Red Hat Diaries/0055

The Genius is Out

Apple stores have their geniuses. The official outlets that is. The term 'genius' is actually used to denote a member of staff that is exceptionally knowledgeable. At TenPlus they have a lot of fun with this. TenPlus is a very rugged corporate Apple supplier, with in-house technicians and personnel who have been around Apple for years. There is no hype at TenPlus - they cut right to the truth every time. And the mere mention of the Apple store 'geniuses' sends them into fits of laughter. For these so-called geniuses are anything but. Anyway.

Syd and I go into an official Apple store, because I want to buy some screen wipes. $10 for ten - that's $1 each, quite a price. Whatever. I spy two geniuses behind the Genius Bar and we go over.

Hi, I'd like to talk to a genius, I say. Are you a genius? I add, looking at the one fellow, sans name tag, only a big ironed-on white apple on a gray pullover.

Yes, I'm a genius, the genius responds. How may I help you?

Well, I've got a question, I tell the genius. What's the question? the genius then asks, and we're ready to roll.

I recently bought Jag-WIRE, I lie (I won my copy), and I'm trying to make a SECURITY BACKUP COPY, and I'm doing everything according to instruction, assembling all the files in the Finder, whereupon the Finder asks me if I then want to burn the CD, but it doesn't copy right, I tell the genius.

That's because the Jag-WIRE CDs are ENCRYPTED, blurts the genius.

I don't think so, I counter quickly. The problem is that the Finder does not see dot files, and the Jag-WIRE CDs have dot files. There are two hidden files in each directory on OS X, I go on, .hidden and .DS_Store, and these files determine what will be visible and how it will be displayed. If I for example want to copy my own non-encrypted CDs - and not the Jag-WIRE CDs - then this burn operation in the Finder will still fail, as the dot files still cannot be seen.

The genius loses it. That's because Apple has encrypted the CDs, the genius tries again.

We're not talking about Apple's CDs now, I remind him, we're talking about MY CDs - any CDs - and the fact that the Finder cannot see dot files. The error does not occur when burning the CDs; the error occurs when assembling the files for the burn, for the Finder cannot see them to move them into the burn window.

The genius is at a loss for words. Before he can revert to reminding me again that Jag-WIRE CDs are ENCRYPTED, I push on.

The fact of the matter is, I tell him, that I have purchased not two physical CDs, but a license to use an operating system. And common sense, as well as accepted security practice, as used by system administrators everywhere, is to always make a security backup copy of everything. I want my original Jag-WIRE CDs to follow me everywhere with my PowerBook, but I also want a backup copy at home, in case something goes wrong. I've been practicing good security for twenty years, I tell him. We always make two separate copies of everything, and we put these copies, if possible, at different addresses and in waterproof, fireproof vaults. We have to. It's basic security. And you can't tell me that if my CDs were to become damaged, that Apple would expect me to go out and buy a new copy of Jag-WIRE again, can you?

I pushed a button somewhere, for the genius now jumps to attention again. OH NO! he protests, Apple would NOT expect you to buy the product again! You'd just come to us and tell us what happened, and we would get you a new copy for free!

Great, I say, so let's pretend my copy is already ruined. Now give me the free backup copy.

I'm not sure how that works, says the genius, but I can give you a phone number you can call, and they can take care of you.

Fine, I say, and the genius goes off to find a business card for his store and a pen, and to write the phone number on the back of the card.

1-800-APPL-CARE

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