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General discussion

Long time PC user thinking of switching to Mac

Jul 13, 2006 11:22PM PDT

I have been using a PC ever since I started using computers (~15 years). After countless viruses, freeze ups and blue screens of death I am seriously thinking about a Mac. The advent of Boot Camp certainly helped but my main hang up is getting 'used to' OS X. I understand that it is supposed to be more intuitive than Windows but playing around on a friend's Powerbook just confused me. I couldn't understand where programs went, how to do certain things, etc.

Any advice? Any books or articles that could help? Would ProCare be valuable for me? Thanks in advance for any help on this issue...

Discussion is locked

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Let's start with...
Jul 13, 2006 11:30PM PDT

Where programs went. Unlike the PC I don't have to track all that and deal with the registry. Please tell why you feel this is important.

As to "how to do certain things, etc." a little more detail is required.

Bob

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some detail
Jul 14, 2006 1:22AM PDT

OK, when I run a new program on Windows I usually download to 'C' drive and then run it from there, is it similiar on the mac? Also, I am very used to the fact that I can get anywhere I need to on my computer from the 'Start' button - it didn't seem that way on the mac. Also on the mac, the way to find something (files, etc.) involved a series of 'flow sheets' that went into progressively smaller windows until you found what you were looking for, seemed confusing.

Maybe I am making this harder than it really is or maybe I didn't play around enough with my friend's mac. Either way, getting used to a new way of doing something is a bit hard - just wondering how other Windows users experiences were when they moved to OS X.

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I learnt my way around OS X in an hour!
Jul 14, 2006 1:54AM PDT

I have been using Windows right from 98 and purchased an old G3 iMac a few months ago to try it out.

At first I didn't have a clue what to do, but with the help of various websites, mac forums and just messing around, I managed to find my way around OS X in about an hour!

It really is pretty simple to find where your documents are stored, the simple drag and drop to install and delete programs and alternate programs to what I am used to in Windows.

I am now saving up for a MacBook Pro to replace my 1 year old Windows laptop for uni next year.

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Must Read
Jul 14, 2006 2:57AM PDT

I am in the same boat as you recently purchased a powerbook g3 lombard,it has ver 10.2 and I am upgrading to ver 10.3..this site is very very helpful, nice knowledgeable, helpful folks on here:

The apple site has a required reading called mac101 also link to learning how mac works for folks accustomed to windows...since it's the only point of reference for us former windows people.

http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/

I created a mac folder in my favourites on the P.C.
that way I can use the pc as a tutorial whilst I learn on my MAC....good use for p.c. other than a boat anchor!...

Gil

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Basics
Jul 14, 2006 3:27AM PDT

Applications(Programs) go in the Applications folder
Documents go in the Documents folder
Pictures go in the Pictures folder
Movies go in the Movies folder
Music goes in the Music folder
Everything that belongs to you, inculding the above, goes into the your HOME folder.
and this is confusing?

All of the above are accessible from the sidebar of ANY open window. The sidebar is displayed on the lefthand side of any open system window, not a program window. It holds alias's (kinda like shortcuts) to any folder that you drag in there. The above mentioned are there by default

OS 10.4 comes complete with a search tool called Spotlight which is accessible from ANYWHERE and can find stuff faster than you can type its name, or part thereof.

The Series of "Flow Sheets" was a choice made by your friend. It could just as easily have been a list view.

You certainly did not play around enough with your frinds Mac. All you tried to do with his machine was to try to do everything in the same way as you do on your PC. No wonder it was difficult. Your friend obviously does not use his machine a lot.

P

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ditto...
Jul 21, 2006 11:59AM PDT

Much like the most recent versions of MS Windows, by default OSX is set up to be easily accessible and convenient for the casual user. In that respect, I totally agree with mrmacfixit. Computer guys, however, who want to tool around with stuff, have to learn on their own! I was born into the beginning of the computer era, and am quite the programmer at age 16. That being said, I learned my way around simply by exploring. I started on the oldest MS-DOS and Apple machines, and now am "fluent" in both XP and OSX, as well as various Linux distributions. If you want to get the full potential out of your "Mac," just poke around a bit. Explore the environment, and delve into the operating system as far as you dare; then go farther. It's all about learning it. Have fun, and good luck!

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not to dis you bennyboy but...
Jul 25, 2006 5:00PM PDT

you underestimate your learning ability at 16 for figuring things out by exploring and you way overestimate the learning curve of older folk. Happy Enjoy it while you got it. That being said, any older folk can learn Mac OS in 2 shakes of an ox tail (I never understood that saying).

