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Update your version of Inspire

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by MARK WEST 08/18/10

Mac Tips

Special Keys

The Mac Command Key

You probably call this the "Apple Key", but it's officially called the Command Key and it is located near your spacebar. It is used on a Mac much like the control key is used on Microsoft Windows®; example: control-c on Windows copies and on a Mac we use command-c; control-v pastes on Windows and command-v pastes on Mac OS.

The Option Key

The Option Key is located near the Command Key and is sometimes called the ALT key. This key can frustrate a Windows user, as it doesn't work as a Windows ALT key does (you'll often use the Command Key on Mac where ALT is used in Windows), such as when tabbing through open applications: on Windows it's ALT-Tab, on a Mac it's Command-Tab.

The Control Key

The Control Key is located near the Command Key and has special funtions on a Mac (see "Right Clicking" below).

Exiting A Bad Program

On Windows, Alt+F4 will quickly terminate a program.

On Mac OS, Command+Q will quickly terminate a program.

The "3-Finger Salute"

On Windows, when a program stops behaving properly, you can press Control+Alt+Delete to invoke the Task Manager to make an application stop.

On Mac OS, you can accomplish the same thing by pressing Command+Option+Escape; this invokes the Force Quit menu and you can make applications stop.

"Right Clicking"

Sometimes you need to right click. On most computers it's easy, as they come with a two-button mouse. On Mac OS, you typically find a single-button mouse.

You can plug a two-button mouse in to a Mac and it will work. The reason is because two-button mice work on Unix and Mac OS is a Unix variant that uses parts from FreeBSD's and NetBSD's implementation of Unix.

You can also "right click" on a Mac with a single button mouse. To do so, you can do either of the following:

  1. Press and hold the Control Key while clicking.
  2. (This one only works if you have a Mac with a touchpad - usually a laptop) place two fingers on the touchpad while clicking.

Updating ActivInspire

  1. Run ActivInspire and click on the View menu and choose dashboard.
  2. On the Dashboard, click on Configure (on the left side) and then on Check For Updates (on the right).
  3. If there is no update, a box will come up saying something such as, "The update check was successful. You currently have the latest version." In this case, you can stop, because you're OK. Otherwise, keep reading.
  4. If the Internet is down, your ability to update Inspire is down too, so you can try later.
  5. There might be an update available. If so, you'd see a box like this (although the version will likely be different).

    Click OK to download the update. On a Mac, it's going to your downloads folder.

    Windows users will see an exe file or msi file, not a dmg file.
  6. Before running the update, quit ActiveInspire. To make a dmg file install, double-click it.
  7. Once the installer starts, you'll see a box open up like this. The icon you need is the ActivInspire.pkg (it looks like yellow Jell-o in a box or maybe a butter box) Click on it.
  8. Confirm that you want to install.
  9. The installer uses an orange background; click the Continue button (lower right).
  10. Legal Blah, Blah, Blah. Read it and click continue...
  11. You may have to type in your password.
  12. And then agree to the terms.
  13. It will ask where to install. Click on Macintosh HD and a green arrow will be placed over it; click continue.
  14. Click install.
  15. You can place a shortcut on your desktop, if desired.

    When you have selected all your choices, click continue and the installation begins.
  16. When it is done, you'll be notified that the install succeeded.
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