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difficulties: installing, mail, idisk, safari

2K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  gordguide 
#1 ·
What I have been doing is installing updates and things like that. I'm not sure I "get" the whole system involved. When i download something it goes to the desktop as an installer file, then i double click on that and it installs...that's fine. But i like a nice clean desktop, so what do I do with the program folder on the desktop once it's installed? Can that be erased? or does it have to be moved to an appropriate folder? I find when I move it that itjust "copies" the program folder instead ofcompletely moving it. I erase the installer file...I know that's ok to do.

another thing is I can't seem to get my mail accounts and newsgroups installed...I have to figure that out right now.

and safari...am i using the wrong update because it seems to be pretty slow and buggy...for instance the mouse curser doesnt indicate when i'm over a link. and when i went to open an new window so i could have two it wouldn't do it?

and the last thing, I wanted to transfer files last night but the idisk application on my windows xp computer couldn't "dock" the drive or whatever it's called. It was doing it fine the night before so I don't know what I could be doing wrong.

I'm sure I'll figure out more problems...lol....i'm officially switching! let the differences begin!


:D

edit: is it possible to assign "hot keys" to my keyboard? Like F1 for itunes, F2 for internet, F3 for mail...blah blah blah?
 
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#2 ·
Wow, this is quite the list...

For installing applications, usually to install something there is one of two ways. An installer which you use the Installer application to install it where you wish (Default is the Applications folder for installations) and then when done, throw away the Installer. All done.

Other programs usually tell you to copy the application into your Application folder for installation. They usually come on disk images (end in .dmg) and they make what looks like a little hard drive on your desktop. Those, just copy the application, then you can eject the disk (drag the disk to the dock, where the trash now looks like an ejection symbol) and then throw away the .dmg file and all is done.

Assigning Hot Keys for programs? Already into power user mode aren't we? Yes, there is a way, but it requires third party software as Apple hasn't made it part of their operating system yet (whether this is good or not, is debatable). The best application for this job is QuicKeys, and you can find out the information for it on VersionTracker.
 
#3 ·
Pamela, go to your browser's preferences (Safari, Explorer, whatever) and set a folder to send downloads to. One obvious place is inside your user/documents/ folder, but wherever you want. All downloads will go there, where you can delete or archive them as you see fit.

Keeping a copy of an update or installer is a good idea, especially if it's commercial software. It's also handy for Apple's updates. I back them up to CD-R, CD-RW or DVD-RW from time to time.

I haven't actually used Apple's iDisk utility for XP, but it seems to me it should show up in My Computer as a drive letter (eg e:\idisk). Somewhere along the line you will have to authenticate it though (login/password). Hope that points you in the right direction.

You might be running into some Apple vs Windows conventions regarding "program folders" for installers. Unlike Windows, all Apple drives mount automatically (in OSX, on the desktop if you have the settings as default).

Any shared files and most installers are drives (or drive images), not folders. To unmount a drive/drive image, select it and use the File:Eject command (just like it was a CD or floppy) or select it and use the KB shortcut Command-E. [The "Command" key is the one with the Apple logo, nearest the spacebar]. Drive images have an icon like a white external CD drive.

Just to be extra clear here, a normal download/install goes something like this:

Nearly every Mac file from the internet is compressed. Double-clicking on the downloaded file uncompresses it (and creates a new file in uncompressed format). At that point, you can delete the original compressed file, or archive it. You can also set preferences in any browser to automatically delete files after they have been uncompressed, if you want.

If it's a file folder, open it and read the readme file. Always. No exceptions.

Generally, though, it's in a disk image format. A disk image is just that; a file the computer thinks is a HD or CD. Double-clicking image files (extension .img or .dmg) mounts it on the desktop. This is the white drive icon I spoke of earlier. You should have 2 or 3 files now:
-The original compressed file (unless you have your brower set to delete it when it uncompresses).
-The file itself, whether a folder or a disk image.
-The mounted image, if applicable.

The mounted image contains the installer, documetation, readme, etc. Sometimes you do an install, and sometimes you just drag it to someplace to install (eg Applications folder). Whatever the readme says to do.

Now, once installed, you can unmount the image (it will just disappear, as if you ejected a CD) with Command-E. Delete the drive image file (eg application.dmg) if you want, or archive it. The compressed file can be archived instead of the uncompressed version,or neither. In any case, you can now delete everything on the desktop (or the appropriate files in a downloads folder, if you created one) if you want, or archive one of them.

In Safari (or any browser) option-click over a link for a bunch of options, including opening the link in a new window. You can also set this behaviour in the browser's preferences (although Safari is still beta, so some pretty standard options aren't in preferences yet).
 
#4 ·
As far as whether the Mac moves or copies a file when you drag it with the mouse, it goes like this:
If it's on the same drive (or drive partition) it moves the file. If it's on two different drives (or partitions) it copies the file.
Keep in mind that a disk image is a different drive as far as the Mac is concerned.

You can force a copy or move, depending on some modifier keys (eg Option + drag) but instead of getting into all that, here's an idea:

Go to the Help menu. Apple help is much better (though not perfect) than Windows help. Use it.
There is an excellent tutorial there for people who use Windows computers and are using a Mac for the first time. Check it out. Ask it questions; you can use real English (eg "how do I copy a file?"). Click on the answer portion on the bottom of the help dialog to go to that section. Try asking about "Windows and Mac" for starters.
 
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