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fisherKing · Feb 24, 2003, 06:20 PM

okay, i move to osx tomorrow. been running 9.2.2 on my g3 powerbook, customized, happy, but...seemed time to make the move (putting in a new harddrive)

where can i find information (on the web, of course) on getting started? getting familiar with the os, possibilities?

any tips? great enhancements, utilities??

big questions, so thanks in advance.

been posting at macnn for a good while, lots of help offered, now i need some.

(& watch for me here at the osx forum...)

Worst. Episode. Ever. · Feb 24, 2003, 06:32 PM

www.macosxhints.com has a lot of great tips and useful info.

thePurpleGiant · Feb 24, 2003, 06:40 PM

If you have been using macs for a while now, you should have no troubles at all really. The process is pretty damn straightforward you will find. I would install OS X first if I was you, place the cd in the drive, assuming your new HD is blank, it will detect the CD as a startup disk, then follow on screen instructions from there.

Millennium · Feb 24, 2003, 07:03 PM

Good utilities, you say?

Default Folder X is a must, just as its OS9 predecessor was. In fact, if you use Classic, keep the OS9 version around; it will continue to work there.

More Internet is good if you don't like the stock handlers for stuff, particularly FTP. For some stupid reason there is nothing like the Internet control panel's "Helpers" pane in OSX, though the setting still exist; you have to either use this or IE to edit them.

If you are big on firewalls, get BrickHouse or Impasse (I use Impasse personally). While they're just firewall configuration tools, much like the firewall configurator provided with OSX, they are much better.

My other big advice would be this: learn the Terminal. This is not a critical thing; you don't have to learn it. So go ahead and take your time, or don't ever learn it if you don't want to. But you'll find that you can do some positively amazing stuff with it once you get the hang of things.

Apple's X11 software opens up a few other interesting possibilities, notably the GIMP (good graphics program, except for the interface) and X-Chat (good IRC program).

cpac · Feb 24, 2003, 10:15 PM

biggest single hint?

Don't expect OS 9.

Realize they way you interact with the system is going to change in significant ways - the biggest change for most is getting used to having a "home" folder and keeping everything there. Don't fight the system until you've gotten a chance to see how things are supposed to work in it - It does all make sense, just not necessarily the same sense that OS 9 made.

------------

After that, I'd say the next most important thing to know is how to boot into single-user mode (hold down command-s) and run the disk repair utility (wait for the text to stop scrolling then type: fsck -y - wait until it stops and do it again if there were any problems found until you get no errors found, then type either logout or reboot to get back into happy mac land).

Superchicken · Feb 24, 2003, 11:11 PM

Tinker Tool = very good. Search for it on google it's a VERY Good app... doesn't do a lot but it lets you do some stuff that for some people is really nice.

K++ · Feb 25, 2003, 03:37 AM

Originally posted by Superchic[k]en:
Tinker Tool = very good. Search for it on google it's a VERY Good app... doesn't do a lot but it lets you do some stuff that for some people is really nice.

Why would he use Goole when there is:
http://www.versiontraker.com

TomHMeredith · Feb 25, 2003, 05:23 AM

My advice would be to just spend a whole day playing around with it.

There are so many simple things that you will pick up just from messing around, then when you feel comfortable start looking for tutorials on the more complicated stuff, I'd second http://www.macosxhints.com

Enjoy!

Tom.

Angus_D · Feb 25, 2003, 12:38 PM

Originally posted by K++:
Why would he use Goole when there is:
http://www.versiontraker.com

Why would he use VersionTracker when there is:
http://www.macupdate.com

gorickey · Feb 25, 2003, 12:50 PM

I wonder if the thread title has anything to do with the number of views/hits...

Vanquish · Feb 25, 2003, 02:33 PM

of course not gorickey !! how could you think something like that ?

beni · Feb 25, 2003, 05:22 PM

Originally posted by K++:
Why would he use Goole when there is:
http://www.versiontraker.com

Dude, that link took me to hanky-panky-college.com. (Versiontraker with k only).
The nerve of some people...

It should be http://www.versiontracker.com

dfiler · Feb 25, 2003, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by fisherKing:
any tips? great enhancements, utilities??

been posting at macnn for a good while, lots of help offered, now i need some.

All your favorite OS 9 websites will probably be same ones as for OS X users. Off the top of my head:
xlr8yourmac --- for all things hardware related
thinksecret, looprumors --- for guilty pleasures
macnn, arstechnica, appleinsider --- forums
versiontracker --- not for updates but for categories of shareware
google --- for finding updates

However...
My biggest piece of advice: get more RAM
(OS X may not be snappy enough for all users, yet throw more ram at the problem and it will never become sluggish)
Any powerbook owners want to chime in on this? How much RAM are you guys running now?