Question for Mac users.... - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

the-rasta-masta · 02-11-2007, 10:53 AM

I just bought a Macbook a few days ago and I am still getting the hang of the OS compared to windows, having never used a Mac before. I have a few questions and if anybody can give me a hand then that would be great.

First, is there any way to make the "window" take up the full screen? I am pressing this little green button on the top left but that apparently isn't it. If it can't maximize it is not a big deal, but it would be nice.

Second, how do I download Windows media player? I downloaded the version for Mac OS X from the Media player web site, but after I do, it is on my desktop as a "sitx" file. I click on it and it says it doesn't have a program to open it with. I would mainly like this in order to be able to watch highlites on NHL.com etc...

If anybody could post some info it would be much appreciated.

thanks in advance

kipperfan · 02-11-2007, 11:01 AM

I can get the full screen for some web pages, but not for most.....it ****ed me off big time for a month or so but now I love the smaller window.....I always have multiple windows open so being able to toogle back and forth is nice IMO.

Ford Prefect · 02-11-2007, 11:57 AM

Drag the window so that the upper right hand corner of the window is in the upper right hand corner of your monitor. Then click and drag the lower left hand corner of the window (usually has three diagaonal grey lines) to the lower left hand corner of the monitor.

This will work for web browser windows too. With websites though, if the site hasn't been designed to rescale itself, you won't get much of a benenfit ... just a larger window, but without rescaled page elements.

Hakan · 02-11-2007, 12:02 PM

Full screen maximizing is more of a windows thing.

Ford Prefect · 02-11-2007, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hakan

Full screen maximizing is more of a windows thing.

How so? Macs do it.

kipperfan · 02-11-2007, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

Drag the window so that the upper right hand corner of the window is in the upper right hand corner of your monitor. Then click and drag the lower left hand corner of the window (usually has three diagaonal grey lines) to the lower left hand corner of the monitor.

This will work for web browser windows too. With websites though, if the site hasn't been designed to rescale itself, you won't get much of a benenfit ... just a larger window, but without rescaled page elements.

I use Safari and that doesnt work for me.

kipperfan · 02-11-2007, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

Second, how do I download Windows media player? I downloaded the version for Mac OS X from the Media player web site, but after I do, it is on my desktop as a "sitx" file. I click on it and it says it doesn't have a program to open it with. I would mainly like this in order to be able to watch highlites on NHL.com etc...

If anybody could post some info it would be much appreciated.

thanks in advance

I had this problem as well and it took me a long time to figure it out....what you have to do is download a program called "Stuffit Expander" you can google it...easy program to find....once you download this....install it. After that click on your Media Player icon to begin installation, it will ask you which program you would like to use to open the file....choose stuffit.

Its basically a Winzip type program you would use on a PC to expand a file...once the program has run its course(30 seconds) the computer will let you click on the Windows Media Player Installer icon that will now be on your desk top...and from there your good to go.

Ford Prefect · 02-11-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipperfan

I use Safari and that doesnt work for me.

That's odd ... I use Safari too and it works for me. It also works in Firefox, Explorer and Netscape. The only problem I have is that on some sites only the window gets larger, but the website's content is anchored and doesn't rescale. According to a friend who designs websites that's a function of the way the site was designed. But I can always click and drag that bottom left corner to make the window larger. Is there a Preference setting maybe that's set to not allow you to do this?

Edit: Argh ... I had a brain fart. It's the bottom right hand corner that you have to click and drag, not the bottom left hand corner. I've always been left/right dyslexic. Obviously therefore, it's the upper left hand corner of the window that you have to position in the upper left hand corner of the monitor as well, not the upper right like I said in my first post. Sorry about that.

kipperfan · 02-11-2007, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

That's odd ... I use Safari too and it works for me. It also works in Firefox, Explorer and Netscape. The only problem I have is that on some sites only the window gets larger, but the website's content is anchored and doesn't rescale. According to a friend who designs websites that's a function of the way the site was designed. But I can always click and drag that bottom left corner to make the window larger. Is there a Preference setting maybe that's set to not allow you to do this?

