The Official HOW DO I USE MY MAC? Thread.

daniel · Sep 19, 2006

Feel free to post your own "How do I use my Mac?" questions here. Maybe you have a question I have not thought of asking yet.

Yesterday afternoon my new iMac arrived. It was easy to set up, as there are few components, but it's been very frustrating ever since. I'll start with a few gripes, as maybe they have solutions. Then I'll go on to some questions, and I'll post more questions as I think of them.

Gripes:

1. My Compaq IJ1200 printer is not supported. The iMac does not recognize it, and the Compaq and HP web sites both say "If your OS is not listed here it's not supported." The only OSs listed are versions of Windows. (My HP Scanjet 4570c is supported, however: the driver downloaded and installed and I have scanned a postcard as a test.)

2. There are only 3 USB ports, and the keyboard and the mouse each use one, leaving one port for a printer, the fax, the external HD, and the occasional use of my USB memory stick. Also, these ports are in the back, very inconvenient for devices that may be used only once in a while.

3. I was told that during installation I'd have the option of installing X11. But the OS was pre-installed, and X11 is not there, and not on the distribution disks. Apparently Apple does not support X11 (???) which is only available as an open source offering.

4. I was told that all the developer tools (C compiler, etc.) were included. I cannot find them.

5. I don't like the mouse. I'll probably kill two birds with one stone and buy a Bluetooth trackball, thus freeing up a USB slot. (I won't go wireless with the keyboard, though, in case someone could listen in and log my keystrokes from outside.

6. Chess is included. That's nice. But no solitaire games. I miss Free Cell.

7. If I have a program open, say a word processor or Firefox, and I open another application to check something, say the Finder, and then close that app, focus does not return to the app I was using. I have to click its title bar to get focus back. That's a nuisance.

8. Windows allows you to both minimize and restore a program by clicking on its name in the bar at the bottom of the screen, which is convenient for bringing up a program briefly. Mac OS doesn't seem to allow this. You have to move the mouse down to the dock to restore a program, then move it up to the title bar to minimize it again.

I will have questions, but I can't think of any of my remaining questions this early in the morning. I've solved several by reading the Help topics. I used to work on a dairy farm. My employer's slogan was: "When all else fails, read the manual."

DavidTO · Sep 19, 2006

There are 5 USB ports. Two are on your keyboard.

MacIntels are tough with older printers. Even my newer older printer does not work, as there is no Universal Binary driver for it. But, you could try GutenPrint 5.0, which should get your printer up and running.

XCode Developer Tools is listed in the included software, so should be there, dig deeper or call Apple if you need help finding where it is.

No, Apple doesn't support X11, you can install it...not sure what the problem is? I still say avoid it and go with Neo Office.

People love or hate that mouse. I like it, but that's mostly because the horizontal scrolling is so invaluable for my editing in Final Cut Pro.

Your last comment is a common complaint I've heard from switchers, and all I can say is each OS has it's advantages. Try command-tab, and play with it. There's a lot you can do there. Also, check out this page.

jfschultz · Sep 19, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 09:11 AM) [snapback]321591[/snapback]</div>

2. There are only 3 USB ports, and the keyboard and the mouse each use one, leaving one port for a printer, the fax, the external HD, and the occasional use of my USB memory stick. Also, these ports are in the back, very inconvenient for devices that may be used only once in a while.
[/b]
Click to expand...

Check the keyboard. According the the Apple specs there are 3 USB 2.0 ports on the iMac and two USB 1.1 ports on the keyboard. Also USB hubs are cheap.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 09:11 AM) [snapback]321591[/snapback]</div>

3. I was told that during installation I'd have the option of installing X11. But the OS was pre-installed, and X11 is not there, and not on the distribution disks. Apparently Apple does not support X11 (???) which is only available as an open source offering.

4. I was told that all the developer tools (C compiler, etc.) were included. I cannot find them.
[/b]
Click to expand...

It might take some looking around, but they should be on the install DVD's that came with the system. It is just that they do not come already installed since most users would not be interested in them.

