Given the age of my iMac DV SE and current OS (9.0.4), I have been looking at the possibility of upgrading to an iMac 21.5" desktop.

I have no need for the massive hard drive capacity (given that my current HD is 15GB and I'm only using one-third of its capacity), but what I do require is a modem for dial-up access (since I have no need/desire for high-speed/broad-band access, particularly not at the cost such runs here in Canada, and I use the Internet for a maximum of 3 hours per day).
However, apparently no such modem exists — ie, there is no software support in modems for Lion.

So, upgrading would seem to be a no-go for me at present ... unless anybody out there has information to the contrary.

There's no software support for Apple's USB modem (but they no longer sell it anyway); there are several third-party modems compatible with Lion. Here are a couple:

USRobotics 56K Modems: USR5637 56K* USB Faxmodem

Zoom Telephonics - V.92 56K USB Mini External Modem

Pretty small and slick compared to what I remember....and no AC to DC adapters.

I still recall, in the 80s, getting a 1200 baud Apple modem and signing onto a billboard when a message popped up "Wow! 1200 baud. Lucky guy."

ryck

grelber may find How to fax with Lion helpful.

Thanks, guys.
Strange that the campus comupter store couldn't come up with either of those items.
They both have fax capability which is nice.
And they both cost US$49.99.
I have never heard of Zoom before, but USR is a familiar brand. Any recommendation on which one might prove better (ie, more reliable, longer lived)?

FWIW, Zoom Telephonics has been around for almost as long as Apple, and offered Zoom branded modems from the moment Macs could use them. Along the way they absorbed big modem names as Hayes and Global Village. I can't say much about current quality of any (stand-alone) modem maker's products, but if you've been around for so long it must amount to something...

Thanks again. I was able to locate the USRobotics 56K Modem: USR5637 56K USB Faxmodem locally (but for $40 more than cited online); nobody in these parts has heard of the Zoom Telephonics - V.92 56K USB Mini External Modem.

According to the write-ups on both modems, Mac Snow Leopard and Lion both have fax software/capability built in. So one does not have to rely on third-party software?

Some other issues have surfaced in the interim:

- What's up with the weird downsized keyboard on the new iMacs? There's no numeric keypad plus other keys. To get a full one I'd have to buy a whole new set-up.

- Assuming that I can connect my iMac DV SE (running Mac OS 9.0.4 and using Mozilla 1.0.1 browser) to the new iMac (running Mac OS X 10.7 and using Firefox browser), using a USB cable, how would I get my Mozilla bookmarks off my current set-up and into the new iMac?
[I discussed this with a colleague who just got a new Power Book Pro, and he was unable to transfer the bookmarks from one machine to the other, even though both were running OS X (10.6 to 10.7) and using Firefox.]

- The new iMac has a FireWire 800 port, whereas my current machine has an older FW port. Are there adapters so that I can continue to use my CD burner (LaCie) and laser printer (Lexmark E120n), both of which use the older style cable? Or are those peripherals no longer usable with the new iMac?

- What's the score with Apple Help? Is there a self-contained Help function on the new iMacs, so that one can figure out how to configure it and manipulate/navigate it without having to go online?

- With my current iMac I had (as I recall, only poorly) at least 3 months' of free Apple telephone advice. What's the current situation with telephone assistance from Apple?

In case it isn't obvious, I am extremely nervous about taking the plunge into a new iMac (even though I can easily use others' machines running OS X, as long as they're already set up and running well). Even colleagues who are quite 'conversant' with newer hardware and software have run into set-up problems which they can't figure out how to get around (see above).
My current iMac pretty much ran right out of the box, requiring minimal tweaking to get it to do my bidding the way I like.
I find Mac OS 9 far more user friendly and intuitive to use than Mac OS X, which seems to work in a far more mysterious/devious fashion, putting/hiding things in places where anyone other than a programmer can't find them or would even think to look.

> With my current iMac I had (as I recall, only poorly) at least 3 months' of free Apple telephone advice. What's the current situation with telephone assistance from Apple?

AppleCare Protection Plan - Apple Store (U.S.)

But is the AppleCare Protection Plan for iMac (my cost: $139) a worthwhile investment, given the standard warranty on the iMac?

That's a question for the denizens of Mt. Olympus, grelber. (Bruce, the math god, maybe?)

You get your 30 days & 1 year regardless; the extension is really up to your own particular feelings about insurance.

The only thing I can tell you with certainty is that, despite the fact that the thinking goes that portables are more in need of extended insurance than are desktops because they travel and are subject to more stress and strain, my 3 portables, which never travel other than to be repaired, have all undergone covered repairs that exceeded the cost of their extended insurance.

Edit: As for the extended tech support, though, you'll likely do better, more often than not, posting here.

I have used the Moshi FW adapter with great success. It is essentially a very short FW 800-400 cable.

I don't know about your situation since one machine is running 9.0.4, but your colleague should be able to do this by copying ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox from one computer to the other. Firefox does things a bit differently from other browsers and that Firefox folder contains everything from FF. In my setup, it contains a bookmarkbackup folder as well as a file labeled bookmarks.html. The latter may be from using Bookdog to synchronize bookmarks from Safari, so it may not apply in your colleague's case (Safari is my default browser). Of course, he will have to access ~/Library, which is hidden by default in 10.7. Read Access User ~/Library Folder in OS X Lion for instructions.

> In my setup, it contains a bookmarkbackup folder as well as a file labeled bookmarks.html.

I've got it too...neither Bookdog nor anything of its ilk.

You can connect the old keyboard to the new computer. It's just a USB connection. That works fine for my Mac Pro and it worked for a neighbor's Intel iMac when I needed a wired keyboard for diagnostic purposes.

I should add that the standard warranty would be doubled (up to a year) when using my credit card to make the purchase.
So, on that score, I suspect that the additional 'protection' ain't worth the cost.

And what about the Apple Help issue?

Edit: The following instructions were compiled using OS X 10.5.8; they presuppose that the bookmark importing mechanisms for Safari and Firefox remain essentially unchanged in the most-current versions.


(I think you'll want to connect the old and new iMacs using FireWire rather than USB, employing the sort of adapter Jon refers to above.)

1. On the old iMac, you want to locate a file named bookmarks.html. On my old iMac, that file was at the end of the following folder hierarchy: Documents -> Mozilla -> Profiles -> Default -> swi3y9m9.slt -> bookmarks.html. (That penultimate, alphanumeric item is unique for each user profile, so yours will be different from mine.)

