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Try before Buy

TinkerTool System 2 is electronically distributed software. You can download the application and look at it in your own time. Only if you like to keep it, you will be charged for its usage.

Online Help

TinkerTool System comes with a detailed reference manual which can be opened via the Mac OS X Help Viewer.

Native and Universal

TinkerTool System was developed for Mac OS X. It does not contain any legacy components from the classic Mac OS. Being a Universal application, you can use it without limitations on Macintosh systems with PPC or Intel processors.

The 4 TinkerTool products

TinkerTool Classic: access to “pro” preferences in systems prior to 10.4	TinkerTool: access to “pro” preferences in 10.4 and later
TinkerTool System 1: system utility optimized for Panther and Tiger	TinkerTool System Release 2: system utility optimized for Leopard and Snow Leopard

What is the difference between TinkerTool and TinkerTool System?

Both applications share the same user interface and internal technology. However, the features and target group of the two applications are very different: TinkerTool is a utility that allows you to set personal preference settings Apple has built into Mac OS X. TinkerTool is not capable of changing any system settings or other settings that may affect more than your private user account. For this reason, you don't need administrative permission to use TinkerTool. The tool can be used in professional networks where you have limited access, for example students working with the campus network.

TinkerTool System on the other hand is directed to system administrators, consultants or experienced users that need to change and optimize operating system settings. This will affect all users that share a computer. Only user accounts with administrative permission can use TinkerTool System, Mac OS X does not allow access by standard users.

The tools do not share any duplicate settings or features, they complement one another. To have the full feature set you'll need both applications. It is not planned to offer the system tool in other languages than English and German.

TinkerTool System Release 2

Staying ahead

Many competitors have tried to copy TinkerTool and TinkerTool System in the last 9 years. The programs became a model of a whole generation of numerous Mac system utilities. With its superior technologies, for example multi-version OS support, or full security integration, the TinkerTool programs have always been ahead, however. The second major release of TinkerTool System makes sure this technological advantage is being continued, introducing new, unique features for Mac administration:

• TinkerTool System 2 introduces file cache deactivation, a troubleshooting procedure which allows users to test the status of application-related caches, without the need to remove them, avoiding the bad side effects of using “cache cleaners" if possible.
• TinkerTool System 2 supports several “one-click repair” features, allowing administrators to cure typical Mac OS X nuisances automatically, by just pressing a button.
• TinkerTool System 2 allows you to monitor privacy-related data collected by the Adobe® Flash® Player. Clean your user account from Local Shared Objects (“Flash cookies”) and control the Flash security settings.

Security

TinkerTool System 2 is a “real” Mac OS X application and does not make use of unsafe scripting mechanisms. The application follows Apple's latest security guidelines for Mac OS X. The graphical user interface is strictly separated from the operational core which is capable of performing privileged system operations. This core is monitored by Mac OS X's security subsystem which is responsible for allowing or denying each single operation and to ask the user for authentication if necessary. TinkerTool System itself never asks for user passwords, making sure that your credentials cannot be intercepted by malicious user programs. Administrators of large system installations can fine-tune the security policy of TinkerTool System, for example by giving different classes of administrator groups different permissions to perform certain operations. In order to do this, TinkerTool System integrates seamlessly into the authorization database of Mac OS X.

Safety and Know-How

When resolving typical system problems, TinkerTool System attempts to follow Apple's official support guidelines, e.g. the Troubleshooting and Procedures documents (formerly known as Apple Knowledge Base), as well as Apple Technical Notes and Apple Technical Questions and Answers. This does not mean that TinkerTool System will execute a certain troubleshooting procedure word by word. For example, the program will not simulate the entry of terminal commands if Apple lists them in step-by-step troubleshooting instructions. However, TinkerTool System will execute direct internal commands which will have the exact same effects. Users can press a special help button in TinkerTool System to check whether Apple offers official documents about certain system problems in their database. If such documentation is available, the user can click one or more Internet links to open up-to-the-minute information about the problem in question.

Printed Manual

TinkerTool System Release 2 comes with a detailed reference manual in Apple Help Viewer format. If you prefer a printed version of the manual, the documentation is also available as a PDF document (approx. 180 pages). It can be downloaded separately.

Screenshots

Get a first impression of TinkerTool System 2 by looking at screenshots of a few selected features.

Features in Detail

TinkerTool System Release 2 contains all you need for Macintosh administration — and even more. The features marked with an asterisk (*) below are available without any restrictions even if TinkerTool System runs in demo mode.