My first Mac....need some help.


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Ok, I got my firts Mac last night, an iBook combo drive. I have never used OS X before so I need some help on some basics. So let me pick your brains:

- How do you change application and drive icons? I know how to change folders.

-How do I apply themes? Does it install automatically after I download it?

-How do you change the dock background?

-Is there a hacked MSN Messenger with out ads?

-Do you have a working link for the chimera theme for Mozilla? The one I have does not work.

-After 24 hours, I would have to say OS X is very smooth and easy, and damn it is beautiful.:D

Any and all help is appreciated.:)

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  Quote
Originally posted by GatorZx2

Ok, I got my firts Mac last night, an iBook combo drive. I have never used OS X before so I need some help on some basics. So let me pick your brains:

- How do you change application and drive icons? I know how to change folders.

-How do I apply themes? Does it install automatically after I download it?

-How do you change the dock background?

-Is there a hacked MSN Messenger with out ads?

-Do you have a working link for the chimera theme for Mozilla? The one I have does not work.

-After 24 hours, I would have to say OS X is very smooth and easy, and damn it is beautiful.:D

Any and all help is appreciated.:)

Drive icons are changed the same as regular icons, just copy and paste from the info dialog like folders.

Themes, you need duality ~ here

Custom dock PDF's can be applied with Transparent dock

MSN 3 withough ads requires office X to be installed.

Navzilla theme here: http://www.zukes.com/mozilla/navzilla/

You can always give Chimera a try, it's pretty cool and approaching 0.4

Wow, those Apple switch propaganda must be really effective.

GatorZx2 will be the next Apple satisfied customer to be on T.V. telling us to make the change ;) :p OS X looks nice, I play with it at the Apple store in the mall, but I'm not going to buy a Mac. I'm comfortable with my Windows OS.

  Quote
Originally posted by cerbero

You lucky sob.. :)

I'm most probably gonna buy mine in August though, so I'm not far behind. Haven't decided wether I should get a used PowerMac or a new eMac yet though.. Depends on what ads are out at the time I guess..

Well, good luck with your new stylish machine :)

go with the used powermac because its going to be loads easier upgrading it than upgrading the emac

Just got my first mac today (eMac) and I have most things figured out. I have to say though that the people in the switcher ads NEVER had to install software on OSX. . hehehe I finally figured out how to get the box to enter the admin password. Anyway, does anyone know if it's possible to bring up IE's download manager without first downloading something? Anyone have any must-have freeware OSX apps to have?

BTW-I took me all of 5 minutes to ditch the pro mouse in favor my MS Intellieye :cheeky:

  Quote
Originally posted by Airw0lf

if its your first mac then buy the emac.

if u need experience with mac-feeling then u'll go best with the emac!

it's fast, half cheaper than the powermac :D, and most comfortable in os x.

I said I'm getting it used. Less money than an eMac, and more power. No hard choice :) Plus I already have a kickass CRT monitor (even though it's 2 years old).
  Quote
Originally posted by linux2

Just got my first mac today (eMac) and I have most things figured out. I have to say though that the people in the switcher ads NEVER had to install software on OSX. . hehehe I finally figured out how to get the box to enter the admin password. Anyway, does anyone know if it's possible to bring up IE's download manager without first downloading something? Anyone have any must-have freeware OSX apps to have?

BTW-I took me all of 5 minutes to ditch the pro mouse in favor my MS Intellieye :cheeky:

Oooo, another new mac user. Well, there's all the stuff mentioned above that Gator asked. As for must have freeware apps, I currently use

Acqusition

Limewire

neo

Transparent dock

Transmit

snak

You can grab all of those from Versiontracker.

And you have got the MS Intellimouse software haven't you?

  Quote
Originally posted by Dazzla

Oooo, another new mac user. Well, there's all the stuff mentioned above that Gator asked. As for must have freeware apps, I currently use

Acqusition

Limewire

neo

Transparent dock

Transmit

snak

You can grab all of those from Versiontracker.

And you have got the MS Intellimouse software haven't you?

Thanks Dazzla. And yes I fetched the Intellimouse software. I know what Transparent dock and Limewire are. The rest I will look up on the site you mentioned. How bout a freeware app to view/convert graphics formats? I find it odd that OSX doesn't ship with some kind of paint app considering the perception of Macs being for "creative" people. Thanks again.

I've only just recently noticed this, but if you open up a graphic file in Preview, you will have to option to Export (File - Export...), here you have the option of exporting to:

SGI

Photoshop

BMP

Jpeg

Pict

PNG

Macpaint

Tiff

TGA

JP2

Quicktime Image

See:

preview1.jpg

You've also got control over quality etc of the image:

preview2.jpg

  Quote
Originally posted by creamhackered

I want to buy an iBook

what one is the best and are they any good/easy to use?

I need a notebook and I dont really like Windows based notebooks and I want a mac system in my house :)

The 700/12"/Combo Drive is the best iBook in my opinion and many others around. There is the 14" for $300 more that people say just doesn't look right and is kinda bulky and flimsy. Go compare the two at a store and you'll see what I mean. The 12" and the 14" use the same resolution so the 12" has a a sharper screen. You may think the 12" is too small but I've had mine for a week and its a perfect size and when I do detailed design work I just plug in my 17" monitor.

  Quote
Originally posted by GatorZx2

The 700/12"/Combo Drive is the best iBook in my opinion and many others around. There is the 14" for $300 more that people say just doesn't look right and is kinda bulky and flimsy. Go compare the two at a store and you'll see what I mean. The 12" and the 14" use the same resolution so the 12" has a a sharper screen. You may think the 12" is too small but I've had mine for a week and its a perfect size and when I do detailed design work I just plug in my 17" monitor.

Sweet thanks I will consider that :)

  Quote
Originally posted by Dazzla

I've only just recently noticed this, but if you open up a graphic file in Preview, you will have to option to Export (File - Export...), here you have the option of exporting to:

SGI

Photoshop

BMP

Jpeg

Pict

PNG

Macpaint

Tiff

TGA

JP2

Quicktime Image

See:

  Quote

Ahhhh I saw that in the apps folder but wasn't sure what it was. I have to say that after playing with my new toy all of yesterday evening. . . I LIKE I LIKE. I noticed first off that when I was using 10.1.4, I would start to get a headache after an hour because of slightly blurry fonts (AA?). After updating to 10.1.5 it doesn't seem as bad. Hmmm. I must say that although I don't have another mac to compare it to, this eMac is quite zippy. Will reask the question about whether or not it's possible to bring up IE's download manager without actually having to download something?

  Quote
Originally posted by linux2
  Quote
Originally posted by Dazzla

Will reask the question about whether or not it's possible to bring up IE's download manager without actually having to download something?

Click "window" then "download manager" or command 4. I wouldn't use IE full time. I think you would find Mozilla, Chimera, or OmniWeb faster and more accomidating.

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