Yes, brand new to Mac - a few questions probably useful to anyone!

[WirelessInn]

I have just received my new McBookPro (2.4gh - 2gb mem - 17" beautiful screen - 160 gm 7200rpm drive) and starting to experiencing BOTH frustrations (from being used to the win environment) and eager anticipation at the Mac's features. I come from a heavy Win environment (doing back actually to MS DOS!) - many networked winxp and win2000 machines and win based point of sale terminals at my business. Works all well enough. Now, I want to experience the vaunted graphics capabilities of the Mac environment.

Of course, a few puzzling things - part of the learning experience I suppose.

1- Networking with Winxp/2000 enviroment - i understand that one can (as I am doing) read from win based drives over the network, but NOT write to them unless that are FAT32 formatted. HOWEVER, I find that you CAN actually write to for example the main hdrive in a win machine over the network (which happens to be NTFS formatted) but NOT to an external USB NTFS Drive attached to a win machine on the network. So it seems that the FAT32 read/write restriction applies ONLY to external drives on win machines on the network?
2- I am using a DELL 3100 laserprinter attached to a win machine on the natwork. Works OK, but I am not able to access the printer's options menu (example: paper type, color or just b/w selection, printer tray, etc...) Any way to do that? Drivers to install on the MAC??
3- I am still looking for the SIDEBAR on the FINDER screen, to use it to have my main apps ready to access. Where is that SIDEBAR???
4- I am a backup fanatic - comes from beng mindful of loosing precious, irriplaceable data in a business environment. I am puzzled that there is no immediately available BACKUP utility on board. Is the .mac the only ack up solution?? Any other way to schedule automatic backups to external USB drives?
5- Back to networking in a win environment: i understand that ONLY certain folders on the mac can be shared. As opposed to ANY folder in the win environment?

I'll just start with that!
Thanks for any input!

- Roger T

 

[Dimwhit]

I don't know too much about the networking angle, but for backup, try Carbon Copy Cloner: http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html

It's free and does a pretty good job, from my short experience with it.

 

[72930]

For backup, download SuperDuper! its great

 

[66217]

3- I am still looking for the SIDEBAR on the FINDER screen, to use it to have my main apps ready to access. Where is that SIDEBAR???

The sidebar in the Finder window is not for having Apps there, there you have shortcuts for folders you want to quickly have acces to when in Finder.

What you use for launching apps is the Dock. There you can add or remove apps, have them open when you login, etc.

 

[mkrishnan]

3- I am still looking for the SIDEBAR on the FINDER screen, to use it to have my main apps ready to access. Where is that SIDEBAR???

This is usually what the dock is for. It's the set of icons at the bottom of the screen. You can drag apps onto it and drag apps off of it, so that you have just the ones you want handy.

I'm not sure I understand? The finder window has a sidebar -- in this example:

It's the leftmost column with the hard disk and the applications folder listed. I guess, in principle, you can put apps in there also, although it doesn't seem like an ideal place.

If you want the dock to be on the side of the screen instead of the bottom, you can do this too.

Can you explain more about what you mean?

 

[epiphany]

2- I am using a DELL 3100 laserprinter attached to a win machine on the natwork. Works OK, but I am not able to access the printer's options menu (example: paper type, color or just b/w selection, printer tray, etc...) Any way to do that? Drivers to install on the MAC??
- Roger T

You can download an OS X driver from Dell for your 3100. http://coderseye.com/2007/dell-cn-3100-for-osx.html
http://support.us.dell.com/support/...eid=R114436&formatcnt=1&libid=0&fileid=150522

In addition, under File>Print>under 3rd pull-down menu that starts with "copies and pages" you will see 'printer features'. Under File>Print>1st pull-down allows you to set the printer selection itself. There's also Page Setup...

 

[WirelessInn]

Yes, brand new to Mac - a few questions probably useful to anyone!

Wonderful responses for my first foray into Mac forums. I have used WIN forums for many years, since in the win world, one is pretty much on one's own and one needs co-win users to help with things! NOTE: I thought that since Macs and their vaunted OS were so intuitive by nature, one would NOT need to reach out to other users for basically things that are not readily accessible in Apple information venues. But, oh well, computers are always going to be what they are really: fairly obscure machines especially once one becomes inquisitive and starts poking around!

Thanks, dimwhit and psychofreak for the info. I'll check it all out right away. In fact, in another section of the forums, someone writes about backingup to an external HD too be accessed by BOTH Mac and Win machines on a network. I.e. format the external HD in FAT32 and thus be able to write to it with both Mac and Win machines. Wow: well thought, especially since a lot of new Macs bought are going to be used in integrated (networked) Win and Mac machines, probably!

