OS X 10.7 Settings

Introduction

Here are some of my OS X 10.7 Lion settings and preferences. See also: Operating Systems, BIOS Settings, Device Settings, System Info, Installation Order.

OS X 10.7 Lion Settings

Activity Monitor

Window

CPU Usage (show all processor cores: now)

CPU History (show all processor cores: history)

Floating CPU Window

Vertical (matrix style: now)

Finder

Note: See also System Preferences, Spotlight.

Finder

Preferences

General

[ ] Hard disks

[x] External disks

[x] CDs, DVDs, and iPods

[ ] Connected servers

[x] Always open folders in a new window

[x] Spring-loaded folders and windows

Sidebar

FAVORITES

[ ] All My Files

[ ] AirDrop (I don't use sharing)

[x] Applications

[x] Desktop

[x] Documents

[ ] Downloads

[ ] Movies

[ ] Music

[ ] Pictures

[x] tomihasa

SHARED (I don't use sharing)

[ ] Back to My Mac

[ ] Connected servers

[ ] Bonjour computers

DEVICES

[ ] Tomi's Mac Pro (or MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, etc.)

[ ] Hard disks

[ ] External disks (show USB sticks when connected)

[ ] CDs, DVDs, and iPods

Advanced

[x] Show all filename extensions

[x] Show warning before changing an extension

[x] Show warning before emptying the Trash

View

as List (show for example date and file type info)

Show Path Bar (show directory structure)

Show Status Bar (show number of files)

Show Sidebar (move quickly to often used directories)

Launchpad

See Launchpad Settings

Widgets

Calculator

Weather

World Clock

System Information

See System Info page (Mac Pro, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini)

System Preferences

General

Appearance: [Blue]

Highlight color: [Blue]

Show scroll bars: (*) Automatically based on input device

Click in the scroll bar to: (*) Jump to the next page

[x] Use smooth scrolling

[ ] Double-click a window's title bar to minimize

Sidebar icon size: [Medium]

Number of recent items:

[10] Applications

[10] Documents

[10] Servers

[x] Restore windows when quitting and re-opening apps

[x] Use LCD font smoothing when available

Turn off text smoothing for font sizes [4] and smaller

Desktop & Screen Saver

Desktop

Apple: Nature: Aurora (default desktop background for Snow Leopard)

Screen Saver

Screen Savers: Computer Name (I prefer using blank screen: Energy Saver: Display Sleep: 1 hour)

[ ] Use random screen saver

[ ] Show with clock

Start screen saver: 2hr

Hot Corners...

Top Left Corner: [Start Screen Saver]

Dock

Size: 10/10

[ ] Magnification: approximately 8/10

Position on screen: (*) Left

Minimize windows using: [Scale effect]

[x] Animate opening applications

[x] Automatically hide and show the Dock

[x] Show indicator lights for open applications

Mission Control

[ ] Show Dashboard as a space

[x] Automatically rearrange spaces based on most recent use

[x] When switching to an application, switch to a space with open windows for the application

Language & Text

Language

Comments: to change the operating system interface language, drag preferred language to the top (for example English or Suomi).

English

Suomi

Svenska

Deutsch

Text

Comment: Symbol and Text Substitution: everything turned off.

[ ] Use symbol and text substitution

[ ] Correct spelling automatically

Spelling: [Automatic by Language]

Word Break: [Standard]

Smart Quotes: ["abc"]

['abc']

Formats

Comment: if using Finnish language, select "Suomi" and not "Suomi (englanti)".

Calendar: [Gregorian]

First day of week: [Monday]

Security & Privacy

General

[x] Require password [5 seconds] after sleep or screen saver begings

[x] Disable automatic login

[ ] Require an administrator password to access system preferences with lock icons

[ ] Log out after [60] minutes of inactivity

[ ] Show a message when the screen is locked: [ ]

[x] Automatically update safe downloads list

[x] Disable remote control infrared receiver (MacBook Pro)

FileVault

Turned on

Firewall

Firewall: On

[Advanced...]

(Applications)

x means "Allow incoming connections", otherwise it's "Block incoming connections".

