When I fire up my laptop, what really happens?

[*old-guy*]

I hate to mention this but if this were a Windows based laptop I could right click on the taskbar and bring up an option to open the task manager. Using that, I could then check on what applications were running and close down the ones I didn't want to be using CPU and RAM. I could also, if the mood took me, click on Start >> Run and then type "msconfig" in the text box. If I then clicked on Startup, I would be able to see all the programmes that started automatically when I started my laptop/PC. I could then make it so the didn't start up automatically.
Is there a similar thing to those two windows options with a Mac and if so, what MUST run when a Mac starts up?
Cheers,
Steve

ps ... Is there a limit on the number of questions a guy can ask before folk start moaning?

 

[dukebound85]

there's system prefs-accounts-login items

you can add or delete what apps you want on startup there

activity monitor will show all process running on your mac and you can sort with a whole bunch of criteria. that program is located under /applications/utilities/activity monitor

hope that helps somewhat

 

[*old-guy*]

It certainly does, Duke.
I shall go and investigate.
Cheers,
Steve