After Hours FAQs - Macintosh Frequently Asked Questions

This page supplies answers to common and not-so-common questions about Macintosh use. Our clients are welcome to drop us a note about questions or concerns you don't see addressed here. If you are new to After Hours, tour the rest of the website, such as Who We Are. If you would like to learn more about how our services can help you, Contact Us. (If you have trouble downloading a file, please visit our Help file or read below for assistance )

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about using your Macintosh are listed below.

opening unknown types of files (with reference table)*
opening really stubborn unknown types of files
opening email attachments
leaving a computer on over night*
power surges -- practical thoughts*
sharing compressed files with Windows users
sharing business files with Windows users (word processing, spreadsheet, databases, etc)
Error codes and what they mean
RAM allocation -- out of memory errors*
personal and business accounting with taxes*
basic font issues*
upgrading software
Netscape web-browsing & email in v4.x
Internet browser sluggishness & Cache issues*
Home networking and the Internet
SPAM & Hoaxes
eMail: HTML text in the message
Viruses
Printing: PostScript errors*
Mac Basics: Turning on the Mac
Mac Basics: Using the Mouse and getting around on your Desktop
Mac Basics: Keyboard Shortcuts
Mac Basics: Lost file icons and rebuilding your Desktop
Mac Basics: Turning off the Mac
Mac Basics: Using Applications 101
Mac Basics: Printing & Faxing

[* this FAQ was featured in an AfterThoughts newsletter]

FAQ: I often receive unknown files which I can't open. What can I do to resolve this?
AH: Opening a file depends on knowing what kind of file you have. PC and Unix files often end with an extension. Check our PC File Reference Table for clues to opening such files. Macintosh files don't use a readily-visible reference scheme, but rather embed the file's Type and Creator in a hidden part of the file. You can find out what kind of file an unknown is by using a utility. But perhaps the first place to start is where you obtained the file. If it was an email attachment or file from work, ask the person who sent it to you. For more about file management and etiquette, see the FAQ on compression listed below.

FAQ: I've looked at the File Reference Table, and I'm sure that isn't my problem. The file I was sent has a generic text icon instead of the SuperWord/Graphic/Sheet icon. I still need to get into the file; what can I do?
AH: There are a number of other potential causes for this condition. You've already looked at the related FAQ on file types and manipulation (see above), so what else is there? One cause is that your Mac's desktop is a little corrupted. The easiest solution is to rebuild the desktop. Our favorite application for doing this is TechTool, a free utility from MicroMat (www.micromat.com). Try rebuilding your desktop first, then see if the file icon is restored. A second cause is a partially corrupted application or support file. While it may seem a headache to spend five minutes reinstalling a fresh copy of your application (in this instance, SuperWord/Graphic/Sheet), those five minutes will be nothing compared to the days you might spend trying other solutions. Those are the two easy fixes but there are several other methods for quickly solving your problem, such as converting the file to one readable by applications you have on your Mac or restoring the file Type/Kind settings. For converting files, consider Dataviz's MacLinkPlus (www.dataviz.com). This package has a ton of translators and several useful utilities. For the fearless willing to reset some hidden (and dangerous) markers, there is another solution: Apple's own ResEdit. For a more in-depth review of these options, view or download our Acrobat white paper entitled FileTypesHelper.pdf here.

One other issue that causes your Mac to attempt to open files using the wrong application is due to a Control Panel that is designed to make your life easier by memorizing what application you like to use to open a particular file type. In older OS versions, the offending beast is called Mac OS Easy Open. To restore your Mac to its original state, you need to delete the old preferences for Easy Open by selecting this choice within the Control Panel. Newer OS versions have a CP called File Exchange. You may need to reset your choices within the mapping settings.

