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General discussion

Soon to be newbie queries

May 4, 2007 10:06PM PDT

I downloaded all of Switch 101 and Mac 101 yesterday. Probably read too much at one time.

Re: Spell Checking. I read about TextEdit, and a little widget. But what was not answered for me was how spell checking can be used in these community forums. Does one just have to create a document, check the spelling, and cut and paste it here in the message body?

In "Tiger for Dummies" I read that a Mac is built to be always on except in case of a storm. Is this correct? It said there is a key for closing all programs before shutting down. As storms pop up unexpectedly in my area, is there a reliable surge protector for added safety?

Last question (for now Happy ), can AppleCare be renewed when the 3 years are up? Seems I read something about that in this forum.

Thank you.

Angeline

Discussion is locked

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Some answers
May 4, 2007 11:36PM PDT

Spell checking is System Wide. While in a forum like this, just set Safari, the Web Browser, to "Check spelling as you type". Its under the Edit menu.

The new Macs can be either shut down or left on. This is a matter of personal choice and has been the subject of numerous posts, on both sides of the OS aisle. Your new Mac will go to sleep after a set amount of time and will quite happily sit there until you touch the keyboard or mouse. It's not quite like Hibernation but it is a very deep sleep. Drives shut down, screen goes off, etc.
A good surge protector is always a recommendation, personally I would go with a Battery Backup for the system. This will not only protect your computer from surges, it will allow it to be shut down nicely in the event of a power failure. By one big enough to power your machine for at least 10 minutes. Longer is better.
There is no key for shutting down programs all together, but once you have selected Shut Down from the menu, all the open programs will be closed, nicely, by the System. You will be prompted to save any unsaved documents.

It may be possible to renew AppleCare before the three year period is over. I would not try to extend it after the three years were up.

Don't get too embroiled in the reading. You will learn most of what you need to do just by playing with it.

How soon?

P

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Will know more Monday.
May 5, 2007 1:51AM PDT

I'm working through a corporate specialist highly recommended by a local "Apple Guy" who works for a large company, as she "will be fair."

Our "conference" will be on Monday. Will make decisions then as to do I want wireless keyboard/mouse, subscription to .Mac, and I want an anti-virus program. Also if 1GB of memory is enough in case I buy Leopard. I have decided to buy an all-in-one printer in the package due to space limitations. I will also follow your battery back-up protector advice.

A nice side note. As I am unable to drive to the Apple store here, and cab fare would be quite high, she will "send a couple of guys to get me set up".... data transfer, etc.

So my guess is within the coming week or next.(?)

Take cover! Happy

Angeline

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(NT) We'll look forward to it
May 5, 2007 6:33AM PDT
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Hope you like it Angeline!
May 5, 2007 2:54PM PDT

I struggled for the first month or two with my mac... trying to make a mac live up to my expectations set by my use of a win98 machine. Once I got past the idea my computer had to work a certain way and loosened up to the experience I came to love my mac.

Should you ever need help you can email me and if you feel the need we can arrange a time to talk by phone or by Skype if that is more comfortable for you.

grim Happy

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You can count on that !!!
May 6, 2007 12:02AM PDT

And thank you!

My concern right now is this monitor might not hold up until the data can be transferred! I don't know how many more days it will!

Angeline

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Go wired for your mouse and keyboard
May 11, 2007 11:30PM PDT

If I were you, I would do what I did, and go wired.

As for antivirus programs. for the Mac, I use the Sophos Anti-virus program.
http://www.sophos.com/

Are you going to be running exclusively Mac programs on your Mac? If you are considering running Windows programs, and have XP, use either Bootcamp or Parallels Desktop. You can run either / or, but I am using both, so if I need to boot into Windows without using Parallels, I can. If you are considering Vista, make sure your computer can handle it. And even then, I would not consider buying Vista until they get their problems resolved.

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I am going with wired.
May 13, 2007 12:19AM PDT

I can certainly see that there are many users who have solid reasons for running Vista. But I will be running Tiger exclusively.