5. I don't like the mouse. I'll probably kill two birds with one stone and buy a Bluetooth trackball, thus freeing up a USB slot. (I won't go wireless with the keyboard, though, in case someone could listen in and log my keystrokes from outside.
[\quote]
I also like track balls and had good luck with Kensington trackballs. If you do find an available USB port of the keyboard, go ahead with a wired trackball.
Click to expand...

hyo silver · Sep 19, 2006

It's too bad you're having trouble, but it's a big change and it takes time to get used to things. I kinda like the mouse now, especially the way the trackball moves sideways, too. My printer worked fine, but the scanner doesn't. A usb hub solved the problem of too many cords, and a short extension cable could give you a handier port. (The whole computer is pretty easy to spin around to access the back) Other features not found on most PCs have been a nice surprise. PhotoBooth, with its special effects and built in camera, has provided many hours of hysterical laughter with my kids.

DavidTO · Sep 19, 2006

You may want to browse through this thread from my other forum. There's 51 pages, and some fluff in there, but also a lot of good info for those new to the Mac.

DavidTO · Sep 19, 2006

This is another resource that those new to the Mac find helpful.

Oh, and check this out, too.

daniel · Sep 19, 2006

Thanks for all the help so far. To answer specifics:

Yes, I found the other two USB ports on the keyboard after posting the above. Sort of hidden there. I never would have thought to look on the keyboard.

My printer ain't gonna work. GutenPrint does not list any Compaq printers in its list of supported printers. Went window-shopping today. There's an HP injet for $21 at Target. One color cartridge and one black cartridge together cost more than the printer. Office Depot has better ones for $139 and $114, depending on features. Or, an idea I've got to ponder: $200 for a monochrome black laser printer, and use Kinko's or Kodak when I want a color print. My Compaq color cartridge sometimes goes dry between printing color things, I do it so seldom.

I plugged in my trackball from the old computer, and it works fine. Yes, horizontal scrolling was nice, but I like the trackball better.

A new computer is always frustrating. The store where I got the Mac offers a free seminar in how to use it. I'm going this afternoon.

EricGo · Sep 19, 2006

In general I find a mouse and it's variants annoying, and so have adapted my Mac so that I use the keyboard for most tasks other people mouse around with, chief among them switching programs. For that, the shareware program Launchbar is unbeatable, along with a choice set to hide background progams unless I option-key the reverse.

Regarding printers: I have sworn off ink-jets, after one-too-many clogged cartridges. A nice small Samsung black laser is around $50. I would have happily gone the route Daniel suggested of printing color in town, but my children are school-age and wanted color in the house, so we spent about $300 for a color laser. Money well spent IMO.

DavidTO · Sep 19, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(EricGo @ Sep 19 2006, 03:24 PM) [snapback]321910[/snapback]</div>

Launchbar is unbeatable
[/b]
Click to expand...

I love LaunchBar.

jfschultz · Sep 19, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 04:08 PM) [snapback]321857[/snapback]</div>

My printer ain't gonna work. GutenPrint does not list any Compaq printers in its list of supported printers. Went window-shopping today. There's an HP injet for $21 at Target. One color cartridge and one black cartridge together cost more than the printer. Office Depot has better ones for $139 and $114, depending on features. Or, an idea I've got to ponder: $200 for a monochrome black laser printer, and use Kinko's or Kodak when I want a color print. My Compaq color cartridge sometimes goes dry between printing color things, I do it so seldom.
[/b]
Click to expand...

I like Canon printers that uses ink tanks and cost much less than the HP cartridges which include the print head. I have a iP4000R which includes a network print server and is connected to my wireless network.

Godiva · Sep 19, 2006

Printers are cheap enough. I buy a new printer when I buy a new computer, mostly because they're usually packaged together or there is some sort of discount deal if you add a printer.

I like the Canon because each color tank is separate. So if I run out of blue I only replace the blue, not all three. Black is separate and bigger.

Make a note of versiontracker. You can find some great freeware and shareware. They also include links to commercial software. And there are reviews from people using it to help you decide.

