Mail is set as the default email program on our Mac, so when we happen to click on an email link in anything (say, our browser), the Mail app automatically opens up and creates an email message. We don’t want that, we’d like to be able to designate our chosen email apps (I use Thunderbird, she uses Entourage). How do you change this?
While there’s a lot about Mac OS X that I think is wonderfully crafted, changing the default email program (or Web browser, for that matter) is pretty baffling. In the old days, there was a separate Control Panel for changing all these settings, but now you need to know the trick…
For changing your default email program, it turns out you need to launch the Mail.app program just once to get to its Preferences panel.
When you start it up, the program will step you through the configuration steps, but you don’t have to finish these steps, just go step-by-step until the Preferences option on the Mail menu isn’t greyed out.
Once you can get to the Preferences, here’s what you’ll see:
The topmost element is what you want to change: pick the mailer you’d prefer as your default email handler (You can see that I use Microsoft Entourage, not Apple Mail). Click the little red button on the top left to close the window and quit Mail without finishing up the configuration steps.
That’s all there is to it.
If you wanted to change your default Web browser, by the way, Apple Safari has a similar option on its Preferences pane, in the “General” area. Why it’s not a part of the “Network” Control Panel, or even its own Control Panel, escapes me completely. Wouldn’t that be easier?
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- The ColorSync utility is also an excellent tool to reduce the size of your PDFs. Open PDF, select filter, apply, save new PDF. If you want you can define your own filter (e.g. max 300 dpi, average JPEG quality)
- Please forgive me for being a hater. I'd like to think I have a good reason (I don't).
I have worked with / for Apple for over a decade. I believe if you really considering switching to Apple devices now in the late 2016, not knowing what some native applications (doesn't) do is the least of your troubles...This is my take on the list above clearifying some of the reasons:AppStore - source of 'iOSque' software. Only rarely can you find something usefull here. Good developers woldn't touch it with a bargepole.
Automator - yes, you can stick with bash, that is why you have bought a unix based device in the first place, ain't it? (Alternatively you don't know what UNIX is and than you are a victim).
Calculator - useless, but common
Calendar - useless, famously unreliable, will not play well even with OS X Server.
Chess - I've been using Macs for over a decade, this is the first time I have noticed!
Contacts - the iOS have duplicated your contacts? This app has decent chance of fixing it without loosing too much data.
Dashboard - useless feature a lot of people are surprised still exists
Dictionary - useless
DVD player - useless
FaceTime - hw specific chat software, like a bread you can only cut with a golden knife, useless
Font Book - old as os x itself, usefull for dealing with font issues (if you are the sort of person who has font issues).
Game Center - bad joke
GarageBand - audio editor for pre-teens
iBooks - compared to Calibre useless
iMovie - video editor for pre-teens
iTunes - a prison for your iPhone
ImageCapture - because iPhone will not act as Mass Storage device
Keynote - so little features and so much hype, 10 templates chosen with taste
Launchpad - 'iOSque' program launcher, useless
Mail.app - yes, you need to restart this app 7 times a day to make it catch up with your iPhone
Maps.app - On desktop? I don't get it!
Messages.app - the face time faux-pas all over again, should be noted that it does not play well with OS X server
Mission Control - very uneffective task/window switching
Notes.app - hw specific note taking app (unlike evernote, simplenote or onenote)
Numbers.app - hw specific spreadsheet app - you'll do better with libre office
Pages.app - hw specific text editor app - you still haven't installed libre office?
PhotoBooth.app - because taking selfies with a phone is so hard
Photos.app - the reason one does no longer use local photo managers (unless you are a professional and you are ready to suffer for it)
Preview.app - universal file viewer, usefull!
QuckTimePlayer.app - some usefull features offset by its inability to play most video / audio formats. Replace with VLC
Reminders.app - remind me what reminders are good for?
Safari.app - the lest used (and least useful) os specific browser in the world.
Stickies.app - really surprised it still exists
Time Machine.app - with the arrival of ssds the most reliable method of loosing all your data while having the warm feeling of daily backups. Specially dangerous in combination with the Time Capsule. Ask at your local data recovery provider :DHonorable mentions:
Terminal.app - exactly what it says, very usefull
HomeBrew/MacPorts - the appstore you were looking for
AirPort Utility.app - so you have expected to setup your new apple router with browser? Dream on!
Disk Utility.app - the only volume management app I have seen that will not read S.M.A.R.T.