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Mac Corner has been created to address frequently asked questions from the CA community.  If you have Macintosh questions that aren't addressed here, please direct them to the Help Desk and they'll try to obtain an answer.

How can I open up my AppleWorks document at school?
How do I add a Mac to a PC network I already have set up at home?
How can I hear the sound files created by the Music Department?

How can I open up my AppleWorks document at school? [Back to top]
This is a pretty common one, and, thankfully, a real easy one. If you are using AppleWorks, Apple’s Microsoft Office alternative, it is completely compatible with PCs as a Word or Excel document. When you are ready to save a document you are working on, or wanting to resave a document you have already finished, just choose Save As . . . from the file menu and then change the file format from “AppleWorks” to “Word Windows 97, 2000, XP.” For good measure, you may want to add a .doc extension to the end of the file name for a Word document or an .xls extension for an Excel document. Viola! You can now do all your work at home, email yourself at school (or bring it in on a floppy or CD) and then open it up on the Dells in your classroom and work with it as if it was created on the PC itself.

How do I add a Mac to a PC network I already have set up at home? [Back to top]
While this is also a relatively simple task, there are many fearful about the interoperability. The good news is PCs and Macs use the same protocols to access a network, so you can mix up your network without any loss of performance or security. If you are looking to share a high-speed internet connection, you just need a router plugged into your high speed modem (DSL or cable) and then plug all your computers into the router. That is it. Really. If you want to take advantage of the network, I would recommend a router with a printer port or a wireless access point so you can share printers and access the Internet from anywhere in your house. Turn on file sharing on the PC and Mac and you can even directly connect the computers and share all your files (music, photos, word documents, etc...)

How can I hear the sound files created by the Music Department? [Back to top]
If you would like to enjoy the recordings of the fine performances of the band and orchestra, download the Microsoft Windows Media Player for Mac OS X from http://www.microsoft.com/mac. The player installs easily and works seamlessly on the Mac. Then point your Safari browser to Mr. Grush's and Mr. Qiao's sites, click on the music links, and sit back for a great listen.

12/08/2006