Just Got a Macbook

I've been on here considering getting a Macbook for sometime, and I finally got one! So far I am ecstatic! A few questions for a new user:

-As far as security, what kind of Firewall should I set up, it comes with three options and none of them sounded right?
-Is there any word processing software that comes with my Mac?
-Any things I should do to it right now to make it as fast as possible? (Certain settings, delete some programs, etc)

Thanks! I'm so happy!

 

Congrats on your new purchase! The Macbook is surly a sweet laptop

To answer your questions, I would enable basic socket-filter firewall via the Security preference panel and just set it on "Access For Specific Services And Applications". If you want additional protection you can use noobproof.

For word processing, I think MS Office would be your best choice, but it's not free. Free word processing programs for macs include Open Office, Bean, and Abi Word.

As for things that can make your macbook faster, the best way is to upgrade your ram to 4gb. It's especially useful if you like to multi-task and have lots of programs running at a time.

 

Congrats. You're going to love it.

1. I have mine set to "Allow only essential services" and under Advanced, I have "Enable Stealth Mode" selected. These settings have worked very well for me.

2. AFAIK there are no word processing software built-in but you may have trail versions of Office 2008/04 and/or iWorks 08/09. You should try them out and you'll most likely end up buying one or the other, or both if you're like me.

3. That's the nice thing about macs; no bloatware. Of course trial versions of software is bloatware but macs only come with two of those (as mentioned in 2 above) and they're both pretty good and you'll end up using at least one of them regularly anyhow.

 

Cool, should I check both firewall logging and stealth mode?

When it comes to those word processing programs, any one that you'd specifically reccomend?

And also how do you suggest convincing myself to do my school work after having just bought a new Mac?

 

Thanks I'll check to see if I have either of those!

Another question, does Safari run better than Firefox on Macs?

 

I hear alot of debate over this issues, although I don't own a Mac. When I've been on my friends I feel as if Firefox still beats out Safari.

 

I still prefer FF over Safari Installing FF was the first thing i did when i got my macbook.

 

i use firefox for almost everything. some websites like ebay discombobulate in firefox so i use safari for that. but other then that firefox is great.

 

Another question, I thought I downloaded Firefox, but there's a picture of it on my desktop, with it on top of a picture of my HD, what does that mean exactly? Opening applications on the disk image, is that the same as downloading, installing and opening them from the hard drive? What exactly does it mean?

Also, is there a way to customize what the track pad does? For example to be able to maximize windows by pinching, or to sort through tabs in FF with swipes?

 

It's so subjective and there's really no right or wrong, but I'll go against the pack here and say that I much prefer Safari over FF even though I have both installed.

For one thing, using the two-finger scrolling on the pad, Safari seems light years ahead in scrolling smoothness and accuracy. It's hard to describe but it's as though my fingers are actually touching the page and manipulating it directly. In contrast, with FF it feels just like you're scrolling in windows which feels archaic by comparison.

Use both for yourself and compare and then decide.

 

some applications temporarily mount the application for installation. you double click and it will usually mount it. a window will open, then you drag the application icon from that window into you applications folder. sometimes the install will have a shortcut right to it so you drag it like an inch to the shortcut folder. once its installed you close it and drag the mounted image to the trash. this will unmount it. then open up your application folder and drag the icon to your dockbar.

 

i thought iLife comes with all new macs? you only get a trial version?

 

And, if you have an Aluminum, FF doesnt recognize the three finger gestures... which I have learned to love so much. I love being able to go back and forth with the three fingers.

 

Its the full version.

iWork might be a trial though.

 

it might be iwork that he was mentioning

 

Yeah I've got a full version of iLife, but no iWork. There is a disc of applications that I haven't looked at yet. But I figured that was to reinstall applications already on the HD if something goes wrong?

 

iLife, in full, is standard on all macs and it has all the multimedia, non-office, apps in it (iPhoto, iWeb, iDVD, iMovie etc...).

For word processing, spreadsheets and presentation apps, i.e. "Office"-like apps, you'll need to look at the paid ones (apple's own iWork or MS Office) or the free ones like OpenOffice or NeoOffice. If memory serves me, they used to have the trial versions of both iWork and MS Office pre-installed in Leopard.

The application DVD has iLife on it and whatever else came pre-installed, nothing else (I think).

 

multi touch does NOT work in FF, only in Safari. apple's way of convincing you to use their browser

 

for word processor, there is actually a simple one that comes with osx call textedit.

i will have to emphasize "simple" here as it only allow basic formatting.