Wonderful story ;beautiful illustrations
Billy Steers has captured the joy of community traditions and the beauty of a country setting in his delightful series of Tractor Mac stories.Children and adults will find this book charming. ... Read more

Product Description

It seems as if everyone is writing applications for Apple’s iPhone and iPad, but how do they all do it? It’s best to learn Objective-C, the native language of both the iOS and Mac OS X, but where to begin? Right here, even if you’ve never programmed before!

Objective-C for Absolute Beginners will teach you how to write software for your Mac, iPhone,or iPad using Objective-C, an elegant and powerful language with a rich set of developer tools. Using a hands-on approach, you’ll learn to think in programming terms, how to use Objective-C to build program logic, and how to write your own applications and apps.

With over 50 collective years in software development and based on an approach pioneered at Carnegie Mellon University, the authors have developed a remarkably effective approach to learning Objective-C. Since the introduction of Apple’s iPhone, the authors have taught hundreds of absolute beginners how to develop Mac, iPhone,and iPad apps, including many that became popular apps in the iTunes App Store.

What you’ll learn

• The fundamentals of computer programming: how to understand variables, design data structures, and work with file systems
• The logic of object-oriented programming: how to use Classes, Objects, and Methods
• The flexibility of Apple’s developer tools: how to install Xcode and write programs in Objective-C
• The power of Cocoa and Cocoa touch: how to make Mac OS X applications or iOS apps that do cool stuff

Who this book is for

Everyone! This book is for anyone who wants to learn to develop applications for the Mac or apps for the iPhone and iPad using the Objective-C programming language. No previous programming experience is necessary.

Customer Reviews (17)

Wow
So I just got this delivered today, and I've gotta say: I need to read ALL the reviews instead of just accepting an average.

As others have said, there are various typos and other grammatical errors, which could be excusable since you don't need to be an English major to write a program.

Problem is, those aren't the only problems with this book.

I'd only made it to chapter three before I got fed up with the layout of it.They'll tell you to start a new project, then tell you to run the code, and only after all of that do they show you the code you need to put into the editor.

I've got some programming experience with Visual Basic, and I've gotta say: If not for that, I'd prolly have not even given this book THAT much of a chance.

Gonna go ahead and return it for a different book, and in the interim, tackle "Programming in Objective-C 2.0" by Stephen G. Kochan.From the sample I've read, it's already proven to be this book's superior.

Yeah, beginners....RIGHT
I have programming experience, and this book is absolutely terrible for any beginner or even advanced student. The grammar is horrible and the ideas and concepts are not explained at all. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, if you are new to programming. Trust me, your head will probably explode trying to grasp these concepts explained by these authors. It does not offer any basic understanding to beginners.

Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy
I've been trying to teach myself Objective C, and had high hopes that this was the breakthrough book I've been looking for.What a disappointment!Bad enough that the book was obviously never proof-read -- so many typo's and grammatical errors -- but it is just plain incomplete.The number-guessing example for Alice (p. 172) uses coding strategies that are never explained, and if you don't know Alice beforehand (I don't) you haven't a chance of duplicating it.

Then we move on to Objective C.Here's an example (p. 92): "Methods need to go outside of the @interface portion, but still inside of the @interface portion of the header file."If I was trying to confuse students on purpose, I couldn't have done a better job.

What truly pushed me to write this review, though, was the "Understanding C Language Basics" section on pp 98-99.An example of a simple program is given on p. 98 (in C; I'm not sure why the authors think it necessary to go back to C in order to teach Objective C), and the explanation of the code on p. 99 describes a statement which isn't even in the example.

These authors had a good idea.It's a shame that they didn't take the time and trouble to execute it even half-way well.

Really bad book, and definitely not for absolute beginners.
A few months ago, I discovered programming with JavaScript. I bought a book that taught me all the basics of this language, and I was quickly able to make some things with it. This was a great experience and a nice surprise to me as I was not confident on my ability to learn any kind of programming.
So after this great experience, I wanted to go further and discover the world of objective C. So I bought "Objective-C for absolute beginners" and it was clearly a huge disappointment. It's certainly the worst book I've ever read, and it did not teach me anything.

So, the five first chapters are a pure waste of time. The exercises are not explained at all, and completely useless. First you have an exercise where you are making a short program using alice. So you follow the step by step (which contains many many mistakes), and... nothing. No explanations and you go straight to XCode where you follow another step by step still with no explanations on what you are doing, no explanations on the syntax, nothing.At the end of the chapters we have some exercises that we can't do as we don't have the explanations of how all this is working...

The sixth chapter is a new introduction to what we were already meant to know, as it's another introduction to Objective C and Xcode !?!? but still not clear enough and don't give enough informations to get used to objective C.

