Setting Up a .Mac Account

Before you can use Apple's HomePage Web publishing tool or .Mac Slides tool, you need a .Mac account. It's easy to set up but does cost $99 per year. Luckily, Apple offers a 60-day free trial so you can see if iWeb and .Mac Slides, along with .Mac's other features, are worth the cost to you.

To set up a trial .Mac account:

1.	Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu to open the System Preferences window, and then click the .Mac icon to display the .Mac preference pane (Figure 5.26). Figure 5.26. To start setting up a .Mac account, click the Learn More button in the .Mac preference pane, which takes you to the .Mac home page in your Web browser.
2.	Make sure you're connected to the Internet and click the Learn More button. Your default Web browser launches and takes you to the .Mac home page. Click the link for a free trial.
3.	Enter your information in the fields provided (Figure 5.27). When you're done, click Continue. Figure 5.27. Enter your information in the .Mac signup page, and click Continue. Your browser displays a summary page (Figure 5.28), offers you the chance to send an iCard announcing the fact that you have an optional new email address ([e-mail]), and takes you to the .Mac home page. Figure 5.28. A confirmation page appears; copy the username and password from that page to the .Mac preference pane and you're done.
4.	Return to the .Mac preference pane, and enter your new .Mac member name and password.
5.	Close the System Preferences window.

Tip

• Since many people have registered .Mac accounts, you may need to choose a more awkward username than would be ideal. Try combining your first name and last name and, if all else fails, add a number.