Mac OSX Lion

During the school holidays Apple launched their latest operating system for the Mac: OSX 10.7 - "Lion".  I have installed it on my Macbook Pro and I'm enjoying the benefits.

My feeling is that the process was pretty much pain-free - but I do understand that many people managing school IT will prefer to wait at least until the next minor upgrade. Generally speaking we can expect to see that within a few weeks of the launch.

I am always conscious though that just because it works fine for me does not mean it will be plain sailing for a school managing multiple Macs.  We need to remember that a small problem that may be insignificant to me will be multiplied many times over in a school.  So a few thoughts on issues that will affect us in school...

Installation

First thing to check is that your Mac will actually run Lion.  If it's a Power PC processor (iBook, eMac, Powerbook) then forget it.  If you have an early Macbook or Intel iMac you may be out of luck as well.  If it just says Core Duo it won't work.

Make sure you have enough memory as well and that you are upgrading from at least 10.6.6.  A full list of minimum specifications follows:

• Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor
• 2GB of memoryOS X v10.6.6 or later (v10.6.8 recommended)
• 7GB of available space

This time there is no disk for installation.  The only way is by download through the Mac App Store.  It wasn't too much of a problem.  The download was less than 30 minutes and the installation took about 45 minutes.  And it went without a hitch.

That's OK for your first install but you won't be upgrading a whole classroom like that! The good news is that you can create a restore disk that you can use on subsequent upgrades. I have created restore flash drive - easy and convenient.

You can create restore images just as you have with previous versions using the Disk Utility, Carbon Copy Cloner, or my personal favourite Deploy Studio.

Issues

With any major upgrade there are bound to be some lingering issues that have not been resolved before launch.  Hopefully they are few and far between, but the likely candidates are Peripherals and drivers, and any bespoke software that has not been fully tested with Lion.  Don't upgrade the whole school's Macs without at least testing it with one first.

There are a few things in Lion that will take a bit of getting used to, but most things can be quickly overcome.  Then there is natural scrolling!  If you don't know what that is, you will find out very quickly.  I'm told that some people love it, but I wasn't one of them.  The good news is that your can revert back to the more familiar scrolling very easily in System Preferences.

My advice is proceed cautiously.  Back up your computer, repair permissions and give it a go.  Maybe on your own Mac before you roll it out to the entire school.  And maybe wait till 10.7.1 for that.

It's worth the effort though.  There are enough extras in this upgrade to make it a worthwhile experience.

Mac Malware Removal (or what to do if you have been caught out).

Since my comments the other day about the MacDefender Trojan, it seems that a few people have been caught out.  It is a good opportunity to remind people of the importance of not downloading and installing software simply because a site tells you it is a good thing to do.

Macfixit have published a couple of useful articles if you have been caught out:

How to protect your Mac from recent malware

How to manage malware in OS X backups

Update:

Reports on the web are suggesting that this trojan may have affected quite a wide range of mac users.  The instructions for removing it in the links above are quite easy to follow.  If you think you may have clicked the link follow the instructions anyway just to check.  Do it now before you are embarrassed by pornographic images popping up at inappropriate times!

How bad is the Mac malware scare?

How to remove MacDefender fake antivirus program

Take care out there!

Update #2:

Apple have acknowledged the issue in a Knowledgebase document.  It includes the comment "In the coming days, Apple will deliver a Mac OS X software update that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants.".

How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware

Update #3:

There are reports of a new variant of this malicious application that does not require you to authenticate to install it.  By installing in the User's home folder it manages to avoid any user interaction if that user is an admistrator.  The key reminders to avoid this are:

• Don't use an administrator account for the day-to-day stuff on your Mac.  If you only have one account create another admin account then change your own account to a standard one.
• Remember to disable the setting in Safari to open "safe" file after downloading.

Securing your Mac from the new MacGuard malware variant

Yet another Mac "Virus" alert

Once again Mac users are under threat from another deadly virus - or so the media would have you think!

Last week reports emerged about the Macdefender malware.  Basically a rogue site would inform you that your computer is infected with a virus.  It offers you software that will protect you against the virus. This is all fake and the software you download will be harmful and provide access to your personal information.

This is not a virus!  So what is the difference?  A virus is able to spread of its own accord from computer to computer.  This is a Trojan - or a harmful application that is masquerading as something else.  In this case you think you are downloading something that will protect you, but you are actually installing dangerous code.

Key Points

1. There have been no reported viruses for Macs.
2. Web sites cannot scan your computer for viruses.
3. Don't download software from sites you do not know or trust.
4. When an application asks for your username and password it is your opportunity to think twice about what you are doing.

There are still no Mac viruses and we shouldn't be swayed by sensational stories on the web and in print that the end is at hand for mac users.  But also we shouldn't be naive about people out there on the net who have evil intent and will either steal from you or at least cause serious harm .

Take care out there!

MAC Defender Rogue Program Attacks Macs

Malware, Macs, and crying wolf: Doing the math

Improve your Mac's security by running a Standard account

 

Creating Usable passwords

I came across an interesting article (now a few years old) which gives some great tips on how to create passwords that are both user-friendly and secure.  It changed my thinking by explaining why secure and complex are not the same thing.

Teachers (and especially Mac users) - Don't be complacent!  It is not difficult to create passwords that will keep your computer - and your online life safe.  Check out my article from last year "Passwords are like Underwear".