The seventh chapter is then a huge gap, as it is very technical and quite abstract. It explains quite a lot of things, but we are still missing a lot of the basics.

And I couldn't continue reading it further as it became too technical. I was completely lost in chapter 8. You do a lot of stuff here in the step by step, but nothing is explained.

So a really really big disappointment. This book is definitely not for absolute beginners. For those who still want to try the experience, you can skip the 5 first chapters, it's pure waste of time.

I really don't understand the 5 stars comments about his book. Did the editor pay for them?

Excellent resource - I definitely got my money's worth
This book is outstanding, and I highly recommend "Objective C for Absolute Beginners", by Bennett, Fisher, and Lees.If you are starting to venture into iPhone or iPad development, this book is a superb foundation.I've given it 5 stars because I gained so much valuable information from reading the explanations, and following the code samples.

(1) The authors introduce the concept of Object Oriented Programming by using `Alice', a software program for which they provide the download instructions and some very simple programming activities.I have already worked with Object Oriented Programming (OOP) for several years, but decided to read along just in case I picked up any additional ideas from this book.Honestly, if I had been able to get my hands on a resource like this when I first started, it would have saved me a great deal of head-scratching and confusion -- I really envy anyone learning about OOP by using this book! Since I can't rewind my own experience, the best that I can do is strongly encourage anyone else to follow the approach that these authors outline, because it is very powerful.
They clearly have experience teaching basic, fundamental concepts and it really adds a valuable dimension to this book.

(2) The authors' collective knowledge base is impressive -- for instance, they explain how memory is stored, which helped me understand why certain procedures need to be followed in a specific way.This is basic knowledge that will serve anyone long after they are finished with this book, and I'm really glad that I took time to slowly read my way through the entire book.When I first started this book, many features of Objective C looked really weird to me -- but the authors' background explanations helped me see **why** Objective C follows certain rules and formats.Each of the three authors brings expertise, and that was a real benefit for me.

(3) This book contains the clearest, best description of a SWITCH statement that I've ever read (and I own approximately 100 computer manuals, so I regard myself as qualified to make this kind of assessment). In other words, the authors do a good job of conveying basic concepts that you will use over, and over again.I wish that I'd had a book like this when I first started out writing small applications (!).

(4) The book is very well organized; I felt that each chapter provided me with a good intro to a topic. After each chapter, I felt that I was making progress and I could read the Chapter Summaries to note which new concepts I'd added to my own knowledge base.

(5) The whole book is excellent, but the sections on debugging and on storing information were particularly useful in my case -- I'm still new to XCode, so for me this content was invaluable.


The downsides:
As with all computer books, there are typos and a few spots where the copy editors missed some flaws.I tend to skip over these kinds of errors, because in my experience they come with the territory.If you hit a mistyped word, keep reading and skip over it!

The more serious errors, in my view, are with code samples **in the book** that don't work properly.However, in hopes that it will help some other future programmer, I'm happy to post my 'workaround' along with my review, in hopes that it will assist others to save some time and eliminate frustration.

I would advise any users to follow my method for working with computer manuals:read the chapter, then try the code samples printed in the book.
If you run into a problem, the first thing you should do -- assuming that you are new to all this computer manual stuff -- is check the files you've downloaded from the book's site at Apress.

Download an application like TextWrangler, or whatever "file compare" software you prefer.
This software -- and others like it -- enable you to pull up two files and get a report of what differences exist between them.
First, you pull up the code file that you have written, and then you compare it with THE DOWNLOADED FILE FROM THE APRESS BOOK WEBPAGE for that same code sample.TextWrangler will then highlight code that differs from one file to another, and you can easily, methodically figure out where your problems lie.

I tend to find the DOWNLOADED FILES to be the best template to use any time that I need to copy and practice writing some code -- in fact, I honestly am not sure why computer manual companies print the code samples in the books.The downloaded files always work, whereas the manual printed code often does notwork -- not just in this book, but in many other manuals that I own. (I assume that somehow the wrong code gets in the printed versions of these manuals; if you just use the DOWNLOADED FILES, you can't go wrong -- but it took me quite a few manuals and problems to figure this method out.So I pass it along in case it helps someone new to the process.)

My only quibble with this book is that some of the code in the book does not work for me -- however, using myTextWrangler workaround solves that problem.

Despite that one quibble, I highly recommend this book.
I actually have it in both eBook and print versions; sometimes it is easier for me to compare an eBook to my own code, but that's a personal preference.