I bought an additional 1GB of RAM. On this PC I have 80 GB HD, and it still has over half available.

I also bought Apple Works (more attuned to my needs than iWorks), and .Mac. According to the Apple site,, .Mac comes with an AV program. However, I have read over time that Apple has included an AV off and on as it effects some performance issues. So I honestly don't know if mine will have one.

I thank you very much for your advice. I have been impressed with the members in this forum.

"If the creek don't rise", it is scheduled to be delivered in the company of a gentleman to do the transfers tomorrow at 10:00 AM.

Angeline

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AV program
May 13, 2007 2:59AM PDT

you will be getting your AV program with your system. iChat has been included as part of the OS for a number of years and works quite well, especially with the faster machines and a broadband connection.
It requires one, or both, of the following:
An AOL Instant Messenger screen name
or
A .Mac account with an Apple ID.

iChat is not part of the .Mac package.

Hope all goes well for you tomorrow, hopefully you will get someone who knows the Mac and not someone who has a brother, who has a friend that knows all about computers!

See you on-line at 10:15am tomorrow. (yes, it is that quick)

P

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"(yes, it is that quick)"
May 13, 2007 1:29PM PDT

That's funny.

Years ago, when the first pretty color CRT iMacs were introduced, we were fortunate to get a couple to show at a Mac User Group meeting. My son volunteered to set one up in front of the 90 or so attendees. It took him about 6 minutes to open the box, get the computer-keyboard-mouse-power cord out, connect everything, start up, walk through the Internet connection steps and get to Apple.com.

Admittedly, he did have some help lifting the computer out of the box - it was a bit heavy for him... he was 7.

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It's 12:00 CST
May 14, 2007 2:57AM PDT

and nothing heard from you.

Come on now, they guy was due at 10:00 and you have to get on-line before he can start transferring stuff.

Where you at???

Happy

Of course, you may live somewhere that 10:00 has not arrived yet.

P

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It's 5:55 AM CST
May 15, 2007 9:06PM PDT

And here I am!

I lose my mouse pointer
all f the time, bt doing OK otherwise.

Haven't figured out if I can increase the font size in these forums, though. Hey! Wait! I just found it under "view"! Marvelous!

I have it on 60 characters and can't get the mose to go low enough to access the spell check box so might have to go smaller.

Any tricks on better mouse contol?

Angeline

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Welcome back.
May 15, 2007 9:57PM PDT

Couple of things to help us out.
What browser are you using and what "Spell check box" are you referring to.

In Safari, gotta give it a chance before you decide to move, there is not a spell check box on the forum pages. Spell checking is system-wide on OS X and with "Check spelling as I type" selected under the Edit menu (Safari) bad spelling is underlined.

What screen resolution are you using on that nice LCD?

Wired mouse or Bluetooth? Go to the System Preferences and select Keyboard and Mouse. Make your adjustments there.

P

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What's happening is wild!
May 15, 2007 10:52PM PDT

I changed the cursor to almost normal. Changed the speed.
.
Hard to explain, but I run out of roomk when trying to move the pointer around, I actually have to pick up the keyboar to get around. Right now I can't even get to te top where file is. I've ee had to put the mouse on my leg to get it low enough. Not enough room on the top of my desk.

I don't kow if it means anything, but this page is on the left of the screen.

I am using the wired model.

When I tried the Safari spell check, a small window similar to the Windows one, came up, bt I couldn't get to "replace" with the cursor. Before writing this, I took your advice re: as you type seting.

I don't know my screen resolution. My guess is it is at default when it came out of the box.

BTW, the Bookmark Bar is nice!

Angeline

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Room on desk
May 15, 2007 11:30PM PDT

I see that a lot, here at work, with users complaining that there is not enough room on their mouse pad to get around all of the screen. They look at me kinda stupid when I suggest that they pick up the mouse and put it down again further up the pad!
A normal size cursor on a Mac is much smaller than a normal size cursor on a Windows box.

