Comments on: Mac OS QuickStart Q & A http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/ Support and additional material related to how-to guides by Maria Langer. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:13:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Maria Langer http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-11332 Maria Langer Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:59:16 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-11332 The URLs for that book have changed. Support can be found at MariasGuides.com. Just follow the links for Mac OS. That site is going to be completely reworked within the next week or so, so I can't give you any exact links. I will try to "fix" the links so they redirect to where they should. Sorry about the confusion! The URLs for that book have changed. Support can be found at MariasGuides.com. Just follow the links for Mac OS. That site is going to be completely reworked within the next week or so, so I can’t give you any exact links. I will try to “fix” the links so they redirect to where they should.

Sorry about the confusion!

]]> By: Peter Donoso http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-11319 Peter Donoso Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:56:23 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-11319 Hi Maria, I just purchased your Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard: Visual QuickStart Guide and typed in the URL on the back cover where it says, "COMPANION WEB SITE offers links, updates and more at www.mariasguides.com/category/book-support/macos-books/ and got the message: Not Found Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn't here. I made sure to triple check my spelling so that I'd be going to the "right" address... What should I do now? Confused, Peter Donoso Hi Maria,
I just purchased your Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard: Visual QuickStart Guide and typed in the URL on the back cover where it says, “COMPANION WEB SITE offers links, updates and more at http://www.mariasguides.com/category/book-support/macos-books/
and got the message:

Not Found
Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn’t here.

I made sure to triple check my spelling so that I’d be going to the “right” address…
What should I do now?

Confused,
Peter Donoso

]]> By: Maria Langer http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-8965 Maria Langer Sun, 26 Jun 2011 13:24:43 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-8965 David: When Font Book resolves duplicates, it turns off ONE occurrence of the duplicated font. You can still use the font -- but you'll use the version of the font that's not disabled. Validating a font merely checks to be sure there's no corruption; if there is, the font should be disabled to prevent system problems when it's used. For more information about what's under the hood on ANY Mac OS feature, your best source is always the Apple Support Web site. Good luck. David: When Font Book resolves duplicates, it turns off ONE occurrence of the duplicated font. You can still use the font — but you’ll use the version of the font that’s not disabled. Validating a font merely checks to be sure there’s no corruption; if there is, the font should be disabled to prevent system problems when it’s used.

For more information about what’s under the hood on ANY Mac OS feature, your best source is always the Apple Support Web site. Good luck.

]]> By: david http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-8910 david Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:00:17 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-8910 Maria, I remain confused about Font Book's "Validate Font", "Resolve Duplicates" and "Disable" options on both OS X.4 & OS X.6 after having read Chapter 16 in your Snow Leopard Visual Quickstart Guide. For instance, when I resolve duplicates the font is turned off. Does this mean it can no longer be used? Can you recommend a source which can go into more depth about what is actually happening when some fonts have the triangle/bullet indicating a problem with a font? Thanks for your assistance with this - your book has been helpful for understanding other OS X topics. Maria,
I remain confused about Font Book’s “Validate Font”, “Resolve Duplicates” and “Disable” options on both OS X.4 & OS X.6 after having read Chapter 16 in your Snow Leopard Visual Quickstart Guide. For instance, when I resolve duplicates the font is turned off. Does this mean it can no longer be used? Can you recommend a source which can go into more depth about what is actually happening when some fonts have the triangle/bullet indicating a problem with a font?
Thanks for your assistance with this – your book has been helpful for understanding other OS X topics.

]]> By: Maria Langer http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-8356 Maria Langer Tue, 17 May 2011 14:33:16 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-8356 Craig: I think that material may have been lost in a server move, along with a lot of other old material. I'll be looking for it, though, and if I do get it back online, I'll announce it on <a href="http://MariasGuides.com" rel="nofollow">MariasGuides.com</a>. Craig: I think that material may have been lost in a server move, along with a lot of other old material. I’ll be looking for it, though, and if I do get it back online, I’ll announce it on MariasGuides.com.

]]> By: Craig Williams http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-8132 Craig Williams Sat, 07 May 2011 10:42:00 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-8132 Maria I purchased yr VQG on 10.5 Leopard and there was a link to the stuff that did not make it into the guide. Obviously that link (www.marialanger.com/macosquickstart) is no longer valid as you have changed your domain name. Is it still available? Maria I purchased yr VQG on 10.5 Leopard and there was a link to the stuff that did not make it into the guide. Obviously that link (www.marialanger.com/macosquickstart) is no longer valid as you have changed your domain name.

Is it still available?

