how do i change views without a number pad?
How do i rotate without a middle mouse button?
So I don’t have to repeat it all, read this thread
http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=194591
well this did not answer my question about the views. 1, 7 and 9 on the numberpad were top, side and front, 0 was camera. i cant get these without a number pad, how do i get these same views without the num pad?
you have a laptop? or use a mac? actually i would like to know what kind of keyboard you have please 
in case of a laptop :
use the FN key - this link : smarts.com/how-to-use-the-fn-key-on-your-laptop
in case of the mac, richards answer poses what kind of problem?
Your mac will blender fine.
Assuming you are using blender 2.5beta:
The emulate numpad option in the User Preferences pane sets the keyboard number keys to act like the full keyboard numpad keys.
For the magic mouse you will have to go into File / User Preferences / Input and select Emulate 3 Button Mouse.
Pan = Alt+Shift+LMB
Rotate = Alt+LMB
Zoom = Alt+Ctrl+LMB
I use a magic mouse and works ok for me, ut I’m used to having my left hand on the bottom left of the keyboard.
as for rotation without middle mouse
in 2.53 in preferences->input -> 3dview -> rotate view (allows you to define your own keyboard+mouse combo for rotating) (click where it currently says “middlemouse”) it will seek you to input an alternative
The second half of the image shows, in the same list, where to modify your kb shortcuts for the various views.
