New Imac

[Lost in LOS]

well I finally made the switch from windows to apple, got my new imac a week ago:

27" mac

# 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

# 16GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x4GB

# 1TB Serial ATA Drive

# 8x double-layer SuperDrive

# ATI Radeon HD 5750 1GB GDDR5 SDRAM

# Apple Wireless Keyboard (Thai) & User's Guide (Thai)

# Magic Mouse

# iWork preinstalled

# AppleCare Protection Plan for iMac- Auto-enroll

I have some questions:

1. what is a good back up program, I want to backup whatever is new daily to my external hard drive

2. Is there a need to cleanup the disk like they have in windows, like defrag? Organize the disk?

3. Do I need any kind of software like an anitvirus or malware for my imac?

4. I am running parallels using windows 7 for some programs. Do I need antivirus or malware for that? If so, which one is good and how do I install it just to the windows part

5. any programs that I might like but have no idea they exist?

thanks for any help, this is a learning curve for my switch

[JusMe]

Welcome to the Light!

You asked:

"1. What is a good back up program, I want to backup whatever is new daily to my external hard drive?"

You can use Time Machine, which is Mac native. I personally prefer Carbon Copy Cloner, freeware.

"2. Is there a need to cleanup the disk like they have in windows, like defrag? Organize the disk?"

Usually there's not much need to do any of that, other than perhaps a restart once in a while, which will perform some of those functions. If you want an application for maintenance, Cocktail or Snow Leopard Cache Cleaner.

"3. Do I need any kind of software like an anitvirus or malware for my imac?"

Simple answer, no. Just ensure your firewall is turned on. If you want something for scanning for viruses etc. it's built into Snow Leopard Cache Cleaner, and can be updated anytime.

"4. I am running parallels using windows 7 for some programs. Do I need antivirus or malware for that? If so, which one is good and how do I install it just to the windows part"

Yes. That partition can be infected, but won't touch the Mac side. As I never use PC stuff, I don't have any Windoze apps, so can't help out on this question.

"5. Any programs that I might like but have no idea they exist?"

Many many programs! Sorry I haven't listed the urls for the applications above, but a Google search will turn them up easily.

If you really want some MicroShit, the newest version of MicroSoft Office 2011 isn't bad.

There are also several quite good forums on Macintosh apps and where you can get help. Lots of apps available with serial numbers too, but as that's "illegal" here on TV, I won't post info about it.

I do have a pdf copy of a good book for switching from the PC to the Mac: OReilly: Switching to the Mac - The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition, Feb.2008 which I can put up available for you if you like. Just ask and I'll get that done.

Welcome to the Light!

[Lost in LOS]

Welcome to the Light!

You asked:

"1. What is a good back up program, I want to backup whatever is new daily to my external hard drive?"

You can use Time Machine, which is Mac native. I personally prefer Carbon Copy Cloner, freeware.

"2. Is there a need to cleanup the disk like they have in windows, like defrag? Organize the disk?"

Usually there's not much need to do any of that, other than perhaps a restart once in a while, which will perform some of those functions. If you want an application for maintenance, Cocktail or Snow Leopard Cache Cleaner.

"3. Do I need any kind of software like an anitvirus or malware for my imac?"

Simple answer, no. Just ensure your firewall is turned on. If you want something for scanning for viruses etc. it's built into Snow Leopard Cache Cleaner, and can be updated anytime.

"4. I am running parallels using windows 7 for some programs. Do I need antivirus or malware for that? If so, which one is good and how do I install it just to the windows part"

Yes. That partition can be infected, but won't touch the Mac side. As I never use PC stuff, I don't have any Windoze apps, so can't help out on this question.

"5. Any programs that I might like but have no idea they exist?"

Many many programs! Sorry I haven't listed the urls for the applications above, but a Google search will turn them up easily.

If you really want some MicroShit, the newest version of MicroSoft Office 2011 isn't bad.

