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View Full Version : recs for a Mac OS X primer/reference?



beethovengirl
May 5, 2004, 05:38 PM
I currently own a 4+ year old clamshell iBook running OS 9 and will be buying a new iBook soon. :) So, I'm seeking recommendations on what kind of OS X primer/reference to buy...?

I've used a friend's PB running OS X, so I know basic things, but I don't feel as comfortable as I do with OS 9 [it took me awhile to figure out how much RAM was being utilized, for example]. Also, I have some unix background, not so much in programming, but in basic use. I routinely use commands like "ls -lt | more" on my school unix acct, for example.

Thanks for any suggestions! :)


jackc
May 5, 2004, 05:54 PM
David Pogue's The Missing Manual is great unless you're looking for really advanced stuff. It even has some basic UNIX commands.
beethovengirl
May 5, 2004, 05:58 PM
David Pogue's The Missing Manual is great unless you're looking for really advanced stuff. It even has some basic UNIX commands.

What do you mean by "really advanced"? I'm not going to be writing shell scripts or anything, but, as I said, I'm computer literate enough to know what "ls -lt | more" means...

thanks :)
Flowbee
May 5, 2004, 06:40 PM
What do you mean by "really advanced"? I'm not going to be writing shell scripts or anything, but, as I said, I'm computer literate enough to know what "ls -lt | more" means...


If you want a good, readable reference that covers the features of OS X, Pogue's 'Missing Manual' is the one to get. It is not an in-depth guide to Unix, Applescript, programming, etc., though it does introduce each of the subjects.

My advice is to head down to your local mega-bookstore and sit down with a copy for 30 minutes or so. You'll probably end up taking it home.