Hello, I just got my imac today and am new to this and was wondering if someone could help me with a few things. First how do I get the browser to cover the entire screen similar to windows? Second how do I open multiple browsers at the same time? I think I messed up the screen resolution, what is the default? Last, the one button mouse is a little tough to get used to, is there some utility that explains how it works somewhere in OSX? I appreciate the help as this is getting a little overwhelming. Thanks
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switcher with dumb questions
- Thread starter thorshammer88
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OS X is a little different...
One of the things that is different is the window size thing. If you click on the green button in the upper right hand corner, the window will become as large as it needs to be to display all of the content from left to right. On my 12" iBook, this usually meant full screen on the internet. On larger screen like your iMac, it won't fill it up. If you really really only want one application to take up the entire screen, you can click on the lower right corner and drag the window to become larger, but you'll just get more white space. I have never gotten used to a one button mouse but the good news is that there are plenty of two button mice that work just fine with Macs!
Isaac
One of the things that is different is the window size thing. If you click on the green button in the upper right hand corner, the window will become as large as it needs to be to display all of the content from left to right. On my 12" iBook, this usually meant full screen on the internet. On larger screen like your iMac, it won't fill it up. If you really really only want one application to take up the entire screen, you can click on the lower right corner and drag the window to become larger, but you'll just get more white space. I have never gotten used to a one button mouse but the good news is that there are plenty of two button mice that work just fine with Macs!
Isaac
Bottom right - use it to ajust the size of the browser window (this is assuming you have Safari).thorshammer88 said:
Browser windows = command+n
The control button when held, will bring up a menu like right click does. If I were you though, I'd just but a two button mouse.
Default depends on your screen size. 17" is 1440 x 900. 20" is 1600 x 1240 I think. It's under Displays in Sys Pref.
If you've only used a PC and IE, you need to learn about Tabbed browsing. Go into Safari prefs under Tabs and Enable tabbed browsing. Then use command-T to open a new tab. This is like a new browser in IE, but you can easily switch between them, or even open a set of tabs all at once.
Also, the whole thing with windows not filling up the whole screen is part of the Mac way. You really should try to get used to not using the whole screen for your windows, because this allows you to do some incredibly powerful things. Want to save an image from Safari? Just drag it onto the desktop, or into the folder you want. Then drag it onto the photoshop icon in the dock to edit it. Or iPhoto, or iMovie, or Quicktime, or wherever you want it to go. Just about everything works that way -- email addresses and address book, or bookmarks and Safari. If you stretch your windows to fill the whole screen, you're missing out on some of the most impressive features your Mac has to offer.
Also, the whole thing with windows not filling up the whole screen is part of the Mac way. You really should try to get used to not using the whole screen for your windows, because this allows you to do some incredibly powerful things. Want to save an image from Safari? Just drag it onto the desktop, or into the folder you want. Then drag it onto the photoshop icon in the dock to edit it. Or iPhoto, or iMovie, or Quicktime, or wherever you want it to go. Just about everything works that way -- email addresses and address book, or bookmarks and Safari. If you stretch your windows to fill the whole screen, you're missing out on some of the most impressive features your Mac has to offer.
Regarding multiple browser windows
You can also use tabs in Safari which are really convenient. However tabs are disabled by default. To enable them go to Safari (in the menu bar) > Preferences > Tabs > Enable tabbed browsing. Once you do that, you can simply press Command + T to open new tabs
EDIT: I could have sworn I did not see wordmunger's post oh well.
You can also use tabs in Safari which are really convenient. However tabs are disabled by default. To enable them go to Safari (in the menu bar) > Preferences > Tabs > Enable tabbed browsing. Once you do that, you can simply press Command + T to open new tabs
EDIT: I could have sworn I did not see wordmunger's post
oh well.
Thanks for the help everybody. Maybe I'll get used to the window not filling up the screen, its just a little distracting with all the big open spaces in the browser. Maybe my resolution is still messed up, also the icons on the bottom wont seem to go away no matter what I try to do, those are really distracting. Maybe its just gonna take some time to get used to everthing be so different. I have so many questions that keep popping into my head as I go along here. Is there some program in OSX that helps with the transition from windows with explaining everything thats different. I appreciate all the help here.
thorshammer88 said:
You should get used to it. It helps to switch between apps fast. Just gotta click the window behind the browser (or any app) and boom you're there.
thorshammer88 said:
Icons at the bottom of the screen? Do you mean the Dock?
