Just not getting it...

[cvx5832]

Acceleration curve

cvx5832: Thanks... I'll have a look. But why do people keep telling me to install extra software to get around these issues? Honestly, can someone explain to me why this makes the OS X interface better, when none of this is required on Windows?

I did a lot of research on this, as for me the mousing experience totally changed my Mac experience.

Both Mac and Windows use a mouse acceleration curve. This means that the mouse pointer moves exponentially faster as you move the mouse more quickly. However that's where the only similarity lies - the Mac acceleration algorithm is more aggressive and manifests (to unsuspecting Windows users) as a VERY sluggish mouse, particularly when you slow down as you click buttons. Long time Mac users won't even notice this difference, although recent Windows immigrants, including me, will find this very annoying.

Face it, after all these years of PC use, your hand-eye coordination between your mouse and pointer is now embedded in your brain like firmware. I decided not to fight it, and with my mouse exactly like my work machine, all I had to get used to was where the application shortcuts were.

Download USB Overdrive. It's free to try. Play with the settings until you are comfortable. Before you know it you'll be loving your Mac.

PS - if you have your email activated on the forum I will send you an image to compare the two curves. I understood it better after a visual reference.

 

[ToddG]

His point wasn't that apple "invented" any of that stuff... I think it was the fact that Microsoft have not just made a similar implementation, they've done an almost identical implementation of most features.

+1

I don't remember him ever claiming that Apple invented chess, but I've only watched the video three times so perhaps I missed that part.

What he did show is that the changes from WinXP->Vista are, essentially, the same as WinXP->OSX. Vista appears to have found all of its inspiration from Mac.

 

[Ice Cream Man]

I'm confused, did you actually look at any Apple computers before you bought it?

And I've been using both MS OS's, Apple OS's, and UNIX-based since before I was even in kindergarten. And since before the Apple Macintosh even existed.

I really am failing to see the problem. And if I'm not mistaken windows REQUIRES allot of 3rd party software to work correctly or safely as well.

The mail client DOES have a way to leave the mail on the server. You've missed something, and since you're the great tech that you claim to b e, you should have found it already. I know because I use it, mine leaves my mail on the server as well.

Installation is a simple as dragging the application from its install folder to the Applications folder. How hard is that???? The Applications in Apple are entirely self contained. Meaning they don't infect your computer like Windows apps. It's not rocket science!

YOU are looking for all these OVER complications that windows makes available to you. Apple computers are made for ORDINARY people to use to do EXTRAORDINARY things. It does work, right out of the box. But you are doing things that are beyond average use; As is evident by your needs in "Terminal"

I mean, you come in here acting like you need help. Then demonize the system for not looking like windows (fonts, and window toggles, resolutions) And then without apparently putting much effort into it, accuse the system of not being able to change those things.

I hate to illustrate the difference but there are Techs who don't get computers, and there are those who really understand them. I can figure out an OS. And generally fooling around with it, will get my further faster than asking people, and offending them at the same time.

I'm sorry if you're having a bad experience with the computer, but you've really come at it from the totally wrong angle. I mean, if you bougt a new TV from a different manufacture, and had to learn a new remote. You would just learn it. And i doubt you would complain that it didn't look like your old one.

As for the screen, It's an anamorphic world now. And considering the stationary human eye has a wider range of vision than vertical. it's actually quite natural. You'll just have to get used to it. especially considering PC's are following in the same direction.

YOU chose to come to the forum. Apple has long been a community based system. Where people help each-other. And if you aren't willing to go the extra mile like I'm sure you DID with windows, and unix to learn them. Then it's not really the computers, or the communities fault. And yes, if you had NEVER used Windows before, you would probably need a forum, or community to help you.

You keep comparing the proverbial, 'apples to oranges'. You are starting on a learning curve. As us yourself stated you've been using Win, and Unix for years. Which means you have a disproportionate amount of time having learned and become comfortable with the OS. And I'm sure you have asked lots of questions of other people, and been to school for Windows, and or UNIX. so don't act like it was easier to learn. You just aren't giving it a fair comparison in any light.

 

[Slokunshialgo]

2. I'm used to using alt-tab in windows to switch between app. OS X has the Apple-tab key but it only switches between apps, and it doesn't let you switch to the windows within apps. How can I do this? If I have 5 web pages open in Safari, and several other apps with windows open, how can I quickly switch to any of them?

Unless you re-installed the OS, Expose is already installed. it's one of the programs that comes with any new Mac. The F9 key will bring every window open to small size, and let you select the one you want, and F10 will do the same thing, but only show the windows for the current app in focus.

