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Aoraki Macintosh User Group Home Page Snippets from Previous Meetings 
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May 26, 2006 Meeting
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The session covered several topics, including some on which members were able to offer helpful advice [Thanks also to Kim for suggestions, since the meeting].
Some questions and suggested solutions included:
EMAIL PASSWORD
Why does my Mail application ask for my password every time I send email?
- If you have a Keychain, then your password should be able to be saved. Check this by opening Keychain Access application (Applications/Utilities/Keychain Access)
QUICKTIME DOWNLOADS
Why can't I download movie files with Quicktime?
- QuickTime Pro may enable you to download and save some movie files, but not movie trailers from the QuickTime site. Go to System Preferences/Quicktime/Browser and check 'Save movies in disk cache', then go to the Quicktime cache (in User/Library/Caches) and drag the file to the desktop.
SECURITY DOWNLOAD
Since downloading Apple's latest MacOS X secuity update, the performance of my Mac has slowed appreciably. What can I do?
- Repair Disk Permissions: go to Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility, click on your disk icon and click Repair Permissions. This should help.
SESSIONS
ONYX
Following a question relating to Mac maintenance and cleanup, Hugh gave members a demonstration of the capabilities of the OnyX freeware application. From the Titanium Software website:
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OnyX is a maintenance, optimization, and personalization utility for Mac OS X. It allows you to run misc tasks of system maintenance, to configure certain hidden parameters of the Finder, Dock, Safari, Dashboard, ExposŽ, Disk Utility... to delete cache, to remove a certain number of files and folders that may become cumbersome, to see the detailed info of your configuration, to preview the different logs and CrashReporter reports, and more. |
IMAGE EDITING and iPHOTO 6
A session on image editing was requested, and Tony used a Adobe PhotoDeluxe to demonstrate some basic principles of enhancing and manipulating images, including colour adjustment, cropping and using layers to create montages or composite images. PhotoDeluxe is a basic version of Photoshop Ð even more basic than Photoshop Elements, but it was used for demonstration purposes at it is very user-friendly when looking at the ways in which images can be edited. ItÕs also been around for some time Ð the version Tony used for demonstrating is a Classic application that is more than ten years old (ancient in software terms Ð but very useful, nonetheless).Some further aspects of image editing were covered using one of the newest pieces of software available Ð MacOS XÕs iLife 06 application iPhoto 6, which incorporates several very useful editing features, such as:
- Full Screen Editing: When you select a photo for editing, it opens using the whole screen, and the editing tools are available in translucent palettes which may be moved around. You can also select further images for editing from the thumbnail bar without leaving the full-screen mode:
- Effects Panel: This gives instant access to nine different effects, which include sepia, vignetting (shaping the outline), edge blur, colour adjustment and surround mattes. These may be applied singly, repeatedly or in combination, giving a variety of instant adjustments:
- Image Comparison: iPhoto 6 enables you to select two or more (up to 9) images and display them side-by side on the screen for comparison purposes Ð very useful when making decision about similar pictures!
APPLE MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
Hugh shared an Apple checklist of Top Ten Tips for keeping your Mac healthy. Here's a summary:
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1. Keep Things up to Date Make it a point to check for Apple software updates once a month to keep your system running optimally. From the Apple menu, choose Software Update (make sure that your computer is connected to the Internet). Software Update will assess the Apple software on your computer and check our servers for new versions. If it finds any, the updates will appear in the Software Update window. Select the checkbox for the software you want and then click the Install button to download and install the software.2. Put Your Toys Away You're not five years old anymore ~ make it a point to clear off the mess strewn about across your desktop and put your files away where you can easily find them. This can help prevent accidental file deletion (you may inadvertently select and trash a wanted file with your undesirables) and help you find things much more efficiently. You can get organized by creating new folders (in the Finder, press Shift-Command-N) and arranging them into a workable hierarchy for your files at hand, or you can move your files into existing folders.3 Name Your Children Untitled folder 8, Word027.doc, DSC_1366.jpg, you've probably got a few (or way more than a few) files and folders that you've felt less than inspired to properly name. Then suddenly you need to pluck that prized picture from your ginormous collection of DSC_0001.jpg to DSC_1400.jpg named files, if you only knew which number it was. Go through your generically-named files and folders and give them more descriptive names so you can find what you need fast.4. Prune Through Your File Forest To reduce the amount of clutter on your hard drive, free up some disk space by archiving large, seldom used files (learn how here), and be sure to name the resulting archive file appropriately too, so you know what's in it. Delete any unnecessary or outdated personal files whenever possible and anything that you no longer want or need - just drag them all into the Trash and don't forget to empty it. Be brave. Your computer will reward you with improved performance.5. Repair Disk Permissions It's a good idea to make sure that your disk permissions are in good working order on a regular basis, especially after upgrading or installing new software. Open Disk Utility (find it in Applications/Utilities) and select your hard disk icon in the left pane. Click the First Aid tab, then click Repair Disk Permissions to start the process, which can take a few minutes to complete. If Disk Utility finds any issues, it'll fix them along the way.6. Back up Your Files To prevent losing your prized or important files, make it a point to back up your keepsakes on a regular basis. You can back up files onto a CD, DVD, external hard drive, iPod, iDisk, or other storage medium and then delete the copies on your hard drive to free up some space. To learn how to back up files, choose Mac Help from the Help menu in the Finder and do a search for back up files. To get some ideas of what and what not to back up, see this page.7. Restart Your Computer Every Once in a While While your Mac can happily hum along 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you should restart it every once in a while to refresh the system if you're in the habit of keeping your computer running all day and night. This can help clear issues before they arise.8. Check for Viruses Macs don't get anywhere near the amount of viruses that Windows PCs are prone to, but that doesn't mean that they can't get infected. If you don't already have antivirus software, you may want to consider making a purchase. If you have the software installed, be sure to keep your virus definitions up to date, you can find the latest updates on your software manufacturer's website.9. Optimize Your Hard Drive To ensure the best system performance and keep file damage to an all- time low, optimize your hard drive once a year. Third-party utilities such as Alsoft Disk Warrior Optimizer and Micromat Tech Tool Pro will defragment and optimize your drive. [also see Onyx, below].10. Clean the Outside, Too Dust and other debris can harm your computer's innards if you allow the stuff to build up around your workspace. Use a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, feather duster, or canned air to clean your Mac's outside as well as the surface areas around it. You can use a slightly water- dampened cloth to clean the screen. Do not use any type of liquid cleaner to clean your Mac. |
Regards to all....
Secretary: Tony Climo, Aoraki MacIntosh Users Group