2. Copy bookmarks.html to the Desktop of the new iMac (either by dragging it from its location on the old iMac, if you've got them connected, or by option-dragging it from its location on the new iMac, if you've previously copied data from the old iMac in bulk).

3. Launch Safari on the new iMac. From the File menu, choose the Import Bookmarks... command. Navigate to bookmarks.html in the dialog which opens, and click Import.

4. Launch Firefox on the new iMac. Choose Import... from the File menu. Follow the prompts to import Safari's bookmarks into Firefox.

Note that Safari is simply used as a conduit to get Mozilla's bookmarks.html file into a form which Firefox can import, but any default Safari bookmarks will come along for the ride, so you may want to purge Safari's bookmarks before beginning this process, to simplify the subsequent taxonomical tasks.

1. That sounds reasonable. (Note, though, that your extended warrantee may not cover the sort of service you'd like prefer, i.e. Apple's.)

2. I assume you're referring to "What's the score with Apple Help? Is there a self-contained Help function on the new iMacs, so that one can figure out how to configure it and manipulate/navigate it without having to go online?"

OS X has always come with "Help;" whether or not Lion's meets your specs will be a personal determination. (Edit: Personally, I've found OS X "Help" to be pretty comprehensive when I phrase my search "correctly.")

Another thought about the keyboard: Apple offers several keyboard options when buying an iMac. You probably were not aware of them. If you contact Apple, they may be willing to swap the one that came in the box with one of your choosing.

Once again, many thanks for the advice, all.

I was just going to tack on a note re bookmarks.html, and you beat me to the punch.
I've been saving sequential versions of that file in Mozilla over the years (just in case of a case).
Since my version of Mozilla (1.0.1) is just an early version of Firefox, would be safe to say that I could just directly replace (ie, import from Desktop) the same file in the newest version of Firefox, which I'll have to download anyway?

RE your extended warrantee may not cover the sort of service you'd like prefer, i.e. Apple's.)

Credit card 'protection' covers the purchase with exactly the manufacturer's warranty (as long as the manufacturer is still in business).
Check the pile of paper you got with your MasterCard or Visa (or possibly other ones).

You ask if Applecare is worth the cost. After some 30 months of use my iMac failed. The Apple Store replaced the logic board, video card, and power supply (this was on top the HD they had replaced within the first year of use). When it failed again even with all the new guts, they handed me a brand shiny new top of the then current model line iMac and threw in the Applecare on the new machine.

That would have been several months after the credit card warranty would have expired and for an investment of roughly $140 I received a $2,000+ machine with a larger screen, faster quad core processor, 3 times bigger HD, and double the RAM of the failed machine. I can cite several other instances where Applecare has paid off big time for me and my family and friends. Even better, Applecare attaches to the device and automatically transfers to a new owner.

You can't get odds like that in Vegas or anywhere else I know of for that matter.

If I recall correctly, Apple stopped storing Help articles solely on their website. I believe that they are now on the hard drive. If I'm wrong, I'm sure that someone will correct me.

Thanks for the info. Neither my MasterCard nor Discover Card extends warrantee coverage; maybe I ought to get one that does.

My question, though, was would the coverage allow you to bring a new Mac to Apple for service or would it restrict you to...?

A few more details:

Yet another option is the use of an ethernet cable in a local network. Also, let's not forget the inexpensive thumb drive implementation of the sneakernet.


Most Apple Help items listed will be locally sourced, but below these you may occasionally find links to additional information for which internet access is required.


The consensus among pundits appears to be that AppleCare is a must for portables, and a peace-of-mind option for desktops. FWIW, I've always had AppleCare for my desktops, but never had to use it. As joemikeb's experience suggests, ymmv.


These are all valid concerns for anyone leaving familiar grounds for new surroundings. Most of us have gone through the motions. Yes, the changeover will take some getting used to, but a new Mac still will run straight out of the box. Even so, certain favorite OS 9 procedures and approaches will not be fully reproducible (or advisable). Some will have good alternatives or workarounds, others less so.
Your level of familiarity and adaptation will determine your ultimate qualification of any new system, including this one. You're bound to compare, but give it and yourself some time to get going. Forums like these can help you to fine-tune things to your liking.

grelber,

and

I disconnected from the internet and tested the menu bar option for Help in these applications:

• Mail
• Address Book
• iPhoto
• iTunes
• Preview
• iCal
• Activity Monitor
• System Preferences
• Disk Utility
• Grab
• Dictionary
• Calculator
• Pages
• Numbers
• Keynote

In all instances, Help topics were available. However, some tutorials and video tutorials were unavailable because the application was unable to locate the required pages online.

I am not sure this reply addresses your concerns on configuring, manipulating, and navigating a new Macintosh without having to go online, but just in case.

RE credit card warranty coverage:
End user has the choice of where to have the extended warranty coverage done, inlcluding Apple.

Well, it's done.

Just went online and ordered from the Apple Store a 21.5" iMac (MC309LL/A: 2.5GHz i5 / 4GB RAM / 500GB hard drive) configured with a full keyboard (not the downsized wireless one without numeric pad); running Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion).

At the same time I went to 1C2C.ca for a FireWire 800 adapter (FAD-824 for use with my older FW cables) and a Zoom Telephonics V.92 56K USB Mini External Modem (for dial-up access and faxing) — both at a fair discount from anything findable locally.

Let the fun and games begin!

Indeed! We're awaiting your first report with bated breath...

Now, while I'm waiting for my new iMac, a couple of issues come to mind as I scan through my current iMac files — and I'm sure there'll be more:

(1) How do I transfer the contents of my iTunes folder into my new machine? In my OS 9 folder I've got 2 folders - one called iTunes Music and one called iTunes Music Library (2). Is it possible to just drag and drop these into the iTunes icon of the new machine?

(2) In my Mozilla browser I have a window called Mail & Newsgroups where I have several email accounts from different servers set up (so that I can access them conveniently in a single location); these are all separate from my main Web-based email. I have a single outgoing server (SMTP) set and several POP or IMAP server settings. Will the latest Firefox accommodate such? I don't remember seeing such when I've used others' computers.

Very disappointing on the 1c2c.ca front: Apparently they aren't centralized, must ship from several locations, resulting in exorbitant shipping fees. Order canceled.

On the other hand, I was able to find USRobotics 5637 locally and the seller even matched the online price (and then some).

Query: Once the modem is installed, is there any way to have a "connect" icon/alias on my Desktop so that I can conveniently access dial-up? My current set-up using Apple Remote Access has such.

