Mac Frustrations

So, I'm still trying to figure out how to get the best use out of my Macintosh iBook Indigo that I purchased last fall. It's got OS X 10.2 installed on it, and seems pretty fun, if only I can figure out what I'm doing, right?

I do a little surfing, and find out that we have a local Mac User's Group(MUG) in the area. I check out the website, and it says that they have stuff for beginners, and make sure to bring your laptop, because they have a wireless network. Sounds perfect! I cajole my better half into taking care of the kids after work, and I toddle off to the MUG meeting, Indigo iBook in hand.

I get there, and have trouble logging into the wireless network. The pulldown shows the network as out there, I try to get in, using the password provided, and I keep getting errors. After 15 minutes of fiddling with it, someone points out that since I'm only on 10.2, and I don't have access to the latest, greatest, Secret Squirrel encryption, which is, of course, what they're using.

SO, trying to learn macs is turning out to be a lot harder than it seems like it should be. I can't even get into the network for the MUG for pete's sake. Then they launch into how to use iTunes, and it goes on for hours. Well, I assume it goes on for hours, because I leave after the first hour or so. Learning how to copy a music file from a CD to my iTunes, isn't going to help me in the process of learning how to use the basic aspects of the macintosh world.

I guess I'm going to have to just muddle through this on my own. I have to say, the more I get involved, the harder it seems to get anyone to point out just the basics. I've found some documents on teh Apple-Support page, like MAC 101, and Siwtching 101 that were helpful, but that were almost too basic.

I need to learn how to install programs and things, and why they don't work when I try to install them. Like Firefox. Got it downloaded, try to install it, and the little icon blinks at me, then is done. Why is that? Who knows, maybe I just don't have the Super Secret Squirrel passcode. But I have to say, I can't see me dropping the kind of money on a Mac that these things cost out of the box, if I don't have some grasp of how to use the bleeding thing before I buy it.

Oh well, back to piddling. Maybe things will slow down enough that I can start getting more posts up, and seeing what's going on in the world. It's been a crazy couple of months around here....



Casey