Filed under: OS

Out of some behind-the-scenes frustration on the TUAW team email list, we seem to have discovered a quirk in Mac OS X 10.6.4. Using the built-in screenshot tools, you can copy a screenshot to the clipboard using Command + Control + Shift + 3 (or 4, for the crosshairs screenshot). From there you can paste into Preview or Mail or any other application which can take images from the clipboard.

The issue presents itself when you paste into Mail.app or Mailplane. Instead of using your preferred format for screenshots, the images are pasted as a TIFF file. Several TUAW staff members were able to replicate this on 10.6.4, but it does not seem to have been happening in 10.6.3. If you paste into Preview.app instead, your image format preference seems to be honored. [May only be affecting a subset of users, see update below.]

While there's nothing inherently wrong with TIFF as a pasteable format, it does mean that your screenshot pastes may be a lot larger than you expect. It also may adversely affect the ability of iPhone/iPad users to see the screenshots you paste into emails.

There are many different image formats that you can choose for screenshots (BMP, GIF, JPG, JP2, PSD, SGI, TGA, PDF, PICT, PNG, or TIFF, to be precise) but most people probably use JPG or PNG. You can find out which you use by going to Terminal.app and typing (or copy/paste):

 defaults read com.apple.screencapture type 

You can also use a 3rd party tool such as OnyX to change your screenshot format setting, or do it via Terminal:

 defaults write com.apple.screencapture type XXX

where XXX is one of the types listed above. You will then either have to logout or restart Finder (control+option/alt+click the Finder icon and choose Relaunch) to have the change recorded.

We're interested to see how many folks can duplicate this. Try these steps:

1) copy a screenshot to the clipboard
2) switch to Mail.app and paste it (you may have to actually send the image to someone to see what format it is in)
3) switch to Preview.app and paste it, then save it (to see if your image format preference is honored)

Did you get the same format results in steps 2 and 3? What version of Mac OS X are you using? Let us know in the comments.

Update: It looks like most of the readers who were able to reproduce our result had their screenshot format set to JPEG rather than the more common PNG; if it's set to PNG it appears to behave 'normally' rather than putting TIFFs in the clipboard. Curiouser and curiouser.

We already told you about iTunes 9.2 being released, but there was a little new feature in there which may have escaped your notice. At the bottom of the list of apps that you can install on your iDevice is a checkbox to automatically sync new apps.

This has been the default behavior of iTunes, but you are now able to turn it off if you don't want apps to be automatically sync'd to your iDevices.

Thanks to TUAW reader Mike (aka MC SE7EN) for the tip. Mike also pointed out that the little iOS device images that appear next to the device name, identifier, etc, seem to be pictured running iOS 4, even if your device isn't. If you look closely you can see a folder icon. Well, Mike could. My eyes apparently aren't as good as his.

Updated 7:30 pm to clarify that this was the default behavior which now has an "off" switch.

Head on over to Software Update to find the latest OS X dot release.10.6.4 is now available -- and in addition to the usual split between delta and combo updates, and regular/server versions, there's another wrinkle here: the Mac mini released today gets its very own flavor of the 10.6.4 update, presumably because of late changes that couldn't be tracked back into the trunk version of the OS.

The size of the update may vary if you pick it up via Software Update -- we saw 315 MB on a MacBook Pro running 10.6.3. The combo update for all 10.6 systems weighs in at a bandwidth-hogging 887.4 MB.

Here's Apple's write-up on the matter:

The 10.6.4 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard. It includes Safari 5 and general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes that:

• resolve an issue that causes the keyboard or trackpad to become unresponsive
• resolve an issue that may prevent some Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications from opening
• address issues copying, renaming, or deleting files on SMB file servers
• improve reliability of VPN connections
• resolve a playback issue in DVD Player when using Good Quality deinterlacing
• resolve an issue editing photos with iPhoto or Aperture in full screen view
• improve compatibility with some braille displays

For overall details look here, or find security information here.

The saga of the 10.6.3 builds continue. Yesterday Apple seeded a new build -- build 10D573 -- to developers. This latest build, similar to the others, asks developers to focus on Graphics Drivers, Images & Photos, Mail, QuickTime, and Security Certificates. There is one known remaining issue, like in the previous two builds, in which Safari 4.0.5 will be re-offered by Software Update after upgrading to 10D573 from a previous seed.