3. The terminal application doesn't have the Lucida Console font available. Is this just a matter of downloading it from somewhere?

I haven't tried it yet, but if you can get the font off of Windows (Usually in CWindows\Fonts), and get it to your mac, you should be able to install it. (I would say how, but I honestly have no clue).

7. The default VPN client has no option to not use the default gateway on a remote network. For security purposes, our VPN doesn't let traffic out into the general internet.This means that when you are connected via a VPN, you can only access the VPN network and not the general internet. You have to continuously connect and disconnect to the VPN to get internet access. That's REALLY irritating.

If you've been a Unix admin, you may be able to find some configuration files that are normally hidden in the filesystem, and change them to work as needed. I've never had to do this on any box I've been on (Linux or Mac), so I'm not sure it it can be done.

8. The window close, minimise and maximise buttons are SOOO small that it takes me several seconds to focus on them. I can see myself getting RSI from this.

All you need to do is remember which one is where: Close, Minimize, Make larger/smaller.

9. Because of the way that the apps work, it makes it really hard to know which ones are in focus. You have to continuously look up the top menu bar to work it out.

Unless all the windows for it are closed, the app in focus (Or, more accurately, the window) will have a drop shadow behind it.

10. When I downloaded Yahoo IM today, the install was completely confusing. It said to drag the icon to the Applications folder and then click it to continue. Did it mean I should do that via the file windows? Because you could also drag the Yahoo smiley face within the same window to what appeared to be the Applications window. I still don't know how I got it installed. I've been involved with computers for 24 years, since I was 10 years old. I'm a systems engineer and a unix admin, so this stuff should not be that hard.

Assuming it is a .dmg (Disk image) file, all you need to do is double-click it, and it will mount it on the desktop. Open this, and it will be one of 2 things: 1) A regular finder window, with the icons displayed; or 2) A fancy finder window, where the sidebar is non-existent.

If 1, then simply drag the icon you need to install over to the left-sidebar, where it says "Applications." When a blue box appears, simply ley go. If 2, then open another finder window (Whether it be one already open, or you just double-click on the HDD icon on your desktop, or whatever), and proceed as above.

11. Just generally speaking, most of the applications seem to completely disregard screen real-estate, ie they take up a LOT. I'm amazed at how much of the screen Yahoo IM consumes when it's up.

Yes, simply resize the window. The "resizer" is at the bottom-right of most (If not all) windows. Plus, after you get used to Expose, the screen-taeup amount will seem pretty unimportant, as it resizes all windows so you can selet the one you want. Oh, and for iTunes, you can simply hit the + button to make a mini-version, and use this for most of the controls (Pause, play, next, back, and see the song's info).

I've only had the notebook since this morning and already have all these issues. I'd really like to get over them. I don't want to have thrown $2,000 down the toilet.

Doug.

If the worst comes to the worst, you can return it, less a 10% restocking fee, if it is within the limit, which I have never looked into.

Oh, and for the record, about 4 or 5 for me (I was too young to remember when), so Neener! And, unlike a lot of kids today, I started with Command Line for everything! (Whoo Commodore 64!)

 

[[email protected]]

Good grief. You guys just aren't getting it.

I just went to news.yahoo.com and clicked on some of the video. Doesn't work! I had a similar problem last night with another web site and someone on this forum said it was because the video was a windows app. Funny, because I've never had a problem on a windows system opening a video because it used a Mac app.

Why should I switch to using Adium for chat? Apple is silly if they think I am going to stop visiting news.yahoo.com or ask all my yahoo contacts to switch (and buy a mac?) because of OS X limitations.

Ice cream man... No windows does NOT require a lot of third party applications to do basic things.

As for USB overdrive... I installed it and removed it again because of the annoying 'please register' message that popped up on boot.

If apple computers are made for ordinary people, how does an ordinary person know that they have to press the function key with the page down key to get it to page down???

I am not demonizing the system. I use a terminal a lot (it's that whole unix thing), and the fonts in the terminal application SUCK. No ifs or buts about it. I don't want to be looking at those crappy fonts all day. Why isn't there even a vt100 font?

cvx5832: Thanks for the information about the mouse algorithm. I did not know that. If I can't adjust quickly (and adjust back to Windows when I use it), my hand is going to be sore all the time, and this mac is going bye-bye.

Well that's about all my hand can deal with right now. It's hurting again.

 

[MacHeadCase]

I have a feeling a Mac just isn't for you.

As for websites that don't work for your MacBook Pro, either you don't have the proper software installed or you can blame the website builders who think that there are only Windows machines out there and that the rest of the computer OSes are insignificant and not worth their time. No use getting your panties in a knot at members over here. It started out we tried to help you, remember?

