Press releases

Take Control of Passwords in Mac OS X, Second Edition--New from TidBITS: Helps readers minimize hassle while effectively protecting their wallets, secrets, and identity

Press release: August 18, 2009

Ithaca, NY—You can hardly turn on a computer or surf a Web page these days without being asked for a password, and choosing and managing passwords has become a pain for many Mac users. Fortunately, it is possible to avoid headaches while using sensible and secure passwords with TidBITS Publishing Inc.'s new edition of Take Control of Passwords in Mac OS X, by Mac expert Joe Kissell.

In this 120-page ebook, readers can learn the ins and outs of choosing appropriate passwords, smart ways to store passwords, and how to solve password-related problems.

Readers will find advice on these password-related issues:

  • Coming up with secure passwords that are easily remembered and typed
  • Keeping track of impossible-to-remember passwords
  • Setting up sensible passwords that control access to your Mac
  • Reducing hassle by making your Mac automatically log you in to Web sites
  • Finding a balance between security and the annoyance of frequent password entry
  • Understanding the purpose of the common Mac keychains
  • Finding and viewing the passwords that your Mac has tracked for you
  • Syncing passwords between different Macs (or with an iPhone/iPod touch)
  • Planning for disaster - what if you're injured and someone else needs your passwords?
  • Deciding whether you should memorize your passwords, write them down, or have your Mac store them

For a review copy or more information please email takecontrolpr@oreilly.com.

Joe Kissell has written numerous books about the Macintosh, including many popular Take Control ebooks. He's also Senior Editor of TidBITS, contributes frequently to Macworld, and previously spent ten years in the Mac software industry. Joe Kissell joined the TidBITS staff in 2006 as Senior Editor and currently lives in Paris. He has written more than a dozen Take Control ebooks, including the best- selling Take Control of Mac OS X Backups. He's also the author of numerous print books about Mac OS X and a frequent contributor to Macworld magazine. Joe runs a business called alt concepts, which publishes such Web sites as Interesting Thing of the Day and Truffles for Breakfast.

Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bios, and cover graphic, see: http://oreilly.com/catalog/9781933671673

Take Control of Passwords in Mac OS X, Second Edition
Publisher: TidBITS
Joe Kissell
Take Control of Passwords in Mac OS X,
EBook format, 120 pages, free 30-page sample available
EBook Price: $10.00 USD
ISBN: 9781933671673



About TidBITS
The Take Control series is published by TidBITS Publishing Inc. TidBITS co-founders Adam and Tonya Engst have been publishing highly regarded news and editorial since 1990 when they created the online newsletter TidBITS, which covers Macintosh- and Internet-related topics. The Take Control series has helped many thousands of readers with high-quality, timely, real-world, cost-effective documentation since 2003.

About O’Reilly

O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

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