Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac

Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac ['Tiger' (MacOS X 10.4.x) and 'Leopard' (MacOS X 10.5.x) compatible]

What is 'Parallels Desktop'?: A virtualization application. With 'Parallels Desktop' one can run various versions of Linux and MS Windows.
Cost: Commercial ware: $79.99

url: ‘Parallels Desktop’.

A side note: I also installed 'VMwares' 'VMware Fusion' v. 1.1. The installation of 'VMware Fusion', the installation of various operating systems [Ubuntu linux, MS Windows, etc.], and resultant operation of 'VMware Fusion' parallels that of 'Parallels Desktop'.

url: 'VMware Fusion'.

Also, I have since replaced Apples' 1 GB of RAM (2 - 512 MB memory cards) with 4 GB of RAM. The Mac's speed is noticeable! - whether or not 'Parallels Desktop' and / or 'VMware Fusion' are also running.

Now what?
To install and use 'Parallels Desktop' and / or 'VMware Fusion', continue reading ...



Step 01. Install 'Parallels Desktop' itself.
Such an installation process is like installing most Macintosh applications - you double click on the applications installer, navigate through the process, and a 'Parallels' folder appears in the '/Applications/' folder.

Below are snapshots of the Desktop based image of which, when double clieked on - begins the installation process.

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Below are the resultant windows of the installation of 'Parallels Desktop' and 'VMware Fusion'.
By default, the 'Parallels' and / or 'VMware Fusion' folder(s) will be placed in the '/Applications/' folder. This or these folder(s) can be relocated elsewhere, if preferred.

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At this point, one can drag 'Parallels Desktop.app' or 'VMware Fusion.app' onto the 'Dock' for easy access, to launch the application.



Step 02. Installing a operating system into 'Parallels Desktop'. Again, similar steps are performed within 'VMware Fusion'.

In the case with 'Ubuntu' one can burn a bootable CD / DVD from which on may boot from and use the Ubuntu OS; or, from which one can install the Ubuntu OS onto the computers' (the Mac in this example) hard disk drive. We will do the latter.

Thus, we first want to 'boot' from the 'Ubuntu LiveCD (in this case from a 'ubuntu-6.06.1-desktop-i386.iso' file).

The steps of booting from 'Ubuntu Live CD' are as follows ...

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At this point 'Ubuntu Live CD' will boot.

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Soon afterwards, the 'Ubuntu LiveCD' 'Desktop' will appear.

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Step 03. Now, it is time to install 'Ubuntu' v. 6.0.6.1. Again, similar steps would be performed within 'VMware Fusion'.

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The actual installation of 'Ubuntu' v. 6.0.6.1 is completed.



Step 04. Launching and using 'Ubuntu' v. 6.0.6.1, 'Parallels'.

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Figure 68. through Figure 70. show 'VMware Fusion' running 'Ubuntu' v. 7.10.

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To quit 'Parallels Desktop's 'Ubuntu' process - press the "'control' 'option'" keys return the mouse cursor to MacOS X. Then click on the windows right side toolbars' upper right red square; or ...

Figure 71.

... select 'Parallels Desktop's 'Action, Stop' menu item.

Figure 72.

'Ubuntu' will be saved and shutdown.



To quit 'VMware Fusion's 'Ubuntu' process - press the "Command' 'option'" keys return the mouse cursor to MacOS X. Then select 'VMware Fusion's 'Virtual Machine, Shut Down Guest' menu item.

Figure 73.

'Ubuntu' will be saved and shutdown.



To run a virtual operating system (ubl6' [for 'Ubuntu 6.06.1] in this example) from within 'Parallels Desktop' - launch 'Paralles Desktop', and then double click on the desired operating system from the 'New Virtual Machine - Parallels Desktop' window (or single click the deisred operating system, and click on the 'Select' button).

Figure 74.

