2 newbie questions: how to zip files / uninstall programs

[koswo]

Hello,

I'm new to Mac. I bought my first Mac last week, a second hand G3 iMac. I'm running Panther on it. Everything is running fine! I have two newbie questions, though:
1) How do I zip files? Do I have to install third party software (a WinZip alternative) or is this feature included in Panther? I now StuffIt is included in Panther, but I didn't find how to compress files with it...
2) How do I uninstall programs? In Windows there's a function called "add/remove programs". Is there a similar function in Panther?

Thanks in advance,

koswo

[robbieduncan]

1) Zip creation is built in. Select the files you want and right (or Ctrl-) click in the Finder. There should be a create archvie option (or some similar name: on a PC at work).

2) On the Mac almost all applications are self contained. Just drag the application to the trash. It might leave some preferences files in ~/Library/Preferences though.

[hotwire132002]

Hello,

I'm new to Mac. I bought my first Mac last week, a second hand G3 iMac. I'm running Panther on it. Everything is running fine! I have two newbie questions, though:
1) How do I zip files? Do I have to install third party software (a WinZip alternative) or is this feature included in Panther? I now StuffIt is included in Panther, but I didn't find how to compress files with it...
2) How do I uninstall programs? In Windows there's a function called "add/remove programs". Is there a similar function in Panther?

Thanks in advance,

koswo

I'm not sure how to compress files (I never need to), but to uninstall programs, go to the Applications folder and just drag the folder for the program you want to install to the trash. It's that simple! :)

Careful uninstalling programs though, If you uninstall the wrong one (some of the ones included in the OS like Mail.app), you might have to reinstall Mac OS to get it back.

EDIT: Beat me to it!

[scan300]

a. You can ZIP files or folders by control/right clicking on them and selecting "Create archive of ..." Double click to unZIP.

b. Some installers have an uninstall option. Some installer packages have uninstall instructions in the README file. Sometimes, (especially if the installer didn't ask for your administrator password) it's enough to just trash the application package or folder.

OSX has no universal uninstall feature.

[wPod]

wow, i never knew you could just right click and 'zip' a file!!! ive always used the program stuffit by aladdin systems.

as for deleting programs, just delete it from the applications folder. then in a finder window search for that program name and delete any files assosiated with it such as files in the library folder.

[yellow]

Careful uninstalling programs though, If you uninstall the wrong one (some of the ones included in the OS like Mail.app), you might have to reinstall Mac OS to get it back.

Not (entirely) true. Any Apple app can be nicked off the installer CDs/DVD using Pacifist (http://www.charlessoft.com/). There's no need to reinstall the OS for say Calculator.app.

[Wes]

Also on panther just take any folder and rename it from file.ext to file.ext.zip and that will automatically compress it too.

I'm not sure if this is standard or if stuffit deluxe did this for me.

[koswo]

Ok, thanks everyone for replying! I tried it and it works fine!

koswo

[Santiago]

On Panther, the contextual menu in the Finder (and certain other programs) can also be accessed by clicking normally on the gear icon with the little disclosure triangle next to it.

[wrldwzrd89]

Also on panther just take any folder and rename it from file.ext to file.ext.zip and that will automatically compress it too.

I'm not sure if this is standard or if stuffit deluxe did this for me.
That's a Stuffit Deluxe thing - I don't have Stuffit Deluxe, and trying to rename a file to something.ext.zip and decompressing the zip gives me an error - operation not permitted (which means invalid zip file).

[yellow]

Interestingly, along those lines, the recent UT2k4 combo pack (ut2004-ecebonuspack.exe) was a (I guess) windows auto-expanding file? All I did was rename it to "ut2004-ecebonuspack.zip" and Stuffit Expander took care of it for me. If you let (the default for .zips in Panther) BOMArchiveHelper try and open it, you get an error splat with "Operation not permitted".