The Mac OS X Leopard Book

Chapter Zero. Seven Things You’ll Wish You Had Known Before Reading This Book

1. Here’s how this book works: I wrote it as if you just got your Mac, came over to my house, and asked me to show you how to use it. When I’m with a friend, I skip the technical stuff and tell them how to do what they want to do. Like if you asked me, “Hey Scott, how can I delete a file from my Mac and make sure nobody else can easily retrieve it?” I wouldn’t give you a lecture about file-encryption algorithms, or 128-bit decryption protocols. I’d say, “Just drag the file into your Mac’s Trash, then go under the Finder menu and choose Secure Empty Trash.” I’d tell you short and right to the point, and that’s what I tried to do here.

2. This is not a book strictly for beginners. ...