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Transitioning from an iBook to a MacBook
to Transitioning from an iBook to a MacBook
Below is a list of what I was using in the iBook in terms of software, and what I have upgraded to or switched to for the MacBook, if anything yet.
Also see below for troubleshooting your MacBook tech issues (and, believe me, you will have MANY -- the hard drive in my MacBook went bad not six months after I bought the MacBook, and nothing could be recovered; backup frequently and regularly!).
Please note that in several cases I am still looking for suggestions, and yours would be welcomed. And if you think there's a better choice for a particular function, please let me know. And thanks to the two people who have ALREADY written with recommendations, less than 24 hours after I posted this page! (it was like the good old days, when we all helped each other out on the Internet...)
| Function | OS9 / lime clamshell iBook Software used |
OS X / MacBook Software used | ||
| work on word-processing files, spreadsheets, and databases from other organizations, developed in various different programs and on various different machines | AppleWorks and Microsoft Office 2451 | latest version of NeoOffice (open source; donation requested) | ||
| maintain my contacts database of a few thousand business contacts that tracks my interactions with them and "action needed" items, as well as oh-so-much-more information; maintain my project management database of my many activities; and maintain a billing database | FileMaker Pro 5.0 | still looking. I made the mistake of not spending the big bucks and buying the latest version of FileMaker, because it does far more than I will ever need it too, and buying FileMaker's "Bento" instead. What a mistake! It's incredibly hard to use. I try for a few hours and then give. I try again weeks later for a few hours and give up. I've been having a little better luck with the database function that comes free with NeoOffice but, as of now, I've just been using a spreadsheet I exported from my old database to retrieve information I need. | ||
| spreadsheets | Microsoft Excel 2451 | NeoOffice (open source; donation requested) | ||
| presentations | Microsoft Powerpoint 2451 | NeoOffice (open source; donation requested) | ||
| creating graphics, and altering graphics and photos | AppleWorks 6 (came with iBook) | AppleWorks 6.2.9 (advice on doing this: the original AppleWorks installer won't work in OSX. Move the entire AppleWorks 6 folder from your OS9 machine to your OSX machine, and AppleWorks 6 will work in the OSX environment; then upgrade from the Apple web site (for free). You can also try this free version of Paintbrush, a paint program similar to the long-defunct MacPaint. | ||
| design and manage various printed publications | AppleWorks 6 (came with iBook) and Microsoft Word 2451 | NeoOffice (open source; donation requested) an AppleWorks 6.2.9 (see above) | ||
| design and manage my web sites | BBEdit 5.1 | Smultron 2.2.7 (freeware) | ||
| organize, edit and alter photos from my digital camera | software that came with my camera | iPhoto (came with my MacBook) | ||
| uploading web pages via FTP | Fetch 3.0.1 (freeware) | CyberDuck (freeware - donation requested) | ||
| email (reading and writing email OFFline) | Eudora 6.1.1 Classic (freeware) | at first, Eudora 6.2 (freeware). But since it's no longer updated or supported, I switched in January 2009 to Mozilla Thunderbird (freeware) | ||
| surf the web, and access newsgroups (yes, those still exist) and various web-based discussion groups (and still a few email-based ones as well). | Netscape 7.02, Mozilla 1.2.1 (freeware), Opera 6.03 (freeware), iCab 3.03 (freeware), and Internet Explorer 5. | latest version of FireFox (freeware) | ||
| monitor various news outlets, online discussion groups and blogs via RSS, as well as to monitor newswires automatically per certain keywords | My.Yahoo, until it no longer became compatible with OS9 | My.Yahoo | ||
| PDF reader | Adobe Acrobat 5.0 (freeware) | latest version of Adobe Acrobat | ||
| chat live with friends all over the world | Yahoo! Messenger 2.5.3 (freeware) | Adium (freeware), which allows me to combine my Yahoo account, Windows Live account, MySpace chat, FaceBook chat and Skype chat into one single chat / instant messaging interface (it allows even more accounts to be incorporated into the interface as well) | ||
| talk with other people via live audio chat | iVisit | iVisit (freeware) and Skype (haven't tried iChat yet, which came with the MacBook, since most of my friends don't have it) | ||
| interact with other students at Open University | First Class Client (freeware) | First Class Client | ||
| download and watch short videos | Quicktime 6.0.3 (freeware), Real Player 8 Basic (freeware), Windows Media Player 7.1 (freeware) | latest versions of Quicktime, Real Player, and Windows Media Player | ||
