Iphoto seems usless to me

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I'm really thinking I'm just not a MAC person as the only thing that seems to go smoothly on this machine is email, and browsing.
All my other things that I need to do end up taking a couple hours and I end up going back to Windows for the 10 minute job. I can't even find pictures that I want to upload to photobucket. I feel very handicapped on this machine.

Sorry for the frustration, but many functions just don't seem common sense on this machine.
 
M

MacInWin

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I can't help with photobucket. I don't use the tool. However, I understand your frustration, but it's more that you have one way of doing things, the Windows way, and the Mac way is different. Not worse or handicapping, but just different. If you stick with it, it'll become natural. I have this iMac and a company Windows laptop. I find the laptop very, very difficult to use compared to the iMac, but it took a couple of months to get to that point because of the learning curve. From the Mac Specs, I suspect you've just gotten into the Mac world.

Stick with it. It does get to the point where it makes sense. And when it does, it makes a LOT more sense than Windows.
 

cwa107


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Sorry for the frustration, but many functions just don't seem common sense on this machine.

One would assume that you switched from Windows because you wanted something different. So don't be surprised when you find that it is, indeed, different.

The problem is that you're using a new OS and a whole new suite of software, none of it that you're used to. And yes, it does take time to learn. But if you take your Windows hat off and put your Mac cap on, you'll find it to be rewarding. I can tell you that if you're the type of person that doesn't particularly care for change, you might as well sell that machine now and save yourself a lot of headache.

It took decades of Windows use to develop the habits you have today. Those habits will not change overnight.

If you do intend to keep the machine, I think you'll find this book very handy:

Amazon.com: Mac OS X Snow Leopard: The Missing Manual (9780596153281): David Pogue: Books

It's written in plain English, nothing like the typical computer book that's reminiscent of stereo instructions. Highly recommended.

As to your question about iPhoto... iPhoto manages your photo library and contains all of your pictures in its own database. So, if you're digging around looking for the individual files, that's why you're turning up nothing.

All is not lost, however. It appears as though there is a plug-in for iPhoto that makes it easy to upload and sync with Photobucket: Manage your iPhoto with these plugins

Otherwise, you can easily export your pictures by just selecting one or more and choosing File menu => Export. Once you get it out of iPhoto, you can do whatever you want with the picture.

Rather than get frustrated, why don't you put together a list of issues you're having and let us take a crack at them? As I said, it's really just a matter of learning some new tricks - there's no such thing as a "Mac" person. It's just like getting a new pair of glasses, you have to give it some time for your brain to adjust ;)
 
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Woodensail
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Thanks
I've cooled off and finished my work. I think the problem is that I try to learn when I have a pressing project to do, and the panic builds.

No, I will never give up this machine, and Yes, it's just my needing to learn something new after 15 years of of using Windows and making it work for me. It's only been a couple months and I'm in frustration mode.

Thanks for calming me, noow I'm going to go get a Drink.
 

dtravis7


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There are probably other ways to do this but on uploading pics to Photobucket or anywhere else I just open iPhoto and drag the pics to where I want them or to a quick folder and then upload from there.

I am sure someone else will give you another way, but it works for me.
 
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I've had my Macbook a few weeks now, and I like you used Windows for 10+ years, and it did feel overbearing at first. Like they have said, after you get used to it, Mac is far superior. I am now right at home, and have not touched a PC except to sell my Toshiba laptop to a friend and disconnect my desktop PC. Just hang in there
 
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I must admit that I have a desktop HP running Vista (which I guess I am one of the few who actually likes Vista and have never had any problems with it in the nearly 3 years I have had it), AND I have had a MacBook since Sept. I use the MAc almost exclusively now because I can sit in my favorite chair with it, and because it is cool. But honestly, I don't find them all that much different. It took me probably 30 min. to get used to the Mac. I don't really prefer one over the other, but the Mac seems less hassle: don't need to worry so much about antivirus, quicker startup/shutdown, aesthetically pleasing, etc...

At the end of the day, it's just a computer.
 
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I have to admit, I hardly use iPhoto. If it all. I keep several folders labeled for specific pictures. Screenshots are in one, graphics for Photoshop projects are in another, and I keep backups of my camera's SD card in it's own folder as well.

