Privacy is a utility that will, at the touch of a key in the Finder, instantly hide your files and folders on your Macintosh so that others can't see or access them. When I say "hide", I mean just that. Your files and folder will become invisible. At the touch of the same key, a password dialog comes up. When you enter your password, your files and folders are unhidden and appear where you last left them.
Privacy™ is not a full-blown security system and is by no means inpenetrable. Any self-respecting, ResEdit-toting geek could easily defeat it. However, it is simple and safe, and does what it is supposed to do, namely to protect against casual and most not-so-casual interlopers who make up the majority of security threats. With Privacy™, interlopers can't even see your nice, juicy, tempting, files sitting around on your desktop. I call this "temptation-reduction." And even if interlopers know in advance which files they want to see or copy, they won't be able to (even the Apple Menu doesn't show anything when Privacy™ has hidden your stuff). Sure, if they have the time and wherewithal to insert a floppy and work magic with ResEdit, they can and they will, and there's probably not much you can do to stop them.
Privacy™ is great for PowerBooks. I have it installed on mine. Whenever I step away from it for even a second, I hit the hotkey and rest assured that my PowerBook is a much less tempting and accessible target. When I return, I hit the hotkey again, enter my password, and go about my work. I like it, and I hope you will as well.
Privacy™ requires System 7.
HOW PRIVACY™ WORKS
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Privacy™, at your command, hides all of your files and folders on your startup disk. Later, also on your command, it unhides those files and folders.
Privacy™ will not affect files and folders on other volumes (floppies, external drives, network volumes, etc.).
To hide your files and folders....
In the Finder, type in command-H to invoke hiding. Acknowledge the dialog and presto,
everything will be hidden (you may have to wait a second or two for your screen to update).
To unhide your files and folders...
In the Finder, again, type in command-H to unhide. Type in the password (also hardwired,
"hello", case insensitive), and presto, everything will be unhidden (you may have to wait a
second or two for your screen to update).
Privacy™ is hardwired to accept the command-H key combination only. This key combination alternately hides and unhides. The password "hello" is also hardwired. There is no user
interface to Privacy™ (control panel, app, etc.). In the future, there may be, if I get around to it.
If you hide everything, you may still shutdown your computer. That won't cause any problems. The next time you restart, Privacy™ will remember that everything was hidden, so the first time you type in command-H, you will be asked to enter the password to unhide everything. Your Mac's booting should not be affected.
INSTALLATION
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Simply drag the single Privacy™ file onto your closed System 7 system folder, or place it inside your Extensions folder inside the system folder.
Then, restart your computer to activate Privacy™.
Privacy™ requires System 7.
FREEWARE
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Even if you like Privacy™ and find it useful, please don't send me any money. All I would like is to here back any bug reports, comments, and/or suggestions for improvements. I may be reached here on America Online at: JBASCOMB
WARNING --- REMEMBER THE PASSWORD
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Remember the hotkey (command-H) and the password ("hello"). Write them down somewhere where you won't forget them. I am not responsible if you forget them after hiding your stuff.
By the way, if you do forget and need to recover your files, don't worry. Your files and folders are all still there on your disk, safe and sound. They simply have been cubby-holed away inside two invisible folders (oops, I just gave away the whole secret behind Privacy™). The folders, one for your desktop files/folders, and one for the rest, are stored at the root level and are named "PrivacyHiddenDTF" and "PrivacyHidden" respectively. All you need to do is run ResEdit from another disk or floppy, and make these two folders visible (ask a fellow geek to show you how, if you don't know how). Then drag your stuff out of them. That's it.
FUTURE FEATURES
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I am working on a control panel to allow you to set the hotkey and password. Also, I have a prototype ready which automatically hides your stuff after you've been idle for a few minutes (again, user configurable), and/or when you shut down your machine. If anyone is interested in these features, let me know.
DISCLAIMER & LIMITATION OF REMEDIES OR DAMAGES (legal stuff)
Great effort has gone into making Privacy™ as solid and error-free as possible. However, you should not assume that Privacy™ will suit your needs or work without errors. Privacy™ is provided "as is" without any warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including without limitation any warranty with respect to its merchantability or its fitness for any particular purpose. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the Privacy™ software is with you. Should the Privacy™ software prove defective, you (and not the product's authors) assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair or correction. No one warrants that the functions in the Privacy™ software will meet your requirements or that the operation of the Privacy™ software will be uninterrupted or error free, or that defects in the Privacy™ software will be corrected. In no event will anyone be liable (i) to you for any incidental, consequential, or indirect damages (including damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, and the like) arising out of the use of or inability to use the Privacy™ software, even if the program's authors has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or (ii) for any claim by any other party.
