MK5 Golf GTI
General => Random Chat => Topic started by: Ifti on May 07, 2010, 09:15:07 am
-
I have my system now, and had the chance to have my first play with it for an hour or two last night. Im still going to reinstall the operating system etc, but just installed a few programs I had (Office/Photoshop) and had a play with the operating system to 'find my feet'.......still dont know where some stuff is, but I have the general idea around it now.....
I must admit though, even though Windows 7 gives you more flexibility etc, and as much as I like Windows 7 (and will be running it via BootCamp anyway) I do like the simplicity and 'lightness' of the MAC OS X so far. Ive yet to reinstall the system after I messed about with it etc, and set it up with my programs and settings, but it seems fine for my needs as a home user - which include just doing the basic emails/internet, the odd document, and odd bit of video/photo editing.......i couldnt ever use this at work though, as I would find it limiting in a network environment.
One question I will throw out though - Email...............I have MS Entourage and Apple iMail - which do other Mac users tend to use?
Entourage seems the better of the two, but it saves emails to a database, and when backing up via Time machine (incremental) it will backup the entire database over and over, thus wasting space, whereas iMail saves individual messages, so is less wasteful when backing up as only the new messages/changes are backed up..... I have both applications, but am tempted to use iMail due to the above, and due to the fact that I only need an email app for the basic sending/receiving of emails, nothing more......
Which Email program do you use, and which is recommended?
Also any other applications I should be installing?
So far I have Office 2008 and Photoshop CS4.
Do I need any security apps to protect me when on the net? I understand antivirus is not required?
Also, will 'SuperDuper' allow me to clone the entire drive once Ive set it up how I want it. so if anything happens I can stick the image back on?
I will get a Time Capsule to use with Time Machine at some point, but I would like an image of a freshly installed system as well for now......
Finally - Safarai - should I ditch it and go for Firefox?
-
It is just called Mail on the Mac. I've used it since it came out and find it far superior to any other mail client, simply because it is so stripped back. It does everything I need it to and the interface is 100% Mac so it feels like a fluent part of the OS X user experience.
Even if you do go for Entourage there is a simple way of making Time Machine back it up incrementally.
I think it's a myth that you don't need antivirus software however in the many many years I've been using Macs I've never had any antivirus or security software installed on any of my computers.
SuperDuper is good but Time Machine should allow you to do exactly what you describe.
As for Safari, I've heard complaints of it being crashy from a few users here. Never experienced that myself and have used Safari for a long time. It is a far far quicker browser than Firefox but if you're doing web development the Firefox plugins are pretty useful.
Incidentally why are you going to reinstall the OS? Is it not a new machine?
-
Oh, and why do you think it would be limiting in a network environment? In my experience networking in a Mac environment is so so simple, and I haven't a particularly technical background.
-
Just my first impressions - Im a new MAC user remember. I have no doubt it can be networked etc, but I just feel its so much more basic and simplified then Windows - which isnt always a bad thing!
Ive been messing about with the MacBook, installing stuff, and generally tinkering around. I always like to reinstall when I get a new system, although I realise the MAC doesnt really need it, since Ive been messing about with stuff I'd prefer to reinstall and freshen it out bfore I really set it up with all my iTunes and email etc....
I installed Thunderbird on my Windows machine and imported emails, and Mail seems to pick them up from the Thunderbird profile nicely.
Only think I need to figure out now is setting up my iTunes on the MAC! Ive copied my iTunes folder from my Windows machine onto an external HDD, so its ready to copy over to the MAC - how do I link iTunes with my content though?
Also, is Firefox more secure then Safari?
-
Also, is Firefox more secure then Safari?
I can't really answer that, as a Mac user security has never been much of a consideration (whether that's naive or not I don't know).
As for other software, check out these programs:
Evernote
Things
Dropbox
Skype
Wallet
Spotify
Perian
VLC
Adium
Onyx
Handbrake
RipIt
BBC iPlayer
-
Cheers mate - will go through that list!!
I was going to install VLC Player for my DivX movies, but rather then install a seperate player I found Perian instead, which does the trick...
http://www.perian.org/
-
Yep, it's on the list :happy2:
To be honest though Quicktime seems to handle mostly everything nowadays.
-
lol sorry didnt see it.
Thanks a lot mate, your help is much appreciated.
Will spend some time this weekend setting everything up - also looking at maybe buying Parallels to run Windows 7 within OS X....
