Apple Startup Info

Starting For The 1st Time
Opening the Box and Powering On
Have a Name for the Computer In Mind

Save the box in case there is a problem with the machine. If a new model comes out within 30 days of the purchase date Apple will let you trade in your machine for a like machine at no cost.

Again . . . save the box and materials if there is a return or trade in.

I recommend a 3 year extended warranty for any laptops.

How to Turn It On

Find the on off switch and push it for about 1/2 a second. Don't just touch it. Hold it down for a bit. About 1/2 a second is good on laptops. They don't always start if you just tap to on button. On laptops the button is usually near the top right of the keyboard area just below the screen's bottom right.

How to Turn It Off

Go to the Apple Logo on the Desktop at the Top Left Corner and click on it.

Choose Shutdown or Restart and then hit OK when it asks.

Let it shutdown by itself. Don't rush it. If you have open files that have not been saved it will remind you so you can save them and then shutdown or restart again.

If for some reason your computer is unstable and a program isn't responding hold down both the Apple and Option keys and punch the esc key. This is much the same as a PC using Alternate - Control Delete but in this case the message will let you close one program and not the whole computer.

If you Apple computer is not responding to anything you can hold the on/off switch for many seconds and it will completely shut down, but this is not recommended on a regular basis. Files left open when you shut down can do damage to the computer and file system.

The nice part of the Apple world is that Macs are very stable and very seldom need to "reboot". "Reboot" is an apple joke referring to PCs. But occassional a Mac can have a similar result, but thank goodness, much less often. Some Mac servers don't get rebooted for years. The Mac is part of the Unix community which has been running the internet for years. The government and colleges have been using Unix along with deritives like Linux.

Changing the Defaults

Click on the Apple Logo on the Desktop at the Top Left Corner.

Choose System Preferences

1. Stop the irritating clicking noise when changing the audio level.

In System Preferences click on the graphic of a speaker.

In the Sound Effects menu uncheck all the Alert volume boxes. (Play user interface sound effects; play feedback when volume is changed, play fron row sound effect).

If you like all of these sound effects leave them checked. I like a quite computer when doing public presentations.

2. Change the Dock magnification.

I like to leave the Dock on the bottom. Some like the dock on the right side.
I check the magnification and use these parameters due to many items on my dock at the bottom. This works great for me.

3. Appearance and Screen Savers

I copy a directory of photos of Surfing in the Pictures Folder and assign this here as my background.
I set the Screen Saver (not shown here) to their "ocean scenes". I also set the Screen Saver to larger minutes before showing up so I'm not fighting the screen saver all the time.

4. Appearance

I like the default colors but you may prefer to change things.

5. CDs & DVDs

I don't like my computer reacting to CDs & DVDs inserted into my machine so I disable this and ignore them being inserted.
If I want to watch a DVD I have the DVD player in the applications menu shown in the menu at the bottom. After inserting the DVD & want to see I wait for it to load (the sound of the machine helps know this and also using "finder" you can see the DVD show up on the left) and I then start the DVD player.

6. Monitor Resolutions

Monitor Resolutions can change depending on your eyesight. 800 by 600 is a bit old fashioned and many web sites don't work very at this resolution. 1024 x 768 is also a little old fashioned. It works, but not very well. Anything over 1152 x (whatever) should work better.
I prefer 1280 x 1024 or higher but I use the zoom (control - mouse up or down) to see closer.
A very little know feature for zooming is in your browser (Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, etc . . .) is the Apple + or - keys. On a PC it's Control + or -. To rest the zoom hit Apple 0 on a Mac or Control 0 on a PC.

7. Two Monitors

This shows the arrangement of how the two monitors will work together. Side by side is OK (the default) but if your big monitor is above the laptop make it above as shown in the graphic. Experiment a bit to see how you can drag browsers and windows to the different monitors as long as the mirrow box is not clicked. If you want all of the screens to look the same just click on the "Mirror Displays" button and it all comes together.
This is much easier than you might think.

8. Energy Saver (Power Cable Connected)

I change the times as shown above. When power is connected by my Macbook Pro I don't want it turn off and on all the time. I also want it available at any time for other computers to access the files.

