Active Computers & Programming Posts

How To: Take apart a MacBook display

Accidents will happen. This brief how-to will guide you through the process of taking apart your 13" MacBook's display quickly and efficiently without damaging any of the components, the first necessary step of any successful repair. This tutorial will also be of use to those who wish to learn more about the guts of their MacBooks without actually disassembling their units. Replace your own display with this video tutorial.

How To: Optimize your Windows PC

Has your Windows PC grown increasingly sluggish over time? In this how-to, Digital Connector James Vargas (recalling a young Jean-Pierre Léaud) guides users through speeding up and optimizing a Windows PC. Take a look. Whether you run XP, 2000 or Vista, you're certain to benefit from this tutorial.

How To: Build your own NAS or networked attached storage

If you're just itching for an excuse to reuse that retired desktop PC or laptop sitting in your closet there here's your chance. This tutorial offers a look at the basics of installing FreeNAS, an open-source DIY NAS. So instead of spending money on off the shelf options why not save yourself some cash and make use of the stuff you already have and get a super customizable network storage device to boot?

How To: Run Windows on your Mac while running OS X

There's nothing wrong with running Windows on your OS X machine: all you need is Boot Camp, right? Wrong. There's a better way: virtualization software, such as the Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMware's Fusion. If you run virtualization software, you can run Windows operating systems like XP and Vista inside of OS X. Features like "Coherence" or "Unity Mode" even let you run a Windows application as if it were just another OS X app. But which software should you choose? In this tutorial, CNET...

How To: Watercool a PC

If you've never dabbled in water cooling, it's all about removing heat from the components in your PC using water instead of air–although instead of having a "cooling jacket" designed into the engine block, you attach a waterblock to the component you want to cool on your motherboard (or GPU, HD, memory, etc) in place of a heatsink, along with a set of tubes, a heat exchanger (i.e., radiator) along with a pump to move your coolant. In this video, you'll learn the fundamentals of watercooling ...

How To: Use wallpaper clocks in Mac OS X

Are you a clockwatcher? In this how-to, Gary Rosenzweig of MacMost.com takes a look at Wallpaper Clocks, artistic desktop wallpapers that also include a live clock and changing graphics, which display the time as well as the date. Turn your desktop background into a clock with this how-to.

How To: Create an application, or app, bundle on Mac OS X

Wondering how to create an app bundle in Mac OS X? In this two-part video tutorial series, you'll learn how to create an application that is completely self-contained and is drag-and-droppable/relocatable. Frameworks, PlugIns, and Resources are embedded in the .app bundle, thus avoiding the need for installers and avoiding issues like dll-hell. There is also a quick demonstration on how to enable Universal Binary building at 15:46. Take a look!

How To: Compile a kernel in a Debian-based Linux distribution

In this four-part video tutorial series, you'll learn how to compile a Linux kernel on a Debian-based system (e.g., Ubuntu). You'll learn two separate methods for kernel compilation, both (1) how to make the kernel into a Debian package, which can be handy if you're using a package manager and (2) how to install the kernel manually with make and make install. Take a look!

How To: Play Windows games on GNU/Linux

Are you, as a Linux user, jealous of the gaming possibilities available to your Windows and GNU/Linux-running friends? In this tutorial, Linux Journal Gadget Guy Shawn Powers walks you through how to play Windows games on Linux using Wine, an open source implementation of the Microsoft Windows API built on the X-Window System.

How To: Secure your data with GNU's PGP implementation, GPG

In today's time of rampant information crimes, including identity theft, security is more important to the average computer user than ever. This tutorial from Linux Journal Online shows how you can use GnuPG to secure and verify data on your Linux box. (This video was created using only free and open source software tools: TightVNC, pyvnc2swf, ardour2, audacity, jackd, LAME, kolourpaint, cinelerra-cv, mjpegtools, and ffmpeg.)

How To: Burn an MP3 CD in Mac OS X

MP3 CDs are a convenient, economical way of taking a substantial part of your music library with you on the road. In this tutorial, Gary Rosenzweig from MacMost.com looks at how to use iTunes to make an MP3 CD that will fit hundreds of songs on to a single CD and play back in most modern CD players.

How To: Wash your Apple keyboard in the dishwasher

Your Apple computer keyboard, over time, can accumulate quite a lot of dirt and sticky gunk. It is only natural, then, that you should want to clean it from time to time. In this tutorial, Gary Rosenzweig talks about his success in putting his Mac keyboard in the dishwasher and the risk you take when you try this extreme method. Take a look!