Apple has updated Macintosh Manager, its set of ASIP and Mac OS X Server client administrative tools, to version 1.4.
The update offers improved compatibility with existing applications as the functions of the Security Bypass extension are now directly incorporated into the application, according to Apple. You can now lock the desktop folder on a workgroup member’s startup volume, preventing the user from saving or moving items to or from the local desktop, including moving items to the Trash.
The network trash is always emptied when a user logs out to stop the build-up of trash folders on the server volume. This primarily addresses an issue that occurred when Panels workgroup members logged out after using a group documents volume that was different from the default Macintosh Manager server volume, according to Apple. (This change doesn’t address unexpected crashes that leave network trash folders on the server.)
A problem has been corrected in which user documents (or other files) disappeared from the server for users on pre-Mac OS 8.1 workstations, mainly 7.6.1. Various files and folders in the System Folder are now protected from users who are logged in as Normal users (in Multiple Users). This addresses a security hole that allowed Normal users to remove the Users & Groups Data file in order to log in as the computer owner.
With Macintosh Manager 1.4, when an idle logout occurs with the option to lock the screen, the Control Strip is hidden and the screen turns black to help ensure privacy of a user’s data. If a logout is triggered, the contents of the screen reappear to allow the user to view the information and save it if necessary. The Hide/Show Control Strip hot key is not active when the logout window is showing. However, some screen savers may not work properly when the password window is displayed.
Applications can now directly manipulate the Startup Items and Shutdown Items folder in the Restricted Finder and Panels environments. This addresses a problem that prevented Stickies from setting itself to start up automatically the next time a user logged in. The maximum number of users per workgroup has been increased to 1500 and the maximum number of users that can appear in the login list is now 2000. Security handling routines have been improved for certain types of file system calls that use default directories. This addresses minor security holes that may have occurred depending on the application being used. And there are a variety of other bug fixes.
Macintosh Manager 1.4 can be used to manage Mac OS client computers that have Mac OS 7.6.1, Mac OS 8.x, and Mac OS 9 installed. If your client computers already have Macintosh Manager 1.1 or later installed (also known as Multiple Users and included as part of Mac OS 9), Apple recommends that you update your client computers to Macintosh Manager 1.4 to take advantage of bug fixes and other changes.
However, Macintosh Manager 1.4 does not include Macintosh Management server software, but that’s available in Apple Software Updates. Also, you should use the Macintosh Manager administration program to set up your users and workgroups before installing the client software.
Macintosh Manager 1.4 can be downloaed (it’s a 3.9 M file) from Apple’s download site.