Muskoka Mac User Group

Following up on my [earlier posting](http://www.muskokamug.org/news/?p=98) about Gmail Notifier, [they released a new version](https://mail.google.com/mail/help/notifier/index.html) recently. It now will check for updates on it’s own from here on out, it’s a Universal binary if you happen to have an Intel Mac, and it now integrates with [Growl](http://growl.info/). So, if you use Growl like I do, download the [Gmail+Growl addon](http://wafflesoftware.net/gmailgrowl/). Gmail notices now appear just like notices from Mail – complete with authour photos if available. Try it out!

Well – I know all of you are checking for updates regularly right? System Update makes that easy. But, sometimes it’s easy to miss updates for the rest of the software that’s on your computer.
There have been several significant problems found in a couple of programs most people have on their Mac all in the last several days.
Macromedia’s Flash player has been updated to version 8.024
Just go to [the Flash page on their site](http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashplayer/) and download the latest version.
Microsoft has two big updates too.
If you have Excel v.X or Office v.X there is a large security issue. If you have Office 2004 there’s a big update to make it work with Spotlight and Tiger better.
For either – [start here at MS Mac Support](http://www.microsoft.com/mac/support.aspx) and look at the quick download links on the right.
And lastly – while not so recent – if you do have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed – make sure you are running 7.07
If you ever want to check the version of any program – just call it up in Applications, highlight it and choose Get Info from the File menu.
Note that MS mentions you can get the version of Excel from the ‘About Excel’ entry while it’s running – but it sure doesn’t work here… Too bad they didn’t actually test that before they put it in their instructions.

Ok – for those of you who actually USE the bash command line shell – you have to add bash_completion.
While using it on OSX isn’t nearly as impressive as using it on a linux machine – it’s still darned worthwhile.
See [this post here](http://www.macgeekery.com/hacks/software/progmatic_tab_completion_in_bash) for installation instructions.
It’s interesting he suggests one way of doing it and the authour himself suggests a different one in the enclosed README file.
Just to add to the confusion, you can install it via darwinports, and I didn’t do any of the above My solution was to tack

if [ -f /etc/bash_completion ]; then
. /etc/bash_completion
fi

onto the end of my ~/.profile Other suggestions didn’t seem to work for me, but I’ve had a pretty long and funky .profile file since Jaguar.

While converting the last two presentations for use on this website – I found an old one.
So, here’s the presentation I did previously – [an iTunes Store Walkthru](/news/wp-content/itunesWalkthru.pdf).

[Here's my presentation from the last meeting](/news/wp-content/Securitypresentation.pdf).
Again I’ve just uploaded the pdf version so anybody can read it.
I have received some feedback from this presentation – sounds like most people would like some followup info on routers – how they work and what to look for. If you agree, please post a comment below and if I get enough feedback I’ll see what I can do.
Please note there is some good information on the subject in one of the [Security Now](http://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm) podcasts I discussed in the presentation. Scroll down to episode #3 and take a listen or look at the transcripts.

For those of you that missed it (like me) – [Here's Bills presentation](/news/wp-content/CDSpinDoctor.pdf) on digitizing your old audio recordings.
I’ve posted it in pdf format so you don’t have to have Keynote to view it.
I have to say – the export function of Keynote is pretty spiffy. Even in Keynote 2 it will export to flash, pdf, or even mpg movies…

Brian McKee has said he can be at the next meeting so I suggest that we go over all the little goodies that he has been posting on this website for the last few weeks. Okay Brian? And let’s also talk and learn about how we can each contribute to the website so that it is more than a one man show. Thank God for Brian, but come on folks, let’s take some more ownership!!
Meeting takes place as usual at 7:30 p.m. in the Digital Life Centre at macs@work. Please bring a folding chair.
See you there.
Meg
P.S. For those of you who know our daughter Megan, she recently gave birth to our first grandchild–a beautiful baby boy! Our iPhoto and Mail applications are getting a good workout!

The information on hackers, viruses etc. you hear of is usually based on Microsoft related problems, and reported by people that don’t understand it themselves – so it’s wildly inaccurate and doesn’t apply to Mac users at all anyway.

As Mac users, we’ve been spoiled because we haven’t suffered the problems our Windows using friends have. But we all need to know a little to keep out of trouble.

Here’s my

BAD THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOUR MAC 101

I start with ‘definitions’ of the problem, and what you need to do to avoid it.

— Problem – Viruses
A ‘virus’ is a file you receive via email, filesharing or chat program that causes damage to your computer *without you doing anything*
Solution 1: There are no viruses for OSX, and almost none for OS9.
Windows PC viruses will not do anything to your mac even if you open them up and look at them etc. Nothing to worry about here.
(the exception to the rule – Virtual PC for Mac CAN get infected)

— Problem – Trojan horses, Malware, Adware
There are other things commonly called ‘trojan horses’ or ‘malware’ or ‘adware.’ These are normal programs that people are tricked into installing. After they are installed, they do things that they weren’t supposed to, like turn your computer into a spam mailer, or keep track of everything you
type and post it on the internet.
Adware is a milder form that retreives advertising from the internet and pops it up on your screen, or attaches it to your outgoing email. These kinds of things do exist for OSX, but they are rare.
Related to the above, there are ‘macros’ which can be attached to Microsoft Office files that can cause some damage if you run them.
Solution 1: Don’t install anything you receive via email or filesharing.
2: If you download a program from the internet, make sure you are comfortable that it is what it says it is before you install it.
3: If you have MS Office on your mac, check that ‘macro protection’ is turned on in Preferences -> General If you open a file with a macro it will prompt you. Tell it to ‘disable’ the macro unless you have to actually use it.
** update **
4: Turn off ‘Open Safe Files’ in Safari -> Preferences. While Apple has patched this option (twice) to prevent problems, it’s not a good idea.

— Problem – Hackers
This is someone actively poking and prodding at your computer over the internet.
Once they ‘get in’ they can use your computer like they were sitting at your keyboard, for whatever they want. This is the one category Mac users do have to be concerned with – but protecting yourself is pretty easy. It’s not likely to happen with a dial-up connection, but high-speed users will be attacked sooner or later. Odds are anything they try will assume you are running Windows, and fail, but not necessarily.
Solution 1: Run a firewall. The built in firewall with OSX is fine. A hardware firewall like you get with a router will add even more protection.
2: Turn off any unneeded services. Every service you run is a potential avenue for the bad guys to get in, and a hole in your firewall. Go to Preferences -> Sharing and on the Services tab turn off any you aren’t using. I would not run FTP access ever.
3: Run Software Update regularly. Apple works very hard at keeping people out of your computer. If you don’t run software update, you are throwing away all their hard work.
4: Use a real password that isn’t in the dictionary or easy to guess.