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[Ignatz Mouse]

Now that I have my first Mac in 10 years (since System 7!)... a 12" G4 Powerbook...


1) What essentials should I get? I've already grabbed a 3-button mouse with a scroll-wheel, and will be instlling MacMAME shortly, and I'll be installing Office and probably VPC.

2) What tips or secrets for using it efficiently?

3) Is it worth learning GIMP or should I get some version of Photoshop, which I know already?

4) What things don't I know that I should know?

 

[SyNapSe]

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61798

You should get these security updates.

 

[Prospero]

Random gaming recommendations:

Pick up Heroes of Might and Magic III Complete on eBay. (link) Heroes IV is on shelves, but it stinks.

Inside Mac Games is the place to go for Mac gaming--a few developers and programmers tend to hang out there, and because the community's small, it's also tightly knit.

If you're interested in playing Go, Goban is a very nice freeware Go program.

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

Virtual PC
Roxio Toast
MacStumbler (If you have a wireless network, or want to find others)
Safari, or Firefox
Ircle (irc software)
Office
Photoshop
Fallout 1/2

 

[carpal]

VLC (video client)
Transmit (FTP, screw Fetch)
Synergy (keyboard shortcuts for iTunes)

There are lots of good PrefPanes out there besides synergy that I've never bothered to try out. I'm sure someone can recommend some more. Also, learn how to put the terminal to good use. Tons of fun things you can do with that shit.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I'm all over the terminal. I'm a UNIX sysadmin by trade.

What are:

Roxio Toast
PrefPanes
?

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Motion

 

[rastex]

Roxio Toast is a burning program.
And since you're a Sysadmin guy, pick up finch, it's a package management tool.

 

[somnific]

a few tips before i step out for lunch:

hold T at startup: target (firewire) mode. great for moving large amount of files to new system.
hold C at startup: startup from CD
hold option at startup: choose startup drive (if you have more than one system folder or drive - even firewire)
command (apple) + option + esc = force quit dialog box
command + tab = tab through open applications. + shift to reverse tab.

and since you're on a powerbook i recommend changing your keyboard option so that you have to hold down the function key + Fwhatever to change volume and what not. especially essential if you use applications that require the use of function keys.

i also recommend something like a coolpad or iCurve (and possibly hooking up another keyboard) if you use your computer on your own desk for long periods of time.

default folder (software)
windowshade (haxie software)

 

[Phoenix]

Go ahead and just run software update so you're up to date.

I would grab a copy of Photoshop if you can. I still have many issues with Gimps usability.... thought I'm not a big fan of Photoshops either.

I would grab slashdock and absolutely grab Butler (do a search on versiontracker.com for these).

Grab fugu for ssh and sftp if you move files around

iTerm is a tabbed replacement for the terminal application

Many people like Adium as a chat interface

The latest Safari builds are really nice so you might want to stick with that... or use Firefox or Camino. You can dump IE though, the next release of Safari is a 99% replacement.

Grab Divx from the divx.com site

If you do pixel art - pixen is incredibly good for a freeware app. Pick it up at opensword.org

If you want to talk to Windows boxen directly - grab RemoteDesktopConnection from Microsoft's mactopia site - so much better than VNC its insane.

If you want to talk to anything else via VNC you can grab Chicken of the VNC.

Grab CalendarClock as a replacement for the menubar clock, it also integrates cleanly with iCal.

If you want to check out some of the games you can go to macgamer.com

 

[carpal]

I'm all over the terminal. I'm a UNIX sysadmin by trade.

Ah, I don't need to tell you then, hah.

You can add new panes to the System Preferences app with PrefPanes. Look up Little Snitch and Synergy for good examples; I'm retarded today and can't think of how best to describe.

 

[onion_pixy]

Dragon Burn for burning ISO Better than Roxio IMHO


VBAX-Visual Boy Advance GBA emulator

OSXboxISO-takes files and creates an xbox ISO. Good for makeing EvoX boot dics and whatnot

The GIMP rox but Im too cheap for photoshop,never used it, so I can't compare the two. Somtimes its a bit wonky, tools dont change. I'll click one, it looks like it switched to the new tool, but it didint. I d/l the binaries, maybe its better if you build it from source. Also, the interface dosnet jive with the rest of OS Xs interface and the keyboard commands are using the control key instead of the command key. If you come from a Windows/UNIX background that shouldnt be a problem tho.

 

[Koshiro]

Well I'm on a PC and use Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro, I had Linux dual booting up until a while ago so I've had experience with GIMP. Honestly, it sucks. Some small things would really help it out. Make it more intuitive, actually have a proper main window (full screen) instead of all these little windows floating around etc etc. Get Photoshop and be done with it, I'm all for supporting open software, but GIMP badly needs some tweaking.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

These are great suggestions. I've already discovered a few (like iTerm and Firefox ) and when I get back to my Mac this evening I'll be trying some stuff out. After the security updates, that is.

 

[Cioran]

Good recommandations all around but I'd also recommend BBEdit from Bare Bones software.

 

[Particle Physicist]

wow.. i have to bookmark this.. im gonna get a powerbook pretty soon .

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I discovered one more:

XNJB: an interface for my Nomad Zen Xtra, which was previously unsupported. Pretty bare bones, but at least I can use it to transfer files around and dump a lot of music on it now and then.