PAST MEETINGS

January 20, 2014 - Hammondsport Mac Users Group

ATTENDING: Tom B, Jerry L, Kristen K, Ed M, Jim P, Mathias R, Gene N, Nancy C, Nancy W, Nancy D, Carl H, Judy H, Bob S, Al J and Maureen J.

TOPIC: MY FIRST MAC

We had a wonderful turnout of 15 Mac users, some that were new to the group. Demos and tips were shared concerning the basics of using Macs, including boot-up, security, logging in, setting up admin account, and perusing the various Desktop menu options, Finder preferences, the Dock, window options, folder management. Tom opened the meeting by showing some pictures to illustrate how often our mental image (or expectation) is much different than reality, especially in the computer age.

Remember buying 'Sea Monkeys' as a kid? The comic book ad led to certain 'expectations' of receiving tiny acrobatic, trainable monkeys (but turned out to be brine shrimp - the house flies of the ocean).

iCloud

'Cloud' computing? Seems almost heavenly. One Cloud service was even described in an ad as being 'titanium-lined' - but in reality the Cloud (as well as the entire internet) is nothing but computer boxes hooked together, sitting in metal warehouses with concrete floors in places like Nevada and Iowa - see picture.

Apple TV is NOT a television - but rather a tiny device the size of a deck of cards with a power port and HDMI port. It provides multiple streaming options via the internet to your flat screen digital TV. Read more.

 

DEMO OF BASIC MAC OPERATION

1) Power up

2) Log in Screen - security feature - recommended

3) Accounts - Admin, Standard, Guest

4) Desktop features

5) Under the Apple

  • About This Mac - click version to reveal build and serial numbers
  • Software Update
  • App Store
  • System Preferences (adjust internal features of Mac - display, trackpad, clock, etc)
  • Dock features (Options for hiding, magnify, position, shrinking)

6) Finder Menu - File, Edit, View, Go, WIndow, Help, Search

7) Finder Preferences

  • General (Options to show/hide HD, External disks, CDs, Servers)
  • Labels (identify files by color for sorting)
  • Sidebar (Optons to show/hide discs and files)
  • Advanced (File extensions, Warnings, Trash security)

8) File - Making new folders - red (close), yellow (shrink), green (expand)

9) Dock - Icon behaviors (Add, delete, rearrange, options)

10) Cursor (mouse or trackpad) - expotential speed increase - control-click on trackpad = right-click on mouse

11) Search - hover over results to reveal path to file location

12) External Drives - proper ejecting (such as Command-E) - how to delete files (empty trash before ejecting)

 

HELP RESOURCES



The Help Menu at the end of the Desktop Menu provides a plethora of information for the curious Mac user.

(Note: a floating dictionary can be evoked by holding down the Control-Command-D keys as you hover the cursor over a word on the web. Thanks for the tip, Bob S.)


Mac Basics - tutorials for new users from Apple support.

MacMost - formerly called My First Mac - great help site for everything Mac - many good tutorial videos for beginners and veteran users as well in list of videos - we watched one called 'Do Macs Need Anti-Virus Software?'

 

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

CHANGES in OSX 10.9 Mavericks

QUICK SHUT DOWN - Mavericks changes the quick shutdown procedure using Power Button - now you have to add Control key with Power Button to get the shutdown dialog window - then push ENTER.

ICON SHORTCUT IN WINDOW MENU- in Mavericks you now have to hold the COMMAND key down as you drag an icon into the Window menu bar.

Note: CONTROL CLICK on Trackpad = RIGHT CLICK with Mouse

Printable Keyboard Shortcuts (PDF) - for OSX Mavericks from MacMost

 

IN THE NEWS

And finally, to make you feel even older, Mickey Mouse turned 85 this year! Watch Steamboat Willie (1928) - 7min.

 

Hammondsport Mac Users Group - Hammondsport, NY 14840 - www.hportmug.com