I don't know about a connect icon on the Desktop, but you can put a Modem Status icon on the right side of your menu bar; clicking on that icon will drop down a menu which allows you to connect, monitor elapsed time, and disconnect.

No one has yet chimed in on #17612 (re iTunes transfer and Mail & News-groups). Do I take it that neither item is possible?

Your iTunes file structure differs from mine, i.e. "In my OS 9 folder I've got 2 folders - one called iTunes Music and one called iTunes Music Library," whereas I've got an iTunes Music folder and an iTunes Music Library.xml file, so I can't help you as respects your question.

On the other hand, though, you can simply launch iTunes on your new iMac, hit command-O (Add to Library), direct the dialog box to the appropriate folder on your (FireWire cabled) old iMac, and let iTunes do the rest. (This may not be the fastest import method, so it may pay you to wait for further input.)

Sorry, but your Mail & News Groups question is beyond me.

Mozilla, the application suite as you know it from Mac OS 9.x has been superceded by SeaMonkey. Firefox is the stand-alone web browser, just like Thunderbird is the independent email client maintained by the Mozilla Foundation.

As I have never used SeaMonkey, nor Mozilla for email, I cannot provide specifics for a migration of data and accounts from Mozilla, but I suspect that its import function works in ways similar to that in the various Mozilla iterations. In fact, the online documentation of the current version, SeaMonkey 2.4, states that it will offer to migrate your data from SeaMonkey 1.x or Mozilla 1.x at the first start after installation. You might want to ascertain exactly what 'your data' entails, I can't say for sure.

As an alternative, you can set up Mail, Mac OS X's email client, for your various email accounts now handled by Mozilla. Most ISPs have web pages with detailed instructions on how to set up the current crop of email clients under various OSes.

Useful links:
- SeaMonkey
- Firefox
- Thunderbird

SeaMonkey may be the only option for the Mail & News-groups. (I've got no experience with it.)

The only things I use in Mozilla 1.0.1 (which I switched to because Netscape Navigator was overloaded with non-essential extras) is the browser called Mozilla with incorporates the Mail & Newsgroups (which allows for the set-up of multiple mail servers, all in the same place, as noted earlier) and includes an address book (handy for "collected" email addresses, much like Gmail).
So I'm surprized to hear that Firefox 7 wouldn't include such. Ah well ....

It's actually even easier than that. Open the old iTunes library, do a Select All, and drag all the files into the new iTunes window.

Whether grelber goes your route or mine, I believe the "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library" check-box (which appears under iTunes > Prefs > Advanced in my iTunes 8.2.1) must be checked in order for the music transfer to be completed.

Now it's down to the nitty gritty. My new iMac is due to arrive in the next day or so and my anxiety level is through the roof.

I really have no clue what I'm doing. I've never connected two computers together before. I've only ever installed things from inert media (eg, CDs) or downloaded stuff from the Internet.

It seems to me that connecting two appliances, each plugged into 110v, via sockets/ports which are powered via same, would be like taking an extension cord with two male plugs and plugging it into two wall sockets, blowing/shorting out everything in the house or in this case one or both computers. What am I missing?

Assuming that I can connect my two computers, what should I see on the screens of each? And how do I physically manipulate files/folders in OS 9 to get them over to the new iMac's OS X? Find them via an icon and drag them from one Desktop to the other?

Just as an example: What's an iTunes window? And how would I select the stuff (2 folders, as mentioned earlier) from one system and stick it in another?

And someone warned me about something called "permissions", to the effect that every file/document that comes from one machine to another needs to have access permission dealt with individually - which would mean manipulating thousands of files/documents in some way. What's all that about?

Does the new iMac and/or OS X 10.7 have something like OS 9's Disk First Aid which will fix things in case I do something stupid or perform an "illegal" function or the system crashes?

At this point about the only thing I feel comfortable with doing is installing some software (eg, browser, modem) which I have on discs and USB thumbdrives. I await definitive information and assurances about all else. Pretty please.

EDIT #1:
And so I went for a run to clear my head — didn't help — and then stood 'petrified' in a hot shower for 10 minutes — also didn't help.
I'm guessing that my best route is to use Apple's telephone tech support when the iMac arrives — if I screw things up on their instructions, they'll be on the hook to make it all better.

EDIT #2:
I just searched through Apple Help on my iMac running OS 9 and apparently there is no way to transfer files from it without some other intermediary (such as an external storage device). To say that I'm discouraged by the whole business of trying to upgrade would be understatement to the googol power. I'm about to forget about the whole business and not even bother to take the new one out of the box.

I would like to start by saying 'Relax', but I realize that's probably not going to work given what you've tried already. Just take everything one item at a time and realize that all this is also supposed to be fun, so you might as well allow for that possibility... Next, what I'm saying below isn't the final word, but a start. We'll adjust, correct and add when needed.

With regard to your question about connecting 110V items, the ports you're connecting are not at line power, but at much less. The exact voltages/currents involved depend on the port type. The procedure to be followed also depends on the type of connection you make. In your case that could be an ethernet/network connection, or Target Disk Mode. Here's how to go about the latter: Transferring files between two computers using target disk mode



What you'll be seeing is (the representing icon of) the old iMac on the desktop of the new iMac or in Finder dialogs. You'll be selecting and moving files and folders from folder to folder or disk, just as you've always done it on your iMac G3. When you move files and folders from one disk or partition to another, they'll be copied, not moved, so the originals stay where they're at.

Alternatively, software on your new iMac (Migration Assistant) may be involved in moving selected data from your old iMac to the new. A note on data migration: Mac OS X can be far more ornery about where you park your stuff than Mac OS 9. For now, put programs in the appropriate Applications folder at the disk level, and data in the Documents folder in your Home folder. Anything else might result in hiccups. If you don't like this limitation, get back here with specific examples later on and we can walk you through possible issues.

On the risk of being perceived as flippant: an iTunes window is what you see when you open iTunes. What you'll be dealing with when moving stuff is any of the iTunes Library windows available (top left), including Music, Movies, etc.



Filesystem Permissions are an inherent part of Mac OS X and other file systems. Most of its implications will be transparent to the user, but occasionally it requires a more direct approach. For now, I would not worry about it, until you run into a situation where the System will tell you that you don't have enough permissions to do whatever you want to do. Then post back here and we'll deal with it. Until such time, keep this link in mind, which provides some more info on permissions, plus a free utility to help you change them when necessary.