Now I need to find a decent carry case for it.... :wink:
-
Hardgraft mate, expensive but worth it. I've got their iPhone case and sling sleeve and they are lovely.
http://shop.hardgraft.com/ (http://shop.hardgraft.com/)
-
i can only echo andrewparkers answers, nail head :congrats:
-
Cheers, will check it out :wink:
-
although he did miss one link..... http://cupidtino.com/ :grin:
-
Cheers
If I copy my iTunes folder onto external HDD from my PC and move it to the MAC, how do I get iTunes on the MAC to link to it?
-
Preferences > Advanced
Then change the iTunes Media folder location.
-
There's more to it then that since my library file will have the paths to the music files etc relevant to a pc, which uses drive letters. The mac does not use drive letters so although it shows the music files etc, it can't link to a song.
I think I need to edit the Library.xml file and change all the paths in that to point to the files onthe mac instead......
-
Just re-import the songs then...
File > Add to library
-
When I got my iMac, I used my iPhone and senuti to import. Don't know if there is a better way but it was quick and easy for me. :happy2:
-
Hippies.
/obvious troll is obvious?
-
^^^^
Oi!!! Neo! You're not welcome here! Go and piss your excellence in some other corner of the room :wink:
@ ifti: As Andrew says: Just re-import the songs. The system works on aliases and it's not a good idea to delve into the depths of iTunes and move files around unless you know exactly what you are doing.
-
Cheers guys, Ive done it all now. Everythings almost setup - done iTunes and synced with my iPhone, done Email etc, done Office 2008, just Photoshop CS4 left to install........
-
^^^^
After you've installed Photoshop you might want to recalibrate your monitor/screen. P'shop includes an easy to follow step by step guide.
-
Ah thanks RR. I didn't know it did that.
Do you use Time Machine? I may partition up one if my external HDDs. One FAT32 partition so I can backup my PS3, and one HFS partition for Time Machine to use.
Would love a Time Capsule though........
Ah, too much expense!
-
^^^^
Yes, Time Machine is very easy as you can set it to run in the background and forget about it. I think Windows has something similar.
However, if you use something very CPU heavy (as I do when recording/editing music in Logic) then it's best to quit all other applications. Logic Pro backs up your music stuff into History anyway.
My all-singing-dancing dual PowerMac G5 desktop system has failed at the moment and everything is in Time Machine on external hard drives ready for my next Mac - A fully loaded 27" iMac when I have the funds which keep getting spent on the car!
-
I use Time Machine with my Synology NAS drive, it works a treat. I think a few NAS units have support for Time Machine.
-
^^^^
Yes, Time Machine is very easy as you can set it to run in the background and forget about it. I think Windows has something similar.
However, if you use something very CPU heavy (as I do when recording/editing music in Logic) then it's best to quit all other applications. Logic Pro backs up your music stuff into History anyway.
My all-singing-dancing dual PowerMac G5 desktop system has failed at the moment and everything is in Time Machine on external hard drives ready for my next Mac - A fully loaded 27" iMac when I have the funds which keep getting spent on the car!
You wont be disappointed! :love:
-
The 27" iMac would be far too big for my needs - its a beast! A stunning beast!
-
The 27" iMac would be far too big for my needs - its a beast! A stunning beast!
It is fairly big but it isn't overly big. Just right :love: They do a 21" too. :happy2:
-
The 27" iMac would be far too big for my needs - its a beast! A stunning beast!
It is fairly big but it isn't overly big. Just right :love: They do a 21" too. :happy2:
....I need big screen acre-age and processing power for stuff like this:
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi22.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb308%2FRedRobin_05%2FStillness_Screenshot.png&hash=be10113e239bed22c6cd3a14c757a45992db4a9a)
-
The 27" iMac would be far too big for my needs - its a beast! A stunning beast!
It is fairly big but it isn't overly big. Just right :love: They do a 21" too. :happy2:
....I need big screen acre-age and processing power for stuff like this:
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi22.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb308%2FRedRobin_05%2FStillness_Screenshot.png&hash=be10113e239bed22c6cd3a14c757a45992db4a9a)
I know RR I went for the 27" of pure glory! :love:
-
My dad's got a 27" machine at work and it looks sweet as anything, but sometimes you can get lost in the screen space. I found this with the Mac 30" monitors as well (which is why I prefer my 22"s).
My mum got a 21.5" unit to replace her dead iMac 4 and I think it's a lovely size. Screen is not too big but still gots lots of space to do stuff (email and Intertrons in her case).
She's got an iPad as well; the two complement each other very well.
@RR, why not get a Mac Pro and a couple of monitors instead of an iMac? the Mac Pro line are the only machines from Apple I genuinely desire (simply because of their nice build quality, upgradability, and ludicrous specs; I'll throw the OS out :P ) and at least with a Mac Pro a future upgrade path is available.
