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- - My First Mac. How? What? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-technology/1217688-my-first-mac-how-what.html)

SQ421

May 31, 2011 6:44 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIH Prem (Post 16477128)

Not sure why your friend is running 10.4, but that's way behind.
-David

Thanks for the mini tutorial on the workings of a .dmg file :) I'll play around more with this post open on the side. I installed LibreOffice and then in between unmounting the disk image and moving the .dmg file, seem to have broken something so the LibreOffice icon in the dock merely flashes a "?" when I click it.

This is an old laptop which he hasn't actually used since september last year when he upgraded to a 15" Macbook Pro. He had this lying around and was happy to lend it to me to have a play with. :) Hence the 10.4

GadgetFreak

May 31, 2011 7:13 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477510)

I think that the Mac version of an office suite (Keynote, Numbers, and Pages) is quite nice and only about $60. I am switching over my presentations to Keynote. I really like it although there are the occasional compatibility issues. I had a presentation in AMS Saturday and chickened out trying it with Keynote on my iPad. But I used my MB Air with Keynote. Probably my first Keynote presentation. I have presentations in NYC and Santa Fe coming up this week (Im not normally this busy) and am going to probably try them in Keynote on my iPad but have Keynote and PPT back ups on USB.

SQ421

May 31, 2011 7:15 am

So,

1. Downloaded the .dmg file for LibreOffice
2. Ran it after installing
3. The dialog box showing the applications folder and the animation to drag LibreOffice to it showed up.
4. Dragged and Dropped as suggested. LibreOffice installed itself, creating an icon on the desktop that looks like a drive.
5. Dragging the said icon to the trash (which now looks like an eject button) renders LibreOffice un-usable (sic).

What am I doing wrong? Or does every installation create this icon on the desktop (that can't be right!!).

LIH Prem

May 31, 2011 7:36 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477647)

Not sure. Step 4 doesn't seem right, why would it create a drive? It's hard to see what you are seeing.

The disk image will show up as a mounted drive after you open the dmg file from the Downloads folder. Then when you open the mounted drive, you should get the application package installer or the animation to drag the app to the applications folder. Once you do that, you should just end up with a new application in the Applications folder, and you can close the installer window and then eject the mounted "drive". Once you have ejected the mounted dmg file, you can move the dmg file from the downloads folder to the trash.

That's how it should work. If it's not working that way, then you need to remove all traces of that application, including downloads, applications, etc and start over. You can try moving the Application from the Applications folder to the trash. Remove that icon from the dock and move the previously downloaded dmg files to the trash, then empty the trash.

Update: That bad icon in the dock seems to indicate a botched install. I think you need to start over clean, including getting a new copy of the dmg file.

-David

LIH Prem

May 31, 2011 7:39 am

Libre install instructions for mac are here. If it's not doing that, you want to get rid of it including whatever you downloaded and start over. Delete anything in Applications you added as part of this to the trash, and get rid of that thing in the dock you mentioned.

http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/installation/mac/

If it does add itself to the dock as part of the install, the icon for Libre Office looks like seagulls on a blue background, doesn't it?

-David

nmenaker

May 31, 2011 7:59 am

package

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477510)

a dmg, or disk image file is really just a package that contains an installer and all the necessary files (and sometimes some additional files, uninstaller, etc.)

one the .dmg is mounted one can then proceed with the install. usually just a double click, sometimes an installer wizard is presented showing an icon to drag the app file (another package) to the applications menu.

Once the app is actually installed, (signified by the "dew DEW DEW!" chimes, then one can unmount the .dmg package by simply dragging the DISK ICON (not the installer package) to the trash. that should do it. You can save the .dmg files somewhere, anywhere for future installs is needed. I put them on a remote disk so all my macs can access them.

but, once that is done you shouldn't have a problem with a question mark icon. That is usually a problem when an UN-INSTALL has occurred and the alias in the menu bar hasn't been removed, or if the actual application file has somehow been MOVED and the alias wasn't updated.

So, it sounds like maybe you didn't complete the install, or moved the application file somehow or maybe ran the UN-INSTALLER?

alanw

May 31, 2011 10:48 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477647)

So,

1. Downloaded the .dmg file for LibreOffice

Fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477647)

2. Ran it after installing

No, you opened the Disk Image file (you can think of it as a zip file, kinda, where everything is contained in a single file. Once you open it, your Mac treats it just like any other disk - USB, CD, whatever). This is an important distinction.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477647)

3. The dialog box showing the applications folder and the animation to drag LibreOffice to it showed up.

That's not a dialog box. It's a finder (similar to explorer on Windows) window, showing you the contents of the disk image. This disk image has two items in it: 1) the Libre Office application itself and 2) an Alias for your Applications folder (Aliases are like shortcuts on Windows). You're supposed to drag the application icon over to the Applications folder alias, which will copy the application from the disk image into your Applications folder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477647)

4. Dragged and Dropped as suggested. LibreOffice installed itself, creating an icon on the desktop that looks like a drive.

