Articles by Matt Cone
Matt Cone is a technical writer at Fastly. He has experience creating documentation for organizations like Linode and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Matt’s first book, Master Your Mac, was published by No Starch Press. To get in touch with Matt, visit https://www.mattcone.com.
How to Burn a Music CD in iTunes
December 18, 2011
iTunes is one of Apple’s most exciting and practical applications. It allows you to collect and catalog thousands of songs, television shows, podcasts, and movies - and its interface is simple enough for everyone to understand. But don’t let the sleek and shiny appearance fool you: iTunes is a powerful piece of software that is capable of much more. Burning your own music CDs with iTunes is fun, fast and free.
How to Restore from a SuperDuper! Backup
December 15, 2011
You made backups with a third-party application called SuperDuper! Now maybe the time has come to transfer your backup onto another hard drive. Maybe the unthinkable happened and your primary hard drive failed. Or maybe you just replaced your primary hard drive with a new, larger drive. Whatever the case, you need restore from your SuperDuper! backup. Tip: If you haven’t yet used SuperDuper! to back up your hard drive, learn how by reading Back Up (Clone) Your Mac’s Hard Drive with SuperDuper!
How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
December 14, 2011
One could argue that the age of digital media truly began in the mid-1990s, when the MP3 standard of audio compression gained popularity, allowing users to rip vast quantities of music to their computers. Personal MP3 players soon followed, and Apple managed to resurrect itself through the powerful iTunes + iPod combination. With the release of the fifth-generation iPod in 2005, the age of digital video began in earnest. Along with CDs, computer users sought a method for ripping their DVDs into conveniently smaller files.
How to Schedule SuperDuper! Backups
December 14, 2011
Automation is an important part of any backup system. With a third-party application called SuperDuper!, you can schedule automatic backups of your Mac’s hard drive. This is a great feature that takes all of the guesswork out of making backups - you don’t have to do anything except make sure that your backup drive is connected to your Mac. There are two ways to schedule SuperDuper! backups. You can set backups to occur at a specific time on certain days of the week, or whenever you connect an existing SuperDuper!
How to Update a SuperDuper! Backup
December 14, 2011
Regularly updating the backups of your Mac’s hard drive is essential. If you’ve already created a backup of your hard drive with an application called SuperDuper!, it’s easy to update. The smart update feature allows SuperDuper! to compare the current files on your hard drive with the files in your backup. If the files have been modified, SuperDuper! copies those files - and those files only - to the backup drive.
Back Up (Clone) Your Mac's Hard Drive with SuperDuper!
December 13, 2011
Backup solutions for Mac OS X come and go, but an application called SuperDuper! ($27.95, free trial available) remains one of the best third-party Mac backup applications available. SuperDuper! makes an exact copy of your hard drive, which means you can use the backup drive to boot your computer if your primary hard drive fails. It’s easy to use - all you need is a backup hard drive that has enough space for all of the files on your primary hard disk.
How to Password Protect Your Mac
December 13, 2011
Your computer contains personal documents, photos, email messages, and even a log of your Internet activities. Password protecting your Mac keeps this private information safe and allows you to control who accesses your computer. You should follow these steps whether you you work primarily from work, home, or a cafe. No one should ever have unauthorized access to your Mac! Here’s how to password protect your Mac: Disable automatic login to ensure that only authorized users can use the computer.
How to Test Your SuperDuper! Backup
December 13, 2011
If you use SuperDuper! to back up your hard drive, you should test the backup disk to make sure it worked. (See Back Up (Clone) Your Mac’s Hard Drive with SuperDuper! for instructions on backing up your computer with SuperDuper!) Since SuperDuper! creates an exact copy of your primary hard drive, you can set the backup drive as your startup disk and try booting your computer from it. If all goes well, your computer will start up from the backup disk and look exactly like it normally does.
How to Create User Accounts in Mac OS X
December 12, 2011
Everyone who uses your Mac should have his or her own account. It’s a practical way to keep personal documents, settings, and applications separate and secure. Plus, an account limits a user’s ability to access system files and settings that can change your Mac’s configuration. Creating User Accounts in Mac OS X Here’s how to create an account for a user: From the Apple menu, select System Preferences. Select Users & Groups.
How to Disable Automatic Login
December 12, 2011
When you set up your Mac for the first time, you create an administrator account that automatically logs in when you turn on your computer - a convenient feature that poses a major security risk if you regularly use your Mac in public, or if other people use your computer. For maximum security, you’ll want to disable automatic login, even if you’re the only person who uses your Mac. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences.