Mac IT Pros Newsletter
Issue 51
August 2014
In This Issue
Tips from the Tech
Creative Corner
iTips 'n Apps
tipstechTips from the Tech
Amazon.com Logo
Passwords 101
Tools to use

A while back we went over Password headaches, in the time that has passed, technology has progressively gotten better in dealing with passwords. Apple added iCloud Keychain to OS X and iOS to help deal with keeping your passwords with you, no matter the device you use. It will even help with creating random passwords for you. OS X Daily has a great article on doing just this.

I know some people will say "Random password! How will I remember it?" That is the idea with using password managers, like iCloud Keychain, 1Password, or LastPass. The bad guys are getting better at getting passwords so random passwords are a in my opinion, the best option.

We'll take for example 1Password. It has a browser extension that can be installed when you install the main Application. This extension can be used to create random passwords while in Safari as you are creating (or changing) passwords for sites you visit or log in to on a regular basis. In addition to creating the random password, it will save it to the 1Password vault for you so you can use the same extension to sign into the site at a later date. The only password you'll have to remember is the one for 1Password. This "main" password is used to unlock the vault, which will allow you to use those randomly generated passwords.

1Password stores the vault file on your Mac (or PC), while services like LastPass store them online. The only issue I have with the later scenario, is if the site hosting your 'vault' is compromised, then your passwords could be at risk. In a similar notion, if your Mac (or PC) doesn't have (or require) a password to login, then you run the risk of someone gaining access to a copy of your 1Password vault.

Syncing your 1Password vault to your iPhone is possible with Dropbox, iCloud, and WiFi syncing. To learn about syncing to your iPhone, be sure to check out this month's iTips 'n Apps. Want to learn even more, including step by step instruction? Check out the FREE PROGRAM that is offered below.

FREE PROGRAM
On Thursday, August 28 at 7pm I will be hosting Managing Passwords at the Lake Villa District Library. Registration is limited, so register today! You can register here.

-- Dan Monge
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This Month
][ Delve in to managing passwords on your Mac in Tips from the Tech. Continue on the journey towards Making a Better Book in part 2 of Creative Corner with Matthew Cordell. Lastly, take those new passwords with you in iTips 'n Apps.
creativecorner
Creative Corner
Matthew Cordell Drawing Making a better book - Part 2 of 3

 

When I begin sketching out a 32 page children's book, I take a stack of letter-sized printer paper and sketch out each page. Typically, I have an overall look in my head of how this page, the finished sketch, will look, but I end up sketching bits and pieces of this image, just trying to get the right pieces down successfully, but not yet put together as a whole. A child, an animal, background elements, etc. I tackle each page of the book like this, until I am all the way through. At which point, I scan all of these bits and pieces (it can be upwards of 50 images), save them to my computer and begin arranging them in Photoshop. I slowly put together, resize, collage these sketches together until I have a bit of a Frankenstein monster of a finished sketch, a flattened single-piece image file. I collage each two-page spread composition like this, finishing the sketched book-or or "dummy" as we call it in the book business-all the way through. Once I have all the images composed, I bring them into an Adobe InDesign document and layout the images with the text of the book, playing with, arranging, rearranging until finally finishing the complete dummy. I save this as a PDF, and email it off to the publisher to have a look. In the old days, this dummy would have been composed, not on a Mac, but with bits of paper drawn on, cut up, literally pasted together in paper form. Working the way I do saves me a lot of time and with email, I can get it off quickly for a fast response!

For the third and final part of my contribution here, I will explain how I use my Mac in completing final artwork. Until then, keep on rocking, Mac users!

Matthew has illustrated many books for children including his latest, Rooting For You, by author Susan Hood. He has written and illustrated Trouble Gum, Another Brother, and Hello! Hello!, a New York Times best picture book of 2012. Matthew lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with his wife and their two children. Learn more at matthewcordell.com.
itipsnapps
iTips 'n Apps
1Password iPhone
Syncing Passwords

Using 1Password on your Mac and iPhone makes keeping track of passwords simple. After you install the 1Password App on your Mac, choose 1Password --> Preferences --> Sync (for this example we're using Dropbox. You'll need to have Dropbox installed and running to proceed). You'll then be presented with the option to find your local Dropbox folder (usually located in your Home Folder/Dropbox) choose the "Apps" folder. After this is done, purchase the 1Password App. After you install it on your iPhone or iPad follow the prompts for "I've used 1Password before" then choose "Sync with Dropbox". Then follow the prompts to enter your Dropbox login information. As long as you setup 1Password on your Mac to sync with Dropbox, then 1Password for your iDevice will find it on Dropbox. After this step is complete 1Password will sync with your Dropbox on both your iDevice & Mac. If you have more then 2 devices, the steps are the same on the iDevice, just repeat.

From a security perspective, you still run the risk of someone gaining access to your Dropbox account, then getting a copy of your 1Password vault. In order to access the vault they would still need to know your "Master Password". Which is why a strong password for both your Dropbox account and 1Password vault are critical. If you'd like to avoid using any online cloud syncing, 1Password also offers WiFi syncing. WiFi syncing works by syncing directly between your Mac and iDevice through your WiFi network.

Passwords can be a pain, but have become (for now) a necessary part of our digital lives. Do what you can to minimize this pain by using a password manager like 1Password, or iCloud Keychain.

-- DM
Watch the first Friday of every month for the MacITPros.com newsletter!
Sincerely,
Daniel Monge


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