Not my practice blog, by Scott Knaster

Mid-course blogging correction

I used to blog every day -- nice, meaty posts about imporant subjects like giant popsicle disasters. But lately, the posts have been brief or non-existent. That's because a change in my work schedule has messed with my blogging time, and I haven't yet figured out how to compensate. But I'm sure I'll be back writing about vital subjects like the National Spelling Bee in no time at all.

Hacking Mac OS X Tiger

My new book is out: Hacking Mac OS X Tiger. It's got user tips and tricks, info about application bundles and how to tweak them, the defaults system, sections on Automator and Quartz Composer, running Unix and X11 apps, and 8 complete programming projects with source, including two Dashboard widgets, a Spotlight importer, and other cool stuff. The code was written by an all-star collection of Mac programmers, and it's all fully annotated and explained.

I'm really happy with the way this book turned out. If you're interested in this sort of thing, please check it out.

Work environment

I worked at home for more than two years. My office was upstairs, in front of a large window that was usually open. My constant companion was a mourning dove with its soothing song. Sometimes this gentle sound was replaced by the piercing shriek of a family of beautiful parrots that likes to visit our neighborhood.

Now I work in an office building. It's a nice building on a pretty campus, with scores of friendly people, excellent technology, and very good food. There are 3 friendly dogs in my office neighborhood, but no mourning doves and no parrots. The dogs are quiet almost all the time.

Summer for kids

Do you remember the magic of summer when you were a kid? The rigid structure of school days was replaced overnight by near-total freedom. I'm reliving those feelings by watching my daughter now. Last night she fell asleep on the couch watching reruns on late-night TV. For her, it was Full House and The Cosby Show. For me, a million years ago, it was Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Do you have any summer-freedom memories?

I work at Google

A few months ago, as I was finishing my third book in a row, I started to ponder getting out of the freelance writing biz and finding a full-time job at a company. I didn't think there was anything for me to do at Google and I wasn't planning on interviewing there, but Google friends convinced me otherwise. As the process progressed I got more excited about the idea of working there. Eventually I got an offer, and I said yes. So, I have a new job as a technical writer at Google, starting next week!

Google's main business is a departure for me. I've spent most of my time in the world of personal computers and client-based stuff. But Google gives me a feeling of vast possibility, and I want to go explore that. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to contribute something useful and have fun at the same time.

And, after 2 years as a freelance writer, I'm looking forward to having actual human beings in the vicinity that I can interact with!

Effective advertising

Last month my book Hacking iPod + iTunes was advertised on one of my favorite web sites, Boing Boing. Check it out:

There I am, right alongside Andy Hertzfeld's Revolution in the Valley, Blowfish sex toys, and Suicide Girls alternative porn. The internet is a wacky place.

O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference

I'm going to be hanging out at the Mac OS X Conference this week. If you're there too, look me up for a cuppa coffee!

Book signing!

It's a geeky book signing! John Rizzo and I will be at Brentano's Books at Valley Fair Mall signing copies of Hacking iPod and Mac Toys.

It's this Saturday, October 16th, from noon to 4:00 PM. Brentano's is very near other mall geek attractions, such as the Apple Store and Wetzel's Pretzels. Come on down, say hi, visit the Apple store, and grab some mall food.

Book excerpts online

Ziff-Davis is publishing excerpts of my Hacking iPod + iTunes book online. Details here in the book blog.

Hacking iPod + iTunes

My new book, Hacking iPod + iTunes, is now available! There are a few iPod books out there, but I wanted to write one that's different. I'm interested in the odd edges and obscure features of the iPod and iTunes, so I wrote about that and didn't spend any time on the basics, which are well-covered in the other books. It was great fun to write, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I have a thorough section on how to see and move the songs on your iPod using only the Finder, no Terminal and no third-party software, which as far as I know nobody has described before. I also have a long list of sources for legitimate free music; descriptions of some of the wackier software, accessories, and cases you can get for your iPod; and an extensive section on Note Reader features, including a full description of museum mode, which lets you replace your iPod's main menu (that's how I did my Super iPod hack at ADHOC last month).

There are some reviews already at Amazon, two good ones and one bad. I'm grateful for the good reviews, but disappointed about the bad one because it seems like the reviewer saw the title, expected a more deeply technical book, didn't get one, and so trashed the book for not meeting expectations rather than reviewing it for what it is, or simply returning it. I wish I could respond, or even contact the guy, but I don't see that Amazon's review system has a way for me to do that, other than writing my own shill review. Of course, people seem to be buying the book anyway, and I've gotten a bunch of positive e-mail about it, so it looks like it's working out OK.

If you read the book (thank you!), please leave a comment to let me know what you think, and I encourage you to post a review on Amazon. And please let me know of any nifty iPod or iTunes news or other stuff -- I'm posting those at the book's site.