Uninstall Application and Set Default Application for Certain Files

I installed OpenOffice when I got my iMac. However, soon I found out that NeoOffice is based on OpenOffice but specially for Mac. I was hesitated to make a switch. I could not find uninstallation package for OpenOffice and worried about clean removing if I simply remove it. For example, I realized that there is Open with choice for OpenOffice and how it would be cleared if I just delete it.

After googling for a while, I found it is just as simple as just delete the application! There is another place I could check: /Library/Application Suppport to see if there any OpenOffice folder there. I tried to delete the application. It is gone. So simple to clean an application on Mac, not liking Windows where you might left some registry settings or dll files in <Windows> or <Windows/Systems> or some where in "Program Files" folder. Of course, I have to remove some aliases I places in other use accounts.

Then I installed NeoOffice.app. Its UI is much better than OpenOffice, and it's a complete package with document editing, spreed sheet, presentations, and database. I used the first two in most cases.

The next problem is that my default Open option for documentation or excel files are back to Apple's TextEdit.app and Numbers.app. To change the default Open With is quite simple:

1. Select a file in Finder,
2. Press Command+I key to open File Information window
3. Change to an option in Open with option list.
4. Click on button Change All... will change the default for all files like this.

Command+I is a generic Apple Key for information. For file information, you can also change file icon there. Just select the icon of a file, use either menu Edit|Copy or Command+C to make a copy to get the source icon. Then open another file's information window, select its icon then past the source icon (Eidt|Paste or Command+V). To undo it, just press Command+Z.

After several month practice, I am getting used to Mac interface and really like my iMac. It is very stable, fast, easy to use and many more!

Time Machine

Recently, my Windows computer has lost its boot section twice this month. Finally, the HD is dead. Fortunately, I used Norton's Ghost to back up my C: driver. Therefore, I replaced my HD and restored the image.

My Mac does not have any backup yet. This is warning for me. Then I purchased a 500GB external HD and tried to use Mac's Time Machine to back up my HD. The installation is very simple. I don't need to install any driver. However, when I plugged in the USB cable, the HD did not show up. I had to restart my Mac to get the USB HD available for use.

As most people mentioned, the first time back up took a while to complete. I let it run last night. It took about 100GB space and the TM doing hourly incremental back for today. I tried to browse TM. The UI is very cool.

I also realized that the back up was done for my whole HD, including other users I have defined. I cannot see their files in TM, but other users can see their back ups when they log in.

I am not sure how long my 500GB will run out of space. In case that happens, I'll see if I have option to remove the oldest backup to free some space for the next.

Preview with Some PDF Editing Features

I just realized that Preview has some PDF editing features. javascript:void(0)For example, you can move pages to a new location. You can also add pages from another PDF file by dragging, or just drag a PDF file to a location.

A blank page can be added. It may be helpful it you want to print two-sides in right order or sequence.

Other features are to add Note, Link, Oval, Rectangle, and Bookmark. However, the Bookmark applies to all PDF files, which means bookmarks are saved outside PDF file. I use Notes to add comments to replace TOC (see next). Preview provides Annotation view these items. By clicking on a note, I can see the page right away. When a note is selected or outlined with a frame, you cannot see the note content. Make sure there is not frame displayed. The selection is used to delete a note.

One thing that is missing, at least I cannot find out how, is to add Table of Contents (TOC). I am not sure if there is any add-on with this function or not.

Anyway, it is very cool! I was wondering if I have to buy Acrobat full version for these needed features. This free offer is very sweet!.

"Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish", Steve Job's Speech

I found the following Steve Jobs Speech from Using Mac web page. It is very motivational one. I read stories about Mac and Steve Jobs. This speech is a very brief all about them.


Watch it and enjoy it.

Text of Steve Jobs' Commencement address, June 14, 2005

Create Alias & Quick Move to Trash

To create an Alias in Mac is very easy. Normally, you just right click on a file or application (or hold Control and click if you disable the secondary mouse button), select Make Alias. Then an Alias is created in the same folder.

An Alias in Mac can be distinguished by an icon with an arraw on the left bottom of its icon.

However, sometime, you cannot see the Make Alias in the context menu. Here is another way to create an Alias: hold and drag a file/applicaiton icon to another location, then hold Option and Command key. You will see an Alias icon. Drop the icon, then it is the Alias you want.

I like to use keyboard most of time. It is very convenient and quick. To delete a file or folder, you can select the item, then hold Command key and press delete key.

Mpeg Decoding and Sony HD Camcorder

One of my biggest concern before I purchased the iMac is if I can use iLife to edit my Sony HD Camcorer's mpeg file. I tried it before I got this iMac in a Mac dealer, but the sales people cannot open it. That was before OS 10 Leopard. Then I decided to get iMac to give it a try. However, I was not be able to open my mpeg files until recently.

The program is ffmpegX. It is a free one, but if you pay $15.00 for registration fee, you would not see a message when you open it. Any way, with this program, I can convert my mpeg files to dv format, which is a recognized format for iLife or iMovie.

There are two pieces of binary programs you have to install for ffmepgX to work. They are listed in the download page: mpplayer binaries, and mpeg2enc binary. I got them in my HD and placed them in the folder of ffmpegX:



The first screen of ffmpegX:



The main interface:



You can find mpg file and drop it to the first text box, open.... The Save As... is automatically filled with the file name with path at the same location. I just leave it as-it-is. The only thing I have to do is to change the Target format to DV. I tried avi, but its result does not audio. Click on Encode button the encoding process starts like this:



You can continue to drop and encode files until your job is done.

Uninstall Programs

In most cases, to uninstall programs or packages, it is very easy to do it in Mac. Just remove the folder or files from the installed location.

Recently I have interest to learn about Python programming language. I tried to install GUI IDE for Python, ActiveTcl. However, after the installation, I could not get its IDE for Python. I could not run tclsh or wish console shells, which is not very much different from Terminal console. So I decided to remove it.

There is no installation for it. I had to reopen its installation package and get the installation information about where files were installed. I removed all the files/folders except three shortcuts in /usr/local/bin.

I tried to remove them by using rm command in a Terminal. But I cannot remove them with a message saying permission denied. I tried to go to the folder from Finder, GUI interface, but I could not find it under my HD. I am not sure where I can set my view options to display /usr/local. Finally, I use Finder's Go|Go to Folder... menu to open it. Then I can see files there. To remove them, I have to provide my admin password to do it.