It seems that Mac developers and power users no longer have the capability to rebuild, replace, and alter the OS X kernel from source code. This means that Linux clearly has the upper hand in terms of openness -- the very same reason why it has become the second most popular OS.

What does proprietary mean? End users generally do not have the ability to run the software for any purpose, study and modify the software, copy the software and provide it to third parties, and make and release improvements to the software.

The Darwin open source Mach/Unix core shared by OS X Tiger client and OS X Tiger Server remains completely open for PowerPC Macs. If you happen to be a proud owner of a G3, G4 or CS Mac, you can hack your own Darwin kernel and use it to boot OS X. However, if you have an Intel-based Mac desktop or notebook, your kernel and device drivers are impenetrable...for now.

Although Apple is largely generous to the open source community by open sourcing internally developed technologies such as QuickTime Streaming Server and Bonjour zero-config networking, the source code required to make a personalized OS X kernel, however, is gone.

What does this mean to Apple users? This step back to a proprietary kernel means that all users must accept a fixed level of performance since they can't configure it by themselves. The default OS X kernels are built for broad compatibility rather than speed and throughput. That doesn't matter at present, because all Intel Macs are built on the same Core Duo/Core Solo 32-bit architecture.

Apple is afraid of losing hardware sales to software pirates. They do not want to face the possibility of dealing with the selling and distribution of cloned Macs in foreign markets with weak protection for intellectual property. They have all the reasons to be paranoid, but not paranoid enough to slam its doors to the open source community.

As we've already reported, a total of 5 flaws have been discovered in Mac OS X, however according to the security expert who discovered them, there is a total of 7. A security researcher by the name of Tom Ferris, who works for Mission Viejo, California, discovered a total of 7 'Highly Critical' flaws in Mac OS X, namely in Safari browser. The operating system thought to be one of the best when it comes to security, has been probed and a series of flaws which have multiple effects have been discovered. To prove his discovery, on his site he has posted some proof of concept codes. The flaws at the moment could be used to crash applications and even run unauthorized code by taking advantages of bugs in Safari and the Mac OS X operating system.

Apple Computer Inc. has already been made aware of the bugs and plans to fix them in "the next security release," Ferris said, "There [seem] to be some problems with the claimed solid-as-a-rock Unix OS." Since the label of being more secure than Windows OS's, Mac OS X has been tested, probed, and ripped apart by researchers such as Ferris in order to discover and publicise the weaknesses. In February a series of programs with malicious intent were released in targeting Mac's, one named OSX/Leap. The SANS Instituter's Internet Storm Center rated the revealings as "Highly Critical" and that there were no patches to solve most of them. Apple have not yet commented on the bugs.

iPod Battery v1.1 is used to change the iPod battery indicator. By default iPod display a battery with some small tags. You can change to a numeric representation from 0 to 999, giving a better understanding of battery status.

Open program and select your iPod from popup menu.
Click on this icon


to change from analog to digital.
Or click on this icon


to change from digital to analog. You can rescan for a newly connected iPod clicking on Rescan". You can see unix commands sent to shell to change settings.

Important notes:

• PLEASE disconnect completely from your Mac to see changes. As long as iPod remains connected, You cannot see any change.
• This app was tested on original 10GB iPod and on U2 black iPod.
• Obviously it does NOT work on Shuffle! we tried, NO DAMAGE, but Shuffle as no LCD display!
  

You can get it in our iPod Download section.