I'm using MacJanitor, Cache out X and Tinker tools. It also helped me decide which library database program to use and on blog software.

Versiontracker

DavidTO · Sep 19, 2006

I vote for Macaroni.

narussian · Sep 20, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 09:11 AM) [snapback]321591[/snapback]</div>

Feel free to post your own "How do I use my Mac?" questions here. Maybe you have a question I have not thought of asking yet.

Yesterday afternoon my new iMac arrived. It was easy to set up, as there are few components, but it's been very frustrating ever since. I'll start with a few gripes, as maybe they have solutions. Then I'll go on to some questions, and I'll post more questions as I think of them.

Gripes:

1. My Compaq IJ1200 printer is not supported. The iMac does not recognize it, and the Compaq and HP web sites both say "If your OS is not listed here it's not supported." The only OSs listed are versions of Windows. (My HP Scanjet 4570c is supported, however: the driver downloaded and installed and I have scanned a postcard as a test.)[/b]
Click to expand...

MAC ALSO RUNS WINDOWS OS, IF YOU REALLY NEED TWO PRINTERS, GET WINDOWS FOR MAC

2. There are only 3 USB ports, and the keyboard and the mouse each use one, leaving one port for a printer, the fax, the external HD, and the occasional use of my USB memory stick. Also, these ports are in the back, very inconvenient for devices that may be used only once in a while.[/b]
Click to expand...

THERE ARE 2 ON THE BACK UF THE KEYBOARD, USE THAT FOR THE NOUSE. GET A BLUETOOTH USB THING, THEY ARE THE BEST!! AND EASY!

3. I was told that during installation I'd have the option of installing X11. But the OS was pre-installed, and X11 is not there, and not on the distribution disks. Apparently Apple does not support X11 (???) which is only available as an open source offering.

4. I was told that all the developer tools (C compiler, etc.) were included. I cannot find them.
[/b]
Click to expand...

THAT SOUNDS REALLY STRANGE. DO YOU THINK THEY MEANT THESE THINGS WERE AVAILABLE? IF YOU HAVE PURCHASED A COMPUTER ONLINE OR IN THE STORE THERE IS A CLEAR WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IS INCLUDED HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE WISE. DID YOU READ THAT? OR GET A SALESPERSON CONFUSED?

5. I don't like the mouse. I'll probably kill two birds with one stone and buy a Bluetooth trackball, thus freeing up a USB slot. (I won't go wireless with the keyboard, though, in case someone could listen in and log my keystrokes from outside.

6. Chess is included. That's nice. But no solitaire games. I miss Free Cell.
[/b]
Click to expand...

WHY DID YOU GET A MAC AGAIN?????????

7. If I have a program open, say a word processor or Firefox, and I open another application to check something, say the Finder, and then close that app, focus does not return to the app I was using. I have to click its title bar to get focus back. That's a nuisance.

8. Windows allows you to both minimize and restore a program by clicking on its name in the bar at the bottom of the screen, which is convenient for bringing up a program briefly. Mac OS doesn't seem to allow this. You have to move the mouse down to the dock to restore a program, then move it up to the title bar to minimize it again.[/b]
Click to expand...

IN WINDOWS YOU HAVE TO MINIMIZE THE PROGRAMS SO YOU DON'T GET BOGGED DOWN AND LOST IN THEM. THE MAC OFFERS HOT CORNERS. ASSIGNING THOSE WILL HELP YOU NAVIGATE OPEN WINDOWS MORE QUICKLY!!!

Godiva · Sep 20, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(narussian @ Sep 19 2006, 11:40 PM) [snapback]322114[/snapback]</div>

MAC ALSO RUNS WINDOWS OS
[/b]
Click to expand...

Why are you typing in all caps?

daniel · Sep 20, 2006

I've decided to get a monochrome laser printer. I'm leaning toward the HP 1022. $200 at Office Depot. About $20 cheaper at Amazon but I'd wait a week for it. I'll use Kodak or Kinko's on those rare occasions when I want a print of a photo, and it'll be easier and better quality.

