New macbook air user - many questions HELP!

pop80_uk

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Hi all
I have now ventured into the world of apple mac, and have got a Macbook air 13.3. After years with a PC im finding it hard to adapt and have a few questions:

1) Is there any way to change the track pad to behave like a PC? I.e single finger scrolling in web pages / right click to bring up sub menus when over a hyper text link?

2) I installed google chrome, but when ever I come to load it up a box pops up first with the google chrome icon and an arrow pointing towards a folder, any ideas?

3) Any hints or tip? Anything I should 100% get or not do in a mac OS?

4) Can you re-assign the @ button from number 2 key to > key?

5) How do I change the start up menu?

Thanks:thumbsup:
 
Hi all
I have now ventured into the world of apple mac, and have got a Macbook air 13.3. After years with a PC im finding it hard to adapt and have a few questions:

1) Is there any way to change the track pad to behave like a PC? I.e single finger scrolling in web pages / right click to bring up sub menus when over a hyper text link?

2) I installed google chrome, but when ever I come to load it up a box pops up first with the google chrome icon and an arrow pointing towards a folder, any ideas?

3) Any hints or tip? Anything I should 100% get or not do in a mac OS?

4) Can you re-assign the @ button from number 2 key to > key?

5) How do I change the start up menu?

Thanks:thumbsup:

1:Click on System Preferences, then Trackpad, on the secondary click option you can change to right click (Though I think tap with two fingers is the much better option once you're used to it).

2: When you install a program in OS X, you drag the image to the applications folder to complete installation. Sounds like that's what it's asking you to do.

3: They are pretty bulletproof in terms of messing things up. I would just screw around with it and find your way. There's a thread on here for peoples favourite apps etc. Main thing I would recommend is to close/sleep rather than turning it off.

4: Not sure sorry.

5: Start up menu? I don't understand what you mean? Do you mean which programs load when you turn it on?
 
1) as the previous person said! however the way the mac works id use it as is otherwise you should have got a PC

2) as above, you need to instal the app, but why google chrome? safari works so much better ;)

3) nothing you can't do really its a great bit of kit, however try not to install needless junk and try and keep it organised ;)

4) No you can't do that, but for some settings go to the system preferences and then click on keyboard

5) if you mean the dock the line at the bottom then you can simply drag applications on or drag them off, dragging off doesn't uninstall them it just means you have to use launch pad or the applications folder to open them.

hope this helps
 
Hi
Thanks for the replies

1) I can not see the option for changing it to one finger scrolling or right click on the mouse bar in the track pad options, us it hidden?

2) safari does not seem to have tabs or a home button so switched to chrome

3) if I put it in sleep mode will it last a full day?

4) is it best to charge the battery, use the air, then drain battery rather than keeping it always installed?

5) I was meaning the startup menu like in windows you can change the programs at boot to make it quicker

Thanks people!
 
1: One finger scrolling? Would that not just move the mouse pointer? Anyway here's right click if you insist on being old skool :smashin:

ScreenShot2011-12-05at145613.png


3: Last way more than a day in sleep.

4: Yes best to unplug let the battery discharge until the 10min warning then give it a full charge. Using it plugged in is ok, just not all the time.

5: OS X only boots the bare minimum at launch, anything else you want to start at start up, open the program and choose to open at log in:

ScreenShot2011-12-05at150221.png
 
You know when your scrolling on a web page, my windows laptop allows for a finger scroll downwards, the MacBook needs two fingers to scroll

Any ideas how to change it to one?
 
It is two fingers or nothing. Single finger on the Mac Trackpad moves the mouse pointer, just like it would on a PC laptop. YOu're probably thinking about those laptops that have that dedicated section the their trackpad, usually at the right, that allows you to scroll a web page or document with one finger...

Trust me, whatever you think about PC laptop trackpads, the Macbook trackpads are WAY better. WAY better. Give it a couple weeks, and you'll hate pc laptop trackpads. I cannot stand using them now, and cannot live without my my Mac Trackpad. Two finger scrolling isn't a hardship, it won't wear your hand out, and it means you can scroll anywhere on the trackpad, not just one dedicated "strip" that half the time doesn't work anyway. Two finger tapping for right click is also insanely useful - I very rarely ever actually click my trackpad full stop, left or right. Double tap to select and drag is also quality, and again works so much better than pc laptops as it allows you to lift your finger off the track pad and go back on again without losing the drag/selection.

Scroll bars are almost irelevant, hence why they are all but gone in Lion.

Do youself a favour, download A Better Touch Tool. It opens up a world of opportunity. Mine is set up as follows;

three finger drag down = Expose
Three finger drag up = Show desktop
Three finger drag left = back (for webpages, folders, pdfs, etc)
Three finger drag right = forward (as above)
Four finger drag up or down = show spaces
Four finger drag left or right = cycle spaces

Plus the usual two finger scrolling, two finger tapping for right click (as well as right click dedicated zone on trackpad for physical clicking), etc etc.

Don't bother relocating the @ sign - it's actually much better placed on the 2 than the " key. You get used to it fast, becomes second nature.

Lastly, try to forget the old Windows way of working - got at it with a clear mind. Then you'll learn to embrace it and work with it much more smoothly. If you keep trying to liken it to Windows, or perform like a Windows pc laptop, then you might as well have bought a Windows PC laptop...
 
to double check, you are getting to the trackpad menu like this:

Finder>System Preferences>Trackpad
 

to double check are you using Lion or Snow Leopard? as the trackpad options menu looks a tad different to the Lion one shown above
 
Its Lion 10.7.2

very very odd, the only issue I know was that when Lion was released there was an issue with secondary clicks on older macs (And there was a command line workaround to enable it) but that issue wouldn't be related to this if the actual option is disabled on your mac :confused::confused::confused:

another stab, you are in an admin account right? (that normally wouldn't be a necessity but needs must to get all bases checked)
 
very very odd, the only issue I know was that when Lion was released there was an issue with secondary clicks on older macs (And there was a command line workaround to enable it) but that issue wouldn't be related to this if the actual option is disabled on your mac :confused::confused::confused:

another stab, you are in an admin account right? (that normally wouldn't be a necessity but needs must to get all bases checked)

Yup im in admin mode
 
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