Chapter 1: Stepping into Mac OS X

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Mac OS X is an operating system. Operating systems perform the central role in managing what a computer does and how it is done. An operating system provides the interface between you and the computer hardware: it lets you store a file, print a document, connect to the Internet, or transfer information over a local area network without knowing anything about how the hardware works.

This chapter explains how to start Mac OS X and how to log on; how to use its screens, windows, menus, and dialog boxes; how to shut it down, and how to get help.

Start Mac OS X

To start Mac OS X, turn on your Mac by pressing the Power button. Sometimes that is all you need to do. If, when you turn on your Mac, you get a screen similar to Figure 1-1, then you have started Mac OS X. You may also need to log on, as explained later in this chapter.

Figure 1-1: When you have started Mac OS X, your screen should look something like this.

Note

The desktop on your Mac may look different from the one shown in Figure 1-1. As you’ll see later in this book, you can configure many aspects of the desktop to give it the look and the functionality you need.

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