Hi and welcome!
I recently bought a used PowerBook G4 (OS X) from my workplace, and I can't seem to install anything I download from the Net on my machine?!
When you download for your Mac, its always important to look for Mac versions of the programs you download. Your Mac will not run PC programs directly.
On your Mac, under the Apple symbol top left is a good link called MacOS X Software. It leads to an Apple webpage with Mac software.
Other sources:
Websites that can be of help is
http://www.versiontracker.com or
http://www.macupdate.com/ << these are just some of the many webpages with Mac software.
I downloaded an .exe file (ie) MSN Instant Messenger, and when I double click on the file, there's no option to run it. It asks me to choose an application to open it with, and I'm not sure what to do next.
That is a PC program. They will not work on Macs, so the Mac is confused and wonders what to do with it. If you were on a PC, you would have seen that a PC would react the same way on a Mac program.
If you want the official MSN for Mac, you go to
http://www.microsoft.com/mac and download MSN Messenger for Mac from there.
I'm used to the file just opening up and beginning the installation process. I'm not a computer rookie, but this is crazy...maybe the company I bought it from disabled this option for security purposes?!
The Macs have a slightly different way of doing things like this. Remember that MacOS is as old as Windows, so its not about doing things "inconsistantly" from how PCs with Windows does it, but Apple has its own legacy of how to do things. To be fair, Mac users find Windows somewhat strange as well.
Also, many Mac programs aren't "installed" as such, but instead consist of only one icon that you put in the Applications folder on your Mac harddrive. That icon is the entire program and all supporting files. To delete the program, you don't "uninstall" it, but instead throw the programs icon in the trash.
There is no registry on the Mac. The programs settings is in your home folders Library folder under the folder called "Preferences". Each preference file here represent one program.
If your program is misbehaving, throwing the associated preference file in the trash will "reset" the program to the way it worked as if you had never ran it. This solves most program problems on Macs. Vice versa, if you delete a program to save disk space, you can download or install it, and then it will pick up your preference file and you won't have to configure it again.
To summarise:
a) Make sure you download a Mac version of the program you want. Often, you cannot get a program you know by name in the PC world in a Mac version, but instead you can usually get another program by another name that does the same job. Feel free to ask here for help if you look for a program to do a special task.
b) When you download a Mac program, it will usually place its program icon on the desktop in a folder or in a "virtual image", a kind of fictious diskette of sorts. The idea is that you drag the program icon to your Applications folder, either the "A" icon in the Finder window (Finder=Explorer), or arrange your windows so that you can reach the Applications folder in the Macintosh HD disk icon top right.
c) To make the program easy to find, you should consider dragging its program icon from the Application folder to the Dock (at the bottom of the screen). That icon will be a shortcut however, and not affect the original program file. If you don't want the program icon in your dock, just drag the dock icon up and away from the dock and it should disappear in a puff of smoke. You can always then drag the icon back to your dock from your Applicaitons folder whenever you like.
You can also make shortcuts to a program. These are called an "alias". You make an alias by selecting the program icon, then go to the File menu top left on the screen and choose "Make alias", then drag the alias icon (with a small short cut arrow) to the desktop or anywhere you like.
d) Mac programs replace the menu bar options with their own. This might take a bit getting used to, but will feel easier quite soon. To switch programs, just click on its icon on the dock at the bottom of the screen. A running program has a small black arrow pointing to it. A not running program doesn't and will start if you click its icon on the dock. A program will appear on the dock when its running, and disappear from the dock if you haven't dragged it there.
Please help!
Thanks so much.
Anytime
