Andy's Un-Official Unsolicited Mac Advice Thread

DavidTO

Now that Andy's moved up to Apple, I thought that all of the non-digital darkroom advice we mac-heads are gonna give him could go here. You know, tips, hints and cool mac tricks.

I'll start off with my favorite (that's favourite, Gubbs) utility: LaunchBar. You can easily access any file, application, URL, address, phone number, iTunes song etc. with a simple abbreviation. This app learns as you go, adapting to your behavior (behaviour). Brilliant.

Also, can't forget Exposé. F9, F10 and F11. Open a bunch of windows in different apps, and hit F9 to make them all cascade, put your mouse over the one you want, click (or hit F9 again), and voila! you've navigated to where you want to go.

F10 will cascade all the windows for the current app. So you can easily find that image you're working on in PS that's hidden, and F11 will clear everything away so you can access your desktop.

Want another neat trick? Do any of the above with the shift key modifier. Very cool!

pathfinder

DavidTO wrote:

Now that Andy's moved up to Apple, I thought that all of the non-digital darkroom advice we mac-heads are gonna give him could go here. You know, tips, hints and cool mac tricks.

I'll start off with my favorite (that's favourite, Gubbs) utility: LaunchBar. You can easily access any file, application, URL, address, phone number, iTunes song etc. with a simple abbreviation. This app learns as you go, adapting to your behavior (behaviour). Brilliant.

Also, can't forget Exposé. F9, F10 and F11. Open a bunch of windows in different apps, and hit F9 to make them all cascade, put your mouse over the one you want, click (or hit F9 again), and voila! you've navigated to where you want to go.

F10 will cascade all the windows for the current app. So you can easily find that image you're working on in PS that's hidden, and F11 will clear everything away so you can access your desktop.

Want another neat trick? Do any of the above with the shift key modifier. Very cool!

And tomorrow we can purchase the new iWorks from Apple. What a cool word processor and publisher. And the new version of iLife as well. And I am still excited about the impending debut of Tiger as well.

gus

I see.......you blokes are dual addicted... glass AND computers. I used a mac once & liked it.


Sort of like a dirty admission 'eh ?

wxwax

DavidTO wrote:

Now that Andy's moved up to Apple, I thought that all of the non-digital darkroom advice we mac-heads are gonna give him could go here.

Ahem.

"Over."

Andy

wxwax wrote:

Ahem.

"Over."

:lol sid... you really like to the pot

i ran that speed test again and my results were 19 seconds. down from i think 119 on my 2yr old sony single processer 2.4ghz with 1.5gb of ram

Andy

internet browsers
so, what internet browser should i use?

on my pc, i've been using avant browser, it's very much like firefox i guess, no popups, tabbed browsing etc. i really like it.

so, what broswer do you use, and why? please provide download link, too if you can

thanks in advance.

ps: why on earth is internet explorer included with my mac???

pathfinder

andy wrote:

so, what internet browser should i use?

on my pc, i've been using avant browser, it's very much like firefox i guess, no popups, tabbed browsing etc. i really like it.

so, what broswer do you use, and why? please provide download link, too if you can

thanks in advance.

ps: why on earth is internet explorer included with my mac???

Without Firefox, I think you need I.E. to import your bookmarks so you can transfer them to Safari if you want.

I got about 19 or 20 seconds for that radial blur filter too - Cool isn't it?

I use Safari and Firefox. I have kept Safari as new and only use it for financial work.
I use Firefox for everything else and imported my bookmarks from the windows world by exporting my bookmarks and cookies to a CD-R on my windows box and imported them into Firefox on the mac.
Firefox can be found at mozilla.org
I use Apple's mail program - works fine. I had used Eudora in Windows for years - pretty similar.

Other than Photoshop CS, the only software I have purchased for the mac was SuperDuper as a back up program for about $20. And disk Warrior for $99. And Keynote - a kick ass PowerPoint replacement. And Macaroni - it was about $10.

I do plan to order iWorks which was released today $79 - and will not use Msft Office at all on the MAC. My wife uses Office on her MAC and likes it a great deal. I will use iWorks and Keynote.

The only program I still use on my Gateway machine is Msft Streets and Trips which I find useful for trip planning - especially when on 2 wheels, as I almost never go the Interstates, but stick tightly to the blue highways and meander along.

Text editing is done a little differently in the MAC world, but it has been a very easy and pleasant experience.

I can't imagine going back to the experience of the Windows world - not because it din't function, but because of the insecurity of the OS and the continual need for updating and the real pain in the rear when it comes to reinstalling after a system failure. And they all fail sooner or later,even a MAC. Hours of work to rebuild - whereas if my main drive fails in my MAC ( and all hard drives are fungible) I will just hit boot from my external drive and copy eveything back to my main drive without any phone calls or authorization numbers etc. In 10 minutes I can be up and running again!