Last week a TUAW reader was able to download a *PRERELEASE** build of 10.6.3 on his iMac. We took the Apple slip-up as a sign of an imminent launch, but the builds just keep on coming. Is it going to be released soon? Who the heck knows? But now my guess is that Apple might be waiting for the April 3rd launch of the iPad. Perhaps 10.6.3 and a new iTunes will be required to sync it to your computer? I'll just be happy to start seeing those 10.6.4 builds. Jump on over to World of Apple for 10D573's seed notes.

It was nine years ago today that Mac OS X 10.0 was born -- or became available to the general public anyway. On September 13, 2000 Apple released a public beta called "Kodiak" (think of this as OS X's conception). On March 24, 2001 Apple effectively ditched OS 9 for the current generation OS that would allow ultimate scalability for the coming decades. Since then, Mac OS X has had seven or eight major versions depending on who you ask. Jobs considered Mac OS X 10.4.4 major version since it was totally rewritten to run on Intel chips. Here's a list of the names and subsequent release dates for all the versions thus far.

• 10.0 Cheetah -- March 24, 2001
• 10.1 Puma -- September 25, 2001
• 10.2 Jaguar -- August 24, 2002
• 10.3 Panther -- October 24, 2003
• 10.4 Tiger -- April 29, 2005
• 10.4 Intel Tiger -- January 10, 2006
• 10.5 Leopard -- October 26, 2007
• 10.6 Snow Leopard -- August 28, 2009

Check out the gallery below for screen shots of each versions and also don't forget to send in your suggestions to help us tell Apple what you want to see in the next version of Mac OS X!

Charles Miller, a computer security researcher who's worked with the NSA, is planning to reveal 20 zero-day security holes in Mac OS X at CanSecWest, a digital security conference, in Vancouver BC next week. A zero-day security hole is a weakness in software that neither the makers of the software nor other individuals have any knowledge of. Hackers then take advantage of the exploit on the day it becomes general knowledge. Miller revealing that Mac OS X has twenty of them makes Apple look like they didn't do the job right the first time and also suggests Apple needs glasses to see what they've missed – and he's not wrong.

"Mac OS X is like living in a farmhouse in the country with no locks, and Windows is living in a house with bars on the windows in the bad part of town," Miller said, suggesting that while both OSes have their security flaws, the Mac OS is safer because of the lack of people threatening to exploit it.

But software is software, and no matter how much more secure Mac OS X is than Windows, it's still bound to have some security issues. I'm all for Charles Miller digging around the OS to find flaws, but come on, if you find them, why announce them to the world and open up a potential new round of attacks? Wouldn't it be better to report them to Apple instead of to the host of hackers that pay attention to CanSecWest? There's no question about it, Apple should have caught these holes in the first place and Miller is right in calling them out on it. But while I understand that public outings go a long way to ensuring that people or companies don't make the same mistakes again, you can call Apple out without showing people – especially the wrong people – the specific cracks in the system.

It's time again for another Dear, Apple letter from the readers of TUAW. In our first series (part one, part two, part three) you told us what you want to see in the next iPhone OS. Now we need your help again to tell Apple what you want to see in the next version of Mac OS X.

Think the Finder needs a makeover? Does Mail need improvements? Address Book not cutting it for you? If you have ideas for the Dock, Finder, Dashboard, DVD Player, Exposé, Quick Look, Terminal, Image Capture, Preview, Spotlight, Spaces, Safari, Mail, iCal, Address Book, iChat, QuickTime X, Photo Booth, System Preferences, or Time Machine -- make yourself heard! Tell us what you would change in any of the featured apps in Mac OS X and we'll tell the world (and Apple) for you.

If you're dreaming of what Mac OS X 10.7 should be like, dream big. If you think Linux or Windows does something better and want the Mac OS to have it, tell us. Even if a mobile OS, like iPhone or Android, does something you think the Mac OS can benefit from, don't be afraid to say it.

Email your suggestions to me at tuawmacosx [at] me dot com by next Thursday, March 25th. Please note that only suggestions emailed to the address above will be included, but feel free to hash out your thoughts in the comments below. Also note that this series will not deal with iTunes, iWork or iLife (that's still coming up though). For the iPhone series I received thousands of emails; for the sake of my eyes (and sanity) bulleted lists are much appreciated. Don't be shy about sending in concept drawings or mock-ups either!

Here's one for the freak occurrence archives. A TUAW reader e-mailed us after running Software Update on his new 2.8GHz i7 iMac last night. Something odd popped up.