]]> By: Maria Langer http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-7956 Maria Langer Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:17:51 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-7956 Sid: No, it's not intentional. Return it to the store you bought it from. The book is apparently defective. Sid: No, it’s not intentional. Return it to the store you bought it from. The book is apparently defective.

]]> By: Sid Williams http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-7918 Sid Williams Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:53:06 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-7918 I purchased your book on Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard a couple of days ago. Pages 389 through 436 are missing; or all of chapter 18. Is this intentional? Whom should I contact to resolve this issue? I purchased your book on Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard a couple of days ago. Pages 389 through 436 are missing; or all of chapter 18. Is this intentional? Whom should I contact to resolve this issue?

]]> By: Fred Gorham http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-3105 Fred Gorham Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:39:09 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-3105 Maria-thanks so much for your reply. I had reinstalled Snow Leopard before trying to upgrade Quicktime but no luck. Based on your reply, I tried again and lo and behold it worked. The version that I now have is more than adequate for my needs. Thanks again. Maria-thanks so much for your reply. I had reinstalled Snow Leopard before trying to upgrade Quicktime but no luck. Based on your reply, I tried again and lo and behold it worked. The version that I now have is more than adequate for my needs. Thanks again.

]]> By: Maria Langer http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-3104 Maria Langer Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:26:53 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-3104 Fred: Some of the features of QuickTime Player 7 Pro are incorporated into QuickTime Player 10 (the version that came with Snow Leopard). But QuickTime Player 7 Pro has more features which are unlocked with a product key that requires payment to obtain. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of the book handy -- I'm away from my office this week -- so I don't know exactly what I said on the page you referenced. But there is no free version of QuickTime that has all the features of QuickTime Player 7 Pro. Fred: Some of the features of QuickTime Player 7 Pro are incorporated into QuickTime Player 10 (the version that came with Snow Leopard). But QuickTime Player 7 Pro has more features which are unlocked with a product key that requires payment to obtain. Unfortunately, I don’t have a copy of the book handy — I’m away from my office this week — so I don’t know exactly what I said on the page you referenced. But there is no free version of QuickTime that has all the features of QuickTime Player 7 Pro.

]]> By: Fred Gorham http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-3075 Fred Gorham Mon, 06 Dec 2010 02:49:23 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-3075 I am new to the MAC. I am now reading and learning from your awesome book "MAC OS X 10.6 SNOW LEOPARD". I am perplexed by your section on Quicktime which begins on page 303. In the second paragraph, second sentence, which begins "In this latest version...." you imply that there is a version of Quicktime that incorporates features of the Pro version, assumedly without additional cost. Then under Tips, the you cover this subject some more. If this is true, where do I find this version of Quicktime? I am new to the MAC. I am now reading and learning from your awesome book “MAC OS X 10.6 SNOW LEOPARD”. I am perplexed by your section on Quicktime which begins on page 303. In the second paragraph, second sentence, which begins “In this latest version….” you imply that there is a version of Quicktime that incorporates features of the Pro version, assumedly without additional cost. Then under Tips, the you cover this subject some more.

If this is true, where do I find this version of Quicktime?

]]> By: Maria Langer http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-39 Maria Langer Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:20:35 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-39 Hans: When attaching photos to be sent to Windows users, you have two options. Use the Attach button in the mail window (it looks like a paper clip) to locate and attach the photos. Be sure to turn on the Windows friendly check box. OR Compress all the photos into one archive (using the Finder's Compress command) and then send that file via e-mail. Either way, I believe the photos will be savable on the Windows PC. Hans: When attaching photos to be sent to Windows users, you have two options.

Use the Attach button in the mail window (it looks like a paper clip) to locate and attach the photos. Be sure to turn on the Windows friendly check box. OR
Compress all the photos into one archive (using the Finder’s Compress command) and then send that file via e-mail.

Either way, I believe the photos will be savable on the Windows PC.

]]> By: hans vansteenkiste http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-38 hans vansteenkiste Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:39:42 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-38 Hello, I've just bought your lovely book on Snow Leopard in Dutch - I live in Flanders-Belgium. New to the Mac OS I'm currently trying to add some pics as an attachment in Mail. When mailing them to a PC running Windows Outlook the pics do not really arrive as an attachment but are shown in the mail itself, so the addressee isn't really able to save them. Sent to my Macbook they also show beneath the text - which I set that way - but here I can save them as the attachment icon is shown. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on this in your book. Can you help me, please. I'm looking forward to your reply, Hans Vansteenkiste Hello, I’ve just bought your lovely book on Snow Leopard in Dutch – I live in Flanders-Belgium. New to the Mac OS I’m currently trying to add some pics as an attachment in Mail. When mailing them to a PC running Windows Outlook the pics do not really arrive as an attachment but are shown in the mail itself, so the addressee isn’t really able to save them. Sent to my Macbook they also show beneath the text – which I set that way – but here I can save them as the attachment icon is shown. Unfortunately, I can’t find any information on this in your book. Can you help me, please.

