Bonjour/Rendezvous

[Laplace]

What exactly are these applications/utilities/notsurewhatyoucallthem? I have read apple's website about bonjour, but it doesn't really give me a clear understanding of how to actually utilize it, and how it can help me.

I realize (I think) that it is a way for Macs to talk to one another/other devices without an official network(router/hub based network anyways). But if I wanted to utilize it, I don't see a Bonjour or Rendezvous Application or Utility in my folders.

I just want to make sure I'm getting full benefit of these utilities.

 

[mad jew]

Bonjour is the new name for Rendezvous. Apple had to change it for legal reasons. It's basically a language/means by which computers can talk to each other with minimal user input and is predominantly used for sharing information (such as iTunes libraries over networks) and letting computers connect to different peripherals through each other.

My favourite example of Bonjour: a printer is connected to my AirPort Express through USB which can be used very easily on all the computers on my network because they are all using the same "language" which is Bonjour.

 

[cblackburn]

My favourite example of Bonjour: a printer is connected to my AirPort Express through USB which can be used very easily on all the computers on my network because they are all using the same "language" which is Bonjour.

I always hated that analogy, it trys to portray Bonjour as a language which it is not. Bonjour is a technology which, in the above example, allows the Airport Express to shout to everyone on the network simultaneously "Hi everyone I'm an Airport Express and I have a printer you can all print to". So instantly everyone on the network knows that there is a printer there they can print to with zero configuration.

Chris

 

[mad jew]

If you hated it, why did you elaborate on it? Meh, I know it's not a language as such, but I still think it's probably the easiest way of understanding it.

 

[Laplace]

I got it, both explanations explain it very well. Thanks guys, so my next question then is, how do I take full advantage of this technology? It Bonjour kind of built into OS X seamlessly? Or is there an actual Bonjour App/Preferences where I can set this stuff up?

The Apple page regarding Bonjour is really helpful concerning how to actually use it.

 

[mad jew]

Bonjour is built into OSX so you don't need to worry about it. In fact, that is its purpose - to not be thought about. You don't need to run it like an app or anything, it's just a feature of OSX.

 

[MisterMe]

What exactly are these applications/utilities/notsurewhatyoucallthem? I have read apple's website about bonjour, but it doesn't really give me a clear understanding of how to actually utilize it, and how it can help me.

I realize (I think) that it is a way for Macs to talk to one another/other devices without an official network(router/hub based network anyways). But if I wanted to utilize it, I don't see a Bonjour or Rendezvous Application or Utility in my folders.

I just want to make sure I'm getting full benefit of these utilities.

mad jew is correct. Bonjour/Rendezvous brings AppleTalk ease of use to TCP/IP networks. This is the best description I know, but it does a disservice to Bonjour. You will find a Bonjour drop-down menu in Safari's address bar. Bonjour gives you automatic access to most IP printers on your network without your having to go through Print Setup Utility first. Within iChat, Bonjour gives you access to your colleagues on your network without requiring anyone to join some third-party provider.