No, the icon was on the desktop as soon as you opened the disk image.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477647)

5. Dragging the said icon to the trash (which now looks like an eject button) renders LibreOffice un-usable (sic).

That's because you have "ejected" the disk image - in Mac terminology that means you unmounted it and the system no longer sees it as a disk anymore. Typically the install process on a Mac is:

1. Double-click the disk image to open
2. Drag the icon to applications folder alias
3. Eject the disk image by dragging to the trash
4. Delete the disk image file if you don't want to keep it (or just leave it in your downloads folder)

You're trying to run LibreOffice off the disk image, which isn't there anymore because you just ejected/closed/unmounted it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477647)

What am I doing wrong? Or does every installation create this icon on the desktop (that can't be right!!).

[/quote]

Nothing creates an icon on the desktop. That was just the disk image, which is only there temporarily while you are using its contents to install something. The application is in your Applications folder. On Mac, Applications don't have shortcuts on the desktop. You can drag them from the Applications folder to the Dock to create a shortcut if you want to.

N.b.: Libre Office sucks. It is NOT Mac software. It is a Mac port of a clunky, decades-old Unix program. It's ugly, it doesn't work the way the MAc does, and it doesn't integrate at all with the Mac OS. Honestly I would hate for your first experience with a Mac to be that - it's enough to send anyone screaming back to Windows. Open Office is no better. If you actually have reliance on specific Office features to get work done, then that's what you should use on the Mac. If not I'd encourage you to give iWork a try (again, stick with it for a few weeks). It's not as full-featured as Office but it's a much more pleasant experience. I have both on my machines and only use Office when I need to work on a complex long document or open an Excel spreadsheet that's full of macros. iWork is cheap, has a very short learning curve, and produces great-looking documents.

And yes, Chrome is identical and runs great.

GadgetFreak

May 31, 2011 11:30 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanw (Post 16478726)

Fine.

No, you opened the Disk Image file (you can think of it as a zip file, kinda, where everything is contained in a single file. Once you open it, your Mac treats it just like any other disk - USB, CD, whatever). This is an important distinction.

That's not a dialog box. It's a finder (similar to explorer on Windows) window, showing you the contents of the disk image. This disk image has two items in it: 1) the Libre Office application itself and 2) an Alias for your Applications folder (Aliases are like shortcuts on Windows). You're supposed to drag the application icon over to the Applications folder alias, which will copy the application from the disk image into your Applications folder.

No, the icon was on the desktop as soon as you opened the disk image.

That's because you have "ejected" the disk image - in Mac terminology that means you unmounted it and the system no longer sees it as a disk anymore. Typically the install process on a Mac is:

1. Double-click the disk image to open
2. Drag the icon to applications folder alias
3. Eject the disk image by dragging to the trash
4. Delete the disk image file if you don't want to keep it (or just leave it in your downloads folder)

You're trying to run LibreOffice off the disk image, which isn't there anymore because you just ejected/closed/unmounted it.

Nothing creates an icon on the desktop. That was just the disk image, which is only there temporarily while you are using its contents to install something. The application is in your Applications folder. On Mac, Applications don't have shortcuts on the desktop. You can drag them from the Applications folder to the Dock to create a shortcut if you want to.

N.b.: Libre Office sucks. It is NOT Mac software. It is a Mac port of a clunky, decades-old Unix program. It's ugly, it doesn't work the way the MAc does, and it doesn't integrate at all with the Mac OS. Honestly I would hate for your first experience with a Mac to be that - it's enough to send anyone screaming back to Windows. Open Office is no better. If you actually have reliance on specific Office features to get work done, then that's what you should use on the Mac. If not I'd encourage you to give iWork a try (again, stick with it for a few weeks). It's not as full-featured as Office but it's a much more pleasant experience. I have both on my machines and only use Office when I need to work on a complex long document or open an Excel spreadsheet that's full of macros. iWork is cheap, has a very short learning curve, and produces great-looking documents.

And yes, Chrome is identical and runs great.