FAQ: I must have missed the part about using email attachments -- and now I've received a file called document.pdf.sit.hqx. How do I open such an email file?
AH: We will work on this file from right to left. That there are extensions added to the name tells us a lot about the type of file this is. From the File Reference Table, you know that the .hqx extension tells you this file has been encoded (changed) to a format that can be used on Unix-based computers -- like many that run the Internet. You have to decode this file using HQXer or Stuffit Expander. Doing so will create a new file on your hard drive with the name document.pdf.sit. Now, from the .sit extension, you know this file needs to be decompressed (using Stuffit Expander). Doing the decompression will create yet another file called document.pdf. The .pdf tells you that the file is an Acrobat file, which can then be opened and viewed using Adobe's Acrobat Reader. So, by working with the file extensions on the end of the name and keeping track of the new files they create, you can usually solve your mystery file problems.

FAQ: Should I turn off my computer at night?
AH: That depends on who's paying your electric bill, whether you have adequate surge protection, and what kind of network backup solution your IT department has instituted, but most of the time the answer is a conditional YES! Most recommendations to leave a computer on are misguided. For a more detailed explanation, download our white page on system shutdown and protection by selecting this link. Also, see the following question.

FAQ: Are computers really prone to power surge problems, or is this a myth?
AH: Absolutely TRUE! If there is an industry where Murphy's Law rules, it is in computers. Macs are no less prone to power surge problems than other computers, digital phone systems, fax machines, heck, even refrigerators. Fortunately, most of the time we can use our electrical appliances with little or no worries in the U.S. However, there are times when Mother Nature or the Utility companies cause us major headaches with an untimely surge (normally just before you've backed up that hard drive or just after the unconditional warranty expires). Download our white page on power and surge protection by selecting this link. Also, see the preceding question for more tips on protecting your Macintosh.

FAQ: Our facility uses the compression program Stuffit Deluxe™ to compact files for storage on our LAN and transfer over the Internet. My colleagues use a Windows platform, and they comment that the files come out all gibberish. We both use the same popular word processing program. Do I have to get a PC to work with these Windows users?
AH: Absolutely not. Often in the course of business, Mac users need to exchange files with their PC counterparts. The easiest way to do this? Across the LAN or as a normal email attachment. Now, there can be complications if the file was sent over the Internet (see our File Reference Table in the first FAQ) or if you are using markedly different versions of the same software. However, on the Mac side, Stuffit Deluxe or DropStuff can create .sit documents with ease, and is bundled with most email clients, from Netscape to Emailer. PC users receiving these files can unstuff them with Aladdin Expander. How about the reverse trip? PC users can use Aladdin's DropStuff to compress a file in a form Mac users can decompress with Stuffit Expander. File compression for a complicated world just got easier. Perhaps your Windows friends need to discover the Aladdin website (www.aladdinsys.com). Full-fledged copies of Aladdin & Stuffit are commercially available, as well. If you are experiencing trouble using Stuffit Expander to decompress files that are obviously Stuffed, you may have a file which was stuffed with a newer version of Stuffit. We recommend that you download the latest version of Stuffit Expander available to remain current.

FAQ: I've started with a new firm using my home office, and the MIS/IT folks tell me my Macintosh can't run their software. They use MonsterWordXtraSheetGraphic [a fictitious software package]. Aren't there any commercial cross-platform packages available for my needs?
AH: There are plenty of cross-platform software titles, programs available for both Macs and Windows users -- including the very one you named. For example: LotusNotes, Microsoft Word, FileMaker Pro, Excel, QuarkXPress, PowerPoint, PageMaker, Illustrator, 4D, Photoshop, Freehand, Acrobat, html (Netscape/Internet Explorer/AOL), Media100, Director, and Quicken, to name a few. All of these programs and many more are "cross-platform" -- the Mac versions can read and use most files created on a PC, and the Mac can save files in a format which a PC can read. You can easily take your work home from the office Mac to your home PC (or visa versa). Why is this so easy? For one, reading a PC floppy disk is a built-in feature of all Macs since 1988. Yes, we can readily mount or "see" a floppy on our desktop simply by having the PC Exchange control panel installed and inserting the mystery floppy. Now, of course there are some exceptions, but an adequately-trained MIS/IT person will be able to quickly show you how to integrate your Mac into their organization. If they can't, call us. We'd be happy to assist.

