little blue light under the Finder app on the dock

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Maybe I never noticed it but it seems that I just noticed that the blue light under the Finder app on the dock stays lit. I thought the light was only supposed to light up when the app is active but I'm not able to bring up the Finder app unless I actually click it. When I hit Command + tab, it shows the Finder app but when I tab over to the Finder app and release, nothing happens.

Obviously, I'm not doing something right. Please help. When I go to the Apple picture and select the force quit action, it doesn't actually have a force quit button. Instead, it says relaunch. I've even tried restarting the computer and when it starts back up, it's still showing a blue light under the Finder app.
 
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chas_m

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The Finder app stays on continuously (it is the only "app" in the Mac universe that does this). It cannot be quit, because the Finder is always active. As you've already discovered, force quitting the Finder just causes it to relaunch.

Relax and enjoy!
 
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Sorry to be such a newb about this but to confirm, are you saying that even after a restart or a shut down and starting back up, the little light under the Finder app on the dock will be lit? If you closed everything on your computer right now, would the light under your Finder app be lit? If so, I guess I never noticed it before.

I could have sworn that at some point in time, it wasn't lit until I actually opened the Finder app. I guess my bad. Thanks.
 

dtravis7


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Do you know what the Finder is? On Windows, do you know what Explorer is? Finder is the same basic thing but in OSX. You can't stop explorer in Windows because it's the desktop and what you see and click on. Same in OSX with Finder. no Finder no desktop icons, file copy, clicking, Etc.
 
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Do you know what the Finder is? On Windows do you know what Explorer is? Finder is the same basic thing but in OSX. You can't stop explorer in Windows because it's the desktop and what you see and click on. Same in OSX with Finder. no Finder no desktop icons, file copy, clicking.

Dang dude, snappy are we tonight?

Thanks for your response. I'm not a computer expert but I believe you're wrong in your example. Explorer to Windows is Safari to Apple and Finder to Apple is My Computer to Windows.

In any case, on my old PC, I am able to open My Computer and close it out when I'm done with it and not have it running in the background. Apparently, Finder is always active, per yours and the previous poster's comments.

Like I said, I'm new to the Mac world and I wouldn't mind if someone were able to simply turn on their computer without opening any apps and tell me if the Finder app on their dock has the little blue light under it.
 

dtravis7


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Snappy? Just asking you questions. And No Explorer is NOT IE, it's the same thing as Finder. I will not argue with you on it.

Have a great evening.

And btw, My Computer is not Explorer and not the desktop. Sorry we disagree. Hit CTRL+Alt+DEL in windows and try and end Explorer.

I once had issues with AT&T DSL. I called Tech Support to complain. I was told that MAC is not a proper OS because it does not have IE. Their exact words, "It has to have the Blue E or it will not get on the internet. MAC has no E". IE is not explorer just as Safari is not Finder. Although way back before Microsoft got themselves in hot water, IE was interwoven with Explorer.

http://uneasysilence.com/how-to-osx-finder-style-for-windows-explorer/

http://theothersideof.mygeekdaddy.net/?p=42

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2512
 

CrimsonRequiem


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Internet Explorer and Explorer are two different things. Explorer is always running in the background, it's how you navigate through your computer on Windows.

Finder is the same way for the Mac.

They always needs to be running otherwise you can't do anything but stare at your desktop.
 
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You can do a little experiment :) Restart both your Mac and your Pc. When you log back in, you'll see on the Mac that you have a little blue dot under the Finder Icon. In Windows, hit Ctrl+Alt+Del and you'll see in the Processes tab that Explorer is running. On both operating systems, it runs automatically in the background. The only difference is that Mac Os lets you know which of the applications are running in the background by placing a little blue light under the applications icon, and Windows lets you see processes running by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete :)
The blue light is there for everyone. There's nothing wrong you are doing, it's just the way it's supposed to be :)
 
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Thanks for your response. I'm not a computer expert but I believe you're wrong in your example. Explorer to Windows is Safari to Apple and Finder to Apple is My Computer to Windows.

No, you are wrong. c:\windows\explorer.exe is the equiv to Finder on the Mac.

c:\program files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe is Internet Explorer and it the same as Safari (for comparison purposes.)

My Computer on Win7 is nothing more than a different view of c:\windows\explorer.exe.

You admitted you are not a computer expert. That is where you should have stopped the above paragraph.
 

robduckyworth


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It cannot be quit, because the Finder is always active.

Would just like to say, that this is by default: there is a terminal command that allows you to add "Quit Finder" to the Global Menu. i run it when i need all the CPU/RAM resources i can muster.

in short, you can quit the Finder, it just involves a bit of tweaking.
 
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No, you are wrong. c:\windows\explorer.exe is the equiv to Finder on the Mac.

c:\program files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe is Internet Explorer and it the same as Safari (for comparison purposes.)

