December 23, 2006

• Computer Games

  New OS

  Well, the OS isn't exactly new to me: I had it on a laptop I had for a while. I'm now trying to learn to use OS-X on a Mac Mini. It's only slightly different from the version on the small laptop I gave to Cathy.

  This is the first time I've fired up the machine. It's been sitting here for a while while I obtained the hardware I'd need to run it invisibly: a device to switch the keyboard, mouse and display between the Mini and my regular Windows machine and an adaptor to connect the keyboard and mouse to a USB. The computer itself is out of sight while the switch is behind my camera.

  Yesterday I fixed the Windows machine, replacing a defective optical drive. That surgery worked. The Mini, to be contrary, seemed completely dead ... until I tried all of the connections and found that the power adaptor connection wasn't fully seated. With that taken care of, the Mini is just a switch click away.

  As the Mini had never been used before, it wanted a software update before it would do anything. There was a list of 13 items that had to be updated, including the system firmware (which takes an additional step in a special mode). The little beast may be fast, but the update took a long time.

  As I mentioned, I've used this OS previously ... but not extensively. The Mini version, Tiger, seems easier to use than the laptop version was. I've installed one application, iWork'06, which combines a presentation program with a word processor. Yes, I really feel that I need to learn a new word processor and all of its quirks; the multitude I've tried are deficient or unsatisfactory in many ways. I do intend to install my Power Writer on the Mini, too. And perhaps others.

  Now to watch a DVD.

  • 21:43
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