new to mac

Just bought a mac for first time..I have a few questions..I went to youtube and had to download flash..after I installed it , it put a flash icon on my desktop..I right click and clicked eject? what exactly did i do? why did it put it on my desktop..I was expecting to see a delete option or something..I guess I need to learn the mac file structure..where do I see a list of folders? when I download something where does it put the file? anything to get me going would help out..I'm familiar with linux and unix so I'm sure it will just take some getting used to, as like most I'm used to using windows as my personal..How do I force the mail icon to ask for a password so that someone that clicks on the mail icon is forced to enter a password?

The Flash icon it put onto the desktop was a disk image. It does not actually install the program until one of two things happens depending upon the program:

1. You run an installer from the disk image that will ask for an administrator password.
2. Some programs install by having you drag the contents of the disk image folder into the Applications folder on your hard drive.

If you are using Safari for Downloads the default location is a Downloads folder that is inside your user folder. Have a look at some of these videos and see if they clear things up

Apple - Support - Videos

Just to add a few more things: What you experienced is how programs are generally installed on OSX. As mentioned, an image is created, that you must click on to initiate the install procedure. You only need to click 'eject' when you are done installing.

The most important file directories will be found through finder. To the left where you see "places", this is like a start menu on Windows, where you can place links to your most important folders and directories. The ones you'll probably use most often are "Applications" "Documents" and the folder that is named after you (or whatever name you gave to the admin account).

Finally, as for the mail icon, I assume you mean the mail client? Well typically, after you add an email account, you will have to enter a password, the one for that account. Unless I misunderstood and you meant you don't want the app to even open w/o a pw? In that case you might want to consider a third-party mail client, there are many available

To answer your last question: you don't. What you *do* do is not let anyone else use your account unless you are comfortable with them reading your stuff.

Mac OS X, like Linux, is a multi-user system. Give anyone else wanting to use your computer (no matter who that person is or how much you trust them) their own account at the appropriate user level.

thx for the info..one last question..I think I want to put another 4 gigs in the macbook pro..it currently has 2-2 gigs which sucks..I wish it has 1 4 gig so I only need to buy 1 for 4 but looks like I will need 2 4 gigs..where can I buy it and which one is recommended? is this a good choice?

http://www.buy.com/prod/kingston-kt...mhz-sodimm-for-apple/q/loc/101/220194800.html

Apple wants 180 extra for 8 gig? is there a reason besides that it's apple..is the memory better or something?

we usualy sugest Performance Upgrades; FireWire USB SATA Storage; Memory, more at OWC or RAM Memory Upgrade: Dell, Mac, Apple, HP, Compaq. USB drives, SSD at Crucial.com

But I also like Newegg.com but that lends itself to finding ram that is verified compatible

so what's a link to new egg for 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM which fits my 13 inch macbook pro that I just bought yesterday at best buy? I want to make sure I get the right one

The unfortunate part is the other two make specific ones they say are compatible but on new egg you just have to take the specs, find the one that matches that, and read the comments to see if anyone has tried it in them.

I think the G.skill chips would work.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231342

these are the ones I have been looking at if i need to upgrade my iMac to more that 8.