iMac Newbie - Loads of questions

[BillN]

It has just arrived - so so different from my PC - I had one of the first iMacs but I cannot remember a things

You guys can help

I'll shoot questions at you 1 by 1

I seem to have a mini keyboard - it's wireless

NO DELETE KEY - that I can find

How do I delete images from the folder that I have just loaded them into

No delete function on the folder menu either

 

[Iconindustries]

Hey Bill. Mac doesn't have a right click that you would be used too but if you click on a file or folder while pressing control key on ur keyboard it brings up a window that simulates the right click on a windows.


Just going out to check my dads imac keyboard for you. It should have a delete button. It will be up the top of the keyboard on the righthand side. Just by clicking on the file then pressing delete wont work. You have to press command delete. The command button is right down near the space bar on the bottom of ur keyboard.

Hope this helps a bit.

iconindustries

 

[Iconindustries]

Hey Bill forgot to mention that Macs are fantastic for dragging stuff around. If you want to delete a file you can just click on it and drag it into trash. Easy as.
Also if you wanted to put a image into iphoto that is in a folder or on the desktop all you have to do is click on it and drag it down onto the iphoto icon in ur dashboard and iphoto will import it. Get used to dragging stuff around.


Ps. Have you set up 'spaces' yet?


iconindustries

 

[BillN]

reading up on the imac - I have a keyboard WITHOUT a delete key - nice piece of kit - but I like to hit delete - so I reckon I need to get another

"whinging" Pom" already

next one is no right click spell check

 

[Gusnyc]

Hi Bill! Welcome to a Mac! I am sure after a few days you will really, really enjoy it.

Let me expand on icon's answer. The right click is not activated by default, but you can have it (just like in windows) if you go to "System Preferences", mouse and check on "secondary click". If you got one of the new iMacs and it came with the Magic Mouse, then you will have to press only with one finger on the right side (do not rest your left finger on the left side of the mouse while you do that, in order of the sensor to understand you want to do a right click).

About the delete key, there is on on top of the ] and \ symbols (the second row above the return key. In a Mac, most programs, including the Finder, you need to press "command" and delete at the same time (when you want to delete an item).

If you want "delete to the right" or deleting to the right of the cursor, you have to press "function" and delete at the same time to register as delete to the right.

If you are interested, there is a way to also add a "delete" icon on the icon-bar of the finder window. Let me know if you want to do it and I will explain the process.

I remember when I got my first Mac 8 years ago, I was so frustrated at the beginning. After a month, I knew I couldn't go back to windows.

Don't hesitate to ask if you need more info about how to use your new Mac.

There is a universal spell check. It will work even if you are writing on a text frame inside of a web page (like the one you used to write your post). Misspelled words should have a red underline.


Gus

 

[BBW]

Bill, listen to your pals in here. Have a glass of sherry with your lunch and take your time. You've got some great teachers in here.

 

[Gusnyc]

Good source of info

Bill, if you are coming from a PC, Apple has a great document where you where you can see the "mac equivalent" to any PC action. It is short, but a very interesting read.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2514

Otherwise, the Mac community is always around to help.



Welcome to the Mac again.

Gus

 

[BillN]

Gusnyc and et al - Thanks

I've done the "Secondary Button" thing and now I have a right click - which makes me feel at home

Presumably you mean the "back space key" - "as is" for left delete and fn backspace for right delete (but only of words) and solves my spell check - I'm getting along great!

I need a bit fat DELETE key to get out of all my mistake

This mighty mouse thing - scrolls up OK - but mine doesn't scroll down - the bugger - must look at the pref config for the mouse but food is calling

I'll keep em coming and I'll keep trying

Thanks again

 

[AlanT]

Bill, the only time I have problems with the little scroll ball thing is when it gets clogged with dirt - the solution is to press down on it with some force and roll it up and down really quickly a few times - that should free it up and allow you to scroll as normal.

 

[BillN]

alan the mighty mouse has no scroll button it scrolls on thin air - it just goes one way - up

One question - i've installed a few apps which apple docks, (mounts), on the desk top - when the install is finished and the progs are moved into apps - what do you do with the original install icons/progs - bin them or copy them onto a CD for future use

cheers

 

[AlanT]

Oh right I've just got the ordinary basic mouse so I have no idea how to fix your problem!