Right. It installed the software but it didnt leave a desktop icon. If you go to your Applications folder, you should see the software installed. If you double click on it there it should run.

njx9	May 31, 2011 12:29 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanw (Post 16478726)

N.b.: Libre Office sucks. It is NOT Mac software. It is a Mac port of a clunky, decades-old Unix program. It's ugly, it doesn't work the way the MAc does, and it doesn't integrate at all with the Mac OS. Honestly I would hate for your first experience with a Mac to be that - it's enough to send anyone screaming back to Windows. Open Office is no better. If you actually have reliance on specific Office features to get work done, then that's what you should use on the Mac. If not I'd encourage you to give iWork a try (again, stick with it for a few weeks). It's not as full-featured as Office but it's a much more pleasant experience. I have both on my machines and only use Office when I need to work on a complex long document or open an Excel spreadsheet that's full of macros. iWork is cheap, has a very short learning curve, and produces great-looking documents.

And yes, Chrome is identical and runs great.

Wait, what? LibreOffice (wiki) is a fork of OpenOffice, which has been around since 2000ish (and was branched solely because OO's future was uncertain after it was purchased by Oracle. LibreOffice itself has only been around for about a year). Are you sure you're thinking of the same software? In any case, I'd take OO or LO a million times over before iWork, in much the same way I'd do on my PC over Office.

alanw

May 31, 2011 12:39 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by njx9 (Post 16479348)

Nope. It's a fork of a bloated Java port of a German office suite that's been around since the 80s, called StarOffice. In its current form on Mac, it's a hodgepodge of different runtimes and cross-platform libraries, with a user interface that is as un-Mac as you can get.

Quote:

Originally Posted by njx9 (Post 16479348)

In any case, I'd take OO or LO a million times over before iWork, in much the same way I'd do on my PC over Office.

I wouldn't.

BonzoESC

May 31, 2011 6:08 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQ421 (Post 16477647)

Step 5 should be "Open the LibreOffice disk image on the desktop," step 6 "Drag LibreOffice from the disk image to /Applications," step 7 "Drag the LibreOffice disk image to the trash/eject," and step 8 "Drag the LibreOffice .dmg file to the trash."

caGALINDO

May 31, 2011 9:13 pm

Glad you made the switch.

some applications you should check out

clam xav
cinch (love this)
calendar bar
dropbox and dropox encore (for more free space)
swingfish
netshade
smc fan control
transmit (if you make websites)
vlc
utorrent (if you torrent)
the unarchiver
appcleaner
adium
wiretap pro
the calendar app (that comes with your mac)
and sync that to google calendar and start using it

mac community forums
codez4mac.com

if you are not going to be downloading any fishy things such as software or music or torrents antivirus is not needed.

before you eject that disk you need to open it (double click) and drag the application that is inside it to the applications folder. then go to the applications folder and launch it. then you can eject the disk on the desktop.

if you did this with other applications i suggest checking your applications folder for UNnecessary .DMG files in there. you have been dragging the wrong thing to the application folder.

i wouldnt use libreoffice. why not pages (if your looking for word...)

best browser i still love firefox. lesschrome hd 5 addon for firefox. check that out too. command+L for quick google search. command+t new tab.

drop outlook/contacts use google mail/calendar/contacts. i made the switch about a year ago its been awesome.

a physical apple store will price match amazon. show them the price on amazon on their own computers. BUT, i recommend buying on apple.com REFURBISHED section. i purchased a refurbished before and you can not tell if it is a refurb. i actually sold it as.... yeah you get the point...

command+m to minimize a window. also i love you can enable 4-finger-swipe-down on the laptop trackpads, and it shows you all open windows. 4 fingers swipe up is the desktop.

make sure to go to System Preferences after your first boot up and look through each section and change each setting to what you want. some cool stuff you can do in there that is not default.

njx9	May 31, 2011 11:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanw (Post 16479405)

You're absolutely right, I didn't dig far enough into the OpenOffice origins, apologies.

Perhaps it's my Linux/PC background, or perhaps it's that I generally like open source more than anything closed/proprietary, but I've found LO to work perfectly for everything I've needed it to do (word processing, basic spreadsheets [though, to be fair, I don't generally transfer anything with macros]) on my Mac and my PC. And since it's all OpenDocument, I don't have to worry about transferability (though, ultimately, I've been working with stuff like GoogleDocs more and more, as I find myself using so many different devices to access data).

Analise

Jun 1, 2011 2:20 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIH Prem (Post 16471762)

Make sure to disable the option in safari or any other web browsers that allows known file types to open automatically.

-David

Where do I do that in Safari?

FlyingDiver

Jun 1, 2011 2:23 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analise (Post 16482735)

Where do I do that in Safari?

General tab of Safari preferences. Check box at bottom of window. Make sure it's NOT checked.

joe

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