Mac Users Of Mtc (apple: Go Ahead, Take A Bite!)

[djrs]

guys kung sino naghahanap ng macbook black meron ako brandnew sealed PM me nalang po. thanks

[chinits]

how much na po ba now?

[rudepnoy4]

Just want to say props sa call center sa pnas yung sa AT&T tinulungan ako sa problem ko having problem connecting to internet using airport spend 2 hours with the tech figuring it out .Galing tlaga PNOY

[koopahl]

some great tips at the MacWorld site...

 

Clear Away the Clutter

Use shortcuts, launchers to get things done

 

By Joe Kissell

http://edge.macworld.com/2007/02/images/content/clutter_icon.jpg

The first step in reducing clutter is to devise a system for managing the files you create and download. How extensive this system needs to be will depend on your organizational strategy. Some people prefer to set aside specific places for everything in an elaborate system of nested folders, while others create broader filing systems and rely instead on search tools to locate what they want. Whichever approach you take, consider the following tips.

 

The organizer’s strategy

 

Go Deep, Use Shortcuts If you’re the type of person who likes to have an assigned place for everything, you’ve probably already developed a system for filing your documents and media files. (If you’re in search of an organization system, see “The Secret to Getting Things Done” for an alternative to traditional filing systems.) With a well-conceived filing system in place, you won’t have to spend time searching for the files you need; you’ll be able to jump right to the correct folder.

 

H Marks the Spot: With HoudahSpot, you can perform complex nested Boolean searches. This example shows a search for any file that either has Macworld in its name but lacks the word spam in its content, or has the word article in its Spotlight comments field.

 

No matter how you set up your system, don’t let any folder get too crowded. Just as with physical file folders, the more items one contains, the harder it is to find something inside. Instead, create a system of subfolders to keep things manageable. If you find that you’re spending too much time clicking through multiple levels to get to the folders you work with regularly, there are a few ways to bring your folders within easier reach.

 

Take a Shortcut Drag folders for active projects to the left sidebar of any Finder window (if you don’t see the sidebar, drag the left edge of the Finder window to the right). This adds folder aliases to the sidebar. You’ll then be able to access these folders not only from any Finder window, but also from Open and Save dialog boxes. When you wrap up a project, simply remove the folder’s alias by dragging it out of the sidebar.

 

If you need quick access to more items than comfortably fit in the sidebar (or if you prefer to keep the sidebar hidden), you can place aliases of active folders on your desktop instead. Of course, for this system to work, you’ll need to keep your desktop relatively tidy (for help clearing away desktop clutter, see “Rediscover Your Desktop”).

 

Use Color In OS X 10.4, another easy way to keep track of current projects without having to constantly drill through your folder system is to use color labels in conjunction with smart folders. As documents come in, you can categorize them with appropriate label colors (for instance, files that need your revisions could get one color while files that just need your approval get another). Just select an item and choose File: Color Label. (To give each label color a descrip-tive name, choose Finder: Preferences and then click on the Labels tab.)

 

Now you can create a smart folder that dynamically collects any files marked with a certain color, regardless of where they live in your folder hierarchy. To set up the smart folder, go to the Finder and choose File: New Smart Folder. Set the first pull-down menu to Color Label and select the label color. Click on the Save button and give your smart folder a name. Be sure the Add To Sidebar option is selected so you can easily access your smart folder from any Finder window, and then click on Save. When a file is completed or when its status changes, change the file’s label color (or remove it completely), and the file will disappear from that smart folder. (Click here for more advice on creating smart folders.)

 

Keep It Current Once a year—or more often if you work with a lot of files—move older files from each of your top-level folders into an archive folder, so you can more easily see recent documents.

 

To quickly locate older files, switch the Finder window to List view (Command-2), click on the Date Modified column to sort by date, and then move all the files from the past month or year into a new folder.

 

The searcher’s strategy

 

Use Fewer Folders, Smarter Searches If you prefer a less-structured approach to managing your files, or if you find that you’re having trouble locating the files you need within your current file structure, you may get better results by channeling your energy into developing smart search strategies than by setting up an elaborate folder structure.