Check that mouse setting again, there should be a setting that allows the mouse to move further when moved faster. (can't be certain with that as I am typing this on a Winbox at work)

Page on left of screen. Unlike Windows, the browser does not fit the whole screen. If you click the Green button it will resize itself to the actual size of the viewed page. You may have to click it twice.
If you do not like the page on the left of the screen, pick it up and move it to someplace that you prefer. Click and hold on the top bar of the window and drag it.

"Before writing this, I took your advice re: as you type seting." Guess the red underline did not catch your eye then. Should have been one under the last word of your quote. With "Check as I type" selected, there is no "small window" in which to check spelling.

Screen resolution can be seen in System Preferences, Monitors. Check the "Show in Menubar" button.

Have you figured out the two buttons on the mouse yet?

Don't worry, it gets better with practice. Just don't try to do everything the Windows way. It gets easier, you're doing great.


P

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Hi Angeline!
May 16, 2007 1:35AM PDT

I used to lose my cursor quite often until I downloaded this handy little application

Mouse Locator - Version 1.1

I leave it on default... meaning if I don't move the cursor for a few minute and forget where the cursor is... a green cross-hair pops up over it for easier location.

Just FYI... most applications will be accessed through your applications folder but this is one of the few I use that you bring up through the system preferences window.

Downloading and installing is easy. Just click on the download for tiger OS10.4 button. A download manager window will pop up. When it reaches the full mark it will warn you that this is a program you have selected and would you like to continue? You click yes and a DISC IMAGE will appear (a fancy way of saying it is a program waiting to be loaded). Open it, if it hasn't already done so on its own... and follow the instructions. You can throw away the disc image after you have loaded it.

Another FYI... In your Safari preferences you can choose where files and programs download to. I found it handy to create a folder on my desktop named Safari Downloads and direct all my downloads to that folder. This way you don't crowd your desktop and always know where to locate downloaded files.

Another FYI... don't load your desktop up with unneeded folders, files and icons like people are inclined to do with a windows machine. Your desktop uses associated memory to support all your open programs (I'm expressing myself poorly, Peter could explain better)... so the more clutter on your desktop, the less memory available to running programs efficiently.

grim Happy

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I have bookmarked your post.
May 16, 2007 2:35AM PDT

At this stage of the game I will not be downloading anything until I become more comfortable with how things work.

I just discovered that "delete" n the keyboard works like "backspace". Happy

The bookmark is in the Bookmark Bar, so will be handy when the time comes. I have already put the forums I visit there . Nicer than the shortcuts I had on the PC.

Thank you !!!

Angeline

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Not enough room on my desk
May 16, 2007 2:08AM PDT

My desk on which the computer sits. The top of my personal desk.

I have figured out several "ways to go", except this mouse one.

I already set it to almost normal in size and speed.

Also , it takes quite a while (3 or 4 minutes) for the screen to "wake up" when I touch the mouse or keyboard.

Angeline

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Yes, the actual desk and not
May 16, 2007 5:58AM PDT

the computer desktop.
The average mousepad is 6 X 5 which is enough room to move around a 23" screen. Just pick the mouse up and put it back up at the top of the pad if you run out of room. If the keyboard gets in the way, stop and pick up the mouse and move it away from it. The cursor will stay where it is until you put the mouse down again.

You have a choice of where your bookmarks go, on the bar or in the bookmark menu. You can also shorten the names to get more in the bar

Not sure what's going on with the waking up though. Go to the System Preferences, Energy saver and set the Monitor to sleep after 10 mins and the machine to sleep after an hour. See if that makes any difference

P

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Waking up OK now.
May 16, 2007 7:40AM PDT

I tilted the screen toward me, and it's OK now.

Your tip re: picking up the mouse helps. some.

I have the optical mouse, and have tried with and without a mouse pad (I have several of those around.)

Thanks!

Ageline