Roadwerks Mac OS
Head over to the OpenOffice.org Mac Porting web site for the latest development build. This is the most stable build of OpenOffice.org running natively on Mac OS X that I have seen. I haven’t yet had a crash with my basic usage. Mac OS X 10.4 or 10.5 is required. The improvements include: Printing now. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac computers. Within the market of desktop, laptop and home computers, and by web usage, it is the second most widely used desktop OS, after Microsoft 's Windows NT. MacOS succeeded the classic Mac OS, a Macintosh operating system with nine releases from 1984 to 1999. OS X El Capitan; OS X Yosemite; OS X Mavericks; OS X Mountain Lion; Mac OS X v10.7 Lion; Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard; Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard; Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger; Mac OS X v10.3 and earlier; Mac OS X Technologies; Classic Mac OS (OS9, OS8 & System 7) Photos for Mac; QuickTime; Safari; Front Row. Before you begin, make sure that you have Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9 installed first, otherwise it's pointless, because the new iWork apps only work with it. Step 1: Download the Trial Version of iWork. In order to fool the Mac App Store, you'll need to download an old trial version of iWork, such as this Apple iWork '09 Suite version.Download it and install it onto your computer, no need to.
Road Work
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'Book Value
Charles Moore - 2008.07.29 -Tip Jar
I use my main workhorse notebook mostly as a desktop substitute,which leads me to muse frequently about 'desktop laptops' that would bedesigned specifically for the growing constituency of laptop owners whomainly use their 'Books as portable desktop computers and rarely forreal road work.
For that sort of user, weight and bulk are much less substantialconsiderations - more of both would be tolerable in exchange for morefeatures, connectivity, and expandability, as well as perhaps theintegration of less expensive desktop components like hard drives andRAM that would help keep costs down. There are some big PC laptops withup to 19' displays and even one or two (more to come soon, it seems)with quad-core processors.
So far Apple has chosen not to go this route, although in somerespects the 17' MacBook Pro and PowerBook are more portable desktopsthan serious road warrioring machines. Yet because of their stillrazor-thin profile, the full potential of the expansive footprint canbe exploited to a greater degree than it has been. For example, thereis plenty of room for a full 105-key extended keyboard, but instead theBig 'Book uses the same keyboard as their 15' (and erstwhile 12')siblings, leaving huge expanses of empty space on either side.
I'm not holding my breath in anticipation, but I think there couldbe a healthy market for 'desktop MacBooks'. If Apple builds them,perhaps with the new quad-core 2.53 GHz Centrino 2 mobile CPUs that arereportedly coming from Intel as early as August, people would come.
Notebook Drawbacks
In the meantime, while portables have many virtues as one's onlycomputer, decent ergonomics for long sessions at the keyboard is notone of them. To wit: if the 'Book is positioned low enough for acomfortable and wrist-healthy typing posture, one's neck is craneddownward at an uncomfortable and unhealthy angle, and in many casesshoulders will be rounded and the chest hollowed.
On the other hand, if the computer is perched at a comfortable andgood posture-inducing viewing angle, one's wrists will be angled down,compressing the vulnerable carpal tunnel, and the arms elevateduncomfortably.
Keyboard
The solution to these essential ergonomic issues of laptop use formore than brief stints is to elevate the computer and use an externalkeyboard and pointing device. This practice has other advantagesbesides sparing your wrist and neck from possible injury. The thing Imiss most about using the built-in keyboard in Apple's 'Books is thelack of Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, and Forward Delete keys (withoutusing modifiers), as well as the missing three F-keys, and I've neverfound the embedded Fn key solution an adequate substitute for a realnumeric keypad with its big, convenient Enter key.
There is a wide selection of external keyboards available that onecan use, including the thin aluminum ones from Apple. My personal faveis the Kensington SlimType, but there are probably dozens of keyboardchoices that will variously appeal to different tastes in feel andresponse, wired or wireless, and so forth. The point is that you canget the keyboard experience that you like by going external.
Mouse
The same dynamic applies, only more so, with pointing devices, wherethe range of potential candidates is truly vast - mice, bothconventional and ergonomic, and trackballs and trackpads, in amind-blowing variety of configurations, again both wired and wireless.I'm an aficionado of lightweight, wired mice, and the one I use most isthe inexpensive MacMice DangerMouse(now available from Mac-Pro), butagain let your own preferences be your guide. Apple, MacAlly, Logitech,Kensington, RadTech, and Contour Design, to name just a few, make awide array of pointing device designs and configurations, and there areplenty of other contenders, not to mention various trackballs and theodd freestanding trackpad.