So sell your MacBook Pro on eBay and get yourself a nice Windows laptop, you won't get any stomach ulcers that way. ;^)

 

[[email protected]]

Why is it the website developers that are at fault? It's just software. Apple needs to incorporate an application that reads the video codec into the OS.

And my wrist is still hurting. To go to the bottom of this web page so that I can enter text, I can't press page-down because that involves pressing two keys, so I try and use the mouse. It takes several seconds just to get the mouse in the right position over the scroll bar. Arrgh!

Oh... and I see there's no HOME and END key, and therefore no easy way to quickly go to the start and end of a web page.

Can someone also explain to me how it's worse on windows where you can quickly see all of your open apps at the bottom of the screen, name and all and alt-tab between them. What's the OS X equivalent? I press F9 for expose and this funny little window pops up and fades away. What's that supposed to mean?

I think Macs are good as a dumbd down OS for people who've never touched a computer in their life. Windows is better for power users who need to get things done quickly.

 

[MacHeadCase]

Yep, exactly what I said. Get rid of your MacBook Pro, sell it to someone who is willing to learn how to use it and please go back to the Windows world.

Or it could be you're just here to troll the forum. *Shrug*

 

[[email protected]]

It's not a matter of just learning something different. As I have said numerous times in tihis thread, the biggest, and non negotiable issue is the fact that the use of the mouse gives me a sore wrist. I just called Apple tech support, who are obviously clueless because they'd never heard of this YET someone was able to make a post to this thread regarding the different algorithms in use.

Second issue would be the crappy fonts in terminal. No one has explained how harder to read fonts are just DIFFERENT to windows yet.

 

[Ice Cream Man]

Good grief. You guys just aren't getting it.

I just went to news.yahoo.com and clicked on some of the video. Doesn't work! I had a similar problem last night with another web site and someone on this forum said it was because the video was a windows app. Funny, because I've never had a problem on a windows system opening a video because it used a Mac app.

Why the **** should I switch to using Adium for chat? Apple can kiss my *** if they think I am going to stop visiting news.yahoo.com or ask all my yahoo contacts to switch (and buy a mac?) because of OS X limitations.

Ice cream man... No windows does NOT require a lot of third party applications to do basic things.

As for USB overdrive... I installed it and removed it again because of the annoying 'please register' message that popped up on boot.

If apple computers are made for ordinary people, how does an ordinary person know that they have to press the function key with the page down key to get it to page down???

I am not demonizing the system. I use a terminal a lot (it's that whole unix thing), and the fonts in the terminal application SUCK. No ifs or buts about it. I don't want to be looking at those crappy fonts all day. Why isn't there even a vt100 font?

cvx5832: Thanks for the information about the mouse algorithm. I did not know that. If I can't adjust quickly (and adjust back to Windows when I use it), my hand is going to be sore all the time, and this mac is going bye-bye.

Well that's about all my hand can deal with right now. It's hurting again.

I just went to Yahoo and played video from there on my MacBook Pro, in Safari. As for Yahoo messenger, that isn't Apple's fault anyway. Anything you like about Yahoo messenger in Win, that you don't see in OSX is entirely Yahoo's fault.

Allot of ordinary people don't know how to use 'Page' buttons. They use the scroll bar, scroll wheel, or in the case of track pads they use what ever works with those. That's part of the point of GUI OSs.

I've been using mice, track pads, and track balls for years. and there was a short period while i was in High School when it bothered be, but when I started using them correctly, and stretching regularly it wasn't a problem, and hasn't been a problem for years. And maybe if it's such a big deal for you, you should get an ergonomic mouse. Your physical ailments don't necessarily indicate a problem on the OSs part.

And yes, to use ALL of the internet alone, you have to install a myriad of 3rd party things like Flash, Realplayer, Adobe Reader, etc. to get full functionality out of the sites you may visit. And every single thing you plug in needs a driver, and or a wizardized installer. And what exactly are you going to do with a OS(Windows) that only has a media player, web browser, and minesweeper.

As far as I can see, your bad experience is your own choice, and has nothing to do with the computer, or this forum.

And there are lots of sites that use QuickTime(Apple software) for their movies, and things. And you have to load QT to view them. Just because you've never experienced it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. You seam to have a rather limited timeframe of experience with any of these systems. Especially compared to what you claim to have, or be professionally.

 

[Ice Cream Man]

And finally, you can use ANY font in Terminal. And if you have the one you want, you can use it. So get the font you want and use it. And stop whining. Still just another, doesn't look like Windows complaint. I have a whole bunch of lucida fonts that I can view the console in. In other words you're saying OSX doesn't have Windows fonts. Well that's to be expected, OSX isn't Windows.

