March 31 2006
MACGUIDE MAGAZINE
Barry offered members a number of back-issues of NZ MacGuide Magazine. Also available were the current issue and back issues of AppleByte, the magazine of the Christchurch-based AUCG (Apple Users Group of Canterbury), which is sent to us monthly.
AVAILABLE SOFTWARE
Sheryl shared information on a variety of software, including "I Can Animate", which enables animations to be captured and processed from a series of images, and also a number of titles relating to the iLife suite of applications.
SESSIONS
MacBASICS - FOLDERS & HARD DRIVE ORGANISATION
Sheryl gave an explanation which included a number of basic aspects relating to file-handling, labelling, storage and access. Some of the points covered included:
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Files in Mac Finder windows can be viewed in three formats: as icons, as lists, or in column view, depending on the user's preference. Use the View menu to select the format. At the bottom of the View menu, Show View Options displays choices of icon size, text size, label position and icon arrangement.
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Usually the default location for saving new files on Macs is in the user's Documents Folder, although some applications have their own defaults, eg. Garage Band saves in its own folder within the Music Folder, and iMovie similarly in the Movies Folder. Existing files usually save back to the location from which they were opened.
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The location in which a file is to be saved can be changed from the default location (or where it was opened from) by using the Save As menu:
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This gives the option of changing the filename (as highlighted above), or the location for saving. Clicking on the Where field displays a menu of some available folders on the computer's and user's hard disk (including locations of recent saves). Clicking on the large blue button to the right of the Save As field brings up a Finder window which enables the desired location to be chosen.
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For easy access, folder icons can be placed in the Dock: just drag the folder's icon onto the Dock, placing it somewhere to the right of the the vertical dividing line, which separates application icons from folder icons:
- It is hard to differentiate between default blue icons if more than one appears in the Dock, although their names appear above them when the cursor is pointed to them. Get around this by giving folders their own customised icon:
- Get the desired icon: this can be any graphic or photo (use a thumbnail or small version, not a full-sized copy), select it all (Apple+A) and copy it to the clipboard (Apple+C).
- Open the folder's Information Window by clicking once on its icon, then either pressing Apple+I, or going to the File/Get Info menu, eg:
- Click once on the blue folder icon to select it, then press Apple+V to paste your chosen graphic, which will then replace the blue folder icon.
If you download icons from the Web (from sites such as
http://www.iconfactory.com, they usually come already attached to an empty folder. Either just use this folder instead of creating a new one, or copy the icon (by going to the folder's Info Window (as above) and paste it onto your folder.
NOTE: You must change a folder's icon before you add it to the Dock Š icons in the Dock are only aliases, and changing the original folder's icon after an alias is made will not affect the alias's appearance.
MacBASICS - CHARACTER PALETTE
Following a recent enquiry from a member, Tony explained how non-standard characters can be typed:
Holding down the Option key while you type makes a variety of characters/symbols available, eg @ © £ ÷ ® ™, and holding down Shift+Option gives more, including º (for degrees).
Some of the available characters vary with the font. You can see all the available characters by turning on the Keyboard Viewer: because many of the special characters (such as accent marks) are associated with different languages, the Keyboard Viewer is found in System Preferences/International (not in Keyboard/Mouse, as you might expect).
Go to: System Preferences/International/Input Menu, and click ON by Keyboard Viewer:
At the bottom of the window, click in front of Show Input Menu:
This will made the International Menu (small flag) show in your menu bar at the top of the screen, and when you click on it youÕll see the drop-down Input Menu, eg:
When you click on Show Keyboard Viewer, the keyboard window appears, and by pressing keys and key combinations on your actual keyboard, you can see the characters which are available on in font. Not all fonts have the same variety of characters built into them.
NOTE: Although you may choose to set your International menu to "New Zealand", be aware that some software (eg FileMaker) responds only to several prescribed formats (eg USA, UK, Australian), so Australia may be the preferred option (like it or not!).
MONOLINGUAL
Barry Bluett told members about Monolingual, a freeware utility application which its website describes as: "A program for removing unnecessary language resources from Mac OS X and can also remove unwanted architectures from universal binaries."
Your Mac's operating system (MacOS X) is designed to work world-wide, and consequently contains a very large number of files in a range of languages. As most of us use only English, the other-language files are no needed, and only take up hard disk space. Monolingual deletes these files Š contained not only in the System, but also in many of the applications, which themselves are often multilingual.
MacOS X also contains a variety of 'architectures' which enable it to work on different Mac models. Again, as only the files applicable to your particular model of Mac are needed, the others are taking up unnecessary room. Monolingual performs a similar purge on these files.
