Deleting Preferences etc.

[jdgti]

I have been switching AIM programs lately and I have noticed that even if I remove the program from my applications folder, the settings for that particular program are saved somewhere on my computer. I know this because when I reinstall the program all of my settings are back to normal like nothing happened. I am sure these settings are taking up space somewhere along with other programs I have filtered through my computer.

Questions:
1.) Is there a way or program to whipe clean all the preferences I don't need since I don't have those programs anymore.
2.) Unrelated. Is there a way to scan through my iTunes folder and clean out all files that aren't currently in my iTunes, like files that have been deleted but not moved to trash.
3.) When I was in the apple store yesterday, a genius told me that if my computer goes to sleep every night then it is not actually doing some processes necessary that occur every night at 2-3 am. Some sort of updating/processing operations that are written into the OS, and that I shouldn't let my computer sleep every night or it may slow down. Is this true?

Thanks,

James

 

[surfwax95]

1. Your User library contains a folder called Preferences. Delete any files that may cooincide with a program that you've deleted. Or download an app called "Appzapper".

2. Not that I know of.

3. Yes, technically. There are 3 scripts set to run at 3am, a Daily, Weekly, and Monthly that trim logfiles, clear caches, etc. They will run if the computer isn't asleep, but you can download a program like Tinkertool or MacJanitor to do them when you'd like. You honestly won't notice a slow-down unless they don't run for, like, 8 months. The logfiles don't take up a lot of disk space and it's not a big deal if they're not ran every night, or every month for that matter.