is a Mac-using teacher and technology writer based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He also writes our Mac 2 Windows column, which puts the focus on Macs and Windows working together. Many of his articles are available on his website, www.zisman.ca.

• Time Machine can now backup to a shared hard drive, 2008.07.08. Earlier versions of Leopard didn't seem to allow backup to a shared drive on another Mac, but the 10.5.4 update allows it.
• SanDisk Sansa Clip a low cost alternative to iPods for Mac users, 2008.07.01. There's no video or photo support, but the Sansa Clip works with MP3 files and includes an FM radio and a microphone.
• Leopard makes it easy to share your Mac's screen locally and over the Internet, 2008.06.30. Mac OS X 10.5 makes it easier to remotely access a Mac's screen on a network or over the Internet with more options than ever before.
• Free Time Machine Editor does one thing and does it well, 2008.05.12. If Time Machine's habit of backing up every hour is impacting your work flow, this free utility gives you control options that Apple didn't build into Time Machine.
• Online answers for ailing computers, 2008.04.30. "...most of the time someone has had the same problem as you and posted the solution online."
• Open Computer: The first Macintosh clone in a decade, 2008.04.02. Whether Psystar survives Apple Legal remains to be seen, but the Open Computer does point to the market for a lower cost, expandable Mac.
• Office 2008 a mixed bag for Mac users, 2008.04.02. Office 2008 is more convetional than the Windows version and runs smoothly on Intel Macs, but it's slower than 2004 on PowerPC Macs.
• Get more out of Leopard and Vista with these helpful volumes, 2008.03.31. Today's operating systems come with minimal printed documentation. These books will help you get a lot more out of Mac OS X 10.5 and Windows Vista.
• Restoring a crashed Mac with an install disc and Time Machine, 2008.02.20. Thanks to Leopard's Time Machine backup feature, it's easy to restore your Mac to an earlier setup if you've inadvertently deleted essential files.
• Is the MacBook Air too lightweight for serious users?, 2008.02.06. Apple's slim, ultralight notebook incites lust, but with so many compromises it may not be your ideal field computer.
• Could the iPod touch be your next PDA?, 2007.12.12. If you're already happy with your mobile phone, the iPod touch can give you the whole Internet experience without switching to an iPhone.
• Upcoming expiration of Boot Camp does not mean Windows will stop running on OS X 10.4 Macs, Mac2Windows, 2007.10.15. Although the Boot Camp Assistant may stop running, your Boot Camp setup and Windows installation will continue to function.
• Slingbox lets you watch TV on your Mac or Windows PC - anywhere, 2007.08.17. Slingbox transmits video from your television or DVR so you can watch it from any computer on your network - or over the Internet.
• VirtualBox: A free, open source way to run Windows and Linux on your Intel Mac, Mac2Windows, 2007.07.27. Although not as polished as Parallels or Fusion, VirtualBox lets you run Linux or Windows alongside Mac OS X - for free.
• Safari for Windows not a slam dunk success, Mac2Windows, 2007.06.19. Not only does Safari 3.0 beta for Windows exhibit some serious teething problems, but it doesn't look or act like a Windows app either.
• Parallels 3 narrows the gap between Virtualized Windows and using Boot Camp, Mac2Windows, 2007.06.13. The newest version of Parallels Desktop adds graphics acceleration, new tools, and easier Windows installation than Microsoft offers.
• iPods offer students new ways to cheat - or do they?, 2007.06.12. Banning iPods in schools to prevent cheating is short-sighted, as iPods can also be used as educational tools.
• Boot Camp users have nothing to fear from Leopard's delay, Mac2Windows, 04.17. Although the current beta of Boot Camp is set to expire at the end of September, Apple has plenty of time to release an update - and users have plenty of time to remove it if Apple doesn't.
• Macs more secure than Windows in the online world, 2007.09.13. Mac OS X always asks users if they want to install software. Before Vista, Windows didn't do that by default - and Vista natters about way too many things.
• VMware Fusion beta 3 adds new features, takes a giant step toward release, Mac2Windows, 2007.04.11. Looking for a virtualization solution for your Intel Mac? The latest beta of VMWare Fusion makes several improvements and includes some unique features.
• CrossOver: Run Windows apps on Intel Macs without Windows, Mac2Windows, 2007.02.28. If you need to run Windows apps on your Intel Mac once in a while, CrossOver may be the least expensive way to do so since it eliminates the need to buy a copy of Windows.
• A tale of two betas: VMware Fusion vs. Parallels Desktop, Mac2Windows, 2007.01.23. Parallels Desktop has displaced Boot Camp as the choice of savvy Macintel users. Can VMware compete with the entrenched upstart?
• One thing Mac OS X should learn from Windows, Mac2Windows, 2007.01.08. Apple's failure to merge folders in any version of the Mac OS frustrates switchers and can lose important files.
