IMac Desktop - I need basic info

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

I have an IMac desktop - purchased it a few months ago. I am not good on it at all. I can do e-mails, search the web and things of this nature. However, I am not proficient on it at all.

I know this sounds really dumb but I don't even know how to have multiple things open at the same time. ???? For instance, if I open up my e-mails and want to go into Safari to look up something, I don't know how to keep both things open. I don't even know what this is called. Is it keeping multiple applcations open at the same time? Can someone tell me how this works? Or tell me where I can find a good, very, very basic instruction manual on just the basic things??? I have tried looking on-line for things such as IMac for Dummies and IMac for Seniors, etc. They seem to deal more with setting the computer up and teaching you how to do e-mails, etc. In the past I went to the Apple store but they were so busy, they don't have time to deal with this sort of thing. They are only interested in dealing with technical problems and/or selling new products.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!!!

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

Harpa · ‎03-10-2010

@AngelPuppy1

You'll see 3 lights at the top left hand corner...the red, the yellow & the green.

To use apps interchangeably....say you have something opened and you don't want to shut it down entirely (if you did, you click on the red light)....click on the yellow light and that display will shift to your bottom bar (or it could be a side bar). It's still essentially opened. You can now click on Safari and that will pop up.

You don't have to click on the yellow light at all... you can simply click on Safari, which will pop up in front of your already opened app.

You can re-size your screens.

Take your cursor over to a side of an opened screen where an arrow will appear. Drag it (by holding down your mouse) to the size you want. A diagonal arrow at the corners means you can re-size both vertically & horizontally. (A vertical arrow, will re-size vertically; a horizontal arrow, horizontally.)

I hope this helps.....I don't often work on an iMac. The one classroom I have at the college has iMac, and I have to have a zillion apps going at once so I could easily get from one to another in a flash. (My PowerPoint, my iTunes, Safari, etc.)

But maybe this helps explain more clearly: (I typed in iMac tutorial for beginners.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr15GAxDgXo

Teddixat · ‎10-04-2010

@AngelPuppy1 hi Angel. Your IMAC comes with a tutorial If not go to YouTube. You will find a lot of tutorials on using your IMAC. I have one but I've used Macs for years but it would be impossible for me to tell you in a forum. Don't give up. Macs mare user friendly and do a lot of great things. Take the tutorial

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

@Harpa

Thank you! I printed off your reply and will see if I can do this.

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

@Teddixat

Nothing came with the IMac regarding a tutorial. Thanks!

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

gadgetgal613 · ‎07-07-2021

@AngelPuppy1 wrote:
I have an IMac desktop - purchased it a few months ago. I am not good on it at all. I can do e-mails, search the web and things of this nature. However, I am not proficient on it at all.

I know this sounds really dumb but I don't even know how to have multiple things open at the same time. ???? For instance, if I open up my e-mails and want to go into Safari to look up something, I don't know how to keep both things open. I don't even know what this is called. Is it keeping multiple applcations open at the same time? Can someone tell me how this works? Or tell me where I can find a good, very, very basic instruction manual on just the basic things??? I have tried looking on-line for things such as IMac for Dummies and IMac for Seniors, etc. They seem to deal more with setting the computer up and teaching you how to do e-mails, etc. In the past I went to the Apple store but they were so busy, they don't have time to deal with this sort of thing. They are only interested in dealing with technical problems and/or selling new products.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!!!

All you have to do is open a new program. There are icons at the bottom of the screen (dock) or go to Apps and select the program you want to use. Until you close it out, by clickiing on the red radial button in the upper left corner, the program will be open and you can simply click on the icon to bring it up. The botton dock not only shows your shortcut icons, a programs incon will appear there when you open a new program. The way you know what is active or open is to look for a small black dot under the icon. An easy way to put a new icon on the dock is to right click and select options then keep on dock.

It really isn't different from Windows but, instead of going to all programs, you select Apps located in the bottom right corner of your home screen.

Ainhisg · ‎03-09-2010

@AngelPuppy1 I may not be understanding your question correctly, but if I am, go to the upper part of your screen (images attached for Firefox, Safari, and Chrome depending on what browser you're using) and click on the plus sign. That will open a new window, and you can type in the address (www.blahblahblah. com) of whatever website you're wanting. To switch back and forth between windows, just click on the small, horizontal bar at the top for the page to which you wish to go.

We don't have an Apple store in my town, but we have an authorized seller of Apple products. They hold classes for new users, and this sounds like exactly what you need. You might contact your Apple store to see if they have classes, or if you belong to Nextdoor .com, create a post there asking about classes.

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