Computer Idiot Needs Help

[floodgate]

After six years with my old hp PC, I've learned some of the basics; at least enought to let me work this site, e-mail, and basic word- and photo-processing. But, I recently decided to go for a Apple iMac G5, with the machinery all built into the 17-inch flat-screen monitor, wireless KB and mouse, and iWorks, to get more working room on the desk, and more hard drive capacity for storage. Unlike the PC's and Windows, for which there all kinds of "Complete Idiots' " guides out there, I don't find anything that will walk me through the learning process on the iMac. Does Apple have all such manuals tied up with copyrights? The three booklets that came with it tell me what it will do, but not much about how to do it. I need step-by-step guidance in "hard copy". Haven't found anything like this in the "Apple Store" or on Google. I'd like to be able to switch over after the first of the year, when I renew with my IP (this time with a dedicated 'phone line). I'm not interested in all the music stuff (too deaf), video, etc., etc.; just enough to keep following this and a couple of other sites and stay in touch with the "gang". Can anyone here help point me to a raw beginner's manual for the iMac G5? TIA

Floodgate

[Scrounger]

Congratulations on your new "Beta" machine. The only thing I know about Apple is that a lot of stuff that is availible for PC (?) isn't available for Macintosh. I'd keep far away from it. You're getting another phone line? Did you consider DSl, about $25 a month and much faster than dial-up. If that's not available, how about wireless? That's what I have, $30 a month and about DSL speed...

[floodgate]

Scrounger:

Thanks; I know there are limits to what the Mac will do, but it will cover my needs, and I'm tired of battling with Windows 98; it keeps changing the rules on me. No DSL here in this rural area, and the local wireless hub wants $80/month, plus the cost of an antenna - maybe two to get over the intervening hill; too much for my limited needs. And I can live with dial-up; a separate line is only $30 hookup plus $10 per month, as my server is a local call, even 35 miles away, due to some local politics - for once in our favor. Thanks anyway.

Please speak up, Apple-niks! I know you're out there.

floodgate

[RayinNH]

Floodgate , congratulations on your IMac. I was at the mall today in the Apple store looking at the G5, very nice machine. I know nothing about Macs but the people that I know that do use them have far fewer problems than this Windows based crap. I just looked at the Barnes & Noble site, many books listed for Macs OS. Not trying to imply anything but IMacs for Dummies may be a good place to start...Ray :-D

[floodgate]

RayinNH:

Thanks for the tip; I'll look it up.

floodgate

[350mag]

Floodgate,
You shouldn't have any trouble with the I-mac at all. They really areeasy to work on after you have learned on a PC. I use both platforms in the school and they both have their place. For e-mail, internet and word processing the Mac is much easier. To be honest I liked OS 9 better than OS X that you have but then again I am still using Win 98 and 2000 on some of my pcs. The trick with Mac is to use the help menu that is built into the OS. It is much nicer than the sorry excuse for help that comes with Windows. The other place for good info is the Apple website. I also recommend that you use Safari as your browser instead of explorer or download Mozilla if you like it. The other thing to remember with Mac is that drag and drop actually works for moving applications and documents. Plus plug and play really works with OS X. I think you will like it and if you have any specific Mac questions just ask me and if I don't know then I am sure the tech guy at school does.
Ken

[floodgate]

350mag:

Thanks for the advice and encouragement! I've got some "pro" help coming from a couple of directions, but will keep your note on file and call you if I get in a bind. Why don't you PM me your e-address.

This is a great bunch of guys!

Doug Elliott / aka "floodgate"

[RayinNH]

floodgate, so how do you like the Mac ? I've had to reformat my hard drive and reload Windows about a month ago. Three days ago I had to reload Windows again. I think some sort of auto update messed things up and took out my sound. Whenever I went to the control panel to try to fix things the computer would seize up. So far things are working fine but it's touch and go when using Microsoft...Ray

[floodgate]

floodgate, so how do you like the Mac ? I've had to reformat my hard drive and reload Windows about a month ago. Three days ago I had to reload Windows again. I think some sort of auto update messed things up and took out my sound. Whenever I went to the control panel to try to fix things the computer would seize up. So far things are working fine but it's touch and go when using Microsoft...Ray

Ray:

Actually, I'm still on-line with the hp PC, but have been playing with the Mac ogff-line. It IS a lot of fun, and VERY colorful, but I'm still learning to navigate around it.

Trouble is, I've got so much archived in e-mails, photos, MS Works documents and databases, etc., etc., on the PC - plus a couple of articles on loading tool and mould history I'm trying to finish up, and have not been able to move them over to the Mac. If I'd waited about three months, I'd have gotten the new Mac G5 OSX with the Intel chip, and the change-over might have been easier. Sigh...

