Some questions for the OSX brigade.

[co2co]

New to the platform, any answers to any of the following questions appreciated. No particular order. (pb g4 15" 1.33 10.3.4).

1. Updating software always results in the HD being automatically optimised which can be lengthy - is this necessary?

2. Can the icons in the dock be re sized/made smaller?

3. When using find (apple F) and "search everywhere" I still get no results if item is in trash, in fact it seems much less reliable and slower than using sherlock in os9. Is there an alternative app for searching files?

4. I have bought a copy of Cocktail, what do other users suggest as a good utility tool for osx (seeming as Norton is universally panned) including an "unerase" option?

5. In os9 when choosing the apple menu and "about this computer" I was given a display of what proportion of the systems memory was being used by opened apps - is there a version of this for osx?

Thanks for taking time out to read and thanks in advance for any advice offered.

 

[frenetic]

New to the platform, any answers to any of the following questions appreciated. No particular order. (pb g4 15" 1.33 10.3.4).

1. Updating software always results in the HD being automatically optimised which can be lengthy - is this necessary?

2. Can the icons in the dock be re sized/made smaller?

3. When using find (apple F) and "search everywhere" I still get no results if item is in trash, in fact it seems much less reliable and slower than using sherlock in os9. Is there an alternative app for searching files?

4. I have bought a copy of Cocktail, what do other users suggest as a good utility tool for osx (seeming as Norton is universally panned) including an "unerase" option?

5. In os9 when choosing the apple menu and "about this computer" I was given a display of what proportion of the systems memory was being used by opened apps - is there a version of this for osx?

Thanks for taking time out to read and thanks in advance for any advice offered.

1. Yes, because it updates your prebindings... is usually only for apple software though...

2. Yes, move your mouse to the line separating the trash from the applications and you will be able to change the size of the dock.

3. never noticed this but indeed, on my computer it does the same. Unless I look for hidden files or content things I usually just use the search box in the finder window.

4. I don't use the unerase feature, but there's many apps that do more or less the same, Panther Cache Cleaner, Onyx...

5. Activity viewer, in your utilities folder does so and much much more...

 

[cb911]

well i hope some of these answers help:

1. when you use software update it has to do stuff to the permissions, or pre-bindings or something like that, but not always. it's best not to try and stop it if it has to do it. and it doesn't really take all that long. you can still be doing other stuff all the time that Software Update is running as well. it's not like you've got to stop working (or playing ) just because you're updating software.

2. yes you can re-size the Dock, but not individual icons in the Dock. just go to Dock Preferences in System Preferences to change the size of the Dock. if you really want to make an icon in the Dock appear smaller you could just change the icon for that application for example so that it uses a smaller icon.

3. if you want to still use files why would you put them in the trash? i think that's how the search is supposed to work... but you could try an app like QuickSilver that lets you catalog specific folders then you can search them from withing QS. you could also check VersionTracker.com for some other apps.

4. as far as disk utility tools go, i've never seen much of a need for them. i'd say save your money. buy i've had a look at Tech Tools and it seems alright.

5. you can get a neat app (preference pane really) called MenuMeters that put a little RAM usage meter in you menubar. i think Konfabulator also has some RAM usage widgets, or you could go for some of the other CPU-RAM-HD utilities out there. again, Version Tracker will help you to find what you're after, but i highly recommend MenuMeters, simple and does a good job.

while i'm at it, are you sure you don't have any other questions?

 

[cb911]

4. I don't use the unerase feature, but there's many apps that do more or less the same, Panther Cache Cleaner, Onyx...

Panther Cache Cleaner has an un-erase feature?

 

[frenetic]

Panther Cache Cleaner has an un-erase feature?

Sorry, was writing too quickly, I meant that I don't use the unerase feature (and therefore don't know which apps contain it or not) but that there are heaps of maintenance utilities that do more or less similar things.

Sorry to have confused you

 

[co2co]

2. Yes, move your mouse to the line separating the trash from the applications and you will be able to change the size of the dock.

5. Activity viewer, in your utilities folder does so and much much more...

2. I've figured out the resizing of the dock (doh!), also found a nice app called "transparent dock" which, I think, improves the appearance.

3. Activity Viewer: NOW I SEE!!

Cheers.

 

[co2co]

while i'm at it, are you sure you don't have any other questions?

Watch this space

Having tinkered around on my previous mac for four years (pb pismo) mainly using quark and pshop and developed my own special long hand, round the houses, what happens if I press this? method of working - I am now determined to get a bit more out of my new machine, it's a beauty and deserves better!

Thanks for your post.

 

[patrick0brien]

Some questions for the OSX brigade.

-co2co

Why do I hear the music from "Charge of the Light Brigade" here?