Hello new MorphOS user. MorphOS can be very confusing because most of the available computers are Apple, which use the 1-button mouse for many years. This is complicated because MorphOS uses the right click option for everything.

For a Mac Mini desktop computer just use any two or three button mouse.

For a laptop, "smash" the touch pad with your fingers, and keep them on the touch pad, while clicking the mouse button.

Mac OS has a function where if you have a 1 button mouse, you can press the command key while pressing the mouse, this displays the mouse menu. MorphOS does not have this keyboard + mouse function. There is a utility called Shift Click, which will pop up each time you open the utility. Its mascot is a dirty brown toy mouse resembling "9".

The other menus are a hidden feature, which can be displayed by changing the settings. The clock bar on the top of the screen will never display a menu, unless you right click, or "smash" the touch pad, or "Shift Click".

If you are looking for a "Start Menu" and "Quick Launch", there isn't any. Instead, you can create Panels (dock-things) which you can add application shortcuts.

To shut down, use the Command key + Q and then type S.

There isn't any sleep or hibernation setting unfortunately.

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Welcome new user :)

There are several different ways to simulate the right mouse button. Most of them are explained for example here:
http://library.morph.zone/Tips_and_Tricks#How_to_Use_RMB_with_One-button_Mouse

I'd suggest you to take a look to articles in Library section of this forum. You'll get impression what can be done when reading different reviews etc, even if there isn't any proper user guide.
http://library.morph.zone/Main_Page

BTW. that shutdown can be achieved from the RMB menu or key combination for it, but also by opening Shell and typing "shutdown", or just pressing power button long enough (it's ok because MorphOS doesn't do any shutdown procedures anyway, just be sure you're not writing anything to HD while doing it).

OP makes a good point though, there should be a manual for MOS. It beggars belief they expect people to pay for an OS that has no instructions on how to use it, and not even an online help system. OS4 seems to have the same problem too. No point adding features and then not telling users how to use them.

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No one said it wasn't a valid idea.
But who is going to do it?
It is a big undertaking and being thorough and no missing important points would be dificult.

How about a wiki?

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library.morph.zone/

@ASiegel

Okey, that's a wiki. Then how about a subsection at the top where we can add a total beginners guide?

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MOS dev team of course. They wrote it, they should document it. Otherwise you would up with something unofficial, inaccurate and/or incomplete which might not even get put on the MOS CD.

Wiki is not the solution either, it needs to be something that can be accessed when offline.

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I disagree. I enjoy new features even if there isn't any instructions.

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I am making one also but mine is not finished.

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That depends on the discoverability and intuitiveness of the new features. In some cases you might not even realize a certain feature is there. Not everyone wants to experiment with (aka randomly adjust) configuration of their system, it can cause problems if misconfigured.

[ Edited by Minuous 19.02.2015 - 16:31 ]

@ Yasu

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I think the library is perfectly fine for adding content aimed at new users.

Once there is a sufficient amount of helpful content, it might be time to discuss how to ensure that new users will find it more easily. Right now, any frontpage links would point to an empty page, which would help noone.

At this stage, it might be more pertinent to ask what questions must be answered to make new users feel at home...


@ Minous

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As long as the documentation included a disclaimer informing about potential inaccuracies and the community-driven origins, there should be no problem. Even the included release notes feature a disclaimer with similar language.

If there was an actual need for it, it would also be possible to mark sections of the wiki that have been reviewed by members of the MorphOS development team and keep those protected from unmoderated editing.

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Depending on the used engine, it is certainly possible to export wiki content as PDF documents (with embedded images) or an archive of HTML pages.

@ASiegel

Good point. Let's start with that.

> Internet apps Twitter, Jabber, Podcast, etc...

"Twitter", "Jabber" and "Podcast" are not names of MorphOS-compatible applications.

> PDF Apdf

Apdf has been superseded by VPDF.

> Scanner software SCANdal , epson perfection 1640SU usb scanner

I think SCANdal supports more than this model.

> File system support Windows, Mac, Linux, Amiga.

These are operating systems, not file systems ;-)

> Wireless Built-in. Mac Airport support and lots of pcmcia cards.

...and PCI cards.

> 3D support TinyGL, SDL

SDL is no 3D API but uses OpenGL for 3D.

> 3D Games All open source 3D games

This I doubt :-)