Doug

[RayinNH]

Floodgate, too bad the Intel chip wasn't available at the time of your purchase. Soon Mac will have a program called Boot Camp that will let you use both Mac or Windows operating systems on the same Intel based Mac. You just pick your operating system at boot up time and can switch over just by restarting. Do a Google search on Boot Camp to read about it... Ray

[Underclocked]

http://forums.macosxhints.com/ http://macosx.com/forums/

an dat'z allz ah no! bout dem Macs! :mrgreen:

[floodgate]

Ray:

Yeah, I read about it; but I was just too quick on the trigger. I suppose I could get my new Mac re-built to use the new chip, but I hate the thought of switching back and forth; besides my PC uses Windows 98 SE, and it is now 'way out of date. A friend has found a way to convert my MS "Works" (NOT MS Word!) documents to a universal language just about anyone can read; about 90% of my photos have moved over to the Mac, and we are now working on my e-mail files. Mac wasn't supposed to make the change to Intel until 2007 - and I didn't want to wait that long, but they "jumped the gun" -

funny, isn't it, how our "hobby" permeates the language?

- and did it a year early. What I'd really like to do - for space mostly, as the Mac G5 is takes up so much less desk space - is find and "scrub" an old PC laptop, load it with MS Windows 98 SE, download all my present stuff to that, and just use it off-line to check out my document, e-mail and photo files. It hurts to be so stupid that even the "..for Dummies" books leave me in the dust. A penalty for being born in 1931 and not even thinking about a computer of my own until our daughter gave us this one for Xmas 1999. Now, I'm TOO dependent on it. Oh well, at least out here we don't have TV, and I'm too deaf to use an iPod.

Was that a rant, or was it a "snivel"?

floodgate

[Lee]

Yer on the right track, but I would suggest finding a copy of WIN2000 or WINXP (Home or Pro) instead of WIN98SE. MS has just announced shutting down support of WIN98 and WINME. Those older programs will work, but unfortunately most technology is changing faster than the old machines and software can keep up. Some form of "intelligent design"??? I don't think so. I believe it's called; Feed the MS Monster" Just my HO................................................ .....Lee:)

[StarMetal]

Also if you don't have a legal copy of Win2000 and up and you try to update it Microsoft will either shut you down or come after you. So what those pirated copies.

Joe

[floodgate]

Lee:

I have the original loading disks for Win98SE and MS Works 4.5, and just figgered I could find an older laptop PC real cheap, load those programs, transfer the stuff from my present hp PC and junk it, then just fold up the laptop and put it away; then get it out and use it STRICTLY OFF-LINE only when I want to retrieve and print some "hard copy" from my files. Does that make any sense?

floodgate

[Dale53]

Floodgate;
You definitely need to go with Windows XP on the PC. It is SO much more reliable. With all of the replacement of PC's going on (bigger and better) surely there is a legal copy of XP lying around that someone would sell you for "little or nothing".

I would definitely encourage you to look around for XP.

FWIW

Dale53

[gregg]

floodgate I have been working on putting ( burning) all my stuff on DVD for home
storage. Don't have to worry about a hard drive dieing on you.

[Junior1942]

>What I'd really like to do - for space mostly, as the Mac G5 is takes up so much less desk space - is find and "scrub" an old PC laptop, load it with MS Windows 98 SE, download all my present stuff to that, and just use it off-line to check out my document, e-mail and photo files.

You would have made your life much less complicated if you had simply bought an up-to-date Windows PC to replace your out-of-date Windows PC. What you have done is like replacing a Ford with a Chevy and expecting the Ford hoses and belts you bought as spares to work on the Chevy.

Sell the iMac and buy a modern Windows PC.

[C A Plater]

There is a book called "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual" that should be helpful and Amazon has it for Tiger and Panther versions.. I'm not a Mac guy (Linux/Windows user) but the reviews look promising.

[floodgate]

Gregg:

I've been putting all the critical items onto CD-RW's; I just need a way to either: (1) read stuff originally assembled on Win 98 on the Mac; or (2) have a COMPACT (laptop?) PC off-line backup to read them on and print from, if I can't translate them to the Mac.

Junior:

Maybe, but I've heard so much good about the Mac, that I went for it and now I've got it, so I'll learn to make it work.

C A Plater:

I've got that manual; also their "Switching to the MAC", and I'm s - l - o - w - l - y working my way through them.

Thanks to all for the helpful advice; I think it's time to close out this "off-topic" thread.

floodgate

[scrapcan]

Floodgate,

Thanks for excercising your right to have a voice and to choose, despite the willingness of others to just be sheep.

I talked to a friend of mine (IT Manger for Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Wyoming) who is MAC friendly. He relayed the following info related to help with microsoft works files on MAC. Not sure if any will help, but all info helps to answer questions.
Here are his comments to my inquery:

MaclinkPlus Deluxe is a Mac program that says it will do what you want. It is not free, of course: http://www.dataviz.com/products/maclinkplus/mlp_evol.html


Another program called "activePDF" will convert a bunch of formats to pdf. It has a free trial that may be sufficient for your friend's use: http://www.activepdf.com/products/serverproducts/docconverter/file-type_list.cfm


As far as Office pkgs on the Mac go, Ms Office 2004 is probably the best, although Apple is developing similar apps and packaging them under the name iWork: http://www.apple.com/iwork/


AppleWorks is supposed to be pretty ok too: http://www.apple.com/appleworks/ Works might even be able to do the conversions as it appears to come with MacLinkPlus, but doesn't specifically say if it will convert MS Works.


I find Apple's little TextEdit program to be a fairly robust word processor and it comes with OS X.

Maybe some of that will help.

Jeremy

[floodgate]

Jeremy:

Thanks! And thank your friend for me. I'll look them up and give them a try.

floodgate