MAC people...HELP!!!!!!!

613 Views 13 Replies 6 Participants Last post by thefatman, Sep 16, 2003

thefatman

Discussion Starter · Sep 12, 2003

ok you MAC folks.. i need some help with a mac please..

my bosses 9 year olddaughter is in a new accelerated home school program. and her classes are on the internet. at orientation all students were given an imac, setup for either dsl or cable.

my boss chose dsl, since he was having that installed at home.

can't make it work. i was there yesterday. dsl software wont fully install, gives stupid errors etc.. called his dsl provider for support. they were supportless

knew nothing about macs, nor their own software.

after an hour on the phone, tech tells me the cd must be bad, based on the install error we get. so he says he can mail a new cd (5 days) or we could download the new cd from the web.

so i say hey genius, how can we download the new cd, if we can't get the freaking thing connected to the web?!?!? :lol:

he proceeds to tell me that if we have access to another computer with high speed. we ccan download there, burn on cd, then put in the mac. even on an ibm clone.

he gives me a link, which is only to the modem driver. i download it at home. and burn to cd.

my question is.. how is a mac going to read a file that is burned on a cd, using ibm formatting? can macs really do that? or is her mac going to totally ignor my cd when i put it in.

he also told me , just insert the cd with the new driver. the mac will detect the driver, and install it?!?! i say boloney!! i dont belive that's gonna happen!!

btw: stupid macs, they forgot to put buttons on the mouse. took me and the boss 10 minutes to figure out that the whole mouse is the button

not to mention, no eject button on the cd

hey thanks for any help guys. i'll be waiting

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cath

· #2 · Sep 12, 2003

Hi Jay-

Geoff is the real Mac guru around here, being the Mac support desk at Duke University. PM Geoff and he should be able to give you first rate help

I use and iMac and have Earthlink DSL, and I must say that Earthlink's support is great for Macs. It does sound like the CD is bad. I don't blame you one bit for being so PO'd about the *¶ª•ª¶†ƒƒ?† support (??) that you got. That issue should be addressed!

As to the PC burned CD, I would think that it would work. Not a hunnert percent sure about this, but use picture CDs from Eckerd's on my iMac all the time (though they said that it wouldn't work....

)

BTW...one can get a two button mouse that will work on her iMac. CompUSA should have them.

anther BTW...you, too, can learn how to use an iMac. I had to learn how to use a PC at work. hehehehehe

I hope this helps a teensy bit until you can get hold of Geoff.

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Jeremy1973

· #3 · Sep 12, 2003

Jay...yes, macs can read IBM disks.

With no problem. Esp if they have at least system 9 or higher.

As for putting in the cd and it auto installing..it would depend on how the file is written as to whether or not it will do that. And as for the CD eject button.. pending on the keyboard.. if you look at the keyboard..there should be an eject button on there. (usually top right side) If you need more help..hollar... I have lived on Macs all my life.

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Jeremy1973

· #4 · Sep 12, 2003

Oh..for the mouse...I would go get a USB optical two button with wheel mouse...cheap, and works great!

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Alice

· #5 · Sep 12, 2003

"no eject button"

"You do what? You have to throw it in the trash to eject the cd??"

LOL, that brings back memories of when I had to learn to use the iMac at work.....that and continually restarting it with the "professional restarter tool." (A paper clip

)

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thefatman

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 13, 2003

thanks for the help everyone. we finally got it figured out.

the eject button was on the keyboard, by the number pad. the mac did read the file from my cd that i burned on my computer, and it even autostarted when i inserted the disk.

we got the dsl working on the mac, and then got the wireless router working and got his computer connected from downstairs, via the wireless router as well.

though we did discover that the wireless ethernets dont work on the mac unless you buy thier proprietary "airport". so we just put the router and dsl near her mac and hardwired her to the router.

everything works. i can say this though. after two hours yesterday, and 4 hours today. i NEVER want to see another mac in my life!!! i used to rag on mac and mac users just for fun, but had never actually used one before.. today was proof that all the harrassment was worth it!!!! :funny: those things suck!

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bamann345

· #7 · Sep 15, 2003

Hey Jay,

I have an imac I would like to sell you

J/k

I too hate macs!!!!!!!!!!!

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cath

· #8 · Sep 15, 2003

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Jeremy1973

· #9 · Sep 15, 2003

Hmm...I have never had a problem with my macs.

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thefatman

Discussion Starter · #10 · Sep 15, 2003

well i think i have about 50 cents left in my budget after finishing this new tank..

will that be enough for the imac?

actually, that's probably overpaying

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Geoff

· #11 · Sep 15, 2003

thefatman said:
though we did discover that the wireless ethernets dont work on the mac unless you buy thier proprietary "airport". so we just put the router and dsl near her mac and hardwired her to the router.

everything works. i can say this though. after two hours yesterday, and 4 hours today. i NEVER want to see another mac in my life!!! i used to rag on mac and mac users just for fun, but had never actually used one before.. today was proof that all the harrassment was worth it!!!! :funny: those things suck!

sorry to see this to late, was on vacation. you do not need to use the airport hardware on the mac. any vendors that are Wi-Fi compatable will work. the reason you will want to use the "airport" is the fact that the macs are all internally wired for wireless. the "airport" cards are missing the antennae's, they just use the socket.

Question:-how many PC desktops do you know of that come with wireless acces built into the body of the machine? serious question here Jay. i have a friend who would like to wireless his PC desktop.

any USB mouse will work on the iMac. most will not need drivers out of the box. some will for special buttom mapping.

sorry you feel so strongly against the mac, but then again now you know how i feel about the PC.

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thefatman

Discussion Starter · #12 · Sep 15, 2003

hey geoff. honestly i know of not a single pc pre wired for wireless.

but the usb wireless conenctions aren't too expensive.

because the mac is provided by the boss's daughters school, they can not install anything., it must be done by the school (with the exception of hooking it up to the router in his home)

they cant even install software or email or anything. it's strictly for doing thier schoolwork online.

oh yeah, they arent allowed to change the mouse either

i will admit, my first computer was an apple

well, an apple 2c

lol

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Geoff

· #13 · Sep 16, 2003

thefatman said:
but the usb wireless conenctions aren't too expensive.

the USB bus is just to slow to do that in his case.

i was afraid of that. we just did not want to add a PCMCIA converter card. he is already running out of slots.

actually if they were to add an "airport" card in the iMac it should automatically set up for all users without any admin privledges needed.

the fun of dealing with a totally locked down machine. regardless of platform.

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thefatman

Discussion Starter · #14 · Sep 16, 2003

my last two years at ibm were in the development lab at Libbey Owens Ford (glass manufacturer) setting up thier core image and locking down the machines..

i was known by several four letter words at LOF

i was probably the LEAST favorite person in the building :funny:

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