9. Energy Saver (Battery - laptops)

I change the default a bit but in general I have the computer try save battery life when I'm not plugged into a power source.

10. The Mouse

Steve Jobs is left handed so all of his computer mice only have one click. For everyone else that uses a left and right click it's easy to set up, but you have to go into the preferences and change the mouse to make it do it. Sorry Steve, we know how to work around this problem.

DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING PROGRAMS

Files downloaded are usually placed by default into the "downloads" directory. There are no drives with letters like: A drive, C drive and D drives on a Mac. There are only directories. It's much easier to find things too.

The top right of your desktop has a microscope icon that makes finding files amazingly simple.

I prefer "finder" to find files and copy and move files between directories but some users are not up to that level of operation. Holding down the "option" key when you drag files between two "finger" rectangles will help you be sure you are copying them and not moving them. The Copy Paste (Apple c or Apple v) will also copy files between "finder" rectangles (windows).

To make the download file begin to install you will need to double click the dmg file (extension of dmg) and off the program begins make a menu box of some kind. It usually shows how you click on the program and drag it over to the graphic looking like "applications" directory. After doing that your program has been copied into the "Applications" directory.

Now you can close the menu box by using "finder" and then opening the new program in the Applications area on the bottom right of your Desktop.

If it was a downloaded program a message will come up saying that this might damage your computer and be careful to open it. Go ahead and open it if you're sure it's a reputibale program and after it starts you may have to put in serial numbers send your email or just begin using it.

Cheat Sheet Keystrokes

Click Here to see the Apple website that give all of the helpful Keystrokes for everyday life for beginners and advanced computer people alike.

The Apple Key is now called "Control". It has a funny 4 clover symbol on the top right of the key. It used to have an apple sign on it.

On the PC everything was the Control Key and then another key. On Mac's it's the Apple key and another key.

The copy and paste on the PC was Control (^) C for copy and ^V for paste.

On the Apple its very similar except the Control is replaced by the Apple (Command) key and C for Copy and Command v for Paste.

Save is also Apple instead of Control.

To Save your work on the Apple it's Apple s = save

Save as is Apple Shift s

Quite is Apple Q

To close the file but not the program is Apple w

How to find out what programs are running (open) and how to close them efficiently
To find out what programs are open (running) hit Apple Tab (hold down the Apple key and hit the Tab key once)

To stop the programs while in the Apple Tab mode you can hit Apple q to quit the program.

Note: If files were not saved there will be a message and a chance to save you work without loosing anything.

Extended ASCII

The system for extended ASCII does not work the same in Apple as it does on the PC.  No more Alt 169 lift.

Here are a couple of examples of extended text:

option g = ©

option r = ®

Click Here to see a website that shows many of the extended ASCII keystrokes.

Note: op stands for option and sh stands for shift.

Two Kinds of Zoom

1. The Apple computer operating system has a zoom capability that is great. Just hold down the "control" key and scroll up or down on your mouse.

2. The other zoom feature is for both the PC and the Mac with browsers.

The PC uses the Command Key and hitting the plus or minus key. Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc . . browsers work great. Use the Command 0 to reset

The Mac is the same except it's Apple + or Apple - and Apple 0 to reset.

How to Put Program Icons into the Dock

To put a new program on the dock open it using the normal Application folder on the bottom right of the Dock and scroll to start it.

Once it's started the icon is at the bottom of the Dock. While it's running drag it at least one space to the left. Keep it low so it makes a space for it to reside and then let go. It will stay there unless you move. If you don't want it on the doc just drag it to the desktop above and let go and it will vanish. It doesn't delete it in the Applications folder, it just doesn't appear on the dock.

Updates

Be sure to update your computer after you set it up. Many updates are for security of the operating system. Apple includes their own security in the operating system. Most Mac's don't need an anti virus program at the present time.

If you install Microsoft Office on your Mac be sure to get updates on a regular basis. Macs that get virus's usually get them from Microsoft products. Updates, Updates, Updates!!!

Sharing

You can share your files with Macs and PCs on the same Intra Net (Network).