[x] Adium.app

[ ] Compressor.app

[ ] Final Cut Pro.app

[ ] Finder.app

[x] GoogleTalkPlugin.app

[ ] iStatLocalDaemon

[ ] iTunes (I don't share my music or videos on LAN)

[ ] Java Preferences.app

[ ] Pinball HD.app (strange)

[ ] Safari (I shouldn't need to enable Safari, because other browsers are not listed here either)

[x] Automatically allow signed software to receive incoming connections

[x] Enable stealth mode ("Don't respond to or acknowledge attempts to access this computer from the network by test applications using ICMP, such as Ping.")

Spotlight

Search Results

01 [x] Documents

02 [x] Folders

03 [x] PDF Documents

04 [x] Spreadsheets

05 [x] Presentations

06 [x] Applications (disabled for MacBook Pro to prolong battery life)

07 [x] Music (disabled for MacBook Pro to prolong battery life)

08 [x] Movies

09 [x] Images

10 [ ] Messages & Chats

11 [ ] Contacts

12 [ ] Events & To Dos

13 [ ] Webpages (I never search for web pages outside web browser)

14 [ ] System Preferences (why would I search for preferences)

15 [ ] Fonts

Privacy

Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations

(Comment: this will speed up computer, when it doesn't need load to temporary file info to memory at startup and update index all the time.)

Macintosh HD/Library/Caches

System/Library/Frameworks

Disc 2/Torrent Complete

Disc 2/Torrent Incomplete

Disc 2/Torrent Index

tomihasa/Pictures/iPod Photo Cache

tomihasa/Library/Caches

Comment: make Library directory visible, so you can select it: chflags nohidden ~/Library/

CDs & DVDs

When you insert a blank CD: [Ask what to do]

When you insert a blank DVD: [Ask what to do]

When you insert a music CD: [Ignore]

When you insert a picture CD: [Ignore]

When you insert a video DVD: [Open DVD Player]

Displays

HP ZR24w

Resolutions: 1920 x 1200

MacBook Pro 15.4" Antiglare

Resolutions: 1680 x 1050

Brightness: approx. 4/10

[ ] Automatically adjust brightness

Energy Saver

Battery (MacBook Pro)

Computer sleep: 1 h 30 minutes

Display sleep: 1 hour

[x] Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible

[ ] Slightly dim the display when using this power source

[x] Automatically reduce brightness before display goes to sleep

[ ] Restart automatically if the computer freezes

[x] Show battery status in the menu bar

Power Adapter

Computer sleep: Never

Display sleep: 1 hour

[ ] Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible (disable for Mac Pro, Enable for MacBook Pro)

[ ] Wake for Ethernet access

[x] Allow power button to put the computer to sleep (Mac Pro)

[ ] Start up automatically after a power failure (Mac Pro)

[ ] Restart automatically if the computer freezes

Keyboard

Key Repeat Rate: 5/7

Delay Until Repeat: 4/6

[ ] Use all F1, F2, etc. key as standard function keys

[ ] Automatically illuminate keyboard in low light (MacBook Pro)

Keyboard Shortcuts

Screen Shots

[x] Save picture of screen as a file

[x] Copy picture of screen to the clipboard

[x] Save picture of selected area as a file

[x] Copy picture of selected area to the clipboard

Mouse (Logitech Notebook Optical Mouse Plus+)

[ ] Move content in the direction of finger movement when scrolling or navigating

Tracking Speed: approx. 8/10

Scrolling Speed: 8/8 (Mac Pro: 8/8, MacBook Pro: 6/8)

Double-Click Speed: 9/11

Primary mouse button: (*) Left

Trackpad

Point & Click

[x] Tap to click (doesn't work very well with MacBook Pro)

[x] Secondary click

[ ] Look up (look up a dictionary word)

[ ] Three finger drag

Tracking speed: 4/10

Scroll & Zoom

[ ] Scroll direction: natural

[x] Zoom in or out

[x] Smart zoom

[ ] Rotate

More Gestures

[ ] Swipe between pages (annoying when editing on Google Sites or TextWrangler)

[x] Swipe between full-screen apps (maybe I will use this some day)

[ ] Mission Control

[ ] App Exposé

[ ] Launchpad

[ ] Show Desktop

Print & Scan

[ ] Share this printer on the network

Default printer: [EPSON AL-CX11] (situation in September 2011)

Default paper size: [A4]

Sound

Sound Effects

Play sound effects through: [Digital Out] (MacBook Pro: Internal Speakers)

Alert volume: 0/4

[ ] Play user interface sound effects

[ ] Play feedback when volume is changed

[x] Show volume in menu bar

Output

Digital Out (Mac Pro)

Internal Speakers (MacBook Pro)

Input

Line In (Mac Pro)

Internal microphone (MacBook Pro)

[x] Use ambient noise reduction (MacBook Pro)

Mail, Contacts & Calendars

Using Gmail account.