FAQ: My application quit or my Mac crashed with an error code. How do I discover what that means?

AH: When an application or the Finder crashes in Classic mode, you'll hopefully get a clue from that numerical code. Some of the more common error codes are Type 2 or Type 11. If you get one of these two messages, see our next FAQ. So what if the error is something a bit different? Here's how to have than number help you to figure out a little more about what went wrong and what to tell your tech.

FAQ: How do I handle out-of-memory error messages, like Type 1, 2 or 11 errors?
AH: These errors can occur due to bugs in the operating system version or program you are using, or a lack of RAM memory installed in the Mac. Sometimes, it has nothing to do with how much actual RAM you have installed on your Mac, but rather how much memory is dedicated to an application. There is a simple fix: adjust the amount of RAM given (allocated) to the application by using the Get Info window for that application. We have a PDF white page written up to assist you with this procedure. Click here to view or download the PDF.

Some useful notes: you cannot have the application running when you attempt to adjust the RAM allocation, so be sure you have Quit out of it prior to using Get Info to view or change the settings. Also, a common mistake is to try to use the Get Info window of an alias of the program. You can only view and adjust these settings from the Get Info window of the application itself. And, make sure that you do not have more than one copy of the application on your hard drive(s), or adjust each. You cannot change memory settings on applications which live on locked disks (CDs, locked floppies, etc.)

FAQ: What tax accounting software is available to help me on April 15th?
AH: Certainly. There are a number of good home and business tax accounting packages available for the Mac, and not just for the Ides of April. Specifically for taxes, Quicken, Macintax, Kiplinger TaxCut & QuickBooks (see our QuickBooks note above) users have some nifty options in those packages for easing the tax paperwork burden. Determining which one is best for you is usually a matter of personal taste. And even if you don't do your taxes by computer, the IRS has made obtaining tax forms (1998 was the latest year for this product) and instructions, all of them on CD, very easy. With the disturbing trend of local governments no longer distributing tax forms at the local libraries and post offices, this might be a better idea than standing in line at the local IRS office. See our April 15th page for more information. Several other basic business packages are offer some accounting assistance for the Mac, including our own ExpertConsultant with AR and AP quick reference windows.

FAQ: What are the original fonts which came with my Mac?
AH: Prior to OS 8, there were nine. With the release of OS 8, Apple introduced a tenth font called Charcoal. These are all TrueType fonts, although for many of them, there are PostScript alternatives available (such as Helvetica, Palatino and Symbol). Here are the normal fonts that come with your system (including Charcoal):

Fonts are one of the hardest things to manage on a computer. Graphic designers in particular seem to collect a huge library of fonts over time, so these professionals can encounter font problems more frequently. Because they are open files with every application, fonts are uniquely susceptible to corruption should your system freeze or crash. We recommend that you keep a spare folder of clean copies of the above ten (or nine) fonts for your system, in case you need to reinstall them quickly. Symptoms of font corruption or conflict can be a file or application which refuses to boot or crashes upon every launch, even after reinstalling a clean copy, odd letter shapes in pulldown menus or file names on the desktop, or printing problems.

Other applications may install additional fonts into your System. For instance, to use Acrobat or Adobe Type Manager, there are two PostScript fonts which must load with the System: Adobe Serif MM and Adobe Sans MM (along with their outline companion files) -- all others are optional

FAQ: Is it worth my while to upgrade my software?
AH: Software upgrades are tradeoffs. You get improved features, but often at the cost of system speed and hard drive space. If you are upgrading your OS, you need to make sure that the new version will run on your Mac (if it is an older machine) and that your existing applications will run on the new OS. OS upgrades can require more RAM, too. Updates are a different matter, as these are usually very beneficial for reliability and performance.

