ProteMac releases KeyBag keystroke logger
ProteMac has released KeyBag, a program that intercepts and records every keystroke entered on a Mac. The utility allows users to keep track of all chat conversations, applications opened, and keys pressed in any application, all while running hidden in the background. Users can also use the records as a detailed backup copy of information, in case a file is accidentally deleted or the computer ma...
published on Tuesday, the 2. December 2008, macintosh-news-network
Cocktail 4.2.1 works with TechTool Pro, Safari 3.2.1
Maintain has launched an update to its Mac OS X maintenance software, Cocktail 4.2.1. The latest versions fixes compatibility issues with TechTool Pro and Safari 3.2.1, while adding support for the Flock 2.x social web browser. The "Prevent DS Store file creation on network volumes" setting could not be enabled in past releases and has now been fixed, and new languages have been added to the start...
published on Monday, the 1. December 2008, macintosh-news-network
Disable Skype's auto-changing of microphone volume
Skype always irritated me with its automatic microphone volume changes. The Windows version has the ability to disable this option in the preferences pane, but the Mac version does not. Today, I spent some time trying to solve this problem. After some searching on net, I found a solution for the Windows version which also works on the Mac.Quit Skype and open the folloving file with TextEdit: ~/Library » Application Support » Skype » shared.xml. At the end of the document, you'll see this section:<VoiceEng> <MicVolume>77</MicVolume></VoiceEng>Simply change this section to look like this (adding one new line):<VoiceEng> <AGC>0</AGC> <MicVolume>100</MicVolume></VoiceEng>AGC means Automatic Gain Control, and setting it to 0 disables this feature. Set it to 1 if you want to enable it again. The MicVolume can range from 0 (mute) to ...
published on Wednesday, the 19. November 2008, macosxhints
10.5: A simple fix for a vanishing boot disk icon
Under some unknown circumstances (I haven't been able to consistently duplicate the issue), it happens that the system's disk icon vanishes in Leopard. Toggling the Show Hard Disks setting in Finder's preferences has no effect, and the various repairing tricks do not solve the issue.What happens is that the system disk (by default, named Macintosh HD) becomes marked as a hidden (invisible) file. Why? Who knows. But fortunately, it can be reverted to visibility with a simple Terminal command:sudo chflags hidden "/Volumes/NameOfTheVolume"To make this work, change NameOfTheVolume to the actual name of your system disk. Note that the chflags can be useful for hiding/unhiding regular files and folders, too:$ chflags hidden "/path/to/file"$ chflags nohidden "/path/to/file"
published on Monday, the 17. November 2008, macosxhints
Briefcase, Briefcase Lite update for image support
Hey Mac software has updated the iPhone file transfer apps Briefcase and Briefcase Lite, adding better image handling, and an improved password interface. The software now supports image tiling, reducing images to two megapixels for viewing on the iPhone. The login window now defaults to not remembering passwords, and passwords in the keychain can now be cleared. Also new is an iPhone-based FAQ in...
published on Friday, the 14. November 2008, macintosh-news-network
Apps: Cocktail, VideoFlash Converter, iWeb Valet
Cocktail 4.2 (Tiger Edition) ($15) is designed to allow access to some of the more complicated functions within the Unix shell. The update allow uses to search and delete corrupted preference files and also includes a searchable database of Mac OS system error codes. The software has also been optimized to improve both the speed and reliability of the software. This release is only for users runni...
published on Thursday, the 13. November 2008, macintosh-news-network
Apps: Cocktail, VideoFlash Converter, iWeb Valet
Cocktail 4.2 (Tiger Edition) ($15) is designed to allow access to some of the more complicated functions within the Unix shell. The update allow uses to search and delete corrupted preference files and also includes a searchable database of Mac OS system error codes. The software has also been optimized to improve both the speed and reliability of the software. This release is only for users runni...
published on Thursday, the 13. November 2008, macintosh-news-network
How to downgrade to an older version of MySQL
I run a number of web apps here in the house -- a copy of the macosxhints.com site, for instance, where I can experiment with changes before making them on the live site. I recently got rid of the machine I was using to host these sites, and migrated everything over to the Mac Pro. As part of that process, I had to install MySQL, which is basically a very simple operation. Just download the proper package from their downloads page, and run the installer.When I did this, though, I didn't notice that the default download is MySQL version 5; for compatibility reasons, I actually wanted MySQL 4.1. Unfortunately, I got all the way through the install before I noticed that I had installed version 5. So I removed the MySQL 5 files in /usr/local, downloaded the 4.1 version, and ran its installer. Unfortunately, the installer told me I couldn't install 4.1, as I already had a newer version of ...
published on Wednesday, the 12. November 2008, macosxhints
Back-In-Time covers gaps in Time Machine
TRI-EDRE has released a beta version of Back-In-Time, a utility meant to act as a complement to Apple's Time Machine. Users are able to perform functions not directly supported within Time Machine, such as basic drag-and-drop copying of files from backup, and restoring to locations other than the original folders. It can also determine how many versions of a file are in storage, and when a file...
published on Friday, the 7. November 2008, macintosh-news-network
Espionage offers folder-level AES-128+256 Encryption
Tao Effect has launched Espionage, offering folder-level encryption for the Mac. Apple's built-in encryption, FileVault, requires the user's entire home folder be encrypted, while Espionage allows the user to pick only specific folders. It also offers similar levels of security, using AES-128- or 256-bit protection. Espionage's ability to encrypt specific folders allows it to isolate important fil...
published on Thursday, the 30. October 2008, macintosh-news-network