Gone mad? No, nuts: I panicked!

[iamback]

Poor old Grace (desktop) is about 7 years old by now, Alan (laptop) about 6.

Alan holds most of my development stuff (source code, development web server, repository (SVN). So when it started developing odd noises again lately, I got really worried: the noises are familiar: one of the two fans (when they are triggered by high temperature) gets very loud, a sign the bearings are starting to fail. Curiously, it's the left-hand fan - again: I had a HD fail first after making really strange noises, which was replaced, and then that one starting to make the same noises, when the technician found it was caused by overheating because the left-hand fan didn't even start any more... there was a period before that the fan was making the same grinding noises the new fan is making now: he replaced both the almost-new HD and the motherboard that the fans were attached to. So when this one fan fails... bye-bye Alan, extended warranty is long since over (and you can't just replace a fan or the combo of two fans - it takes replacing the whole mother board).

So I got a bit panicky, and started looking at laptops and prices... and then yesterday I happened to get a complimentary newspaper in my mailbox (no idea why!) - which had an ad for a special action at an electronics store (a good one): a 13.3" MacBook for EUR 300 off the regular price. Only on Sunday, 23 December. I did some research (1 G memory seemed a bit cramped, for instance) but it looked like a good deal. Slept on it...

Today, the store opened at noon, and I was in there 10 minutes later - so now I've got myself a snappy MacBook 13.3" with a 2.16Ghz Core 2 Duo, 160G HD, and 2G ram (upgrade). And a nice sleeve, so I can carry it in whatever bag (I have several bags that will hold it already).

Gosh.

I can't really afford it - but I can't afford to lose all my work on Alan either!

I went through the setup, registered with Apple (using Airport and some neighbor's connection!!), declined setting up a .mac account (too expensive), downloaded Logitech software (using Safari) for my cordless mini optical mouse (and discovered the mouse works without that, even, but the software allows me to configure it): now I can just unplug the mouse's "thumb" from Grace, plug it into the MacBook, and use it on there. I also figured out how to change the desktop background image, and create new folders (one to store my downloaded mouse software in). Phew!

Lots more to learn and experiment, and I need to assemble a little assortment of cables (USB extension cord, for instance: I can't use the mouse thumb and USB memory stick together because the ports are too close together; and a dedicated Gigabit network cable, at least; and a little pouch to keep that stuff in). The MacBook has Tiger installed, but comes with installation disk(s) for Leopard. And I'll want to figure out how to set up Windows on it as well...

But - so far it "feels good". And this little black thingy is actually more powerful than either Grace or Alan...

(Now, where do I get the money from?)

Oh, and I'll name it Isaac - as soon as I can figure out how to name it!

[ktinkel]

Can’t help you with the money, and not positive what you are naming, but can tell you how to name any hard drive, at least: click and hold on the text beneath the icon. After a second or so, it will change into editable text, and you can type whatever you want.

You can even create a custom icon: Make a 48-pixel square image (or smaller if you prefer), select your drive, press Command [Apple]-I for Get Info, and paste the new image over the one at the top of the panel.

You can change most icons and their labels, though not the serious ones belonging to the System itself.

[iamback]

Originally Posted by ktinkel

Can’t help you with the money, and not positive what you are naming, but can tell you how to name any hard drive, at least: click and hold on the text beneath the icon. After a second or so, it will change into editable text, and you can type whatever you want.

Hmmm - I already discovered I could rename the HD but what I really want to do is name the machine, by the name it will be known to me (Isaac) and the name it will be known as in the network (once I plug in an ethernet cable to connect it to Grace and Alan via the LAN. At least I assume that will be possible, though it might take some fiddling (meaning it would be "interesting"): of course I do not only want Isaac to see Grace and Alan, I also want Grace and Alan to see Isaac!

Originally Posted by ktinkel

You can even create a custom icon: Make a 48-pixel square image (or smaller if you prefer), select your drive, press Command [Apple]-I for Get Info, and paste the new image over the one at the top of the panel.

Ah, that's nice - and I learned two things at once: how to change an icon and a handy shortcut. Thanks!

Oh, I forgot to mention: I also configured the dock a little, and moved it to the left-hand side where I have my taskbar on Grace and Alan. I know the dock is not exactly the same thing, but it feels more comfortable there.

And I started one "help" video and got it to thoroughly freeze the machine.

Any suggestions for a good site (or more) with (non-video but textual) tutorials about technical stuff? Like how to partition the hard drive (if still possible), or how to set up Windows on the same machine? Etc...?

[ktinkel]

Originally Posted by iamback

Hmmm - I already discovered I could rename the HD but what I really want to do is name the machine, by the name it will be known to me (Isaac) and the name it will be known as in the network

When you set up the network you have a chance to set a name. I am forgetting when/how, but it will happen at the point you also set a password.

