Trash

TrashTimer for Mac adds to your privacy by automatically removing deleted content from the trash after a set period of time. This application offers a great amount of control over how and when the trash is deleted.

With just a double-click on the DMG file, you will have this app installed and running in no time. A readme file, which comes with the installation file, clearly explains the installation process. Rather than an icon in the dock or top bar, TrashTimer for Mac will appear as a preference panel in your Mac's System Preferences. The user interface is quite … Read more

When emptying a Mac's trash can, some items may be locked, which prevents removal. Trash It! for Mac is a basic program that forces the trash can to completely empty, but has no additional features and is not a useful program.

Trash It! for Mac is available as a free application. The program downloaded quickly, but there was no installer for the program. Instead of having one program that worked with all Mac OS X versions, the download included two separate folders, one for version 10.8 and one for earlier versions. There were no technical support or user … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which I answer Mac-related questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week, readers wrote in asking about the potential drawbacks from using Little Snitch to block updates from XProtect, the media browser not properly handling Aperture libraries, the OS X Trash hanging when instructed to empty, and a problem with incoming network connection requests flashing too fast to make changes.

I welcome contributions from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Potential drawbacks from blocking XProtect updates MacFixIt reader Paul asks:… Read more

With a name that completely and accurately describes its sole function, Delete without Trash for Mac allows users to bypass the trashing step, but adds another that seems to defeat its time-saving purpose.

Delete without Trash for Mac downloads quickly. The installation folder also contains a readme file with instructions. The program, itself, is easy to use. There is no interface, but it makes changes to the computer so that the user has additional options when right clicking files. This includes a "Delete as Administrator" function, which directly removes the file after the entry of the administrator password. … Read more

Mac users may find their computer's trashcan changes places as they add and remove programs. iTrash for Mac locks the trash can in place, but it will likely only appeal to a few users who, in addition to adding many programs, find the roving trash can annoying.

Available as a free trial version with a limited trial period, iTrash for Mac costs $4.95 for the full version. Despite the limited purpose and small size, installation required acceptance of a lengthy user agreement. The program also attempted to access all of the computers linked in the testing network, a … Read more

In OS X you should be able to create and manipulate files on your system largely without being burdened to authenticate, especially if the files are within resources your account owns such as your home folder. However, after upgrading or otherwise performing changes to the system you may find that the system continually prompts you for a password when you try to manage your files.

Sometimes this issue may occur only when you perform certain tasks such as deleting files (as opposed to placing them in the trash), but at other times it may happen on any manipulation.

OS X … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Artist encourages Apple to "Think Different" with Steve Jobs action figure sculpture.

- Man mistakenly sexts entire contact list, lands in jail.

- Jay-Z helms star-studded Barclays Center opening.

- Today is the 30th anniversary of the first CD sale in Japan...Steve Guttenberg reflects.

- Key set available for $150 on eBay provides an all-access pass to NYC.… Read more

A Japanese inventor appears to have put an awful lot of effort into enabling laziness. A modder going by the handle of "FRP" looks to have designed a mobile wastebasket that can ambulate around to catch any falling (preferably with a high arc) trash you toss in its general direction.

FRP replaced the bottom of the can with some wheels attached to something similar to an Arduino board. On the other end of the system is a wall-mounted Kinect that watches for flying debris, calculates the landing spot, and then sends the can to catch the garbage like an outfielder going after some rookie's pop-up.… Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week people wrote in with questions about firmware passwords on new Mac systems not resetting with hardware resets, concerns regarding malware in Time Machine backups, trashed files prompting for admin passwords and then being immediately deleted, and the difference between Java and JavaScript with regard to the recent malware threats for OS X. We welcome alternative approaches and views from readers, so if you have any suggestions, post them in the comments!

Question: Firmware password not resetting on a new Mac system MacFixIt reader … Read more