How come you can't open a pdf on a Mac on a browser?

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So I am planning to get a mac, but since I've never used one before, i am using the big ones at my college as my lab rats.

So far it's okay, the reverse scrolling is annoying the **** out of me and the my shortkeys "ctrl-c" turning into "command - c" was also annoying because I can't use my pinky to hit the "ctrl" anymore.

Now sorry for getting off topic, but here is my question on the forum. I am using Mozilla firefox right now and whenever I go to a website with a pdf document link, I always have to "save/open" the file and then open it, which makes it very annoying as opposed on a PC, I have everything organized in one browser. How do i fix this?

Also how do I actually know that I didn't "quit" an application or file? Why does Apple have this feature? It's actually pretty annoying because I am sure I want to close this program, so why do I have to click "quit" again to confirm? When I am sure I want to close something, I am sure, don't need to ask three times

Thank you
 
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Hi, welcome to the forums!

Safari will open a pdf right within the browser window.
Firefox you need to get the firefox PDF plugin for OSX ( https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/pdf-plugin-for-firefox-on-mac-/ ) .
The scrolling can be reversed back to "normal" in the System Preferences for the mouse.
To quit an application either press Command+Q or in the application menu (i.e.: firefox at the top drop down) select Quit Firefox

You know you've quit if on the dock there is either no icon for the application (if it wasn't in the dock to begin with) or if it's normally in the dock there is no little indicator light below the icon (see the finder icon for an example).

You can reassign keys although it's really better to just get used to how things are done on a Mac rather then trying to get it to work like windows :)
 
C

chas_m

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"although it's really better to just get used to how things are done on a Mac rather than trying to get it to work like Windows"

Bears repeating.

When "natural" scrolling first came out I *hated* it. I mean I thought it was the worse move Apple had made in YEARS. So I turned it off.

Later, when I had finished a busy project, I thought to myself, "you know, there's got to be a reason Apple added this feature and made it the default. They have rarely led me astray, so I'm going to give it a real chance."

Turned it back on, suffered for a few minutes (about 20 or so) and then my brain "flipped the switch" and it really was natural. There's no way I would go back now, and it feels terribly awkward when I have to use someone else's computer (but perfectly "natural" when I'm using any kind of mobile device, which is where the "natural" scrolling comes from in the first place).

As for your pinky, control-c is something that I would think would be exceedingly rare in normal Mac use so that's probably not much of an issue. And once you get in the habit of genuinely quitting programs rather than closing them you'll again find that much more natural (and kinder to your RAM and other resources). Having used computers from back when RAM was scarce, I have always been in the habit of quitting programs the minute I was done with them anyway.

These days, when programs re-launch in about a second, I can see no real advantage of leaving them open all the time, particularly in low-RAM situations. A side benefit is that programs never re-launch on their own on the rare occasion when I restart or log out/log back in to the Mac, since they were all quit properly before shutting down or restarting.
 

dtravis7


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Macs have used the Command key for their modifier key instead of Control since the 1st Mac in 1984. It would be better to just learn the way as it was here before Windows 1.0 ever came to market!


Everyone answered all your other questions. PDFs just work. Maybe the college locked that out for some reason.
 

chscag

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When "natural" scrolling first came out I *hated* it. I mean I thought it was the worse move Apple had made in YEARS. So I turned it off.

I not only hated it, I still hate it and continue to have it turned off. It's a matter of personal choice regardless of what Apple thinks is best or whether they've never led anyone astray.... O:)

"although it's really better to just get used to how things are done on a Mac rather than trying to get it to work like Windows"

To the OP: Although I disagree with chas on the mouse scrolling, I do agree with him and others about getting used to doing things differently on the Mac. After a while, those things which seemed hard to get used to, will come to you naturally. You might even learn to like the backwards scrolling.... ;P
 
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Yes, I am a recent convert and I decided to suck it up quit complaining and let the learning curve happen. Now several months later I have adjusted completely and I prefer the mac way most of the time - but I am essentially bi lingual now so it really doesn't matter. What I really like is fast boot times and no freeze ups.
 

vansmith

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Now sorry for getting off topic, but here is my question on the forum. I am using Mozilla firefox right now and whenever I go to a website with a pdf document link, I always have to "save/open" the file and then open it, which makes it very annoying as opposed on a PC, I have everything organized in one browser. How do i fix this?
You can blame Adobe for this one. Adobe decided that the only browser that they would support with their plugin was Safari which, at the time, was the only browser to already come with a plugin. You can either use Safari, Chrome (which has its own plugin) or install the Schubert PDF plugin which works everywhere (source). I use that plugin with Opera and it works like a charm.

Also how do I actually know that I didn't "quit" an application or file? Why does Apple have this feature? It's actually pretty annoying because I am sure I want to close this program, so why do I have to click "quit" again to confirm? When I am sure I want to close something, I am sure, don't need to ask three times.
There's a difference in OS X between closing a window and quitting an app. Unless an application only draws one window, the red X will only close the window. If, however, the application only has one window (System Preferences for example), the red X will quit the application.
 
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I'll put this here and apologize in advance if it goes too far off topic. I have not yet adjusted to the process for installing new software. Many times when I install something I have no clue whether it is actually installed or if something else has to be done - I am often at a total loss. For example, I just tried to download and install the Schubert pdf plug in. I clicked download - it showed me a screen looking like it was going into the download folder - then a quick flicker like it was a quick download - but where is it??? does not show up as add on in firefox. ???


edit - so after that post I discovered a window buried behind other window with a pkg installer and I followed instructions - did that do it?
 

vansmith

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edit - so after that post I discovered a window buried behind other window with a pkg installer and I followed instructions - did that do it?
Give it a try - attempt to open a PDF in Firefox.
 
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Got it. Its working. I just wish I wasn't so mystified when I install new programs. Part of the learning curve I guess.

Great little add on by the way. Works very well - very flexible and easy to use.
 

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