The Desktop and Finder
After you start your computer, the desktop is the space on your screen where you see file, folder, and volume icons. When you connect a hard disk, DVD or SD memory card to your Mac, its corresponding icon shows up on the desktop and Finder window sidebars.
The Finder lets you organize, view, and access practically everything on your Mac, including applications, files, folders, discs, SD memory cards, and shared drives on your network. It is represented by a blue smiling face icon on the Dock, as shown below (clicking the Finder icon in the Dock brings the Finder to the foreground).
- Apple Menu 2. Menu bar 3. Finder window close, minimize and zoom buttons. 4. Finder window View buttons 5. Quick Look button 6. Action Menu 7. Search Field 8.Hide / Show Finder window toolbar & sidebar 9. Spotlight icon 10. Back / Forward buttons 11. The Finder sidebar 12. Cover Flow 13. Finder 14. The Dock 15. Trash
Personalize Your Desktop
One of the things that I have always done is to give my hard drive a name. My previous iMac was Max. My new iMac INTEL desktop is named Serenity (yes, after the spaceship on "Firefly."
So experiment and express your personality by decorating your desktop. The top yellow arrow shows my hard drive with her name, Serenity.
The bottom yellow arrow points to the way that I keep my desktop uncluttered. I create a folder and put all of my desktop files and folders into it.
How do you keep your multitude of files manageable?
Hi:
ReplyDeleteI actually have 2 folders to keep my sanity. One folder is labeled 'Temporary Items' where I keep EVERYTHING that I download. The second folder is the 'Desktop' folder where I keep all of the items that I access on a fairly frequent basis.
What do you do?
I use the "Russian Doll" method and have folders inside of folders inside of folders... you get the idea!
ReplyDeleteThis way, I only have 2-3 folders on my desktop at a time for easy access but within those folders there is a whole network of other folders.
The 'spotlight' tool makes locating any file, app, etc. very quick and easy so I rarely actually have to sift through any of my folders.
Organization is my game and my new Mac (Pooter) is driving me crazy because I don't know how to create a folder therefore everything is everywhere. Messy, messy, messy...it must be quick and easy to create folders and even folders within folders. Could anyone enlighten me!
ReplyDeleteThere are 2 ways to create a new folder on the desktop. Way #1: Select File from Finder menu and then select New Folder. Way #2: On the desktop using the keyboard, use this 3-key combination: with the left hand, hold down the 'shift' and the 'command' key (next to the spacebar). With the right hand, press the letter 'N.' The new untitled folder will be highlighted, so you can name it immediately -- you do NOT need to backspace or use any other keys for naming a highlighted item.
ReplyDeleteLet us know how you cleaned up your desktop with this new ability.
Here is a good reference about the Finder, Desktop, Dock, Spotlight and System Preferences:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.apple.com/voiceover/info/guide/_1122.html
Take a look.
Thank you, I was able to easily command-shift-N four new folders and in five seconds can once again see the preying mantis on my desktop picture. I have also bookmarked the apple page to assist me in the future!
ReplyDelete