I bought the Mac because I'm sick to death of Windows. Whoever thought that intentionally designing programs to not work right could make a man the richest man on the planet? The guy's a marketing genius to convince 98% of computer users to accept an OS with a concept as perverse as the registry. And selling an OS that allows anybody on the web to install malicious software on your computer, with no input from you, and then charging you extra for security software to protect you from your own OS, now that was criminally sublime. No, I'm not going to run Windows on my new Mac. But it will take me a week or two to get used to the feel of it.

Now for a question:

I miss playing Free Cell on the computer. I downloaded something called Burning Monkey, but the graphics are lousy: too stylized to easily see the cards. There are some free games, but how do you know which are legit, and which have malware buried in them?

EricGo · Sep 20, 2006

Daniel --

Regarding program focus: On a mac, closing a program's only open window does not shut down the program, which is why focus has not reverted to your prior one. You can *quit* the program if you like, but smart use forgoes all that. Just pick the next program you want to use, and leave the others running. If the unused windows are in your way, HIDE them. There are many ways to do this, but for you the most straightforward is to option-click your next program, whether it be icon, window, or dock.

I typically have 10 - 15 programs running cocurrently, rarely quit a program, and restart the mac every week or two, usually related to network access become flaky that I think is specific to my powerbook.

Cmd-tab will cycle your open programs
Cmd-tilde will cycle the windows of a single program.

Look in Help for more shortcuts; a little bit of retraining will go far in making you mac use efficient and enjoyable.

BTW, the mac is best left a mac. Clarify the INTENT of what you want rather than trying to reproduce the MS windows 'way', and Macintosh will rarely disappoint.

kinghuang · Sep 20, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 08:11 AM) [snapback]321591[/snapback]</div>

2. There are only 3 USB ports, and the keyboard and the mouse each use one, leaving one port for a printer, the fax, the external HD, and the occasional use of my USB memory stick. Also, these ports are in the back, very inconvenient for devices that may be used only once in a while.
[/b]
Click to expand...

As you've already discovered, there's two USB ports on the keyboard. It's customary to plug the mouse into the keyboard, and the keyboard into the computer. That should leave one USB port on your keyboard for stuff you plug in occassionally, and two on the back of the iMac for stuff that normally stays plugged in.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 08:11 AM) [snapback]321591[/snapback]</div>

3. I was told that during installation I'd have the option of installing X11. But the OS was pre-installed, and X11 is not there, and not on the distribution disks. Apparently Apple does not support X11 (???) which is only available as an open source offering.

4. I was told that all the developer tools (C compiler, etc.) were included. I cannot find them.
[/b]
Click to expand...

Both X11 and the developer tools are on the Mac OS X Install DVD that came with your iMac. For X11, open the Optional Installs package on the DVD (scroll down the window a bit). After clicking through the license screen and choosing your iMac's hard drive, you'll find X11 inside the Applications package.

The developer tools (called Xcode) are inside the folder called Xcode Tools on the DVD. Run the Installer package (XcodeTools.mpkg) to install it on your iMac. You can always get the latest version of Xcode from connect.apple.com.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 08:11 AM) [snapback]321591[/snapback]</div>

8. Windows allows you to both minimize and restore a program by clicking on its name in the bar at the bottom of the screen, which is convenient for bringing up a program briefly. Mac OS doesn't seem to allow this. You have to move the mouse down to the dock to restore a program, then move it up to the title bar to minimize it again.
[/b]
Click to expand...

The keyboard command for minimizing a window is Command-M. If you haven't already, you should also check out Expose for more ways to manage windows (System Preferences -> Dashboard & Expose). The default Expose keys are F9, F10 and F11.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 11:21 PM) [snapback]322125[/snapback]</div>

I miss playing Free Cell on the computer. I downloaded something called Burning Monkey, but the graphics are lousy: too stylized to easily see the cards. There are some free games, but how do you know which are legit, and which have malware buried in them?
[/b]
Click to expand...

The odds of finding malware are pretty slim. Versiontracker.com and macupdate.com are common resources for finding current versions of software. Apple's Mac OS X Downloads is also a good resource for finding software.

