Some of the 11 ways to share in the OSX preference panel
GRAHAM K. ROGERS

I wrote recently about the Security Preferences section of System Preferences in OS X. Security should keep unwanted people out, but computers do not work in isolation. We join networks and link to devices, like printers or Bluetooth phones. Sharing Preferences works with Security (and other) Preferences to enable specific connection methods to be used and to activate the necessary ports when needed. There are 11 different ways to share in the preference panel.

The top item in the list, which was added this year just after the MacBook Air was released, is "DVD or CD Sharing." A disk in a computer can be used by someone on another networked computer. There is a check-box to ensure that this facility is used with permission. I must confess I have not been able to make this work on the machines I have at home, while it did work perfectly when I tested the MacBook Air.

Screen Sharing is a form of virtual network computing (VNC). I can work on another computer on my home network that has this activated. Remote Internet access is possible, although this means some careful manipulation of settings if a router intervenes because of the different IP numbers allocated by an ISP and the router. Connections are made by clicking on the Share Screen button in the Finder panel (or using the IP number of the computer with a VNC prefix in the "Go" menu), I can work on the target computer as if it were my own: exactly as if I am sitting in front of that computer. The purpose here is to assist another user by working on the computer for demonstration or diagnosis.

Anyone who has tried to advise someone on the phone about what to move, what to open, what to trash, will realise how hampered we are by the lack of visual input. Moving the cursor for the other user, opening the correct panels, is more effective.

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