DavidTO

andy wrote:

so, what internet browser should i use?

on my pc, i've been using avant browser, it's very much like firefox i guess, no popups, tabbed browsing etc. i really like it.

so, what broswer do you use, and why? please provide download link, too if you can

thanks in advance.

ps: why on earth is internet explorer included with my mac???

Used to be that IE was all you got on the Mac. For some reason when they introduced Safari, they just left it there. Not sure why. Could be compatibility with the occasional banking site, or what-not.

Personally, I don't see why you should look any farther than Safari. It's a great browswer, IMHO. I installed Firefox to test it and had nothing but problems with it. It was very buggy. Could be that it improved since then (about 3-4 months ago), but Safari's fine. Tabbed browser, no pop-ups and it's INTEGRATED WITH KEYCHAIN ACCESS.

Andy

Humungus wrote:

I see.......you blokes are dual addicted... glass AND computers. I used a mac once & liked it.


Sort of like a dirty admission 'eh ?

yup, i am now!

love this new 'puter gus.

DavidTO

pathfinder wrote:

And tomorrow we can purchase the new iWorks from Apple. What a cool word processor and publisher. And the new version of iLife as well. And I am still excited about the impending debut of Tiger as well.

I got iWork yesterday. Pages is amazing.

JohnR

I can't wait to get Pages

My favorite apps for my G5 are:
Safari
G5 optimized firefox

ImageWell

Transmit for when I have to FTP

For weather, I like Weatherpop Advance (there is a free one too)

and of course upgrade Quicktime to Pro, Get WMP for OSX for those rare times you might need it (or get VLC if you don't want WMP.

http://www.macupdate.com is a good site to find updates.

DavidTO

Another thought, Andy:

The display defaults for OSX are going to be different than what you're used to in Windoze. The gamma defaults to 1.8 as opposed to 2.2. I would suggest running the monitor calibration in System Prefs>Displays>Color>Calibrate. You have to spend a lot of time squinting your eyes, but it works pretty well. At least it'll be fine until you use hardware to calibrate. Anyway, when you're calibrating, set the gamma to 2.2.

DavidTO

Andy, here's some unsolicited advice for you:

Build your own office. The pics in that link are from construction. I still need to take some of it completed. Problem is, it needs to be completed first. All that's missing is some trim pieces, threshold, etc. Anyway, I got this cabin kit from Summerwood.

And here's a shot of my set-up inside. I use it mostly for editing video.

Andy

DavidTO wrote:

Andy, here's some unsolicited advice for you:

Build your own office. The pics in that link are from construction. I still need to take some of it completed. Problem is, it needs to be completed first. All that's missing is some trim pieces, threshold, etc. Anyway, I got this cabin kit from Summerwood.

And here's a shot of my set-up inside. I use it mostly for editing video.

nice spread, david though i like it just fine where i am. we live an an old converted barn on 6acs... and my studio is in the large family room, it's a huge space, lots of room for me, wife, kids. and the 30" display, when i'm not using it, it displays my pics ...

Ann McRae

Okay, David, this is way toooooo much!
We have just moved to an acreage, and my hubby wants to build just such a thing for the far back corner! I thought he was, well, you know, unusual...... but it looks like not!

I am saving the summerwood link for him - even has a cdn pg!

ann

DavidTO

Ann McRae wrote:

I am saving the summerwood link for him - even has a cdn pg!

ann

Of course they do. They're canadian!

The amazing thing was that shipping for my 8x12 ft Cabin Kit (a couple of thousand pounds) out here to California was only $400. Oh, wait. They had a special--the shipping was free. No idea how they do that!

Andy

omg the stuff that os x does is so uber-cool. i'm beside myself with visual and other glee hehheheh

DavidTO

andy wrote:

omg the stuff that os x does is so uber-cool. i'm beside myself with visual and other glee hehheheh

I think Andy's had too much of the Koolaid...

Andy

DavidTO wrote:

I think Andy's had too much of the Koolaid...

well, you keep filling my glass

Dee

You're a treasure chest

JohnR wrote:

I can't wait to get Pages

My favorite apps for my G5 are:
Safari
G5 optimized firefox

ImageWell

Transmit for when I have to FTP

For weather, I like Weatherpop Advance (there is a free one too)

and of course upgrade Quicktime to Pro, Get WMP for OSX for those rare times you might need it (or get VLC if you don't want WMP.

http://www.macupdate.com is a good site to find updates.

of good Mac stuff. I haven't even heard of Imagewell or VLC! Geesh, where have I been? - Thanks!

JohnR

ImageWell was written by a friend of mine. He's also making some other software on that site.
http://www.xtralean.com

DavidTO

OK, here's some more unsolicited advice for Andy:

Want to make a screen grab? cmd-shift-3.