"I got a new 27-inch iMac earlier this week," he wrote. "Last night I checked for updates and it starts 'Downloading **PRERELEASE** Mac OS X Update...' I figured what the heck and let it go. Now my iMac is on 10.6.3 which as far as I know isn't available yet?! I am not a developer or anything so I am not sure why this happened."

Just in case you're thinking that Apple employee access was to blame, here are some basic facts: The reader bought the iMac online from the Apple Store and was never in a retail store with it. The reader who sent us these screen shots is not an Apple employee nor does he have access to Apple's RSA Secure ID or VPN. He performed his update at home and not at an Apple retail store.

This kind of update does not normally appear in the wild on Software Update. Prerelease, and specifically "**PRERELEASE**", updates refer to Apple-internal builds distributed to any Apple employee who has access to Apple's VPN. A **PRERELEASE** build is typically seeded to employees 24 to 48 hours before the build goes public via Software Update.

The pre-release weighs in at a whopping 1.19GB. The "About This Mac" screen shots he sent us (see below) note the build as 10D527 – a build that was reportedly released to developers today, only two days after the last build. Builds that come close together typically indicate a public release is imminent. It is not clear why this pre-release showed up on the TUAW reader's iMac.

After only two days since the last build was seeded, Apple has pushed another 10.6.3 version out to developers. The newest build is numbered 10D572 and focuses on Graphics Drivers, Quicktime, Images & Photos, Mail, and Security Certificates. In addition, the build also includes:

• Compatibility issues with OpenGL-based applications
• Performance improvements for 64-bit Logic
• Changes to QuickTime X that increase reliability and improve compatibility and security
• Printing reliability and compatibility with third party printers
• Issues resolved that prevented files from copying to Windows shares
• Issues resolved with recurring events in iCal when connected to an Exchange server
• Issues resolved that prevented files with the "#" or "&" symbols in their names from opening in Rosetta
• Issues addressed that caused background message colors to display incorrectly in Mail when scrolling
• Issue resolved that caused machines using BTMM and the Bonjour Sleep Proxy to wake unexpectedly

Like the previous build, there is a single known issue: Safari 4.0.5 will be re-offered by Software Update after upgrading to 10D572 from a previous seed.

As a general rule, the closer build release dates come to one another, the sooner the build will be released to the general public. 10.6.3 seems like it could very well be the biggest update to Snow Leopard since its launch last August. If the improvements are significant, it's very likely that Apple will soon press 10.6.3 discs to be sold in retail stores, much like they did with Mac OS X 10.5.3.

iPhoneinCanada is reporting that Apple has seeded a new build of Mac OS X 10.6.3. The build, numbered 10D571, weighs in around 700MB and focuses on Graphics Drivers, iChat, QuickTime, Fonts. The build also fixes:

• Compatibility issues with OpenGL-based applications
• Performance improvements for 64-bit Logic
• Changes to QuickTime X that increase reliability and improve compatibility and security
• Printing reliability and compatibility with third party printers
• Issues resolved that prevented files from copying to Windows shares
• Issues resolved with recurring events in iCal when connected to an Exchange server
• Issues resolved that prevented files with the "#" or "&" symbols in their names from opening in Rosetta
• Issues addressed that caused background message colors to display incorrectly in Mail when scrolling
• Issue resolved that caused machines using BTMM and the Bonjour Sleep Proxy to wake unexpectedly

There is one known issue in this build: Safari 4.0.5 will be re-offered by Software Update after upgrading to 10D571 from a previous seed. It has been over five months since Snow Leopard has been updated. 10.6 was released on August 28, 2009 followed less than two weeks later by 10.6.1. On November 9, 2009, Apple released 10.6.2.

Developers have found further evidence of multitasking support for 3rd party iPhone apps in the latest beta (3.2 beta 4) of the iPhone SDK, and suggest that it will become a reality this summer.

9to5 Mac reports on a new line found deep within the latest iPhone SDK. Specifically, SpringBoard.js has a reference to a "multitasking dialog box" that did not appear in version 3.1.3 of the SDK; it seems that it's new to version 3.2. Of course, there's no assurance that this refers to 3rd party support for multitasking, but it is new.

Additionally, Appleinsider's souces with "proven track records" state that Apple has developed "a full-on solution" for 3rd-party multitasking which will be a part of iPhone OS 4.0. No specifics were given on how it will be pulled off or how it will address the two main concerns: battery life and security.