TJandGENESIS · Sep 20, 2006

Danial, my brother. You are older then me. Well, maybe not, but I couldn't resist.

As you may know, I just crossed over from the Dark Side to the Apple side. SO, I feel your pain. But after a day or two, I was very used to the iMac, and soon, all my Windows worries were behind me. Let me hep you.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 19 2006, 10:11 AM) [snapback]321591[/snapback]</div>

Gripes:

1. My Compaq IJ1200 printer is not supported. The iMac does not recognize it, and the Compaq and HP web sites both say "If your OS is not listed here it's not supported." The only OSs listed are versions of Windows. (My HP Scanjet 4570c is supported, however: the driver downloaded and installed and I have scanned a postcard as a test.)
[/b]
Click to expand...

Although you have decided on a printer, I found the HP all in one C3100 series to be a (cheap; $80 bucks or so), printer that works very well. I got mine at the Mac store, but it's also for sale at various office type places, even Circuit City.

2. There are only 3 USB ports, and the keyboard and the mouse each use one, leaving one port for a printer, the fax, the external HD, and the occasional use of my USB memory stick. Also, these ports are in the back, very inconvenient for devices that may be used only once in a while.
[/b]
Click to expand...

I see you found the keyboard port. What I did to increase the ports, was a simple hub or two, that hang out behind my desk, out of mind, out of sight. I was able to leave one port on the back of the Mac free this way.

5. I don't like the mouse. I'll probably kill two birds with one stone and buy a Bluetooth trackball, thus freeing up a USB slot. (I won't go wireless with the keyboard, though, in case someone could listen in and log my keystrokes from outside.
[/b]
Click to expand...

I absolutely hated the mouse. So I stuck with my Logitech Track ball. It just plugged and played, and almost all my right mouse functions were still there. I also got the Microsoft (I know, I know...but it was the only one made for the Mac), Wireless Comfort Keyboard For Mac. It has all the Apple buttons, plus some helpful PC type buttons...I live at the end of a street, and don't worry too much about some one getting my keystrokes, so your worry is not mine...but if you feel like you need a comfortable keyboard, it's one way to go.

7. If I have a program open, say a word processor or Firefox, and I open another application to check something, say the Finder, and then close that app, focus does not return to the app I was using. I have to click its title bar to get focus back. That's a nuisance.
[/b]
Click to expand...

At first, yes it is. And, you have to make sure you 'quit' the program, or it will keep running forever in the background. Which, might drain your resources. Might. Oh, and have you unplugged your thumb drive yet? If so, did you quit it, and then eject it? If not, you will get a dire warning about shutting down programs correctly, or Steve Jobs will come over and nibble at your toes until you do. In some ways, these nuisance things are what keeps the Apple owner more aware of his/her computer, and more in charge.

8. Windows allows you to both minimize and restore a program by clicking on its name in the bar at the bottom of the screen, which is convenient for bringing up a program briefly. Mac OS doesn't seem to allow this. You have to move the mouse down to the dock to restore a program, then move it up to the title bar to minimize it again.
[/b]
Click to expand...

You can double click on the bar, and it will drop the program. And if you find the icon sitting on the dock of the Apple bay, you can just click that once to bring the program back.

I am running Parallels Desktop for Mac, and it runs Windoze XP for me, in a simple window, without having to re-boot the OS at all. And, you can file share, and also I have found that Windoze runs better in the Apple OS. Less to worry about, I suspect.

Hope that helps.

Alric · Sep 20, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DavidTO @ Sep 19 2006, 07:54 PM) [snapback]321983[/snapback]</div>

I love LaunchBar.
[/b]
Click to expand...

I vote for Quicksilver.

DavidTO · Sep 20, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alric @ Sep 20 2006, 06:15 AM) [snapback]322175[/snapback]</div>

I vote for Quicksilver.
[/b]
Click to expand...

I tried Quicksilver, and found that it just didn't work as well. It didn't find things as reliably as LaunchBar. YMMV

The Official HOW DO I USE MY MAC? Thread.

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The Official HOW DO I USE MY MAC? Thread.

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