Mac OS X Version 10.1 Black Book: The Reference Guide for Power Users

Apple's OS X is the biggest leap forward in the Mac experience since the shift to color, but because it is a richer, deeper, and more complex operating system than any previous version, the problems associated with it are proportionally more difficult. The Mac OS X Black Book introduces the new OS X user to the interface, tools, and underlying UNIX core at the heart of this old and new operating system, but more importantly, it illustrates how to troubleshoot many of the common problems that new users are likely to find themselves up against.

The book covers almost everything the OS X newbie needs to know, including installation, tweaking the system for improved performance, compatibility with pre-OS X apps (Classic mode) as well as non-Mac networks, connecting to the Internet, printing, and troubleshooting.

The authors never shy away from the fact that OS X is an operating system based on UNIX, and nearly every chapter has at least some reference to the non-Mac underlying structure. We see this as early as chapter 2, where we are told we can view the text version of the startup process as the Mac boots up by holding down CMD+V. In the chapter covering multiple users, we learn about permissions and the importance of the "Root" account. And we even have an appendix that covers using Terminal and UNIX shell commands.

Does all this mean you need to learn UNIX to use OS X? Not at all. But problems do arise from time to time where it can't be avoided. During those times, it's nice to have a "Black Book" on hand to get you through the rough spots. Good illustrations, a clean design, and an approachable written style make this book one of the more valuable OS X references available. --Mike Caputo