Hands
On.
Hello, World.
iTools
– by Sean Roulet
Mac Users Group Singapore
http://www.macuser.org.sg
The easiest way to take advantage of the power of the Internet is to use
Apple’s online iTools. Share pictures, iMovies, design your own web
pages, post iCards, get a mac.com email address and 20 MB server space
all free. Mac users worldwide are using iTools to create websites that
are literally drag-and-drop.
I
announced my new baby to family and friends around the world only hours
after his birth (http://homepage.mac.com/seanroulet).
And one of our MUGS members uses iTools to communicate with his students
online ( http://homepage.mac.com/mvallance).
Membership to iTools is free but you will need OS 9 or OS X. To open an
account first access www.apple.com/itools
and click the Sign Up button. If you don’t immediately see the Sign
Up button, click on “Take a guided tour” and look for the button
there.
Register your details. When you sign up, you will have to choose a Username.
Pick it wisely as it will be part of your email address and you will not
be able to change it. Once completed, you can post an iCard to your friends
announcing your cool MAC.COM e-mail address.
The next step is to download the iTools installer. This guarantees smooth
sailing while using iTools. Simply click the iDisk icon and the 20MB disk
will appear on your Mac’s desktop. Open the disk where you will find
folders for your pictures, iMovies, shared files and Apple updates.
To create a web page simply drag some JPG or GIF pictures into the pictures
folder. Return to your Internet browser and click Homepage. Choose a theme
and edit the text. Publish and announce.
This simple procedure can be repeated for your iMovies and shared documents.
If you have a new Mac then you must try iTools. However, if your Internet
connection is behind a firewall then you may run into problems. iTools
will not work through an HTTP or SOCKS proxy. Try to get a direct connection
to the Internet.
Have fun and we look forward to your iCards.
Email:
you can pick up your mac.com email with any standard email client. All you need to retain is:
Incoming mail or POP3 mail server is: mail.mac.com
Outgoing mail server or SMTP server is: smtp.mac.com
(make sure you enable authentication)
user name: is your mac.com username
password: is your password
iDisk:
20MB of disk space on Apple’s servers that you can use for back up or creating your own web pages with the ease of the Mac OS (it looks like an extra hard drive on your desktop.)
HomePage:
Create personalized web pages with pictures and iMovies you placed in your iDisk by selecting themes and adding your own text. As you add pages, these are automatically linked together in a seamless website.
iCards:
Cool postcards. With your iTools account you can even drag and drop your own pictures onto postcard templates.
Sean Roulet is from the Mac Users Group of Singapore. Its website is at www.macuser.org.sg