OS X’s Dock
Mac Tip#60/19-June-2002
This Tip is for those who use OS X: earlier versions of the Mac OS don’t have a Dock. If you don’t have OS X though, I suggest you still read this — one day you might need it.
If you start up a brand new OS X computer you’ll find a large band of icons across the bottom of the screen. As you move your cursor over the various icons two things happen: the icon grows larger and a Tooltip shows what the icon refers to. If you click on the icon for an application then that application launches (starts up).
While the application starts up the icon bounces and once it’s running the icon shows a black triangle beneath it.
Maybe you find the Dock a bit too big, or a bit too bouncy, or perhaps you’d prefer it to be on the side of your screen instead of at the bottom. Just go to the Apple Menu and call up System Preferences. Click on the pane for Dock (you might have to click on the Show All icon first).
Now you’ll find various settings you can change. You can alter the magnification, the size, where the Dock is located on screen, and a couple of others. When you’re finished just Quit the System Preferences.
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Is there a way to lock the Dock, so I don’t accidentally remove something from the Dock? The screen is very large, and sometimes when I can’t find the cursor, I move the mouse in circles to help spot it. Sometimes the mouse accidentally clicks, and removes something from the Dock. Like right now, I am trying to figure out what was removed from the Dock. I saw the puff of smoke out of the corner of my eye, and there are only two folders left on the right side of the screen, but I don’t know what is missing.
That’s an interesting question, Skip. I wasn’t aware of any way to ‘lock’ the Dock, so I did a bit of searching.
There are several interesting suggestions at: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=290310
including a couple that suggest 3rd party apps such as Onyx and Deeper.
You may instead like to use an app that highlights the cursor, such as Mouseposé.
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