One issue with using an external mice with laptops has sometimesbeen cord length, or lack of it, notably on Apple's own corded USB miceand machines with USB ports located only on the left side, where ashort mouse cord can be problematical for right-handers. It used to bethan most USB keyboards had repeater ports, but lately, especially withultra-slim 'boards, those are becoming a rarity.
Screen Height
As for elevation, you could just perch the computer on a pile ofbooks or catalogs, but that's an inelegant solution, and with the manyand varied laptop stands available, why would you want to? Most laptopstands also allow the computer to cool more efficiently, which shouldmake it last longer, and will at least minimize the intrusion of fannoise from the cooling fan cutting in.
Again, there are so many different laptop stand solutions availablethat it's best to shop around, read some reviews, and see what appealsand suits you needs best. Some stands have active forced-air cooling fans that are larger andslower-turning than internal ones used in laptops, which is somethingto consider, especially if you're noise-averse. Others have built-inUSB hubs, which is also handy. A priority is for the stand, whateverits accessory configuration, to raise the laptop's screen to acomfortable viewing elevation.
If you tend to keep a lot of stuff connected to your 'Book at itsdesktop workstation, but frequently also use the machine as a portableas well, a convenient accessory is a BookEndz dockingstation, which allows you to leave all of your cables connectedwhile just unplugging the BookEndz unit itself from the computer's portpanel. BookEndz models are available for MacBooks, MacBook Pros,Aluminum PowerBooks (all three sizes), and for Titanium PowerBooks aswell.
External Displays
An alternative to or enhancement to using the laptop's own built-indisplay while in desktop mode is to hook up an external monitor. If youhave a 'Book that supports monitor spanning (a.k.a. extended desktop),you can to use the internal display and the external monitor in tandem,mousing smoothly from one to the other.
iBooks only support video mirroring - the internal display isduplicated by the external unit. There are third-partyhacks available that will induce the iBook to support monitorspending, but there have been reports that this can cause damage to themachine. Another issue to consider is that it has been suggested thatthe stress (i.e.: heat generation) associated with driving an externalmonitor for long periods of time may be contributory to logic boardvideo circuitry failure, especially in iBooks.
'Books with VGA Ports
The types of external display supported by Apple portables can be abit confusing. All machines beginning with the the G3 series PowerBooks throughthe November 2001 Titanium PowerBooks (400, 500, 550, & firstgeneration 667 MHz) support standard VGA displays (the first generationPowerBook 12' and iBooks with their included adapter).
'Books with DVI Ports
Beginning with the May2002 release of the PowerBook G4, DVI output is standard with VGAsupported through an included DVI-to-VGA adapter. This configurationincludes the later TiBooks, all 17' PowerBooks, and all 15' aluminumPowerBooks. The secondgeneration 12' PowerBook and later also support DVI output (with anincluded DVI-to-VGA adapter). MacBook Pros have a DVI-out port for aexternal display (VGA-out adapter included, composite/S-video outadapter sold separately); The MacBooks have a Mini-DVI out port(adapters for DVI, VGA, and composite/S-video sold separately), whilethe MacBook Air requires an optional Micro-DVI adapter.
DVI for Older 'Books
If you have an older PowerBook without DVI support, want to usea higher resolution screen, or work with up one or two externaldisplays, there is a way. Village Tronic's VTBook PC Cardvideo card supports both G3 Series and G4 PowerBooks equipped with aType II PC Card slot and running Mac OS 9 or Mac OS X. Itworks with a VGA, DVI, or ADC monitor (with a DVI-to-ADC adapter). VTVoilá, a Mac OS X software utility, eases multi-display use.Unfortunately , it won't work with iBooks because they have no PC Cardslot.
Use 2 External Displays with the MacBook Pro
If you have a MacBook Pro with an ExpressCard slot, VillageTronic's ViDock Gfx enablesup to two additional displays to connect to your portable computeroffering uncompromised desktop class speed and quality video. With theoptions of VGA, DVI Dual Link, or Dual DVI video output (Pro Edition),all the displays currently on the market can be supported, includingthe 30' ones at 2560 x 1600. Again, no MacBook support due to the lackof an ExpressCard slot.
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Charles Moore has been a freelance journalist since 1987 and began writing for Mac websites in May 1998. His The RoadWarrior column was a regular feature on MacOpinion, he isnews editor at Applelinks.com and a columnist at MacPrices.net. If you find his articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.
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