General questions

[mw84]

Hey, I'm completely new to macs/ mac osx etc so I'll say sorry right now. Anyway I have a couple of quick questions, thought I'd post them all in one thread instead of taking up mass of them.

First is there any software available for connecting generic usb digi cameras? If so could you please let me know.

Next thing, when I download an app ie mozilla firefox what folder is this installed to by default?

Final thing, are my fonts supposed to look this dodgy? Or can I do something to improve their appearence? Right now they look a bit blurry.

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

First is there any software available for connecting generic usb digi cameras? If so could you please let me know.

If your camera (or any other device) is listed here, it should work fine:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/upgrade/devices.html

If not, then there's a good chance it's incompatible with OS X. Some companies make 3rd party drivers for certain devices, but as far as I know, the "Digital Camera" list on that link is definitive.

Next thing, when I download an app ie mozilla firefox what folder is this installed to by default?

Usually when you download an application, it is downloaded to your desktop and comes as one of two files: a .DMG or a .SIT file. Both of those need to be decompressed to "get to the actual application" and that can be done by double-clicking on the file.

If you double-click a .DMG file, then a "virtual disk" is mounted on your desktop, and you can go inside that disk by double-clicking and then copy the application to your Applications folder, or, if it's an installer file, run the installer. After that, it's safe to eject the virtual disk the way you would eject a CD -- drag it to the trash, or highlight the virtual disk and hit Command-E to eject it.

If it's a .SIT file, then it will uncompress into a folder on your Desktop, and you can go inside that folder and either copy the application to your Applications directory or run the installer, depending on what it is.

In short, it's your responsibility to copy the application to the Applications directory if the downloaded file is an application, or run the installer if the downloaded application comes as an installer file.

Final thing, are my fonts supposed to look this dodgy? Or can I do something to improve their appearence? Right now they look a bit blurry.

What kind of monitor are you using? Try opening "System Preferences" from the Dock, then click "Appearance," then try a different setting under "Font smoothing style". You'll have to quit and relaunch any open applications (including the Finder, so a log out and log in may be necessary) to see the effects of the change. If you've got a regular CRT monitor, then try the "Standard" setting. If you've got a flat-panel LCD monitor, try the "Medium" setting.

 

[Timmargh]

Hi, mw84, and welcome to the forum and the world of Macs!

 

[mw84]

Thanks a lot ! Everytime I launch an app now though like firefox again for instance, a little firefox icon comes up on the desktop. Can I stop this from happening somehow? I'd rather have no icons show on the desktop.

Also ! I managed to install adium but can't figure out where I have to put extra themes/ sounds for it? I looked around some folders but could only find the adium executable file.

 

[Natobasso]

Welcome!

To answer your second question, if it's an executable file (.exe) then more than likely it's a PC file… You could try a search "adium" on your hard drive and see if there are any adium preference files or application help files that come up.

 

[mw84]

No it's a mac file I'm just used to calling them that from windows sorry ! I figured that out anyway, there was a file inside the folder I had to run which installed it automatically. Thanks though.

Anyone have a clue about the desktop thing?

 

[perfessor101]

Anyone have a clue about the desktop thing?

The icon for the running application shows up in your Dock, not the desktop. You cannot stop the application from appearing on the Dock, but you can make the Dock hide itself until it is needed.

Click on the blue Apple at the upper left corner of the menu bar and select System Preferences from the Apple menu. Then in System Preferences click on the Dock icon and check the box labeled "Automatically Hide and Show Dock." The Dock will then disappear from your screen unless your cursor gets to the bottom of the screen, or where ever you have the Dock located.

David Pogue has a book out entitled "Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual." You might find it helpful reading.

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Anyone have a clue about the desktop thing?

It sounds like what you did was copy the FireFox DMG file to your Applications folder, then, when you launch it, it mounts the "virtual drive" on your desktop.

Instead, move that file back to the desktop, open it, then from the image that is mounted on the desktop, copy the FireFox application to your Applications folder.

 

[mw84]

Thanks a lot El what you said worked ! and I have another question

I know from when I used linux briefly that there was free emulators to run certain windows only apps, is there anything like this for macs? I found virtual PC n the microsoft site but as far as I can see it's not free. Is there any alternatives?

The things I'm trying to run is the vpchat chat client www.vpchat.com if not is there another mac client client that would connect to their servers?

Thanks for being so helpful everyone.

 

[perfessor101]

I found virtual PC n the microsoft site but as far as I can see it's not free. Is there any alternatives?.

Windows emulation on a Mac is a lot more than Windows emulation on a PC. In addition to emulating the Windows APIs, it must also emulate the Intel Pentium processor and PC architecture. There is an open source emulator that will run in BSD Unix but it is extremely slow and from what I have heard not very stable.

Virtual PC, as you have surmised is not free, and in addition to VPC itself, you must also purchase a copy of Microsoft Windows. Both are available in a package for $250. Virtual PC will perform roughly on a level with a Pentium running at 40% of the clock speed of your Mac.

Personally I think you would be far better off with one of the many chat clients available for OS X. Go to VersionTracker and search on chat and you will find any number of possibilities along with descriptions and user ratings of each of them.