nCity Moving to Mac

Intended for PC users making the switch to a Macintosh, but - of course - Mac users are always welcome, too. Some degree of computer savvy is helpful. Internet and communications experience. Email address and internet access. (Broadband is recommended but not required.)

People buy Macs for a variety of reasons.: Some have always had Macs and were running windows long before Windows. Some arrived by accident, others by design, but lately it seems as though problems with the Windows platform has forced many PC users to reexamine the Mac, creating something of an exodus. What makes the Mac so different? Ever wonder why Mac users are so fond of their machines? Here's an opportunity to find out.
OS 10.3 Panther OS 10.4 Tiger

Former "PC" users:: Making the move to a Macintosh and the MacOS is not as complicated as you might think. You will be surprised at how fast and easy the Mac operates, you'll be pleased by its tasteful and efficient interface, and you're sure to appreciate the Mac's security and stability. It's almost like going from dialup to broadband..... like stepping off a bus and getting into a limo. All the best software, speed and agility of the Mac, without any of the problems associated with Windows - which is why former PC users are often the most vocal Mac advocates.
Those familiar with UNIX (BSD):: You'll be right at home with the MacOS - and you might even come to appreciate the Mac's outstanding graphical user interface. You'll still be able to use your knowledge and experience with the UNIX command line, and you'll find the experience both familiar and friendly. You have a variety of format and OS options combined with Apple's sleek and sophisticated hardware. The best of all worlds. (While no knowledge of UNIX is required to run a Mac, it can be quite useful for tinkering with the Mac's open source OS.)

: This class begins with a brief history of the two computer platforms we know today, Mac and PC. (There have been many books written on the subject, and it is indeed fascinating, but our only concern here is the genesis of, and differences between, these two platforms.)
: Terminology being crucial to any technical discussion, differing technical terms in use will be translated and explained. And, while the vast majority of quality and high-end programs are cross-platform and function more-or-less the same, other apps which may be platform-specific will be discussed and compared, including the Mac-only iLife suite of programs and many others. We will also research replacements for any commercial PC-only apps we might encounter.
: Mac Operating Systems up to and including OS9 were not designed for direct manipulation of code, which was a major complaint among those accustomed to tampering with the inner workings of other systems. Beginning with Mac OSX, this is no longer the case. Having adopted a UNIX (BASH) shell and released open source code to all developers, Apple also supplies an array of programming utilities and interface tools known as Xcode with each Operating System release. We will examine some of these, as well as a few utilities also included with OSX for system maintenance and troubleshooting.
: Another benefit of the new MacOS is industrial strength security and multi-user login accounts. Setting up new Macs creates a single Admin user account by default, which is perfect for single-user machines (and can be all but transparent to Mac users who may be unaccustomed to dealing with accounts). However, a second Admin account can be quite useful for isolating certain problems and is highly recommended even on single-user machines. An Admin account will be setup in class and other account types discussed, including Root and limited-access accounts.


	Reorganized functions and new locations Replaced and missing functions Search options

	Gathering system specifications The (new) Column View and other view options Organization and housekeeping Directories and file locations

	The new Desktop and Finder Dock operation, the Sidebar and the Toolbar Customizing the Finder Finder Prefs and Appearance Expose´ and other shortcuts

	iTunes, iMovie, iPhoto, i-cetera QuickTime Preview, PDFs and PNGs

	Safari, Firefox and Mail Mail filter functions The built-in OSX firewall Address Book and calendar Networks and communications utilities

	AppleScript Xcode, utilities and developer tools "Hidden" features and controls Dashboard and Automator

	Be ready if/when any OSX malware appears Drive and diagnostic utilities Directory repair

	Packages, installers and special file types Compression utilities Creating PDFs

	Font Book Font sets and families, enable/disable Font menus and application-specific use

	Libraries and Plists Interactive applications and automation Relocated file structures and organization

	Multiple users Root, Admin and other users World-class security options UNIX geekspeak

	Under the OSX hood Custom hacks

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