Plus multimonitor goodness.
/see, not always a zealot - I can be reasonable :P
-
My dad's got a 27" machine at work and it looks sweet as anything, but sometimes you can get lost in the screen space. I found this with the Mac 30" monitors as well (which is why I prefer my 22"s).
My mum got a 21.5" unit to replace her dead iMac 4 and I think it's a lovely size. Screen is not too big but still gots lots of space to do stuff (email and Intertrons in her case).
She's got an iPad as well; the two complement each other very well.
@RR, why not get a Mac Pro and a couple of monitors instead of an iMac? the Mac Pro line are the only machines from Apple I genuinely desire (simply because of their nice build quality, upgradability, and ludicrous specs; I'll throw the OS out :P ) and at least with a Mac Pro a future upgrade path is available.
Plus multimonitor goodness.
/see, not always a zealot - I can be reasonable :P
:surprised:
/faints of shock
:P
-
@RR, why not get a Mac Pro and a couple of monitors instead of an iMac? the Mac Pro line are the only machines from Apple I genuinely desire (simply because of their nice build quality, upgradability, and ludicrous specs; I'll throw the OS out :P ) and at least with a Mac Pro a future upgrade path is available.
Plus multimonitor goodness.
/see, not always a zealot - I can be reasonable :P
....I've had the big Mac desktop system (now failed) and the 27" iMac has easily enough processing power. I've got a spare Apple Cinema 23" monitor I could hook up to it anyway. Plus we've also got a G5 Dual PowerMac plus MacBook Pro at the music studio and various portable LaCie hard drives for transporting files to and from studio><home. iMac is the way I want to go - I've given it a lot of thought and have owned other iMacs before.
-
My dad's got a 27" machine at work and it looks sweet as anything..
@RR, why not get a Mac Pro and a couple of monitors instead of an iMac?
/see, not always a zealot - I can be reasonable :P
:surprised:
/faints of shock
:P
....Yes, I was quite shocked to read this too :evilgrin:
@ cmdrfire: Your dad obviously has good taste! A man of style.
-
:surprised:
/faints of shock
:P
What's the difference between a Mac user and a terrorist? You can negotiate with terrorists! :jumpmove:
....I've had the big Mac desktop system (now failed) and the 27" iMac has easily enough processing power. I've got a spare Apple Cinema 23" monitor I could hook up to it anyway. Plus we've also got a G5 Dual PowerMac plus MacBook Pro at the music studio and various portable LaCie hard drives for transporting files to and from studio><home. iMac is the way I want to go - I've given it a lot of thought and have owned other iMacs before.
Fair enough, the new iMacs are really rather swish with their black surrounds and glass panelling (the new 24" LED Cinema display is like that as well - I'd wouldn't mind that in the middle of my two Samsungs).
-
What's the difference between a Mac user and a terrorist? You can negotiate with terrorists! :jumpmove:
....You're absolutely right! Having a Mac or not is totally non-negotiable!
-
:surprised:
/faints of shock
:P
What's the difference between a Mac user and a terrorist? You can negotiate with terrorists! :jumpmove:
Thats more like it! :signLOL:
-
Any of you guys have the Magic Mouse?
Im thinking of getting one, but since its so slim Im not sure how comfortable it would be? Loved the concept etc - played around with one briefly today at the Apple store, and it seemed OK to use, but Im concerned it will get a little uncomfortable with prolonged use due to there being no support etc for your hand........or is it just a matter of getting used to a slimmer mouse?
Just after some comments from anyone who has the mouse, and whether you are still comfortable with it after prolonged use?....
-
Yep I have the magic mouse and I have had no problems with comfort. (I have been using it all weekend to try and complete some work). Its excellent for the scrolling and double finger swipe. Makes doing things so much quicker and easier, I would defiantly recommend one. :happy2:
-
I use a Magic Mouse with my G5 PowerMac setup. It really is lovely and after using it for a day or so every other mouse seemed bulky. Downsides are that it can be slightly over-sensitive, especially if you hands/fingers are sweaty. It's also a nightmare trying to use Google Maps with one.
-
I use a Magic Mouse with my G5 PowerMac setup. It really is lovely and after using it for a day or so every other mouse seemed bulky. Downsides are that it can be slightly over-sensitive, especially if you hands/fingers are sweaty. It's also a nightmare trying to use Google Maps with one.
Takes a while to get used to doesn't it! :laugh:
-
Hmmm.......gonna have to get one of them now then!
-
^^^^
Turning into a Mac gadget freak now? It's another slippery slope :evilgrin:
But actually, joking apart, once you've got the Mac basics you need/want, the slope flattens out.