And there are lots of Codecs that Windows doesn't have natively either. Windows is not for getting things done quickly, unless all you want to do is tweak and fix, and play solitare. And it's not a dumbed down as you think if you actually took time to learn it, instead of whining about your wrist all the time. Maybe you would find all the things you are looking for. As far as I can tell you just have a weak wrist.

I agree, he's a troll, nobody would buy a Mac without thinking at all about having to learn some new things. This guy is ridiculous. I'm doubting he's even what he says he is.

 

[baggss]

Why is it the website developers that are at fault? It's just software. Apple needs to incorporate an application that reads the video codec into the OS.

<Much rambling ignorance cut>

I think Macs are good as a dumbd down OS for people who've never touched a computer in their life. Windows is better for power users who need to get things done quickly.

Thanks for showing your true colors in that last bit there, it's what I suspected about you all along. I think if you gave OSX an honest chance, you might like it. It's blatantly obvious that you are not going to do that. As I said in my first 2 posts, stop thinking of OSX as Windows and open your mind a bit. At this point you have become a Troll, in my opinion, and nothing anyone here says or does is going to make you happy with your purchase.

There are SOME Codecs that don't support the Mac or have not been licensed for anything BUT Windows. Stop acting like you are the one who has been wronged here. I can understand your frustration, but perhaps if you had done some research, maybe you would have been bright enough to figure this stuff out before you wasted your $2000.

You came here on the offensive and were ready to hate it and you do. I recommend you either load up Windows on it or sell the machine and buy yourself a nice Dell or Sony and be happy.

 

[dtravis7]

I would suggest taking the Mac back and getting your $$$ back and going back to a XP machine. Sorry, but that seems to be the only way you will be totally happy using a computer.

One real quick point, Yahoo Messenger does not come out of the box in Windows. You have to download it and install it. It's Yahoo's fault they have not added all the features to THEIR OSX client as yet. Apple NOR Microsoft have nothing at all to do with the development and programming of Yahoo.

 

[fleurya]

I don't remember him ever claiming that Apple invented chess, but I've only watched the video three times so perhaps I missed that part.

What he did show is that the changes from WinXP->Vista are, essentially, the same as WinXP->OSX. Vista appears to have found all of its inspiration from Mac.

In the beginning, doesn't he say he wants to put to rest all the talk about Vista copying OSx, then goes on to use, what I call, the "Stephen Colbert" technique to say it does? (Stehpen Colbert, of "The Colbert Report", acts like he's a hard core republican, but his points and facts to say republicans are right and good actually prove otherwise)

What he's saying is Vista is copying Apple, but how can Vista copy something from Apple, if it wasn't Apple's to begin with? The argument just doesn't work, and if you re-read my last comment, you'll understand why. You can't complain about Vista having widgets any more than you cna complain about Nissan cars for having CD players, or Apple for having Keynote.

That's it. Sorry to hijack from OP, who needs to just stop complaining or ditch his Apple products.

 

[baggss]

In the beginning, doesn't he say he wants to put to rest all the talk about Vista copying OSx, then goes on to use, what I call, the "Stephen Colbert" technique to say it does? (Stehpen Colbert, of "The Colbert Report", acts like he's a hard core republican, but his points and facts to say republicans are right and good actually prove otherwise)

What he's saying is Vista is copying Apple, but how can Vista copy something from Apple, if it wasn't Apple's to begin with? The argument just doesn't work, and if you re-read my last comment, you'll understand why. You can't complain about Vista having widgets any more than you cna complain about Nissan cars for having CD players, or Apple for having Keynote.

That's it. Sorry to hijack from OP, who needs to just stop complaining or ditch his Apple products.

Keep in mind that Dave is huge Apple fan. I took it as a bit of satire and not to be taken seriously.

Agreed about the OP as well.

 

[Ice Cream Man]

I don't even think he has an Apple, I think he went to the Apple store, and then went home to talk trash. He uses all the same stuff we accuse windows of being. And I don't even think he is does what he says,

a systems engineer and a unix admin

 

[DVaris223]

It's all personal preference. Windows doesn't have jack on Mac. But sometimes even on my Mac, I wish it behaved like a Windows comp..but I know it won't and I accept it!

 

[KoDorSean]

its obvious to me your mind is very closed. go return your computer, get your money back, and have a nice life.

 

[baggss]

At this point we need a mod or Admin to close this thread and/or Ban the Trolling OP. Everyone hit the hit the little "!" on the OPs first post and report it to the staff.

 

[MacHeadCase]

Okay dokay! Here I go! :girl: