Datasheet

Make sure to pick a Short Name you like, because it can’t be changed after the fact. After you’ve

chosen your short name, you’ll need to provide a password. Although OS X accepts more than

eight characters for this field, it checks only the first eight. The last entry field allows you to pro-

vide yourself an optional password hint if desired. Finally, you need to select a picture that serves

as an iconic representation of your user account. After making your selections, click Continue.

Select a Picture for This Account

This portion of the Setup Assistant allows you to take a snapshot for iconic representation of your

user account if you’re using an iSight camera or your Mac has one built-in. Otherwise, you can

select one from a stock library within Mac OS X by selecting the Choose from the picture library

option.

Select Time Zone

The Select Time Zone screen allows you to specify the time zone the computer will be operating

in. Clicking your geographic location or typing the name of the closest city where the computer is

located accomplishes this. After making your selection, click Continue.

Set the Date and Time

The Set the Date and Time screen lets you to set your computer’s clock and calendar. When you’re

done, click Continue.

Don’t Forget to Register

If by chance your registration information was not successfully sent to Apple or you opted to skip

entering as discussed earlier, you’ll be prompted with an additional screen stating Don’t Forget to

Running Software Update

Finding that the installers provided by manufacturers of media in hand do not contain the most

recent version of a product is not uncommon. Usually, software updates can be obtained via a man-

ufacturer’s Web site. Apple simplifies this process by automating the update process upon initial

OS X startup. If by some chance this does not occur, the process can be manually activated via the

Software Update preference panel. (This is reviewed in detail in Chapter 21.) Figure 1.3 shows

OS X’s Software Update preference panel, an excellent tool for obtaining the latest updates for

Mac OS X.

As you can see, building an OS X box is not a difficult task. Taking the time to evaluate your instal-

lation considerations and applying the appropriate OS X installation strategy goes a long way

toward ensuring a smooth migration from a previous Mac OS version.

Getting to Know Mac OS X

Part I

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