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General discussion

I am a MAC newbie

Aug 12, 2006 10:21PM PDT

I am familar with the Windows OS, having worked on Win 95, Win 98, Win Me< Win XP Home and Win XP Pro. I will have to spend some time on a MAC, of which I have no experience=ever. I will be grateful for some information on working on the MAC OS, e.g. How to start the computer, Start a program, Save a file, copy a file, etc. or simply, what are the differencees between it and Windows (OS wise) ?

Thanks.

christy.

Discussion is locked

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Mac newbie
Aug 12, 2006 10:43PM PDT

Hi Christy,
Do you actually have a Mac right now?
All the things you mention are done in almost exactly the same way using Windows as they are on a Mac.
Just do not try to do everything as though it was a Windows machine and you will be fine. I'm sure there will be someone there who will show you the basics, something that is difficult to do in a post as you have not mentioned what sort of Mac, what OS and what programs you will be using.

The major differences between the two OS's and machines.
1. One runs 114,000 pieces of virus software, the other doesn't.
2. One has a very secure OS, and the other doesn't.
3. One is capable of running Windows AND the Mac OS, the other isn't.

BTW, that's Mac not MAC. MAC is the abbreviation for Media Access Control address found on most networking devices. ie. NIC cards.

P

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I found it no change at all.
Aug 13, 2006 1:33AM PDT

Almost every program opens with a click or double click (your choice), and we see the familiar File, Save menus. I'd say you just need to dive in.

Bob

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Find a good manual
Aug 13, 2006 3:43AM PDT

Christy,

One thing I found to be enlightening is to get my hands on a good Mac manual. David Pogue writes some that are VERY good. See: http://www.missingmanuals.com/. You can find most of his books at larger book stores or computer stores. His manual on Mac OSX (various versions of OS) are excellent and they lend a degree of humor to the learnng experience. David does a good job of comparing the PC way of doing things to the Mac way. Even for experienced Mac users the books have tips and tricks that are helpful.

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More Sources
Aug 13, 2006 3:54AM PDT
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So was I, here's my experience.
Aug 14, 2006 7:55AM PDT

After 10 years I bought a MacBook - I just dove in, without any experience or training and plan to go to an Apple 'Mac 101' to find out more but otherwise it was wonderfully simple & easy. Small things to adjust to include 'maximising to full screen', the infamous right click, dragging the iPod to the trash to eject etc...

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Yep, I also recommend just diving in! :)
Aug 14, 2006 8:50AM PDT

Ok, I've worked in technical support in various roles for 20 years, and I bought my first Mac (Mac mini) in May. I was SO curious, and had $500 burning a hole in my pocket, so I strolled into the local Compusa store and bought the cheapest Mac mini they would sell me. I am hooked! It sat on a shelf in the cute little box for two months, no, three months, then I pulled it out and connected it to my KVM switch/network, actually turned it on, and then just watched. I learned.

Wow! I spent five months trying to get some sound out of a MIDI keyboard I bought for my studio (Windows XP on the laptop), no joy. I spent three minutes on the Mac mini downloading the driver and then when I connected the keyboard to the USB port of the Mac mini and started "Garage Band", sound!!! And I mean BIG sound!!!!

My next laptop will be a Macbook Pro!

I highly recommend the Nike approach: "Just Do It"

You will enjoy computers again! I have released my creative spirit!

-Woody Fairley

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Another possible resource
Aug 18, 2006 1:16AM PDT

The replies you have so far are really good... either jumping right in (Mac OSX - and any other operating system have similarities... single click, double click, click and drag. You will find Mac OSX much more consistant and elegant in its delivery is all) or getting manuals or going to apple.com and following along the Mac 101 or Switch 101 courses.

One other suggestion is - depending on your location - to check out the Macintosh User Groups... http://www.apple.com/usergroups/ may help. Between regular meetings and newsletters, many of them have "special interest groups" that may assist - and generally speaking, the membership will be quite helpful.

(In a previous life I was an IT manager responsible for ~500 Macs and ~500 Windows machines and all the networking across 12+ offices, remote access and printers... etc... After a day at work, the last thing I wanted to do was come home and work even more, so my wife and son - and me - all use Macs - though my office makes me use Windows.)

You will learn why Macintosh users are so smug.