Roco & mkrishnan, thanks. the sidebar I was referred to is actually mentioned in my MacBookPro >> Finder >> Help >> MacHelp >> search word "sidebar". Seems that perhaps HELP topics are not actually tailored to the machine/OS version at hand - unless I have misread the help material! Krishnan, I hope my reference to Mac help material in regard to Sidebar will help you see what I meant.

epiphany: thanks for the info. Now that my Dell is actually a USB printer connected to a Win machine on my network - and thus not directly to my new Mac, do you think that the Dell drivers for Mac OS will provide me with the Dell screen of choice of options special to that printer!)

now I have to get to figure out how to install apps and drivers and such on a mac (and how to uninstall if necessary) - not similar to what I am doing in Win. First thing I try to install was Flash player 9 - Man, a nightmare, which apparently has been also encountered by other (new and not so new) Mac users. Just thinking that Flash is SO essential to navigating anything on the net!!

Any recommendations re: apps and drivers insallation/uninstallation (image files, stuffit, etc...)?

Thanks again all of you - I'll probably be back with some more - I do tend to "poke around" rather than just firing things up and go with the flow!

- Roger T

 

[mkrishnan]

Unless I'm misunderstanding you, those help files do refer to the sidebar I showed you a picture of.

If you don't see it for a Finder window, it's been hidden. To get it back:

- If the window has no buttons or anything -- just the files part (i.e. no row of buttons at the top to navigate, change views, etc) -- click on the pill shaped icon in the upper right corner of the window.

- If it does have the buttons but has no sidebar, you should see a small circle about halfway down the left edge of the window. When you mouse over it, you should get the resize mouse pointer; double click and it will bring the sidebar back.

You see a horizontal line inside the sidebar; above it are volumes. You choose which volumes are shown with the Finder menu -> Preferences -> Sidebar. Below it, you can drag in any combination of folders, applications, links, documents, etc. But usually most Mac users put just folders in there and not apps or documents.

We have an excellent review on how to install apps.

http://guides.macrumors.com/Installing_Applications_in_Mac_OS_X

 

[epiphany]

epiphany: thanks for the info. Now that my Dell is actually a USB printer connected to a Win machine on my network - and thus not directly to my new Mac, do you think that the Dell drivers for Mac OS will provide me with the Dell screen of choice of options special to that printer!)

now I have to get to figure out how to install apps and drivers and such on a mac (and how to uninstall if necessary) - not similar to what I am doing in Win.
Any recommendations re: apps and drivers insallation/uninstallation (image files, stuffit, etc...)?

Lots can be gained from the Guides, and there are Stickies in some of the forums that deal with oft-answered questions.

I believe that the Dell drivers will do as they're designed, since you're networked. See some info here: http://guides.macrumors.com/Networking_Windows_with_Mac_OS_X

Macs frequently don't need no stinkin' drivers. It's what Plug-and-Play was supposed to be. Just plug in the mouse, or the keyboard, or the printer, or the camera. The Force will know what to do.

As for installs, installs are much easier on a Mac. Frequently, they'll unstuff themselves on the download and by clicking 'install', they'll install themselves in the right place. Other times, the install disk will tell you to drag a new application over the Applications icon in the Dock or the finder, and it'll put files where they belong. Mac updates do their thing on auto-pilot once begun from start to finish.

Uninstalls are a little more work, since you have to drag not just the application, but stuff in the Library preferences into the trash. There are utilities available for download or purchase that will help with this.

Having just spent the last week troubleshooting PC install problems on Quickbooks and internet routers (Event log, error code, 'download C++ reconfigurable assy package file-What!, .NET Framework- WTF!, network card not detected, Jeez! It's THERE!THERE!!, driver de-install, re-install, de-install, reinstall!), I am so happy I can come home to my little Powerbook 'toaster' >sigh<

 

[epiphany]

You see a horizontal line inside the sidebar; above it are volumes. You choose which volumes are shown with the Finder menu -> Preferences -> Sidebar. Below it, you can drag in any combination of folders, applications, links, documents, etc. But usually most Mac users put just folders in there and not apps or documents.

I'm not sure what krishnan is saying here, because the Applications folder is the home of all applications, by design. However, krishnan is very right in identifying what the Sidebar MacHelp refers to is.
But if you're talking about access:
- You can access applications from the "Go" menu in the Finder,
- or you can drag them from the Applications folder onto the Dock to make the equivalent of a shortcut (which is likely what you want),
- or you can File>New Finder Window>Applications in Sidebar>click the application you want (the long version of "Go")

 

[GroundLoop]

I have just received my new McBookPro...