I'm putting this title in my `top 10%" in terms of quality of content, ability to convey fundamental concepts, and topics covered.It is an excellent value for my money -- in fact, if I were going to give an iPhonebook as a gift, this is the one that I'd select. If you are buying a gift for someone else, you can't go wrong with this title.If I were giving a gift, this is the book that I'd select for someone trying to learn about Objective C and developing for iPhone and iPad. ... Read more

Product Description

Bernie Mac -- the star of Fox's The Bernie Mac Show, winner of the prestigious Peabody Award -- is more popular than ever. The Chicago-bred performer and royal king of the Original Kings of Comedy has won over countless fans of cutting comedy and family humor with an edgy show that tells it like it is but never loses heart. No surprise, Mac has earned a reputation as perhaps the truest voice of modern humor. Here, in his debut book, Mac brilliantly captures the R-rated side of his comedic genius in print.

Touring through a wide range of topics with equal parts insight and irreverence, Bernie Mac presents a way of looking at the world guaranteed to make you laugh. Tackling superstar athletes, the movie business, his fellow comedians, his marriage, and, of course, his friends and family, Mac offers side-splitting riffs on sex, religion, hygiene, money, and more. Nobody is safe; nothing is sacred. Not even Bernie himself. Throughout I Ain't Scared of You, Mac turns his humor inward, firing off hilarious self-deprecating salvos about his golf game and his own hypocrisies.

Bernie Mac's hit show and his vital live performances have earned him critical acclaim and international popularity. Now, I Ain't Scared of You reveals his humor whole -- unpretentious, unafraid, and unbelievably funny and raw. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Great Transaction
Product received quickly and in great condition. Must have if you like Bernie Mac. Great to hear his voice "Tell It Like It Is"

Bernie Mac
I found this book to be a great peek into Bernie Mac's youth.It was interesting and insightful and his "Mac-ism's" were entertaining.If you are a Bernie Mac fan I would recommend reading this book.

Bernie Mac is great
I loved this book.In fact I couldn't put it down, I finished in one day and it left me wanting more.This man was a true comedian and the world will be a little sadder now that he is gone.

JUST EXCELLENT...FUNNY TOO!
Although we lost Bernie so suddenly...I bought the book to just hear his voice again.And, I tell you, you got to read this one.If you were love comedy like me, reading this book is like having Bernie right in your living room...entertainingly funny...perfect timing, and his great, great story telling abilities.Reading this book also gave me a better perspective as to who the man was and how he was born to make us laugh.And, "I ain't scared of you" will have you laughing.One more note.I staring reading this book on my way home from Tucson, AZ to Charlotte, NC.And, I would just bust out laughing...right there in the Airport!OMG.I will always remember him as one of the funniest men that ever lived.

Gotta buy the CD
This book is awesome!!! He is hilarious. It's great to hear him tell his own story. This is true comedy, he may be a bit vulgar at times. Overall this gets 5 stars. He speaks from the heart and I respect that. ... Read more

Product Description
The latest update of this best-selling Visual QuickStart Guide will have you up and running in no time with Snow Leopard, the fastest and most reliable version of the Mac OS X ever. Respected, best-selling author Maria Langer will take you through all of Mac OS X's groundbreaking capabilities and new features. With plenty of screenshots to clearly illustrate techniques, this reasonably priced guide is a great reference to the essentials of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.

Get up and running in no time with the best-selling Visual QuickStart guides. The key to their worldwide popularity: concise, step-by-step explanations of core tools and techniques in a task-based reference format, with plenty of screenshots to keep you on track as you work.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Snow Leopard Instruction Manual
I'm enjoying this book.It's not filled with volumes of text, but explains a concept and shows diagrams to reinforce that concept.Have your Mac Book in front of you to go through the steps that are being explained.I highly recommend to those who are not already Mac OS savvy.

Great Guide and Reference Book
THis book should be near every user of Snow Leopard. It is a great and easy read as well as being very easy to look things up when you get stuck. I am an enthusiast of the style developed for this series and also a fan of the Author who has done a thorough job in putting it together. I am a long time Mac user and have read many Mac guides. This is the one!

help for th helpless
Since computer manufacturers no longer include a manual with new computers this book has been a great help to me.I have owned Macs for 20 years and was lost when I purchased my latest model.I was trying to use the video aids and was getting more and more confused since there was no way to mark information to refer back to when I tried to apply what was shown to my very confused problem solving skills.This book has been a lifesaver. Now I can find out what I need to do and the tips in the chapters are very helpful.I still have a lot to learn about 10.6!!!!

parents
I purchased this book for my parents who recently bought their first mac.They said the book was "very helpful and informative"

Good Basic Manual
This book is easy to read and understand.It is also basic.You can learn and look up all the basic features of Snow Leopard quickly.However, if you are looking for deeper information on the operating system this is not the book for you.On the whole, I am happy with the book, but I do wish it had more information,.Joe ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (20)

PSE 8 makes the grade
As both a manual and comprehensive text, this does a reasonably good job.Questions are answered in detail with clear explanations. If the "missing CD" were more complete with regards to illustrating the text points,the volume would be much more effective.There are ie. too few on line images to demonstrate some of the techniques.