Ive got another really dumb one for you. I was about to install office and could not figure out which way the disc goes in. Please help, thanks
Those icons are the on the Dock, which is always at the bottom of the screen (well, unless you move it, but we'll get to that). It's both an indicator of programs that are open (programs that you run appear in it with a little black arrow under them) and a quickly accessible launch-bar for programs you use a lot. To add a program to it, just drag it and position it where you like; to get remove a program you don't use often, just drag it off the Dock (doesn't delete it, just gets rid of that "shortcut," if you will). The right side of the Dock holds the Trash and any windows you minimize.thorshammer88 said:
You can move the dock to the left or right side of the screen as well, and you can have it hide so that it only appears when you drag your mouse to the edge of the screen where it lives. To do these things, open the Apple menu, go down to the Dock submenu, and pick what you like. For more customization, you can open the Dock Preferences, also listed there.
EDIT:
Label towards you.thorshammer88 said:
ah yes, i think I meant the dock, no way of making those go away? Is there an option like in windows where it pops up where you scroll over it? As for switching between apps, im used to using alt+tab, which doesnt seem to work in OSX unless im doing something wrong here. Thanks
a good way to pick up a lot of the stuff is to search the forums here for what you have a question for (advanced searches always work better) and the forums are a great resource for learning the ins and out. There are a few books that help as well. O'Reilly comes to mind although i dont know the exact name.
the dock at the bottom can be hidden in system preferences, although i do not hide it and i stop the icons from bouncing. its very useful for switching apps (although command-tab is even easier) and if you drag your applications folder to the right side of the dock, next to the trash can you can easily get to all your apps from there just by clicking and holding on the folder it will pop up of sorts to let you scroll through the contents.
any open and active programs will always appear in the dock though.
free window space is useful though, as stated things work on OS X by dragging and droping, if you drag something over a folder it will 'spring' open for you, and then you can move it to where you want, or go deeper into another folder, etc.
tabbed browsing is a godsend really, at least try it. and again the open space is usefull because it will allow you to do more than one thing at a time. you can have a browser window open, see who is online in your buddy list and have iTunes in the mini player at the same time and work/view all three at the same time
it does take some getting used to, but we are here for you
the dock at the bottom can be hidden in system preferences, although i do not hide it and i stop the icons from bouncing. its very useful for switching apps (although command-tab is even easier) and if you drag your applications folder to the right side of the dock, next to the trash can you can easily get to all your apps from there just by clicking and holding on the folder it will pop up of sorts to let you scroll through the contents.
any open and active programs will always appear in the dock though.
free window space is useful though, as stated things work on OS X by dragging and droping, if you drag something over a folder it will 'spring' open for you, and then you can move it to where you want, or go deeper into another folder, etc.
tabbed browsing is a godsend really, at least try it. and again the open space is usefull because it will allow you to do more than one thing at a time. you can have a browser window open, see who is online in your buddy list and have iTunes in the mini player at the same time and work/view all three at the same time
it does take some getting used to, but we are here for you
thorshammer88 said:
You can have it on hide. Go to System Preferences for the Dock, and you'll see the option to auto hide it. Or press Command, Option + D. Then when you mouse over the bottom (or where ever the Dock is) it'll pop-up for you.
thorshammer88 said:
its command+tab for OS X, and if you continue to hold the command key the bezel will still stay opened and you can then press q to quit an app (the one thats selected, or hide it by pressing h.
you can 'hide' the dock in system prefs > dock
Thanks Cless, much nicer now, is there some reason why someone would want that dock there all the time? Is there some disadvantage to having that hidden? I just like things to be as uncluttered as possible. Thanks
I just put the office cd in, computer started humming but didnt do anything, where do I go to install it? Thanks
I just put the office cd in, computer started humming but didnt do anything, where do I go to install it? Thanks
thorshammer88 said:
Probably more of a personal prefrence really. I just like to have all my apps' icons ready to go. And I like the way it looks there
But you hide it if you wish, and there shouldn't be any disadvantage other than waiting 1/2 second or so for it to appear.thanks everybody, My brain is on system overload, I'm trying to take all this in. When I push command + ` it doesnt seem to do anything. When I hit command + tab a window pops up and lets me scroll through all my open apps, but when I scoll through them it doesnt put them up on the screen it just changes on the top next to the blue apple.
My bad... You have to do command + tab first, and without letting off command, hit ` (~).thorshammer88 said:
That just means that they're open but don't have any windows open. When you close the last window in an app in Mac OS X, it doesn't close the application like Windows doesthe app remains open, it just doesn't have any active windows. To quit an app, go to the application menu (the name of the app up in the menu bar next to the Apple menu) and choose Quit. Or just hit command + q.thorshammer88 said:
As for installing Office, the installer is on the CD. The CD will appear on the desktop, and if it doesn't open a window itself, just double click on the CD. Then you can launch the installer.