 

When Apple introduced Spotlight, OS X 10.4’s built-in search feature, it seemed that filing might become a thing of the past. But the program still has some kinks—most notably, slow performance and a lack of advanced features, such as convenient Boolean searches. Until these shortcomings are fixed (OS X 10.5 should be released this spring, and Apple has promised several Spotlight improvements), you’ll need to either take some additional steps to improve your search results or rely on a third-party search program.

 

Use Keywords in File Names When you save a file, take a moment to think about what words you might use to search for that file later, and then be sure to use those keywords in the file’s name. For example, a file named Steve Jobs Interview will be easier to track down than a file named Interview2. This rule also applies to creating folder names; use a different set of keywords that add context to the files within. This will help you distinguish between similarly named files on your Mac when you search.

 

Add Metadata to Your Files Another way to help Spotlight track down a file is to add keywords directly to the file’s metadata, using the Spotlight Comments pane. To access this pane, click on the file in the Finder and press Command-I to bring up its Info window. Click on the small triangle next to the Spotlight Comments header to open the pane (if it isn’t already visible), and then enter keywords related to the file. For example, if you have a lot of recipes, you might add keywords such as spicy, appetizer, and favorite. Later, you can use these terms in a Spotlight search to find spicy appetizers that you liked. (For instructions on how to use Automator to add the same comment to a large number of files at once, see the March edition of Mac OS X Hints.)

 

Likewise, if most of your documents originate in Microsoft Word, you can set the program to prompt you for keywords every time you save a new file. These keywords won’t appear in the Spotlight Comments pane; however, Spotlight will find them when performing a search.

 

To set up this feature, choose Word: Preferences and select Save from the left column. Select the Prompt For Document Properties option, and click on OK. Now when you save a document for the first time or select the Save As command, the Properties dialog box will appear and give you the option of entering keywords. To revise these keywords later, or to add new keywords, open the Word document and choose File: Properties.

 

Improve Spotlight When searching, Spotlight tends to be a little overeager; it starts hunting before you’ve even finished typing. If this annoys you, you may prefer Houdah Software’s HoudahSpot ($15), which offers an alternative interface for Spotlight queries (see “H Marks the Spot”). HoudahSpot also offers quick access to powerful search features, such as complex, nested Boolean searches, and it has a convenient interface for previewing found files and examining additional file details. And unlike the systemwide Spotlight menu, it doesn’t start searching until you tell it to.

 

Replace Spotlight If you’d like to avoid using Spotlight completely—or if you’re using an earlier version of OS X that does not include Spotlight—try CTM Development’s Foxtrot Personal Search ($35). Like Spotlight, Foxtrot indexes files’ contents and metadata; however, it does so with greater speed and flexibility than Spotlight can provide. Foxtrot produces not only a list of files that contain your search terms, but also live previews showing the locations of your search terms within the files. You can also narrow searches by date, file type, location, and relevance simultaneously. For example, if a search for files containing Macworld produces a list of 1,000 matches, I can narrow that search to just PDF files modified within the last month—in exactly two clicks of the mouse.

 

If you usually know the name (or even just a part of the name) of the file you want, you don’t really need a powerful search tool—just a speedy one. For tasks such as this, you’ll get better results from a launcher utility. These programs let you jump right to the file or application you want with just a few keystrokes. With a launcher, such as Blacktree’s free Quicksilver (4.5 mice), Peter Maurer’s free Butler (5 mice), or Objective Development’s $20 LaunchBar (5 mice), you can stash random files—PDF receipts of online purchases, text files, and so on—wherever you like. When you need to find one of those files, simply press a keyboard shortcut to bring up the launcher, and type in the first few letters of the file’s name. Best of all, a good launcher will do more than just open a file. It will also let you copy it, move it, put it in the Trash, or reveal it in the Finder (click here for more on how a launcher can make you much more productive)

Edited February 21, 2007 by koopahl

[kiko773]

I just bought my macbook three weeks ago. Nagmigrate din ako from pc to mac. Bumili nga ako ng librong Mac for dummies para makabisado ko ng husto.

