General Apple/Macintosh Resources
It's only appropriate for a Mac-related web page to begin with resources from Apple Computer itself. Many common questions can be resolved with a visit to Apple's support pages, for example, and Apple offers comprehensive lists of Mac-compatible products and an online store where many important products can be purchased. Users of Apple's support site should be aware, though, that Apple is now requiring users to register (for free) on the site before they can access software downloads or discussion boards.
Resources on Apple's Web Site
- Apple Home Page
- Apple Support (access to product documentation,
software downloads, discussion boards, and other support-related items)
- Knowledge Base (for current Apple products) and Knowledge Archive (for older products)
- Apple Product Manuals
- Apple Product Specs Database
- Macintosh Products Guide (Apple's listing of nearly 20,000 products made for the Mac, including both software and hardware and covering both Mac OS X and earlier systems)
- Apple Software (information on Apple-branded software)
- Apple Hardware (information on Apple-branded hardware)
- Apple Store (Apple's online store, featuring all current Apple products as well as many other Mac products by other companies; note that the store also offers a somewhat lower-cost Apple Store for Education that is open to students, educators, and schools at K-12 or higher education institutions)
Macintosh Troubleshooting and Reference
Many of these resources are relevant to both Mac OS X and earlier versions of the Mac OS. Also, many of the news sources listed below cover troubleshooting issues as they arise.
General Mac Troubleshooting
- Don't forget to check Apple's support pages
- About.com's MacOS Page (a variety of tips, tricks, and links to other Apple- and Mac-related resources on the Web)
- MacFixIt (an excellent web site specializing in identifying and solving Mac-related problems; see also their OS X Page)
- MacOS Internet Connection Guide (advice on getting connected)
- Mac Virus Page (home of the "Viruses and the Mac" FAQ and related resources)
- MacWindows (advice on helping Macs and Windows machines work together, ranging from emulator software such as Virtual PC to cross-platform networking)
- Three Macs.com (advice on networking Macs, such as sharing files, printers, or Internet connections among multiple Macs; formerly known as "Three Macs and a Printer")
Mac Discussion Boards
The following links are to collections of web forums or discussion boards, where users post questions and answers on a variety of topics. Since the specific links to forums change too quickly for this page to keep up, these links are to the front page that lists to the site's forums, and you must choose the specific forum you want. These forums or boards can be an excellent source of feedback or advice, although be aware that you get what you pay for; there is no way to guarantee that the responder knows as much as s/he claims...
- Don't forget the discussion boards at Apple's support site
- MacAddict offers at least four OS X-related forums: General, Tricks and Hackery, Troubleshooting, and Debate (as well as plenty of non-X forums)
- MacFixIt offers at least four discussion forums that are devoted to Mac OS X: Troubleshooting X, X Applications, X Hardware, and Tips and Hints (as well as the best troubleshooting forums for non-X topics)
- MacNN offers at least three general-purpose OS X forums: General Discussion, Usage and Support, and Third Party Software (as well as at least three more technical forums on UNIX, software developers, and Apple's OS X Server platform, and plenty of non-X forums)
Macintosh News Sources
These resources are generally updated daily and provide a variety of Mac news, updates, and rumors. This is the place to go if you are interested in finding the latest stories and reviews of recently released or updated products, or the latest rumors about future products.
General Mac News
- MacSurfer's Headline News (a page that offers links to all of the day's stories from the top Mac web sites -- the best single place to go for Mac news)
- MacAddict (the online presence of a major Mac magazine)
- MacCentral
- MacFixIt
- Macintosh News Network (MacNN)
- The Macintosh Resource Page
- MacInTouch News
- MacWorld (the online presence of a magazine that has now incorporated MacUser and MacWeek)
- MacWorld UK (separate and often better coverage from MacWorld's British counterpart)
Mac OS X-Specific News
- Apple's OS X Site (information on OS X, including discussion of features, links to download both Apple and third-party software, technical specifications, multimedia demonstrations, and more)
- All OS X.com
- MacFixIt's OS X Page
- MacNN's OS X Page
- Mac OS X Hints.com
- Mac OS X Centric
- OS X Zone.com
News on PowerBooks and Other Portable Macs
- Go2Mac.com (a site that has evolved from O'Grady's PowerPage, an excellent site devoted to portable Macs)
- PowerBook Central
- The PowerBook Source
- The Powerbook Zone
Macintosh Software
These resources offer access to archives of Mac software. All of them offer searchable interfaces to search for a specific product (by name or by keyword). Many also offer browsable menu hierarchies, arranged by type of product; this can be more useful if you do not know exactly which product you are looking for. These sites also cover a wide range of product types, with all of them including freeware and shareware products, and several including links to commercial products as well.
General Mac Software Archives
- VersionTracker (my favorite site for software searches)
- Apple's Macintosh Products Guide lists thousands of freeware, shareware, and commercial software packages
- C|Net Downloads Site
- Tucows Software Library
- ZDNet's Mac Software Library
Mac OS X-Specific Software Archives
- VersionTracker's OS X Page (probably the most comprehensive and frequently updated site)
- Apple's List of OS X Downloads
- Mac OS X Apps.com
- Mac OS X Software Directory (from AquaFiles)
- Native OS X Applications (from HyperJeff)
Macintosh Vendors
These sites allow the purchase of Mac-related products. This generally includes Mac computers, other hardware such as printers and external drives, software, and accessories such as printer supplies or blank disks. Users should be sure to check on each vendor's policies on sales tax (not all vendors charge tax for purchases from all states), shipping and handling fees (several used to be free but have now raised their prices), and shipping options (ranging from overnight delivery to standard U.S. post). These policies can be the source of huge headaches for customers who did not expect such high fees or such slow delivery, and can make a big difference in choosing between different vendors (overwhelming what appears to be a substantial price difference between two vendors offering the same item).
Online Vendors
- Apple Store (Apple's online store, where you can purchase Mac systems, hardware, software, and accessories -- much of it from manufacturers other than Apple)
- Cyberian Outpost
- Mac Connection
- Mac Mall
- Mac Warehouse
- Mac Zone
- Mac Components Engineered (MCE) (an excellent source of products for Apple laptops)
- Small Dog Electronics
Product Reviews
- Apple's Macintosh Products Guide lists products with basic information and a link to the maker's web site, although it does not provide any reviews of listed products
- MacAddict Reviews
- MacHome Reviews
- MacNN Reviews
- MacReviewZone
- MacWorld Reviews
- MacWorld UK Reviews
- ZDNet Reviews (not Mac-specific, but most Mac and Mac-compatible products and accessories are covered, and each product's page includes links to user reviews and price comparisons for that product)
Price Comparisons
http://garnet.acns.fsu.edu/~phensel/mac.html
Last updated: 3 March 2005
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