Newbie to OSX needs a little help

[Shaggysaurusrex]

I have recently binned decades worth of windows hardware and replaced it with lots of Apple goodies.

I am slowly getting to grips with OSX lion but have a few issues I need help with.

I have set up my new 2011 iMac with two users for my wife and I. I had intentions of having our own mail, calendars etc but ive found several things id like to be the same.

We have for instance, all the same photos. but if I add them to iphoto on my account, iphoto remains blank on hers. Is there a way to make certain programs be identical across user accounts. Another good example would be iTunes, we use the same account and library so if one added a cd for example it would be good if it updated both. There are other issues but let's take one step at a time.

 

[robbieduncan]

Apple have some suggestions for iPhoto here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1198

 

[wrldwzrd89]

You can do that for iTunes easily.

Move the "consolidated" library to the Shared folder, in Users.
Then hold Option when opening iTunes, and point iTunes at that folder.
You need only do this once for each account... but do be aware that this approach has a significant downside: It's 100% incompatible with Fast User Switching.

 

[palpatine]

external hard drive for both situations solves the problem. online backup service also does. i believe the airmac extreme might also be a solution.

 

[claimed4all]

My wife and I wanted the same thing, shared data. The only thing we really needed to keep separate where our bookmarks, mail and personal files.
We settled on one user account and I gave her the home folder and I create a folder for me and my files. She uses Safari and I use Chrome. We both use Webmail. Its worked great on that system for 3+ years. No need to change anything.

 

[danpass]

iCloud "to be released in the fall" ahem, could also be another option.

Check out the most recent Apple podcast