Author Topic: Common Mac OS Questions  (Read 1845 times)

TheQuirk

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Common Mac OS Questions
« on: 14 October 2002, 00:25 »
What are some common Mac questions?

hm_murdock

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #1 on: 14 October 2002, 01:28 »
most common one I hear is "why do they suck so much"

this is always in reference to an experience someone has had with a suckass one that a school put in and never thought again about.

a: they don't. They're a superior computer, you've only had bad experiences with them through poorly maintained examples of typically Apple's most compromised, low-cost models.

Why do Macs crash all the time?

a: Again, a well-maintained one doesn't. Also, the new system software, Mac OS X doesn't require the preening and polishing to be stable... it just is, because it's based on UNIX.

Why don't Macs run Windows?

a: Because Mac OS is better than Windoze, they don't need to.

Why isn't there a Start Button?

a: There doesn't have to be. They didn't put one there when they designed it. It's different, get over it.

Why do you like Macs so much? Why can't you just be like everyone else and use a PC?

a: I use Macs because I value good design, quality, stability... and I hate Microsoft. I do, in fact use PCs. I have an HP notebook running Linux.

Obviously, some of the answers are my own personal responses, but those are typical questions I get. Although, I wasn't able to type the usually acidic and rude tone of voice. Why people that know nothing about a PC seem to hate Apples so much is beyond me.

Oh well, I hate people anyway.   :D
Go the fuck ~

Pantso

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #2 on: 14 October 2002, 01:52 »
Well despite my never having used a Mac before in my life, I quickly found my way around in OS X. My first question (to my self) was "where are the system, keyboard and language settings?" or "how do I use this Finder thing?". It was a bit annoying at first but it only lasted for a few hours    Also keep in mind that I haven't used windows at home for 2 years and that I've been using Linux for 5 years (since '97). So learning my way around in OS X was really a piece of cake  

TheQuirk

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #3 on: 14 October 2002, 01:52 »
quote:
Originally posted by The Jimmy James:

Oh well, I hate people anyway.    :D  



Heh. Me too, on the most part.

I meant techincal questions, for the F.A.Q. Although I'm getting a bit confused too, because Mac OS is so easy to use..

psyjax

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« Reply #4 on: 14 October 2002, 02:10 »
Why are Mac's so expensive?

Can you build your own?

Why are Mac's worth the price?

Are Mac's REALY faster than PC's?

Do Mac's have any software/games?

Isn't Apple going out of buissness?

Don't Mac's only have 5% of the computer market?

Thing's in this vain. The answers are obvious so I won't bother. Cuz I'm lazy like that. Anyone care to do it?

 :D
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TheQuirk

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #5 on: 14 October 2002, 02:16 »
I'll do it, even though I don't own a Mac (but will, eventually.. sigh...)

TheQuirk

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #6 on: 14 October 2002, 02:37 »
Ok, done. Could anyone explain here ho to run X Windows programs in Darwin? I'm totally clueless about that, and I'm sure alot of people would like to know.

View the MAC FAQ here: http://www.belg88.com/faqman/index.php?op=cat&c=4

[ October 13, 2002: Message edited by: TheQuirk ]


psyjax

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« Reply #7 on: 14 October 2002, 03:53 »
Actually, the 5% thing is a myth. ... kinda.

Apple has 11% of the PERSONAL COMPUTER MARKET, and is infact the single most popular computer manufacturere. In the Computer market as a whole Apple has only 5%. Compare that to Dell, Gateway and the others, and you have a pretty impressive company, with some pretty impresive numbers.

Looks good. That's my only correction. Other MacHeads, comeon and add to the FAQ and to the answers!
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MacUser3of5

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #8 on: 14 October 2002, 03:54 »
X Darwin on OS X

I have run Abiword (which is an X window app) using the following :

Xdarwin ( a ~50 meg file, warning! Does the X window thing)

and OroborX (which emulates the Aqua look).

Both can be found on www.versiontracker.com

Both are braindead easy to install, and they worked well. I just downloaded and installed Abiword (a native darwin port, but requires X Window support) and it works well, I trashed it in lieu of OpenOffice (OMG drool)   ;)  

Some others questions I have seen are :
   What printers will work with them (quick answer: 90% of USB printers work out of the box)?
   Will my monitor work? (quick answser: yes)?

I would suggest that you, if you are the FAQ author, avoid anti-MS rhetoric, because that (from the reactions of non-Apple friends/family) it doesn't look as professional or seems angry and unhelpful. Give the benifits of OS X/Apple, for sure, but don't piss on everything else, especially at the cost of clarity and information.

[ October 13, 2002: Message edited by: MacUser3of5 ]

"Let them call me a rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul..." - Thomas Paine

psyjax

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #9 on: 14 October 2002, 04:02 »
To run XWindows on a Mac go to:

XFree86.org and download XDarwin. It is an X Windows server program.

Alternatively you can go to:

http://fink.sourceforge.net/index.php

Fink is a relativly easy to use packadge manager that will download and install XWindows applications and the like under Darwin.

You can even install alternate window managers like KDE and or Gnome, all of which run side by side with the OSX native Aqua.

It takes some reading, so make sure you read all of the Doc's on the respective sites.

Once you have X11 installed you can boot into Darwin directly by typeing >cosole at the login prompt. This way you can run in "pure" UNIX mode and use startx to activate x windows as you would under a Linux/*NIX.

NOTE: The above method is not necissary! It's possible if your into that, but no where near necissary. You can just duble click on the XDarwin icon under OSX and run "rootless" meaning X11 and Aqua all at the same time. Cool huh  :D

Neat stuff.

Anyway, You still didn't fix the 5% discrepancy    

It really is 11% of the market!

Check this article posted previously:

http://www.spymac.com/comments.php?id=215_0_5_0_C

[ October 13, 2002: Message edited by: psyjax ]

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psyjax

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #10 on: 14 October 2002, 04:26 »
ooo.. Quirk, i noticed that the little book icon's next to the question use the same icon's as windows help files.

For shame!

Find something else.  :(
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rtgwbmsr

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #11 on: 14 October 2002, 04:57 »
I made Mac help center icons...check'em out:
White Background:

Blue Background:


They are the same size as the Winbooks...

[ October 13, 2002: Message edited by: The_Muffin_Man/B0b ]


MacUser3of5

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #12 on: 14 October 2002, 05:06 »
And check your spelling...  ;)
"Let them call me a rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul..." - Thomas Paine

TheQuirk

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #13 on: 14 October 2002, 06:02 »
Spelling? Too much of a pain when you write everything without proof reading! I'd be happy if you pointed out the mistakes, seeing as I'm too lazy too.  

TheQuirk

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Common Mac OS Questions
« Reply #14 on: 14 October 2002, 06:06 »
quote:
Originally posted by The_Muffin_Man/B0b:
I made Mac help center icons...check'em out:
White Background:

Blue Background:


They are the same size as the Winbooks...

[ October 13, 2002: Message edited by: The_Muffin_Man/B0b ]




Hey, thanks! That little problem is fixed now.

[ October 13, 2002: Message edited by: TheQuirk ]