There are also several quite good forums on Macintosh apps and where you can get help. Lots of apps available with serial numbers too, but as that's "illegal" here on TV, I won't post info about it.

I do have a pdf copy of a good book for switching from the PC to the Mac: OReilly: Switching to the Mac - The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition, Feb.2008 which I can put up available for you if you like. Just ask and I'll get that done.

Welcome to the Light!

great info, thanks. and yes, I would like that pdf file again thanks

[nullx8]

WOW .. very nice Setup choice for a Switch

about the infection issue of the windows7 .... just copy the windows partition (is just 1 file) after your work is done ...

if you will get some sort of infection ... just dump the current imagefile and use the one you copied before ...

simple.

[Lost in LOS]

WOW .. very nice Setup choice for a Switch

about the infection issue of the windows7 .... just copy the windows partition (is just 1 file) after your work is done ...

if you will get some sort of infection ... just dump the current imagefile and use the one you copied before ...

simple.

sorry for being a dummy but I am not sure how to do this, can you explain?

If I don't use windows on the i mac for anything on the net do I still need virus software, I am only using Firefox for the mac. all my window programs don't access the net

thanks in advance

[nullx8]

i think originally the disc image is in the Documents Folder

i moved them to another partition

the structure is like "Virtual Machines/Paralles Machines" -name of the machine- / - name of the disk

the imagefile contains everything of your windows installation.

if you make a copy of that file (or simply Right Click and "Duplicate" .. you have a backup of the moment you make it (parralells should not run at this time)

thats it already

about the "no internet" ... i would not trust windows on this, better you set in preferences of the virtual machine to not use any networking (uncheck "connected"), (then your windows will "think" the network cable is unplugged)

otherwise it will "call home anyway"

Edited December 26, 2010 by nullx8

[Lost in LOS]

i think originally the disc image is in the Documents Folder

i moved them to another partition

the structure is like "Virtual Machines/Paralles Machines" -name of the machine- / - name of the disk

the imagefile contains everything of your windows installation.

if you make a copy of that file (or simply Right Click and "Duplicate" .. you have a backup of the moment you make it (parralells should not run at this time)

thats it already

about the "no internet" ... i would not trust windows on this, better you set in preferences of the virtual machine to not use any networking (uncheck "connected"), (then your windows will "think" the network cable is unplugged)

otherwise it will "call home anyway"

will do, thanks to both repliers for all your help

[boney]

i think originally the disc image is in the Documents Folder

i moved them to another partition

the structure is like "Virtual Machines/Paralles Machines" -name of the machine- / - name of the disk

the imagefile contains everything of your windows installation.

if you make a copy of that file (or simply Right Click and "Duplicate" .. you have a backup of the moment you make it (parralells should not run at this time)

thats it already

about the "no internet" ... i would not trust windows on this, better you set in preferences of the virtual machine to not use any networking (uncheck "connected"), (then your windows will "think" the network cable is unplugged)

otherwise it will "call home anyway"

Hi,

I use parallels on my MacBook pro but don't have it on my imac, But I use AVG free for use in Windows 7, But saying that paralles should have come with that kaprinski thingy for 1 years free virus internet protection.

Enjoy, your Mac you wont go back

[Lost in LOS]

I am working all this out, a different world

what is a good free program for editing pictures, i dont need anything fancy but want to do general editing such as : fix exposure - cropping - adjust color etc.

On windows the windows photo works fine for me but I don't like the i photo one that comes with the mac, it seems to want to take over

I just want to open a pic, edit it somewhat, and save it where i want.

thanks

[saintofsilence]

I use this programme cleanmymac http://macpaw.com/

[nullx8]

what is a good free program for editing pictures

if you have X11 installed along OSX ... just get Gimp its free and Open source as well ..

well it IS fancy and very complex .. but after learn to use it .. you will never use photoshop anymore for sure.

very basic edits (cut,crop, resize, change formats ...) can be done with build in Preview.app as well

[nikster]

I am working all this out, a different world

what is a good free program for editing pictures, i dont need anything fancy but want to do general editing such as : fix exposure - cropping - adjust color etc.