Wow, McDonalds is really expanding their market....

Hickman

 

[mkrishnan]

I'm not sure what krishnan is saying here, because the Applications folder is the home of all applications, by design.

The sidebar isn't just limited to showing folders (such as the apps folder)... you can actually put links to specific applications in it, as well as documents and other files, if you really want to. I think that's what the OP is asking about.

 

[epiphany]

The sidebar isn't just limited to showing folders (such as the apps folder)... you can actually put links to specific applications in it, as well as documents and other files, if you really want to. I think that's what the OP is asking about.

Ah, I see what you're saying,mkrishnan - and you're right again that most Mac users don't do that.
It would be a bit redundant, and it would still not give as fast an access as the Dock...

 

[BlueRevolution]

1- Networking with Winxp/2000 enviroment - i understand that one can (as I am doing) read from win based drives over the network, but NOT write to them unless that are FAT32 formatted. HOWEVER, I find that you CAN actually write to for example the main hdrive in a win machine over the network (which happens to be NTFS formatted) but NOT to an external USB NTFS Drive attached to a win machine on the network. So it seems that the FAT32 read/write restriction applies ONLY to external drives on win machines on the network?

Put it slightly less convoluted way - Macs have read-only access to NTFS drives. FAT32, FAT16 and most other formats Macs can read have read/write access.

In any case, this restriction is rooted in the Mac's drivers and not in some artificial limitation. If you plug in an external NTFS drive or put one into a spare hard drive bay in your Mac (okay, bad example since you're using a MBP, but still) it'll be able to read but not write.

However, if you connect to a networked PC with file sharing enabled you will be able to read and write because the Mac isn't using its hard drive drivers, just the network drivers - the PC is the one that is doing the interfacing with the hard drive, and it knows how to write to NTFS.

Hope that helps to clear it up for you.

Enjoy your new Mac!

 

[WirelessInn]

Thanks again, you all. I must admit: i was THINKING of returning the MBP since the learning curve to switch from Win was quite steep (or at least to make good use of the Mac features) and that I was "loosing: certain important features (right mouse key, easy screen prints, and other small items). I realize it's like learning a new language: one must learn and get acquainted to NOT ONLY words and syntax, but new ways to do things....

BlueRevolution: I appreciate your comment
However, if you connect to a networked PC with file sharing enabled you will be able to read and write because the Mac isn't using its hard drive drivers, just the network drivers - the PC is the one that is doing the interfacing with the hard drive, and it knows how to write to NTFS.
I had - to my great satisfaction - found out about this accidentally. I was loking around to generate as much coexistence as possible between the WIN and MAC machine on my network. That did it!
You seem to be quite conversant in the differnces btw Mac and Win OSs! I will probably bounce some other things at you, if you do not mind!

epiphany - mkrishnan - I appreciate your references to guides to install new apps: I am gonna have to stdy it all since I have not been very successful in installing new stuff (Windows Media Player installed OK - Stuffit and Flash Player did not!). That seems to be my current challenge, as vouched by the attached illustration, which indicates that I am not able to display certain areas in websites which I access normally successfully via Win machines. The "Lego" block in the middle of the otherwise black window seems to indicate perhaps some Flash player problem? Even though I am able to play much other Flash material elsewhere on the Web. I tried at some point to download/install Flash Player 9 and I ended up with some Image file which did not produce a working Flash app. I am sure you have some idea as to what might have happened.

Later, I will tackle BootCamp and probably WinXP rather than Vista (same price!). My interest in my MBP "compatibility" with the Wn world is for business reason first... And ALSO VERY Importantly, so as to be able to play MS Flight Sim X. I have used MS FS iterations since a long time ago and want to retain in my laptop (I had it installed in a previous Dell 9400 laptop, on which it worked very well: I hope I'll be able to achieve similar functionality in my MBP/BootCamp/WindowsXP setup!)

THANKS THANKS again. There is hope!

- Roger T

 

[netnothing]

You can also try Flip4Mac to be able to play windows media files through quicktime. http://www.flip4mac.com/

-Kevin

 

[WirelessInn]

Yes, brand new to Mac - a few questions probably useful to anyone!

