New Mac owner

steff_lynn · Jun 9, 2009

Hi! So i recently acquired a MacBook from a family friend. And I'm completely lost. I figured out how to "drag" pictures to the desktop from the internet, but now I have a million pictures on there. Where do I put them now?

Also, how do I work it so I can use the webcam to take pictures? I just can't figure it out!

iPod Nano · Jun 9, 2009

Hello. Welcome to the world of Mac!

Hi there. Welcome to the forum and the mac platform! "Dragging" pictures to the desktop is not the best way to go. It's better to right-click (CTRL and Click) and select "Save Image As". You can then select the location you want it in. As for your current problem, are you using Mac OS X? If you are, these instructions should be simple:

1. Close/minimize everything until you are looking at your desktop.
2. Click on the Finder icon on your dock. (The first picture on the left of your dock).
3. Select the place where you want your pictures from the sidebar on the left by clicking on it.
4. Select the stuff on your desktop that you want to move and drag it into the Finder window.

Piece of cake (I think)!

Collin Bl · Jun 9, 2009

For playing with WebCam pictures go into Applications folder and open Front Row. That will let you take pics. Another way is to use iChat but there are a few steps to get that set up. If you need to do that then post back here and i/someone will outline that for you.

iPod Nano · Jun 9, 2009

Hold on, how do you know he has 10.5?

podraig · Jun 9, 2009

Easy method

Create some folders with pic categories, drag the pics into the folders, put them in your pics

iPod Nano · Jun 9, 2009

That makes little sense.

Oneironaut · Jun 9, 2009

If you want to drag pictures onto the desktop, you should at least create a new folder for them by right-clicking (or control clicking) in any empty area of your desktop and choosing "New Folder". Give it a name and drag your pictures from the web browser directly onto the new folder icon on your desktop. After all your pictures are in the folder, you can open up a Finder window and drag it into your Pictures folder or wherever you want them.

As for using the webcam, go to your Applications folder and open up Photo Booth, which will let you take pictures and make videos. Open iChat if you want to use the webcam to video chat with others.

iPod Nano · Jun 9, 2009

I think he means Photo Booth.

Oneironaut · Jun 9, 2009

Collin, did you mean to say Photo Booth, or is there really a way to take a picture with Front Row?

kodi@macforums · Jun 9, 2009

right guys.... im actually new to mac-forums.
2 questions for you all.
how do you start a new thread?
and how do you follow all the threads youve posted on to see if there has been a reply.

thank you, and i hope that i can find this thread again

Collin Bl · Jun 9, 2009

Oneironaut said:
Collin, did you mean to say Photo Booth, or is there really a way to take a picture with Front Row?

Thanks guys - yes a rush of blood to the head - i meant Photo Booth

Oneironaut · Jun 10, 2009

Kodi, there is a "New Thread" button on the top left of the thread lists. Click it and start your new thread.

To monitor your threads, click on "Profile" at the top of any page and there are thread options there.

Collin, I sometimes mistake Front Row with Photo Booth because they're both in my dock and they're both a similar shade of red.

kodi@macforums · Jun 10, 2009

thank you oneironaut.

squeabs · Jun 10, 2009

Wow. I consider myself fairly well-versed with macs and pc's and all this actually had me re-reading.
@steff lynn: A very simple way to get things from your mac desktop to wherever you want is to;

1. Select all the items on your desktop that you want to copy/paste. You do this by dragging your mouse over all of them, and press and hold the [control] key and click your mouse. A menu will pop up just as if you had right-clicked on a pc.

2. You can copy or cut those items with the menu that popped up.

3. As in windows, navigate to wherever you want the items to be. Once you're in that window, follow the [control] [click] method again to paste them into that window.

Some other useful advice: The finder - the little smiley faced guy at the bottom left of your screen on your dock - is like clicking the start button on windows. It gives you access to all that good stuff (documents, movies, music, etc.). Macs are very different from pc's, so don't be afraid ask on the forums. I myself know quite a bit about windows, more so than macs. I understand what it's like when you suddenly switch.

I hope all the advice here, by myself and others, helps.