FAQ: When I compose a new message in Netscape 4.x and type in an address, in the send mail window, the program aggressively tries to fill in my address for me. I type "John", and it gets right down to work filling in, "@bellsouth.net", even going so far as to tell me there is no John at bellsouth.net. What's up?
AH: This is not a bug, this is a feature. That tired programming joke is absolutely on the mark here, for in Netscape 4.5 and higher, Netscape will "guess" or autofill email addresses based on past experience. As software gets smarter, it leads us in unexpected directions. To our knowledge, there is no way of turning off this feature entirely (the guess shows up as grey text, not blackened), but you can type over it with the full address without harm. You can turn off the address book features within the Preferences settings, or you may also enter in the name of the addressee into your address book, so when you begin to type in the name, Netscape will guess the right one, precluding you from needed to type in the entire address.

In a related vein, Netscape will also try to automatically complete your URL entry, where you type in your desired web site to visit. This can be visually annoying, but again causes no problems if you just keep typing. If this really annoys you, open the Preference settings and set your "Remembered URL links" to zero. For the latest Netscape browser, select our Links page for a quick way to access the Netscape home page.

FAQ: Using Netscape 4.x, if I compose a message off line and then click send, the program connects, the message is not sent and all options in the send mail message window are grayed out except spelling. If I close the window, it tells me the message has not been sent and asks if I want to put it in the drafts folder... but I want it sent, instead. What to do?
AH: There are a number of factors involved here. We see this behavior most often with systems using MacPPP or FreePPP. Netscape is notorious for attempting to establish a DNS connection before the dialup is complete. If this happens, then the mailer doesn't know who to talk to (your ISP's server) and the mail is not sent. Once the dialup is complete, Netscape can communicate properly. Open Transport with OS 8 and higher seems to have eliminated this problem. Without knowing more about the system involved, either (1) upgrading to a newer OS and version of Netscape or (2) simply activating your dialer first, and waiting until you are connected before attempting to launch or use Netscape may be the simplest solutions.

FAQ: When my internet browser becomes progressively slower and more likely to freeze as I surf the web, what can I do to eliminate this?
AH: Without knowing what web browser we are talking about, let's cover the two most popular: Netscape and Internet Explorer. While this could be many things (a corrupted file within either package, or more likely, a corrupted preference setting), the MOST COMMON cause is too many cache files choking the browser. What are cache files? These are generally small files downloaded to your computer from each webpage you visit. They are mostly graphics, all of the little figures and pictures you see on the screen are transferred to your computer when you view a web page. Browsers are programmed to download and store these files on your hard drive to help speed up displaying these pages during your web surfing. A great programmer would design their web browser to automatically delete these cache files if they haven't been used over a certain period of time (say, one day or one hour), but only now are the browsers being designed with these "smart" features. Older browsers will stockpile these cache files in special places on your hard drive, and if they build up (say, more than a few hundred, or a few megabytes of total disk space, you can see performance problems.

How do you get rid of these unnecessary files to prevent this cache overload? With Netscape 4 and higher, you should select Edit:Preferences, then scroll down in the Preferences window that pops up and select Advanced:Cache to display the Cache controls. Now, select the Clear Disk Cache Now button. Then, select the OK button to close the Preferences window. With Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4 and higher, you should select Edit:Preferences, then scroll down to Web Browser:Advanced to display the Cache controls. Now, select the Empty Now button. Then, select the OK button to close the Preferences window. Depending on how often you surf the web, do this at least weekly, or more frequently for heavier use (we know powersurfers who dump their cache a couple times a day).

Other settings and tricks: have you given your browser enough RAM to work? See our FAQ on RAM allocation for more information. You may also want to give the browser some additional space for cache files. In each browser preference window is a setting for assigning how many megabytes of cache files can be used by that browser. Try increasing this setting by a Mb or two. Look at your other settings, too. Are you remembering too many sites you've visited? Do you need Java or Active X to be active? Do you need a ton of plug-ins for music or other features? Turn off these settings or disable unnecessary accessories to optimize your browser's speed. Also, remember that after making any changes, it's a good idea to Quit and relaunch your browser to make sure the changes take effect.