Yes, and it's called Disk Utility. There are several other options*, including starting up in certain special modes intended to deal with special circumstances, comparable to booting without extensions under Mac OS 9. Again, we'll get to that when necessary.



You can still do the disc and thumb drive thing, that's just a variation on a theme and still current.


*) Compare OS 9 to your car, packed with all you need for an extended road trip. In terms of resources and utilities, Mac OS X is comparable to a huge ferry carrying hundreds of cars and trucks likewise outfitted. If anything, the Mac OS X 'problem' is realizing what you've got and finding out how to get at it and use it.

Thanks for the attempt at consolation.
But none of the options (ethernet/network connection or Target Disk Mode) is available to me. And I don't comprehend any of the other suggestions/information.
The more info I get, the less I understand. Every new piece of ostensibly helpful information I've been getting from various sources takes me further and deeper into the abyss.
My optimal (and default) solution is the status quo ante.

As long as your current iMac G3 has a working FireWire port, FW target mode is a viable option with the FW400-800 adapter cable. And there are your thumb drives.
You have a point with the info being overwhelming and less than helpful, but as long as you don't have your new iMac to check for the things mentioned it's all hanging in a sort of vacuum. All I can suggest for now is to unpack your Mac when it arrives, start it up and follow whatever prompts you'll be presented with so you can play and get familiar with it. Remember that pretty much everything can be adjusted at a later time.

Merci.
After all is said and done — I hope — the solution to transferring files is a USB thumbdrive (as you suggest), onto which I copied all of my iMac OS 9 files, awaiting the new iMac for to copy same. All other file transfer suggestions, according to Apple tech support, would be appropriate for Mac OS X to Mac OS X migrations (but not for such from Mac OS 9).
We shall see.

Two things. The peripheral ports on the computer aren't power sockets; they're data connection plugs. And the computer itself doesn't run on 110 volts. The power supply steps the wall current down to 12 volts and 5 volts. You could stick your tongue in a USB or FireWire socket with no ill effect (well, to you, anway).



Depends on how you do it.

The easiest way is to use FireWire target disk mode. Start your old computer in target disk mode. That basically gives it a lobotomy; it turns off the actual computer and makes your computer into just an external hard disk. Plug it in to the new computer. You will see your old computer's hard disk appear on your desktop. Open it and copy files to the new computer's hard disk.



The iTunes window is what you see when you run iTunes. You can run iTunes, then open your old compute's hard disk, click on the music files, drag them right into the iTunes window, and let go. That will copy the music onto your new computer.



Since you're coming from OS 9, you don't need to worry about that. OS 9 doesn't have permissions.



Yep! It's called Disk Utility.



I don't know that that's true. Does oyur old computer have a FireWire jack?

Target disk mode does not exist in Mac OS 9.

TDM is not an OS property, it's provided for in a Mac's firmware. Have you tried it?

(FWIW, the Wikipedia link I provided on TDM above shows what looks like an iMac DV SE in TDM.)

Quoting grelber:

"The new iMac has a FireWire 800 port, whereas my current machine has an older FW port."

If your old iMac supports FireWire it seems likely that it can boot into FW target disk mode.

Target Disk Mode does work on slot-loading iMacs running OS 9.

I used it a number of times on my Summer 2000 iMac DV. But don't take it from me; here it is from the horse's mouth:


And if by chance your DV SE is of earlier (1999) vintage and doesn't have Firmware version 2.4 or later, you can always reverse the process and boot the new iMac into Target Disk Mode and do all the dragging and dropping from the familiar comfort of the old one, since the requirements for Host computer are even less demanding.

I can find no reference to TDM on my iMac DV SE and I have no idea where to find firmware version.
Please provide explicit instructions.

It will be helpful if you can tell us precisely which model iMac you've got; if you bought it new, telling us when you bought it will probably suffice if you can't do any better. (Telling us your iMac's color will also work as long as it isn't graphite.)

Edit: Your choices are Blueberry, Grape, Strawberry, Tangerine, Lime, and Graphite (1999 model) & Indigo, Ruby, Sage, Snow, and Graphite (2000 model).

Start up your G3 iMac by pushing the power-on button while holding the T-key until you see a dark blue screen with a large, 'bouncing' yellow Firewire symbol. Done.

If you do that when it's hooked up to the iMac running Mac OS X, the G3 will show up as a hard disk on the Mac OS X desktop provided the OS X Finder is set to show hard disks (which I believe is the default).

PS, to shut down the iMac in target disk mode, push its power button again.

Not having a lot of fun dealing with the new iMac and set-up – although I like the wired full keyboard and the Magic Mouse and the galaxy screen saver for the Desktop.

The USRobotics 5637 modem works but is slow (and I can’t find out how to determine transmission rate, which was always visible in the ARA panel) and it doesn’t appear to have an activity log so that I can determine how long each connection session is (again unlike ARA). Tech support at USRobotics advises that a log should be somewhere on my Mac, but if it is I have no way of finding it. Any ideas on any of this?

Somewhere on my old iMac there’s a library of photos from which I chose a desktop picture, but I can’t find it. I’d like to transfer them to my new iMac and put them in a similar library (to use, eg, for the stupid ID picture on logging in to my own computer, which is a royal pain). Anybody have a clue?

As for transferring files I’m just going to copy to a USB drive and be done with it. At least the technique is transparent. It takes a while to load the thumbdrive but it transfers quickly onto the new iMac.

Apple System Profiler should provide the answer. Look for Boot ROM version; that's the same as firmware version.

> Tech support at USRobotics advises that a log should be somewhere on my Mac, but if it is I have no way of finding it. Any ideas on any of this?

Logs can generally be found via /Applications/Utilities/Console > Log List (If you don't see it, hit "Show Log List" in Console's toolbar.), but since we've no idea what your log is called, the best I can do is suggest that you cruise the list for names that sound pertinent, and check them out.

This may get you an easy answer, though... Launch Console, and select Database Searches > Console Messages from the log list before you try to connect with your ISP; then hit "Connect" and watch for Console messages before, during, and after the connection is made.

You may also be able to find the info for which you're looking in /Apps/System Preferences > Network > Modem > Advanced (but, on the other hand, I'm not even certain that that path is correct).

iTunes: 1GB loaded lickety-split and perfectly. Grazie mille for the advice. I tested it by listening to Pepper Rabbit’s “Older Brother” — I had forgotten how teary-eyed that makes me, but I was promptly reminded.