Thanks, kbmb: I remember coming across such an app. Will hwlp me in insuring interoperability between my Mac and Win equipment!
- rt

 

[Frankf300]

Believe me, you don't even want to think about returning your MB Pro. I started on Windows and that was all I used until I got my iBook. I learned things before even getting my mac, by looking at tons of screenshots and reading a lot of tips and articles. Once my iBook did arrive, the transition was smooth and I had OS X down pat within a few hours. Granted, I knew all the tricks with XP, I'm still learning the ins and outs of OS X, but I'm getting there. Honestly the learning curve is usually not that steep for most. OS X is one of the easiest operating systems to learn even for switchers. Anyway, you'll get the hang of it and once you do, you definitely won't want to go back to Windows, I know I don't. Good luck!

 

[BlueRevolution]

You seem to be quite conversant in the differnces btw Mac and Win OSs! I will probably bounce some other things at you, if you do not mind!

Not at all. I switched myself a few years back and remember the confusion, so I'm glad to be of service. You might want to get me on AIM at intrigueBlueCom rather than trying to catch me via PM since I'm not around here much.

Later, I will tackle BootCamp and probably WinXP rather than Vista (same price!). My interest in my MBP "compatibility" with the Wn world is for business reason first... And ALSO VERY Importantly, so as to be able to play MS Flight Sim X. I have used MS FS iterations since a long time ago and want to retain in my laptop (I had it installed in a previous Dell 9400 laptop, on which it worked very well: I hope I'll be able to achieve similar functionality in my MBP/BootCamp/WindowsXP setup!)

I'd suggest holding off on that until you're proficient in OS X and have found all of your substitutes, like Adium and Pages for MSN/AIM/Yahoo and Word and so forth - otherwise you'll be booting back and forth all the time. I can tell you that games run amazingly well on the other side, though. Speaking of which, I'm off to play Jade Empire.

 

[WirelessInn]

Yes, brand new to Mac - a few questions probably useful to anyone!

Thanks = still and again!

BlueRevolution: know, I realize. I'll have to keep getting into it. Mind you, I am NOT actually trying to replace my Win stuff (it is essential to my retail business!) but rather I want to do new, better things with what Mac stuff has to offer, For example - anorelDrad that's what prompted me to purchase the MBP - I need to quickly put together a presentation/slide show of some kind for an upcoming Family Reunion my wife is puting together... For July 4th. Many pics and video snippets from past reunions to assemble attractively (slide show?) and eventually project (I am now looking to buy a video projector which will be equally good for presentations from computer and projection of movies - I have to do some research in that area!) and deliver to attendees on DVDs. I had heard a lot about iLife suite and I believe that this will get me to accomplish my project quickly and well enough. Am I right here? iPhoto + iMovie?
So, no, I do not plan to get into BootCamp + Win anytime soon as you so wisly suggest, but I WILL definitely get into this - 3 main reasons: 1. Some apps I currently run in WIN just have produced too much of the material I use regularly and must keep - i.e. brochures in CorelDraw, databases in Access and other Win environments, etc... 2. Flight Simulator from MS, especially the latest FSX is the only "game" i play and I fervently hope it will work on the future Win side of my MBP. 3. I run a Light Animation program called Animation Director to put together shows synchronized to music (Christmas, July 4) - see www.animatedlighting.com: that program and its corresponding sequencing hardware run only on Win!

Frankf300: thank you for so competently chiming in. i am frantically working on uncovering tricks and tips for Mac OS. And I am still especially bafled by some of the terminogy used in the Mac world to refer to things in wgat seems to be a very Unix/mainframe like way. For example, the attached illlustration shows that the program I just - thankfully successfully - installed, GoogleEarth, now resides on my Desktop and is referred to as a Volume (????), even though I did attempt to "move" it to my Applications folder, where it actually is only represented by an Alias - which I suppose is somewhat the functional equivalent to a Win "Shortcut"? And then there is a lot mentioned about "Mounting" and "Unmounting" things throughout Mac OS. Seems that all this terminology is more appropriate to a regular IT department staffed by those MIS guys in white lab coats! Seems that I"ll be needing some good book to beef up on all this IT stuff... Indeed, the wold of Mac is not just pretty screens and clever apps: it too involves some arcane stuff akin to the things that we old hands at MS DOS and then WIN took years to somewhat master!

- Roger T

 

[fistful]

In regards to installing apps what you want to do is not move the mounted volume (the white disk image) into the applications folder but the app itself which is contained within the mounted volume. Some other apps such as flash use an installer, double click the installer and it will take you through the process.

This is actually one of the first stumbling blocks most new users to OS X come across. I think the guides here could do a little better at explaining the process. If I didn't already know how it works I don't think that guide would have helped me much either.

Hope you get it sorted.