My Computer on Win7 is nothing more than a different view of c:\windows\explorer.exe.

You admitted you are not a computer expert. That is where you should have stopped the above paragraph.

:Lips-Are-Sealed:
 
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Snappy? Just asking you questions. And No Explorer is NOT IE, it's the same thing as Finder. I will not argue with you on it.

Have a great evening.

And btw, My Computer is not Explorer and not the desktop. Sorry we disagree. Hit CTRL+Alt+DEL in windows and try and end Explorer.

I once had issues with AT&T DSL. I called Tech Support to complain. I was told that MAC is not a proper OS because it does not have IE. Their exact words, "It has to have the Blue E or it will not get on the internet. MAC has no E". IE is not explorer just as Safari is not Finder. Although way back before Microsoft got themselves in hot water, IE was interwoven with Explorer.

UNEASYsilence | How-To: OSX Finder style for Windows Explorer

Get OS X Finder to sort files like Windows Explorer :: The Other Side of MyGeekDaddy

Switch 101: Moving from Windows Explorer to the Finder


I'm just saying, your first two questions seems a little sarcastic. Reading vs hearing you ask the question always leave room for interpretation as we all know how one person can write something and mean it one way but you ask 10 different people to read it and 10 different people will receive the message differently. I'm just saying, that's all. If there's nothing to your question, then it's no big deal. O:)

Either way, I thank everybody for helping with their answers as I've had my new iMac for about a week now and I'm just trying to get used to the differences to a PC. I've been using PC all my life except when I was a kid and they had Macs in my elementary school so it looks like I'm coming back full circle.

And yes, I can acknowledge that you're correct on the Explorer thing. Typically, when I think of Explorer, I think of (internet) explorer/browser but I guess that's just me.

Again, the differences with My Computer, Explorer, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Finder.
 
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My Computer is really just a pointer in Explorer. It's more analogous to your computer name in Finder.. for instance, on my machine it'd be 'mikeMbp', which then shows the hard drive (C:\ on most winX boxes), other internal drives (if there), externally attached drives, and network drives). BTW if you kill explorer.exe on a winX box, it'll just relaunch..

Now if you want to mess with someone, change their shell definition. Nothing like booting to calc.exe.
 

CrimsonRequiem


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I'm just saying, your first two questions seems a little sarcastic. Reading vs hearing you ask the question always leave room for interpretation as we all know how one person can write something and mean it one way but you ask 10 different people to read it and 10 different people will receive the message differently. I'm just saying, that's all. If there's nothing to your question, then it's no big deal. O:)

Either way, I thank everybody for helping with their answers as I've had my new iMac for about a week now and I'm just trying to get used to the differences to a PC. I've been using PC all my life except when I was a kid and they had Macs in my elementary school so it looks like I'm coming back full circle.

And yes, I can acknowledge that you're correct on the Explorer thing. Typically, when I think of Explorer, I think of (internet) explorer/browser but I guess that's just me.

Again, the differences with My Computer, Explorer, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Finder.

You are just reading too much into what dtravis7 asked you.

I don't see why you mention "My Computer" as it is just a directory inside of Explorer.
 
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How about just moving on? The information you received about the light under Finder was accurate. Same when you run any other program the light comes on.

Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer does lead to confusion.
 

vansmith

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Would just like to say, that this is by default: there is a terminal command that allows you to add "Quit Finder" to the Global Menu. i run it when i need all the CPU/RAM resources i can muster.

in short, you can quit the Finder, it just involves a bit of tweaking.
True but once you quit it, it automatically restarts and you can't stop that. It's impossible to have a user interface and have no instances of Finder open. ;)
 

robduckyworth


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Forgive me for going off topic from the OP, but vansmith's post has intrigued me.

So, i quit Finder. As in, i use the terminal command to add "Quit finder" to the global menu:

Then obviously the app itself quits. (the laptop icon is finder, i changed it. note: no LED underneath)

attachment.php


it is now not present in Activity monitor. (arranged by process, alpahabetically, you can see no Finder)

attachment.php


do you mean to say that background processes and daemons such as WindowServer etc are part of Finder, and cant be quit? because I don't see no Finder there :p

dock no finder.png

AM.png
 

dtravis7


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Robert, are the icons still on the desktop? They are not here. Just the dock which is more than I got in Vista when I quit explorer. Total blank desktop with just the background.
 

robduckyworth


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Robert, are the icons still on the desktop? They are not here.

sorry, i dont understand? do you mean the icons finder uses for Hard drives and discs etc? once i quit Finder everything on the desktop dissapears. just background remains.


(on another note, ive realised my "quit finder" attachment contains profanity, would like a mod to remove it if they can, i edited the strings of the Finder app one day while drunk and bored, and havent bothered to change it back yet.)

EDIT: thanks vansmith :)
 

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