Mac OS X Tiger/System Preferences

Using System Preferences
When you open System Preferences, you see the System Preferences main screen. This screen is full of icons, each representing a "pane", or group of controls. System Preferences grouped into Personal, Hardware, Internet & Network, and System rows. As with all other aspects of Tiger, Spotlight is built into the top right corner of the System Preferences menu.

The Preference Panes
The following is a list of all of the default System Preferences panes. Each pane has a specific purpose. Usually, the name of the window gives it away, while others, such as Security, may have many different purposes.


 * 1) Personal
 * 2) Appearance
 * Change the appearance of your Mac's controls.
 * 1) Dashboard & Exposé
 * Choose how you activate Dashboard and Exposé.
 * 1) Desktop & Screensaver
 * Change your Desktop Picture and Screensaver.
 * 1) Dock
 * Set fine-grained options over the Dock.
 * 1) International
 * Set up your computer so you can read and write in another language.
 * 1) Security
 * Lock down your computer with FileVault encryption and other security measures.
 * 1) Spotlight
 * Organize your Spotlight results and block certain folders for privacy.
 * 1) Hardware
 * 2) Bluetooth
 * Configure your Mac's built-in Bluetooth module.
 * 1) CDs & DVDs
 * Tell your Mac what to do when a disc is inserted.
 * 1) Displays
 * Configure the display(s) attached to your Mac.
 * 1) Energy Saver
 * Set timers and options to lower your computer's power consumption.
 * 1) Keyboard & Mouse
 * Customize your computer's keyboard and mouse.
 * 1) Print & Fax
 * Set up printers and send faxes.
 * 1) Sound
 * Choose a set of speakers and a microphone, set options, and choose an alert sound.
 * 1) Internet & Network
 * 2) .Mac
 * Set up and use .Mac services including iDisk and Sync.
 * 1) Network
 * Manage your Mac's various network connections.
 * 1) QuickTime
 * Optimize QuickTime for best performance while playing movies over the Internet.
 * 1) Sharing
 * Set up your Mac to share services with other computers on a network.
 * 1) System
 * 2) Accounts
 * The master control panel for Mac OS X's account system. The link above will take you to Chapter 8.
 * 1) Classic
 * Classic lets you run Mac OS 9 inside a bubble, but it's being phased out this year and is not covered in this Wikibook.
 * 1) Date & Time
 * Adjust you Mac's clock and calendar.
 * 1) Software Update
 * Set your Mac to automatically check for updates online.
 * 1) Speech
 * Have your computer speak to you, or speak to your computer.
 * 1) Startup Disk
 * Choose a disk for your computer to boot from.
 * 1) Universal Access
 * Set options to accommodate you if you have trouble seeing, hearing, or using a keyboard and mouse.
 * 1) Other
 * This section contains panes from add-on software products like Apple Remote Desktop and Flip4Mac.