How to make the desktop look like ubuntu or windows?

I used to use windows and then ubuntu (linux) which was great. Now I got a mac. I find the desktop really messy. The windows don't fit the screen when you expand them, and to get things out of the way I have to drag things all over the place! It's really hard to handle.

1) On windows and ubuntu, if you click to maximise a window, it really maximises it. Ie goes to maximum size. How do I make this OS do that?

2)
a) On windows and ubuntu, there is a bar at the bottom, where it shows me all the windows I have open, of all the various programs. It is very helpful! I can visually see, all the time, what windows I have open. And I can easily click on them to bring whichever one to the front.

b) On ubuntu there is also a button in the bottom left corner to hide all windows to show the desktop.

c) And on ubuntu you can have multiple desktops going at the same time, and switch from one to another.

How can I make these things happen on this mac OS?
Thank you very much!
Justin

1) There is no maximize. period.

2) a)Not sure- I just keep things minimized so i know where everything is.
b)On OSX you can do this with Expose...I can't remeber the default settings because mine got messed up but if you go to System Preferences>Dashboard and Expose you can assign 'desktop' to whichever key or mouse button.
c) I know you can do this with OSX...
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45102&highlight=multiple+desktops

that might help.

Justin said:

I used to use windows and then ubuntu (linux) which was great. Now I got a mac. I find the desktop really messy. The windows don't fit the screen when you expand them, and to get things out of the way I have to drag things all over the place! It's really hard to handle.

Click to expand...

First rule of switching: acknowledge that you've switched. Mac OS X != Windows. Mac OS X != ubuntu.

1) On windows and ubuntu, if you click to maximise a window, it really maximises it. Ie goes to maximum size. How do I make this OS do that?

Click to expand...

OS X doesn't have this capability. It's "maximize" feature is more intelligent in that it grows the window to the size needed for the data/application. This usually works out better. There are some windows (like web forums) where you may want the window to be larger. You can click and drag the lower right corner of a window to resize it however you want.

2)
a) On windows and ubuntu, there is a bar at the bottom, where it shows me all the windows I have open, of all the various programs. It is very helpful! I can visually see, all the time, what windows I have open. And I can easily click on them to bring whichever one to the front.

Click to expand...

The Dock in Win OS X will put a small black triangle next to any application that is running; you can click on that to bring the application to the front. Also, if you minimize a window, it goes to the Dock and you can see it.

For fast switching and to see all your open windows, you can also use Expose by pressing F9 on your keyboard. All of your windows are shown in a shrunken size on the screen at once ... whichever window you click will come to the foreground.

A neat bonus feature, if you press F10, it does the same thing but only to windows of the present application (all of your open Word documents if you're working in Word, for example).

b) On ubuntu there is also a button in the bottom left corner to hide all windows to show the desktop.

Click to expand...

The hiding works differently, but you can press F11 to hide all windows at once to see the desktop. Press F11 again to bring them back, or F9 as outlined above.

c) And on ubuntu you can have multiple desktops going at the same time, and switch from one to another.

Click to expand...

There are utilities you can download that will give you this capability in OS X 10.4, and it will also be standard in the upcoming 10.5 "Leopard" OS X.

More questions re. linux/mac

Hey Todd thanks. Now it is starting to seem more acceptable! Then one more thing you may be able to advise on - also in ubuntu there is a cool way to see all the applications - they are automatically organised in a tree-like structure. You click on the applications button on the top of the screen, and down comes a menu, eg audio, games, internet, accesories etc. Then clicking (or maybe just going over?) one of those reveals all the programs in that category, etc. So it is easy to find which programs you want, and click to start the app. Easy, compact and fast. Here on mac I only see a huge list of apps with no order. Is there that option as I have explained above?

Also all the software on ubuntu regularly checks for available updates, automatically. Does that happen on mac?

And on ubuntu there is no need for any virus protection software. Do we need it here on mac? Or, is it already included? (I just bought this macbook new).
Thank you very much!
Justin

Justin --

I'm not aware of anything that gives you a "tree view" of applications like that. Someone else might have a better suggestion.

Whether software checks for available updates is a function of the individual application, not the OS. Mac OS X checks for updates, as do most applications I've seen.

There is a very long and detailed discussion about anti-virus software in the Switchers section; it's a sticky topic at the top of the list. Suggest you read that to get a more in-depth answer. The easy answer is, "You don't need anti-virus software on your Mac." The more complicated answer is, "It's not a bad idea to have anti-virus software on your Mac." FWIW, I don't run any anti-virus software. BUT, I also back up all my important files weekly.

