New User- Not Feeling It

Hi Everyone,

I am a new user. I have a MacBook Air. I do not like it.

I like photography, music, and writing. Many Mac users have told me that Mac is essential for creative use. But I am frustrated by the limitations in IPhotos. I am frustrated by the limitations in Garage Band. I am starting to get the idea that I cannot use Word Perfect on my Mac.

Maybe some kind fellow users can help me out here. Can you please share your experiences in getting started in these three areas.

Thanks, Mark

First off, Welcome to Mac Forums!

For general Photo use that most average people do, iPhoto is just fine. For Pros no. There are many other Professional options. I am sure others here will suggest some alternatives for you.

Garage band also is not a PRO app but quite good for many. You need more there are all kinds of normal and Professional music applications for the Mac.

Tell me this, which out of the BOX windows machine has PRO applications that come FREE with it that are better than what APple gives for free? Nothing I have seen!

Word Perfect is an antique. Sorry, Blame whoever now owns them for NO Apple support. Microsoft Office is available for OSX and to me light years better than WP. WP was great back in the day, but it's very dated now.

If you provide some specific limitations that annoy you, perhaps someone can tell you something that will help you out.

Hi Mark!

We could use more information. If you are a casual photographer then you will not need the power, plus advanced learning curve that Photoshop provides. If you are into mixing music ProTools is an excellent but pricey choice and also has a steep learning curve. As to word processing, it might be time to switch to Microsoft Office. Word Perfect is a bit out of date.

I have over 30 years of Windows use and in the last year changed to Apple computers. I have a Mac Air and Macbook Pro now. I had to learn how they were different as is any new (to me) operating system.

I use Office, Photoshop, and a host of other software on both my Windows computers and Macs. There are versions for both operating systems but they are not cheap. No computer comes new with as much actually usable software as apple offers. Granted all the installed software is geared toward the average consumer. Professionals realize they are going to have to pay for professional products regardless of the operating system.

Lisa

@Dennis:

If I remember correctly, I believe Open Office and maybe Libre Office supports the wpd document format created by Wordperfect for Windows. Do you know if that's true? I have a copy of Wordperfect Office for Windows (by Corel) but since I'm not using any virtual software or Boot Camp, I can't check it out.

chscag said:

@Dennis:

If I remember correctly, I believe Open Office and maybe Libre Office supports the wpd document format created by Wordperfect for Windows. Do you know if that's true? I have a copy of Wordperfect Office for Windows (by Corel) but since I'm not using any virtual software or Boot Camp, I can't check it out.

Click to expand...

Interesting.. I seem to remember someone mentioning that also. Let me check also and will get back with the info! Glad you mentioned it!

Well, this looks promising but you can not save in WP but can open them. This is Open Office.

https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Do...nOffice.org_support_WordPerfect_file_formats?

And here is something on Libre.

http://ask.libreoffice.org/en/question/17246/wordperfect-and-current-libreoffice/

New User-Not Feeling It

Thank you all for responding so quickly! I appreciate any thoughts and will read and heed them.

I understand the difference between freebie apps that come with your computer and more expensive pro apps. Here are the issues I am having. If anyone can share experiences with better apps I would appreciate it.

Iphoto: I successfully imported may photos. I worked through how to organize them into sub- folders (excuse my terminology errors.) But when I tried to copy the subfolders to a thumb drive I found that...I can only copy the entire library of fotos? And how to play a slide show with different music?

Garage Band: I can record to GB with my controller keyboard. I can play other virtual synths and keys thru the MacBook Air. I cannot record other virtual synths and keys??? Some of the Mac synths and keys I click on a popup tells me I do not have them, would you like to download? Are they trying to sell me add-ons?

Word Processor: I like my Corel Word Perfect because I hate Microsoft Word. But there is no full Word Perfect I can load onto the Air?

Thanks all I need a little push to be an Apple devotee!!!

Mark

I can't address all your questions but here are some answers that may help:

Some of the Mac synths and keys I click on a popup tells me I do not have them, would you like to download? Are they trying to sell me add-ons?

Click to expand...

I believe the extra synths and keys are free, however, if it turns out they're not, just remove them.

Word Processor: I like my Corel Word Perfect because I hate Microsoft Word. But there is no full Word Perfect I can load onto the Air?

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, Corel never published a version of Wordperfect for the Mac. However, as pointed out above you can open your wpd files using the free Open Office and possibly the free LibreOffice. Wordperfect while still a nice WP program has never been available for the Mac. And since you have a new Mac, you can download the Apple apps for free: Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. (Equivalent to WP Office)

Be sure to check out what's available from the Mac App Store for which you have an icon on your Dock. (bottom menu)

In iPhoto, your photos are grouped together into Events, usually by date. If the Events are not organized the way you like, you can move photos between them. Dragging an entire Event to a folder in another location will copy the entire event, just as if the Event was a folder. In fact, it's best to think of iPhoto as being a big Pictures folder, with all your Events as subfolders. They behave almost exactly the same way.

If you want to make a collection of photos from several different Events, you can create an Album in the left hand sidebar. This is just like making a playlist in iTunes; you can remove items from it without deleting them entirely. If you want to copy a bunch of photos within an Album, however, you'll need to select the Album, then press Command-A to select all the photos in it, then drag them to another folder.

To change the music in a slideshow, select an Event or Album, click the Slideshow play button at the bottom of the window and when the slideshow starts, you'll see a music note icon that lets you browse your iTunes library for whatever music you want.

If you were expecting iPhoto and Garageband to work like Photoshop or Pro Tools, you're likely to be underwhelmed. But as consumer-level free apps, they beat anything that comes with Windows!

New User-Not Feeling It

Thanks all! I appreciate the information. I tried again with the foto grouping and had more success this time. The monitor color and resolution for fotos is just exquisite on that Air.

I will keep working with this machine and see if I like it better than the Windows 7 I am using. I am thinking I will just keep using the entry level programs as kind of a sketch book type thing until I am ready to move to some more advanced/costly programs. It would help my organizational situation to have all fotos/sound files in one place.

Feel free to weigh in on your experience with any advanced apps like Pro Tools or Cubase and how they work on your Mac.

Thanks, Mark