Also re modem: The user’s guide is a bunch of uncoordinated html pages under manuals. Feh. I can’t believe how slow the modem transfers data. Any suggestions? The telephone help isn’t available until Monday. This modem is at least 50% slower than the ARA in my old iMac under OS 9.0.4.

Now I'll check for the log. No dice. Nothing resembles what was suggested. And launching Console doesn't give me anything like Database Searches > Console Messages as an option.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, you should be able to keep track of connection time via a simple pull-down menu, once said menu is installed in your menu bar.

Mac OS X 10.7 Help: Showing modem status in the menu bar.

Thanks, but I was actually looking for a cumulative log which would show usage.

Ostensibly I should be able to fax via the USB modem using the fax capability of 10.7. As far as I can tell, it doesn’t exist, and I’ve tried looking everywhere for it. In my older iMac I just had to hold down command+option keys when accessing the File menu which would then read Fax (rather than Print). Any ideas?

Add to that grief that I configured Mail for 3 separate accounts and none of it works. The only thing that happens is that a window pops up asking for one account's password and then states that it's wrong. If I go to the email server directly via the Internet it works fine. So much for Mail.

Although I'm using Snow Leopard, my guess is that the procedure for faxing in Lion is not too different. In the Finder, go to the Help menu and click Mac Help. Select Mac Help in the new window and type Fax in the search box, then press Return. You'll get a number of articles about faxes. I chose Sending A Fax and it described the procedure.

Since I neither use Mail nor get my email via the Internet (although I could), I can't answer the email question.

It looks like your account configuration left something to be desired, or 'something else' in Mail is on the fritz. Without prejudice, chances are it's the former. Did you check with your ISP's web site for 'how to setup' instructions? If you can't find any, we could help digging if you'd let us know the ISP(s) in question.

PS, given your successful iTunes data move I take it Target Disk Mode worked?

I think there's something wrong with my ISP's email facility. While I can send email I can't receive it from them.

And no, I just used a USB thumbdrive to transfer the files, and everything seems to have worked out.

When talking with an Apple supervisor about Mail, I asked about the fax facility (which exists in 10.5 and 10.6) and he advised that it had been removed in 10.7 (which would be why I couldn't find it). So I'll have to find some software (preferably freeware) to do the trick.

A "faxing in lion" Google search turned up, among other hits, TidBITS Networking: How to Fax in Lion and Faxing in MacOS 10.7 (Lion), both of which appear to be useful.

> I think there's something wrong with my ISP's email facility. While I can send email I can't receive it from them.

Please post the details of what happens when you try to fetch mail, including the exact language of any dialog boxes with which you are presented.

> And launching Console doesn't give me anything like Database Searches > Console Messages as an option.

Don't you see either this or this when you launch Console?

artie, me lad:
Merci for the pointers. Both articles were good but left a bad taste. Nasty, re faxing, so I'm just going to look around for some freeware. Liked the TidBITS site.
My ISP resolved the Mail issue; just had to disable a setting and all is good.

Now how about?: Somewhere on my old iMac there’s a library of photos from which I chose a desktop picture, but I can’t find it. I’d like to transfer them to my new iMac and put them in a similar library

Easiest way to check for cumulative online time log is to go to my ISP account; they've up-graded access so that it's much simpler to extract info (and save me a honking great amount of time to boot).

> Both articles were good but left a bad taste.

If you combine

with the info found in How to fax with Lion (when Apple gets its Website back up and running), i.e. that after adding your modem as a device you can fax directly from a command-P dialog box, it sounds like you've got the built-in faxing capability for which you're looking.

Give it a spin.

> Now how about?: Somewhere on my old iMac there’s a library of photos from which I chose a desktop picture, but I can’t find it.

Now you're asking me to be even more psychic than I already am!

Is it a library you created, or is it a default OS 9.x library?

I assume you can't search for it because you can remember neither what it's called nor the name of any of the photos it contains?

My recollection of OS 9.x is that its file system is neither terribly extensive nor complex, so, as a last resort, I'll simply suggest that you go through it, folder by folder, until you find what you're looking for.

Yes, I've got the USR5637 modem, but it's the software which is no longer in OS X. I have yet to find any freeware.

There were 2 "libraries" or some such from which one could take pictures for use in screen saver or other places.
When I started up this machine it asked me to provide a photo or artwork as an identity icon (which pops up in sign on). Even if I had something here, I wouldn't know how to change that icon.

!@#$%^&... I just lost another post (that I thought I'd saved)!

1. (Edit: There is no separate fax software; it's built into the print functionality, and,) as reported in How to fax with Lion, you can fax from Lion without any 3rd party software:

1. Add your modem as a device.
2. Launch a doc that you want to fax.
3. Hit command-P, and somewhere in the dialog box with which you're presented or one of its clickable options you should find a "Fax" option.

2. All I can do is repeat myself: SEARCH!!!

3. Step by step...

1. Navigate to /Apps/SysPrefs > Account > Your name > Password.
2. Click on your user picture.
3. Click on "Edit Picture."
4. Click on "Choose" in the dialog box with which you're presented and you'll be able to navigate your entire file system and select the picture you prefer to use (when you've found it).

Apple site still reads: "We'll be back soon." So I'll play with the modem in the interim.

alternaut, dk, tacit, jchuzi, artie et al:
OK, it’s taken a couple of days to get into the new machine, and it’s not so bad.
Of course, about 90% of its capability I’ll never use or understand, but c’est la vie.
I just hope that it’ll unclutter itself from time to time, so that it doesn’t go wonky (like some of the horror stories I’ve come across in the Forums).
So, if not exactly happy, I’m pleased to say that assembled Mac addicts were right (for the most part), and I’d just like to thank all again for the help and other input.
You can certainly expect to see more questions about the system, or my handle isn’t grelber.

RE faxing
After a little diddling, it did indeed send a fax.
Unfortunately, it did not save a record of the transmission or any other indication that the thing had been sent and to whom. That's a decided downside. However, I'll wait to read the Apple piece to see if there's a solution to that problem.

That Apple discussion forum was worthless — just a bunch of folk kvetching with no useful information.

So I'm no closer to finding a solution to the above problem.

You might want to invest in a book about Lion. You can find several choices at this Amazon search page but David Pogue's Lion update (available Oct. 31) would be a good bet. I have bought virtually all his previous Missing Manual books and have been very pleased.

