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Archive through March 24, 2008

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan. 2008 ~ Mar. 2008: All Things Technical: The Help Desk: Computer Problems? Ask Here: Archive through March 24, 2008 users admin

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Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 1:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
One cool feature that i love, (happens to be a mac, so it may also be like this on a pc??) is that I can set my dock on the side or the bottom. It can also be hidden so you really can get more out of every square inch of the screen.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 1:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Julie, dock = bookmark list? I can hide it too, but I like to keep it on the screen.

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 2:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Julieboo: dock = task bar?

Same on Windows. Just drag the taskbar to either side or top of the screen or set Autohide and it only pops up when you cursor off that part of the screen.


Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 2:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Colordeagua: Find this window:



It's the same one that brought your fish to life. The Settings tab is where you can find your current screen resolution. I circled it in red.

Post that here.

Also, click the slider to the right and write down all the larger resolutions your card supports. Ideally one of these will match the native resolution of your LCD display.

I asked some other questions in previous posts today. Can you answer those?


Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 2:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
It's set at 1024 X 768. Can go to

1152 X 864
1280 X 600 - 700 - 768 - 960 - 1024.

Vision with this 17" is not a problem (with bifocal glasses).

Don't know why Jim said get SVGA / not DVI. Don't know what that means myself . . . whatever.

Did I get to all of your questions?

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 4:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Colordeagua: Lets start over with new questions:

1. Is your computer an Inspiron 530s?

2. Is the monitor an Acer X193W or X193W-BD?
The first has a native resolution of 1440x900, while the other is 1680x1050. Do you see either of these resolutions listed on the box?

3. Are you able to connect the new monitor or is someone else going to do it?

Lets start with these.


Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 4:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Inspiron 530s

Acer X193W G

1440 X 900

Above on the box. Have not opened it just in case . . . .

I guess I planned on doing it myself? Jim said just electric plug and the plug with the two "screws" on the back of the tower. Turn it on and it goes? Jim said a disk might come with monitor, but don't need to use it.

Hmmmm. Would I be right if I said my video card won't do it?

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 5:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
In Mac OS X it's called a Dock. In Windows it's called a Taskbar. Same thing for both... you can dock 'em (place them) anywhere (right left top bottom), and you can auto-hide 'em. Has nothing to do with your bookmarks, Color.

As far as plug 'n go... yup. Turn off your computer and your monitor. Unplug the monitor from the power source. Unplug the monitor from your computer. And reverse the steps for the new one... plug in the monitor to your computer, plug in the power cord, turn the power on. You should be good to go. THEN, check the display settings to see what resolution is best for you. You may find that you don't want the highest resolution available.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 5:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Costa. When I know for sure I've got the right monitor, I'll do it myself.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Here's what a mac dock looks like when it's on the bottom:



The icons get larger as you drag your cursor over them. The applications that are "on" have the little blue dot lit up below them. As you move your cursor over the icons, they start to magnify and one at a time (ie "mail" in the example) the name of the application will show when the cursor is at a certain point, then you single click it to open that application. (notice how the "mail" icon is largest and has the name, then the icons on each side start to get smaller....) And if you hide the dock, the dock will stay hidden until you move your cursor over where it is.



You use "Stacks" to easily store files or a collection of related documents.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
So if you know it, Macs are more user friendly? I've never really looked at one. Might have to stop an Apple store when it's not busy.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
They have one in Oakbrook (the mall), Color. Plus they have all these classes and macpros to work with you. You pay something like $99 a year and you get all this help and classes. It is way cool.

I am so biased towards macs, so I might not be a good person to get an opinion from. BUT I am so not techy and a mac is such a piece of cake. I have tried to use a PC and totally gave up on it. When I had to figure out where a file was (cuz there were different drives???) instead of clicking on a folder, I got too frustrated and gave up. Guess I was too babied from having a mac for such a long time. Though keep in mind the last time I tried a PC was at least 5 years ago, so maybe they've become more user friendly...

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Color, at the risk of sounding like I am a mac/apple salesperson, here is a link to the Oakbrook Apple Store:

http://www.apple.com/retail/oakbrook/week/20080323.html

There is a ton of info there like directions and the different workshops they offer, etc.

You can also use the Apple Store Concierge to make a reservation for the following services:

Genius Bar
The place to go for advice, insight and hands-on technical support.

Workshops
Free one-hour workshops to help you get the most from your Mac and iPhone.

Personal Shopping
Learn about and test drive new products with a one on one shopping appointment.

One to One
Customized one to one personal training to get the most out of your Mac and iPhone.

ProCare
Priority support to keep you up and running at the Genius Bar.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
I said upthread a ways that an older woman on WGN radio loves her Mac and was really pushing them in general. Makes me curious. I will have to check 'em out in Oak Brook. I'm not far from there.

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Our local Best Buy carries Macs also.

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
The Mac vs. PC debate is an old and honored tradition. As a friend of mine once said, this is as big a discussion as penis size!"

I just had to share. lol

Color - despite that little snafu upthread about alphabetized bookmarks in Apple's Safari web browser, they really are more user friendly. :-) Mac has a small percentage of the market, though, so you will always hear more anti-Mac than positive Mac in any one setting.

Bottom line - if you try one and feel comfy with it at an Apple Store, chances are you will have a very good experience at home with one.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
I'm not trying to start an argument (I know people who love their Macs). I am curious though why people think that Windows has so dominated the market if the Mac is superior. Is it purely marketing?

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Well, isn't it a fact that windows has dominated? Mainly cuz of cost?

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
Jimmer - it's because Microsoft licensed the Windows platform and allowed it to be an "open" platform. That gave a squillion computer companies the opportunity to place it on their compatible machines as the OS.

Apple has never done that. Well, once in the 80's but those machines are in museums now. lol

That's one main theory I have always believed. And Windows-compatible machines generally cost less.

That, and marketing.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Plus didn't Bill Gates steal (even though he warned Steve Jobs) the windows idea?

As I remember (and keep in mind I may well have the story somewhat mixed up), Steve and Bill were friends or partners. Steve Jobs had some great ideas but was far too interested in the computers themselves than protecting his ideas. Bill G. warned him that he should protect the ideas. Then when Bill saw Steve was not going to, he took the ideas and ran.

Something like that... (maybe it was not Steve Jobs, it might have been Steve's partner Steve Wozniak.)

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
Jimmer, I am not sure why, but I do have LOTS of friends with macs and we have a heck of time finding programs for their macs that do what what I do on my pcs easily. I'll be truthful and say most of my mac friends are people who are scared of hacking and viruses and aren't concerned with the cool stuff a computer can do beyond surfing and playing with images.

Before I am slammed, yes I know lots of you mac people can do everything. But I can also tell you people on PCs have about 50x more ways to do it.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Boy I might have been totally out of my mind, cuz I don't see anything on Google about a Jobs/Gates connection!! So, um, nevermind....

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Not taking the Acer monitor out of the box cuz I still don't know . . . Bob? Just leavin' this ol' one on all night.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Naja, what are your friends trying to do? I cannot imagine it has anything to do with the thing macs are great at, which is anything creative. (ie using applications such as inDesign, photoshop, illustrator, dreamweaver, garage band, etc...)

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 7:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
Naja - I understand what you're saying, but I guess I am one of those Mac people that knows how to use the computer and makes the choice to stay with Mac. I don't want for a darn thing in terms of what I want to do, need to do and can do.

This is always about the time I bow out of the debate, because there is no real answer beyond individual choices - but I will say that I don't need 50x ways to do something as long as I am able to do it.