FAQ: How can I network more than one home computer to my internet connection?
AH: That depends on your connection to the internet. If you have a dialup service through your provider, you can use a modem-capable router with an external modem to give all the computers on your home LAN access to the Internet. You can also use a Mac with an internal modem as a router for the same purpose. If you have cable or DSL, you can use a router to connect everyone to the Internet.

For more information about home LANs, click here.

FAQ: I received email from a friend offering free money, warning me about a virus that will destroy the computer world, or tells me I can save a life by forwarding the message on to 25 friends. Can I save the planet and retire with huge sums of cash from my keyboard?
AH: These come-ons appeal to me, too. Who wouldn't like to save a life, avoid viruses, and have a fat bank account. But nearly all of them are junk. This industry is full of acronyms. One of my favorites is GIGO: "Garbage In, Garbage Out", which aptly describes most of the email described above. Virus scares aren't a serious problem for Mac users. Don't get me wrong, they exist and can cause headaches, but there are excellent free and commercial virus protection packages for the Mac (view our Links page for more info).

However, many reports of viruses on the web are usually hoaxes (even for Windows-based PCs). Perhaps it is the anonymous nature of the Internet, but here we have an ever-growing body of people who see fit to send out unsolicited email (SPAM) regarding get-rich-quick schemes, free goods, feel-good sympathy pleas, and basic nonsense to anyone in their email address book. The bulk of these messages are Hoaxes, without a shread of truth to them -- yet they persist. We recommend that you politely reply to the sender in each case that you would prefer not to receive this kind of message. Don't be afraid of offending the sender with your honesty -- they would likely prefer to know they offended you now rather than risk losing the relationship through continued SPAM. We also recommend that you ask them to visit our web page on Hoaxes and Internet Myths. It's never too late to THINK.

FAQ: Why do I get HTML code in my email messages?
AH: That's not your fault -- it comes for the sender of the email message. As email software (clients such as Netscape Messenger, Outlook Express, etc.) evolves, we now have the ability to encode email messages with links and other new formatting. To achieve these new "features", the programmers used HTML. However, many older packages cannot interpret the embedded HTML instructions, and believe all that noise is just part of the message. This is also true on mailing lists which have digest versions: the mail list server cannot differentiate between what is part of the message and what is HTML, so the message is copied in its raw form to the digest text. So, even if your email client can weed out the code from individual messages, the digest will still be delivered with a lot of noise.

The best way to combat this is to ask the sender of the message to turn off the HTML message formatting in their email software. For instance, in Netscape 4, one would go to the Preferences window, select Mail & Newsgroups, select Formatting, and select the radio button to Use plain text editor to compose messages. In Outlook Express 5, within the Preferences settings, one would select the Compose tab, and set Messages: Mail format to Plain Text.

Alternatively, if you need to have clickable links within a message (say, to direct the reader to a particular website), you will need to "bracket" the URL properly. An address written as (http://www.RDUonline.com/) would not work for many email clients whereas <http://www.RDUonline.com/> would display the page of interest, in this case a good webhosting firm for small businesses. Because it is written with the proper brackets, the second URL will likely be automatically highlighted in an identifying color and automatically underlined even if the sender did NOT specify these formats in the message.

FAQ: Are computer viruses a problem for my Mac?
AH: Yes, they are (but not a big one). Unfortunately, the Mac has not escaped the virus problem completely. We have approximately 40 viruses which can affect Macs, although some only affect older OS versions such as 6.08 and below. (Windows users face thousands of viruses, with new ones on a weekly basis).

And, to make things worse, Microsoft introduced a programming feature to their Office products Word and Excel called a Macro writer. This writes small programs to help with repetitive tasks. Unfortunately for us, viruses can also be written in this MS macro language -- and these viruses are cross-platform. You cannot get a normal PC virus to affect your Mac in any way; but if you use newer versions of Word or Excel (since '95), you are at risk to MS macro viruses.

