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Mac newbie

 
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I finally got myself a Macbook and am still exploring.
I am trying to setup the java dev environment. I would typically need (for now) JDK, Eclipse & Tomcat. Do I download it from the Sun, Eclipse and Apache sites or is there something similar to the Ubuntu Synaptic Manager available? Which is the recommended install location or do I go with the default? Anything I need to keep in mind or pay special attention to?
 
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Java should be pre-installed.

If not, http://developer.apple.com/java/

Get Tomcat and Eclipse from their respective sites.
 
Maneesh Godbole
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Sorry for being such a pest, but do I get the 32 or 64 bit? How do I confirm my Mac is 32/64 bit? Cocoa or Carbon?
 
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Maneesh Godbole wrote:Sorry for being such a pest, but do I get the 32 or 64 bit? How do I confirm my Mac is 32/64 bit? Cocoa or Carbon?



What version is your OS and model of macbook?

I use the Snow Leopard with the Eclipse Galileo(Cocoa/64 bits) on my macbook white(Early 2009).
 
Maneesh Godbole
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Snow Leopard. Macbook White. Dec 2009.
 
Rodrigo Lazoti
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Maneesh Godbole wrote:Snow Leopard. Macbook White. Dec 2009.



Then you can take the 64 bits/Cocoa version.
 
Maneesh Godbole
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Thanks Bear, Rodrigo. Downloading.

Though the engineering and effects has positively wowed me, I must confess, I am a bit let down with some things, especially after using Ubuntu.
1) Woefully lack of keyboard support like mnemonics and configurable shortcuts.
2) Dock and maximize windows. The window does not expand behind the dock, even if I resize it by dragging the bottom right corner. Currently I have my dock hidden which defeats the purpose. Any suggestions?
3) I noticed the application menu bar is integrated with the system menu bar when a window is selected. (Safari menu replaces the finder menu) Is there any way to change this?
4) Do I need antivirus? If yes, which one?

I somehow get the feeling that I should realign my thinking on how to use the machine. I downloaded Transmission and it started working immediately, no "installation" was required. Is there any site or document which I should refer to? Something like Mac features for dummies would do the trick for me.
 
Bear Bibeault
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Maneesh Godbole wrote:Though the engineering and effects has positively wowed me, I must confess, I am a bit let down with some things, especially after using Ubuntu.


If you expect it to be Ubuntu (or Windows) you will always be disappointed. Let go and let it be what it is and you'll find yourself getting used to it. Then you'll start finding all the nifty things it does that are OS X gems.

1) Woefully lack of keyboard support like mnemonics and configurable shortcuts.


There are plenty of shortcuts. They're just not in your face. Learn them over time.

2) Dock and maximize windows. The window does not expand behind the dock, even if I resize it by dragging the bottom right corner. Currently I have my dock hidden which defeats the purpose. Any suggestions?


Personal preference. I always keep my dock hidden. How does that "defeat the purpose"?

3) I noticed the application menu bar is integrated with the system menu bar when a window is selected. (Safari menu replaces the finder menu) Is there any way to change this?


Not sure what you mean by this. If you are expecting each window to have its own menu like Windows, forget about it. The single menu may take some getting used to, but I'd not have it any other way.

4) Do I need antivirus? If yes, which one?


No.

I somehow get the feeling that I should realign my thinking on how to use the machine


Yup. If you keep fighting it trying to make it something it isn't, you will always be unhappy.

The only person I've ever switched to a Mac (among dozens) who wasn't happy was the one who kept insisting that it should work like Windows.