 

[jwkay]

Thanks again, you all. I must admit: i was THINKING of returning the MBP since the learning curve to switch from Win was quite steep (or at least to make good use of the Mac features) and that I was "loosing: certain important features (right mouse key, easy screen prints, and other small items). I realize it's like learning a new language: one must learn and get acquainted to NOT ONLY words and syntax, but new ways to do things....

System Preferences -> Keyboard & Mouse -> Trackpad
Activate "Place 2 fingers on trackpad and click button for secondary click"
This gives you a right-click when you press the trackpad button.
"Use 2 fingers to scroll" is also a very useful feature.

Your Google Earth screenshot shows you've got the Finder in "classic" mode, ie the sidebar and toolbars are hidden. Click the pill-shaped icon on the top right of the window's title-bar to see the full-featured OS X Finder.

 

[Dimwhit]

For example, the attached illlustration shows that the program I just - thankfully successfully - installed, GoogleEarth, now resides on my Desktop and is referred to as a Volume (????), even though I did attempt to "move" it to my Applications folder, where it actually is only represented by an Alias - which I suppose is somewhat the functional equivalent to a Win "Shortcut"? And then there is a lot mentioned about "Mounting" and "Unmounting" things throughout Mac OS.

I'll see if I can quickly explain it. Many applications are downloaded in .dmg files (or .img). These are disk images, just like .iso files for Windows. Think of double-clicking a disk image the same as putting a CD/DVD in your drive. It mounts the disk to the desktop. That's what that white icon drive means. You mounted the .dmg file by double-clicking it. The white icon is the same as a CD icon if you had inserted it. That's why it shows as a 'volume.' Volumes are hard drives and inserted disks.

So what you do is open up that white drive icon (some programs will give you a different icon) by double-clicking it. In there, you'll either see an installer (double-click to run the installer) or the app itself, which you then drag to your apps folder. Dragging the whole volume (the white drive icon) will, indeed, just put an alias of it in the apps folder.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[MikeTheC]

It's kind of like what Yoda told Luke in SW EP 5: "You must unlearn what you have learned."

Microsoft, since the "good-ole" days of MS-DOS, taken a very arbitrary, technical, and programmer-centric approach to it's design philosophy. In that respect things only started to improve (slightly) with Win95, and somewhat moreso with WinXP. However, in general, if you follow the following advice, you should have an easier time of things.

1. Generally, Apple does *not* utilize an overly-formal process to accomplishing tasks.

2. Stop and think "If I were the programmer, how would I have implimented such-and-such feature?" Considering the focus Apple has always placed on user interface design, this is basically what Apple does internally.

3. There is no Registry in anything other than a Microsoft OS. Most of the crap you have to deal with in Windows is directly related to the Registry.

4. Look through the various menus within the Finder and whatever software you use. You'll find lots of keyboard shortcuts. In the main, they should all be pretty consistent. It'll make you a LOT faster.

Regarding "Volumes", et al, try to understand that there is a huge difference between the Microsoft approach and Apple's approach. Traditionally, Microsoft has had permanent, fixed-designation "slots" for each kind of storage device, and they were omni-present even if there was no attached media. For example, you always have an "A:" drive, even if there's no floppy in the drive. You always have a "D:" or "E:", even if you have no CDs or DVDs in your optical drive.

Apple takes the approach of looking at the media, not the interface, as a distinct identity.

As for "Mounting" and "Unmounting", those are hardly Apple-centric terms. They're general terms used throughout the computer industry, just like, say "spin-up" and "spin-down" are terms related to disk-based storage devices like hard drives.

Also, don't forget that Spotlight is used throughout the system, not just in the Finder to search for files. Open up System Preferences and you'll find a Spotlight text field in the upper right corner. Start typing into it the name of the function you want to find (say, TCP/IP or Firewall or Time Zone) and it'll guide you directly to where you need to go to access that function.

 

[jwkay]

It's kind of like what Yoda told Luke in SW EP 5: "You must unlearn what you have learned."

2. Stop and think "If I were the programmer, how would I have implimented such-and-such feature?" Considering the focus Apple has always placed on user interface design, this is basically what Apple does internally.

Sound advice. Try dragging and dropping as much as possible - it's amazing what you can achieve with drag & drop on OS X sometimes. Eg drag the icon next to the URL in Safari onto the Mail icon in the dock, and Mail creates a new message with the URL in the body of the message. Drag-and-drop photos from webpages into a Finder window (seen so many people who are locked into Right-click Save As mode!); or drag that same photo straight into a Keynote presentation; drag a file onto a folder icon to move it into that folder without opening it...

Amazing what you find with a little experimenting!