Just joined the MAC club after years doing windows

[chscag]

Welcome to the Mac Forums p_rod! And, why is it that wives always seem to be smarter than we are? ;P

 

[cwa107]

Thank-you

In some respects you are correct. It will take time to learn where the options are...the type of lingo...such as the example on saving files in this post illustrate. I'm sure that eventually, just like most of you...I will be comfortably sailing along on my IMac in a few months.

I do wish to highlight that my beef was not that the IMac was a poor machine, or that Snow leopard is a poorly written O/S but rather that some of the ways things are done is not simple nor logical from an outsiders viewpoint.

Also I did not change computers and O/S systems because "I wanted something different". Actually the contrary would be closer to the truth...I wish I could achieve the MAC stability and yet use the Windows O/S that I am familiar with.

I got tired of all the windows updates...the viruses...etc....

So..yes I do like the IMac for many reasons and I will learn all the lingo, methods and tricks over time.

Thanks for offering your help. :Blushing:

It certainly is interesting to get perspective from an "outsider's" point of view. One of the things I've noticed is that the people who get the most frustrated are the ones who have used Windows and only Windows. There is definitely a style and general theme to Windows and its applications.

Having cut my teeth on a Commodore 64, Apple IIs, TRS-80s and later Macs and Amigas, I really didn't interact much with Windows until I was in college. At that time, it really felt like a backwards and upside down Mac. Nothing seemed intuitive.

But later, when I switched to Mac, I had a lot of moments just like you where things seemed more complicated for something that was supposed to be "easier".

So, I guess that's where I formulated my opinion of the fact that old habits die hard and it takes some time to fully wrap your brain around the aesthetics of each new operating system. I can imagine it would be particularly frustrating if all you've ever know is the Windows UI, which has remained relatively static since Windows '95, just evolved over time.

In many ways, the Mac OS has followed the same theme, with concepts that have evolved since the original release, even though the underpinnings are incredibly different. So, those that have only ever known the Mac tend to be defensive when people criticize it.

Anyway, I think it all boils down to approaching it with an open mind. And one of the things that has helped me (and a lot of others too) is this book:

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

I know a lot of people loathe computer books, but this one is a very easy read and touches on the OS as well as the iLife suite. Very handy and worth a look IMO...

 

[DarkestRitual]

Hi everybody,

Yep...after years of Billy Gates...Windows...and the hassles..I've bought an Imac. Then I went big or go home and bought an Ipad.

Mostly things are great BUT... a few beefs.

Safari sucks.....even though I am trying to stay true to the basic Snow Leopard and the associated apps...some times Steve Jobs needs to get his people to think logically. I pop open a window and I want to save the image...but I am forced to use the basic folders...ones recently used. How come I cannot drop down an option and move to the folder of my choice? Dumb....dumb...dumb....

How come I cannot do safe "Private Browsing" as a default? ....dumb.....dumb...dumb

How come when I want to burn a music CD from ITunes I cannot simply open up Itunes...click/select the songs I want to write to the CD and burn my favourite tunes.

Nope....got to figure out how to make a playlist...more useless steps....almost as bad as Bill Gates....stuff.

Come on ...make it simple....work on the KISS principle. I do not need 10 different ways to do things..nor many fancy bells and whistles. I have a life outside of computers.

Make it easy and LOGICAL like Star Trek. I just want to get it done...I do not need to be impressed with all the extra ********.

Write the code to be fast ...efficient.... and very simple.

I will buy your product and stay loyal...but give up the window dressing and all the crazy add-ons and multiple steps...

GreyWolf

1. Safari - while it is not my preferred browser, your reasoning for why it sucks is unfounded. Click on the downward pointing arrow to expand, voila - navigate your entire file system. That would have happened in any browser until you hit that arrow.

2. You can. Go into preferences, and change your settings. Or, use Google Chrome, in which case you can open incognito browsing and have it turn off all of your extensions.

3. If you want to use a music media program to burn discs, then you deserve the extra step. Otherwise, get Toast, or learn to use Disc Utility to burn. Sorry if that sounds a bit harsh, but come on. It's so you can edit the disc's play order before burning. Anyway, yes. There are alternatives.

 

[jazzer]

This IS very interesting. I too have only known Windows and just switched to the Mac worldfor home (although I must continue to use a PC for work and am also writing this post on a netbook loaded with Windows 7). I haven't had much time with the iMac I received last week but it certainly feels a little awkward to use it for now (I just received the computer several days ago). Over the weekend I went to a workshop held at the Apple store and got a little bit familiar with the Finder and Safari. Yes, it was different than what I am used to and I think it will take some time before I am comfortable, but my initial reaction was "hey, I think I could really learn to like this." Time will tell, but I think my initial reaction is probably correct.

I am going to try to spend as much time as possible using the Mac for a while and not allow myself to use my PC just because it would feel comfortable. My hope is that I will get into the Mac mindset (sort of like language immersion )and pick it up more quickly.

Greywolf, enjoy your new computer!

As far as the David Pogue book on OSX that was recommended, do you think that is a better choice than his booking on "Switching to a Mac"? It does seem to cover more topics than the "switching" book (at least it's a bigger book).

 

[cwa107]

As far as the David Pogue book on OSX that was recommended, do you think that is a better choice than his booking on "Switching to a Mac"? It does seem to cover more topics than the "switching" book (at least it's a bigger book).

I have not looked at the Switching to a Mac book, but can heartily recommend The Missing Manual, which I believe anyone can benefit from - even seasoned Mac owners.

Additionally, the original posts reminded me of something - the Mac can do a really neat trick with pictures and text.

If you have an image in your browser, click and hold the mouse button. Then, drag it and drop it on the desktop and voila, the image will save in a file right where you dropped it.

This also works for text. You can select a block of text, then drag and drop it onto your desktop, where it will turn into a text file.

 

[jazzer]

I have not looked at the Switching to a Mac book, but can heartily recommend The Missing Manual, which I believe anyone can benefit from - even seasoned Mac owners.

Thanks. I purchased "Switching to a Mac - the Missing Manual", which I also think is a very good book, but I think I may return it in favor of your suggestion. There is a good bit in the "switching" book about transferring files and also pointing out specific differences between the Mac and PC way of doing things, both of which are valuable, but I think the Mac OSX book may be a better long term reference. I looked at the table of contents online and there seems to be some overlap between the two books, but I think the operating system book may go deeper and cover more ground.

Pretty cool trick, by the way.