Avoid virus problems:
- Use Norton Antivirus for the Mac or Dr. Solomon's Virex to protect your Mac (see our links page).
- If you cannot afford the software, use Disinfectant and Wormfood to check for (and remove) all known non-MS macro viruses.
- Do not open any Microsoft Word or Excel attachment from an email, or off of a PC disk without first checking for macro viruses. Simply do not accept files from uncertain sources or avoid using Microsoft products altogether.
- Do not share files or pirated software (particularly games) -- this is by far the single largest cause of viruses on computers.

FAQ: When printing a specific document, I get a PostScript error. I can print other documents just fine, but this one won't print. How do I fix this?
AH: PostScript printing errors most often occur due to too little memory installed in the printer, a margin or page layout parameter set incorrectly, or with a corrupted item in the document itself. If you have plenty of memory installed in the printer, and your margins are set correctly, the way to determine if there is a corrupt font or image used in the document is "divide and conquer".

Make a copy of your bad document (and only work from copies). Remove one half of the document, then try to print. If it prints o.k., then take another copy and remove only one half of what you removed before. Repeat this process until you narrow down the culprit. We have found it can be a bad image or font, or even just the formatting on one or several pages of a document. We've seen this behavior in PageMaker, Quark, Illustrator, and Freehand, although it may not be restricted to just these packages. But by using the divide-and-conquer technique, you can isolate many of your own problems relatively quickly. Be careful, 'though: sometimes, there can be more than one element in a document corrupting printing. And, there can be other causes: from a bad network connection to a bad printer driver to a bad PPD or printer description file.

FAQ: How do I turn on my Macintosh?
AH: That depends upon your model. Nearly all Macs now are turned on from a special power key on their keyboard. Apple uses a left-pointing triangle or a circle with a vertical line through it (actually a zero with a one overlaid) as the on button. But many older models had a push or toggle switch either in the front or on the back of the CPU as their power switch. To confuse matters just a bit, some Performa models, such as the 575, had a power switch on the back, yet were able to power up from the keyboard button just fine. Regardless of which model you have, turning the Mac on should result in a chime sound, and a welcome message while the Mac boots up (loads its operating system). Learn more about Mac Basics from our Mac Basics page.

FAQ: How do I use the Mouse to work with what I see on the screen?
AH: Wow, that's a question with a lot of answers -- but let's touch on the bare bones of what you need to know.

Using the Mac efficiently means understanding how to use your mouse and keyboard to open folders (directories), files, launch and use applications (programs). Your mouse controls the position of the cursor on the screen. Moving the mouse from side to side or up and down should maneuver the cursor in the same directions. Most of the time, the cursor is an Arrow. To open an item, you would place the point end of the arrow on the folder, file or application icon and click the mouse button to perform an action on that item. How you click will dictate what the Mac does. For instance, a quick single-click will select an item, which then would permit you to select some action to be performed on that file from a pulldown menu. A quick double-click or DC will open that item (a DC on a folder opens the folder into a window where you can view the contents of that folder -- a DC on a file will open that file, etc.). To select a pulldown menu, or multiple items in a folder or document, one click-drags over the desired area of the screen. There are variations on these functions based on your System Version, but that should be enough to get you started on exploring your Mac.

The items you see on the Macintosh screen are designed to emulate how you would work from your desk. Because of this, we refer to the opening screen as your desktop. It has much the same kind of items: there is an icon (cartoon) representing your hard drive -- this would be your filing cabinet where you store all of your files. There is a trash can for throwing away (erasing) unwanted files. If you open up the icon for the hard drive (a mouse DC), you will be presented with file folders (which are used to group together related files, applications or even more folders, just as you would use folders on your desk) and you'll see individual files. Learn more about Mac Basics from our Mac Basics page.