Lastly, I was pleased that Amazon replaced the first book because of the pages falling out of the binding.

Disappointment
I ordered this on previous recommendations. I was disappointed that when I looked for a specific tool in the index it wasn't there. I couldn't find it anywhere until I accidentally found it with something else.

The instructions were so general, that I had to call Photoshop Customer Service for a clear and precise explanation of how it worked. I returned the book.

Good reference book to help work in Elements
I've just started using Photoshop Elements.I tried to figure it out without any reference material and quickly found out that it was way over my head.The book sits next to my computer whenever I'm in Elements. Even with the book it is a difficult program to understand.It is a good reference book and I was tempted to give it a 5 star review, but I find the pictures hard to see due to the type of paper it is printed on. Also, it is a very inclusive manual so sometimes it take me a lot longer to find the steps I need to take to get a task done.All-in-all it is the best reference source for Elements that I could find and I'm glad I picked it up.

photoshop element; the missing manual
Manual is clearly written and very helpful. The book binding however leaves a lot to be desired. If one tries to really use this book as you are supposed to do to learn how to use the software, it quickly starts to fall apart. Besides, it being a manual that you are likely to keep and refer back to from time to time, I wish they would have made it more durable.

Elements 8 Text
This is the book that should have come with the CD.
It will explain to you in detail how to use Elements 8
so that you become familiar with the program in a
very short time. ... Read more

Product Description

This book is intended for those who need to get things done with Mac OS X Server 10.6. As such, you can use this book two ways. Those new to Mac OS X Server can read straight through the entire book, and by the end should feel competent to administer any Mac server thrown their way. For those with some knowledge of Mac OS X Server, or perhaps a thorough knowledge of other Unix-based servers, the book is arranged by tasks so that you can either start reading at any point, skipping material you already know, or pick and choose the chapters you’ll find most helpful to your own work or system needs. This task-oriented approach also makes the book useful as a general reference for all aspects of Mac OS X Server.

Throughout the book, special emphasis is given to the new features of the latest release, Mac OS X Server 10.6, aka Snow Leopard Server. For instance, you’ll find out how to integrate an iPhone with Mac OS X Server using the new Mobile Access features, or how to install an SSL certificate in the web service, Apache.

• Task-oriented approach to server administration makes it easy to find and accomplish what needs to get done
• Thorough subject coverage including workflows for Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server GUI-level features, command-line features, and alternatives
• Features introductory material for new administrators, emphasis on new features for upgrading to Snow Leopard Server, and more advanced material for experienced IT and enterprise administrators who want to get the most out of Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server

What you’ll learn

• The key features of Mac OS X Server, including new services such as mobile access for iPhone integration and Address Book Server
• The most efficient approach to suit your working style, including GUI and command-line alternatives
• When to call on third-party products where no Apple products are available
• Integration strategies for a range of network and server configurations
• How to enable each required service and all of their services from start to finish

Who is this book for?

This book is for administrators interested in a complete course on Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server, including first-time Mac OS X Server admins, admins upgrading from older versions, and experienced Unix or Mac admins who want to master all aspects of Apple’s newest Server software.

Customer Reviews (1)

Brilliant Author, Poor Editing, Awful Images
Mr. Edge clearly knows his stuff, but the images in his book are almost completely illegible. They are terribly printed which makes referencing them and comparing them to the text nearly impossible. The book has a few typos (blame the editor, not the author!) and in parts moves along far too quickly, referencing operations and aspects of the OS that have not been discussed yet. It is likely an excellent reference for the already experienced OS X server user but for the beginner... look elsewhere. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Best Bet for Novice Explorers
I owned a Mac for 5 years but had my son nearby and simply asked for help whenever I needed it. Great relationship but I never really learned how to navigate on my own. So when I recently purchased a new Mac, I wanted to do more than just phone for help. This book is perfect for me and anyone new to the Mac. It has projects that not only introduce you to the possibilities, but step-by-step reminders for things you won't do often and may have forgotten. There are 54 chapters/projects that run the gamut from basic navigation to creative ideas - all making life easier as there is no guesswork as to how to find something using the proper computer language, which I will never master. If you are a techie, this is probably too easy, but for someone like me, it is fun and informative and sits beside my computer for quick reference or a casual exploration. Use it to manage files, edit and store pictures, shortcuts, foreign language help, and finding all those things once they are on the computer. Highly recommended for its simplicity and helpful guides.