Welcome!

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I envy you
Aug 18, 2006 1:59PM PDT

I remember when I was a newbie. I actually had two computer systems to learn. Windows and Mac. With Windows I had to actually type into the C: prompt (yes long, long ago). The Mac put me into the desktop from the get go. Since then things have only become more simple and easy to use on the Mac.

Switching from XP should be a cinch. Main thing instead of the shortcuts in the "Start" menu, the Mac will put aliases onto the "Dock". Which you can choose to have at the bottom of your screen all of the time or you can "hide" it. You can choose to place it on the bottom, or either side of your screen which will save you screen real estate. Just move your mouse near the edge and the "Dock" will pop-up for your use.

As for software! The free stuff you get with a new Mac is awesome. I volunteer at our local hospice and create DVD's for our patients and their families using only the FREE software that's included. iPhoto for pictures, iTunes for my CD's or downloaded music, GarageBand for creating mood music, iMovie for editing our video and iDVD for making the movie and buring onto a DVD. And they ALL work with one another, smoothly. Within iMovie I can access all of those items, without having to run open each separate program.

Pick a Mac, you won't regret itHappy

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Try your local Apple store
Aug 18, 2006 2:52PM PDT

Apple stores offer free public training and tutorial courses every week. If there is one in your area (use the locator on Apple's web site) then ring them and inquire about their schedule. I went to the Beginner's class when I first bought my Macbook and loved it.

If you are really desperate, plunk down $99 and get a full year of Genius Bar support. This is where you go into the Apple store and sit down one-on-one with an Apple "Genius" who will teach you whatever you want to know. That $99 gets you 1 lesson per week for a year... which is an incredibly good deal!

Good luck, and welcome to a better world of computing!

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From Mac to PC
Aug 23, 2006 11:33AM PDT

I understand your problem in reverse. After 20 years of Mac on the job they switched us to PC. What I found confusing was the right click. On the Mac, everything is on the top menu. The search in PC takes forever and doesn't usually find what I am looking for. When I click on the desktop of a Mac and get the Finder menu at the top, under File is the Find command. Very easy and very quick.
The last thing I miss on the PC is the option button that can change the keyboard keys to many different symbols. Check marks, bullets, degree symbols, French language and Spanish language accents, etc. are 'under' the keys and will type when you hold the option key down. If the PC does this, I have not found it. Good Luck.

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I hate to be the one to tell you
Aug 24, 2006 4:53AM PDT

but the PC does the Check marks, bullets, degree symbols, etc.
Check out the control panels, it's there someplace


P

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Glad you broke the bad news...
Aug 24, 2006 8:31AM PDT

In Windows XP:

Start: All Programs: Accessories: System Tools: Character Map

But the point is, using these special characters is not easy in the Windows environment...

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(NT) (NT) Point taken
Aug 24, 2006 8:38AM PDT
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I Hate to Bring Up Macros
Aug 24, 2006 10:24AM PDT

What about Macros that make the tedious repetitive jobs easy? I had to buy a program to do that on PC. Is it hidden somewhere also? I sure enjoy it as a 'given' on the Mac.

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Macros can be useful
Aug 24, 2006 2:00PM PDT

Hey mrmacfixit - check me here...

Macros - as in that additional functionality that can run as "little programs" inside Microsoft Word and Excel... are still available in the Macintosh versions of Microsoft Word and Excel. There may be some issues in cross-platform translation, but the macro programming language is available on both Windows and Macintosh versions - so that *should* be a non-issue (though translating them cross platform could be interesting.

The BAD news is, that many of the macro viruses created can be icky on either platform - but as I recall, can really only impact certain Word or Excel functions because the directory structure is different)... That said, outside the MS applications, AppleScript is a GREAT way to automate repetitive tasts - and it doesn't spread viruses... and it isn't limited to Microsoft Word and Excel...

The GOOD news is that applications like NeoOffice and AppleWorks and all the other programs that can read/write in Word/Excel format don't do macros - so they can't get infected with Word/Excel born macro-viruses... sort of like having "free anti-virus" for those types of infections (if used properly).