FAQ: Are there shortcuts to using the Mouse on the Mac?
AH: Keyboard shortcuts exist for many functions on the Mac. While we are all accustomed to using the menu bar pulldowns for many computer functions, you may find memorizing the keyboard shortcuts will save you a lot of mousing around. Certain keyboard shortcuts are universal, while others are specific to the operating system (OS), Mac model or application you are using. A reference of common keyboard chords is available here.

Learn more about Mac Basics from our Mac Basics page.

FAQ: My files no longer have their special icons and my Mac doesn't know which application opens them. How do I fix this?
AH: The most likely cause is a problem with a hidden system file on your Mac called the Desktop database. The Desktop DB collects and stores information about the type of applications you have installed on your hard drive, and usually marks files created or managed by those applications with tailored icons. This helps the Finder know what application to launch when you DC on that file. If your files have lost their special icons, or don't open properly with a DC, you should do two things:
- (1) Make sure the application for that file is installed (and launches) properly on your hard drive.
- (2) Rebuild your desktop. Apple has a four key combination for forcing the rebuild of the desktop when you first start up your Mac (see our Keyboard chords table) -- but our favorite way of rebuilding a desktop is to use a free utility called TechTool, available from MicroMat's download page (see our Links page).
  
  With TechTool, you simply launch the utility,
  click on their splash screen to make it go away,
  select the Rebuild Desktop button and follow the on-screen instructions to proceed.
  Once the Desktop DB is deleted, the Mac will be restarted.
  Let the Mac perform the rebuild, and your file icons should be restored.

FAQ: How do I turn off my Macintosh?
AH: All Macs need to be turned off by selecting the Shutdown command from under the Special menu (in the Finder). The Mac keeps a number of hidden directories open when you are using it, and these files are constantly updated when you use the Mac. To record the latest changes to your hard drive for future reference, the Mac does some special housekeeping when it knows your daily work is over by selecting Shutdown. Never turn your Mac off with the power button or by "pulling the plug" without first selecting the Shutdown command. (File corruption can occur, even to the point where the Mac may not boot up properly the next time you try to use it.) Some Performa models also included a ShutDown item under the Apple menu. Learn more about Mac Basics from our Mac Basics page.

FAQ: How do I use applications on my Mac?
AH: Applications (what we used to call "programs") are the workhorses of any computer. They are the tools by which you can make your computer do useful things. Learning some basics about how these programs are put together for you is fundamental to using your computer. To learn to use your computer, you will need two skills:

(1) A willingness to read the manual (at least some of it).
(2) A willingness to experiment and make mistakes.

If you have already reviewed the skills on our Mac Basics page, then a quick introductory into each of the basic application formats might be helpful. In the business environment, our primary tools are word processing (didn't we use to call that "typing"?), spreadsheets (number crunching), and presentations. In a design or publishing environment, we might add to that list Desktop Publishing and design. Professional services may include architechtural drafting or medical information processing. A teaching environment might include educational resources and the Internet. The home owner may include personal finance and entertainment (games), and so forth.

FAQ: When printing a specific document, I get a PostScript error. I can print other documents just fine, but this one won't print. How do I fix this?
AH: PostScript printing errors most often occur due to too little memory installed in the printer, a margin or page layout parameter set incorrectly, or with a corrupted item in the document itself. If you have plenty of memory installed in the printer, and your margins are set correctly, the way to determine if there is a corrupt font or image used in the document is "divide and conquer".

Make a copy of your bad document (and only work from copies). Remove one half of the document, then try to print. If it prints o.k., then take another copy and remove only one half of what you removed before. Repeat this process until you narrow down the culprit. We have found it can be a bad image or font, or even just the formatting on one or several pages of a document. We've seen this behavior in PageMaker, Quark, Illustrator, and Freehand, although it may not be restricted to just these packages. But by using the divide-and-conquer technique, you can isolate many of your own problems relatively quickly. Be careful, 'though: sometimes, there can be more than one element in a document corrupting printing. And, there can be other causes: from a bad network connection to a bad printer driver to a bad PPD or printer description file.