I'm very happy to hear that you've come around, and I expect that you'll eventually come to love the 10% of your new deuced Mac(hina)'s capabilities that you use. (You're not alone... Years ago, in an ad advocating colonoscopies, Julius Erving said that one of the things he intended to do now that he'd turned 50 was find out what the other 90% of his computer did.)

And please feel free to post away; we're here to help, we're happy to help, and we could use the business.

(Apple's Website is back up.)

We crossed in the mail.

I saved this tidbit against who knows what sort of need...

Open a page in your browser and enter <http://127.0.0.1:631/printers/Modem_interne> (Edit: Omit the <>.)in the address bar; you'll see this (one of whose tabs is this) and maybe find the info for which you're looking. (I don't know whether it will work for you, because the URL suggests that it deals with internal modems, but it's worth a try.)

Edit: And you may find some sort of fax log in Console's sidebar.

I didn't see anything in Console's sidebar that looked like it might be what I wanted, eg fax log.
The Image Shack item doesn't seem to be relevant.

On my old iMac I could assign virtually anything to the function keys, especially certain frequently used applications such as Word or my browser access — via the control panel Keyboard under Function Key Mappings. I can’t find anything similar in 10.7.1 – certainly not under Keyboard in Preferences. Does it exist? And if so, where?

Also nice little utilities such as KeyFinder (chart for all fonts) and Key Caps.

I found the photo files (9.4MB worth) under Appearance in the System Folder on my old iMac. Yippee! I hadn’t accessed it since 2003 (so small wonder I didn’t have a clue where to find it).

I understand that the details have changed in Lion, but in Leopard you could add/change keyboard shortcuts via the homonymous tab on the Keyboard & Mouse Preference (System Preferences, Hardware). Likewise, a Character Palette and Keyboard Viewer are available via the Input Menu pane of the International preference (System Prefs, Personal). The latter can be placed on the menu bar by selecting one or more languages from the same Input Menu list. If you cannot find these options, others may be able to provide Lion-specific instructions.

Fixing a loose end: if Firewire Target Disk Mode didn't work for you it might have been because your iMac G3's Firewire is on the fritz, or its firmware wasn't v2.4* or higher as DK indicated. I have an identical iMac model on which TDM works just fine (albeit with firmware v4.19 installed). If yours doesn't and you'd like to update, you can find the updater here: iMac Firmware Update 2.4: Document and Software. The latest firmware for the G3 iMac (including Firewire TDM improvements) is v4.19, but it requires you to run Mac OS 9.1 or higher to install.

*) As Jon suggested, you can find out about your G3's firmware on the System Profile tab of Apple System Profiler, under Product Information at the bottom of the pane and sort of hidden in the Boot ROM version string like this: $0002.4f1.

I guess I wasn't clear, re Target Disk Mode. I didn't try to muck around with it at all. I didn't buy a FireWire 800 adapter (at least not yet), so the point was moot from that perspective.
More relevant, like Warren Buffet, if I don't understand it, I don't invest in it. My singular major leap of faith was to bump up to OS X, but that's as far as my skittishness will take me.

RE in Leopard you could add/change keyboard shortcuts via the homonymous tab on the Keyboard & Mouse Preference (System Preferences, Hardware):
There ain't no such thing in Lion; Keyboard is way pared down.
And I've done several Web searches to try to find that lovely little utility, but the only thing that pops up relates to "product key".

1. But did you try the URL I posted?

In Snow Leopard I've got a fax log, so it seemed reasonable that Lion might generate one. (Edit: In case it's not obvious, fax is under /private/var/log.)

(And you saw where Database Searches > Console Messages is, didn't you?)

2. OS X hasn't got that functionality built in; I use Butler (one of many apps with keyboard mapping functionality) to assign hot keys.

3. The current equivalent of KeyFinder is, I guess, /Apps/Font Book.

Key Caps has been history for so long that I don't even remember precisely what it did, but I think /Apps/Sys Prefs > Language & Text > Input sources > Keyboard & Character Viewer is today's closest built-in approximation.

> Likewise, a Character Palette and Keyboard Viewer are available via the Input Menu pane of the International preference (System Prefs, Personal). The latter can be placed on the menu bar by selecting one or more languages from the same Input Menu list.

First, that pref moved to Language & Text > Input Sources in SL, and second, a Character Viewer/Keyboard Viewer icon is placed in your menu bar by checking the appropriate box, and that icon used to be the flag associated with your selected language, but beginning with Snow Leopard it is a generic one unless you check at least two languages, in which case you do get a flag.

Edit: Just updating you to SL there. (I have yet to run across anything that indicates that things have changed in Lion.)

Create keyboard shortcuts for applications

As I thought.

And I really liked KeyFinder, which would give a chart of the entire keyboard by font and show how to access characters, especially useful in fonts such as Symbol. So now I guess one just guesses.

RE 1. But did you try the URL I posted?
In Snow Leopard I've got a fax log, so it seemed reasonable that Lion might generate one. (Edit: In case it's not obvious, fax is under /private/var/log.)

The URL posted led to Apple discussion group, which wasn't relevant.
How do I find /private/var/log — whatever that is?
As I've noted, I have no clue how OS X organizes stuff, how to find anything (trying searches usually just gives me a huge list of stuff that doesn't address the issue; eg, if I search for "fax", it gives me a thousand documents with the word fax in the file name, which in fact do not have the word in the file name). All very frustrating.

RE 3. The current equivalent of KeyFinder is, I guess, /Apps/Font Book.

That doesn't even come close; just a picture of keys without a way to choose where to find things such as 2-em dash (opt+shift+hyphen). This is all going to be a real pain without KeyFinder.

1. Wrong URL... I meant this one: <http://127.0.0.1:631/printers/Modem_interne> (Omit the <>.)

2. Sorry for being unclear... I meant that you should look for /private/var/log in Console's sidebar and, after clicking on the disclosure triangle, see if you've got a fax log.

3. Edit: Your description is of Keyboard Viewer, not Font Book, so check out FB and see if it's at all useful.

Launch Keyboard Viewer and watch what happens when you depress (one at a time) the function and option keys; you may find it helpful.

I'm not really clear about KeyFinder's functionality; maybe somebody more familiar with it can point you in the right direction.

Misc gripes and queries:

Compared to Mozilla 1.0.1, Firefox 7 is a dog. Eg, embedded movies have to await full download before playing and even then aren't part of the browser (except maybe in cache).

What plug-ins might be recommended for Mac OS X and Firefox?
I had to download Flip4Mac's Windows Media Player which got inserted into QuickTime.

