Please help a Mac noob with some basic questions

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PostmanPot

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Hi all

Jumped aboard, rMBP 13"...

Enjoying it, but I would really appreciate some help getting started. I hope you don't mind if I post some basic questions?

1. I'm having problems in Firefox where suddenly two finger scrolling stops working. I have tried permanently enabling scrolling bars. I have to close Firefox and relaunch. Any fix for this?

2. What image viewing program can I use that's similar to Windows' Picture Viewer? I want to simply be able to open one photo, scroll through all the others in the folder, and be able to do basics like rotate.

3. Is there a way to arrange icons/folders similarly to Windows by type (which also does it alphabetically)?

4. How do I create shortcuts on the Desktop?

5. Is there a sound equaliser?

Any other links/tips would be appreciated, for someone used to Windows trying to learn OS X.

Thanks in advance! :o
 
Okay,1) I was a Firefox fan whilst on Windows, and started Mac with it, now only Safari..try and get used to Apple's stock apps as far as possible/ reasonable, they play together best, and if issues Apple does fix them.
2)Photos: iPhoto is fine for most basic stuff crop rotate straighten etc., and mail gives you the easy option to resize. Look at Attachment Tamer for mail, currently in beta for Mavericks.
3)Sorry??
4) I haven't needed to, I use spotlight...top RHS magnify glass click on it...
Boom is a good app if using the internal speakers...app store, but there is a separate add-on to download from the developers site.
Good luck, won't take long to get used to things...Google is a great helper!
Apps: Letter opener Lite....for winmail.dat viewer; Windows for Mac 2011: 1 Password, although perhaps less vital now with Mavericks
Onyx; The Unarchiver; VLC
 
D tj said:
Okay,1) I was a Firefox fan whilst on Windows, and started Mac with it, now only Safari..try and get used to Apple's stock apps as far as possible/ reasonable, they play together best, and if issues Apple does fix them.
2)Photos: iPhoto is fine for most basic stuff crop rotate straighten etc., and mail gives you the easy option to resize. Look at Attachment Tamer for mail, currently in beta for Mavericks.
3)Sorry??
4) I haven't needed to, I use spotlight...top RHS magnify glass click on it...
Boom is a good app if using the internal speakers...app store, but there is a separate add-on to download from the developers site.
Good luck, won't take long to get used to things...Google is a great helper!
Apps: Letter opener Lite....for winmail.dat viewer; Windows for Mac 2011: 1 Password, although perhaps less vital now with Mavericks
Onyx; The Unarchiver; VLC
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Re #1, I might try Chrome.

Re #2, I'll try iPhoto, but I suspect I'm looking for something more basic.

7eaf462a-86dd-42d2-a789-7413f5472dae_63.jpg


Re #3, sorry I didn't explain well. In Windows if you arrange by Name it arranges things with folders at the top in alphabetical, followed by the various files in alphabetical order. Managed to get it similar in OS X by clicking the Kind column until the folders are near the top.
 
6. Any tips for adding a dial up ADSL account (PPPOE)? Not having any luck. I've added a PPPOE interface and filled out the ISP username and password, but it won't connect.
 
I also jumped aboard recently. I must say I am extremely happy.

Coming from Linux it's awesome having such an awesome system with an OS that is similar in many ways (an that isn't Windows).

Regarding your question #3, yes you can sort the files alphabetically but you cannot get folders to stay at the top. Simply right click and select Arrange By. The Finder is one area of Mac OS that I really don't care for too much. It lacks so many things that even Linux excels at. There are alternatives though, you can use something like TotalFinder which brings a lot of features to the table (that should have been there from the start).

i can't say that I've had any issues with Firefox, mine works fine and never experienced the issue you describe. Maybe research it some more, it may have nothing to do with Firefox.
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
i can't say that I've had any issues with Firefox, mine works fine and never experienced the issue you describe. Maybe research it some more, it may have nothing to do with Firefox.
Click to expand...

It's doing it in Chrome now too. :mad:

Could Adblock Plus be causing it?
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
I also jumped aboard recently. I must say I am extremely happy.

Coming from Linux it's awesome having such an awesome system with an OS that is similar in many ways (an that isn't Windows).
Click to expand...