For snvyas... As peter explained... it is a matter of translation and an acceptance that life doesn't have to be as difficult as Bill Gates would make it. Drag and drop really works for Mac OSX. You have 2 main folders to worry about (Applications and Documents) along with pictures and movies folders to store... what else... pictures and movies. want some thing more? Create a folder and put it in the your users folder and that is that.

Your windows view options offer 3 different methods... sorry... no lines connecting the folders like windows has but you will figure it out quick enough. Icons - items in a folder - and a multiple column view similar to the side bar offered in windows explorer... only bigger and better. Just choose while in the finder from the "view: show items in a list, in columns, or as icons" option in the menu section of the finder window.

One quirk that mac addicts don't mention (and many probably don't know)... the mac OS X uses extra memory for every item stored on your desktop. It does function better if you store items in the folders supplied with your user persona. Consequently, try not to store everything on your desktop like most windows users do.

In short... get a mac and enjoy yourself... if you don't like it then you can always use boot camp and run windows on a very well built intel machine. Wink

grim

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Just a few simple & free programs helped me out.
Jul 15, 2006 5:12PM PDT

In addition to spotlight (builtin with Tiger) which you can access by pressing Apple Key & Space there is an excellent launcher program called Quicksilver which works like spotlight but is better for application & command launching. Just press Cmd-Space to activate, then press the first few letters of the program or command and select from list.

It sounds complicated but it's very intuitive and quick. With just a few clicks on the keyboard I can launch my most frequently used applications, open recently used documents and even shut down or reboot without even touching the mouse.

The link is http://quicksilver.blacktree.com/

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Wherre do things go?
Jul 21, 2006 2:47AM PDT

At it's most simple, all your applications live in the Applications directory. By default, this is in the sidebar whenever you open a Finder window(the finder is the equivalent of the Explorer on Win). If you use an app a lot, just drag it onto the dock(usually the bottom by may be at the dide) of the screen. Whenever you need that app, one click on the **** icon will launch it - its like the quickstart bar in Win

Don;t use it nmuch anymore - just drag it out of the doc and it's gone(in a puff of smoke) - this does not erase the original - you can stiull get to it in the applications folder.

A common way of making things happen on a Mac is just to drag the file you want to do something to onto the icon of the program that you want to use to process it.

The Finder is widely acknowledged by the Mac community to be 'less than ideal' . However , you can have a number of views - icons(like thumbnails in Win), List view(same thing) and column view(which I think is the one you referred to). There is a little panel in the top LHS of the Finder that let you swap between these views,

The thing about Macs is that it is very easy to personlaise the desktop and the machine to make it work the way you want it to.

Some great video podcasts are to be had at http://www.screencastsonline.com - well worth a look.

And there are zillions of books out there - the 'Dummies' serties are god for absolute beginners

Take a day or so to get used to it and you'll never want to go back!

Oh - and when an app does crash - just Hit Option-Cmd-Escape. A little window posp up and you can kill of the offending program and just carry on. No more having to reboot

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Screencast hit the spot
Aug 4, 2006 12:36AM PDT

Thanks for the post that is exactly what I am looking for!!!

Jim

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I'm thinking about getting one too
Jul 20, 2006 10:06PM PDT

I'm considering adding a Mac to my "collection". Not as a replacement, though. I haven't had problems with Windows, at least XP. (I've been through 3.1 on up, but I'll pretend that Windows Me never existed.)

I learned to use a Mac out of necessity - my roommate decided to buy a used G3 for his first computer and he needed help from me, his favorite computer geek. I had occasionally used my boyfriend's G4 to surf the web (until I decided he needed wireless so I could use my laptop when at his house - made the change while he was out of town). But as a PC user having to teach someone to use a Mac from the ground up... yeah, I learned fast.

Some things I like better, some things I don't. "Your mouse has ONE button??" Ctrl-click? (The programmable mouse I use has Mac software on the cd - I'm thinking about installing it on both of their computers and just carrying my mouse around with me.) Getting my roommate online was easy - plug it in to the router and a few clicks later you're there.

The trick for me was to approach it as something NEW, not as something different or "better". Hang on to the PC after you get a Mac so you can walk away for a little while if you find yourself getting too frustrated. Just don't give up. Over time, you'll get used to the Mac, and you'll see the strengths in your new OS. Right now, you're frustrated because you're naturally trying to do things the PC way on the Mac - it's what you know.

There are plenty of resources available to help you learn. Go to the Google directory and look at computers > operating systems > OS X. One day, you'll sit in front of your PC and find yourself trying to do "Mac stuff". Then you've made it. I'll always be a Windows girl, but I've made friends with OS X.