Re the original install icons: If it's a program downloaded from the Internet then I normally just delete them or copy to external hard drive or CD if it's something important. You'll want to unmount the install program first by ctrl+left click (or just right click) on the icon and choose Eject "program name". You'll then need to locate the original file which might be in downloads (should be a shortcut to this at bottom right of your dock) and delete/burn to CD/leave it where it is.

 

[BillN]

my iMacs started talking to me

 

[AlanT]

Hehe this happened to me recently, had me confused for ages!
You've probably accidentally enabled VoiceOver (as I did) by pressing command-F5. Just press command-F5 again to disable it.

Check this page for some useful keyboard shortcuts: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1343

 

[Amin Sabet]

Bill, I don't know if you go for computer books, but David Pogue's Missing Manual book is excellent. He also has a book called "Switching to the Mac", which is highly rated. I too was an old Mac user who returned to the Mac with OS X, and I learned a lot from an earlier version of the Missing Manual.

 

[LisaO]

Usually right clicking is disabled by default, you can turn it on in system preferences>mouse and also check out many other setting there.

 

[BillN]

Mighty Mouse Question - I'm getting used to it

What do most of you used the two side "squeeze" things for

Mine are set to Expose - desktop - which I don't particularly find useful

Is there also some way to make the scrolling vertically up and DOWN - I only seem to be able to go up on mine

Amin - thanks for the book suggestions - I will get around to them soon - I have a Que one at the moment - "Easy Mac OS X Leopard" by Kate Binder

The Mac is really good quality - fun and imaginative - but I am so used to the PC that I reckon that I will always have to run them "side by side" (but the Mac seem to network so easy anyway), all the time

I'll keep the questions coming if your all don't mind

Thanks

 

[BBW]

Another vote for The Missing Manual. Bill, since I was born into Apple computers, for me using a PC was (and still can be) very confusing. I bought a book called "Crossing Platforms: a Macintosh/Windows Phrasebook" it's a two way reference put out by O'Reilly and written by Adam Engst and David Pogue. I bought it when I had to run Parallels and learn Windows... I highly recommend it to you as a quick and very helpful reference.

 

[BillN]

OK - your shares in Amazon are safe - I've ordered both
using the site link

On Enrique's lead, it's supposed to help me make a Tortilla this afternoon - I've input the recipe, just now waiting to see what happens

It still talks to me but that must be because of this "super spell check" app that I bought in the Mac monthly offer - as I keep hitting the , key when its a ' on the PC - the @ also annoys me - but I suppose I'll get used to screwing up more on a daily basis

Thanks

 

[BBW]

Wow, please report back on the tortilla! I'm excited by new time saving methods when it comes to almost anything. The real question is does this iMac do pet hair, as in vacuum? We already know it does windows.

 

[Pelao]

Hi Bill

Like others I too find the Missing Manual useful. However, it's a long, heavy and very detailed book. If you are comfortable with computers, then the book I would recommend is Leopard Killer Tips, by Scott Kelby. Each page focuses on a specific thing that will really get you up to speed very fast.

http://www.amazon.com/Mac-OS-Leopard-Killer-Tips/dp/0321501934/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1269098781&sr=8-2-fkmr1

That's a link to the US version - you should be able to pick it up almost anywhere. You will notice also that this book is for Leopard, whereas you probably have OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard. For the purposes of find your way around this book is still fine.

I would also urge you to explore your Mac. A couple of things:
1. Open System preferences. Open each preference in turn and spend some time exploring. You will learn a lot about your Mac.
2. Most mice, including those from Microsoft, work fine with a Mac, including the right-click you are used to.
3. Explore the videos on Apple's site. Very useful
4. remember one of the core differences between the Mac OS and the Windows OS. Apple's philosophy is to focus on the user. The engineers and designers come after that. This means that things are often found where you feel they should be, rather than where they would be convenient for those building the system.

Finally, keep asking questions.