my first macbook!! there is so many things that i don't know!!

[tongteh]

my topic name should have said it all, overall i am enjoying the new macbook learning and discovering new stuff out of it.. but it's just totally different from my PC!!! being a 12years PC user, it's kinda hard for me to adapt!!

-i dunno how to get new applications?
-i dunno why my msn messenger(from mac office 2008) looks so crap compare to the on i am using on windows? where are my groups?!?!?!
-i dunno why isn't there a mail for me to use with hotmail(did some search but nothing useful came out)
-Mac office 2008 looks so much worst than windows office 2008..
-where is my copy/cut/paste shortcut key?? like ctrl+c on windows? do they have that in mac osx?
-just some other minor bits and pieces that i still don't get till now..

I am really enjoying my new macbook, but then again it's kinda hard for me to adapt..

 

[Aranince]

Microsoft's products will be crap on anything but Windows. Get Mac specific applications such as iWork. Copy and paste all still work, they just use the command key instead of control. Mac Messenger has not been updated in many many years, I would suggest using something different like Skype or Adium.

 

[arun21]

Office for Mac blows... Never been impressed with it. And no matter which machine you're running it on, it always takes forever to load.

 

[tongteh]

thanks for that lighting speed reply... i will be looking to those software you mention.. thanks again for your speedy reply!!

 

[molala]

Some answers to your questions...


- You can use Mail (in the Applications folder) for POP and IMAP mail. Not sure if your hotmail uses those so you can download your messages to this app.

- cmd-C and cmd-V are copy and paste respectively. Just substitute cmd (on both sides of keyboard) for ctrl. I think that works for many keystrokes between Mac and PC.

- Office 2008 for Mac is pretty bad. I use iWork 08. Someone also recommended NeoOffice to me (free download, google it) which is compatible with Microsoft Office

-Check out this website for tips
http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/

Have fun discovering OSX!

 

[tongteh]

i am sorry if i am being a total nooB!! is it possible to use the isight camera for msn messenger?? is there a short cut key to open safari in a new tab? as i continue to use this new OS X and macbook, there is more questions.. sorry people.. is there any recommended applications out there for a first time mac user?? downloading neooffice right now.. thanks for the tips people!!

 

[Detektiv-Pinky]

Some answers to your questions...


- Office 2008 for Mac is pretty bad. I use iWork 08. Someone also recommended NeoOffice to me (free download, google it) which is compatible with Microsoft Office

Have fun discovering OSX!

OpenOffice 3.0 is out now and has native OSX support: http://www.openoffice.org/
That should take care of all your office needs, no need to take the NeoOffice road.

Also use Versiontracker http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/ and
MacUpdate http://www.macupdate.com/ to search for specific stuff.

And do search this forum for 'Favourite Applications', people have posted their lists all over the place....

Good shortcuts in Safari are:
Cmd-T - new tab
Cmd-R - refresh page
Cmd-L - focus on address bar
Cmd-F - find stuff on page
Cmd-G - find next occurrence

Look under help!

 

[molala]

i am sorry if i am being a total nooB!! is it possible to use the isight camera for msn messenger?? is there a short cut key to open safari in a new tab? as i continue to use this new OS X and macbook, there is more questions.. sorry people.. is there any recommended applications out there for a first time mac user?? downloading neooffice right now.. thanks for the tips people!!

Safari Tabs - cmd-T opens a new tab. If you go to Safari (on menu bar) and click on Preferences and click on Tabs, you've got more options.

You can download Firefox for the Mac if you are more used to that.

 

[pol0001]

If you have a paid hotmail account you can use a plugin to access hotmail and all its folders with Mail. Works fine for me. But seems to work only with paid accounts.

http://www.automagic-software.com/downloads.php

And for chats try Adium.

 

[MacinJosh]

I also can't recommend iWork '08 enough. It's pretty great. It's come leaps and bounds since the first version which I bought the day it came out.

Joshua.

 

[tongteh]

thanks alot guys!! omgosh, this adium application make sooo much noise!! so what about the msn messenger webcam?? any idea to that?? i think i am getting better with my new macbook.. thanks heaps!! there is no CUT in Macbook is it??

 

[jade]

Tips for Windows users

Here is a great list of tips: http://technosailor.com/2008/10/23/10-power-tips-to-help-pc-users-switch-to-mac/
Here is another one: http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB121504459642924941-fRSsOKY5pLNWnmYoqxzYrfa7NgY_20090703.html

Things to keep in mind:
1. right click, all of the shortcuts are pretty much the same and available when you right click
2. You can quit apps: cmd-Q (no equivalent in windows)
3. Adium is the best chat app around
4. Office 2008 is really slow. I liked my older version of office better. The Microsoft apps are the flakiest apps on your mac. But if you need to trade docs with office 2003/2007 users office is required. It is more similar than you think. Give it a try if you need to be 100% office compatible. The other choices are good for basic (individual use)
5. Make a "start menu." Add a shortcut to the applications folder to your dock, and you have an *instant* start menu.
6. I switched my browser, i like camino. (also by the mozilla team)

Have fun with your new mac!

