Macbook Noob.

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So I've received my Macbook Air and I just have a few questions considering I've never used one :)

1. When I download an application, it stores it in the download section which is great. However when I run the program, sometimes (like Steam or EVE) it asks me to drag the icon over to the apps folder. Why is this exactly?

2. I notice sometimes some icons on the desktop, which can be "ejected" what are these icons representing exactly anyway? Are they shortcuts in the same way as Windows shortcuts on desktops?
What happens when I eject one of these icons exactly?

3. I just downloaded a program to try and disable the apple startup sound. After downloading it I ran and install it, but I cant find the application in the applications folder. Where would it have been installed? (e.g. on Windows you would see it under Start -> All programs somewhere. (the link is http://www.hacktheday.com/mac-tips-turn-off-your-macs-startup-sound/)

4. Trying to play Civ 4 on it, but I have no clue how to move my units about. I cant with the mouse for some reason and since there is no number pad, how the hell do I do this :p
(Gawd I feel so amateurish asking these questions.)

Thanks all :D
 
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1: When you download an application it either comes in an archive file (zip, tar.gz, whatever) or a mac img file (dmg). To install the application from a zip, tar, whatever file, you extract it and drag the application over the Applications folder and drop it in there. It will then "install" the application. Otherwise you're simply running it from the directory you extracted it to. The same for a dmg file. You "mount" it by double clicking and it'll open up, depending on how it has been packaged you can drag the application icon to the applications folder in the dock, or there might be the option to drag it to an applications folder on the opened file.

2: Yes. Ejecting just does the same as "safe eject" on Windows when you want to remove a disk drive. With network folders it simply disconnects.

3: It will be in your system preferances. Click the apple logo on the menu bar open system preferences, check in there.

4: Can't help you there. I don't game on Mac.
 
hehe for moving units in civ4 right click ;) (2 fingers on the track pad click if thats what you have it set it)

For civ on it I found getting a normal mouse for it made the game much more playable
 
hehe for moving units in civ4 right click ;) (2 fingers on the track pad click if thats what you have it set it)

For civ on it I found getting a normal mouse for it made the game much more playable

Yup I have a normal cabled optical mouse for CIV 4 too on my Mac Mini.

For my MBP I still have one of the old-style clear/white plastic keyboards that has a number pad.
 
Ok slowly getting to grips with this. Like wearing a new underpants :D

Im trying to alt tab using command + tab, and indeed the application switching window comes up, but when I select Safari, it doesnt maximise.

Does anyone know why this is happening? I heard somewhere I am supposed to press command + tilde but that does nothing.

Thanks folks :)
 
When you have more than one program open and want to switch to a particular one, just press F3 (possibly a different F number on the Air), it should have a picture of three little boxes on the key. You'll like that, it's way better than alt-tab.
 
When you have more than one program open and want to switch to a particular one, just press F3 (possibly a different F number on the Air), it should have a picture of three little boxes on the key. You'll like that, it's way better than alt-tab.

Ah thats good to know!

But whats the point of application switching if it doesnt maximise the window in question? (e.g. I highlight Safari but it still doesnt maximise it).

Also another question. Do people use desktop icons similar to how you do in Windows?
 
Also another question. Do people use desktop icons similar to how you do in Windows?

You can, but most people don't. You can make an alias to whatever you like and stick it on the desktop. Most people will just use folders on the dock though. You can also make a folder full of aliases and put that on the desktop if you want a certain set of commonly used apps reachable but not cluttering your dock.
 
Im trying to alt tab using command + tab, and indeed the application switching window comes up, but when I select Safari, it doesnt maximise.

If the app isn't showing open when you cmd-tab to it then there's a trick.

cmd-tab until the icon is highlighted, keep cmd held down and push and hold the option key (alt) and release cmd while keeping option held down.

The highlighted app will open. It sounds more fiddly than it actually is, I use this all the time.
 
If the app isn't showing open when you cmd-tab to it then there's a trick.

cmd-tab until the icon is highlighted, keep cmd held down and push and hold the option key (alt) and release cmd while keeping option held down.

The highlighted app will open. It sounds more fiddly than it actually is, I use this all the time.

Lovely! Someone was asking me how to maximise a minimised app from the keyboard and as far as I knew you couldn't. It's extra steps but I shall let him know, cheers :)
 
If the app isn't showing open when you cmd-tab to it then there's a trick.

cmd-tab until the icon is highlighted, keep cmd held down and push and hold the option key (alt) and release cmd while keeping option held down.

The highlighted app will open. It sounds more fiddly than it actually is, I use this all the time.

You sir, are a wealth of information. My thanks.

Also thanks Pardonthewait and all.
 
Ah thats good to know!

But whats the point of application switching if it doesnt maximise the window in question? (e.g. I highlight Safari but it still doesnt maximise it).

Also another question. Do people use desktop icons similar to how you do in Windows?

You press the key, it brings all the windows up and darkens the background, then you click on the one you want and it brings it to the front. If that isn't what you meant then I apologise. :)
 
You press the key, it brings all the windows up and darkens the background, then you click on the one you want and it brings it to the front. If that isn't what you meant then I apologise. :)

No no I appreciate bud! :) But I was just curious as to why doing cmd+tab did not expand minimised Safari windows (for example).
 
Probably because osx doesn't maximise, it "zooms".. also if you have multiple windows for the application on multiple monitors it would be a pain in the behind.
 
Ok thanks :)

Also is it me or does text (at least on OCUK) seem more bolder on Safari/Firefox on Mac than it does on the IE/Firefox in Windows?
 
Text is rendered differently on Windows and OSX. Windows is optimized for screen reading, whereas text on OSX is rendered closer to how it would look in print.
 
Just another question from me :D
The Macbook Air I have comes with 128GB of SSD.
But at the moment its reading 106GB.
Does that sound about right? I.e. how much does OSX take up etc?
(I havent installed much, if anything on this. I have taken off EVE and Civ4 just to bring it back to how it was when I first bought it).

Cheers :)
 
Just another question from me :D
The Macbook Air I have comes with 128GB of SSD.
But at the moment its reading 106GB.
Does that sound about right? I.e. how much does OSX take up etc?
(I havent installed much, if anything on this. I have taken off EVE and Civ4 just to bring it back to how it was when I first bought it).

Cheers :)

I'd hazard a guess and say that some is used up by the file system and OSX takes up about 25GB.
 
OS X doesn't take anywhere near 25Gb, in fact Snow Leopard has less in the base install than Leopard did.

iLife though is a different matter so it's probably that which is taking all the space.
 
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