One more reason to consider switch to MAC OS.

 Do you have to create any presentation on work, university, volunteer activity ?

The answer to the topic you have to try “d**n f****g” great software called ‘Keynote’ from the set iWork 08. It is software for creating presentations, PowerPoint is analog.

iWork goes with Pages (Word processor), Numbers (Excel or Calc analog).

It is worth each cent , you have paid for that.

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Latvian or non-standard spell-check on Safari and other Mac applications.

Latvian spell-check issue is gone at Mac (partially). Thank to the Normunds and “Power of Google”.

Great feature of browser – spell-check. Firefox provides support for different non-standard languages, latvian support is available there too, but remember – the point is to use Safari.

So Firefox is not a solution, MacOS provides support for standard widely used languages (ok, probably languages of the countries, where Apple products are very popular). The nice thing is that spell-check is not hardcoded to any applications, but it works for applications like web-browser, text-editors, etc. The bad thing there is no Latvian, even Leopard does not have Latvian localization (like support for Russian and Polish localization is added), but it is not a big surprise, really.

Luckily, there is a solution, the bad fact that used dictionary is old, but it contains words to check-spell anyway and you can educate it.

Software cocoAspell is the key to our problem. Aspell software installation is very easy, installing dictionaries process asks more resources.

1. First of all you have download it, link for Intel Macs.

2. Installation process is on GUI, that’s why only read instructions and use ‘Next’ button.

3. After successful installation go to ‘System Preferences’ of your Mac, there should be new menu ‘spelling’, it does not contain correct dictionaries yet.

4. Different languages dictionaries are available to download, there is not only latvian, but a lot of different languages. I’m not sure about the dictionary freshness.

5. Most likely dictionary file will be archived, you have to de-archive it, then place files into the /Library/Application Support/cocoAspell/ directory.

6. Go to ‘System Preferences’ —> ‘Spelling’ and select language you need, Latvian my case.

7. Restart Finder, go to the ‘Force Quit’ menu, ‘Relaunch’ button is provided for ‘Finder’ application.

8. To enable your language spell-checking on the specific application. ‘Right-click’ on the text editor program Window —> ‘Spelling’ —-> Select your Dictionary.

That’s all folks, enjoy spell-checking feature.

Where is my macbook.

My Macbook is traveled to Lithuania, where is located headquarters of the company, where Macbook was originally purchased, as local Latvian distributor is not repairing Macbook, that are not distributed by them (well, everyone has its own specific business politic).

This week, I got into the situation, when I realized some “rumored” advantages of the MacOS. It is ‘no hunting for drivers’. I had to connect my SE K800i to the Windows PC, thanks god that I have installation CD with me. As Windows installed drivers for 8 different devices, that it found when I plugged my phone. The procedure was about 20 minutes long, unless I have access to the phone, argh two commands and 30 seconds on the MacOS for the same procedure.

Ok, there is another question/discussion about the hardware space requirements, it is not a secret, that MacOS uses more space than XP, however situation become a bit absurd, when Microsoft mouse is not working with XP without driver installed, but works fine on MacOS.

As well another question, when device is not very popular and not included into the huge list of the device that are supported by MacOS, then driver installation should be problematic, if ever possible at all.

My point as for the end customer, that it just works is more preferred, as procedure that I was going trough the phone installation is not so apparent for the human, that does not touch with computers. Why should I know all that things, as I only want that device ‘just works’.

Well, I’m not really impressed about the different ads for MAC, as I do not admit “humiliation” in any manner, as some of them for me is trying to humiliate, however it is not best approach to advertise your product, that probably better than competitors. As well this page contains mixed and confusepoints, why you should get a mac.

They are looked very similar and cross-referenced to me, (1) , (3) and (5) are the same, all the information about new software also strongly relied on (2) paragraph.

Anyway the time when I started to think about MacOS and Macbook, I had the great wiliness to try anything alternative from home (Windows XP) and work (Ubuntu, Feisty now). MacOS was/is able to satisfy my requirements, but this is another story.

Certainly “Drivers” feature is very comfortable at MacOS (for the device that are supported), I do need to spend extensive time to get work my phone or any other device, as well the most important that all that actions are intuitive and friendly. As all that I need from the Mac, just plug wire and use ‘iSync’ to connect to the phone, bluetooth method is more “complicated”,

– enable Bluetooth (documentation for this is not even required), click on ‘B’ (bluetooth symbol) on the top panel;

– enable Bluetooth on the phone and allow Mac to connect;

– run ‘iSync‘ on the Mac.

Computer’s animation films beginning.

Here is first animation film [Quicktime required]made on computers (probably one of the first), that was created at 1986. The film was created by Pixar Animation Studios, that is famous with great animations films at nowadays, like Ratatouille, Cars, Finding Nemo and others.

First one is called as Luxo Jr. and presented as a landmark at history of animation, the only characters in the film are two ordinary desk lamps. It became famou, because there were captured human emotions with no humans or animals at the scene, all the things were created by computer graphics (remember it is 1986, I was two years old at this time ;).

Interesting facts about that film – the reactions after premiere. As most traditional artists were afraid of the computers, and fact that computers animation might change them. It should be just another approach at the industry, that opened doors for other people here.

This lamp becomes one of the logo actor of the Pixar company, I think that this animated logo is present, as far as I remember it was at Ratatouille. Moreovr interesting fact, how many awards was rewarded to this short two minutes film. For nowadays it looks simple, but imagine what about 21 years ago ?

That’s a shame.

My Macbook battery does not work anymore. Macbook is reverted to stand-alone PC (annoying experience I must admit).

Interesting fact, that there are plenty of users that have experienced the same issue with battery at Macbooks. Macrumour forums, even Mac forums and other sources from google should bring interesting results.

The problem might appear for Macbook, which was at sleep mode and battery was fully drained of power (in my case there were 2 days). Next time you want to switch up Macbook (Power adapter), battery is not recognized. Macbook is fully operational, expect that battery does not work and it is able to work with plugged power cord.

Do not left your Macbooks uncharged, but I will go the local distributor to change the battery.

Apple offers some solutions steps, that might help for lucky users (not mine case), all of them does not work for me. I’m going to use the latest step,

“If any other of the above symptoms persist after following these steps, please contact AppleCare support for further assistance. “