In this post I want to take a moment to show you some of the differences you might encounter as you login.
The first thing you will notice is that your login screen will look a little different. You will login with the same username and password as before.
One of the first changes you will probably notice is that when you are using the scrolling ball on your mouse (if you have one), the screen will move backward from the direction you expect. Lion has changed the movement of your mouse so that it is the opposite of what you expect. If you want to go down, scroll up; if you want to go up, scroll down. Sounds simple at first but it takes some time to get used to. Many get used to it quickly. If you cannot, you can change it in the System Preferences.
Another important update for your Mac was adding the new Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac. With this update you will notice that Word, Powerpoint, and Excel programs have been updated. I think you will like the new changes to these programs. The biggest change is that Entourage has been replaced by Outlook for your email program. In the transfer process no emails will be lost so if your email is not correct when you login, please be sure to send an email to [email protected] from the web version of email at https://mail.evsc.k12.in.us.
Launchpad is a new icon you will see down in your dock. Launchpad is a quick and easy way to open a window with all of your software programs or apps. So if you want to find ActivInspire, Word, Outlook, etc. you can click on Launchpad and you will see a window with all of your programs. Just click the program you want and it will launch.
Right next to Launchpad you will see an icon that looks like this. This is the Mission Control icon. This is a helpful and valuable tool for the classroom teacher. This feature allows you to create several desktops and move back and forth between them. So let's say I want to use ActivInspire but switch to my email without having to minimize or relocate my email or flipchart. I can make multiple desktops and switch back and forth between them. I can have my flipchart on Desktop 1, for example, and have my Email on Desktop 2, and maybe my Word document or Firefox on Desktop 3. You can create as many desktops as you need by clicking the + sign in the right corner using Mission Control. You can also set a different desktop picture to each desktop. Just click the Mission Control button and you will see a view like the one below. Select the desktop you want and it will switch. No minimizing the screen, no searching for the open file or flipchart. This is also a great feature to use if you've ever lost a window and it's behind something else. All open windows will display in Mission Control.
In the top right corner of most programs you can click the double arrows and your program will go to a full screen view. This would be a great feature for using programs with students on your Promethean Board when you don't want them to have access to all of the menu items at the top. It also provides a clear, full view of your program for viewing on the board too. If you move your mouse to the top, the menu will appear and you can exit the full screen view with the same button in the top right corner or hit the Esc key on your keyboard.
If you have ever been looking for anything on your computer and can't find it you can press Command + Spacebar and it will open a search window in the top right corner. You can also click the Spotlight magnifying glass in the top right corner to open it as well. You can search for anything from a document, email, to a program like Safari or ActivInspire.
Any folder you drag and drop to the right of the dashed line on the dock will become 'spring loaded' folders. A spring loaded folder is one that allows you click and open the contents of that folder from the dock. It's a quick way to see what's in a folder and select an item. Downloads will be a spring loaded folder on your dock as well as applications (or programs). I added documents to mine and I added the Microsoft folder (as seen below). To add a folder just drag it down to the right side of the dashed lines. To take a folder off, just drag it out to the desktop and it will disappear.
There are up to 250 new features in this upgrade and it would be difficult to cover them all in this post. Here are a few more links talking about some of the other great features like Facetime, iChat, and iCloud. Click the links below to read and watch more.
New Features Link
New Features Video