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iMac questions for a Windows convert

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Old 8th Dec 2005, 10:35
  #21 (permalink)  
 
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Bino's have you thought about trying Open Office instead of Microsoft Office

http://download.openoffice.org/2.0.0/index.html

I can't say how good it is on a Mac, maybe a Mac user can, but it's fine on the PC and it's free. I've just read the instructions on using it on Mac OS X, it seems complicated so maybe better to stick to trying to get MS Office to play the game.

Mind you did anyone imagine that Microsoft could get their office suite to work on a Mac. They have enough trouble with Windows.
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Old 8th Dec 2005, 13:03
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I actually went out and bought the genuine Office today (jeez it pisses me off when a big fancy looking box contains a CD and a little instruction manual.)

Had to go out tonight so I'll attack the Office situation again tomorrow, but in the meantime, once in MSN Messenger, how on earth do I invite somebody to receive my webcam? This is one thing I really didn't expect to be asking, I mean how basic can it get? And a search on Mac Help throws up no results on webcam or iSight!
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Old 8th Dec 2005, 20:23
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Bino

Back at home tomorrow night. Will go through it then, if someone hasn't posted before then.

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Old 9th Dec 2005, 07:56
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Binos,

Microsoft have decided not to support Video or Audio on the Mac version of MSN Messenger, so you can't do it. However, people can get a free "screenname" from AOL Instant Messenger which can be used with iChat, as the backbone network for iChat is AIM. This way, it is possible to use video and audio chat with PC users using your iSight and iChat. One doesn't always have to be forced into submission by Microsoft, and the AOL/iChat solution works fine.

The Mac development of OpenOffice has stalled. When I last tried it out (around a year ago), it was nowhere near as developed as the other versions, which is a shame, as it is a good application on other platforms.

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Old 9th Dec 2005, 09:30
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Just Binos
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Good old Microsoft, eh? Does that mean everybody I talk to has to get AIM as well?

Signed,

Pissed off, of Mackay..
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Old 9th Dec 2005, 14:55
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Binos,

They would have to get AIM, but it's hardly a major trauma: just register a screenname and download the free software. They don't have to subscribe to AOL. Why should they be short-changed by Microsoft and only be able to chat in video and audio to other PC users?

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Old 9th Dec 2005, 18:39
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Will first of all join the in the congrats in moving over to Mac from Windows. Remember making the move, with a fair amount of nervousness, a few years ago. In retrospect, most of the problems in the move were because I was trying too hard after years of conditioning with Windows. When I relaxed and trusted the Mac to do the job right a lot of the problems went away. Maybe this is a bit of a trite observation, but I will say once over the teething problems I will be very surprised if you look back.

As for your email program, why use Entourage? Started with Mail and quite frankly does the job beautifully. Think that is the good thing about most Mac programs, just focused on one task and do it well.

Good point about Finder turning its nose up at .exe files is that this automatically removes one major source of virus etc type nasties getting onto your computer.
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Old 9th Dec 2005, 21:23
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Trip Switch,

I just downloaded Mercury, and it appears to work with the iSight. None of my MSN friends are online, so I can't check it 100%. However, if I can monitor the feed from the iSight, but the frame rate appears a lot slower than with iChat.

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Old 9th Dec 2005, 21:27
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AM

Yeah, sorry, just deleted post. Will re post the link in a sec. Just checking out the Mercury site - see what it comes up with. There are another couple of message apps on the apple download page - Adium X and aMSN, but not sure if they support cam and mic.

Bino, link to Mercury....

Mercury

But it'll NEVER be as good as iChat!

Trips

*************************

AM

For your info

Mercury info

Trips
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Old 9th Dec 2005, 21:32
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Trip Switch,

Neither aMSN nor Adium do audio or video. I'll be interested to see how Mercury fares when one of my MSN buddies is online.

Binos: Trip is right - it'll never be as good as iChat, tailor-made by Apple for the iSight. Why make life hard for oneself?

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Old 9th Dec 2005, 21:50
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Binos

As AM says, if you can get the person you want to video chat with to register a screen name etc with AOL (all free), it'll make your life soooooo much easier. It really is a simple process to follow - all of a couple of minutes.

And that way, you'll be getting the most out of iSight and your Mac.

Trips
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Old 10th Dec 2005, 10:27
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So all my current Messenger contacts have to download not only an identity from AOL, but a program to use to talk to me? I don't think I'll be sending all my contacts a note to that effect; I'm not confident enough ANY of them will bother.

Thing that's really bugging me at the moment is being unable to import favourites/bookmarks. My network (Mac to modem, Dell as no 2 computer through switch) works in as much as both computers get the internet without problems, but neither can apparetnly see the other computer, so file/printer sharing is out of the question. I put my favourites folder on a memory stick and plugged it into the mac. I try to import favourites from there and it sees the file but everythiing in it remains resolutely greyed out.

If anybody has any ideas here I'd appreciate it, because I'm really not looking forward to typing out 200 odd urlss and adding them individually to bookmarks on the Mac.

I will be going wireless shortly as soon as i find out which hardware is best suited to the Mac, but it seems to me that if the two computers can't see each other with an ADSL modem/router, wireless isn't ging to make any difference, so it's a problem I need to sort out first.

