How to Make a Mac Alias (Shortcut)
You can create an alias of a file to serve as a shortcut for finding it, no matter where it’s buried on your Mac. When you create an alias, you’re not making a full duplicate of a file. (If you want to create a full duplicate, press Command+D or choose the commands File and then Duplicate.) Instead, you are effectively copying the file’s icon, not the file itself, meaning that you are barely using any disk space. Clicking an alias icon summons the original file no matter where it's located on the computer — even if you’ve renamed the file.
You may want to create an alias for a file that you could easily justify putting in any number of folders. Because the Mac lets you create multiple aliases, you can effectively place the file in each of those folders (even though it really resides in only one place).
To create an alias, highlight the original icon and press Command+L or choose File and then Make Alias. You can also drag an icon out of its file window or to another location inside the window while you hold down the Option and Command keys.
The alias looks like a clone of the original icon, except the alias suffix is added to its name and a tiny arrow appears in the lower-left corner of the icon. Clicking either brings up the same file.
If you want to find the location of the original file, highlight the alias icon and choose File and then Show Original.
To get rid of an alias, drag it to the trash. Doing so does not delete the original file.
If you had separately deleted the original file, the alias can't bring it back. But you can link the alias to a new file on the machine.
Macs and OS X Glossary
802.11x wireless
A protocol for connections to your Ethernet network and your Apple TV unit.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Address Book
The place for addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses on the Mac. You can also add a picture and note about the person.
Macs and OS X Glossary
alias
A pointer to another application of folder.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Bluetooth
A short-range wireless technology that lets your Mac communicate with other compatible gadgets, from up to 30 feet away.
Macs and OS X Glossary
ColorSync
A printer setting that lets you add black and white, blue tone, sepia, or other filters.
Macs and OS X Glossary
cookie
A small file that a web site automatically saves on your hard drive. It contains information that the site will use on your future visits. For example, a site might save a cookie to preserve your site preferences for the next time or ¯ in the case of a site such as Amazon.com ¯ to identify you automatically and help customize the offerings that you see.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Dashboard
A translucent screen that lays on top of your desktop and houses clever little applications called widgets.
Macs and OS X Glossary
desktop
The whole of your Mac’s computer screen. Also called the Finder.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Discoverable mode
Helps other Bluetooth devices find your Mac.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Dock
The colorful bar on the bottom of the Mac screen. It’s a rough cross between the Windows taskbar and the Start menu.
Macs and OS X Glossary
double-clicking
Left-clicking twice in rapid succession while keeping the cursor in the same location.
Macs and OS X Glossary
dragging
Positioning the cursor on top of a symbol or icon and then holding down the mouse button and rolling the mouse across your desk, which moves the symbol or icon to a new location.
Macs and OS X Glossary
driver
A software program provided by the printer manufacturer that tells Mac OS X how to communicate with your printer.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol; DHCP
A protocol that enables a computer to automatically get connection information for communicating with a network or your ISP.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Exposé
A Mac feature that, with a click of a button, organizes your Mac desktop.
Macs and OS X Glossary
FileVault
A Mac feature that automatically scrambles, or encrypts, the data in your Home folder.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Finder
The application that Mac OS X runs to display the operating system’s menus and windows.
Macs and OS X Glossary
FireWire
A speedy connector often used with digital cameras.
Macs and OS X Glossary
FTP
Part of the TCP/IP protocol suite; (the hoary acronym FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. FTP is one of the oldest methods for sharing files between computers
Macs and OS X Glossary
function keys
Housed on the top row of the Mac keyboard, the keys with the letter F followed by a number.
Macs and OS X Glossary
iCal
The Mac’s built-in calendar.
Macs and OS X Glossary
iDVD
The application that lets you burn movies onto a disk.
Macs and OS X Glossary
iMac
A Mac desktop computer.
Macs and OS X Glossary
iPhoto
The application where you store and touch up digital images.
Macs and OS X Glossary
iSync
The application that keeps your calendar, Address Book, and Internet bookmarks synchronized across multiple devices.
Macs and OS X Glossary
iTunes
Apple’s renowned musical jukebox.
Macs and OS X Glossary
iWeb
The tool that lets you create personal Web sites, blogs, and podcasts.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol; LDAP
With LDAP, you can search a central company directory from anywhere in the world as long as you have an Internet connection.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol
An encryption protocol developed by Cisco Systems for superior security in the business world.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Mac Mini
Apple’s budget desktop computer. Weighing less than 3 pounds, it’s portable, but not in the same sense as a notebook.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Mac OSx
The operating system that Apple included with all new Mac computer systems since 2002.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Mac Pro
A Mac desktop intended for professionals facing demanding graphics and other computing tasks. Its arrival completed the transition of the Mac line to Intel processors.
Macs and OS X Glossary
MacBook Air
Apple’s super-thin Mac. Encased in aluminum with a 13.3-inch display, Air measures just 0.16 inches at its skinniest point and just 0.75 inches at its thickest. But it still boasts a full-size keyboard and very good battery life.
Macs and OS X Glossary
MacBook, MacBook Pro
Apple’s successor to the PowerBook.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Mail
Apple’s built-in calendar.
Macs and OS X Glossary
MobileMe
The application that keeps your e-mail, contacts, and calendar synchronized, no matter what device you’re using.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Network interface card
A hardware device that your computer uses to talk to the rest of the network.
Macs and OS X Glossary
operating software
The software that makes a Mac work.
Macs and OS X Glossary
parental controls
Safety features that let you place limitations on your child’s computer use.
Macs and OS X Glossary
partition
A formatted section of a disk that contains data.
Macs and OS X Glossary
PDF
A special document display format developed by Adobe; they display like a printed document but take up minimal space.
Macs and OS X Glossary
phishing
A form of Internet fraud where identity thieves, posing as a respectable financial or Internet company, tries to dupe you into clicking phony links to verify personal or account information.
Macs and OS X Glossary
RAID set
A group of multiple separate disks, working together as a team.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Safari
The Mac’s Web browser.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Smart Groups
A way to group contacts in your Address Book.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Smart Mailboxes
Searches for e-mail that matches specific search criteria.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Spotlight
The Mac’s search technology.
Macs and OS X Glossary
start-up disk
The boot drive that contains the Mac OS X system you’re using at the moment
Macs and OS X Glossary
thread
Contains an original message and all related replies, which makes it easy to follow the flow of an e-mail discussion without bouncing around within your Inbox, searching for the next message in the conversation.
Macs and OS X Glossary
trackpad
The smooth surface below your Mac keyboard that’s your laptop’s answer to using a mouse.
Macs and OS X Glossary
USB port
The place on your Mac where you plug in devices you want to connect, such as printers, scanners, digital cameras, and more.
Macs and OS X Glossary
Voiceover
A screen reader designed to make using a Mac easier by speaking the contents of the screen.
Macs and OS X Glossary
wireless network
A network that isn’t connected by wires but uses radio waves, instead.
