New to Mac

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cselestrin

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This may seem like a stupid question, but how do you delete applications in Mac os. Is there anything like unistall on windows?
 
i am new too....but for the most part is seems like you just delete the app. Its a beautiful thing having no registry and whatnot to worry about!!

Again, I am new too....so this may not be the correct way at all.
 
the same way you delete any other file. just put it in the bin. as soon as you empty the bin, the program and all its associations are gone.

it's that easy.

there are some minor exceptions to the rule (i seem to remember Windows Media player needing an uninstall), but generally, if you are unsure, do a search for the program name, or the name of the company, and delete any files that are associated.
 
Theres a neat app for 12.95 called AppZapper, just drap and drop the file you want to delete and it will find any and all files related to it. Preferences, Plists even DMGs that are still on your computer and it will remove it.
 
Not that it matters, though. Unlike on the Windows registry, unused plist and preference files don't slow the computer down or make it unstable. They each take up a tiny amount of space (usually only a couple of kilobytes at most), and are easy to find, edit, delete or copy. You could happily delete hundreds of applications just by dragging them to the recycle bin, and no harm would come to your system.

I'd save my $12.95.
 
I usually do a quick Spotlight search (switch to the Finder, and press Command+F, don't use the Spotlight menu) for the app name, and then look at each file that comes up. This way, I can delete the app, and the preferences, at at once. Be careful not to delete files that are not associated with your app, especially when apps names are similar on your system. As you highlight each file, the bottom of the Find window will show you the location. This will give you clues as to which files go with which apps.

Frankly, however, you don't have to delete the preference files. If you wind up re-installing the program later, you might want to get rid of the old preference file.
 
Generally, I agree with the above posts. Just drag the application's folder (in /Applications) to the trash or click once on it and press the Apple key plus the backspace key, which is incorrectly labelled "delete".

Empty the trash once you're sure you haven't deleted anything you want.

BUT, lately some of Apple's progs like Garageband and some third-party apps have put a lot of stuff in "/Library/Application Support". That's the Library folder in the root directiory of your hard drive, not the one in your user's home folder.

Garageband files in Application Support: 1.82 GB !

Doug
 
dktrickey said:
Garageband files in Application Support: 1.82 GB !
Click to expand...
Tell me about it. If you don't use GB that much, letting it eat almost two gigs on a small iBook seems a waste.
 
AppZapper is meanwhile known to have some false positives as well as missed things. So: I wouldn't actually buy and use it.
 
Hi Im new to mac so sorry if I sound a stupid,

I was going to buy a new intel imac now before I start college in September. However as a graphic design student I need photoshop, quark etc. I decided to not buy the imac. The problem is I would like to get some real experience using these new programs before I start uni to give me the best chance. Should I buy a mac mini now and get some experience with power pc software while I wait for the new universal stuff to come out and then sell the mac mini on ebay etc, or get an imac now and run it through rosetta. Basically would a 2.0ghz imac intel run pro apps faster through rosetta than a mac mini 1.42ghz?


Thanks
 
The worst ones are apps that actually have the uninstaller on the dmg file that you used to install the app in the first place, meaning you have to keep the installer hanging around just to use the uninstall option
 
samjones 1987,

The Intel Macs are going to run Photoshop slowly, very roughly equivalent to a 1 Gigahertz PowerPC Mac.

The PowerPC Mac mini will run those apps faster right now than the Intel Macs will. And possibly with fewer glitches. Apple just came out with the Intel Mac mini's, so you may have to look for a refurbished PowerPC mini.

If you want to go that route, look on Apple's site. Go to the store tab and scroll down to the bottom of the store page. Look for Special Deals. Keep in mind that availability is limited to what they have at the time. But I've heard good things about refurbished Macs from Apple itself.

Doug
 
A couple other considerations:

If you think you'll typically get a new computer every three or four years, it wouldn't hurt to get a PowerPC iMac. Plenty of power for the apps you mentioned. If you can find one. It should be well-supported by software for at least three or four years

If you are comfortable with Macs and have the patience to possibly weather a few glitches and slower performance for several months, the Intel iMac will be a very nice machine for the long term.

That's my 2 cents.

Doug
 
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