I’m looking forward to your reply,

Hans Vansteenkiste

]]> By: Ed Arnold http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-37 Ed Arnold Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:27:10 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-37 Maria, Thanks for the info. I had heard that .m4a has better sound quality than .mp3. But the problem is a legacy issue: many people have older players that don't play .m4a. For instance, I have an Olympus that only plays .mp3 and .wma, and it's working fine. So I'll pursue the software conversion idea. Maria,

Thanks for the info. I had heard that .m4a has better sound quality than .mp3. But the problem is a legacy issue: many people have older players that don’t play .m4a. For instance, I have an Olympus that only plays .mp3 and .wma, and it’s working fine. So I’ll pursue the software conversion idea.

]]> By: Maria Langer http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/01/q-a/#comment-36 Maria Langer Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:09:26 +0000 http://www.mariasguides.com/2006/01/q-a/#comment-36 This took some research to make sure I answered you correctly. First, from AnswerBag (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/313850): <blockquote>Many people have questions about M4A, since it is relatively new. M4A stands for MPEG 4 Audio, and it is a popular file extension used to represent audio files. Most people are familiar with MP3 and how it shrinks down the file size of songs and other audio files. M4A and MP4 do the same thing as MP3 does, but even better. Quality is better and file sizes are usually smaller than MP3 files. But unlike MP3, no licenses or payments are required to be able to stream or distribute content in M4A format (unlike MP3 which requires you to pay royalties on content you distribute in MP3 format). This fact alone, is more than enough reason (due to the extreme cost savings) to use M4A files instead of MP3 files. In addition, M4A files tend to sound much better than MP3 files encoded at the same bitrate.</blockquote> This same post goes on to explain that most media players can play M4A format files. So part of me isn't sure why you'd want to convert. M4A is smaller, sounds better, and should be compatible. That said, I'm not sure WHY iTunes no longer exports in the format chosen in Import settings. I know that it did when I wrote the book. But I also know that iTunes 9 was released right around the same time the book was published. I can only assume that some kind of change was made in the code for the software for that new release. I no longer have iTunes 8 installed anywhere, so I can't test this. You can download a converter, though. Google "m4a to mp3" (http://www.google.com/search?q=m4a+to+mp3) to search for one. Keep in mind that you won't be able to convert any protected audio files -- for example, DRM-protected files downloaded from the iTunes Music Store. I don't know anything about third party conversion software. I'm also not an iTunes expert. The book includes less than a dozen pages about iTunes; we covered the basics only because of page count restraints, preferring to concentrate on Mac OS features that needed to be in the book. Hope this helps. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I'll add an errata page to this site to point out the discrepancy. This took some research to make sure I answered you correctly.

First, from AnswerBag (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/313850):

Many people have questions about M4A, since it is relatively new. M4A stands for MPEG 4 Audio, and it is a popular file extension used to represent audio files. Most people are familiar with MP3 and how it shrinks down the file size of songs and other audio files. M4A and MP4 do the same thing as MP3 does, but even better. Quality is better and file sizes are usually smaller than MP3 files. But unlike MP3, no licenses or payments are required to be able to stream or distribute content in M4A format (unlike MP3 which requires you to pay royalties on content you distribute in MP3 format). This fact alone, is more than enough reason (due to the extreme cost savings) to use M4A files instead of MP3 files. In addition, M4A files tend to sound much better than MP3 files encoded at the same bitrate.

This same post goes on to explain that most media players can play M4A format files. So part of me isn’t sure why you’d want to convert. M4A is smaller, sounds better, and should be compatible.

That said, I’m not sure WHY iTunes no longer exports in the format chosen in Import settings. I know that it did when I wrote the book. But I also know that iTunes 9 was released right around the same time the book was published. I can only assume that some kind of change was made in the code for the software for that new release. I no longer have iTunes 8 installed anywhere, so I can’t test this.

You can download a converter, though. Google “m4a to mp3″ (http://www.google.com/search?q=m4a+to+mp3) to search for one. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to convert any protected audio files — for example, DRM-protected files downloaded from the iTunes Music Store.

I don’t know anything about third party conversion software. I’m also not an iTunes expert. The book includes less than a dozen pages about iTunes; we covered the basics only because of page count restraints, preferring to concentrate on Mac OS features that needed to be in the book.

Hope this helps. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I’ll add an errata page to this site to point out the discrepancy.

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