Aoraki Macintosh User Group Home Page

Snippets from Previous Meetings

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Several computing queries and suggested solutions included:

COMPARING BRODBAND PLANS

Where can I get information which gives me a comparison of the various Broadband plans which are available?

• These days, sifting through the websites of various Broadband providers can be as confusing as finding out how much it costs to post letters and parcels ! It may help to visit the Timaru Library, which subscribes to ConsumerOnline, and search there.

CROPPED CALENDARS

I've tried printing calendars using iCal, but the edges of the calendar seem to get cropped. How can I prevent this?

• First, ensure that you have selected the correct paper size. In most applications you do this in File/Page Setup, but in iCal go straight to the Print Menu, where you select the paper size from a drop-down menu:
• Then click Continue, which takes you to your printer's main menu (if the full menu options aren't visible, click the blue ‘triangle’ button at the end of the Printer line, and the options will appear:)
• Click the Options drop-down menu (which may appear as Layout)' and select Paper Handling, then click the ‘Scale to fit paper size’ checkbox:

AIR NZ ONLINE BOOKING

I can't make online bookings with Air New Zealand, as their website doesn't like my browser. What can I do?

• If you're using an older version of Safari you need to update it, as earlier versions did not support Air NZ's booking system. Alternatively use Mozilla's Firefox browser..

DIRTY MOUSE

The scroll ball on my Apple Mighty Mouse no longer works properly. How can I clean it?

1. The Apple Support webpage suggests you rub it with a moist lint-free cloth. We're investigating further (more drastic) cleaning measures, and will keep you posted.

WHICH MOUSE?

When I buy another (non-Apple) mouse, how do I know if it will work on my Mac?

1. Only by trying it out — some manufacturers say their mice are Mac-compatible, but this isn't always true. However, if you order online from a firm such as Hamilton-based TotallyMac.com you can be sure of a mouse which works with Mac— they currently list about 28 products. No freight charges, and service is fast (usually overnight). Visit http://www.totallymac.com/nz/

Thank you members who assisted by suggesting possible solutions.

SESSIONS

MAC MAINTENANCE

Hugh and Sheryl discussed several applications and procedures which are useful for helping your Mac to run smoothly. [ The notes below on Onyx, Disk Permissions, System Software Updates and P-RAM are reprinted from earlier AMUG Minutes Α

DISK WARRIOR

This utility application rebuilds the computerŐs directory, which tells it where to find files on its hard drive. From its website:

DiskWarrior uses a different approach to disk directory repair than other programs. It is not a disk repair program in the conventional sense. Instead of patching the original directory, it uses a patent-pending technology to quickly build a new replacement directory using data recovered from the original directory, thereby recovering files, folders and documents that you thought were lost and that no other program could recover.

Disk Warrior costs $US99.95. For further information visit: http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior

ONYX

Onyx is a free maintenance application which quickly and easily performs a number of clean-up functions on your computer. From the Titanium Software website:

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, Exposė, 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.

Further information and download available from http://www.titanium.free.fr/

ICE CLEAN

IceClean is a free system maintenance and optimization tool. Its operation and interface is better suited to the more advanced user.

Visit http://www.macdentro.com/MacDentro/Reviews.html for information and download.

TECHTOOL PRO

TechTool Pro is described as ‘a complete Mac repair shop’, and offers a variety of diagnostic and repair tools. Although it has advances capabilities it can be used by users of all levels as it has a very user-friendly interface, and automatically performs a number of tasks. It costs $US98 — for further information visit:

REPAIRING PERMISSIONS

If your computer is not behaving properly, especially after you have installed new software, it's likely that the disk permissions need to be repaired. This is a basic ‘housekeeping’ task which fixes file or application user permissions which may have been damaged, and it is advisable to do this regularly. To repair:

1. Open the Disk Utility application: it's in Applications/Utilities. A shortcut from Finder to get to the Utilities folder is to type Shift+Apple+U.
2. Click on your Hard Disk icon (not the computer's drive icon):
3. In the First Aid panel, click Repair Disk Permissions:

If it is your system software that needs attention, you can use a System Disk as it will also contain Repair Permissions. Restart the computer with the System Disk inserted and hold the C key while restarting. Choose the language to use, then go through the on-screen menus until you get a choice to Run Disk Utility.

If a System Disk is not available, but another computer is, then system software can be repaired by connecting the two computers together using a double-ended firewire cable and restarting the computer to be repaired in Target Disk Mode by holding down its T key while restarting. The other computer's Disk Utility can then be used to perform the repairs.

RESETTING THE PRAM

Another action you can take if your Mac starts to operate unusually (colours not appearing correctly, icons disappearing, programs not working properly) is to reset the Power Management Unit, which may be causing the problem. Do this by resetting the PRAM:

• Shut down the computer.
• Turn on it and immediately press and hold Command-Option-P-R (all 4 keys simultaneously) until you hear the startup sound.
• Keep holding until the startup sound has played three times.