What other applications might be good for the Mac? I checked freemacware.com, but I'd grow old and die before being able to wade through all the possibilities.

> What plug-ins might be recommended for Mac OS X and Firefox?

> What other applications might be good for the Mac?

Those are more or less rhetorical questions; you'll get useful results only if you tell us what functionality you desire and can't find.

Edit: Personally, I've found all of my 3rd party apps and Safari extensions by perusing MacUpdate: Download Apple Mac Software daily and reading FTM and MFIF posts.

Edit 2: Have you noticed that the cat in your avatar freezes periodically?

I couldn't find Keyboard Viewer and when I did a search for it all that showed up was a bunch of my documents which (again) supposedly had that in the file name which isn't the case.
What is wrong with the way I'm searching? I go to a panel which shows me Macintosh HD and I put the search term in the upper right space and the above is what happens/results.

I did as suggested in Console and all that showed up were uninterpretable lists of things the computer did, not a log which a user can comprehend. I'm looking for something far more user-friendly such as I had in fax STF.

I don't really know what plug-ins and such I might need.

My avatar doesn't freeze for me as far as I can tell.

1. The problem with the way you're searching is... You're searching rather than following posted instructions; my posts #17782 and #17783 detail how to access Keyboard Viewer and Character Viewer and get their icon into your menu bar.

2. Is "all that showed up were uninterpretable lists of things the computer did" a description of what you found in Console > /private/var/log > fax, and did you try the URL I posted?

1. And we've got -0- idea of your computing habits/needs; I suggest that you shelf the question until you've got more OS X experience and, perhaps, an idea of what you don't see that you'd like to see and, conversely, what you do see that you'd prefer to not see.

2. Your avatar is frozen in my Safari at the moment.

My short-term memory ain't that good, so I didn't harken back to those two posts.
I don’t know how, but I found that Keyboard Viewer (tiny, barely readable panel) and somehow got it installed in the menu bar. It does what you said, but it’s not as useful as KeyFinder which explicitly defines the keystrokes for particular characters.

And then I came across a panel which is titled Characters showing various things and notes that one can “Add to Favorites”. What does that mean? And how would one use it? What are Favorites and how do they relate to working with a keyboard and writing stuff down? This is all massively confusing.

And yes, it is "a description of what you found in Console > /private/var/log > fax" (ie, of no value).
As for the URL: I don't know which one you're referring to, but I certainly read at one point or another.

RE Your avatar is frozen in my Safari at the moment.

Then it's likely Safari that's the culprit. I have yet to it freeze in Firefox 7 (or its predecessor, Mozilla 1.0.1).

Character Viewer is a compilation of characters, symbols, fonts, et al that you'll have to completely peruse to understand, and adding items to "Favorites" is simply an easy way to access (Edit: and enter) them again after you've worn out your eyeballs finding them the first time.

OK... Try this: Enter http://127.0.0.1:631/printers/Modem_interne in the address bar of a new Safari window, hit "enter." and see what comes up.

Edit 2: What you're going through is an object lesson in the value of periodic, incremental upgrades.

Further, trying to reconcile OS 9 functionality with that of OS X 10.7 is major-league frustrating, so please bear with me if I seem to get cross occasionally.

I don't understand.

What's Favorites? It's not 'easy' if I don't know where or what it is or how to use it (make it do my bidding).

I put that URL in and got an online panel. But how does that relate to what I need?
I need a fax log which specifies what I sent (ie, copy of same), time and date stamps, person and place faxed, etc.

And I still need to know how to search and get relevant stuff back. As noted, the only thing that ever pops up is a whack of my Word documents which are completely irrelevant to the search.
There must be some setting for Search that will provide something other than phoney results.

RE Edit 2: What you're going through is an object lesson in the value of periodic, incremental upgrades.

I don't get that either. What should I be upgrading?

I just went back to that CUPS thing and it had identified my printer and modem.
But what good is this if it's not on my machine? I can't imagine wanting to display my personal faxing on the Web.

My head's about to burst because I'm not understanding anything about how my machine works or how to make it do anything I want. I'm just about to disconnect it and go back to my iMac DV SE and Mozilla 1.0.1, because at least I understand what's going on and can get my bidding done — including searches which are relevant, embedded movies which play without having to completely download first, etc etc.

With the exception of a nice keyboard and cool mouse, the new set-up sucks big time.

Character Viewer has three tabs, one of which is Favorites (the others are By Category and By Radical). In it, you can store characters that you frequently use so that you can access them easily. For complete instructions, read Mac OS X 10.7 Help: Enter special characters and symbols.

Character Viewer does not give you the keyboard combinations for those characters (é, for example, can be typed by pressing Option-e, releasing those keys, and then pressing e) but it does allow you to drag the character into your document (or click Insert) but you can view all the combinations by choosing among the ones listed in Accent Codes for the Macintosh. For more characters, see this Google search page.

1. "Favorites" is for "bookmarking" Character Viewer items that you foresee using and re-using; it makes them more easily accessible than searching for them time after time would be.

If you need to use a "Favorite," you launch Character Viewer, hit the "Favorites" tab, select the item you want, and hit "Insert;" your item will be entered in the doc you are working on when you call up CV.

2. As I said, I'm not at all certain that it's of any use to you, but since it purports to be a fax log it may actually contain the info for which you're looking; if you've sent any faxes from your new iMac do they appear under Jobs > Completed Jobs, and is their documentation sufficient for your needs?

> But what good is this if it's not on my machine?

My bad... I should have explained that the "CUPS thing" is on your machine, not on the Internet (but please don't ask me to be any more specific).

3. Many FTMers use EasyFind; I suggest that you d/l it and give it a try. (Personally, I disable Spotlight and use EasyFind exclusively.)

OS 9 --> OS X 10.0 --> OS X 10.1 --> OS X 10.2 --> OS X 10.3 --> do you get it now?

You'd have learned gradually and shared the learning experience with the entire body of Mac users as opposed to enduring the agony you're now going through.

1. Refer to my most recent earlier post (#17813).

2. It's a function of your being so far behind in the learning experience; give yourself some time.

Edit: And keep one thing in mind...that your old iMac may have many attributes that your new one hasn't got (or that you haven't figured out yet), but immortality is, most assuredly, not one of them!

Thanks, but that just doesn't allow me to write documents in a convenient way if I have to paddle back and forth from place to place. Just trying to use Symbol font (which doesn't show up in Keyboard Viewer, which only shows U.S. at the top, not the font selected) would be by guess and by golly.

