[GNC] New User: initial help getting up and running

[Jim DeLaHunt]

On 2022-12-18 12:20, Eric Chapman wrote:

> Hi, everyone,
>
> I just downloaded Gnucash-Intel-4.12-1.dmg for Mac. I plan to install 
> in on Ventura (MacOS 13.1) on a late 2018 Mac Mini (Intel). I'm trying 
> to migrate from another software on a Windows virtual machine on the Mac.

Hello, Eric, and welcome to GnuCash! I will try to answer your 
questions, with answers interleaved below.

>
> I have some questions:
>
> (1) Is it likely that Gnucash will be made available for M1 and M2 
> Macs in the future? From what I can tell, it is for Intel Macs only, 
> so if there is no future for the later ones, maybe I should not go 
> this route.

GnuCash certainly is available for M1 and M2 macs, and always has been. 
I have a MacBook Pro with an M1 Max processor, and GnuCash runs fine.

Tell me, what gives you the impression that GnuCash "is for Intel Macs 
only"? Maybe we can reword whatever is giving you that false impression, 
to make it clearer.

If it is the fact that the installer is named 
"Gnucash-Intel-4.12-1.dmg", that name does not indicate that Gnucash 
works _only_ on Macs with intel processors. The word "intel" has 
technical and historical meanings. It was compiled using the machine 
code of intel processors, but the magic of macOS allows M1 and M2 Macs 
to run the machine code of intel processors, in addition to the machine 
code of M1 and M2 processors.

> (2) I read much of the README.TXT file. With the .dmg file I 
> downloaded install everything I need or do the instructions under 
> "Dependencies" and "Building and Installing" mean that I have to start 
> with getting all that stuff on the Mac first?

The README.TXT comes from a history of software distributed as source 
code, which recipients must build first before being able to run.  But 
when you download "GnuCash for Mac", you are getting "precompiled 
binaries". That is, you get a Mac app which is all ready to go.  The 
README.TXT file does not really tell you how to install this.

GnuCash as distributed for Mac is a Mac app. Install it like you install 
other Mac apps: open the .dmg file, see a window containing an icon 
named something ".app", and drag that icon to your Applications folder. 
Then double-click on that Gnucash.app icon within your Applications folder.


>
> (3) Is there a "New User Guide" somewhere on the web that can be 
> accessed? Tutorials?

Totally!  Take a look at the "Documentation" section of the GnuCash 
website: <https://gnucash.org/docs.phtml>.

I suggest you start by reading through the "Tutorial and Concepts Guide" 
<https://gnucash.org/viewdoc.phtml?rev=4&lang=C&doc=guide>.

Then consider how familiar you feel with the basics of double-entry 
bookkeeping. GnuCash relies on double-entry, whereas other bookkeeping 
packages try to hide it. If you feel underprepared, read up on basic 
accounting a bit. Wikipedia's 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-entry_bookkeeping#Accounting_entries> 
is a good place to start. Maybe get an tutorial book on accounting.

Do you work with an accountant?  Maybe ask them to recommend a book. You 
will want to ask them later to recommend how to structure your 
accounting work. We in the GnuCash community can help you figure out how 
to use GnuCash to achieve your accounting goals, but only your 
accountant can advise you on what are the right accounting goals for 
your jurisdiction and your situation.

Then run GnuCash, make a test book purely for experimentation, and start 
entering some of your typical transactions.  Try things. Fail. Learn. 
Then start over again with a new book for your real bookkeeping.

At some point, you will want to look up details of how to operate 
GnuCash in the "Help Manual" 
<https://gnucash.org/viewdoc.phtml?rev=4&lang=C&doc=help>.

When you want community help, consult the links in the left pane of the 
GnuCash.org main page, to find an FAQ, a Wiki, and information about our 
mailing lists (including the one you are currently using).

I hope this helps you get started. Have fun!
       —Jim "GnuCash 4.10 on Apple Silicon M1 Max and macOS Monterey 
12.6.2" DeLaHunt

>
> Thank you!
>
> Eric Chapman