Just a few simple questions

I've been a Windows user for almost all 19 years of life. Except the occasional library trip where I would play on Macintosh computers .
Anyways, I am switching back over to a Macbook pro, and it will be here tomorrow. I am a little scared as I am a whiz on Windows and i'm going to feel like a dunce on Apples OS. So here are a few simple questions I have.

Am I not going to be able to download things from most websites? Like Yahoo! or Cnet, Limewire?

Also can you double tap on the trackpad to highlight or use it as a form of entering? I was at Best buy and I tried to do it, but it didn't work.

Is using Photoshop any different on a Mac than a PC?

I did try a search, I didn't really get too many of my questions answered, so I hope I get these answers .
I'm really excited, as I do a lot of computer graphic/photography (i'll be going to school for photography in the winter) So I just needed a computer to do it all for me, that and the fact that I hate Vista and the laptop I currently have.

A mac can download anything, you will find solutions to open any file here but will need to be more specific

Trackpad - someone else may answer that

Apart from keyboard shortcuts and the wat OS X handles its windows there is no difference, and Adobe will let you cross grade your PC license over to mac

OS X will take a bit of getting used to, you will either be excited and love it or frustrated that it isn't exactly like windows

i'll take the trackpad then louishen...

you can set it up to two-finger tap for "right click" you can also set it for two-finger universl scroll (whcih rocks).

louishen said:

A mac can download anything, you will find solutions to open any file here but will need to be more specific

Trackpad - someone else may answer that

Apart from keyboard shortcuts and the wat OS X handles its windows there is no difference, and Adobe will let you cross grade your PC license over to mac

OS X will take a bit of getting used to, you will either be excited and love it or frustrated that it isn't exactly like windows

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Well, as much as Windows is easy for me it is only b.c I've had time to get used to it. I have used Macs before, I love how they look how they run and what they can do. I am already in love with it.

As for the downloading, I thought there was such programs that wer only made to work with Windows, I just figured there was a link for Macs and a link for Windows when it comes to downloading.

eric said:

i'll take the trackpad then louishen...

you can set it up to two-finger tap for "right click" you can also set it for two-finger universl scroll (whcih rocks).

Click to expand...

Sooo the two finger tap for right click gives yu such things like copy and paste, right? and Two finger scroll I have no idea what that is but it sounds very exciting!

yep, two finger tap does the same sort of context sensitive menu that right clicking in windows does. though copy/paste is a little different than in windows, generally that works the same. but making a new folder, getting info (properties), all of that is very similar.

as for the downloading, links are links, they take you to the same data - for instance a larger version of an image. the image will be stored in a given format and both types of computer have various options to view them (ie and safari / windows picture and fax viewer and preview/iphoto / etc).

where you may run into trouble is with some sites that display streaming video, windows typically doesn't have a problem once you find all the necessary plug-ins. users with osx sometimes have more issues streaming from particular websites.

eric said:

yep, two finger tap does the same sort of context sensitive menu that right clicking in windows does. though copy/paste is a little different than in windows, generally that works the same. but making a new folder, getting info (properties), all of that is very similar.

as for the downloading, links are links, they take you to the same data - for instance a larger version of an image. the image will be stored in a given format and both types of computer have various options to view them (ie and safari / windows picture and fax viewer and preview/iphoto / etc).

where you may run into trouble is with some sites that display streaming video, windows typically doesn't have a problem once you find all the necessary plug-ins. users with osx sometimes have more issues streaming from particular websites.

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So if a video uses Windows Media Player, I should install flip4mac as one of the first things, eh? Okay, just I would see websites sometimes that would say not MAC OSX capable, or beta downloads are only for Windows and blah blah.

yeah flip4mac is essential. even so, some people just seem to have issues on some specific sites (with streaming video or audio), though the problems are not necessarily always with wmv files.

eric said:

yeah flip4mac is essential. even so, some people just seem to have issues on some specific sites (with streaming video or audio), though the problems are not necessarily always with wmv files.

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Goodness well thank you so much, I feel like I am asking so many questions and i'm bound to get yelled at

nah, you're good.

I think you will find most of your do-daddies at http://www.opensourcemac.org

As for right click, try "Apple/Command" + click.

All key commands are virtually the same for Photoshop on the mac.

Is Adium a good messenger?

Adium works as advertised.

Enjoy!

Hi Carmen,

You shouldn’t be afraid to post on forums, they are here so we can help each other. Hopefully you will find that this is a friendly place where you can get the answers you need.

To answer your questions (and give my opinion) I’ll post some generic info, then some specifics (trying not to repeat the other responses):

Pretty much every question you raised (a lots more you haven’t thought of yet) is answered really well in a book called Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual by David Pogue. It’s the first thing I recommend to people who are moving from PC to Mac. He covers loads of stuff, from starting out when you first switch to Mac to getting your data across from Windows to Mac. There’s even a section that acts as a “Dictionary” where PC terms are listed next to the Mac equivalent.

I agree that flip4mac is an essential plugin for Macs. You could also look for Perian (a free plugin), which covers the many other forms of online video that you might encounter.

Anything that requires a program to download (like Limewire and BitTorrent ) or work at all (Yahoo messenger, MSN Messenger) should have Mac versions of the software available. Whilst you will need a Mac version of any software you had on your PC if you want to use it on your Mac, there are very few popular programs now that don’t have Mac versions, or good equivalents (this is a topic covered in the book I mentioned).

I’m sure everyone here will agree that you’ll find it easy to get going with your new Mac, and you’ll like it a lot more than your old PC!

Mac can download ALMOST anything. Some file types like .exe aren't supported. But you can always buy software like Crossover that will convert Windows software to Mac. The trackpad didn't work because by default the tapping to click is disabled. It can easily be enabled from System Preferences.

Is there a chat client that works with MSN/yahoo/aol... basically an all inclusive chat client or am I stuck with running two or three clients?

jspots said:

Is there a chat client that works with MSN/yahoo/aol... basically an all inclusive chat client or am I stuck with running two or three clients?

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I am not sure, but I guess Adium lets you run more than one IM at once, not sure if I recall right though.

KeithTeeple said:

Mac can download ALMOST anything. Some file types like .exe aren't supported. But you can always buy software like Crossover that will convert Windows software to Mac. The trackpad didn't work because by default the tapping to click is disabled. It can easily be enabled from System Preferences.

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Crossover? I've been looking for a method to run Windows based games, programs, and such on Macintosh OS X. I always thought that it would be impossible, but now you just rose my hopes a little. So tell me, an online game like this for instance This one or This one here only runs on Windows of course, is it possible to use Crossover and run them on a Macintosh OS X? Please tell me how Crossover works and stuff, thank you very much. I'll be waiting for your reply!