by Brian Tanaka
90 pages, 768K download
PDF format, designed for reading online or printing
Publication Date: October 13, 2005
Free 26-page excerpt available!

Solve quirky problems, increase privacy, and share files better by managing Mac OS X permissions.

Does using your Mac feel like a game of Mother, May I? Permissions problems got you down? The best medicine is the expert advice of Brian Tanaka, who combines years of Unix knowledge with a love of the Macintosh to provide a unique guide to the permissions that control who can do what to which files, folders, and disks on your Mac. The ebook mixes practical how-to details and troubleshooting tips with just the right amount of theory as it explains permissions in relation to how you keep your files private, copy files to and from servers, set the Ignore Permissions option for external disks, repair screwy permissions, and delete files that just won't die. For those who want to learn advanced concepts, Brian delves into topics like the sticky bit, symbolic vs. absolute ways to set permissions, and how to work with bit masks. In this fascinating look under Mac OS X's hood, you'll learn how to control permissions not only via the Finder, but also with more-capable Macintosh utilities and via Unix commands in Terminal. It's your Mac, and with Brian's help, you won't have to beg for permission any more!