Two great tips, one fantastic source...

[Earp Robert J.]

I’ve benefitted from the LC lists so many times over the years whilst (embarrassingly) not being able to contribute much due to other far more capable bods than me answering questions almost instantly.  To all of those, many thanks, but you hold a secret I cannot find an answer to, how the hell do you find the time to do that !!

In any event, I recently came across what I think are two great tips from a non-LC list source that I thought was worth passing on.  Now, having said that I am sure the majority of folks will yawn and say, I know that, but on the off-chance I can help somebody, read on.   

The source is Gary Rosenburgh who regularly publishes all sorts of OS X and iOS tips via www.macmost.com <http://www.macmost.com/>   Two recent posts caught my eye as they will save a lot of time for myself and colleagues.  

The first is learning that I can share a screen with somebody when using Messages.  If you are chatting from Mac to Mac using the Messages app you can click on the Details button at the top and select the screen sharing button (two rectangles) to share your screen or have the other party share theirs. You can use this to help a less computer savvy relative or friend with a problem, or just to let them observe a project you are working on.  I know you can do this with other apps such as Skype, but Messages seems to be so robust and easy to use.

The second is finding out there is a fantastic built-in app called Digital Color Meter in OS X residing in my Utilities folder that I never knew existed, and which does an awful lot of useful stuff from showing the RGB/Hex/etc, values of any pixel being displayed on any screen, to the mouseLoc.     http://macmost.com/digital-color-meter.html <http://macmost.com/digital-color-meter.html>  tells you a lot more.

I subscribed to the macmost.com <http://macmost.com/> Newsletter a while ago and have never regretted it especially as I don’t think I’ve ever received one of Gary’s monthly posts without learning something interesting, even if it is only one of the snippets in the This Week in Mac: section.

All the very best from a continuing sunny British Columbia and I hope this has helped at least one reader  ;-)

Bob Earp
White Rock, British Columbia.