• Parallels revisited: Release version far more polished than beta, Mac2Windows, 2006.11.21. Parallels lets you run Windows or Linux without rebooting your Intel-based Mac, and it's made great strides since the beta came out earlier this year.
• iPod drive failure: Culprit may not be the drive, fix may be free, 2006.09.11. Many times an iPod's "drive failure" is nothing more than a loose cable inside the iPod. Here's how to reseat it.
• Apple's product line: Hiding complexity behind elegant simplicity, Mac 2 Windows, 2006.08.28. Consumers are not well served when model after model comes from Apple with the exact same product name but very different configurations.
• 'Twice as fast': Did Apple lie or just carefully select its truths?, Mac 2 Windows, 2006.08.21. Yes, some CPUs are more efficient than others, but by carefully choosing which benchmark results are reported, you can make one chip look a lot better than its competitor.
• Photoshop Elements 4.0 and Lightroom Beta show Adobe still does well by Mac users, Low End Mac Reviews, 2006.05.09. Adobe's Photoshop Elements 4.0 provides '85% of Photoshop's power for 15% of its cost' and the Mac-only Lightroom beta looks very promising.
• VNC, Basilisk II, and SheepShaver: 3 ways to run Classic on an Intel Mac, Mac 2 Windows, 2006.02.20. The new Intel-based Macs don't support Classic mode, but there are hardware and software solutions that will let you access some or all of your old Classic apps.
• Computer benchmarks and other baloney: Don't expect 2-4x performance from Intel Macs, Mac 2 Windows, 2006.02.06. The Intel Macs are faster than the models they replace, but only with software written for them. With older software, they're actually slower than last year's Macs.
• 'Just Say No to Microsoft' fails to convince, Mac 2 Windows, 2006.01.17. Although a useful resource for those seeking alternatives to Microsoft, the author's biases and errors undermine the book's credibility.
• Tiger: Lots to like, but some annoyances as well, Mac 2 Windows, 2005.05.18. Tiger seems to be faster and has some great new features, but there are a few things to watch out for as well.
• Revolution in the Valley: The people and stories behind the Macintosh, Low End Mac Reviews, 2005.02.08. Andy Hertzfeld and other members of the Macintosh development team share the stories behind the computer.
• Mac OS X Panther Hacks, Low End Mac Reviews, 2004.09.15. "I suspect most Panther users will find enough of these hacks valuable to justify the purchase price."
• AirPort Express: more versatile than your average access point, Low End Mac Reviews, 2004.10.06. AirPort Express is much more than just another wireless access point.
• Microsoft Office 2004 for Macs does more than just match the Windows version, Mac 2 Windows, 2004.07.28. Microsoft's Mac Business Unit has given Office 2004 users useful features unavailable on any Windows version of Microsoft office.
• SharePoints unlocks hidden network flexibility in OS X, Mac 2 Windows, 2004.06.23. "SharePoints does a good job of giving users back the networking potential that Apple chose to hide. Thanks to HornWare for making it available for free."
• There's more for Mac users in superstore aisles than many realize, Mac 2 Windows, 2004.05.19. Although the staff might not know it, most superstores have plenty of printer, mice, keyboard, drives, and other items compatible with Macs.
• iTunes sharing lets Mac users become low-end radio stations, Mac 2 Windows, 2003.05.28. iTunes 4 lets Mac users share their music with other iTunes 4 users on a local network or over the Internet.
• XPress strikes back, Low End Mac Reviews, 2002.07.01. Quark XPress 5.0 - heir apparent or too little, too late in comparison to InDesign 2.0?
• Painter 7.0, Low End Mac Reviews, 2002.06.19. For creating original art on the Mac, Painter remains unmatched, although the OS X version is quite sluggish.
• Photoshop 7.0, Mac 2 Windows, 2002.06.13. Whether running X-native or under the Classic Mac OS, Photoshop 7.0 offers many helpful new features.
• Mac emulation with Basilisk II, vMac, Mac 2 Windows, 2002.05.08. More on Basilisk II, OS X compatibility, and emulating a Mac on a Mac with vMac.
• Basilisk II puts a Mac on a Windows computer, Mac 2 Windows, 2002.05.01. Freeware emulator lets you run Mac OS and applications on a Windows PC.
• Mac OS X emerges from painful adolescence, My Turn, 2002.02.22. In deciding that all new Macs will boot up to OS X, Apple decided that its technology (and users) are finally ready to make the change.
• Hands On: Microsoft Office v. X, Mac 2 Windows, 2002.02.12. Why Microsoft Office v. X is the "most attractive and most fun-to-use version of Office for any platform."
• Alan's favourite things, X-Wares, 2002.02.04. Five very useful freeware and shareware utilities to spruce up Mac OS X.
• OS X and the iMac 266, 10 Forward, 2001.11.30. Some real trials installing OS X 10.0 on a Revision C iMac - but all is fine now.

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