 

[jade]

thanks alot guys!! omgosh, this adium application make sooo much noise!! so what about the msn messenger webcam?? any idea to that?? i think i am getting better with my new macbook.. thanks heaps!! there is no CUT in Macbook is it??

The MSN messenger was just relaunched for Mac. Haven't used it, but it just reappeared in recent months.

Another tip, on the menu bar, go to the app name and preferences. All the app options (settings) are located there. You can kill/change the adium noises. Cut is cmd-X, just like ctrl-x in windows.

 

[tongteh]

i will check out on those sites.. thanks a lot peoples!! anymore suggestions?!?!?

 

[King Luis]

The MSN messenger was just relaunched for Mac. Haven't used it, but it just reappeared in recent months.

Another tip, on the menu bar, go to the app name and preferences. All the app options (settings) are located there. You can kill/change the adium noises. Cut is cmd-X, just like ctrl-x in windows.

he's right... mac messenger 7 http://www.microsoft.com/Mac/products/messenger/default.mspx
i'll be trying it out when i get home..it says it supports audio and video.

what i found easy when i switched over to mac was to think more simple. instead of thinking how hard it is to learn or convert or how difficult it is to install and uninstall programs. think more on how simple it can be. dragging an app to the trash can uninstalls it. dragging one to the app folder installs it. simple, easy.

example...this was off the mac messenger install/uninstall site.

1- 6 was how to download it.
7. Drag the Microsoft Messenger icon to the Applications folder on your hard disk.
8. After the application has been copied to your hard disk, you can drag the Microsoft Messenger volume to the Trash, and then drag the file that you downloaded to the Trash.
9. Double-click the Microsoft Messenger application that you copied to your hard disk to start the setup program, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

To remove this update

1. Quit any Office applications that are running, including Microsoft Messenger and Office Notifications.
2. On your hard disk, locate the Microsoft Messenger application.
3. Drag the Microsoft Messenger application to the Trash.

 

[tongteh]

just found out about the lastest mac msn messenger doesn't work with video and audio for personal account.

"You cannot make audio or video calls from a personal account or to contacts on the Windows Live, Yahoo, or AOL networks. You can make audio and video calls from a corporate account to a federated network if both networks allow them." quote from their site.

 

[iwuzbord]

well, if you have a hotmail account, i second the suggestion on getting the httpmail plugin for mail. it doesnt just work for paid accounts. it works fine for me.

are there any specific interests you have? that would help us in our suggestions alot.

 

[King Luis]

just found out about the lastest mac msn messenger doesn't work with video and audio for personal account.

"You cannot make audio or video calls from a personal account or to contacts on the Windows Live, Yahoo, or AOL networks. You can make audio and video calls from a corporate account to a federated network if both networks allow them." quote from their site.

ya, figured that out. crappy. hopefully they'll change that.

well, if you have a hotmail account, i second the suggestion on getting the httpmail plugin for mail. it doesnt just work for paid accounts. it works fine for me.

are there any specific interests you have? that would help us in our suggestions alot.

i just got mine working. its a little slow but works.
forums are the best of help. searching will find you lots of shortcuts, apps, and how to's. keep on searching different mac forums, you'll learn quick.

 

[jaredtomas]

just found out about the lastest mac msn messenger doesn't work with video and audio for personal account.

"You cannot make audio or video calls from a personal account or to contacts on the Windows Live, Yahoo, or AOL networks. You can make audio and video calls from a corporate account to a federated network if both networks allow them." quote from their site.

Use Adium. It's much better.

 

[Phisher]

I am also relatively new to a mac and I was wondering if macs have their own version of 'add and remove programs'? I am having a hard time finding the way to uninstall stuff beyond simply putting the icon in the trash. Any tips?
Thanks

 

[Andrmgic]

I am also relatively new to a mac and I was wondering if macs have their own version of 'add and remove programs'? I am having a hard time finding the way to uninstall stuff beyond simply putting the icon in the trash. Any tips?
Thanks

That is how you remove programs. Every "icon" in your applications folder is actually a folder itself.. inside it are all of the components that the application needs to run, such as the executable, icon, resources, translation files, etc... when you delete one by dragging it to the trash, you are deleting all of that stuff from your machine, it isn't like deleting a shortcut in windows. If you're anal about getting rid of all traces of an application (such as preference files, settings files, etc.), you can try this to remove any associated application data -

AppZapper

 