Resetting the PRAM may change some of your System settings and preferences. Restore them in the System Preferences panes.

UPDATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE

Often operating conflicts can be resolved by making sure that your System Software (OS), which operates your Mac, is the latest version. New versions become available periodically, and often contain Security updates. It's good practice to keep up to date with these. Caution: Some updates may be very large files (as they are virtually a replacement OS file), so if you're not on Broadband contact Sheryl for a download copy:

Thank you Hugh and Sheryl for this useful information.

PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS v.6

Hugh shared some sections of a tutorial video on Adobe Photoshop Elements 6, which is a downgraded version of their professional image editing Photoshop application. Although not having the full range of features of its parent application, Elements enables the user to go well beyond the basics in image selection, enhancement and composition.

The video sectio viewed covered aspects of using icon tags and keywords to organise image collections, cropping of images and increasing the canvas size to extend the image file beyond the borders of the captured picture.

Thank you Hugh for giving us a look at this video and application.

SCREENCASTS ONLINE

Mary introduced members to ScreenCasts Online, which is a website offering free video tutorials to help you ‘get the most out of your Mac’. A new tutorial is published every week, covering such topics as OS X, aspects for those who are switching from Windows and/or are new to Macs, latest applications, etc.

You can view some of the available tutorials just by visiting their website: http://www.screencastsonline.com/sco/index.php but if you subscribe ($US49 for six months' membership) you have an increased level of access:

1. all 140+ tutorials available for instant download
2. Member Only tutorials shows
3. iTunes integrations — new tutorials are automatically downloaded to your iTunes as Podcasts
4. HD (high definition) resolution for all videos

The tutorials can be downloaded for viewing on the Mac, through Apple TV, iPod, iPhone or Miro (an application for watching Internet TV).

OTHER TUTORIALS

Apple provides many introductory and tutorial videos on their website: http://www.apple.com/nz/mac/ These include both system and application tutorials.

The Eduslide website also provides free video lessons on a vide variety of Mac topics. Visit http://www.eduslide.net — click the Learn tab and search for Mac.

Thank you Mary for presenting the details about these services.

NEW HARDWARE

Several members shared information and gave demonstrations of new items of hardware:

iMAC MODELS

Sheryl described the recent change to the iMac range — both 20-inch and 24-inch iMacs are now available with faster processor and increased storage capacity options: the 24“ model can have an optional Drive of up to 1TB (terabyte) — that's 250 times the capacity of the original 4GB Bondi Blue iMac (10 years ago in August — and considerably cheaper! Visit http://www.apple.com/imac/ for details.

VODEM — BROADBAND MODEM

Sheryl gave a demonstration of Patricia's new Vodem — an exciting little device (smaller than a computer mouse) which is bound to become a must-have for many laptop users: it's a modem produced by Vodafone which enables Broadband Internet connection via Vodafone's mobile telephone network — in other words, facility to be wirelessly online anywhere (well almost....within range of a Vodafone cellphone tower, that is).

Such devices have been available before, but either didn't work with Macs or were not reliable — the Vodem is fully Mac-compatible. To buy it on its own costs $99, but you still need a Vodafone Broadband plan to be able to use it — prices vary according to the plan you select — with some more advanced plans the Vodem is included free. For details and prices visit Vodafone's website: http://www.vodafone.co.nz/personal/plans-services/3G-broadband/3G-broadband-devices/vodem/

EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

Barry showed members a Maxtor One Touch 4 Mini 80GB external hard drive which he has recently acquired — it retails for $NZ100, and needs MacOS X (10.4.7 or later) This little drive is simple and highly portable — just connects and gets its power from the computer via USB. Members shared several warnings about such USB devices:

• Beware if connecting to a laptop which is operating on battery power, as the drive will also draw its power from the battery.
• Always eject the device properly (from the Finder) to save a possible mix-up of data - this applies to ANY external drive, including USB pen//lash drives.

Thank you Sheryl, Patricia and Barry for showing us these products.

iPHOTO BOOKS

Tony had available some copies of photo books which he had obtained through iPhoto's online printing service. The examples shared included both hard- and soft-covered books, in large and medium formats. Several points mentioned were:

• You could print the photos more cheaply yourself, but the iPhoto books give you value for money if you include the cost of a good-quality album as well the photos.
• Print quality is very good — medium-gloss rather than high gloss, but still very acceptable.
• Air-freight adds to the cost of the books ($NZ10 for a large hardback book) and calendars, as they are produced in Australia. Other print products such as cards and prints are processed in NZ.

Thank you Tony for sharing these products.