Made the same move myself though my workstation is still Linux, Ubuntu and OSX are coming close to being interchangeable in terms of interface.
 
2) Photos / pictures

use preview

In Preview > preferences > general
select "open groups of files in same window"

Then in any folder with pics / photos you want to look at : "select all", then double click to open.
A preview window will open, with the 1st pic in the main area & the other running down the frame on the side.

You can crop, rotate, adjust color / contrast bla bla bla, add text etc using preview
 
grantza said:
2) Photos / pictures

use preview

In Preview > preferences > general
select "open groups of files in same window"

Then in any folder with pics / photos you want to look at : "select all", then double click to open.
A preview window will open, with the 1st pic in the main area & the other running down the frame on the side.

You can crop, rotate, adjust color / contrast bla bla bla, add text etc using preview
Click to expand...

Thanks, it was set to that by default though and I'm really trying to work around having to select all pics before opening in order to scroll through them.

In Windows I can open one pic, press/click left/right and it goes to the previous/next pic. No need to select all.
 
4) creating shortcuts on desktop.

Right click the item for which you want to create a shortcut (make alias).
Then within a finder window, drag & drop the alias onto the "Desktop" icon in the sidebar.
 
grantza said:
Bwana will be best for the photo thing - being a photographer (very clued up with the finer aspects of mac)
Click to expand...

True.

I've found a half solution, click photo file, press space bar to open in Quick View, and up and down arrows to cycle through.

No basic options like to rotate pic, though.
 
PostmanPot said:
2. What image viewing program can I use that's similar to Windows' Picture Viewer? I want to simply be able to open one photo, scroll through all the others in the folder, and be able to do basics like rotate.
Click to expand...

Press Space to preview any file.

Apple + A then Apple + O should open all selected images in Preview as well.

3. Is there a way to arrange icons/folders similarly to Windows by type (which also does it alphabetically)?
Click to expand...

Yes there is a button in Finder (the blue face icon like Explorer) that let's you choose various options.

4. How do I create shortcuts on the Desktop?
Click to expand...

Stop thinking like a Windows user. Use the Dock for shortcuts. Or use Spotlight (Apple + Space) and search for anything you need.

5. Is there a sound equaliser?
Click to expand...

Yes under the Window menu in iTunes.

Any other links/tips would be appreciated, for someone used to Windows trying to learn OS X.

Thanks in advance! :o
Click to expand...

There is pretty much nothing support.apple.com can't help you with. It's the beauty of owning an Apple product.
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
Regarding your question #3, yes you can sort the files alphabetically but you cannot get folders to stay at the top. Simply right click and select Arrange By. The Finder is one area of Mac OS that I really don't care for too much. It lacks so many things that even Linux excels at. There are alternatives though, you can use something like TotalFinder which brings a lot of features to the table (that should have been there from the start).
.
Click to expand...

Pray tell what it lacks? Pretty sure it's just a logic change that's required.
 
PostmanPot said:
6. Any tips for adding a dial up ADSL account (PPPOE)? Not having any luck. I've added a PPPOE interface and filled out the ISP username and password, but it won't connect.
Click to expand...

Should just work.

Presumably your router is setup for bridge mode and this does work on your network?
 
SauRoNZA said:
Press Space to preview any file.

Apple + A then Apple + O should open all selected images in Preview as well.



Yes there is a button in Finder (the blue face icon like Explorer) that let's you choose various options.



Stop thinking like a Windows user. Use the Dock for shortcuts. Or use Spotlight (Apple + Space) and search for anything you need.



Yes under the Window menu in iTunes.



There is pretty much nothing support.apple.com can't help you with. It's the beauty of owning an Apple product.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

grantza said:
it's there

go to preview > view > customize toolbar:

View attachment 81783
Click to expand...

Thanks, but then the problem is having to select all the pics to scroll through them all. :p

Found a great solution - JustLooking 3.3.3 which I'm now using as default. http://justlooking.soft32.com/

SauRoNZA said:
Should just work.

Presumably your router is setup for bridge mode and this does work on your network?
Click to expand...

That's it, will try again. I'm simply entering the details with a service name, not modifying any advanced settings. Advanced settings are set to use PPP to get the necessary details.
 
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