Download Monolingual via either the Apple website:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/system_disk_utilities/monolingual.html
or from its developers:
http://monolingual.sourceforge.net/
SKYPE - "PHONE" CALLS via INTERNET
Fay described the use she makes of Skype, which enables computer users to make calls to other users via the Internet, for no cost other than that of being online. This means considerable savings when making international calls.
Other services (for which charges apply) include:
- SkypeOut to call from Skype to ordinary landlines phones or mobiles,
- SkypeIn, which provides you with a phone number your friends can call. You answer in Skype.
- Skype Voicemail takes your calls when you're busy or offline.
Some features from the Skpye website, http://www.skype.com :
- Call forwarding: Have your Skype calls follow you where you are.
- Conference calling: Talk to 4 people at the same time.
- Fast call set-up: Simply drag and drop contacts to add them to chats and calls.
- Self-expression: Broadcast your mood along with your online status.
- Auto-pause iTunes when you get a call.
Also available are Skype phones, which connect to the computer via a USB port:
An alternative to these are standard combination headphone/microphone headsets, which are also recommended for audio chat sessions, as the computer's inbuilt microphone can sometimes cause feedback echo.
iCHAT MESSAGING
The MacOS X application iChat enables three types of communication:
- Instant text messaging, where messages are types and instantly visible to other members of the chat (all MacOS X versions),
- Audio conferencing, in which up to 10 people can participate in a 'voice chat' (Mac OS 10.3 Panther and 10.4 Tiger only),
- Video conferencing (iChat AV: MacOS 10.4 Tiger only).
This month the AMUG committee made use of iChat Instant Messaging to hold their agenda-arranging meeting, using the Jabber Instant Messager client:
From Apple's iChat webpage:
Icons and thought bubbles make it fun to see who's saying what, and you can transmit any kind of file - from a web address to a photo Ń by simply dragging it into your chat. Pictures display right in the message window, web links open with a click. In short, iChat is still the best way to IM.
Part of the committee chat also used iChat's Audio Conference (when they finally worked out how to get microphones turned on and adjusted properly!). From the website:
iChat for Tiger allows you to participate in audio conferences with up to 10 participants. High-quality audio compression techniques ensure crystal-clear conversations while full-duplex sound lets everyone speak naturally. Watch as well as listen using particpants' personal sound-level meters. They're a handy visual cue to let you know who's speaking, so people don't have to announce themselves.
Unlike dedicated telephone systems, iChat eliminates the need for complex dialing instructions and automated attendants. Creating or joining a multi-person audio conference is as simple as clicking a button in your iChat buddy list. You may never crowd around a speakerphone again.
BROADBAND OPTIONS
Jenny and Sheryl outlined and compared some of the possibilities which are currently available for Broadband Internet connection. Most ISP (Internet Service Providers) offer high-speed broadband connections, with a range of plans available. To make comparisons between plans for suitability and value-for-money, several factors need to be considered, including:
- Download Speed: the rate at which information can be loaded from the Net (in Kb per second),
- Upload Speed: the rate at which information can be loaded onto the Net (in Kb per second),
- Maximum allowance of Data Transfer: how much the plan allows you to download per month:
- Speeds and costs if the maximum allowance is exceeded.
These vary considerably between plans, for example Xtra and Orcon both offer $29.95 basic plans (below), but Orcon's plan allows twenty times more data allowance than Xtra's (2GB against 200MB), a significant difference:
Some plans have exhorbitant charges (which are not always advertised) and reduced download speeds if the maximum data allowance is exceeded.
When deciding on a suitable plan, consideration needs to be given not only to the monthly charge, but also to what speeds and allowances are included.
Not everyone is able to obtain a Broadband connection through their phone line, as both the distance from the telephone exchange and the equipment in the exchange itself preclude use of Broadband. Discussion was held on alternatives, including Wireless and Satellite broadband availability and options, both of which are very expensive in setup costs and monthly fees. Visit http://www.iconz.co.nz/ for further information.
ONLINE MAPPING
For those members who didnÕt mind a late night, in the final session of the meeting Rodger shared some sites worth visiting for online maps. Maps varied in scope, features and available magnification. Some, including ECANÕs site, offer aerial photographs in conjunction with the maps.
Some of the sites were:
http://www.wises.co.nz
http://www.multimap.com
http://www.maporama.com
http://www.zoomin.co.nz
http://www.ecan.govt.nz/EcanGIS
http://www.linz.govt.nz
REMINDERS
Next AMUG Evening meeting will be on Friday April 28, 2006 7.30pm.
Next AMUG Daytime Meeting Monday April 24 - convenor Neil (03 684 7325) prior to the meeting.
Regards to all....
Secretary: Tony Climo, Aoraki MacIntosh Users Group
