New to Mac

heycal · Jul 25, 2013

Hi Folks,

New to the forum, and new to Mac after a lifetime of PC's. I just got a Mac Air 13", mid-2013 model. I have some questions about this machine and/or Mac in general, and I'm sure I'll have more.

First question: I am using Safari as my browser, and have just experimented this evening with Firefox. (I've only ever used Internet Explorer in the past). With both browsers, I notice that the menu bar at the top of the screen disappears from time to time depending on what I'm doing. (By menu bar, I mean the very top line that has 'file', 'edit', 'view', 'bookmarks', etc, plus the time and date and battery icons.)

I can make it re-appear if I hold the cursor up there, or perhaps change screens/programs, but is there any way I can keep it up there all the time? I don't want to keep looking for it each time I want to know what time it is or do something from the menu.

The problem seems worse in Firefox, for what's it worth. (Meaning it disappears more often -- like for instance, right now it's nowhere to be seen as I type this).

chabig · Jul 25, 2013

You're probably running your browser full-screen (because you clicked the dual arrows on the right side of the window title bar?). When full-screen, the menu bar disappears because the assumption is that you want to focus on content. That's standard Mac behavior.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4530?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

scaredpoet · Jul 25, 2013

^^ This. If you want to keep the menu bar visible at all times, you need to exit full screen mode and run the browser as a normal window.

heycal · Jul 26, 2013

Thanks, guys. Problem seems solved.

Today's question: I'm using Firefox for the time being. There is an icon for it both on my dock and on my desktop screen.

I don't want or need the icon on my desktop. But when I try and delete it by moving it to the trash, it won't let me because it says I can't eject the "disk" because it's currently in use or something.

Thoughts?

chabig · Jul 26, 2013

When you downloaded Firefox, you got a "disk image" which has an extension of .dmg (which may not be visible depending on your settings). A disk image is a file that looks to the OS as a disk. In other words, you double-click, or open the disk image and the operating system mounts a virtual disk drive, which probably appears on your desktop like a white hard drive (depending again on settings). Inside that virtual disk is one of two things: 1) it might have the application, or 2) it might have an application installer.

If it has the application, you usually want to drag the application to your Applications folder, then drag the virtual disk to the trash to eject it, and finally delete the .dmg file.

If it has an installer, double-click the installer to install the app, then eject the disk image, and finally delete the .dmg file.

In your case, you're running the application Firefox from the virtual disk. That's why you can't delete Firefox. Quit Firefox. Drag the Firefox icon from the disk image to your Applications folder, then eject the virtual disk and delete the .dmg file.

From then on, run the copy of Firefox that's in your Applications folder.

heycal · Jul 27, 2013

Couldn't get that to work... I keep ending up with either nothing, or a icon in the dock and one on the desktop (the one on the desktop is a different shape).

Don't have this problem with Safari, for what it's worth. The icon only shows up in the dock, and can also be found in the appplications folder if I look for it.

Weaselboy · Jul 27, 2013

heycal said:
Couldn't get that to work... I keep ending up with either nothing, or a icon in the dock and one on the desktop (the one on the desktop is a different shape).

Don't have this problem with Safari, for what it's worth. The icon only shows up in the dock, and can also be found in the appplications folder if I look for it.

It still sounds like you are doing the install wrong. Reread chabig's instructions and follow them carefully. Also watch this for a video of the process.

heycal · Jul 28, 2013

Thanks. The video helped, and I think I have it now!

Today's question: Is it possible to increase the font size of my bookmarks? Same question about the menu bar. I can't seem to find anything related to specifically changing the size/appearance of the letters/words themselves.

Weaselboy · Jul 29, 2013

heycal said:
Thanks. The video helped, and I think I have it now!

Today's question: Is it possible to increase the font size of my bookmarks? Same question about the menu bar. I can't seem to find anything related to specifically changing the size/appearance of the letters/words themselves.

No to both. If you look in Accessibility Options there is a way to zoom in on areas of the screen, but I don't think that is what you are after.

heycal · Jul 29, 2013

Weaselboy said:
No to both. If you look in Accessibility Options there is a way to zoom in on areas of the screen, but I don't think that is what you are after.

Any idea why not? I thought Mac was supposed to be superior to windows in all aspects

If it can't let you do this, it seems a pretty significant flaw. I'm coming from a world where I'm used to being able to change the size of almost anything it seemed.

Weaselboy · Jul 29, 2013

heycal said:
Any idea why not? I thought Mac was supposed to be superior to windows in all aspects If it can't let you do this, it seems a pretty significant flaw. I'm coming from a world where I'm used to being able to change the size of almost anything it seemed.

I can't say for sure, but in general Apple's OSs seem to be less configurable than others I suspect because Apple thinks they know what is best, rightly or wrongly.

heycal · Jul 30, 2013

Weaselboy said:
I can't say for sure, but in general Apple's OSs seem to be less configurable than others I suspect because Apple thinks they know what is best, rightly or wrongly.

I guess I've heard this before. (Though the font size on the iphone is much more customizable than my LG).

How silly though...

heycal · Jul 30, 2013

today's question

If I want to rip CD's and play DVD's on my new Mac Air, I must buy an external attachment of some sort as I understand it. Is that that Mac Superdrive thing they sell? Should I just get that one, which I think is about 79 bucks, or should I try and buy a cheaper one somewhere? And if you all think it's better to get the Mac one, is it okay to buy a used one from Amazon? (Neither one of us will use it all that often, but we do want it to be easy and reliable for those times we do want it.)

