Windows Switchers and New Mac Users
Beginner’s guides, glossaries, and tutorials, plus tons of information to help you get to know your new Macintosh system.
Finder Views: Icon, List, Column, and Cover Flow Finder Views
Finder views underwent significant changes with the release of Leopard. Most notably, the addition of Cover Flow view brings the list of Finder views up to four possibilities. Apple retained Icon view as the default, but the three additional views (List, Column, and the new Cover Flow) are Finder views that can open up new ways of looking at files and folders.
Finder views underwent significant changes with the release of Leopard. Most notably, the addition of Cover Flow view brings the list of Finder views up to four possibilities. Apple retained Icon view as the default, but the three additional views (List, Column, and the new Cover Flow) are Finder views that can open up new ways of looking at files and folders.
Finder Views: Using Finder Views
Finder views offer four different ways of looking at the files and folders stored on your Mac. Most new Mac users tend to work with only one of the four Finder views: Icon, List, Column, or Cover Flow. Working in one Finder view may not seem like a bad idea. But it’s probably much more productive in the long run to learn how to use each Finder view.
Finder views offer four different ways of looking at the files and folders stored on your Mac. Most new Mac users tend to work with only one of the four Finder views: Icon, List, Column, or Cover Flow. Working in one Finder view may not seem like a bad idea. But it’s probably much more productive in the long run to learn how to use each Finder view.
Icon View: Icon View Options
Icon View: The Finder’s Icon view options control how icons will look and behave when you open a Finder window that is set to use Icon view. You can control text and icon size, text location, and grid spacing, as well as many more attributes of Icon view.
Icon View: The Finder’s Icon view options control how icons will look and behave when you open a Finder window that is set to use Icon view. You can control text and icon size, text location, and grid spacing, as well as many more attributes of Icon view.
List View: List View Options
List View: The Finder’s List view options control how a list will look and behave when you open a Finder window that is set to use List view. You can control text and icon size, decide which columns should be displayed, how dates are used, and whether size information should be included.
List View: The Finder’s List view options control how a list will look and behave when you open a Finder window that is set to use List view. You can control text and icon size, decide which columns should be displayed, how dates are used, and whether size information should be included.
Column View: Column View Options
Column View: The Finder’s Column view options control how Column view will look and behave. You can control text size, as well as decide if and how icons should display. You can also select the sorting order to use.
Column View: The Finder’s Column view options control how Column view will look and behave. You can control text size, as well as decide if and how icons should display. You can also select the sorting order to use.
Cover Flow: Cover Flow Options
Cover Flow: The Finder’s Cover Flow view options control how the Finder will behave when you view folders in Cover Flow view. Cover Flow options let you control text and icon size, decide which columns should be displayed, how dates are used, and whether size information should be included.
Cover Flow: The Finder’s Cover Flow view options control how the Finder will behave when you view folders in Cover Flow view. Cover Flow options let you control text and icon size, decide which columns should be displayed, how dates are used, and whether size information should be included.
Multi-Button Mice: Enable a Right Mouse Button on Your Mac
Macs have had built-in support for multi-button mice and right-clicking since Mac OS 8 made its appearance in 1997. You can use the Keyboard & Mouse system preference to enable the function of each mouse button.
Macs have had built-in support for multi-button mice and right-clicking since Mac OS 8 made its appearance in 1997. You can use the Keyboard & Mouse system preference to enable the function of each mouse button.
Using the Energy Saver Preferences Pane
The Energy Saver preferences pane controls how your Mac responds to inactivity. You can use the Energy Saver preferences pane to put your Mac to sleep, to turn off your display, and to spin down your hard drives, all to save energy. You can also use the Energy Saver preferences pane to manage your UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply).
The Energy Saver preferences pane controls how your Mac responds to inactivity. You can use the Energy Saver preferences pane to put your Mac to sleep, to turn off your display, and to spin down your hard drives, all to save energy. You can also use the Energy Saver preferences pane to manage your UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply).
Expose - Using Leopard’s Expose Preferences Pane
Expose’s preferences pane allows you to configure the keyboard shortcuts, mouse buttons, and active screen corners assigned to Expose functions.
Expose’s preferences pane allows you to configure the keyboard shortcuts, mouse buttons, and active screen corners assigned to Expose functions.
Screen Savers - Add a Screen Saver to Your Mac
You can add a screen saver to your Mac in one of two ways. You can manually copy the screen saver to the appropriate location on your Mac or you can use the installer that's included with many screen savers.
You can add a screen saver to your Mac in one of two ways. You can manually copy the screen saver to the appropriate location on your Mac or you can use the installer that's included with many screen savers.
The Dock Preferences Pane - Customizing the Dock
The Dock preferences pane allows you to customize how your Mac's Dock looks and behaves. You can adjust the size and location of the Dock, as well as apply special effects when applications are launched or
The Dock preferences pane allows you to customize how your Mac's Dock looks and behaves. You can adjust the size and location of the Dock, as well as apply special effects when applications are launched or
Screen Saver - Using the Desktop & Screen Saver Preferences Pane
The Mac OS includes screen saver modules. You can use the Desktop & Screen Saver preferences pane to control how your Mac's screen savers operate.
The Mac OS includes screen saver modules. You can use the Desktop & Screen Saver preferences pane to control how your Mac's screen savers operate.
Appearance - Using the Appearance Preferences Pane
The Appearance preferences pane controls the basic look and feel of your Mac’s user interface. By making adjustments in the Appearance preferences pane, you can change the overall look and feel of your Mac.