 

Mukhang maadik din ako dito sa mac ah! Hehehe!

[koopahl]

Windows, Macs co-exist

by Edward C. Baig

ebaig@usatoday.com

 

Reluctant to switch to a Macintosh because so much of your favorite software requires Microsoft Windows? Now you don't have to hold back.

 

Apple's free Boot Camp beta software can also make your Intel-based Mac a screaming-fast Windows machine. But when you turn your computer on, you must choose to work in either Windows or Mac's OS X Tiger.

 

That's why I've been more intrigued by Parallels Desktop for Mac. The $80 "virtualization" software lets you run the Mac's operating system and Windows side-by-side. Alas, compared with Boot Camp, Parallels was poky and buggy when I first tried it last year.

 

Last week, the Seattle-area start-up behind Parallels unveiled a less-geeky update that addresses many of its shortcomings, including plug-and-play support for USB 2.0 devices. Moreover, Parallels piles on new features, the neatest of which makes it look like you are running Windows programs right on your Mac desktop, along with other Mac programs.

 

It's still not for beginners. And I got off to a tough start testing the latest version of Parallels with Windows XP on an iMac. Windows couldn't recognize my Hewlett-Packard USB printer or Seagate USB storage device. I encountered the lingering hourglass, bizarre "fatal error" messages and the dreaded "blue screen of death" that sometimes precedes a PC meltdown.

 

Parallels said the snags had more to do with a corrupted copy of XP rather than its own software. Seems so. The glitches disappeared when I loaded a fresh retail copy of XP Professional.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Microsoft | Windows | PC | Windows XP | Macintosh | Microsoft Windows | OS | Desktop | Parallels | Boot camp

 

Let's dive into the Parallels universe.

 

•The basics. Think of a virtual machine as a stand-alone computer on your Mac. It behaves as if it has a Pentium processor (though the Intel chip inside the Mac is something different). It works best on Macs with a lot of memory — Parallels recommends at least 1 gigabyte — because the software can put a strain on the system.

 

Parallels does more than just Windows. It works with Linux, OS/2, MS-DOS and other operating systems. You choose a guest operating system during installation.

 

In most cases, you'll have to buy a new copy of Windows (not an upgrade) and activate or authorize the software online or over the phone. It's Microsoft's way of making sure your copy of Windows is legit.

 

The XP Pro version I used for testing cost $300. Ouch. However, if you already have a version of Windows loaded on the Mac and are using Boot Camp, you need not reinstall it for Parallels. Microsoft will make you reactivate, however, since it now thinks you are running Windows on a different computer.

 

If you just bought a Mac and are retiring an old PC, you can transfer Windows (plus programs and data) from that old computer to the Mac using a new migration tool called Parallels Transporter. You'll have to connect a cable to both machines. Parallels says to check licensing agreements to make sure you can legally transfer the PC's version of Windows to another machine.

 

• Parallels or Boot Camp?I was impressed with the speed at which basic Windows programs such as Internet Explorer and Quicken ran in Parallels. But when Parallels is running, trying to do things such as open iTunes or iPhoto on the Mac side is noticeably slower.

 

Indeed, Boot Camp outshines Parallels in a few ways. It's free. Unlike Parallels, it works with camcorders and other devices you connect via a FireWire cable. It's superior if you work with heavy-duty graphics or play 3D games. Though you can run Windows Vista in Parallels, you cannot take advantage of the new operating system's lovely Aero graphics.

 

• Virtualization reality. Parallels is much friendlier than it used to be. As before, you click on simple VCR-like icons to control the virtual machine. Click "play" and a configuration window flips around to show XP in its own window.

 

You can move your mouse pointer at will between operating systems and easily share an Internet connection. You can drag and drop files between the Mac and Windows, too, or drag an entire file folder onto a "Shared Folders" icon in Windows. I used a picture in my Mac's iPhoto library as the background in Windows. It was oddly out of focus on the Windows side. Not so on the Mac side.