Mac trainee
I recently bought my wife a brand new Mac Book Pro but she needed some guidence and this book was the answer. She now operates the Mac with confidence. This is a great book. Highly recommended!

Book had water damage and an odor, but advertised "like new"
Book has water damage and an foul odor, but was advertised "like New"I am disappointed.

My New Mac, Snow Leopard Edition: 54 Simple Projects to Get You Started
Like most Mac users bought for reference. Still on desk, maybe, someday, I'll look into it. Normally Mac comes out with something before this happens and I'll have to seek expert answers!

Honest Ed
This is the second time I ordered this book from
Amazon.com. I was so impressed with it, that I wanted my brother to have it for his new Imac. My son originally got this book from the library for me to read, because he knew I was ordering a new Imac. The book is very easy to understand, showing pictures with the directions it gives. I'm a firsttime mac user, and by following the directions in the book, it made getting to know the maca lot easier, with less frustration. ... Read more

Product Description
Apple Training Series: Mac OS X Deployment v10.6 uses a combination of task-based instruction and strong visuals to teach intermediate and advanced users how to deploy a wide range of files and systems to multiple users in a large organization. Author Kevin White takes readers through the deployment of software, ranging from individual files, to complete systems, to multiple users, discussing the range of methodologies used. Intermediate users will learn how to use Apple deployment tools, including Disk Utility, PackageMaker, and Apple Software Restore. Advanced users will learn how to customize deployment solutions with scripts to provide post-installation configuration. Throughout the book, users learn how to tie all the solutions together to create fully integrated software and hardware deployment plans.

The Apple Training Series serves as both a self-paced learning tool and the official curriculum for the Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server certification programs.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Delivery packaging
THe way the ordered goods were packaged should be improved, since all the ordered books, containing CD's, were delivered in a post bag. This caused the books to get damaged, luckily the CD's didn't got damaged. ... Read more

Product Description
Tractor Mac is entered in the tractor pull competition at the county fair.He is trained and ready to pull.When big Tractor Deke, the reigning champion shows up, the contest really begins!Tractor Mac proves he is a winner but in a different way than he imagined. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Books!
We bought 2 of these books for our 1 1/2 year old son who LOVES tractors.He now can't go anywhere without them.I just ordered the other 4 to complete the collection since as much as he carries them around and sits quietly (alone) and looks at them, they are sure to be WELL worn in a few months.He is already recognizing the animals and mimicing the animal sounds from looking at the pictures.Our 4 year old daughter (who is HUGE princess fan)loves to climb up in the chair and listen to the stories as well!

There is more than one way to win.
My three-year-old son loves the Tractor Mac series.In this one, Tractor Mac goes to the county fair to compete against the big tractors and comes up short.However, on his way home, he fixes the broken carousel to the delight of all the children proving that there is more than one way to be a winner.

Great book!!!
Our very energetic 16 month-old loves this book.It is often his first pick from the bookshelf.While he rarely sits still long enough to read an entire book, he is quite content to sit from cover to cover for this one.He loves pointing out all of the animals and the different tractors, and he always grins when we reach the last line of "Tractor Mac you're a true winner!"This is a great book for country and city children alike! ... Read more

Product Description
Mac OS X just keeps getting better! The newest cat in the pack, 10.4 Tiger, has new bells and whistles and terrific updates that make it even easier and more fun to use, which is why you won’t want to miss out on the helpful guidance this book has to offer.

Written by “Dr. Mac” himself, veteran Macintosh expert Bob LeVitus, Mac OS X Tiger For Dummies is perfect whether you’re brand-new to the Mac or you’re a longtime Mac-thusiast. You’ll find sections on

• Basic Mac usage, including keyboard and mouse, menus, windows, the Dock,  saving and backing up files, and getting around OS X
• Internet ins and outs, how to print from your Mac, and the how and why of System Preferences
• How to set up a network, share files, and troubleshoot problems
• Step-by-step installation instructions for OS X, and a lot more

Bob LeVitus reaches over a million readers weekly with his “Dr. Mac” column in the Houston Chronicle, and his books have sold more than a million copies worldwide.  In this one, he helps you

• Find your way around the new Finder, go Web surfing with the cool new Safari browser, and search smarter with Spotlight
• Use Preferences to personalize your system for the way you work
• Handle removable media, including CDs, DVDs, and even classic devices like zip drives
• Manage files, use file sharing, and protect your precious data —painlessly
• Take advantage of Dashboard widgets, navigate nested folders, and make the most of Tiger

With the friendly and expert advice in this book, you’ll tame the Tiger in no time.  Then, when you’re ready to delve deeper into some of the specific applications like digital media, check out other For Dummies guides, including iLife '04 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies (ISBN 0-7645-7347-0). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Bought for my 80-Year-Old Parents
This is the book for someone who knows virtually nothing about the MAC OS X Tiger operating system.My father uses it.He is 80 and not computer savvy but it's helping him may his way using his computer.