Let's assume that Apple's plan addresses the security issue, but battery life still presents a problem, one that was supposedly addressed by Push Notifications. Apple's remote notification service allows applications to offload polling processes to web servers. By keeping the update algorithms working off the device, the iPhone's battery is spared. Certainly the iPhone itself must take on the task of keeping all of those apps up and running.

It should also be noted that iPhone OS does not use a paged memory model. That means, multi-tasking applications must compete for the same memory space, making it more likely that apps will receive memory warnings and even crash when they use too much memory. That's not an issue in the one-app-at-a-time space, but a real problem with multitasking

Of course, the iPhone OS is already fully capable of multitasking. In order for non-Apple apps to participate, Apple must lift the current restrictions within the OS. That's something the company won't do until the iPhone engineers have devised the best and safest method. As for iPhone OS 4.0, Appleinsider notes that it's got "a ways to go." Hopefully we'll have an answer in July.

Today, the Khronos Group announced the launch of OpenGL 4.0, the cross-platform 3D & graphics API. OpenGL was most recently at version 3.2. Updated specifications are available at the opengl.org site. Game and 3D developers are presumably salivating.

Mac OS X includes OpenGL, and the iPhone runs an embedded version of OpenGL called OpenGL ES. The mobile ES version remains in its 2.0 release and is expected to move to OpenGL ES 2.1 in the near future.

The updated OpenGL release includes enhanced shaders, better texture support, and 64-bit double-precision floating point operations, amongh other features. It offers support for backwards compatibility with existing OpenGL code."AMD sees the release of OpenGL 4.0 as another major accomplishment for the OpenGL ARB," said Ben Bar-Haim, vice president of design engineering at AMD, in a press release statement.

An OpenGL 3.3 specification has been released simultaneously with the 4.0 spec, "to enable as much OpenGL 4.0 functionality as possible on previous generation GPU hardware".

It couldn't happen, they said. It wouldn't work, they warned. But gmjhowe over at Instructables did it anyway: he converted his old 1984 Macintosh into a machine that could run Snow Leopard. And he laid out some pretty good instructions on how to do so yourself. His two rules are as thus: don't hurt the old Mac in any way -- besides its value as a collector's item, the thing still looks great. And don't skimp on costs -- you could probably do it a little cheaper than he did, but why would you? This is a one-of-a-kind project, and he went all out.

Because of that, his instructions get a little technical (he actually replaced the innards rather than just trying to fit a Mac mini in there or something similarly easy). So this isn't a very good project for a first-timer for sure. But if you've got a little DIY experience, or just want to see what it looks like to take apart an old Mac and refill it with modern PC parts (he went Hackintosh on the OS), you should definitely check out his writeup. I wouldn't use the computer as a workstation any more -- because, come on now, who can really do any serious computing on a 9-inch screen? -- but as a music server or just a conversation piece, it's great.

There's one more player in the ongoing the Apple/HTC lawsuit announced the other day. It's Google, which yesterday admitted that it wasn't a party to the lawsuit, but that it would "stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it."

Lots of analysts and pundits have pegged the lawsuit as a direct shot across the bow from Apple at the Android OS (and the breakdown of patent claims that our colleagues at Engadget did seems to confirm that, with both old-school and wide-reaching patents matched up with brand new narrow UI claims), and it looks like Google will be coming to the rescue for its OS, if it has to.

What form that rescue might take, we don't know -- it's possible that Google could provide money, advice, or even lawyers to HTC if it feels that any part of its operating system might be threatened legally. But of course, that all depends on where the case goes -- we're still a long way away from the point where these companies would have to go before a judge and make their case. It certainly seems like Apple is in this one for the long haul, but if it all comes down to a check, Google may end up signing it as well.

Research released today indicates that in North America, Apple's Mac OS X is gaining traction, while the Windows share of the OS market is shrinking ever so slightly. That's the report from Quantcast, a company that measures and analyzes web traffic. They say that the market share for Mac OS X is up 7% from December to January. Microsoft held steady for the last 3 months of 2009 with the release of Windows 7, but started a slow decline again in January.

According to Quantcast, Apple has a 10.9% North American share as of January, while Windows has 86.8%. An interesting note is that the largest group of users is on Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6, while Windows XP dominates on the Microsoft side. Apple's relative share in North America is up 29.4 % in a year, while Windows share is down 3.8%.

These figures measure web consumption, so if you're not web connected your OS choice doesn't count. Quantcast measures ad supported sites, so huge traffic sites like Google, Facebook, Yahoo and others don't supply statistics.