To start (launch) 'Parallels Desktop's 'ubl6' - click on the resultant windows right side toolbars' green arrow; or, select 'Parallels Desktop's 'Action, Start' menu item.

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From now on, to start (launch) 'VMware Fusion's 'Ubuntu' - launch 'VMware Fusion', and then double click on 'ul7.vmwarevm' (or single click 'ul7.vmwarevm' and click on the 'Run' button).

Figure 76.

Monday, January 28, 2008

MenuCalendarClock for iCal v. 3.1.0

MenuCalendarClock for iCal v. 3.1.0 ['Tiger' (MacOS X 10.4.x) and 'Leopard' (MacOS X 10.5.x) compatible]

What is 'MenuCalendarClock'?: A customizable menu bar clock / calendar utility.
Cost: Freeware / Shareware ($19.95)

What is downloaded: 976 KB 'MenuCalendarClock-3.1.0.dmg.gz' file.

url: ‘http://www.objectpark.net/mcc.html(The is also a 'Microsoft Entourage' available)

What now?
01. Download the 'MenuCalendarClock-iCal-2.7.5.dmg.gz' (for 'Tiger' - MacOS X 10.4.x, or earlier) or 'MenuCalendarClock-3.1.0.dmg.gz' (for 'Leopard' - MacOS X 10.5.x) file.
02. Double click on the '.gz' file to decompress it to a '.dmg' file, which presents an authorizaion (agree) panel. Accepting the agreement results in a 'MenuCalendarClock' disk image appearing on the 'Desktop', and the disk images' 'MenuCalendarClock window displayed. See Figure 01.

Figure 01.

03. Drag 'MenuCalendarClockiCal.app' to any folder on your Mac. Most likely you will drag it to the '/Applications/Utilities/' folder.
04. Double click the newly relocated 'MenuCalendarClockiCal.app' application.

From this point on - one has many options that can be applied. Several are shown below.

By default, the menu bar should now include an entry - similar to Figure 02.


Figure 02.

Click once on any portion of the menu bar 'MenuCalendarClock' item, and its calendar and controls will be displayed.

Figure 03.

To access the 'Preferences' window of 'MenuCalendarClock', click on the 'Preferences' popdown menu button and select the 'Preferences...' menu item.

Figure 04.

Figure 05. through Figure 12. display most of the panel's of 'MenuCalendarClock's 'Preferences' window.

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As you can see, 'MenuCalendarClock' is quite customizable.



Ok, let us customize 'MenuCalendarClock'.

But, first - let us go to 'iCalShare' and download an 'iCal' calendar. In this example I downloaded and installed a 'Philadelphia Flyers 2007 - 2008' (hockey) schedule.

Figure 13.

Once the calendar file ('Flyers.ics' in this example) is downloaded, and double clicked on - 'iCal' will launch. The 'Add events' dialog box will appear...

Figure 14.

... from which 'New Calendar' is selected in the popup menu; and, the 'OK' button is clicked on.

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The 'Flyers' hockey schedule (calendar) is now added to the 'Calendar' column, and its dates displayed. You can now (optionally) quit 'iCal'.

Return to 'MenuCalendarClock's 'Preferences' window, and click on the 'Calendars' toolbar button icon. Place a check mark by 'Flyers' (if it already does not exist).

Figure 16.

'MenuCalendarClock's calendar should now reflect the entries of the 'Flyers.ics' calendar file.

Figure 17.

Let us do one more step - click on the 'Preferences' popdown menu button and select the 'Show Search Field' menu item.

Figure 18.

A search field is now displayed at the bottom of the calendar

Figure 19.

Before testing the 'search' capabilities of 'MenuCalendarClock' - click on any 'Flyers' entry - and note the resultant 'event' entry beneath the calendar.

Figure 20.

Enter' Devils' into the search field, and note the up coming game dates.

Figure 21.

Click on the month field - 'Fefruary 2008' below, and all calendar entries (for 'February 2008') are displayed. Click on the month field again, to remove (not delete) the calendar entries from being displayed.