Should be Mac OS X Tiger for Beginners ONLY
Really basic stuff.If you're a complete newcomer to computers AND to Mac OS X, then this should fit fine.If you're already familiar with Windows, other books are probably better.I don't regret the purchase, but I'd hoped for a bit more depth.

I was a dummie to buy this
Today, in May 2007, this is completely out of date. Buy the Pogue book.

Mac OS X Tiger For Dummies
Extremely helpful. As a fairly new computer user, I found this book especially helpful because it contains some basic info for the beginner. Most books assume you're an accomplished user, and go into more advanced issues.I have learned alot from this book.

Mac OS X Tiger for Dummies.
Not really needed to due basic things with OS X. ... Read more

Product Description

MacMost.com Guide to Switching to the Mac

Switching to the Mac? Awesome! You’ve got company—lots of it! And with this book, you’ve got help, too... all the help you’ll ever need!

MacMost.com founder Gary Rosenzweig quickly gets you comfy with your new Mac, demonstrates the ”Mac way” to perform every common Windows task, and shows how to do more with Macs than you ever could in Windows... way more!

It’s all here—everything from choosing the right Mac to creating your own videos and DVDs. Rosenzweig covers the latest Macs and the new Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system. Best of all, he focuses on what today’s computer users need to know, including loads of coverage of using your Mac on the Web.

Every Mac switcher needs a friendly Mac expert to show them the ropes. With this book, you’ve got yours!

      •     Discover what’s different about your Mac’s hardware and software—
and what’s similar, too

      •     Navigate the Finder and learn how Mac files are organized

      •     Make the most of the Mac’s built-in applications

      •     Move your stuff from your PC to your new Mac

      •     Use Safari, Mac’s great built-in Web browser

      •     Set up Mac email, instant messaging, and audio and video chatting

      •     Share, back up, and archive your files

      •     Choose and use Mac business and productivity applications

      •     Organize your music and buy new songs with iTunes

      •     Import, manage, edit, and share your photos

      •     Create awesome videos with iMovie, QuickTime, and iDVD

      •     Run Windows on your Mac, if you must

      •     Keep your Mac up to date and running smoothly

Gary Rosenzweig is the producer of MacMost.com and the host of the MacMost Now video podcast. MacMost focuses on teaching people how to get the most from their Macs with tutorials, reviews, and tips. His previous 12 books include ActionScript 3.0 Game Programming University and The MacAddict Guide to GarageBand. He also runs several Web-based game websites, including GameScene.com.

CATEGORY:  Mac Operating Systems

Customer Reviews (13)

Good Source for Transition
Lots of good information even for the experienced PC folks to make the change over.

Outstanding resource!
Highly recommend this resource for any new Mac User as well as for any Mac pro user. Written in an easy to follow format with lots of useful and practical information, tips and how-tos. Check out also Gary's podcast MacMost. They are another excellent resource for learning all things Mac as well as for keeping up-to-date with Apple's latest technologies as well as what others are doing.

Leading you through the process of entering the mac world
This book promises to lead you through the process of switching from Windows to the mac. It's a step-by-step guide, that gives you what i promises. However I can not give it full rating as I miss more details of the tools inside the Snow Leopard. Especially the iWeb tool is not described very thorough.

PLEASE BUY THIS BOOK - YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID!
I've been following Gary for some time now listening to his podcasts and going to his website.With this book as a trilogy, he adds his clear, succinct, easy to understand information.I have learned more from Gary than I have from Apple sites, Googling, and Apple One to One sessions.This is a must have; it's also a great gift to give even people who know how to use the computer already; there is a lot of great information.Thanks Gary!!!

Help for first time mac users
Having purchased my first Apple Mac it was straight down to the library to look for books on the subject. I was lucky, they had just brought in a copy of MacMost and it set my mind at rest straight away. I can honestly say it is the first ''user guide'' I have read that directs me to a problem and provides an answer. ... Read more

Product Description
Mac OS X Snow Leopard is the newest Mac operating system, with even better performance and more efficient use of hard drive space as well as cool features like MobileMe, the iWork productivity suite, and improved media technology. And Mac OS X Snow Leopard All-in-One For Dummies is your one-stop reference for all its features.