[tongteh]

again, thanks for the support and advise.. i know i am still a noob in the new MAC OS X scene.. i have spent almost the whole day reading on apple mac 101 guide.. sad thing it is, but i have to admit, i think i am getting much better today compare to last night..

still have a couple of questions.. (bear in mind i have been in windows for quite a long time, so i might sound really stupid in some questions.. )

1) is there a way that i can see the directory?? like library/[name]/[name], cause this would make moving files much much more easier
2) why can't i get 100% fully charge?? it stopped at 99%
3 i still can't get CUT to work.. totally upset with this.. cause what i am doing is transferring my windows document to my macbook via an external harddrive.. the directory issue is making me crazy at first, but now i just bear with it..
4) what's the difference between copy and duplicate?? i duplicated something and i can't find it anymore.. strange..
5) is there a way to actually transfer all my calendar entry from windows(outlook 2007) to mac's (ical)?? i have iphone, does it help??
6) can i have fullscreen view for safari?? i really don't like it being SOOOO SMALL!!

thanks for any further help, and sorry again if they are really stupid question..

and lastly, please suggest me some good applications. i am doing some search on the net at the moment, no harm with more advise..

 

[King Luis]

1) is there a way that i can see the directory?? like library/[name]/[name],
cause this would make moving files much much more easier
in the app folder, if you right click on the app it should say something like expand or explorer or something along the lines that let you into the app's files.

2) why can't i get 100% fully charge?? it stopped at 99%
trickle charge maybe??? when its done charging it says charged for me. 99% then charged.

3 i still can't get CUT to work.. totally upset with this.. cause what i am doing is transferring my windows document to my macbook via an external harddrive.. the directory issue is making me crazy at first, but now i just bear with it..
apple (command) and X is what i use to cut. or scissors.

4) what's the difference between copy and duplicate?? i duplicated something and i can't find it anymore.. strange..
there's a duplicate option????

5) is there a way to actually transfer all my calendar entry from windows(outlook 2007) to mac's (ical)?? i have iphone, does it help??
if you can copy it all to your iphone, i believe there is a setting in itunes that you can make it copy from your iphone to ical.

6) can i have fullscreen view for safari?? i really don't like it being SOOOO SMALL!!
the green plus sign will do it. but it might leave a space for the dock. i'm not sure. i don't have a problem with mine.

 

[Skeletal-dæmon]

1) is there a way that i can see the directory?? like library/[name]/[name],
cause this would make moving files much much more easier
in the app folder, if you right click on the app it should say something like expand or explorer or something along the lines that let you into the app's files.

2) why can't i get 100% fully charge?? it stopped at 99%
trickle charge maybe??? when its done charging it says charged for me. 99% then charged.

3 i still can't get CUT to work.. totally upset with this.. cause what i am doing is transferring my windows document to my macbook via an external harddrive.. the directory issue is making me crazy at first, but now i just bear with it..
apple (command) and X is what i use to cut. or scissors.

4) what's the difference between copy and duplicate?? i duplicated something and i can't find it anymore.. strange..
there's a duplicate option????

5) is there a way to actually transfer all my calendar entry from windows(outlook 2007) to mac's (ical)?? i have iphone, does it help??
if you can copy it all to your iphone, i believe there is a setting in itunes that you can make it copy from your iphone to ical.

6) can i have fullscreen view for safari?? i really don't like it being SOOOO SMALL!!
the green plus sign will do it. but it might leave a space for the dock. i'm not sure. i don't have a problem with mine.

Answers:
1. Directories are generally referred to as Volumes/Hard Drive/Users/Unsernme/Folder/File.file although a simple way to keep on top of physical directories is to use Finder in Column View (command+3 from a Finder window) as there is no way I know of to make the computer display a directory. As for digging into an App folder, right-click the App and select 'Show Package Contents'.

2. You're right, its a trickle charge. Also, 100% charge and Fully Charged mean the same thing, Apple just makes it simpler to glance and it'll either say 99% Charging or Full.

3. Cutting is done as it is on a Windows machine but simply substituting the control key with the command key. You can also choose Edit > Cut, or right click and cut. If the option is not there then that action is not available for that item.

4. Copy makes a copy of a file in the clipboard for you to paste. Duplicate makes an exact copy and plonks it in the same directory, usually as 'filename (copy).file' or 'filename (1).file'.

5. Not that I know of, sorry. Try synching it through MobileMe if you have an account.

6. At the bottom right of any window is a square with three diagonal lines in it. This is the resize square, and you can drag it fullscreen. If the Dock has hiding turned off, most apps minus iTunes and DVD Player will leave room for the Dock. If hiding is turned on most apps leave a gap of about four pixels at the bottom of the screen as a trigger area.

Hope that helped.

 

[silverblack]

1) is there a way that i can see the directory?? like library/[name]/[name], cause this would make moving files much much more easier

In Finder, go to 'View', 'Show Path Bar'