Mac OS X Leopard Pocket Guide

Chapter 2. Mac OS X Survival Guide

If you’re one of the many switchers who’ve come over to Mac OS X, or even if you’ve been using Mac OS X since the early public beta (back when Mac OS X was going through its infancy 10.0 and 10.1 phases), this chapter is for you. Here, you’ll quickly get up to speed on how to use Mac OS X, from learning about the Finder to learning how to create folders (including the new Smart and Burn folders), to discovering tips, tricks, and keyboard shortcuts to make your Mac life more enjoyable.

Your User Account

When you first install Mac OS X Leopard (or when you boot your new Mac for the first time), you have to create at least one user for the system. You’ll be asked to assign a name, short name, and password, as well as provide address information for the user. You’ll also set up some very basic preferences, such as the date and time zone, and configure basic network settings.

By default, the first user you set up on your Mac is known as an “administrative user,” which means that user can pretty much do whatever he wants with the system, including setting up or removing user accounts. As an admin user, you can create accounts for other users (such as your wife and kids) on your system, manage their settings, and also delete their accounts when necessary.

Tip

Having admin privileges means you have ultimate control over your Mac. It also means you can delete anything you choose, so working as an admin user means you have to use caution before you make a change ...