Hope this helps. Welcome to Mac!

Hi Justin,

For a tree view of applications, you can drag the Applications folder (or any other folder) onto the Dock - you can then right-click (or Cmd-Click) on the folder and its contents will appear, very like the Start Menu. It'll expand out as you go down through the levels.

Note - if your dock is at the bottom of the screen like mine, it has to go on the right hand side of the seperator bar to work.

Hi Justin, for that tree like structure, you want to get ClassicMenu from http://www.sigsoftware.com/classicmenu. It is shareware, not freeware, but worth every penny. I switched from Linux to Macs about 7 months ago. As a Linux based open source minded person at the time, I was unhappy about paying for ClassicMenu, but you do have to recognize, if you are switching back to commercially based software like Mac OS X, that the model is different. You are switching, and you need to acknowledge that fact.

As I mentioned above, I switched from Linux to Mac about 7 months ago. At the time I was using Arch Linux and SuSE Linux, and I know EXACTLY what you mean - I was lost with just the Dock and the Applications folder as my application launchers. I hunted around until I found ClassicMenu and have been VERY happy with it. Give it a whirl - it is dead easy to configure, and has lots of clever eye candy as well.

Okay so those F keys are kind of functional, hiding and revealing etc. But how about when you do control H, and the window dissappears. How do you make it reappear then? I don't see it on the dock, and F8 F9 F10 F11 don't bring it back.
Thanks!
Justin

If you make a window disappear with command-H, the entire application disappears. Just click on it in the dock - it will be there. If you grab Onyx there is an option to make hidden applications slightly transparent so you can visually differentiate them.

Another aside is that command-tab works like alt-tab in other OSs, but it switches between applications rather than windows. Once you have chosen teh application you want, press command-` (that's a backtick) to switch between windows within an app (a bit like alt-f6 in Windows MDI apps).

There was a single mention of multiple desktops, but that thread isn't exactly informative and to be honest, there's really no reason to pay for that software when there are free alternatives available.

I suggest you check out VirtueDesktops. It is an amazing piece of software. I'm sure it will blow away all concepts of multiple desktops you had in Ubuntu.

Like others have said, you have switched to Mac OS X. You need to forget about how Ubuntu and Windows did things and learn the Mac way of doing them rather than getting OS X to work like the other two operating systems. The sooner you learn this concept, the less frustrated you will be. Plus, you may just find that the Mac way of doing things is better than the Windows/Ubuntu way :black:

Kash said:

I'm sure it will blow away all concepts of multiple desktops you had in Ubuntu.

Click to expand...

You've obviously not seen the Compiz/Beryl implimentation of multiple desktops used in Linux. Developed by Novel originally but being actively worked on by other OSS developers. Their spinning cube multi-desktop and wobbly/transparent/sticky windows pretty much blow everything on the market away.

Demos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELwnG9f7lDM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o17CU50ihA&mode=related&search=

dan828 said:

You've obviously not seen the Compiz/Beryl implimentation of multiple desktops used in Linux. Developed by Novel originally but being actively worked on by other OSS developers. Their spinning cube multi-desktop and wobbly/transparent/sticky windows pretty much blow everything on the market away.

Demos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELwnG9f7lDM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o17CU50ihA&mode=related&search=

Click to expand...

YOU'VE obviously not seen Spaces, have you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y75BYIiHrZE

FWih multiple desktops, functionality is more important than that 3D cube. That's useless.
Exposé is there already, the Genie effect sucking windows effect is there already, too. Fast User Switching does the cube thingy.

Virtue Desktops has a spinning cube too, and has several other options as well on how to switch between desktops. Personally, I find having to drag the cube around would hinder performance rather than increase it as a simple keystroke would allow for.

Like Yogi said, Mac OS X can do everything else in those videos. And when Leopard is released with Spaces built in, it definitely WILL blow away anything Linux can offer.

and don't forget You Software's YouControl Desktops, which I use. See www.yousoftware.com. It also has the spinning cube effect and several other really nice ones for desktop changing... although I stay with the cube - I really like it. Frankly, I found the full Xgl/Compiz implementation a bit over the top. I know that I could (and did) control these things, but the wobbly menus in particular were really just strange, and kind of annoying.

