New Mac Owner's Help Thread!

[terpkristin]

I'm creating this thread because I bought my first Mac (13" rMBP w/512 GB SSD) a couple of months ago and I'm finding I still have no idea what I'm doing.

Some initial questions:
1) If something opens a folder in Finder, or sometimes if I open it myself, is there anyway to figure out the path (or default show the path)? I like to group like things with like things, and sometimes I can't figure out where iTunes put something, or where I had originally put the file...

2) How do I do a screen-capture?

3) Recommendations for a USB or Thunderbolt CD/DVD-R(RW?) drive? I didn't realize that my computer didn't have one until I tried to rip the Zelda CD I got for my Nintendo Elite gift...

4) I also just got an AirPort Extreme and want to setup a network hard drive. Recommendations for the hard drive? And does anybody know of a "dummies" type guide for setting this up without fubaring my existing (Verizon router-based) wireless and wired network?

I'm sure I'll have more questions. I've never felt so stupid as I have, owning this Mac, switching from a lifetime (well, 30 years, my first computer when Iw as 4 was a Commodore 64 with a tape deck) of PCs and command-line stuff.

Thanks!
/tk

[ISiddiqui]

But I thought Macs were sooo intuitive ;)

Anyways, for #3 - don't get a Superdrive from Apple, they are way overpriced. Amazon has a ton of external optical drives which are affordable. Here is one:

Amazon.com: Samsung 8x Slim DVD+/-RW Slim USB External Drive, White SE-208DB/TSWS: Computers & Accessories (http://smile.amazon.com/Samsung-External-Drive-SE-208DB-TSWS/dp/B009NRPKVU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1388417707&sr=8-4&keywords=external+dvd+drive+3.0)

That has USB 3.0, but you can get cheaper ones that have USB 2.0 if you don't mind the read/write speed being slower.

[cougarfreak]

I am by no means an expert, I bought a 15" MBPR last Feb for grad school when I had 2 PC's fail in about 30 days. Love the stability, but it is a bit difficult to get around/figure out at times. I'll try and see if I can help:

1) while in finder, click on "view" at the top, and make sure the "path bar" isn't hidden. It should show your path, mine shows at the bottom of my screen of any file/path I've opened up.

2) http://guides.macrumors.com/Taking_Screenshots_in_Mac_OS_X

3) I bought the Apple USB Superdrive, but I only use it sparingly, so I didn't need anything special.

4) For my time machine backups, I just bought a WD My Passport for mac. For my Airport Extreme, I use an old 500 GB external that is just USB 2.0, but I only use it on occasion, mainly to b/u my kids pictures. Any external will do, you may have to reformat it for the Mac system (you probably already know that)


One app I've purchased (one of the few) is an app called "cinch". I find it well worth the $4 (I think that's what it was) purchase price. It allows me to split screen on my monitor like Windows does when you drag a window to the left or right. I do a lot of data mining, transferring in my school work, and that helps me immensely.