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Mac OS X: Macs are so cool...
Macs are so cool...
by grimgraphix - 5/29/08 9:30 AMI find something new every once in a while that I think is pretty nifty. I don't know why I find some of these things exciting, but I do.
One thing I just found is that you can drag a tab from an open Safari browser window into a completely different Safari browser window. If you have 3 or 4 windows open on your desktop, then you can just drag them all onto one window and the other browser windows close automatically.
Yeah, I'm a nerd. Wanna make something of it? 
I saw that on the Apple Quick Tip Podcast
by BeatleMegaFan - 5/30/08 3:40 PM In reply to: Macs are so cool... by grimgraphixthis week. Did you happen to see that too? 
Macs are great because OS X is a great operating system. I'm wondering what Windows 7 and OS 10.6 will be like, supposing Apple doesn't just jump to OS 11. That would be interesting...
-BMF
I gotta say I've been a little unimpressed
by lattin1 - 5/31/08 1:14 AM In reply to: I saw that on the Apple Quick Tip Podcast by BeatleMegaFanI just got a Macbook Pro after using Dell pc's for as long as I can remember and although I think macs definitely win hands down for overall exterior appearance and ease of setup, I can't figure out whats so great about OS X. As much flack as Vista gets I think its interface is far more visually pleasing (i.e. animated desktop backgrounds, aero) and navigation is much easier, especially with the aero 3d window scroll. I do acknowledge that Vista is a complete pain in the butt to setup initially and only computers with serious hardware should even bother using Vista instead of XP (I run Vista Ultimate x64 on a Dell XPS 720 with intel quadcore and 6 GB of RAM so thats why I don't have alot of the issues that others complain about) . Maybe I just haven't figured out all the little tricks of mac's OS though but for a system thats supposed to be so user friendly I'm having alot of trouble performing simple tasks. I do give Apple alot of credit for the Bootcamp application. Atleast they give their users the option of using other OS's.
It might be helpful
by mrmacfixit
- 5/31/08 4:51 AM
In reply to: I gotta say I've been a little unimpressed by lattin1
if you could tell us what simple tasks you are having a problem with.
Usually we find that switchers are trying to do things exactly the same way as they used to when they used Windows.
Tell us about the aero 3d window scroll. It sounds similar to cover flow
P
the aero feature
by lattin1 - 6/1/08 3:32 AM In reply to: It might be helpful by mrmacfixit
In vista there is a feature that allows you to quickly scroll through all your open windows. Its kind of like an isometric overlay where you click a button and all windows line up in a 3d stack and you can scroll through them and click on the one you want. The reason I particulary like it is because I have a logitech mx revolution mouse with a thumb scroll wheel that controls it. Say I'm working in Photoshop and I have autocad, the internet, and google earth all open underneath it, all I have to do is use the scroll wheel and the windows stack up and i pick which one I want to look at. Also, where's the maximize button in mac. I always have to grab the bottom right of a window and drag it to make it bigger.
There isn't a maximise button.
by fbbbb - 6/1/08 3:52 AM In reply to: the aero feature by lattin1The idea is that you set windows the size you want it to be, or the recommended size. It's typically Apple - our way, or we make life difficult for you.
I don't really use Flip3D in Vista - my needs for rapidly switching between apps is to check on their progress, and Vista's live preview taskbar does a far better job of things than OS X.
However in OS X on the desktops I have Spaces mapped to the top scroll button of the Revo MX's and Expose mapped to my side scroll button. This gives me quite logical control of multiple apps and virtual desktops.
Or you could use Expose
by mrmacfixit - 6/1/08 6:28 AM
In reply to: the aero feature by lattin1
If you are using a "Mighty Mouse" then a squeeze of the sides will activate Expose and reveal all open applications on the screen at the same time.
Click on the one you want and it comes to the foreground and becomes the active window.
Without MM, try hitting the F9 key, fn+F9 on the new keyboards, and the same will happen.
As mentioned in another post, there is more than one way to skin a cat.
On the subject of the Maximize button. There actually is one but it does not function in the same way as the maximize button does in Windows.
If I have a 24" screen, and am in Safari, on a Windows machine clicking the button causes the current page to fill the entire screen. Unfortunately, the page designer did not build the page to fit exactly on a 24" screen. The result is a large web page, artificially made wider, that has nothing in it. Some people like that.
In OSX, clicking the button makes Safari display the entire width of the page, as designed by the builder. If the page was built to fit on a 17" screen, the button expands, or contracts, the page to the edge of the actual page as it was originally built.
I'm not sure what the standard size for building web pages are now but it used to be that pages were designed for a 15" screen so that you could be sure that the page fitted on almost every monitor out there, without the need to scroll.
Screen sizes have moved up, so I expect that the "build to" size has increased too.
In other applications, clicking the button expands, or contracts, the window to encompass whatever is in that window. It seems like a waste of space to open a folder containing 1 item and to have that folder occupy all of the viewable screen, some people feel more comfortable doing that though. Maybe it depends on what you are used to. Apple has never had a expand to fit the screen button, neither has Windows, but I'm pretty sure it is not a conspiracy as has been suggested.