As for rest, OS X already has the transparency thing down cold.

There is a point at which eye candy for its own sake becomes a hinderance to enjoyable use of your computer, not a help. I think the full blown Xgl/ Compiz implemenation, with all the effects turned on, has crossed that line!

Just my opinion.

yogi said:

YOU'VE obviously not seen Spaces, have you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y75BYIiHrZE

FWih multiple desktops, functionality is more important than that 3D cube. That's useless.
Exposé is there already, the Genie effect sucking windows effect is there already, too. Fast User Switching does the cube thingy.

Click to expand...

Yes I've seen the demos of that unreleased product. So what? It's not going to be available for six months. The discusion was not about that, however, it was about currently available products, of which VirtueDesktops was mentioned, which was said to "blow away" all implementations in Linux. That is obviously not the case.

Question: How to make the desktop look like ubuntu or windows?

Answer: Use Ubuntu Linux or Windows.

Yes, that is indeed a logical answer. However Microsoft seemingly being so very unethical, it seems immoral to use their products, perhaps excepting ilegal copies. And then ubuntu, yes, that is very good. But on my old laptop I had so many problems trying to make it work. It could be that it ws due to my laptop being 5 years old. Apparently desktops have a much smoother ride. And, ubuntu certainly is very ethical. A wonderful choice I think. But, just was so difficult for me to get eveything working (but I wouln't want to put anyone off).

I must say however, it was much easier to get going with than this OSX. Everything is simple and functional (and yet beautiful and efficient). It is obvious where things are and how they work. I think it seems more natural and intuitive than this OS, personally, so far. That's all really. So just wanted to make this one a bit smarter.

Thanks!
Justin

It just seems more intuitive because Linux has more in common with Windows than it does with Mac OS X. It's not hard to pick up on the Linux GUI because you've already been using something similar for years with Windows.

With the Mac, things seem difficult or not-intuitive because you haven't been using one for years. I'm sure when you first started using Windows you weren't a pro at it. It took you years to become proficient. The problem with your switch is that now you have something to compare Mac OS X to whereas you had nothing to fall back on when first starting out with Windows.

The Apple way of doing things isn't "dumber", just different. The sooner you realize that you have to learn how the Mac does things rather than forcing it to work like Ubuntu/Windows, the less frustrated you'll be

Yes, you may be right. And I am trying to do that. But what about these two things for example:
1) The applications "menu". There seems to really be no menu. Just a folder, full of applications. And the bar at the bottom, equally full. In ubuntu you get a drop down menu with all the applications arranged in subfolders. So if you want a media player, you go to the top left of the screen and the menu drops down and you go to "media" (or "audio" is it? Something likt that.) And there, neatly arranged, are all the programs under that category. And so on. So, they are very easy to find. Plus, and new program you use is automatically put into the appropriae category.
Can you say the mac way for this is just "different", or actually less easy/convenient. How do you guys all handle this? I just see a messy mass of apps! If there is a method you are using I am very willing to learn it! Otherwise I will maybe have to use classicmenu (and it seems even with that the programs are not automatically arranged into categories!!)

2) The size of the windows. In ubuntu/windows there is "expand", which makes the window fill the screen. As that doesn't happen here on mac, I often find that when I am using the mouse to scroll down a page, the mouse drifts of (as is natural) and often suddenly it therefore brings to the for another window/program! Because it has gone off the edge of the page, onto another one! So, how do you all handle that? I am inclined to see that as a fault/negative. But as you say, I may just be comparing it to what I am used to. So please explain how that is not "worse".

Eager to learn
Thank you!
Justin

Ok, I'll concede your first point. I have yet to find a way to organize applications short of manually creating folders and dragging each one manually. Though of course, once you're past the initial step of setting this up, it'll be easier from here on out since you just have to drag each new app into the appropriate folder. You would then be able to get a drop down menu when you drag the Application folder down to the dock. However, I know that the reason it works this way is because there's no actual installation procedure for Mac apps as all you have to do is drag a single "file" into a folder on your hard drive.

As for your second point, I agree that I found it a bit annoying at first not being able to completely maximize a window to fit the entire screen. However, after doing a lot of reading, it seems as though just maximizing to fit the window's contents happens to be an Apple design quirk. The company believes floating windows just look nicer. I guess you can't blame them, Expose and drop shadows work better with windows apps (I'm not agreeing with them, just stating why they do it)