The Appearance preferences pane controls the basic look and feel of your Mac’s user interface. By making adjustments in the Appearance preferences pane, you can change the overall look and feel of your Mac.
Creating User Accounts on Your Mac
When you first turned on your Mac, or installed the OS X software, an administrator account was automatically created. If you're the only one who uses your Mac, then you may not need any of the other user account types. But if you share your Mac with family or friends, you should know how to create additional user accounts, as well as which types of accounts to create.
When you first turned on your Mac, or installed the OS X software, an administrator account was automatically created. If you're the only one who uses your Mac, then you may not need any of the other user account types. But if you share your Mac with family or friends, you should know how to create additional user accounts, as well as which types of accounts to create.
Finder - Using the Finder on Your Mac
The Finder is the heart of your Mac. It provides access to files and folders, displays windows, and generally controls how you interact with your Mac. If you're switching to the Mac from Windows, you'll discover that the Finder is similar to Windows Explorer, a way to browse the file system. The Mac Finder is more than just a file browser, though.
The Finder is the heart of your Mac. It provides access to files and folders, displays windows, and generally controls how you interact with your Mac. If you're switching to the Mac from Windows, you'll discover that the Finder is similar to Windows Explorer, a way to browse the file system. The Mac Finder is more than just a file browser, though.
Set Up Parental Controls on Your Mac
On the Mac, Parental Controls are Apple's user management system for controlling which system functions and applications are available to a managed user. Parental Controls also offer content filtering, web site filtering, iChat and Mail approval lists, and time management, to prevent your children from using the computer when they should be doing something else.
On the Mac, Parental Controls are Apple's user management system for controlling which system functions and applications are available to a managed user. Parental Controls also offer content filtering, web site filtering, iChat and Mail approval lists, and time management, to prevent your children from using the computer when they should be doing something else.
Managed Accounts - Add Managed Accounts With Parental Controls to Your
Managed accounts are specialized user accounts that include a parental control feature that allows you (or the Mac administrator) to control which applications can be used and which web sites can be visited. Managed accounts are a good choice if you want to allow younger family members to use your Mac even when youÂ’re not around to supervise them.
Managed accounts are specialized user accounts that include a parental control feature that allows you (or the Mac administrator) to control which applications can be used and which web sites can be visited. Managed accounts are a good choice if you want to allow younger family members to use your Mac even when youÂ’re not around to supervise them.
Desktop Wallpaper: Personalize Your Mac’s Desktop Wallpaper
You can change your Mac’s desktop wallpaper from the standard Apple-supplied image to almost any picture you care to use. You can also set your Mac’s desktop wallpaper to randomly select a picture from a specified folder.
You can change your Mac’s desktop wallpaper from the standard Apple-supplied image to almost any picture you care to use. You can also set your Mac’s desktop wallpaper to randomly select a picture from a specified folder.
Administrator Accounts - Add Administrator Accounts to Your Mac (OS X 10.5.x)
Adding administrator user accounts to your Mac allows you to specify other individuals who can take on the administrator role. Administrators have an elevated set of privileges that allow them to install applications, change system preferences, and perform a variety of maintenance tasks.
Adding administrator user accounts to your Mac allows you to specify other individuals who can take on the administrator role. Administrators have an elevated set of privileges that allow them to install applications, change system preferences, and perform a variety of maintenance tasks.
User Accounts - Add Standard User Accounts to Your Mac (OS X 10.5.x)
Adding standard user accounts allows you to share your Mac with multiple individuals. It’s easy to add user accounts; all you need is an existing administrative account.
Adding standard user accounts allows you to share your Mac with multiple individuals. It’s easy to add user accounts; all you need is an existing administrative account.
Printer Sharing - How To Set Up Printer Sharing with Windows Computers
Windows users making the transition to Mac usually have Windows computers and peripherals they would like to continue to use. One of the most common questions from new users is, "Can I print from my Mac to the printer connected to my Windows computer?" The answer is yes. Here’s how to achieve printer sharing with your Windows computers.
Windows users making the transition to Mac usually have Windows computers and peripherals they would like to continue to use. One of the most common questions from new users is, "Can I print from my Mac to the printer connected to my Windows computer?" The answer is yes. Here’s how to achieve printer sharing with your Windows computers.
Customize the Dock's Location
The Dock, the program launcher that usually resides across the bottom of the screen in OS X, can be customized to suit your preferences.
The Dock, the program launcher that usually resides across the bottom of the screen in OS X, can be customized to suit your preferences.
Hide the Dock When It's Not in Use
If you want to free up a little screen real estate, you can set the Dock to disappear when you're not actively using it.
If you want to free up a little screen real estate, you can set the Dock to disappear when you're not actively using it.
Transfer a Photoshop Elements Catalog from Windows to Mac
If you're a Photoshop Elements user who's switched from Windows to Macintosh, you maybe wondering how to transfer your Photoshop Elements catalog.
If you're a Photoshop Elements user who's switched from Windows to Macintosh, you maybe wondering how to transfer your Photoshop Elements catalog.
Switching from Windows to Macs
Most individuals who switch from Windows to Macs adapt easily and enjoy their new platform. Read what a few switchers have to say about making the transition.
Most individuals who switch from Windows to Macs adapt easily and enjoy their new platform. Read what a few switchers have to say about making the transition.
How to Switch to the Mac
Rui Carmo, of The Tao of Mac, provides insights into switching to Mac OS X.
Rui Carmo, of The Tao of Mac, provides insights into switching to Mac OS X.
Why You Should Buy a Mac
The top reasons Apple gives for choosing a Mac over Windows.
The top reasons Apple gives for choosing a Mac over Windows.