Christa

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All consumer Macs ship with 5 button mouse
Jul 20, 2006 11:15PM PDT

except the mini.
You hear a lot about the "Single Button Mouse" and how backward of Apple not to supply a two button mouse. You also hear how difficult it is to make the transition. I agree. I use a two button mouse at work, XP, and a two button mouse at home, OS X. Once you have used a two button mouse, you will never go back.
That said, ALL consumer Macs come with a two button mouse. This mouse, the SuperMouse, actually has 5 buttons, left/right/scroll button/side squeeze.
The squeeze function takes a while to get used to and is usually the one that gets disabled. Looking at the supermouse, you cannot see any of the buttons with the exception of the scroll button, which also scrolls by the way. The mouse works by sensing which side of it you are pressing. Pretty neat.

If your particular machine did not arrive with a SuperMouse then a quick trip to Circuit City/Best Buy for a cheap 2 button with scroll, USB, mouse is worth the effort. No software required for OS X, support is built into the system

So, enough of the Single Button mouse stuff. Happy

P

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Pesky apple programed them to feel like a one button.
Jul 21, 2006 12:38AM PDT

All macs(correct me if I'm wrong) automatically make the mouse feel like a one button, but this is easily changed.

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Now that you mention it
Jul 21, 2006 2:22AM PDT

I believe you are correct. Seems kinda odd.

I is covered in the literature that comes with the machine, but who reads that?

Happy


P

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Pesky One-Button Mouse
Jul 21, 2006 1:42PM PDT

aceoage, I have a one button mouse at work and at home that performs the same as a two-button mouse. The right-hand click is performed by holding down the control key and clicking. Options comes up similar to a PC right click. Simple enough for me. Works easily.
So you do not need a two-button mouse after all is seems.
Looks like seasoned veterans on the OSX have never tried that option, or not really know about this feature.

Why would anyone want a 5-button mouse? I will bet there are options similar to quick-keys for many of those buttons.
The Mac Mini comes with a one click mouse and a scroll wheel on the front top. Drove me up the wall to have this dumb scroll wheel. I disabled it by putting a band-aid over it. Now my right index finger never scrolls this small ball wheel and the control key works just great!

Hold down the control key and click the mouse on anything on your desktop and you will view options that you can select from and in many programs that you are using. How about that!

-Kevin

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(NT) (NT) Some people just don't do change well :-)
Jul 21, 2006 11:44PM PDT
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What's next?
Jul 22, 2006 8:19PM PDT

A ten button mouse?
Give me a break on all those buttons, will you please.

You did not mention my tip on using the control key.
Why not!? Was a good tip to many that do not know.

What's wrong with action quick keys?
Pete, why not give a tip here on how to set them up?
You are mrmacfixit.
Maybe you are going to the ways of PC here, after all?

I am starting to get a migraine headache thinking about using a five button mouse and developing carpal tunnel on my wrist.
Just absolutely dumb to have a five-button mouse.
Maybe that's the wave of the future with Apple going towards the PC! market!! :

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Answers to the Rant
Jul 22, 2006 11:57PM PDT

A 10 button mouse already exists.

I didn't feel it necessary to repeat your instructions on the use of the Control key. You had already explained it succinctly in your usual inimitable style.

I don't use Action Quick Keys but apparently you do. Don't you think that any instruction regarding their setting up, would be better coming from someone who actually used them? Assuming, of course, that someone asked about it.

With a multi-button mouse, you can do everything that you now do with two hands, with one. Left click, as normal; Right Click, contextual menus; scroll wheel, self evident; Scroll button, Expos

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Reply to your ranting?
Jul 23, 2006 3:11PM PDT

Just facts and figures.
TWO percent. Get it!?
Lee is trying to help this Mac Forum by posting Mac Nuggets on his weekly newsletter. Do you really know what is going on here?
This is a Mac Forum, not a mrmacfixit Forum.

Of all the CNET Forums, all Mac Forums account for only TWO percent of the total. Period! Ask Lee or Bob Proffitt if in doubt.

95% of all PC users world-wide use a PC.

That is what you call ranting? Give me a break will you please!?

Kevin

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I obviously don't know what is going on here
Jul 24, 2006 8:27AM PDT

How about you enlighten us all.

I don't grasp the significance of the 2% forum total. Would that be the total number of posts or the total number of forums? There are 51 forums and a lot of those have nothing to do with computers at all.

Is this magical 2% some sort of threat. If we don't get the numbers up the forum will go away?
Lee is trying to help ALL the forums, it's his job. MacNuggets generates traffic, but, did you ever stop to consider that he may receive input from others?

If 95% of all PC users world-wide use a PC, what do the rest of them use?

