As I was typing the title I realized that y'all are further west than I am, and that you might be in the midst of the winter storm! Here we just have freezing rain so far. The ice and snow are supposed to be here tomorrow, but I'm ready. I just thought maybe I'd better pop in here in case we lose power. If I disappear from Facebook for a few days, don't worry. We could have an inch of ice with snow on top, and then high winds, so it's possible that power lines will go down. Already our modem has had to be reset. Twice.
I have gotten some words in since I got home. The total for the month is 12,136. I'm hoping next month will be more consistent, but I can't complain about my lost days since I didn't have my computer in Florida with me.
I meant to go to the gym today and didn't, but I suspect I'll get my exercise this week shoveling snow. Woo!
Other than that, I'm playing with my Mac and trying figure out the idiosyncrasies. I've already gone back to my old keyboard and mouse. It came with wireless ones, but the mouse won't right click, and the keyboard is teensy. Of course, the computer is recognizing my keyboard shortcuts, which is going to chap my hide.
That's about it here. The challenge for the rest of the week will be to keep moving. It will be more difficult as the week goes on, what with no sunshine for at least two more days. Let the games begin.
8 comments:
I use a Microsoft keyboard and a Logitech mouse on my Mini. The toughest part is figuring out which key is the Mac Command key -- it's the Windows Start key on this keyboard. I haven't really figured out what CTRL and ALT do with the Mac yet. (But the Calculator button on top does bring up the Mac Calculator -- woo hoo!)
Mice are tough for me -- everyone wants to sell me one shaped to use with my right hand, and I'm a left-handed mouser. The Logitech X3 Optical Mouse is ambidextrous. And yes, I couldn't stand the idea of no right-click, so it works.
You and Stephen sound well-prepared, so I hope you're all OK. Tammy hasn't said much, but according to the map saw, she may be on the edge of the storm like we are.
We're supposed to get rain tonight and tomorrow with winds increasing occasionally to 50 mph. The wind will bring the cold into the teens overnight with highs dropping from 50 to 30s for the rest of the week. By Saturday, it should be better. The wind could cause problems, but we'll probably use our side door instead of our back door for a couple of days -- it's better sheltered from the north wind. And, of course, we'll be monitoring the garage interior temperature to determine if we need to bring the dogs in or not at night.
I use a mac-mouse (the one that came with my iMac) and it right clicks. There should be a thing called System Preferences in your Dock (the line of programs and apps at the bottom of the screen - it might float up when you move the mouse down to the bottom edge) and it's also in your Applications folder. Once you're in System Preferences, click on 'Keyboard and Mouse' and turn the right-click-side of the mouse to a Secondary Button. :)
Alt helps you access other functions as a keyboard shortcut. When you look at drop-down menus in various programs, Alt is symbolized by an odd lazy Z kind of shape with a line on top (I use Chrome and it's in several places in the 'edit' pull down menu). For example, to copy a URL (without selecting it) it's Alt-Command-C.
Also Alt gets you to different typed characters not visible on the keyboard (Alt-2 is ™ for example, and alt-p is π) There are a LOT of other characters you can touch type with Alt and combining Alt with the shift key. Some fonts only have basic options, but others have some really cool things, including graphics. :)
I don't use the control key much - in fact, nothing comes to mind, but I do so much without really thinking... I'll try to pay attention over the next few days and see what I use it for. Surely something. :)
One cool shortcut is taking a screen shot (I find it really useful when I'm trying new settings for things - especially internets and passwords - so that I can go back to what I'd had before without messing it up. Anyway, to take a screen shot, it's shift-command-3. The pic is the entire screen, not just the window on top and the file will appear on your desktop. :)
And, oh, the storm. We have about an inch on the ground now. Should have about two by morning. two more tomorrow. Maybe two more Wednesday. Least that's our forecast. After last winter's constant slog of 8-15" snowfalls, there's no snowmageddon happening here. lol {{huggs}}
OK. Got the screenshot figured out (I kept trying to hit F3 instead of just 3). I've known about screenshots for years but didn't bother figuring out how to make them, because I've rarely thought of a use for them.
Really cool on the ALT shortcuts. Is there a list somewhere, or do you just have to experiment?
There's a list at http://www.nouilles.info/keyboard_shortcuts.html
I mostly, though, use a file where I've typed every letter, number, and bit of punctuation (every character-typing key on my keyboard including brackets, the squiggle, everything) in regular, shift, apple shift and option shift (us old-time mac users call the Alt key 'Option', weird, I know) and it shows every possible character for any given typeface. I can then just select all and try different fonts, if applicable.
That's the other thing -- I'm using a Microsoft keyboard, so I don't know which key correlates to what on the Apple keyboard.
Start = Command
ALT = Option
I guess CTRL = Control
(I see the keyboard on the Air thoughtfully identifies them by both names. ;))
Do you know of a way to customize the dock? It's making me a little crazy having all that stuff down there I might use once in a while, if ever.
Yeah, you just click-hold and drag off anything you don't want to keep there (and you rearrange them the same way, just by dragging to where on the dock you want them). Active programs are there, though, but only permanent if you drag an icon onto the dock.
Also, you can set Dock preferences in system preferences, things like size, and if it floats or is fixed and whatever. :)
Post a Comment