But whoah, unless Andy wants to gloat about his big 30" display, he probably doesn't want to do the entire screen.

cmd-shift-4 brings up a cross-hairs that you can drag around whatever you want to capture.

Now, if you hit cmd-shift-4 and after you get the crosshairs, you hit the space bar, you'll get a camera icon. This camera will grab any individual window that is open.

Andy

DavidTO wrote:

OK, here's some more unsolicited advice for Andy:

Want to make a screen grab? cmd-shift-3.

But whoah, unless Andy wants to gloat about his big 30" display, he probably doesn't want to do the entire screen.

cmd-shift-4 brings up a cross-hairs that you can drag around whatever you want to capture.

Now, if you hit cmd-shift-4 and after you get the crosshairs, you hit the space bar, you'll get a camera icon. This camera will grab any individual window that is open.

well, cool! in the pc world, i had snagit, but they went to a pay model, so that's very cool info to know, david!

DavidTO

andy wrote:

well, cool! in the pc world, i had snagit, but they went to a pay model, so that's very cool info to know, david!

Snapz Pro X may have been bundled with your G5, which gives you more power with screen grabs. I never use it, since all I ever want to do I just listed above.

patch29

andy wrote:

well, cool! in the pc world, i had snagit, but they went to a pay model, so that's very cool info to know, david!

or you can find the program "Grab" that came with the OS (in your utilities folder, there are some other handy programs in there too) and it will give you options of full screen, timed, selection, etc.

I wish it would capture a full window (the part off the screen that needs scrolling) that is my only complaint.

I will take a look at Snapz Pro X, maybe it can do it.

pathfinder

andy wrote:

well, cool! in the pc world, i had snagit, but they went to a pay model, so that's very cool info to know, david!

In the Utilites folder in the Applications folder are two little programs - Grabber and Color something or other ( I am at work on a Windoz box right now). Grabber may be what you invoke with commnad shift 3, it lets you grab a screen shot or grab a window and save it as a gif. The color program gives you an eye-dropper that lets you read the actaul RGB data from any pixel on your screen. Kind of handy for evaluating images - even ones seen here on dgrin.

I looked up the program after I got home this evening - It is Digital Colormeter - and like I said, it will read the RGB data for each pixel on your monitor - allowing you to check for color balance of images you see on the web, or to adjust the color or several different images. Quite useful - like for checking the color of snow for Rutt.

DavidTO

pathfinder wrote:

In the Utilites folder in the Applications folder are two little programs - Grabber and Color something or other ( I am at work on a Windoz box right now). Grabber may be what you invoke with commnad shift 3, it lets you grab a screen shot or grab a window and save it as a gif. The color program gives you an eye-dropper that lets you read the actaul RGB data from any pixel on your screen. Kind of handy for evaluating images - even ones seen here on dgrin.

cmd-shift-3 or 4 must not be grab, as they save PDF files.

Grab, grabber may be what they're bundling now, but when I got my Pbook, it came with Snapz Pro X.

Dee

I'm learning a lot, don't know about Andy...

patch29 wrote:

or you can find the program "Grab" that came with the OS (in your utilities folder, there are some other handy programs in there too) and it will give you options of full screen, timed, selection, etc.

GRAB -- will do drop down menus, coolness -- saves as .tiff.....

I just got "The Little Mac Book, Panther Edition" by Robin Williams out of the library, because when I switched to OSX there was a lot I didn't understand.

Like Grab.... didn't know about that, as I usually use command shift 4 and select the area I want to capture. PDF format doesn't bother me, can always make it a "save for web" or jpg out of photoshop.

I'm hoping the book will fill in the mising gaps of information -- just checked the index, I don't see Grab mentioned... Hmmm

So keep these tips coming, I'm learning a lot... and i thought I was a pretty advanced user... maybe I should say I was a good OS9 user?

DavidTO

Well, Andy just about messed his drawers when he followed the Exposé tips mentioned here.

So I thought I'd give a preview to those who are not yet aware of what's around the bend in Tiger. Exposé will reach new heights when Dashboard is introduced.

Check it out here. As Andy says, übercool.

pathfinder

DavidTO wrote:

Well, Andy just about messed his drawers when he followed the Exposé tips mentioned here.

So I thought I'd give a preview to those who are not yet aware of what's around the bend in Tiger. Exposé will reach new heights when Dashboard is introduced.

Check it out here. As Andy says, übercool.

When I watched Steve Jobs demonstrate Dashboard at MacWorld in his talk about Tiger, I screamed "I WANT THAT!! I'VE WANTED THAT FOR YEARS!!"

Now a personal computer that really does mullti tasking right. Dashboard looks to be a kickass product!

Andy

i have no snapz thingie and how d'you make grab work?