Forgive all the typos in this, it's most unlike me; I haven't got used to the Mac keyboard yet eitther.

Edited to add that somehow, I have no idea how, both computers now appear to be grudgingly admitting the other's existence. If you tick enough boxes something happens. Still won't import favourites, but one piece of progress a day is all I can expect I suppose.

Last edited by Binoculars; 10th Dec 2005 at 12:30.
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Old 10th Dec 2005, 13:42
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So all my current Messenger contacts have to download not only an identity from AOL, but a program to use to talk to me? I don't think I'll be sending all my contacts a note to that effect; I'm not confident enough ANY of them will bother
No, only *you* have to download Mercury, your PC friends can live in ignorance. They will see you as just a regular MSN contact, and you them, through Mercury. Your MSN contact list is kept on MSN servers, not on your computer.

This link might help you with your Bookmark importing. The file needs to be a .html file from your Windows version of Explorer in order to successfully import the bookmarks.

AppleMacster

[Edited for additional handy hints]

Last edited by AppleMacster; 10th Dec 2005 at 14:01.
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Old 10th Dec 2005, 14:22
  #34 (permalink)  

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Thanks, Macster. I was actually talking about using iChat, which seems to be the program of choice. I'll investigate Mercury tomorrow. (So many things to investigate, just as well I don't have a life. )

Re bookmarks, following the link as far as Preferences sadly doesn't bring up Explorer as the next option.

(I hope somebody else will learn something out of all of this.)

While on wireless, I haven't delved as far as Airport or Bluetooth or anything that arcane as yet, but in the meantime should any wireless modem/router handle all my wireless requirements in the home, or does there need to be something with a Mac flavour?

Err, thanks again, all, Keep the advice coming, it's most appreciated.

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Old 10th Dec 2005, 14:57
  #35 (permalink)  
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Binos, as you know I took the plunge a few weeks ago and I am learning from this thread. So thanks for starting it mate, and to all the friendly Trauma Counsilors (sp?) a great big THANK you as well.

Bins, I managed to install Airport. The home PC got a plug in stick in a USB port and now both iBooks in the family plus the PC are all wireless. Great good fun for me to pprune infront of the fireplace and kids very happy to go online from their own rooms.
Airport really IS easy.
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Old 10th Dec 2005, 20:42
  #36 (permalink)  
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Binos,

I think you need to invoke the Import/Export Wizard on your Internet Explorer on your PC to transfer your Favourites. It's on the File menu. Export the Bookmarks as a .htm file. Safari should be able to import these Favourites as an html file straight onto the Bookmarks menu.

Wireless: it depends on your internet connection. You've probably noticed that your new iMac doesn't have a dial-up modem, so I assume you're on broadband? Apple don't make a broadband modem, only routers which connect to a broadband connection. Macs generally work more reliably with Ethernet modems.

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Old 10th Dec 2005, 23:20
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Binos

All you need to buy to go wireless is something like an Airport Extreme base station (with modem) and an Ethernet cable.

Airport Extreme base station

The set-up will be something like this:

Firstly, your iMac has got an Airport Extreme card built-in (ie WiFi ready). Using the broadband router that you are obviously using already, use an Ethernet cable to connect this to an Airport Extreme base station. That'll give you your broadband. You can also connect a standard phone dial-up between the base station and the normal phone socket (use a splitter if you're running a phone from the same socket). Should your broadband go down, you've then got dial-up as an alternative. Also, to the back of the base station, you can connect your printer etc using the USB or Ethernet socket so that you can print wirelessly (this makes the printer a wireless network printer). That way, all the hardware can be kept in another room out of sight. However, as far as I know, it's not yet possible to scan wirelessly.

Having set up a wireless network, your PC can simply join it as it would do any other WiFi network (provided it is WiFi capable) and can use all the same connections (broadband/printer/dial-up etc).

If you want to go one further, you can also get one of these:

Airport Extreme with Air Tunes

.... but that's just getting flash!

Bluetooth is great for things like a wireless mouse or keyboard and for connecting to a bluetooth enabled mobile phone. You can then download music, piccies etc to your phone. Depending on your phone, some will interface with iCal etc as well. You can also use the bluetooth phone as a wireless modem (using GPRS) when away from home in the boonies to give you internet access etc.

Hope this helps and gives you an idea of how simple it all really is.

Trips
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Old 11th Dec 2005, 05:29
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Rather than an Airport I would go for a simple netgear Wireless Router like the DG834.

Cheaper, simpler.

It wont do wireless printing but at the moment I cant get my Airport Extreeme to do that anyway.
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Old 12th Dec 2005, 09:12
  #39 (permalink)  
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On a mouseless iBook G4, how do I save a picture from a webpage to its harddisk?

And any pointers to how ( to where?) to import it to where I can then edit the pic?

thanks to this thread I now have tabbed browsing on the iBook.
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Old 12th Dec 2005, 09:25
  #40 (permalink)  
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Flaps,

Hold down the ctrl key and click on the picture/movie in question. This brings up the "contextual menu", or "right-click menu" as they say at Microsoft. You will have a number of saving choices presented to you.

You can edit it in iPhoto or Graphic Convertor.

AppleMacster
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