Perhaps there is...I will have to look into it and see what I am doing wrong......crazy....I was under the impression you couldnt use the click and drag method on Safari....good to know though.

Ford Prefect · 02-11-2007, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipperfan

Perhaps there is...I will have to look into it and see what I am doing wrong......crazy....I was under the impression you couldnt use the click and drag method on Safari....good to know though.

Make sure you read my edit in the post right above your last one. I was being dyslexic before.

Winsor_Pilates · 02-11-2007, 12:26 PM

I would also recommend you download flip4mac
http://www.flip4mac.com/wmv_download.htm

It allows you to watch WMV through quicktime and also watch WMV that are streamed through websites(such as NHL.com highlights)

I rarely if ever actually use WMP, since flip4mac lets you view everything anyway. The free version does the trick for me, but if you want more features there are ones you can buy too.

Winsor_Pilates · 02-11-2007, 12:27 PM

My windows are almost always full screen. I wonder why?
Maybe because I have a 12" G4 and it's not a widescreen?
Anyone know?

cheung31 · 02-11-2007, 12:31 PM

The green button is not supposed to maximize as it does in Windows.

All it does, is expand the window to as large of a size as is required. That way, if you have a widescreen, the web browser won't be taking up useless space on the sides.

kipperfan · 02-11-2007, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

Make sure you read my edit in the post right above your last one. I was being dyslexic before.

Arggggg I am a fool I cannot believe that has been staring me in the face for 6 months!! Thx for that piece of info though....there are times when I prefer the full screen.

Ford Prefect · 02-11-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

My windows are almost always full screen. I wonder why?
Maybe because I have a 12" G4 and it's not a widescreen?
Anyone know?

Safari, and I thin other browsers as well, will always open new windows the same size as the previously open window. So if your windwo is set to full screen, and you don't change it ever, new windows will always open at a full screen size.

Your comments about flip4mac are bang on ... I just started using the free version recently and it's great.

Jayems · 02-11-2007, 12:36 PM

I went mac for school and absolutely love it. Safari ****es me off because it quits so much, but meh. I just switch between that and firefox.

Anyone know a good way to clean a laptop screen without smudging and smearing the whole thing?

Cheers.

kipperfan · 02-11-2007, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

I went mac for school and absolutely love it. Safari ****es me off because it quits so much, but meh. I just switch between that and firefox.

Anyone know a good way to clean a laptop screen without smudging and smearing the whole thing?

Cheers.

I use water and paper towels on my Macbook screen and it works like a charm.....but whatever you do dont spray any sort of cleaner on it......that will ruin it.

Ford Prefect · 02-11-2007, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipperfan

Arggggg I am a fool I cannot believe that has been staring me in the face for 6 months!! Thx for that piece of info though....there are times when I prefer the full screen.

No problem. I've used Macs for 17 years, so they're fairly intuitive to me. If you ever have any other questions, just PM me. I don't always have the answer, but I'm happy to help if I can. Often the answers are really simple because, well, because it's a Mac.

Human Torch · 02-11-2007, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

Anyone know a good way to clean a laptop screen without smudging and smearing the whole thing?

Cheers.

I can't remember if it was futureshop or bestbuy but I bought something called monster screenclean. It comes in a blue spray bottle with a cloth. It was recommended on a mac forum and works great.

Barnes · 02-11-2007, 03:25 PM

Zoom vs Maximize is confusing for most Mac newbs but you will soon understand why zoom is more efficient. Here's a link that explains the difference from a UI design standpoint. It can be summed up with this one sentence.

"Don't assume that the standard state should be as large as possible; some monitors are much larger than the useful size for a window."

http://www.xvsxp.com/interface/max_vs_zoom.php

Get flip4mac. Don't waste your time with WMP. They've stopped developing it.

An sitx or sit file is a Stuffit file. Just like a .zip or .tar file. Get Stuffit expander. Not sure why it doesn't come installed anymore. Look for the free version that expands only.

Use Cotton on your screens with a little water. You will scratch the glossy Macbook screen if you use paper towel.