some questions from a brand new mac user!

nicholas greconicholas greco
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Hi everyone,



I've been reading this list for a month or two now, and I have had a new ibook for about a week. It is my first real Mac (well, I do own a Mac Classic II, that I picked up at a garage sale a few weeks ago, but...). Anyway, I have a few questions - and they're kind of all over the map, but here goes:



1. Is it OS "ex" or OS "ten"?



2. Right now, the battery on my ibook 700mhz/12.1/combo lasts about 3 hrs. Not that I need to right now, but how can I squeeze the most time out of it?



3. I have a PC as my main computer (sorry) up to a cable line, and I've been told that I should get a switch or a router to connect it to the internet (then I won't have to unplug the cables all the time). Yes? A router?



4. Do I have to worry about OS 9 on there? Any software cleanup I should do?



5. I will be maxing out the RAM on this machine in the next few weeks, although I won't be doing much photoshopping or anything. Was this a bad decision?



6. Anyone have disks for OS 7.1, which I have on the old Mac Classic (which I've called "Amelie," but I don't have a name for the ibook - suggestions?)?



7. I think that's all. Sorry for the questions, but I really am pretty new to the mac system. I used them when I was doing my Master's very briefly, and a bit in high school, but that's it.



I must say that I am extremely satisfied with my ibook, although I need to get the trackpad fixed (it is a bit convex, although its performance doesn't seem to be too affected - I've already gotten the part ordered).



Thanks in advance for your help and I plan on posting again (hopefully), but probably not with any rumors or insider info. I have none.



Nicholas

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    thuh freakthuh freak Posts: 2,664member
    first, "welcome to macintosh".



    1. i used to called "ex", but when some1 pointed out that it was a roman numeral i started calling it ten. most of the time i'm referring it, i'm typing so i'll write 'x', and not 10. I think its supposed to b called 'ten', but ex is kewler. either 1 is understood tho, if preceeded by "mac", or "mac os".



    2. i dont have a mac LT, but i imagine using few programs, closing unused ones, and not running any servers would help.



    3. both a switch, or router will do. i think switchers tend to be about $20 cheaper, so thats what i suggest. Its possible to do the whole thing really cheap if ur interested, but it requires more acute knowledge and time.



    4. There are a lot of programs that weren't made for OSX, and weren't 'carbonized', so you may want to keep OS 9 on there. I dont think it really hurts. Eventually, it wont be needed though (as more and more programs get written for OSX).



    5. I dont have an iBook, so I dont know how much RAM its got, but more is always better for performance. I dont think u need much more than 256 (i run on just 192, and i get by).



    6. I think Apple gives OS7 and lower away for free (gratis). I heard that somewhere, but I dont know where to get it. Try "http://asu.info.apple.com".



    hope this was helpful. glad to hear we got another (at least semi) switcher.
  • Reply 2 of 6
    progmacprogmac Posts: 1,850member
    don't mean to be a nag, but you cannot get either a router or a switch...a router is what is needed to connect multiple computers with only one external ip address. a switch, for simplicity's sake, we'll say is basically a smart hub. most consumer model routers have a built in switch...they might call themselves "four-port routers" or something like that, but it is really a router and a switch combined.



    here is the one i use:

    <a href="http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=23&prid=20"; target="_blank">http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=23&prid=20</a>;



    it is really simple to set up and you can connect a bunch of computers to it if you need to.



    so buy one of those puppies, plug it and your computers in and you are basically ready to go.



    if you are really ambitious, you could use an old computer for a router and then hook up a hub or switch to it.



    l8s
  • Reply 3 of 6
    thuh freakthuh freak Posts: 2,664member
    i usually forget the diff between a switch 'n' a router b/c i run a NAT on my osx box (NAT is essentially a software router). which is what i was eluding to when i said it could b done cheaper. thx for reminding me about routers tho.
  • Reply 4 of 6
    stimulistimuli Posts: 564member
    [quote]

    1. Is it OS "ex" or OS "ten"?<hr></blockquote>



    10, oficially, but 'Ex' works too.

    [quote]

    2. Right now, the battery on my ibook 700mhz/12.1/combo lasts about 3 hrs. Not that I need to right now, but how can I squeeze the most time out of it?<hr></blockquote>

    Not sure, as OSX doesn't seem to have any energy saving steeings yet. Maybe wait til 10.2 is out, but in the meantime, OS9 probably will get you 4 + hours.

    [quote]

    3. I have a PC as my main computer (sorry) up to a cable line, and I've been told that I should get a switch or a router to connect it to the internet (then I won't have to unplug the cables all the time). Yes? A router?<hr></blockquote>

    Yes, a router.



    [quote]

    4. Do I have to worry about OS 9 on there? Any software cleanup I should do?

    <hr></blockquote>



    No idea what you mean. You mean you never use os 9, and are thinking of deleting it? I wouldn't bother, it may come in handy.



    [quote]5. I will be maxing out the RAM on this machine in the next few weeks, although I won't be doing much photoshopping or anything. Was this a bad decision?<hr></blockquote>

    No, it was a great decision.



    [quote]6. Anyone have disks for OS 7.1, which I have on the old Mac Classic (which I've called "Amelie," but I don't have a name for the ibook - suggestions?)?<hr></blockquote>



    Try ftp.apple.com
  • Reply 5 of 6
    protodadaprotodada Posts: 125member
    [quote]Originally posted by Nicholas Greco:

    <strong>Hi everyone,



    6. Anyone have disks for OS 7.1, which I have on the old Mac Classic (which I've called "Amelie," but I don't have a name for the ibook - suggestions?)?



    Nicholas</strong><hr></blockquote>





    rusty, blondie, hoover, buster, betty, snowy, george, fetch, fletch, etc... as a car commercial suggested, you could name your macintosh according to where "he/she" was conceived..... savanah, manhattan, china, dallas, cupertino ("tino" for short) etc.* i don't think i was helpful as replies above..... just trying to help. no matter what you name your ibook, aren't you glad you adapted one? :-)



    (oh, i heard following names are not good..... "trouble," "storm," "killer," etc... these names tend to make your macintosh a "lemon," temperamental, ill fated... )

    *i am trying to be funny... but i think my sense of humour failed this evening....
  • Reply 6 of 6
    nebagakidnebagakid Posts: 2,692member
    Welcome!!!!!!



    First things first!

    It is ten, roman numeral... go to an Apple Store!

    learn some stuff, ask some questions
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