CHUCK TOPOREK

For those who cannot sit still without tinkering, the authors provide a complete set of tools to use to customize and manage this operating system. They include information on configuring an ideal system, managing files, scripting, running script applications, distribution, security and encryption, network administration, Unix command-line interface and text editors, the concurrent version system, and syntax for the bash and tesh shells. They also include a complete Unix command reference, which they have tested against the operating system. The authors expect that while most business and technical users will use this as a reference, the truly obsessed will probably consume every page. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Mac OS X swept many Mac users off their feet with its sharp looking interface and no-nonsense, rock solid Unix core. Well before its glow had begun to fade, the original Mac OS was replaced with Mac OS X, along with a suite of new applications and system improvements. Now there's Panther, which--like its big cat predecessor, Jaguar--brings lots of improvements to Mac OS X. Some are subtle, like faster boot time, while others are drastic but welcome such as a much-improved Finder and iChat AV, which brings audio and video chat capabilities to the Mac. While it's still Mac OS X, Panther is definitely a different kind of animal, and mastering it can take a little work. The new Mac OS X Panther Pocket Guide provides the information you'll need most in a concise and easy to use format, perfect for putting you at ease with Panther. Thoroughly updated, this slim book introduces you to the fundamental concepts of Mac OS X Panther. It also features a handy "Mac OS X Survival Guide," telling Mac users what's changed from Mac OS 9, and helps Windows and Unix converts get acclimated to their new OS. Mac OS X Panther Pocket Guide provides a roadmap to the latest Mac operating system, including how to use tools as the newly revamped Finder and Dock. The book includes an overview of the System Preferences, as well as an introduction to the Unix shell and the Terminal application. It covers all the essentials, and provides instant help when you need it at your keyboard or on the road. This compact guide also includes a quick reference for creating special characters and a listing of basic keyboard commands. If you need to add or remove a user, correct preferences, log in, log out, tune the Dock, or change passwords, you'll find the information you need easily in a book that really can fit in your back pocket. With more than 250 tips and tricks, this practical, to-the-point book is a small but powerful resource for unleashing the power of Mac OS X Panther.

Like other books in the popular Nutshell series, this one is aimed at powerusers and provides very concise descriptions of topics ranging from desktop basics to using the free developer tools that ship with Mac OS X (through 10.2 a.k.a. "Jaguar") to Unix terminals and shell programming. Other topics include web publishing with Darwin, Apache, MySQL, and PHP/Perl/Python (DAMP); using CVS, the concurrent versions system, to manage changes to project files; running the X Window System; and text editing with vi and Emacs. Appendices include a 225-page Unix command reference which lists 289 commands with syntax, a description, and a list of available options.