If you do nothing but forward the infected file (which was received from a Windows user) to your Windows-using buddies, they *could* get infected... Macro-viruses make up the bulk of the 4,000 or so new monthly viruses that propagate through Windows machines if antivirus definitions are not kept current (weekly) - but most of the press goes to trojans, worms, DoS hacks, Internet Explorer vulnerabilities and other less numerous and infamous exploits...

So... what's to hate about bringing up macros? Knowledge is power... and yet another reason to use MacOS.

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Macro's
Aug 25, 2006 12:46AM PDT

As stated can be very malicious but on the other hand can be very beneficial.
If I remember correctly, Win Macros will mess with the Mac Office suite but not much more. They remain dangerous to Win users when the Mac user forwards them on.

AppleScript, and the more recent Automator are great ways of producing systemwide macros to speed you though your daily tasks.
Telling Automator to open a folder containing 500 pictures, reduce them all the 3 X 5, give them new names and save them in another folder is a neat programming trick and easy to do.

The ability to do something like that is not in Windows unless you understand VBA or are proficient in DOS.

Bob might correct me on that .

P

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Macro
Aug 26, 2006 5:47AM PDT

You are right mrmacfixit, I was meaning the AppleScript. Opening the attendance program at school takes 5 separate steps. When I had my Mac I hit one button and it did all the steps for me making opening the program quick and easy. I found software that does the same for PC but I had to pay $48 for it.

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Re: From Mac to PC
Aug 24, 2006 9:37PM PDT

That is so cool. I am a newbie on a Mac too. Thanks for the tip.

Do you know how to delete in forward motion on the Mac? On the Mac, the ''delete'' key works like the PC ''backspace'' key. I have asked several Mac users and no one seems to know. Thanks.

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Delete
Aug 26, 2006 5:39AM PDT

If you have an extended key board there is another delete key to the right of the 'backward' delete that does the forward delete.

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The built-in laptop
Aug 26, 2006 9:35AM PDT

keyboards aren't extended... Now I need to go fire up the PowerBook and figure this one out... might be a while, though - I'm working on another project...

Unless one of the moderators or someone more expert can chime in...

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Delete Key
Aug 26, 2006 10:07AM PDT

What is wrong with the delete key?...don't tell me I have been doing it wrong all these years?

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nah... not wrong...
Aug 27, 2006 2:55AM PDT

but some people do things differently.

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For those of you that wish to delete
Aug 27, 2006 12:24AM PDT

the characters to the right of the cursor, and who have an iBook or PowerBook with an non-extended (Pro) keyboard, check this out


Function-Delete (PowerBook, iBook only) Forward Delete (delete the character to the right of your cursor)


I thought you guys would find this answer before now. It is hidden in the Finder's Help file but you really have to dig for it

Hope it helps, now that my Sunday morning is shot Happy

P

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and THAT, your honor,
Aug 27, 2006 2:52AM PDT

is why he is called "mrmacfixit"...

THANK YOU!

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Thank you!
Sep 21, 2006 11:33PM PDT

Yeah! Thank you. That has been driving me nuts (old habits die hard). I will be sure to pass that trick along to my Mac friends who didn't know.

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Newbie Too
Aug 24, 2006 9:43PM PDT

I am a new to a Mac as well and found the best way to learn it is to just start playing around with it. It takes some time, but soon you will get the hang of it. Also, I have found the "help" button very useful when I get stumped. Good Luck.

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Saw your other post on drive assignment,
Aug 25, 2006 2:48AM PDT

Christy... Imagine not having to deal with that.

On my flat panel iMac, I have the following connected to the USB bus:
Onkyo analog-digital audio bridge
8-in-1 card reader
keyboard and mouse
Canon MP780 scanner/fax/printer/copier
Sony HDR-HC1 HD (1080i) video camera - but only for transferring stills if I don't use the card reader
An occasional USB "thumb" drive

... and the following on the FireWire bus:
Dazzle Hollywood analog-digital audio/video bridge
LaCie (single layer DVD read/write) drive
250 gig external hard drive
Sony HDR-HC1 HD (1080i) video camera - for video transfer

I have never had to mess around with assigning or reassigning a drive address. Plug it in, power it up (if needed) and everything just works. Even simultaneously. I don't remember ever having to install any drivers for any of these external devices (except the MP780)... though many of them came with install discs for Windows use.

I imagine this could be one "habit" that you wouldn't mind dying... hard...