This allows you to dual-boot – that is, choose to start either Mac OS X or Windows when you start up your Mac.
Boot Camp A utililty that comes with Mac OS X, allowing you to install Windows on your Mac in a separate hard disk partition. Most Macs and many Apple accessories are Bluetooth-enabled. Common uses include mobile phone headsets wireless keyboards and mice and tethering mobile phones to laptops to allow internet access via the phone. Bluetooth A wireless technology designed for transmitting data over short distances (between 1 and 100 metres). Automator is very easy to learn, since it uses a graphical interface to construct workflows. A set of commands is known as a workflow. Automator Like AppleScript, Automator lets you automate repetitive tasks by issuing commands to applications running on your Mac. ATI dominates the graphics chip market along with Nvidia. ATI A supplier of graphics chips used in many Macs. You can optionally preserve your existing user accounts and data with this method. The existing system files are moved to a Previous System folder, and new system folders are created.
Archive and Install A method of upgrading or re-installing the Mac OS X operating system. AppleScript programs can issue commands to most Mac apps, making it easy to automate tasks such as opening, editing and saving documents. AppleScript An easy-to-learn scripting language that you can use to automate tasks on your Mac. The AppleCare Protection Plan (APP) gives 3 years of warranty and technical support for products such as Macs and iPods. AppleCare Protection Plan An upgrade to the standard AppleCare warranty and support service. The standard AppleCare plan features 90 days of free phone support and 12 months of warranty, but this can be upgraded by purchasing an AppleCare Protection Plan. AppleCare Apple’s customer support and hardware servicing arm. Contains various system management functions. Apple menu The first menu item on the menu bar at the top of the screen. Apple Hardware Test A program that runs tests on your Mac hardware to look for problems. App A common abbreviation for “application” – a software program. Its main competitor is Adobe’s Photoshop Lightroom. Aperture Apple’s professional photo management and retouching app. When you double-click an alias, you open the original item. Alias A small file that links to another item on the Mac hard disk, such as a document, folder, or application. AirPort (and AirPort Extreme etc) Apple’s name for the common Wi-Fi protocols, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n, used to network Macs (and/or PCs) together wirelessly. Activity Monitor A Mac OS X utility (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor) that lets you view information about the apps and processes currently running on your Mac. dmg file See Disk ist file See Preferences file. I hope you find it useful! If you’d like to see a term added to the list – or you think one of my definitions needs correcting – please let me know in the comments below.
I came across most of these terms myself when I first bought a Mac, so I thought it’d be useful to gather them together into this glossary. Are you new to the Mac, or thinking of diving into the world of Macs? The following is a list of technical Mac terms that you may find handy.