By the way, it is the Mods job to Moderate the forum. Now, if that is what you would like me to dedicate all of my time to, instead of answering questions, I will.
IAPG

P

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Two Percent
Jul 24, 2006 3:09PM PDT

P
Ask Lee. He has the facts for you if you want them.
Just ask.

And, no, it is not a threat. Just fact.
If 95% of the world uses a PC. What percent uses a Mac?
A no-brainer.

Keep on doing what you are good at.

-Kevin

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No-Brainer
Jul 24, 2006 9:56PM PDT

I wonder how asking Lee about something is a response to your statement about "knowing what is going on".
If you know the answer, spit it out.

You have not told me what questions I should be asking Lee, is there something special I should know about?

"if 95% of the world uses a PC. What percent uses a Mac?
A no-brainer."

Let me guess, you think the answer is 5%. How sad.

You might want to rethink that equation in light of the other 2500 different computer languages out there. 95% is probably a tad on the high side.

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Quite!
Jul 25, 2006 1:41AM PDT

I would have to concur: 95% is overestimating. In the scientific and technology-savvy community, a huge number use Macs because they all recognize the inconsistencies in Windows. Even if you ignore the unix/linux server-boxes, you still have tons of distributions of Linux out there, some of which are extremely popular. And a good chunk of the population swears by its Macs. You are correct that much of the world uses MS Windows for day-to-day tasks, but not enough to tip the scales all the way to 95%. It would be interesting to see the Mac visitor counts for Apple.com, and then compare them to Windows visitors on Microsoft.com. That's a bit irrelevant, though. Mostly because MS users have so many problems, that millions are forced to visit Micro$oft.com every day to ask for assistance. And, MS branches out into scientific applications, gaming development, etc. and may reach people that don't even use Windows just via their influence on modern programs. Granted, though, many schools, libraries, and other public services that own mass numbers of computers use cloned Windows-running drives, but those are not included in the PC count.

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Thin Ice
Jul 24, 2006 8:37AM PDT

Don't want to derail your freight train of thought there Bub, but that's kinda thin ice you're sliding on.

I may be dumb a** and a country hick, but I don't follow your arguments either. Some of your posts are just plain strange, like you wasn't playing the game with the same ball as the rest, or something.

Maybe ranting is the wrong word, maybe it should be rambling but any which way you slice it, your post had the lookings of a threat

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Dumb is in the eye of the mouse holder
Jul 23, 2006 3:15AM PDT

I use keyboard shortcuts when my hands are on the keyboard. Otherwise, I prefer using the right mouse button to access the context menu. I have the scroll button programmed for backspace speeds up my surfing when I'm doing research on the web.

The other two buttons? Right now they are shift and spacebar - for playing Civilization III. Happy If I had three more buttons I could play the game without ever touching the keyboard. (Just an example, not the best, but relevent.)

It's not the number of buttons - it's whether or not they improve or complement the way you work. Sometimes I reprogram those other two buttons to complement my workflow in Photoshop.

One, three, five or ten buttons - if it makes things more efficient for the individual, how can that be dumb?

Christa

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(NT) (NT) Nice one!
Jul 23, 2006 4:42AM PDT
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Good for you. Here is what is left of the ten button mouse
Jul 23, 2006 2:37PM PDT
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Two Percent
Jul 24, 2006 1:59AM PDT

Sometimes the fastest first answer is not the only and correct answer to a question. Since we are merely speculating here, that two percent figure may just as easily be explained by mac owners not having as many problems to be plagued by and not needing to come to the forums as supplicants, figuritive hats in their hands seeking help and answers.

Notice also, that there are many of these here that are curious PC users checking in just to see if blondes (macs) really DO have more fun.

Sign me,
still enjoying my one button mouse

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Numbers can mean anything you want them to
Jul 24, 2006 4:25AM PDT

I once pointed out in the MP3 players forum that the overwhelming number of posts came from users who did NOT own an iPod.
Following the flawed logic of "market share", one would expect that 75/80% of the posts would be from iPod owners, instead all the complaints are from that 20/25% of people who purchased another brand of player.

So, GH, you may be correct in stating that maybe Mac users do not have as many problems with their machines and software and therefore do not need to post as many times.

Back in the day, Intuit made QuickBooks for Mac. One year they decided to drop it. When asked in a trade magazine for the thinkin behind the drop, Intuit answered that based on the number of calls to the Help Desk, there were not enough Mac users to be concerned with. When asked whether it was possible that Mac users did not have as many problems as Windows users, they replied that it was not something they had thought about! Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

P

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Two percent
Jul 24, 2006 2:04PM PDT

Russ (GH), like I posted to you before, "How did you get so smart!?" :