Mac Essentials for PC Users: Hands-On

What is this course about?

Increasingly, business professionals are working in both Macintosh and Microsoft Windows environments and need to have the skills to efficiently use the comprehensive features of Mac OS X.

Throughout this course, you gain the knowledge and skills to maximize, configure and troubleshoot Mac OS X. You learn to fine-tune Mac OS X with System Preferences, secure and recover content and monitor the operating system with built-in tools.

What will I learn in this course?

This course, provides the necessary foundation for users moving to a Macintosh environment. You learn to:

• Navigate and configure the Mac OS X user interface
• Manage built-in applications and perform basic commands on Mac OS X
• Run MS Windows applications on Mac OS X platforms in a virtual environment
• Migrate and manage e-mail, contacts and calendars
• Secure, back up and restore files and folders with Time Machine
• Troubleshoot common system problems and monitor performance

Why do I need this course?

With the introduction of more software options for Mac users, it's increasingly common for Macs to be integrated into a Microsoft enterprise network.

However, since Mac OS X is a lesser-known technology, there are few resources available for making this integration.

Organizations need system tools to manage both platforms and administrators with knowledge of maintaining both systems and ensuring hardware compatibility.

Who will benefit from this course?

This course benefits any Windows or UNIX/Linux user planning to move to the Mac OS environment. This course is targeted towards the end user.

What background do I need?

No specific background is needed. A basic familiarity with computers is assumed.

What versions of OS X are covered?

This course is based on Mac OS 10.7 Lion, however, all content in the course also applies to Lion. Most of the topics covered also apply to previous versions of Mac OS X.

I use Windows 7. Will this course be valuable for me?

Yes. While the fundamental principles of navigating a graphical operating system are the same, Mac OS X has numerous specific components and behaviors that any user will need to know about.

What computers are used in this course?

The hands-on exercises are designed around MacBook Pro laptops connected to a network. All the exercises also apply to any other Mac hardware running Mac OS X.

I am an IT professional supporting a Windows environment. Will I benefit from this course?

Yes. Configuring and troubleshooting the Mac OS is different from Windows. In this course you learn the essential skills to be able to understand and use the Mac OS.

Will I learn about Mac OS X Server?

No, Mac OS X Server is not covered in this course. For in-depth coverage of Mac OS X Server, you should consider taking Course 947: Integrating Mac OS^® X into a Windows^® Environment: Hands-On.

Will I learn how to run Windows applications on a Mac OS?

Yes. Not only will you learn about the built-in applications on a Mac such as Mail, iCal and Safari, this course also covers applications such as iWork and Office for Mac.

How much time is spent on each topic?

How much of this course is hands-on?

Approximately 45% of class time is spent engaging in hands-on exercises. These include:

• Exploring the filesystem with the Finder
• Running MS Windows in a virtual machine
• Fine-tuning Mac OS X with System Preferences
• Installing and running productivity applications
• Configuring network settings and sharing folders
• Leveraging Mail, Address Book, iCal and Safari
• Controlling a computer remotely with built-in tools
• Troubleshooting the system with fundamental utilities

How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses?

Learning Tree offers a number of courses that will help you expand upon the knowledge gained in this course and further your skills in several key areas. Those courses include:

• 947: Integrating Mac OS® X into a Windows® Environment: Hands-On 
• 2761: iPhone® and iPad® Programming: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction 
• 984: Adobe® Flash®: Developing Interactive Web Content 
• 972: Microsoft Office®: Streamlining Tasks for Improved Productivity 
• 960: Windows Server® 2008: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction 
• 451: Network Configuration and Troubleshooting: Hands-On 
• 450: A Comprehensive Introduction to Networking 

US Dates