The above graphics shows an all Apple way of sharing. With Apple to Apple computers they can share files and even share screens. It's amazing.

Be sure when you hit options you give all of this a special password.

With Apples to PC you would need to check the extra box to use SMB which stands for Somba. PC's and Apples can share files and printers on the same network using this file orientation. Be sure to password protect all of this to the outside world. It also protects you on the same intra net.

Apple iWork, Microsoft Office & Oracle Open Office

iWork is a very good look alike for Microsoft Office. It has a great program called Keynote that is similar to Power Point. It's Pages program is similar to Word, and it's "Numbers" is similar to Excel.

I recommend Keynote the most out of these three but I also recommend getting Microsoft Office too. It is the standard in the industry at this point of time but I wouldn't get the latest version. The older versions of 2007 or 2008 are my recommendation. And even then you have to rework the defaults of Office programs so they do not create docx, xlsx and pptx files. By changing their default save formats they can be more world standard instead of the non standard doc, xls and ppt formats. College students are really having a bad time with the new Microsoft formats.

If someone wants to be more frugal “Libre Office” is free if you find the right web site to download it from. Click here find Libre Office to download it and install it.  Many programmers use this as an alternative to word, excell, powerpoint and access.  It is a free and open source system.  

I open Disk Utility in the normal Apple Menu at the bottom right of the screen. It is located in the Utility Directory. After it's open I move it over at least one space and hold it low so other icons open a spot for it and I let it go. This is an important file to be at your finger tips from time to time.

A program that everyone needs it the latest version of Toast. They are always upgrading it so at this time the new version is called Titanium. It has gone from version 1 up to now version 10.0.8 or higher. It is useful for making CD's and DVD's. It's great for copying non-copy protected material.

On a new computer music programs will be pre installed at no charge.  Signing up for additional music services are involved with your apple account. 

I recommend Google Chrome to use to browse on the Internet. 

Google Chrome in 2021 is here.

Firefox is located here.

After Downloading Browsers & Installing Them - Flash is Needed (free)
After installing your browsers you will need to get the latest "flash" program from Adobe. Click here to get it.

Now you need Acrobat Reader (free)

Click Here to get Acrobat Reader (free)

For Web Programming I used Transmit (an FTP Program)

Click Here to purchase Transmit. You can program files online and use it's own line editor if you do your own programming without the use of clumsey programs that put code everywhere. This helps the intermediate to advanced programmer work faster and more efficently. Some programmers don't use anything else and use Transmit to edit and upload and download from the host servers. It's file handling capabilities are quite remarkable locally and remotely. Its fast and transparent. I use Adobe Photoshop Elements directly through Transmit to change image sizes and add graphics to the images "online". This save a ton of time. No copying, editing and copying back. Just right on the file, save and it's done.

As a programming tool on the Web I use "Taco HTML"
Click here to purchase "Taco HTML". I use Taco HTML to create my code for web pages. It works with Transmit seamlesly. It is a basic line editor with a little help for web color help and other useful items for programming. It highlight the text in multiple colors depending on what the code is doing. This makes it easier to find errors and make sure the text is working right. It also has a spelling checker that runs when you want it to run. It is fast and does not slow anything down. With Taco HTML and Transmit I program directly "online". As I save files I refresh the browser to see how the changes worked.

Adobe Photoshop Elements

Adobe Photoshop Elements is all I need for basic photo editing. It is easy to use and will work through Transmit and Taco HTML directly for "online" editing. This is inexpensive and a basic photo editor.  The big brothers are 10 times more expensive but this version called “elements” has all the basic things you will probablly need.

Manually Update the Programs.  Be careful to set up automatic updates.  There are many reasons.  But it's a good thing to check manually for updates.

As soon as I install any program I wait about 30 minutes after installing it and then go to the Apple logo at the Top Left of the Screen and click on Software Updates. New software is usually not up to date. 

These updates are usually free and make the software run smoother and more efficiently. 

I try to manually hit this update button at least once a week even though many updates are done automatically. Some program don't look for updates until you open them. 

I always try to keep the program updated.