10.5 Leopard Quick Tip Collection: First Installment
A first since the release of Apple’s new OS, “Leopard,” I wanted to dedicate this Quick Tips bit to an overview of some of the more useful features introduced. Apple lists some 300 new features available in the new OS, but keep in mind that they’re “puffing” a little, claiming new screen savers as some of those 300 features! So without further ado, here’s two new functionalities that you can actually put to use.
Quick Look
A snazzy little tool, Quick Look allows you to view a document/file without opening a program. Let me explain a little differently: Usually when you double-click on a file, it opens in a specific program (MS Word, Quicktime, Preview, etc) and you view it through that program. But this requires waiting for the application to load and open the file, meaning a wait of some seconds, plus an open program. But what if you just wanted to view the contents of the file, not really worry about editing it or anything?
Enter Quick Look. Now, if you just click once to highlight a file, you can then hit the Space Bar and the OS – not a program, but the actual computer OS – will display the contents of the file. So if you received a letter from someone in email and you just want to quickly peruse through it, you can highlight it and then hit Space Bar, and instantly begin reading. No waiting for Word or Text Edit to start, no worrying about that at all! Just Space Bar to open, then read/watch (yes, it works on movie files too)/view, then hit Space Bar again to close the Quick Look window! That’s easy enough.
But there’s another little tip here, too. Since it’s built in to the system, there’s the ability to possibly see files that you wouldn’t otherwise have the option to see. An example: Say someone sends you a document in Microsoft’s Word Format. What’s that, you don’t use MS Word or have it installed on your machine? Well before 10.5 Leopard that might be a problem, as you wouldn’t be able to open it. But now, the OS does the work, and you can just hit Space Bar and see the document! No need to worry about having the right program or being otherwise incompatible. Quick Look to the rescue.
Screen Sharing
My most favorite feature of the new OS, screen sharing works a few different ways, but the easiest to access and the most usable is through their Instant Messaging (IM) client, iChat. Using this tool, two 10.5 users can share a screen, allowing the more advanced person to help troubleshoot issues on the less-experienced user’s end.
So imagine that you have someone like me – a proficient user – at your disposal, and you can’t figure out how to get something to work on your end. Before Screen Sharing in iChat, we’d talk on the phone and be completely lost as you click on things that you think I want you to click on, as things keep getting lost in translation. Now however, we log on, I ask to share your screen (or you ask me to share yours), and then we are both looking at your screen and controlling it, while talking to each other through iChat at the same time. Now I can explain what I mean, and either watch you follow through and correct, or simply do it and walk you through what I’m doing, as sort of a short seminar or how-to session.
Well that’s great, once you get iChat up and running. What’s the deal with that, you ask? Well not much. If you’ve ever used AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), then you can actually use that same screen name in iChat. If not, then I’d advise you to set one up by visiting AIM’s website here. Follow the steps, create a name, then start iChat. It will ask for your screen name then you’re all set! The screen sharing icon is the one in the lower right corner of your buddy list, so you just highlight your buddy (once they’re added, either by adding their screen names, or if you added their screen names to their address book cards, you can drag the address book cards to your buddy list, which is recommended), and click that icon two options pop up – Share My Screen, or Ask to Share Buddy’s Screen – and you simply select the one you want.
Oh, and don’t forget to tell your buddies what your screen name is, that way they can add it to their address book entry they have for you, and add you to their Buddy List!