[funkboy]

What has everyone done to make their iBook a better/faster/more efficient machine? I was going through cleaning the hard drive a bit, and I noticed that an EarthLink internet setup guide is in the Applications (Mac OS 9) folder, and it eats up over 100MB of disk space! That's getting trashed...

[lakermrb]

I have put my IE browser on a RAM disk on the desktop and it speeds up my online time. Set it in your memory control panel to save the contents on shutdown. You'll need enough RAM. I have 192 MB; the modules not are cheap and easily plug in. I set the RAM disk to 25 MB and have about 7 MB of extra space. I put the browser, the cache, and the pugins into the RAM disk. You will need to go into your browser preferences and choose the RAM disk as the place for your cache. I set my cache at 10 MB, which appears adequate, though I have not experimented with it to find the best size. Be sure to set your application memory before copying your browser into the RAM disk. Once there, you cannot change it. You will have to trash it, change the memory on your harddrive, and copy and new one into the RAM disk.

[graphics84]

I went through all the mp3s that came on the drive and got rid of the crap...

[TomR]

Originally posted by graphics84:
<STRONG>I went through all the mp3s that came on the drive and got rid of the crap...</STRONG>

PLEASE keep the tips coming folks, I'm waiting for the truck to pull up as I type this with my new ibook! It's due here any second now. Any and all tips are truly appreciated!

as soon as you get it, pull out the power cord, and set the energy saver preferences to "max performance" and "Better processor speed".

[funkboy]

Originally posted by graphics84:
<STRONG>I went through all the mp3s that came on the drive and got rid of the crap...</STRONG>

I was considering doing this too. However, I happened to look at a little web page that's included on the iBook about the MP3 Sampler, and it says that the mp3s do not come on any CD with the iBook - if you trash them from the iBook, they're gone for good. If I had a CD burner, though, I think they'd be gone...

Another "tip" I guess would be: if you have a desktop computer, figure out some way to keep a very similar file system on both computers - otherwise, you'll have one computer with outdated files, which is a real pain. My system for this has been to have my Documents folder and another folder (with business-related things) be identical in folder structure on both my iBook and beige - this way I can use the File Synchonization Control Panel (or even simply copy over the few files that have been changed) to keep the content on the two computers somewhat in sync.

[jokell82]

Originally posted by funkboy:
<STRONG>

I was considering doing this too. However, I happened to look at a little web page that's included on the iBook about the MP3 Sampler, and it says that the mp3s do not come on any CD with the iBook - if you trash them from the iBook, they're gone for good. If I had a CD burner, though, I think they'd be gone...</STRONG>

Well, they're gone until you wish to download them. But seriously, it's cool that Apple included mp3's, but I deleted all but a few. The rest just weren't my taste. Get rid of the ones you don't listen to, you can always download them later.

Originally posted by TomR:
<STRONG>

PLEASE keep the tips coming folks, I'm waiting for the truck to pull up as I type this with my new ibook! It's due here any second now. Any and all tips are truly appreciated!</STRONG>

Well my ibook came today!!!! Man this is one SWEET MACHINE!!!!
I'll post more on it tomorrow but so far there is not one thing wrong with it, no dead pixels, no scratches anywhere. Man this thing is GREAT!!! I've only played with it for a short time and I'm new to Macs but so farI absolutely LOVE this computer! The screen is AWESOME.
More tomorrow, have to hit the sack for work in thr morning. If your thinking of getting the ibook, DO IT!

Tom

[todrain]

Best thing I can suggest is format the drive and install a fresh OS. Apple puts all that consumer crap on there, and most of it you'll never lose.

You can probably pick up about 2GB of space. (like if you don't use OS X, or any of the games)

[Dr Evil]

If you have a brand new iBook, this won't help much, but after you have used it for a while and try out programs here and there, their preferences files can add up in the System Folder. So every so often go through and clean out extensions and preferences of programs you tried out or just don't use anymore.
Secondly, since OS 9 has been really fickle with my iBook lately, I just trashed it and only run X. I much rather prefer OS X, but I know not everyone shares that opinion with me.

Dr Evil

[STAT]

All but about two of the MP3s that come on the new machines suck. Lots of it is music you'd like to tell people you like, but I doubt that anybody REALLY likes any of that crap. Love Shack is the only decent thing on there and even it's questionable.

[jokell82]

Originally posted by STAT:
<STRONG>All but about two of the MP3s that come on the new machines suck. Lots of it is music you'd like to tell people you like, but I doubt that anybody REALLY likes any of that crap. Love Shack is the only decent thing on there and even it's questionable.</STRONG>

Nah, there's a good handful. You have BNL, Phish, Wilco, Lou Reed, etc. But that's about 10 mp3s of the 50+ that came on it.

[STAT]

Originally posted by jokell82:
<STRONG>

Nah, there's a good handful. You have BNL, Phish, Wilco, Lou Reed, etc. But that's about 10 mp3s of the 50+ that came on it.</STRONG>

I've never heard of any of those bands. Must be a California thing...