[x] Mail & Notes

[ ] Calendars

[x] Chat

MobileMe

(not in use, no account)

Network

Mac Pro: Connection List

Location: Automatic

Nokia Datacard

Nokia Datacard 2

Ethernet 1

Ethernet 2

FireWire

Location: Local Area Network

Ethernet 1

Ethernet 2

FireWire

Bluetooth PAN

Location: Mobile Broadband

HUAWEIMobile-Modem

HUAWEIMobile-Diag

HUAWEIMobile-Pcui

Bult-in Ethernet

MacBook Pro: Connection List

Location: Automatic

Wi-Fi

Ethernet

HUAWEIMobile-Modem

HUAWEI Mobile

FireWire

Bluetooth PAN

Huawei Settings 1: OK (see also: cogwheel icon: Set Service Order)

HUAWEI Mobile-Modem (seems to be working without "Mobiililaajakaista ohjelmisto")

Configuration: [Default]

Telephone Number: [*99#] (connection: Saunalahti Nopsa)

[x] Show modem status in menu bar (from menu bar I may need to select "Connect HUAWEIMobile-Modem")

Advanced

Modem

Vendor: [Other] (MacBook Pro: Generic)

Model: [EasyConnect Modem Script] (MacBook Pro: Dialup Device)

[x] Enable error correction and compression in modem

Dial Mode: [Wait for dial tone before dialing]

Dialing: (*) Tone

Sound: (*) On

PPP

[x] Connect automatically when needed (connection sometimes stops)

[ ] Prompt every [30] minutes to maintain connection

[ ] Disconnect if idle for [10] minutes

[x] Disconnect when user logs out

[ ] Disconnect when switching user accounts

[ ] Prompt for password after dialing

[x] Redial [1] times if busy, waiting [5] seconds before redialing

[x] Send PPP echo packets

[x] Use verbose logging

Terminal Script: [None]

[x] Use TCP header compression

[ ] Connect using a terminal window (command line)

Huawei Settings 2: Disconnects A Lot Or Doesn't Connect At All (For some reason I used these settings with my MacBook Pro.)

HUAWEI Mobile-Modem

Configuration: [Default]

Telephone Number: [*99#] (connection: Saunalahti Nopsa)

Advanced

Modem

Vendor: [Generic] (I can't find "Other" as with Mac Pro)

Model: [Dialup Device] (try GPRS (GSM/3G))

APN: internet.saunalahti (with setting GPRS (GSM/3G))

CID: 1 (with setting GPRS (GSM/3G))

[x] Enable error correction and compression in modem

Dial Mode: [Wait for dial tone before dialing]

Dialing: (*) Tone

Sound: (*) On

PPP

[ ] Connect automatically when needed

[ ] Prompt every [30] minutes to maintain connection

[x] Disconnect if idle for [10] minutes

[x] Disconnect when user logs out

[x] Disconnect when switching user accounts

[ ] Prompt for password after dialing

[x] Redial [1] times if busy, waiting [5] seconds before redialing

[x] Send PPP echo packets

[ ] Use verbose logging

Terminal Script: [None]

[x] Use TCP header compression

[ ] Connect using a terminal window (command line)

Bluetooth (these settings apply when I use Bluetooth)

Tip: See also Sharing settings: Bluetooth Sharing.

Tip: Use "+" only on one Mac computer to start discovering a Bluetooth device.

Tip: Use cogwheel icon: "Show More Info".

[x] On

[x] Discoverable (disabled after I have setup my Bluetooth devices)

[x] Show Bluetooth status in the menu bar (there you can see "Send File" and "Browse Device")

Advanced...

[ ] Open Bluetooth Setup Assistant at startup when no input device is present (enabled for Mac Mini)

[ ] Open Bluetooth Setup Assistant at startup if no mouse or trackpad is detected (enabled for Mac Mini)

[ ] Allow Bluetooth devices to wake this computer (enabled for Mac Mini)

[ ] Reject incoming audio requests

Sharing

[ ] DVD or CD Sharing