Mac setup

Got a new mac? Here's how to set it up so that it isn't annoying.

Safari

Preferences

General

• New windows open with:Empty Page, unless you always want to start on a certain page.
• New tabs open with:Empty Page, ditto
• Uncheck "Open 'safe' files after downloading", because there's no such thing.

Tabs

• Decide whether you want command-click to open a link in a new window or a new tab. I prefer multiple windows to multiple tabs, especially since we have Exposé.

RSS

• Uncheck "Automatically update articles" if you don't want Safari to chug every time you open it, and every 30 minutes, unless you have limited RSS bookmarks. Updating NYT etc. takes a lot of disk access and time. I leave it on, but remove RSS feeds I don't want.

AutoFill

• Decide whether you want to AutoFill usernames and passwords. For most sites I prefer it doesn't remember either.

Advanced

• Never use font sizes smaller than xx is great. I've never used it before today, but now I will.
• Press Tab to highlight each item on a webpage. I use this so that I can easily navigate forms and links with the keyboard.