Newbie needs help with Imac!
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From: Newbie on 18 Jun 2010 13:19 I just got a new Imac and need serious help. Last time I bought a new Imac was years ago. (Even then I wasn't exactly a mac/unix expert, and have forgotten much of what did then.) 1. UNIX What is the best way to make an up-to-date collection of Unix tools. Is it Apple's Xcode that came with the computer, or Fink, or Gnu, or all of them? (In the end I am not a "developer", just a user of programs like emacs and tex, but might need to compile something now and then.) 2. Old Files transfer What is the best, most commonsensical way of transferring about 20GB of files from my old Powerbook G4 to current Imac? I could do it manually with flash drives, but if there is automated way to keep my set-up intact for each app (permissions, preferences, book marks, history, etc), I would prefer that. 3. Modem I have a 2Wire modem. My old PB is wired to it, but it also has wireless. My new Imac detected the wireless and I can use the Internet already. My problem is that the modem was setup with the PB, so all settings are there. I can use it from Imac but not control from there. Soon I'd like to get rid of the PB, so once again, how do I re-set it to transfer the "control" to the Imac? Is it enough to transfer some files or do I have remember how I set it up and do it all over again? 4. PRINTER I have a Brother 5250DN laser printer. Can't remember the wisdom on whose drivers to use - Brother, Apple, Gimp? Thanks!
From: Tom Harrington on 18 Jun 2010 13:29 In article <180620101219168067%newbie(a)no.spam>, Newbie <newbie(a)no.spam> wrote: > I just got a new Imac and need serious help. Last time I bought a new > Imac was years ago. (Even then I wasn't exactly a mac/unix expert, and > have forgotten much of what did then.) > > 1. UNIX > > What is the best way to make an up-to-date collection of Unix tools. Is > it Apple's Xcode that came with the computer, or Fink, or Gnu, or all > of them? (In the end I am not a "developer", just a user of programs > like emacs and tex, but might need to compile something now and then.) What exactly are you looking for that's not already built in? Mac OS X has a pretty extensive selection of Unix tools right out of the box. I like MacPorts (http://www.macports.org/) for stuff not already installed, but lots of stuff is already available. > 2. Old Files transfer > > What is the best, most commonsensical way of transferring about 20GB of > files from my old Powerbook G4 to current Imac? > > I could do it manually with flash drives, but if there is automated way > to keep my set-up intact for each app (permissions, preferences, book > marks, history, etc), I would prefer that. Use Migration Assistant, it's built-in and on your first boot it should ask you if you want to transfer. You can run it from /Applications/Utilities later if you want. > 3. Modem > > I have a 2Wire modem. My deepest sympathies. I ended up taking mine to an electronics recycler, because I considered selling or donating it to be an exercise in cruelty. > My old PB is wired to it, but it also has wireless. My new Imac > detected the wireless and I can use the Internet already. > > My problem is that the modem was setup with the PB, so all settings are > there. I can use it from Imac but not control from there. Soon I'd like > to get rid of the PB, so once again, how do I re-set it to transfer the > "control" to the Imac? Is it enough to transfer some files or do I have > remember how I set it up and do it all over again? This question doesn't make a lot of sense. Most DSL and cable modems, including 2Wire, keep their settings on board, and provide a web page interface for changing them. You can usually download them if you want but that's just making a backup copy. If you want another backup copy, log in to the modem and download it, but your PB isn't controlling it, it's controlling itself. > 4. PRINTER > > I have a Brother 5250DN laser printer. Can't remember the wisdom on > whose drivers to use - Brother, Apple, Gimp? Apple is easiest and probably available. If it doesn't suit your needs, try Brother or Gimp, in that order of preference. -- Tom "Tom" Harrington Independent Mac OS X developer since 2002 http://www.atomicbird.com/
From: Newbie on 18 Jun 2010 14:10 Tom Harrington <tph(a)pcisys.no.spam.dammit.net> wrote: > > I have a 2Wire modem. > My deepest sympathies. I ended up taking mine to an electronics > recycler, because I considered selling or donating it to be an exercise > in cruelty. So that's why my phone company gave it away for free? :) Having just gotten a new mac, I'd upgrade the rest of the set up too. Which DSL modem do you have/recommend? > This question doesn't make a lot of sense. Most DSL and cable modems, > including 2Wire, keep their settings on board, and provide a web page > interface for changing them... Thanks. I have been accessing it at the PB and I didn't realize the info didn't reside there.
From: Richard Maine on 18 Jun 2010 14:13 Tom Harrington <tph(a)pcisys.no.spam.dammit.net> wrote: > In article <180620101219168067%newbie(a)no.spam>, Newbie <newbie(a)no.spam> > wrote: > > I have a Brother 5250DN laser printer. Can't remember the wisdom on > > whose drivers to use - Brother, Apple, Gimp? > > Apple is easiest and probably available. If it doesn't suit your needs, > try Brother or Gimp, in that order of preference. In particular, if it is, as described, a new iMac, I assume it came with OS X 10.6. It ought to recognize that printer pretty much right out of the box. I don't have that particular model, but I have some other Brothers. Probably your biggest pains are going to be related to that modem. Without broadband access, downloading OS updates/patches is likely to be impractical. That would include, for example, updates for the printer drivers. Or maybe I was misunderstanding what you were talking about in terms of the modem. -- Richard Maine | Good judgment comes from experience; email: last name at domain . net | experience comes from bad judgment. domain: summertriangle | -- Mark Twain
From: Richard Maine on 18 Jun 2010 14:15
Newbie <newbie(a)no.spam> wrote: > Tom Harrington <tph(a)pcisys.no.spam.dammit.net> wrote: > > > > I have a 2Wire modem. > > My deepest sympathies. I ended up taking mine to an electronics > > recycler, because I considered selling or donating it to be an exercise > > in cruelty. > > So that's why my phone company gave it away for free? :) > > Having just gotten a new mac, I'd upgrade the rest of the set up too. > Which DSL modem do you have/recommend? Oh. I didn't realize you were talking about a DSL modem. When I hear "modem" I normally think dialup. Ignore the part of my other post about the modem. (And I don't know enough about DSL modems to recommend specific models). -- Richard Maine | Good judgment comes from experience; email: last name at domain . net | experience comes from bad judgment. domain: summertriangle | -- Mark Twain |