Going Further with .Mac

.Mac offers many other features, including specific software (Virex, Backup, and special features of iCal and iSync) that I examine in other chapters of this book. You can find extensive help on the .Mac web site for all its features, and Apple has been adding new features regularly, as well as new special offers, such as free software or discounts on software and hardware. If you have a .Mac account, and use your iDisk and .Mac e-mail address but not the other features, you should still check the .Mac web page (www.mac.com) regularly to find out about additional features and enhancements.

How to... Protect Your Public Folder with a Password

If you create a File Sharing page, as described previously, anyone can access the files you put in your Public folder. To prevent strangers from downloading your files, you can apply a password to protect this folder. To do this, open the System Preferences and click the .Mac icon. Click the iDisk tab. At the bottom of this tab, check Use A Password To Protect Your Public Folder. Enter a password in the sheet that displays, and then enter it again to confirm it.

But this password protection only applies to users connecting to your Public folder by mounting your iDisk on their Desktop, or using the iDisk Utility for Windows XP. If you want to protect access via the .Mac web site, click the HomePage icon, and then look for Protect This Site; click the arrow icon next to this.

Follow the instructions and enter a password, and then click Apply Changes. Whenever a user attempts to access your .Mac web site, they'll be greeted by a dialog asking them to enter the password. If they don't have this password, they won't be able to access your site—not only your file sharing section, but the rest of the site as well.

You can also password-protect only part of your .Mac site. If you create an additional site, as explained previously you can choose to password-protect only that site. You can create one site for public access, another for family, and another for coworkers, with a different password for each of the additional sites.