If that CUPS thing is on my machine, it's sure doing a good job of hiding. It only shows up if I go to that URL while online.

That Favorites thing is a colossal waste of time (as noted in my post to jchuzi). "Flow" is everything when composing.

Now I'm noticing that my space bar doesn't want to function properly thus allowing words to run together. And there's no way to control for speed of typing (which might alleviate the problem, which (again) would not occur in OS 9 which allows the key speed to be adjusted, not just the 'repeat' speed).

Add to that: I’ve just spent an hour and a half on the telephone with Apple Tech Support, mostly with a supervisor, and they couldn’t do anything for me with regard to any of the stuff we’ve been dancing around with in this forum.
I’m just about ready to throw in the towel — meaning return the equipment to its maker*, continue blissfully on with my iMac DV SE and Mozilla until they crash and burn, and then leave the computer world completely.

Do I sound depressed? Jawohl. But I’m being realistic about wanting to stop the frustration and all other negative issues I’ve been undergoing.

* How do I erase all additions to the computer (programs, files, caches, etc) added to it since I fired it up? I don't want my personal information left on the machine if I return it.

Right now I've got to go back to my old set-up just to retain my sanity, otherwise I might throw myself under a bus.

Is this lengthy thread still on the original topic? I lost 10 pounds reading it . . . without reading it all.

As earlier noted, everything about OS X (Lion) is opaque and depressing in the attempt to use it (particularly when even the Search function returns nonsensical and irrelevant information, such as how to search).
I’ll give myself another 24 hours to try to break out of this funk and see this thing as other than a punishment for trying to abandon my old iMac and OS 9.

In any case, I’ve taken steps to return the machine for a refund; Apple is sending me return shipping labels.

But before I do so, I’ll need to erase all (especially personal) information from the machine and have been told by Apple that the following is the appropriate procedure:

Reboot with command-R
Find Recovery HD
Open Disk Utility
Choose HD
Choose Erase

I need to know if this will completely clear everything I’ve put on the machine or that the machine has generated, both online and offline, without residue – ie, that no information can be recovered. So, if anyone out there can confirm that those instructions will do the trick, please let me know.

I realized a bit too late to post earlier that you've got some issues going that are causing you much frustration and grief...

1. You're searching for things with Spotlight rather than typing your search phrases into "Help" (in your menu bar).
2. You're not asking "Help" for advice about how to do things, thereby forcing yourself to rely on FTM for advice that may not be as in-depth or focused as Apple's might be.
3. You're overlooking the fact that appropriately worded Google searches can yield reams of meaningful info. (Type your search phrase, followed by a single space, followed by site:apple.com.)

Further, your posts have frequently comprised two or three different issues plus a rant, and that has resulted in responses to several questions being wrapped around each other, which has further resulted in your failing to focus on many of those responses. I can point out at least three instances in this thread in which I've had to repeat the same URL, advice, suggestion two, three, maybe even four times before they've registered in your consciousness.

I urge you to keep going in this endeavor, but I also urge you to break up your posts into individual topics and, further, to post them in the forums in which they belong; you'll get more people reading your posts, have a better chance of getting meaningful responses to questions, and save some of your own sanity.

To you final question, though... The erase technique you got from Apple sounds correct (based on what I've read about Lion), but the tech neglected to tell you about multiple overwrite options: You can do a one, seven, or thirty five pass erase, depending on the sensitivity of your info, your degree of paranoia, and the amount of time you're willing to invest in the process.

Edit: A seven pass erase is military grade.

> If that CUPS thing is on my machine, it's sure doing a good job of hiding. It only shows up if I go to that URL while online.

That's very interesting, but it's not responsive to my question, namely, does "that CUPS thing" > Completed Jobs contain the fax records for which you've been looking?

(If you'd like to know more about "that CUPS thing," I suggest that you post a question in the Networking Forum.)

Aside: I know nothing about this app, so I'm not recommending it, but SimpleKeys for Mac - Assign functions to your keyboard F-keys addresses one of your previously posted needs. (There are similar apps, some free, some more or less costly.)

Thanks once again for your (last 2) responses.

No, the completed jobs record was empty (because as soon as the fax was sent everything disappeared), so there was nothing for CUPS to record. Whatever.

I spent another hour or so on the telephone with an Apple supervisor, again to no avail, except to be patronizingly told that OS X (Lion) is "light-years beyond OS 9". Duh.

I'm just too long in the tooth and have zero interest in waiting for tutorials qua downloads on dial-up to assist me in my search for truth and knowledge and the functioning of OS X. Not to put too fine a point on it — my operative level is: lazy.

I just don't relish the anxiety and frustration of dealing with a computer system that won't do my bidding without advanced training and even more so because the functionality of my OS 9.0.4 is perfectly adequate for everything I do and is actually more useful given the installed programs (which have nothing comparable in OS X) for my purposes. I'm just way too comfortable with OS 9 and Mozilla; I'd rather spend my time watching DVDs of recent movies than put up with the crap of OS X.

Unless something dramatic happens overnight, this sucker is headed back to Apple for a full refund (or possibly I'll sell it to a colleague for what I paid).

So, thanks, artie (et al), for your input and allowing me to vent my anger and frustration. All in all, it's been a gas for the past decade plus for the forums in all their incarnations. It's time to move on. I imagine that I'll continue pop up from time to time in the Lounge.

grelber out.

I think you're making a mistake by not allowing yourself enough time to ease into a completely new OS. It may require thinking outside of the box, something you demonstrated more than once in these forums and their predecessors. But the bottom line is that the decision is yours. I can only wish you all the best. Don't be a stranger!

> No, the completed jobs record was empty (because as soon as the fax was sent everything disappeared), so there was nothing for CUPS to record. Whatever.

That's odd; its not a feature that I made much use of, but I do remember CUPS storing info back when I was faxing resumes, and, after all, a completed job is a completed job.

At any rate, although I really do understand your frustration and its resultant thinking, I also agree with alternaut, and I think it may pay you to reconsider your quite possibly unrealistic "continue blissfully on with my iMac DV SE and Mozilla until they crash and burn, and then leave the computer world completely."

Oh, well... See you 'round the Lounge if nowhere else.

Edit: Just noticed that your cat is back to its perambulating.

This thread was temporarily closed for a clean up. It is now reopened.

A branch of posts addressing the Magic Mouse has been detached from this thread and is now located in the Peripherals forum. See: Questions about Magic Mouse.