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HD icon on the desktop. Why?
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How does one get to finder Preferences? When I go to the finder menu, I only get the about information, trash commands, services, and hiding options.
(Running 10.4.9, incidentally).
(Running 10.4.9, incidentally).
Are you using an administrator account or a limited account? It works fine for me on an admin account.
As for the HD icon I find them VERY useful seeing as I have multiple HDs in my system and therefore need to be able to select which HD I move my files too.
Hmm I have no idea then. Do you have any funny modifications installed (Uno for instance)? Or any other UI or menu modifications?
Ah. I'm wary of programs like that to be honest. I'm sure they work, but I've never really trusted them.
Only things I have on my desktop are the hard drive icon, which I always name to the mac it is on, like iBook G4 HD and give it a icon that matches the computer. Then the only other files are downloads from Safari (till I move them to wherever), and maybe scrap files to clean up when I'm done or stuff I am currently working on that doesn't have a home yet. Also whatever volumes may be mounted, iPod, DMG's, network mounts.
Now, my dock has the HD, Home Folder, Applications, Utilities, Games, UT Games, Emulators and a Backup folder then Trash in that order. These are the folders I access the most. The sidebar also has these folders, including the home folder.. er.. folders. Music, Movies.. etc.
The point of my having the HD icon on the dock and the desktop is to access folders I less commonly use, like /Developer, or /Users/admin (to drop off applications on the admin user desktop to install when I get around to it). If I removed the HD icon from either place, I don't have a quick way to get to these seldom used folders, but I don't want to clutter up my dock or sidebar with them (or have to type a keystroke to open a new window for the sidebar.
I also have the HD icon there so I can see at a glance how much HD space is left, and also highlight it for Command+I to get more info on it. Being a space-saving nut I like to keep my laptop's HD less than half full and this is the easiest way to tell if it is.
So there, that's why I keep only my HD icon on the desktop (and dock). It gives me quick access to /Users and /Developer, as well as /System Folder and /Applications (OS 9) for if when I ever need to modify Classic. Also /System and /Library if I want to poke around the system, see what's installed or whatever.
These are all folders I don't want to clutter up elsewhere with aliases because I just don't use them that often and a HD icon is the fastest way to them.
I am also a long time Mac user, and this is just how it has *always* been, the HD (or Floppy for real old Macs) was always in the top right, right there, ready to be accessed. So why change it?
Now, my dock has the HD, Home Folder, Applications, Utilities, Games, UT Games, Emulators and a Backup folder then Trash in that order. These are the folders I access the most. The sidebar also has these folders, including the home folder.. er.. folders. Music, Movies.. etc.
The point of my having the HD icon on the dock and the desktop is to access folders I less commonly use, like /Developer, or /Users/admin (to drop off applications on the admin user desktop to install when I get around to it). If I removed the HD icon from either place, I don't have a quick way to get to these seldom used folders, but I don't want to clutter up my dock or sidebar with them (or have to type a keystroke to open a new window for the sidebar.
I also have the HD icon there so I can see at a glance how much HD space is left, and also highlight it for Command+I to get more info on it. Being a space-saving nut I like to keep my laptop's HD less than half full and this is the easiest way to tell if it is.
So there, that's why I keep only my HD icon on the desktop (and dock). It gives me quick access to /Users and /Developer, as well as /System Folder and /Applications (OS 9) for if when I ever need to modify Classic. Also /System and /Library if I want to poke around the system, see what's installed or whatever.
These are all folders I don't want to clutter up elsewhere with aliases because I just don't use them that often and a HD icon is the fastest way to them.
I am also a long time Mac user, and this is just how it has *always* been, the HD (or Floppy for real old Macs) was always in the top right, right there, ready to be accessed. So why change it?
As I said earlier I think the point is for multi hard drive systems. The more hard drives you have the more confusing things get when dealing with folders and files.
I've binned all Onyx and System X and the rest with complicated and scary GUI's. What you want is applejack it appears scary at first but is in fact easy and care free. It's only scary the first time you see the screen in it's underwear.
To use applejack you just start up with Cmd+S held down and the computer will open in 'unshaven mode' which is basically a screen of type don't panic. To use applejack you just type "applejack auto restart" and go and have a cup of coffee. Or "applejack AUTO restart" if you want to clean up all the user accounts.
I'll stick to the Terminal for all the important tasks thanks
. At least that way I know what is happening.
I'll stick to the Terminal for all the important tasks thanks
You know what is happening because you don't have to type Applejack Auto restart, you can type go through the processes it performs one at a time on each account separately if you want, and watch it all happening.
If I want to see / then I just open any folder and click the HD icon at the top or at the side. If I want to place a file at / then I'd drag the file onto any folder which instantly springs open, then drop it on the HD icon in the sidebar and everything then closes by itself.
My S.O. works with a lot of Word and PDF documents and leaves them all over his Macbook desktop. He has an internal logic to it all. It drives me crazy because I have to do his backups.
I've tried to instill in him the practice of only putting aliases of folders on the desktop, but it doesn't stick.
I've tried to instill in him the practice of only putting aliases of folders on the desktop, but it doesn't stick.
After going though this thread I have decided to hide the HD icon, and then what i did was set the preference to when you hit finder to open the / directory.
I haven't had time to decided if I like it yet or not, but it certainly makes the desktop a lot bigger looking haha also now I can have a widescreen web browser! haha
I haven't had time to decided if I like it yet or not, but it certainly makes the desktop a lot bigger looking haha also now I can have a widescreen web browser! haha