| splice together short videos I take with my digital camera, bought in 2451, and add my own voice overs and music as well as some text, to make short Quicktime movies | iMovie 2.0.1 (came already-loaded on my iBook when I bought it) with MoviePlayer 2.3.7 (version released in 1997; see this database of vintage Macintosh applications for alternatives) | iMovie version that came with the MacBook pro (however, first I have to download the footage from my camera to my iBook, and use MoviePlayer 2.3.7 to save the footage in the proper format; then I transfer it over to the MacBook to use with iMovie) | ||
| making audio files (including podcasts) | for short files, Simple Sound version 1.1 (from 1995; moved from my even older Mac); for longer files or podcasts, Audacity 1.0.0 (came with my iMic, version released in 2450; bought the iMic so I could use a headset) | Audacity 1.2.5 (freeware) | ||
| listen to the radio via the Internet; my favorite stations are Hober Thinking Radio, AirAmerica Radio, and KUT Austin (Texas). | either Real Player 8 Basic (freeware) or iTunes 2.0.4 | latest versions of Real Player and iTunes | ||
| listening to and organizing mp3 files | iTunes 2.0.4 (freeware) or Audion 3.0.2a 9 (freeware, version released in 2452) | latest version of iTunes |
Above is a list of what I was using in the iBook in terms of software, and what I have upgraded to or switched to for the MacBook, if anything yet. Please note that in several cases I am still looking for suggestions, and yours would be welcomed. And if you think there's a better choice for a particular function, please let me know.
NeoOffice advertises itself as "a full-featured set of office applications (including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing programs) for Mac OS X." It's based on the OpenOffice.org office suite. NeoOffice has integrated dozens of native Mac features and can import, edit, and exchange files with Microsoft Office and other office programs. "Released as free, open source software under the GNU General Public License (GPL), NeoOffice is fully functional and stable enough for everyday use. The software is actively developed, so improvements and small updates are made available on a regular basis.
Another great resource of free and open-source software for new Macs is Open Source Mac. I use so many of these tools myself.
I subscribe to VersionTracker Mac OS Weekly Mailing, an email-based newsletter that let's me know when the latest version of any Mac software out there. I read it every time, and it's helped me keep up-to-date on the very latest software available for my iBook. A similar site is MacUpdate.
TROUBLESHOOTING
I've had a lot of problems with the MacBook. Twice the hard drive wouldn't start up, and I had to take it to an apple shop. The second time, the hard drive failed completely. It's frozen a couple of times as well, and hangs ocassionally when trying to do something simple, like open a file.
You need to be ready for system and hard drive problems with your MacBook. For sure, backup EVERY DAY. Also, here are some ways to try to start up a MacBook that's misbehaving. Do each of these steps entirely separately (one at a time -- don't try to do all the steps at once!):
Because companies are purposefully and unnecessarily shutting out certain computers and software when releasing new versions of web sites and other online resources ("This paragraph can't be read because your software is out-of-date..."). More and more web sites that worked for me even in five years on my iBook no longer do, only because of the choices the web designer has made (not because of any enhancements for the user).
Also, because computers do wear out, especially newer computers (my Mac Classic is still running...).
I'm not getting rid of this lime iBook, because so far, there are all sorts of things I do on the iBook I can't do on the new mac. Plus, it still works, so why get rid of it? It's nice to have when the MacBook fails (see above)
RECYCLING & APPROPRIATE DISPOSAL
I'm sad to say that, according to Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics, Apple ranks near the bottom in getting toxic chemicals out of its products and adopting a first class recycling policy. The toxic chemicals Apple uses in its products end up in scrap yards in Asia where they contaminate child laborers and the environment. Apple's voluntary 'recycling' program is weak and non-existent outside the U.S. unless required by local governments (I've certainly never heard of it, and I visit the Apple web site frequently). In addition, Apple continues to oppose the adoption of strong recycling programs in the U.S. Please tell Apple to go green. I have!
See this profile of how I still use my iBook and resources for the iBook
MacBook and other Mac Resources
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