QR Codes - What are they and how can we use them in School?

What is a QR code?  They are the 2D barcodes you may have seen increasingly over recent months.  There is an example here.  I have enjoyed using them in Air New Zealand's mPass app that displays a QR code on my iPhone.  I simply place the phone on the auto-checkin machine and it will print my boarding pass straight away.

At the BETT conference in London I couldn't help notice the number of QR codes that appeared on the exhibition stands, on brochures, on business cards and even on T-shirts.  I began to think that there may be some pratical use in the classroom.

QR stands for Quick Response and these provide hyperlinks for hard copies.  They can be printed on homework sheets, stationery, posters or just about anything to provide a link to a digital resource.  The code can be used for any kind of data, but the neat thing is that your smartphone or computer can take action based on the type of data.  So if the data contains a URL you will be taken straight to that webpage when you scan it.  Here are a few examples of whatwe can do with them:

• Browse to a Website
• Bookmark a Website
• Make a Phone Call
• Send an SMS
• Send an E-Mail
• Create a vCard
• Create a Calendar Event
• Google Maps
• Tweet on Twitter
• Free Formatted Text

You can read the codes using software that is freely available.  On the iPhone I tried several Apps and eventually settled on Qrafter. Qrafter seems to handle a wide range of data types and it has one major advantage over the others in its ability to scan V-cards and add the card into the iPhone's address book.  It will also work on the iPod touch.

On your desktop computer (mac, Windows, or Linux) try QRreader.  It works with your webcam and is free.  I found the functionality a bit limited but it does work.   Otherwise try Quickmark for Mac OSX (NZ$4.19).   If anyone has any other suggestions to work with a desktop computer please let me know.

Creating QR codes is very easy.  There are a number of online sites that will do it for you.  I have been using this site which is created by the author of Qrafter.

What about their use in class?  You can use them on any printed material, or on your display screen, projector or IWB.  Why not print them on homework sheets to link to online resources? Students can scan them with their smartphone, iPod Touch, iPad2, or webcam on their desktop computer. I wouldn't make a big deal about teaching this - kids will pick it up very quickly. If you have class sets of iPod touches, make the App available and give them a quick demo.

There are some great ideas already published by teachers.  If you can scan the code above you will be taken to a list of pages I have read on the topic, otherwise click here.  Credit for some of the following suggestions belong to the authors of these pages.

What about?...

• A sheet outlining procedure for a science experiment with a link to a video demonstration.
• A recipe for a cookery class with a link to a video demonstration.
• A code stuck inside the cover of a library book with a link to online reviews by other students who have read it.  You could have a computer available in the library for scanning the codes.
• A multiple choice quiz - scan the code next to the answer of your choice.
• Printed sheet music with links to MP3 files or to the iTunes store.
• Posters  - eg. advertising a production.  Codes could link to information about the play or musical, the cast, or to booking information.
• A scavenger hunt.  Scan the code to get the next clue.
• Put stickers on school equipment with links to a video showing how to use it.

I am sure there are many more opportunities to use QR codes.  I have been impressed with how easy they are to produce and how easy they are to scan.  If you have more suggestions please contribute them in the comments.

Welcome to the new year!

So the new year is a great chance to remember my good intentions about blogging. I had always planned to do regular updates based on things that have come up at work.  Things get busy though and other priorities seem to take over.

However this year has brought new things for me.  A new job has given me a fresh perspective on life and maybe the motivation and inspiration to continue with this blog.

Recent months have continued to build an interest in mobile computing and if you have followed me on twitter you will see that I have been building a collection of articles about iPads and iPod Touches in the classroom. (@ianw91)  I am also very interested in the use of iPads in Special Education, especially AAC apps such as Prologuo2go and touchchat.

So do check back or subscribe to this blog and I'll see if I can bring you an update from time-to-time.

iPad Apps for classroom use

A number of teachers have asked me for recommendations about Applications for iPad use in school. The short answer is that it is early days yet and the key will be which applications remain once the initial novelty of the iPad wears off.

I have been checking a number of reports from the early adopters in schools around the world. Almost without exception they report the wonderful student engagement with the iPad. My response to that is - what did you expect? Its a wonderful piece of tech that is eye-catching and attentions-grabbing. But that alone does not make it an ideal tool for teachers and students. We must look beyond the excitement of new technology and ask ourselves how it will contribute to our educational goals and outcomes.

We have all seen the use of desktop computers and laptops as baby-sitting tools designed to keep the children quiet for a few minutes at a time. How great that we have passed that point and we are now seeing how well they can enhance a child's creativity under the guidance of an inspirational teacher. Lets not repeat the mistakes of the past but lets look for the gems that will make this new technology a great tool to produce great examples of creativity, collaboration and thinking in our classrooms.

This list of iPad Apps is in no particular order, and I can't even claim to have tried them all. But at some stage somebody has recommended them to me in my visits to schools so they should be worth a try.

• Super-7s


• Ican Write


• Dropbox


• NoteBrainer


• Instapaper


• Running Recs


• MultiCount


• brainpop


• History Maps of the World


• Number Line


• iFormulas


• Sudoku (free)


• Quick Graph


• Dictionary.com


• Hangman


• Chicktionary


• Story Kit


• Google Earth


• The Weather Channel


• World WIki


• Planets


• NASA