Chapter 22: Get More Help for Mac OS X

How to…

• Get help with your Mac’s online help

• Get help with Sherlock

• Use Apple’s web site to get help

• Use great web sites and magazines to learn more about your Mac

While you can get up and running with Mac OS X quickly, thanks to the intuitive nature of its interface, no operating system is simple. You’ll need to get help to delve deeper into Mac OS X. This book covers much of what you’ll need to do, but your Mac has an astounding range of functions and possibilities. It is important to know where and how to get help when you have a question or a problem.

In addition to using Mac OS X, you’ll work with a variety of third-party applications. Most of these applications come with built-in help systems or work with Apple’s help system. In addition, many software vendors offer comprehensive support pages and knowledge bases on their web sites.

You can get additional help in many places: from the Mac OS X online help, built into the operating system; from help systems in other applications; using Sherlock, Apple’s web services application; from Apple’s web site; and from other web sites dedicated to Mac OS X.

In this chapter, I’ll show you how to use the Mac OS X online help, how to use help in different applications, how to use Sherlock to get help, and how to use Apple’s support pages on its web site. I’ll also tell you about some of my favorite web sites, where you can learn more about your Mac and keep up-to-date on the latest news surrounding it.