Something like Mac features for dummies would do the trick for me.


this
 
Maneesh Godbole
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Thanks Bear.
I agree. Like you said I was mentally trapping myself into expecting the same UXP like Ubuntu or Win. Time I realigned my thinking.
I thought the dock was designed to give quick access. On Ubuntu (I know I am comparing again) the window can be maximized behind the dock. So I am forced to hide the dock. To get quick access, now I am forced to move the mouse to the edge of the screen, make the dock visible and then select the application. Thats hardly quick (I found Command+Space pops the spotlight. I just type the name, find the match and get on with it. Much faster than mouse movements)

Thanks for the book recommendation. I will hunt for it in my local bookshop (faster than ordering online, at least for me in India)

I am checking out the must have apps thread in this forum. Looks awesome. Downloading.
 
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Maneesh Godbole wrote:1) Woefully lack of keyboard support like mnemonics and configurable shortcuts.


I use DejaMenu for when there is not a shortcut.

Before I used that, I found that most of the time, the inbuilt help command would get me to most menus. Cmd-Shift-? in most applications will brink up the help window, then start type the menu name you want - usually it will highlight the menu option, so you only have to press enter.

Maneesh Godbole wrote:2) Dock and maximize windows. The window does not expand behind the dock, even if I resize it by dragging the bottom right corner. Currently I have my dock hidden which defeats the purpose. Any suggestions?



Interesting - most of the people I know who use the dock do so because they like using the mouse. Whereas with your previous comment about mnemonics, I would have thought you would have preferred not to use the mouse.

Personally I have the dock minimized all the time, and rarely use it. Cmd-space brings up Spotlight, and the first few letters of the application name (or document name) will give me the option of starting that application or opening the document. Cmd-Space-F will bring up Firefox, Cmd-Space-Ec brings up Eclipse, and so on.

Maneesh Godbole wrote:3) I noticed the application menu bar is integrated with the system menu bar when a window is selected. (Safari menu replaces the finder menu) Is there any way to change this?



This is one of those changes that will take a little bit of getting used to, then you will find it strange working any other way. There have been studies done that indicate that having the one menu always in the same place is better for your productivity. When you use the mouse you always know where to send it to on the screen, rather than the location being dependent on which menu you want and where you have placed your application on the screen.

The one time I find it annoying is when I want to click on a menu when I have multiple physical screens and I am working on the non-primary screen. But DejaMenu has pretty much done away with my need to click on menus now.

Maneesh Godbole wrote:4) Do I need antivirus? If yes, which one?


I use ClamXav, however the only times I have been warned about viruses have been when I deliberately tested that it was working.
 
Maneesh Godbole
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DejaMenu looks interesting.I will certainly try it out.

I must have miscommunicated. I do not prefer using the mouse. Keyboard access to everything is fastest and mnemonics help a lot.
In eclipse, when I create a new class, I will typically define the package, Super class, maybe some interface, opt to generate comments, inherit etc. Without mnemonics available on Mac, it means those many mouse clicks. I have successfully (!) managed to set up the dev environment and was trying out some "test" coding. I was horribly slow, using the mouse.

Yeah. I also discovered the Spotlight trigger. Much faster than the dock. But it has its limitations. On non Mac, I hit Ctrl+F11 to run my code. Now I need to use the mouse. Gets a bit frustrating, especially when you know it could have been faster.

I noticed on some blogs/forums that Mnemonics violate the Mac UX guidelines. I am trying to understand why.

But I agree with Bear. I should unlearn and relearn. Problem is my office policy mandates I use MS, I got an Ubuntu at home (which does support Mnemonics and other keyboard controls) and the new Mac. Difficult for an old dog to pick up new tricks
Probably I should give myself some time to settle down.
 
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Maneesh Godbole wrote:On non Mac, I hit Ctrl+F11 to run my code. Now I need to use the mouse.


I tend to use Cmd-Opt-<key> where key depends on what I want to run - Cmd-Opt-j to run a java application, Cmd-Opt-t to run a unit test, etc. Or Opt-Shift-E to bring up the context menu for EclEmma.

Cmd-Shift-F11 brings up the context menu of "run" or "coverage-last-used".
 
Maneesh Godbole
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Wow!
You are awesome! Thank you!
 
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