Mac OS Xplained

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Mac OS Xplained
Skirball Information TechnologiesSeminar Series
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OS X hardware compatibility

• Requires more processor power than OS9
• Requires more memory (RAM) and hard drive space
• Optimized for G4 processors
• Quartz Extreme requires video acceleration
• Doesnt support some older technologies or the
  support is limited
• Support for current hardware is still not complete

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OS X hardware requirements

• G4 processor _at_ 500MHz or faster
• Minimum of 512MB of RAM
• Minimum of 4GB of free disk space
• Monitor capable of 1024x768 resolution or higher
• Video cards required
• NVIDIA GeForce2 MX,
• NVIDIA GeForce3,
• NVIDIA GeForce4 MX,
• NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti or
• Any AGP-based ATI RADEON card (GPU)

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Hardware Categories

• Fully supported computers- we will install,
  maintain and fully support Mac OS X on them, i.e.
  we will do anything we can to provide solutions
  to any common problems
• Partially supported computers- we will install
  OSX but provide minimum maintenance and support,
  i.e. if a machine becomes a source of constant
  problems and complaints itll have to go back to
  OS9
• Unsupported computers- we will not install and
  support Mac OS X on these computers under any
  circumstances with the exception of personal
  laptops well give them an IP and connect to the
  network

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Fully supported computers

• PowerMacs G4 500Mhz and faster
• PowerBooks G4 500MHz and faster
• White iBooks 600MHz and faster
• iMacs 2002 (LCD)
• eMacs
• They still must meet the minimum RAM, disk and
  video requirements and have no unsupported
  peripherals!

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Partially supported computers

• Blue--White PowerMacs G3
• Early PowerMacs G4 (350MHz-450MHz)
• iMacs G3 (CRT) 600Mhz and 700Mhz
• White iBooks slower than 600MHz
• Powerbooks G4 (Titanium) slower than 500MHz
• They still must meet the minimum RAM, disk and
  video requirements and have no unsupported
  peripherals!

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Unsupported computers

• All beige Macintoshes and all pre-G3 models
• All G3 based PowerBooks
• iMacs G3 (CRT) slower than 600MHz
• All Early iBooks (clamshell)
• Any machine that doesnt satisfy the minimum
  requirements

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OSX software support

• Mac OS X 10.2.4 or higher
• Only one operating system per computer
• No support for Classic Environment within OS X
• Support for standard Mac OS X apps only
• OS9 computers may/should be kept for specific uses

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Skirball keyed applications

• We have currently the following apps- Adobe
  Photoshop 7- Microsoft Office X- EndNote 6-
  Macromedia Freehand 10 (replaces Canvas)- Adobe
  Acrobat 5- Filemaker Pro 6- Now Up-To-Date
• We will have the following apps- Adobe InDesign
  (replaces Quark)- Lasergene DNA Star

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SoM keyed applications

• These OSX programs are available for download
  from the SoM Keyserver webpage - Macromedia
  Dreamweaver MX- Fetch 4- eXodus
• You dont need to change the Keyserver settings
  to use these applications

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Other common apps supported

• These are the common, free programs that we will
  support under OSX- Mozilla, Netscape 7,
  Internet Explorer, Eudora 5.2, StuffIt, other
  internet and utility apps on a case-by-case basis
• Apple programs that we will support as much as we
  are able- iDVD, iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes, Safari
• Media Services, a.k.a. DMC provides basic
  support- the graphics and page layout software
  mentioned before- multimedia applications, such
  as FinalCut Pro, Adobe apps- on a case-by-case
  basis

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Software support related notes

• Officially supported web browsers- Internet
  Explorer, Mozilla, Netscape 7
• Officially supported email clients- Entourage,
  Eudora
• Officially supported ftp clients - Fetch
• No Quark for Mac OS X
• The support policies are not carved in stone)-
  the list of supported applications may change in
  the future

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OSX security and passwords

• Mac OS X is classified as a server operating
  system
• Skirball IT will reserve root passwords for
  security
• Skirball IT will reserve admin and
  administrator usernames for troubleshooting
  purposes
• Users will have their own accounts with
  administrative privileges to install software
• Your ability to use your computer will not be
  limited
• No admin privileges on computers in common areas

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Learning OSX

• Skirball IT will not be able to provide
  one-on-one OSX usage instructions
• Skirball IT will not be able to answer individual
  OS X how to? questions
• Skirball IT Help Pageshttp//saturn.med.nyu.edu/
  helphttp//saturn.med.nyu.edu/it
• Skirball IT Instructional Seminars
• Mac OS X - The Missing Manual
• Apple Store Seminars

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Gradual OSX deployment

• 10 users at a time in the beginning, every few
  weeks
• Larger groups later on if first groups are
  successful
• More computer savvy users with fully supported
  hardware will go first
• First few groups will be brave volunteers)
• All users with compatible systems will need to
  switch to OSX by the end of the year
• Incompatible systems will need to be upgraded or
  replaced a.s.a.p.

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Possible obstacles

• Learning curve
• Users may need new computers and peripherals
• Some software may still require OS9
• New software may have bugs
• OSX and third party updates may cause problems
• There may still be changes to OSX
• The unknown factors