I must admit that I have a desktop HP running Vista (which I guess I am one of the few who actually likes Vista and have never had any problems with it in the nearly 3 years I have had it)

Vista wasn't too bad when I used it. The only hair pulling I did with Vista was setting it up to the local network. I also do not like how long it takes to boot, and I do not like the pop ups asking my permission to do something for doing simple things.

All in all, I was glad to sit down and use my Mac afterwards. But I do not hate Vista. XP is much better, I enjoy using Windows 95 more than I do any other Windows operating systems.
 
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If all you're looking for is the Mac equivalent to Windows Explorer, then just use Finder ! Having used Win and Linux for years before switching, I got used to arranging folders and files in a quite anal retentive way. That habit will never die, and i still use it for music and photo management with Songbird (I don't like iTunes) as well as Lightroom.

I used iPhoto the first week I got my first MacBook Pro, and that one week was enough to tell me that I'd never use it again. It just doesn't suit my needs. If you keep your folders arranged neatly in Finder, you'll never be at a loss for finding anything. Especially if you categorize your folders, as was suggested before. More importantly though, if you're going to use your photos extensively, you really should get into the habit of key wording groups of photos.

iPhoto can do that for you, but so can other software. I primarily use Lightroom 2 as my DAM of choice, though I'm sure others here will also suggest Aperture. (Which I don't like. It's sluggish and clunky to me) The only other real FREE alternative to iPhoto that I know of, is Google Picasa. But then, I don't know how it will handle those same chores you've been doing and not been satisfied with in using iPhoto.

I do think that iPhoto will suit your needs if you don't do any real post processing and don't have tens of thousands of photos like I do. If you're a casual snapper and need to keyword stuff it should be fine though. Beware however, that iPhoto tends to duplicate photos so that it has a copy of it in each size which might be used. So over time, your iPhoto library will increase in size substantially.

This was a big no no for me.

Just keep on trekking and you'll find your way.

Doug
 
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iPhoto is an amazing tool for organization and cataloging of photos. It does not work the way Windows does, the file structure is its own, and if alterend, will not allow iPhoto to do its job. To get a better understanding of how it works, check out some of the "Getting Started" items here: Apple - Support - iPhoto

iPhoto does keep the original photo, so that at any time you can go back with your editing and start over. It keeps the most recently modified photo (not all the incremental modifications) and that is what it shows you when you are in the app. Actually, it shows you the thumbnail of the modified photo. So, yes, there is some duplication -- Originals, Modified, and Thumbnails, but this is the way the app works, and is actually a really nice feature. I have reverted to my originals several times, after I got better at editing and could make the photo look better. You can set a different software to be the external editor (Photoshop, Elements, etc.) by going to Preferences and setting it there. Then when you edit a photo from within the iPhoto app, it will be put right back where it belongs in iPhoto's library.

The best advice I can give based on my own switch five or so years ago, is to simply relax, let the machine and software do its work (unlike Windows which makes the user micro-manage everything) and give it time. You will come to realize that everything is easier with the mac, because it and the software is designed to do the work for you.
 
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chas_m

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I can't add much to the excellent posts above except to say that another quick and easy way to get photos out of iPhoto for use with something else is to simply DRAG a selected photo out onto the desktop. Boom, instant copy. Upload the copy to your website of choice or whatever, then toss it. Very easy.

I agree with one of the posters above that iPhoto is NOT intended for people keeping "graphics for projects" and "screenshots" and that sort of thing. iPhoto is intended for (and does a very nice job at) storing your personal snapshots taken with a digital camera. That's its purpose, and it seems very aimed at that sole purpose. I would keep non-snapshot type pictures out of iPhoto personally, but it's a great program for what it intends to do.
 
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All my other things that I need to do end up taking a couple hours and I end up going back to Windows for the 10 minute job. I can't even find pictures that I want to upload to photobucket.

Odd that. Whenever my wife is struggling doing something on her PC laptop we always end up doing it far quicker on my mac. Windows just seems to take delight in making things awkward.
 
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To the OP: I use iPhoto and photobucket all the time. P.M. me if you'd like some screen shots or just a walk-thru. And also if you want to explain your issues in more detail.
Like everyone's saying, it's all about understanding the Mac way of doing things. :)
 
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I deleted iPhoto. I think it sucked.

I'm a photographer though, and my main storage is on a server. I already have my own scheme of naming and storing folders, so iPhoto was just taking up space on my MBP.
 

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