P
Try setting up Expose for your mouse or a screen corner
by minimalist - 6/20/08 6:12 AM In reply to: It might be helpful by mrmacfixit
It quickly lets you see all open windows so you can jump to the one you are looking for. I can't live without it. You can set it up under Apple>System Preferences>Personal>Expose & Spaces.
I'm not sure OSX will beat Vista when it comes to visual flash and effects. Apple's approach to UI design is more restrained whereby things should be clean, simple and intuitive. The focus is on the details and getting all the little things right. Rarely having to install or worry about a driver is small example. That is why many people say "it just works" because its kind of hard to put into words what people like so much about OSX.
I have a quick fix on that...
by eldernorm - 6/23/08 9:35 AM In reply to: I gotta say I've been a little unimpressed by lattin1If you are unimpressed by OSX , then just look at the CNET section on answering questions for PC users. They have a problem with their computer slowing down, what should they do???
Here are some of the answers----
Run an antivirus application (Why?)
Run antispyware/adware applications (Why?)
Run a disk defragmenter utility (Why?)
Run a disk clean up utility (Why?)
Remove any unnecessary programs (Why?)
Run a registry cleaner (Why?)
Download and install the latest OS and driver updates (Why?)
Notice how NONE of these are needed with a Mac. You could upgrade to the next level OS. Many times the newer OS runs faster, even on older machines.
Hey, if you love Windows, stay there. But I have to use both. and believe me, Windows SUCKS major.
Just a thought.
I just found this
by mrmacfixit - 5/31/08 4:53 AM
In reply to: Macs are so cool... by grimgraphix
Not a show stopper but when I realized what it was doing I was kinda impressed.
In Finder, click Help and then type in Cover Flow.
You will get a few options but the top one will be "Menu Items"
Move the mouse over it and watch what happens.
Cool
P
Now that is cool
by BeatleMegaFan - 5/31/08 3:05 PM In reply to: I just found this by mrmacfixit
Haven't seen that before.
Apple's probably got a hundred other things lying around in Leopard too. Wonder what those are like...
-BMF
Apple Hacks
by Pete - 6/20/08 10:55 PM In reply to: Now that is cool by BeatleMegaFanCheck out "Big Book of Apple Hacks" by Chris Seibold, got it today at Borders for $34.99 minus 30% which dropped the price to $26. (627 pages). Go's a bit deeper into the dungeons of OS X without being overwhelming. Very good.
Macs Cool ? How Green are Apples ?
by peter marsh - 6/23/08 3:56 AM In reply to: Macs are so cool... by grimgraphixSadly, I would have to question your statement that "Macs are so cool". I have recently been lent a six and a half year old iBook G3 (OS X 10.1) with a view to buying it and giving my children (8 and 13 years old) a balance alternative experience of computers.... they have access to Windows XP, Vista and an excellent little Asus Eee running Linux.
Sadly, after two calls to Apples premium rate technical helpline (one call lasting over 25 minutes), I have learned that this excellent little piece of hardware is no longer supported and as 10.1 cannot run Safari (IE no longer works) the machine has been consigned to the trash can by Apple (I believe the original cost of this machine was £800 / £900 in the UK).
Ironically, I can view Apple's web site perfectly on my six year old Dell running XP (regularly updated and supported), but the iBook freezes and hardly works at all.
In these environmentally sensitive times, I would ask.... How green are Apples and are Apples good for our children ?
I would suggest that perhaps they are not as "Cool" as the advertisers would have us believe and "i" for one remain unimpressed and would be very reluctant to ever invest in a new Mac that could become unsupported and obsolete in less than 5 years.... see http://lowendmac.com/musings/07/0508.html.
Saving an old IBook
by reptar - 6/23/08 5:38 AM In reply to: Macs Cool ? How Green are Apples ? by peter marshLook for a linux distribution that will run on Mac hardware. Although I'm running on pc hardware, I've tripped over such beasts in the past.
Linux can be updated at no cost and should be viable as long as your hardware lasts. If you can find a local user's group or guru, it will make the challenge a lot easier, but recent versions of linux are relatively simple to install and better at recognizing hardware. If you can locate a "live" distro to try, you can test how well your IBook is supported.
I do like multiple desktops and Compiz effects, even on my old Vaio laptop.
Viztor
I guess you can't please everyone.
by minimalist - 6/23/08 6:51 AM In reply to: Macs Cool ? How Green are Apples ? by peter marshApple's willingness to cut ties with the past is exactly what keeps the OS lean and effective. OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard due out next year will cut ties with PowerPC machines which means my 2.5 year old iMac G5 will be stuck on Leopard forevermore. But I don't mind. I think Apple is smart to move on. The bloat and complexity of legacy support is the albatross that Microsoft needs to shed before they can really take their OS to the next level.
But just because you can't run the latest OS doesn't make an old machine useless. I have a 5 year old iBook that originally came with Panther that was recently having issues. So I installed a copy of Tiger on and now it is running beautifully. Since yours is a bit older, probably with a G3, try to get a hold of a copy of Jaguar or Panther and I think you'll get a couple more years of life out of the iBook. Or just reinstall OSX 10.1 and run all the upgrades. A clean reinstall can do wonders too.
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