Losing My Mac Virginity Tomorrow

So my MacBook Pro is 'supposed' to be delivered tomorrow... so for the first time in my life I will be experiencing MacOS X

So the question is... where do I start?? What features should I check out first?

I'd start today by reading through Mac 101 on apple.com. Enjoy...

check this http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/300.html

When you read through the 300 new features you will realize how much it was able to do even before leopard.

I just got my mac and every single day i find something new and nice.

Just play around and get comfortable with it....you will catch up quick. Just remember, command is like control on a pc, something to get used to. Enjoy it!!

getuptogetdown said:

Just play around and get comfortable with it....you will catch up quick. Just remember, command is like control on a pc, something to get used to. Enjoy it!!

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Right. Sometimes I do a Control+C and try to do a Command+V and wonder for the next 5 secs what went wrong. I need more than 3 weeks to get used to it i guess.

mojonandha said:

Right. Sometimes I do a Control+C and try to do a Command+V and wonder for the next 5 secs what went wrong. I need more than 3 weeks to get used to it i guess.

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Oh no! That sounds like trouble...

I recently switched to a MacBook after using Windows for years.

I got curious what everyone was raving about so installed it on my Dell m1330 to try it out. I used it for two days and then I knew I loved it. Two days after that I went out and bought a Black MacBook and I've been in love with it ever since.

This past weekend I went out and bought an Airport Extreme and two Airport Express's and I'm completely blown away by them as well. One Express I'm using connected to my Stereo so I can play iTunes through my stereo, and the second one is used as a wireless bridge in a bedroom to connect a set-top box back to my HTPC. I bought an external USB drive to connect to the AEBS to use with Time Machine as well.

I can't stop raving about my Mac to others now. My only regret is that I didn't jump the Windows ship sooner.

I still have Windows installed via BootCamp and Paralells as I need Microsoft Money which doesn't have a Mac version unfortunately.

You will get used to so much of it on your own. Mac is VERY user friendly. Look up and learn some of the key commands...makes things go a little smoother. Also...by click the red x on a program, it doesn't exit it even though it closes the window! You want to go to quit or use command+Q.

Also...try setting up "Hot corners" to do some things for you...it works great.

You're right, it is really user friendly and fairly intuitive too. I picked it up really easy and now find myself always going to the wrong corner to close programs when I boot into Windows!

I'm at almost a month... about 3 weeks. Got it April 22. And I can tell you I will never go back to Windows until I see purple elephants flying in the sky with monkeys swinging from their trunks. I mean, see them without drugs. ANYWAY,  = <3

Hotkeys feel much more natural... as does the whole OS. I know you will enjoy it and never regret it!

I made the jump to a Powerbook G4 about 3 years ago after my Custom Built XP Pro machine go a nasty virus, I reformated my HD and a Week later I went to shut it down and got the following message, "PTAWIA Failing to Respond".. That did it... NO MORE Windows in my home or anything from MS... I just bought the new Imac 24 inch!!!! It's Apple Mac or nothing in our home...

Quicksilver.....

I've seen other people recommend Quicksilver......so sell me on it. Why should I be using Quicksilver instead of Spotlight?

Here's a tip that helped me when I first got my MBP. If you plan on installing Windows, don't do it for at least 2 weeks to month so you can really get into using OS X without the urge to run back to Windows when you don't know how to do something. When I got my MBP, I figured I would use both OSs equally, but after forcing myself get to know OS X I found I had no need to go to Windows unless it was for a program I could not use or find an alternate for in OS X.

Congrats! Which model did you order?

fleurya said:

I found I had no need to go to Windows unless it was for a program I could not use or find an alternate for in OS X.

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This is the only reason I have Windows on my MB. If I could find a Mac version of Microsoft Money, I would have no reason to use Windows.

fleurya said:

Here's a tip that helped me when I first got my MBP. If you plan on installing Windows, don't do it for at least 2 weeks to month so you can really get into using OS X without the urge to run back to Windows when you don't know how to do something. When I got my MBP, I figured I would use both OSs equally, but after forcing myself get to know OS X I found I had no need to go to Windows unless it was for a program I could not use or find an alternate for in OS X.

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Yeah that is what I am planning... I am going to try and not touch Windows (except while I migrate files off my current desktop pc ) and learn all about how Mac OS X works... very exciting!

Skyrider007 said:

Congrats! Which model did you order?

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I ordered the 2.4ghz MacBook Pro, but I made the ram 4gb and the hdd 250gb!




**** the shipping company though... Apple website says it is delivering 15th and I just rang TNT and they say 16th I am hoping the TNT call person was wrong!

Khris said:

This is the only reason I have Windows on my MB. If I could find a Mac version of Microsoft Money, I would have no reason to use Windows.

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It isn't perfect but despite some bad reviews, Quicken Mac 2007 isn't that bad. They are supposedly releasing a more Mac-like version later this year. There is also iBank. I surely wouldn't run Windows only for a financial application. There are some decent Mac applications available.

JohnTheMacGeek said:

It isn't perfect but despite some bad reviews, Quicken Mac 2007 isn't that bad. They are supposedly releasing a more Mac-like version later this year. There is also iBank. I surely wouldn't run Windows only for a financial application. There are some decent Mac applications available.

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Is that like MYOB?? I haven't even thought about doing my accounts on my laptop... too busy considering all the other 100's of things I will be using it for!

I just wish it was still coming today - last night was like Christmas Eve as a child


UPDATE: Just rang TNT again... how a 1/2 hr wait makes a difference - it gets delivered at 1pm my time... so in 3hrs it will be at my house... so in 9hrs time I will officially be a switcher!

Khris said:

I've seen other people recommend Quicksilver......so sell me on it. Why should I be using Quicksilver instead of Spotlight?

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Ok, I made this video of me using some of the basic features of Quicksilver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oQ_uKuuii8

I started to play a song. Opened safari to specifically Mac-Forums (thats not my home page) opened my buddy lists. Checked my mail, and started a new email to my friend greg. Finder, downloads, applications, played/paused music. And thats just what I did in the 25 sec video. You can also select playlists from iTunes. Songs. Other web pages. Open files with specific programs. And the list just goes on and on. And its all without a mouse, and within a second, at most two. Its very fast, and the more you use it, the more brilliant you think it is. I just like it is all. So do alot of people