I need it to work both on my new mac air and my daughter's 2011 11" inch mac air. Also, do I need to purchase any additional cords or adaptors, or will it come with it?

Weaselboy · Jul 30, 2013

heycal said:
If I want to rip CD's and play DVD's on my new Mac Air, I must buy an external attachment of some sort as I understand it. Is that that Mac Superdrive thing they sell? Should I just get that one, which I think is about 79 bucks, or should I try and buy a cheaper one somewhere? And if you all think it's better to get the Mac one, is it okay to buy a used one from Amazon?

I need it to work both on my new mac air and my daughter's 2011 11" inch mac air. Also, do I need to purchase any additional cords or adaptors, or will it come with it?

Yep... that is what the external Superdrive is for. It will work with both machines.

The downside is it will not play Blu-ray if that matters to you.

Here is a cheaper alternative that does Blu-ray.

heycal · Jul 30, 2013

Weaselboy said:
Yep... that is what the external Superdrive is for. It will work with both machines.

The downside is it will not play Blu-ray if that matters to you.

Here is a cheaper alternative that does Blu-ray.

Thanks.

Since I don't own any blue ray, I'm leaning towards buying a like-new/open box Mac SuperDrive from Amazon marketplace for 50 bucks or so, just to insure compatibility and ease of use while saving 25 bucks or so.

Any reason that's not a good idea?

Weaselboy · Jul 30, 2013

heycal said:
Thanks.

Since I don't own any blue ray, I'm leaning towards buying a like-new/open box Mac SuperDrive from Amazon marketplace for 50 bucks or so, just to insure compatibility and ease of use while saving 25 bucks or so.

Any reason that's not a good idea?

I don't any reason not to do that as long as the vendor will guarantee it is functional.

heycal · Jul 30, 2013

Weaselboy said:
I don't any reason not to do that as long as the vendor will guarantee it is functional.

I could imagine trying to get a return or an exchange with a purchase like that pretty problematic, so I guess it's a question of taking a bit of a gamble that it will work as advertised in order to save 25 bucks.

Weaselboy · Jul 30, 2013

heycal said:
I could imagine trying to get a return or an exchange with a purchase like that pretty problematic, so I guess it's a question of taking a bit of a gamble that it will work as advertised in order to save 25 bucks.

Since you don't care about BR, you could just get this one from Amazon Basics for $33. I have read other forum posts here from people that say it works just fine for them.

heycal · Jul 30, 2013

Weaselboy said:
Since you don't care about BR, you could just get this one from Amazon Basics for $33. I have read other forum posts here from people that say it works just fine for them.

Thanks. I think I'll go all in on Mac here. In for a penny, in for a pound... Just ordered one allegedly new and still sealed in box from amazon sellers for 55 bucks total.

Sputnek · Jul 30, 2013

If you purchase one for the full price at Best Buy and ask about their return policies you can test it out for a day or two, and if you like it you can go ahead and purchase the "like-new" model on amazon. Then again, like the previous poster said, I highly doubt the amazon market place will have any defects.

DisplacedMic · Jul 30, 2013

heycal said:
Thanks. I think I'll go all in on Mac here. In for a penny, in for a pound... Just ordered one allegedly new and still sealed in box from amazon sellers for 55 bucks total.

not really necessary. the way i shop for things on amazon is i type in the device i want, select the department - if there is a specific enough category i select it, delete my search string and click search again. then i sort by average customer review and buy one of the top ones. you get the perfect convergence of quality and price that way. that's why i love Amazon - an almost true free market!

heycal · Jul 30, 2013

tonight's question

Anyone know where I can get a full user's manual specific to the Mac air 2013 13"? I can only find other ones, or a quick start guide for this one.

scaredpoet · Jul 30, 2013

It looks like Apple only provides the Quick Start Guide. But if you're looking for something pretty comprehensive, you might want to take a look at this book, which should help you out with a lot of the questions you have with OS X.

MrGIS · Jul 31, 2013

heycal said:
Thanks.

Since I don't own any blue ray, I'm leaning towards buying a like-new/open box Mac SuperDrive from Amazon marketplace for 50 bucks or so, just to insure compatibility and ease of use while saving 25 bucks or so.

Any reason that's not a good idea?

Get the OWC drive. It works great and having Blu-Ray as an option down the road can't hurt.

----------

heycal said:
Thanks.

Since I don't own any blue ray, I'm leaning towards buying a like-new/open box Mac SuperDrive from Amazon marketplace for 50 bucks or so, just to insure compatibility and ease of use while saving 25 bucks or so.

Any reason that's not a good idea?

In fact, OWC products are the gold standard for non Apple accessories. You can buy anything and be confident it will work. If not, return and the replacement will.

----------

heycal said:
Anyone know where I can get a full user's manual specific to the Mac air 2013 13"? I can only find other ones, or a quick start guide for this one.

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/macbook_air_users_guide.pdf

scaredpoet · Jul 31, 2013

MrGIS said:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/macbook_air_users_guide.pdf

That manual is for the first/second gen (2008-2009), pre-thunderbolt, ports-in-a-hatch MacBook Airs. Some information might be the same, but a lot has changed since.

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