A couple of os related questions

[kavi]

I just bought myself a macbook with leopard installed and there are a few things about the operating system that I don't really understand.

The first thing I'm wondering is why I can't cut files. I can copy and paste files fine but I can't command + x them and in the edit menu the option cut seems to be permanently greyed out. I'm finding this quite annoying.

Another thing I'm wondering is how can I get a window to fill the entire screen? In some programs, like mail for example I can just hit that little + button and the window nicely fills up the screen. Other programs though like itunes and firefox don't act as nicely. hitting the + button in these programs just makes it jump between two different sized windows.

I also bought myself one of those apple wireless mighty mice and I'm wondering if it's possible to set it so that if I click button 3 on the mouse (the little scroll ball) I can get a file to open in quick look. currently this button is set to dashboard or something like that.

Thanks a lot for any help.

 

[robbieduncan]

You can't cut files: it doesn't make semantic sense at a file system level so it's not supported. This is a Windows convention: just drag and drop the file instead.

The green + button is not maximise: it makes the window the correct size to hold it's content.

 

[clevin]

This is a Windows convention: just drag and drop the file instead.

linux can do cut as well.

 

[synth3tik]

Just drop and drag, or copy then delete.

In the bottom right hand corner of the application you can pull the application window to whatever size you want, including full screen. The program will remember this then when you press + again it will go full screen.

An application such as USB Overdrive will allow you to set up the mouse to whatever you want.

 

[kavi]

You can't cut files: it doesn't make semantic sense at a file system level so it's not supported.

I don't understand. Why would the option be there if I'm not able to use it?

 

[robbieduncan]

I don't understand. Why would the option be there if I'm not able to use it?

Because you can cut other things, like text from a file name.

 

[darwinian]

I don't understand. Why would the option be there if I'm not able to use it?

Heh, the Services menu will drive you NUTS then.

You can also copy a file (as opposed to a default move within a disk) by holding down the "option" key when dragging. In fact, play around with all the OS X modifiers - opt, cmd, ctrl, and shift -- in various combinations for all kinds of additional feature goodness.

 

[spinne1]

Your problems are very common among switchers. Your real question is:

Why is the Mac OS not like Windows, which I was used to?

You really need to forget everything you know and rethink your whole computing experience. Accept the Mac's ways of doing things even if you think they are shortcomings. Many get used to the Mac's way and eventually find them superior because they are usually more logical. Full screen/maximize is probably the #1 complaint of recent switchers. Why doesn't Mac OS do this? More like, why DOES Windows do this. Is there a good reason to fill all your space on your monitor to use more than the space needed?

Some reasons it is a bad idea:

-drag and drop among windows is harder with everything at full screen.
-quickly switching between apps by clicking on the apps open window is not possible if everything is full screen (but yes you could use the task bar--which is a HUGE WASTE OF SCREEN REAL ESTATE)

Also, the Mac OS is smart enough that if it really is a big deal to you you can force it to act that way to some degree. Open a window within any program. Grab the title bar and drag the whole window into the upper left corner of the screen. Now drag the bottom right corner to the bottom right corner of the screen. Now, close the window. From now on any window you open within that program will automatically open to the exact same size (full screen in this case) until you close a window that is of a different size afterwhich it will default to that size.

If you are in Safari and want to run it full screen, make a new bookmark for whatever and then open Bookmarks, then Show All Bookmarks. Find the bookmark you recently made and right click the Address portion and paste the following into it:

javascript:self.moveTo(0,0);self.resizeTo(screen.availWidth,screen.availHeight);

After this rename the bookmark "Full Screen" or something similar and then move it to the very top of your bookmark menu so it is the first item listed. Close that window and from then on any page you are in can be made to go full screen by going to that bookmark after the page loads.