Chapter 17. Managing System Preferences

IN THIS CHAPTER

  • Using the System Preferences application

  • Configuring CDs & DVDs preferences

  • Configuring Date & Time preferences

  • Configuring Display preferences

  • Configuring Energy Saver preferences

  • Configuring Ink preferences

  • Configuring International preferences

  • Configuring Keyboard & Mouse preferences

  • Configuring Parental Controls preferences

  • Configuring Software Update preferences

  • Configuring Sound preferences

  • Configuring Speech preferences

  • Configuring Startup Disk preferences

Modern computers are highly configurable. Numerous settings let you adjust most aspects of a computer's operation. You can adjust the interface and appearance, the hardware's performance, and network communication settings, as well as overall system operation preferences. Within Mac OS X, system software configuration and settings are managed by a central program known as the System Preferences application. Configuration of individual system settings within the System Preferences application are done through Quartz GUI elements, known as panes. When a specific system preference is selected, the corresponding preference pane is loaded within the System Preferences application. Preference panes redraw themselves within the confines of the initial System Preferences window. The System Preferences window has a fixed width, but it resizes vertically to accommodate the contents of the preference pane being viewed.

The contents of the System Preferences application are divided up into five ...

Get Mac OS® X Leopard™ Bible now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.