Editor's Letters
“Readers write in with letters to the editor.”
by ComputorEdge Staff

Mac File-Permission Issues

[Upon reading] Frank Araullo's Mac Madness column from the February 3 issue, I have the following comment.

I inadvertently repaired disk permissions after having booted from the Tiger install CD, and was concerned after reading Mr. Araullo's statement, "You should not attempt to fix file-permission issues using this technique. File-permission repairs are related to the boot disk, and these should be fixed only when your Mac is booted normally from the hard drive and using the Disk Utility from that hard drive."

I called AppleCare and spoke about this with a technician, who told me that it is inconsequential whether you repair permissions from the install disk or the boot drive because the Disk Utility application will access the same permissions manifest off the boot drive in performing the permissions repair, regardless of whether it is run from the install disk or the boot drive.

-Tad Mailander

Colorful Sayings

This letter is in regard to the letter in the February 10 Editor's Letters section, regarding Digital Dave's frequent use of the expression, "There are many ways to skin a cat."

I also read [Digital Dave's reference to skinning a cat], and I have no problem with people using colorful sayings to make a point. It is normal in all languages. The book 1984 had a description of the "word police czar," who was dedicated to eliminating words from usage [in order] to create a Perfect PC World.

It seems that Mr. N. O. Skinner (as I am inclined to refer to him) is a classic example of this saying: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make a silk purse out of a swine's ear." (I know, I know, I twisted it. But to his swine's ear, nothing is silky!)

-John Bernays, Tijuana

Metaphors

While there may be inhumane ways to skin a cat, what Thomas Beal needs to realize is, "There is more than one way to skin a cat."

Being an omnivore, I have always thought that you can't get to the "meat of the matter" unless the hide is removed. I'm sure that every natural history museum taxidermist would agree with me. Since I have never thought of an inhumane way to skin a cat, I think Thomas' letter proves we still need the metaphor.

-Dennis

Sick

In response to Thomas Beal's request [Editor's Letters, February 10] to stop using the phrase "ways to skin a cat":

How can you eat it with the skin still on?

-Frank Mimbs

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