Eight self-contained minibooks cover OS X basics, customizing and sharing your Mac, the digital hub, iWork, Internet features, networking, expanding your system, and advanced Mac OS X (for those with more techie inclinations). You’ll learn to:

• Determine whether your hardware can handle upgrading to Snow Leopard
• Navigate Snow Leopard, find things with Spotlight, control your Mac with Front Row, and make backups
• Explore the digital hub and its applications: iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, GarageBand, QuickTime, and iWeb
• Create cool-looking documents with Pages, crunch numbers with Numbers, and build awesome slide presentations with Keynote
• Set up your Internet connection and e-mail, connect with iChat, sync up with MobileMe, and share large files via iDisk
• Build a wireless network with AirPort Extreme
• Keep your Snow Leopard happy with regular maintenance

Mac OS X Snow Leopard All-in-One For Dummies also shows you a little of what’s under the hood, in case you’re interested in doing a little AppleScript programming or learning a bit more about UNIX. Whatever your level of involvement with OS X Snow Leopard, this complete guide covers what you need to know. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Yeah Dummies!
Product Review

Reviewer: Donald Wingate

Product:Mac OS X Snow Leopard all in one for Dummies

Author: Mark L. Chambers

Publisher: Wiley Publishing Inc.

Web:[...]

Price: $[...]

Pros: A one stop shop for all things OSX.A handy reference book to have.
Cons:It's a very BIG book

Product Rating: 4/5 Impressive

by Donald Wingate, Alaska Users Group Member

Conflict of interest disclosure: Wiley Publishing Inc.provided a free copy of "Mac OS X Snow Leopard all in one for Dummies" to me for the purpose of the review.
Being a previous consumer of the "for Dummies" product line (juggling, Intermediate Italian, French Wine, Catholicism, and a few others) I have found the books to be written in a humorous not so serious way that really helps keep me interested in reading more.I am not embarrassed to admit that these books speak to me...Feel free to make your assumptions now.
Being diagnosed with S.O.D. (Shiny Object Syndrome) , I may not have noticed a printed user guide accompanying the Snow Leopard OSX software.This book fills the role well.An easy to navigate index helps you zero in on a topic quickly.The brand's signature Icon's found throughout this tome, help readers easily identify important reminders, warnings, tips, and notable tech stuff.And for this book particularly, because of it's size (700+pages), no matter where my wife would move it too, I had no problem finding it.
My first thought, was that I didn't think I would really learn anything new from this book. Surprise.There are many little jewels of knowledge throughout, i.e. Did you know that iTunes will allow you to listen to radio stations?Yeah, well I did to, but what I didn't know was that if the radio station you would like to listen to is not listed in iTunes, you can add it to the list.
"...4Dummies" provides a well organized easy to read reference to programs in the OSX upgrade: iTunes, iWeb, iDVD, Garage Band, iChat, iMovie, etc.Buy it and keep it close to your Mac, you will use it.

tough book
I like the Dummies Books. However this one is a hard read, the chapters seem to wander & I will stay away from this author in the future. there is another "Snow Leopard for Dummies" ( different author ) which is much better. I get it from the local library.DeVitus,Bob is author of that one

Good Info
Bought this for my brother who had never used a computer before.He is happy I sent this to him, the book is easy to read and follow.We tried to find at the local bookstore but I had better luck on Amazon and also was at a good price.

Confusing

I needed to know how to navigate Stickies but this book doesn't list Stickies in the Index.I found it in Notes....

Next, it said nothing about how to navigate Stickes, so I'm still using the 'up' and 'down' button and it takes forever to get anywhere in the Sticky.

Next, the book says to click the X in the upper left-hand corner to Delete it.Delete it?That doesn't delete it, it just closes it out, but that instruction will keep new users from ever using the X to merely close their Sticky.

Next, some of the tips start by telling you what to click, then somewhere in there you may find the purpose of what you're doing, which should have appeared at the beginning.....Disorganization....

This the first Dummies book I've bought that I really don't like.

Mac OS X snow leopard
The beginning chapters share several hints about the product that is very helpful. I haven't had very much time to read this book, but from what I have read I have enjoyed and use the tips. ... Read more

Product Description

The Mac has fully embraced OpenGL throughout its visual systems. In fact, Apple's highly efficient, modern OpenGL implementation makes Mac OS X one of today's best platforms for OpenGL development. OpenGL^® Programming on Mac OS^® X is the first comprehensive resource for every graphics programmer who wants to create, port, or optimize OpenGL applications for this high-volume platform.