Figure 22.

The above experience portrays only a portion of the features and customization capabilities of 'MenuCalendarClock'.



Finally, to have 'MenuCalendarClock' launch each time your Mac is turned ON or rebooted, or you log in - add 'MenuCalendarClock' to the 'System Preferences' 'Accounts' 'Login Items' list.

You Control: Tunes v. 1.6.1

You Control: Tunes v. 1.6.1 ['Tiger' (MacOS X 10.4.x) and 'Leopard' (MacOS X 10.5.x)* compatible]

What is 'You Control: Tunes'?: A menu bar list of 'iTunes' controls.
Cost: Freeware - $0.00. ( requires free serial number** )

What is downloaded: 3.1 MB 'you_control_tunes.dmg' file.

web page: ‘http://www.yousoftware.com/tunes/

* - Not on my MacBook (late 2007), running 10.5.0, at the Macs@PACS meeting. However, when at home and connected to the internet - 'You Control: Tunes' did properly launch, etc.** - Obtain free serial number here.

Remember - enter a bogus first and last name, and then enter any set of alphanumeric characters followed by '@mailinator.com'; such as 'qwerty01@mailinator.com' (also, remember to write them down). After clicking the 'Submit' button - open another another web browser window, go to 'mailinator.com', and check for any e-Mail messages to 'qwerty01'. From the reply by 'yousoftware.com' write down the provided serial number. You now have the information needed to register 'You Control: Tunes', from within the application.

What now? -
When double clicked on, 'You Control: Tunes' add four menu bar icon buttons. Three of which control 'iTunes' and the fourth (when clicked on) presents a menu item list (see Figure 01.).

Figure 01.

Let us look at the 'Configure...' window.

Figure 02.

Removing the 'Display Controls in Menu Bar' check mark allows one to replace the menu bar controls with a Menu icon or Menu Title (in text). Figure 03. shows a 'Menu Title' of 'iTunes'.

As shown above - 'iTunes' in the 'Menu Title' textedit field can be changed.
Also, via the 'Menu Icon's 'From File...' button - one can navigate to any '.icn' file, and have that graphic displayed in the menu bar instead (of the controls, or a 'Menu Title').

View Figure 03. and notice that the currently playing 'iTunes' songs' (Title, Artist, Album, Duration, Composer, Track Number, Genre, and Year) information is displayed within the menu list. That is because the 'Show Current Track' check box (of Figure 02. above) has a check mark, and its associated 'Inline' check box has a check mark.

Figure 03.

If the 'Show Current Track' check box has a check mark, but its associated 'Inline' check box does not have a check mark - the menu list would only display 'Current Track', and you would have to select the 'Current Track' menu item to have its associated menu list presented. See Figure 04.

Figure 04.

You want options? - 'You Control: Tunes' has many many options. Such as the style of the controls displayed on the menu bar, or how about ...

Figure 05.

... scrolling of the playing songs' title (on the menu bar)?, as well as ...

Figure 06.

... 'Growl' like screen notices? - via an 'Overlay Window' feature. See Figure 07. to enable / disable the overlay feature.

Figure 07.

Want still more control of the 'Overlay Window'? If so, thcn click on the 'Advanced Settings' button. A 'Window Position' drop down sheet will appear. Here you can set the screen location, fade in, display, and fade out times of the 'Overlay Window'.

Figure 08.

Figure 09. shows an 'Overlay Window' example - when the song 'Daydream Believer' started to play.

Figure 09.

Also, and optionally, click on the 'About You' tab - and a new panel will appear, from which you can remove the 'Auto Check For Updates' check boxes' check mark.

Figure 10.



Finally, to have 'You Control: Tunes' launch each time your Mac is turned ON or rebooted, or you log in - add 'You Control: Tunes' to the 'System Preferences' 'Accounts' 'Login Items' list.