Returning to the fold

[davidlevine]

To celebrate the completion of my novel, I am planning to buy myself a brand new iBook. This would be my first Macintosh since I emigrated to Windows in 1996, so I would appreciate some advice. Specifically, I would like recommendations for websites, newsletters, and books about "how to get the most out of your new Macintosh."

I'm a professional software engineer and user interface designer with a couple decades' experience using Windows and UNIX, so I'm not looking for "the gentle introduction to the Mac for newbies." But I will have some newbie questions, like "how do I add a printer?" and "how do I determine my adapter's MAC address?" and "what freeware is must-have?" I am particularly interested in information on integrating the Mac into a Windows-based Wi-Fi network.

What I'm really hoping to find is something like Woody's Office for Mere Mortals... a weekly e-newsletter full of information (and some opinions) that I could use to "trickle charge" my brain. I can't keep up with the volume on Slashdot or most email lists. But I also need a couple of good reference web sites... places to start when I have a question.

Thanks in the proverbial advance.

Comments

[ckd]

Second the recommendation for Pogue's Missing Manual. It won't yet be updated for 10.4 ("Tiger") but he's been quick to catch up in the past. (Also, there are pages describing the changes, though they're less useful if you don't know what the old way was.)

Most of the system tweaky stuff is in the System Preferences application (like Windows' Control Panels, or Classic Mac OS's for that matter). Print & Fax sets up what you'd expect. Network sets up your TCP/IP and so on, and will also show the MAC address of each appropriate adapter.