 

The most dramatic enhancement in Parallels is called Coherence, a feature that lets you run Windows applications (Outlook, Internet Explorer, etc.) directly on the Mac desktop. Windows icons appear on the strip of programs on the Mac known as the Dock. If seeing the Windows taskbar above the Dock is disconcerting, you can switch to a full-screen Windows view.

 

Windows wrests control of the CD/DVD-ROM player from OS X when Parallels is running. I successfully copied music off a CD in Windows Media Player but couldn't play a DVD because I lacked a compatible DVD decoder in my copy of Windows. A second software DVD player in Windows called InterActual failed to play my discs because of a confusing video problem.

 

Windows is as vulnerable inside a Mac to viruses as any PC. Parallels comes with a six-month trial version of Internet security anti-virus software from a small company called Kaspersky Lab. It wasn't bug-free. After scanning Windows for viruses with the program, I received a funky error message indicating that a previous launch of the Kaspersky program had failed.

 

For mainstream users who need to run a Windows app or two on their Mac, Parallels is a fine program that has come a long way.

[djrs]

i already installed parallels on macosX so that you can use winxp! hehehehe. cool! check the forsale thread im selling a MBpro.

[boomouse]

i already installed parallels on macosX so that you can use winxp! hehehehe. cool! check the forsale thread im selling a MBpro.

 

Hi guys! All these years in MTC and I just discovered that there was a MTC-MUG.

 

I've been on Macs since the first 128K Mac came out. 29 Macs later, I'm on a Macbook Pro. I never thought I would live to see the day when Windows would run on Apple hardware with decent speed. I guess it's good for Windows folks who want to migrate to the Mac.

 

But in my opinion running Windows--even if it was Vista on my Mac is like transporting fertilizer with a BMW. But that's just me talking.

 

Still, I am curious. I use both OS X and XP. When I started shopping for a C2D laptop my choice was between the Macbook Pro and Sony's Vaio. Both had nice screens, good multimdedia capability, good build quality but since the Macbook will let me get rid of one laptop that was what I got.

 

I discovered that I never had to use XP. for every program that looked nice on XP, the Mac had an equivalent that worked better, faster, and had better quality output. Again, this was for what I do--mainly Operations research related stuff and presentations.

 

I am curious. are there people who buy Macs purely for the caché of the hardware? Are there people who want the status symbol of a Mac and yet use windows?

 

There is an air of practicality to this. A toyota engine is relatively easier to maintain and if you can swap in such a motor into the body of a BMW 5 series...

[louboy]

using osx, love it

[hazed_purple]

Dual boot is advantageous to those who work on both platform. Say, a mac user at home and pc at work.

 

When you decide to bite this, make sure that all your peripheral's platform is Universal.

[unprettywoman]

hazed_purple - actually, you can never confine a mac at home.

 

when you've got a mac, you'll be surprised at yourself for bringing it anywhere you will go.

 

make that a mac at home, a mac at work, a mac anywhere.

[rudepnoy4]

can somebody tell me how to use the ichat?, and how come i cant chat on yahoo messenger on my macbook?. thanks for any input

[ultimomachismo]

can somebody tell me how to use the ichat?, and how come i cant chat on yahoo messenger on my macbook?. thanks for any input

 

You cannot use yahoo messenger in ichat, it only applies to AOL and .mac

[ultimomachismo]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a357/surgfish/personals/NellyonMB.jpg

 

I was hesistant at first to get a mac because all my things are in windows format, I was afraid to change. But when my VAIO broke down, I have no choice but to get a new laptop, so I finally bit the bullet and bought a macbook. The rest was history, I didnt even bother installing bootcamp or parallels. I works better anyways.

[boomouse]

Does anyone know of a scanning program that can drive a scanner designed for windows only? I want to use it in OS X and not on XP vie Bootcamp or Parallels. I've got a Genius Colorpage SF600 portable scanner left over from my XP days. I been an old Mac hand and just did not realize that there were still parochial companies that built and designed for windows only. Oh well, I'll give this software search a go for a while.