On windows the windows photo works fine for me but I don't like the i photo one that comes with the mac, it seems to want to take over

I just want to open a pic, edit it somewhat, and save it where i want.

thanks

Isn't iLife with iPhoto pre-installed on a new iMac? iPhoto can do all these things, the edit functions have become much better from what they were... oh right you don't want iPhoto... I agree that iPhoto wants to take over everything, it's a little annoying in that way. It does have its advantages though and it does save all photos where you can later get them manually if you decide you don't like it anymore.

There's also Picasa - I used to be a big fan of this on Windows but never warmed to the Mac version (or Picasa 3 for that matter).

Anyway Picasa is free and pretty much does the same thing that iPhoto does.

There's also Aperture for professionals, but it's a bit expensive I think..

[rijb]

Check this out... http://lifehacker.com/5717450/set-up-and-get-to-know-your-new-mac

[JusMe]

I am working all this out, a different world

what is a good free program for editing pictures, i dont need anything fancy but want to do general editing such as : fix exposure - cropping - adjust color etc.

On windows the windows photo works fine for me but I don't like the i photo one that comes with the mac, it seems to want to take over

I just want to open a pic, edit it somewhat, and save it where i want.

thanks

Preview can do some basic, simple stuff. PhotoShop is huge and incredibly complex, needing study before doing anything other than the most simple, and even that requires a lot of work. iPhoto does pretty well and is, of course, Mac native. I just haven't spent time with it as I don't do much graphic stuff.

If I do want to manipulate graphics, I prefer using GraphicConverter. www.lemkesoftware.com (As it's against TV policy, I won't post the serial numbers for it here.)

[JusMe]

I do have a pdf copy of a good book for switching from the PC to the Mac: OReilly: Switching to the Mac - The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition, Feb.2008 which I can put up available for you if you like. Just ask and I'll get that done.

great info, thanks. and yes, I would like that pdf file again thanks

Okay, I use SendSpace because it's free and will store quite an amount of stuff. However, if it's not downloaded once a week or ten days, the files get deleted, so get it or lose it!

The pdf version of O'Reilly is here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/y5787d

However, the menus in the pdf version don't work to carry you to the appropriate page.

If you want the original version of that book, it's in what is called a Chimp format. Available here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/wjzyi2

And in order to read it with all working menus, you need this small application, which is freeware, so just open the disc image and copy the app to your drive. Here's Chimp: http://www.sendspace.com/file/pb0gld

[Lost in LOS]

will check it all out, thanks for the updates everyone.

I have a thai guy from apple that does stuff at your home. Not cheap but fluent english, knows it all and has whatever you need, I can give you the number if you want, just PM me.

between what I am learning here and his two trips to me I think i am looking good

[Nawak]

As a switcher you should find a forum where you'll just find useful answers to anything related to Mac OS X. I found Mac Forums in english but I've learned almost all on the french speaking macgeneration forum and the links I found there.

[nullx8]

or here .. good for local community

[Nawak]

Sorry nullx8, but I don't agree.

Just browsing any specialized Mac related forum will teach you more than on Thaivisa. Just look at the number of topics and posts.

I'll never ask on Macrumors where I can find the best khaeng kieaw wan in town.

[nullx8]

yeah i guess i have to agree with you on this one

best recource is macosxhints.com .. but you need a certain level (i think so) ...

newbie-boards are loaded with trolls .. i never found any helpful one.

[Nawak]

Yep, I agree macosxhints is a great source of knowledge, even if I mostly find answers on french forums it happens there is a more accurate answer on maosxhints.

Anyway the more source you have the best it is.

1st test from my iPod touch .

[Sarpedon]

If you are looking for all kinds of mac software then visit www.macupdate.com. Lots of stuff is free but some is also shareware but you can find almost every kind of software there.