Leading OpenGL experts Robert Kuehne and J. D. Sullivan thoroughly explain the Mac's diverse OpenGL APIs, both old and new. They illuminate crucial OpenGL setup, configuration, and performance issues that are unique to the Mac platform. Next, they offer practical, start-to-finish guidance for integrating key Mac-native APIs with OpenGL, and leveraging the full power of the Mac platform in your graphics applications.

Coverage includes

• A thorough review of Mac hardware and software architectures and their performance implications
• In-depth, expert guidance for accessing OpenGL from each of the Mac's core APIs: CGL, AGL, and Cocoa
• Interoperating with other Mac APIs: incorporating video with QuickTime, performing image effects with Core Image, and processing CoreVideo data
• Analyzing Mac OpenGL application performance, resolving bottlenecks, and leveraging optimizations only available on the Mac
• Detecting, integrating, and using OpenGL extensions
• An accompanying Web site (www.macopenglbook.com) contains the book's example code, plus additional OpenGL-related resources.

OpenGL^® Programming on Mac OS^® X will be valuable to Mac programmers seeking to leverage OpenGL's power, OpenGL developers porting their applications to the Mac platform, and cross-platform graphics developers who want to take advantage of the Mac platform's uniquely intuitive style and efficiency.

Customer Reviews (3)

Needs some work
I would agree with the other two reviewers that the book is in general well laid out and gives some good background for mac os and opengl. However I found the authors style somewhat meandering. For example VBOs are introduced, then something else is talked about and then back to the VBOs again, sometimes its very difficult to tell exactly which technology they are talking about.
This would be ok if the code samples made it easier - but in fact the code samples are a mess and largely missing the important examples referenced in the text.
For example the "please tune me" example mentioned in the other review? Not there. The vertex submission example - also in chapter 11 - also not there. I not sure whether its standard practice that I should be debugging the code as well in order to get it to work. A simple example - the paths to resources (eg Quicktime movies) are hard coded!
Currently it is a useful reference for me - but more because it brings to light a certain technology (eg an Apple extension) - but then I usually have to go elsewhere for it to be explained. In conclusion : it needs a good editor who understands the topic, and whomever the code was outsourced to, they should not be paid. In addition authors should not bother putting up a website if they are not going to respond to queries - just put a CD/DVD in the back of the book.

multiple APIs to choose from
The text describe the nitty gritty of coding or porting your OpenGL applications to the Mac OS X environment. To a limited extent, the book has a general treatment of programming in OpenGL. But it is not meant as a text on the latter. Instead the focus is on the "issues" that making for possible problems on OS X.

One of which is that OS X has 2 types of windows, Carbon and Cocoa. It might perhaps be nicer if there was only one. But this is what you have to deal with. The Apple OpenGL (AGL) is the interface to Carbon, while you need the Cocoa OpenGL for Cocoa. It is slightly unusual that a major platform would have 2 types, and you may want to code just for one type. The book gives many details about both APIs, as well as the GLUT API. An evenhanded discussion. Different readers might well have different preferences.

Some of you should check out the discussion about multithreading, if intensive graphics performance is needed in your applications. The OS X OpenGL engine is said to have much better performance due to its multithreading, than typical serial engines.

Boost your OpenGL Programming Productivity
This book has a lot of shining points. First, all its explanations are crystal clear, focused into the concepts and techniques OpenGL developers really need. Furthermore, the book comprises OpenGL architecture and configuration on OS X, and the various APIs we can use in order to create OpenGL applications, specifically, CGL, AGL, Cocoa, (our old buddy) GLUT, and X11 APIs. A chapter focused into API interoperability is also included. But there is much more information in this book: history notes, a germane review of Mac's hardware, OS X programming, compatibility between Mac platforms, and a discussion about OpenGL extensions. Appendices contain an useful Glossary and notes about Cocoa API for OpenGL in Leopard. Last but not least, the book is the OpenGL/Mac companion we were demanding.

This, however, is not a book for starting to learn OpenGL (use the OpenGL SuperBible or the Red Book instead). This is a book aimed at two categories of programmers: Mac developers in general, and those with OpenGL foundations who want to explore the enormous benefits of OpenGL development on Mac OS X. I do strongly believe that any OpenGL developer will benefit of studying this great book.

Personally, Chapter 11 is the one I've enjoyed the most. The technical wisdom revealed in such chapter almost justifies by itself the full cost of the book. It's such a fine chapter. The almost 5 pages covering the "Axioms for Designing High-Performance OpenGL Applications" are very interesting, particularly the care we must have when doing our OpenGL drawing in Object-Oriented programs; we could easily incur considerable glVertex overhead, if our code is not properly structured. The little tutorial section "Putting It All Together" includes a detailed optimization of an OpenGL program, "Please Tune Me". Delicious. Very Recommended. ... Read more