Originally Posted by iamback

Oh, I forgot to mention: I also configured the dock a little, and moved it to the left-hand side where I have my taskbar on Grace and Alan. I know the dock is not exactly the same thing, but it feels more comfortable there.

I keep my dock on the right-hand side. At the bottom (the default) it drives me nuts. I also make the icons small, and do not let them bobble at me all the time. Matter of personal preference, but nice to have these choices.

Originally Posted by iamback

Any suggestions for a good site (or more) with (non-video but textual) tutorials about technical stuff? Like how to partition the hard drive (if still possible), or how to set up Windows on the same machine? Etc...?

Several. TidBits has a lively forum, mail-list, and e-books on all aspects of the Mac. It is especially useful for Leopard, as print materials have been late appearing.

MacInTouch has news and discussion of everything Mac-ish, with links to important updates. I check in there every day.
http://macintouch.com/

And David Pogue’s Missing Manual for Leopard has recently been published (in print); I find that to be an essential reference.

All of these have advice on setting up Windows on your new Mac. There are several approaches, each with pros and cons (of course!). You can let me know what you decide. I have a copy of Windows XT but haven’t got to the point of installing that myself.

[iamback]

Originally Posted by ktinkel

I keep my dock on the right-hand side. At the bottom (the default) it drives me nuts. I also make the icons small, and do not let them bobble at me all the time. Matter of personal preference, but nice to have these choices.

I had also made the icons smaller, and I'm still playing with the magnification because I like the feed back, but want it as small as possible and still useful. Stabilizing now,

Originally Posted by ktinkel

Several. TidBits has a lively forum, mail-list, and e-books on all aspects of the Mac. It is especially useful for Leopard, as print materials have been late appearing.

That link didn't work for me and on browsing the site I don't see anything forum-like. But there does seem to be a lot info - bookmarked.

Originally Posted by ktinkel

MacInTouch has news and discussion of everything Mac-ish, with links to important updates. I check in there every day.
http://macintouch.com/

Looks nice, bookmarked. I haven't spent much time there yet, because...

Originally Posted by ktinkel

And David Pogue’s Missing Manual for Leopard has recently been published (in print); I find that to be an essential reference.

... this is where I spent most time today, especially going through a lot of utilities in one of the "Missing CD-Roms". A lot of useful stuff, but I was also appalled by how many functionalities are available only as shareware when the equivalent would be available for Windows not only with more functionality, but free, in three different versions or so. One site with lots of really simple tools, nothing cheaper than $15. I didn't bookmark that one! With a much smaller market I guess that's to be expected, but the extent of it still took me by surprise. Still, I ended up with a lot of bookmarks, there is at least some useful stuff available as freeware and even open source.

Originally Posted by ktinkel

All of these have advice on setting up Windows on your new Mac. There are several approaches, each with pros and cons (of course!). You can let me know what you decide. I have a copy of Windows XT but haven’t got to the point of installing that myself.

I haven't even gotten that far yet... but I did make great progress today. Isaac is beginning to feel like a team member rather than a stranger

Thanks for the great tips!

[iamback]

Originally Posted by iamback

... this is where I spent most time today, especially going through a lot of utilities in one of the "Missing CD-Roms". A lot of useful stuff ...

... including one utility that supposedly would allow sharing more than just user's home directories: SharePoints. It's wonderful! not only does it do that (which worked quite nicely), but it also has a "tab" to put the machine into a workgroup for Windows, so now Windows actually recognizes the whole machine (by name) as well. So now I can not only see Grace and Alan from Isaac, but Grace and Alan can see Isaac right in workgroup AMSTERDAM as well. Networking makes sense again.

I understand that the facilities offered by SharePoints used to be in OS X 10.3 but was taken out in 10.4 except a server version - how stupid: sharing peer-to-peer is no server functionality! SharePoints works flawlessly.

[annc]

I got quite excited about that and downloaded and installed it. But it quits unexpectedly every time I try to configure it, so it seems the latest version doesn't work with Leopard. I've joined their e-mail list and hope to use it when a Leopard version becomes available.

In the meantime, I'll just continue to use a USB stick for file transfers.

[iamback]

Originally Posted by annc

I got quite excited about that and downloaded and installed it. But it quits unexpectedly every time I try to configure it, so it seems the latest version doesn't work with Leopard.

Did you close all open apps?

I thought it was compatible with Leopard, but if not I may wait a bit with installing that: SharePoints made all the difference to my networking.

[annc]

Originally Posted by iamback

Did you close all open apps?

I thought it was compatible with Leopard, but if not I may wait a bit with installing that: SharePoints made all the difference to my networking.

No, I didn't close all open apps. I'll try again.

Looking at the SharePoints home page, they seem to have a new version for each version of OS X.

[iamback]

Originally Posted by annc

No, I didn't close all open apps. I'll try again.

Looking at the SharePoints home page, they seem to have a new version for each version of OS X.

Ah, yes - did you get the matching version?

(I'll stick to Tiger for a while anyhow.)