How do I write a letter or a note on a macbook pro?

Is there something I can't find on my computer or something I need to download or buy separate?

You could use TextEdit. It's a text editor similar to Wordpad on Windows. You could buy Pages from the Mac App Store for $20. There are lots of word processing type apps in the Mac App Store. Plenty more are available from the internet.

And Text Edit lives in the Application Folder.

Also there are a number of freeware office suites such as Libre Office. Just do a Google.

http://www.libreoffice.org/download/

harryb2448 said:

And Text Edit lives in the Application Folder.

Also there are a number of freeware office suites such as Libre Office. Just do a Google.

LibreOffice Productivity Suite Download » LibreOffice

Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about LibreOffice. That's a very good word processor, I used to use it when I used Linux.

I actually found it. The problem was I couldn't find the applications folder. Shouldn't it be down in my list of things by Safari? How do I get it back down there? And thank you so much for the help btw.

Not every app you have will automatically be in the dock. You have to manually move them there from teh applications folder. You open Finder, click Applications in the side bar and that lists all of your applications.

Oh....I thought the applications folder would be down there too. But that is also the problem. When I open the finder I have to type in applications in the window for it to come up. It's not in the side bar list. How do I get there or back there if it used to be there? You are very kind for helping me. Thank you.

Your Finder doesn't look like this? Does it have any sidebar items or just no Applications folder listed?

Hey thank you for that LibreOffice. Perfect.

No....not even close. I don't know how to show you what mine looks like. How did you do that?

Command shift 4 to click and drag a box around the object you want to show or command shift 3 for a full screen screenshot.

It does have a side bar but applications isn't there or many of the other things your has.

I tried to send you a pic of what mine looked like but it said the file was to big and I would have to downsize it myself. I don't know why macs have to be so difficult. Don't miss windows but I do miss not being able to do simple things. Dumb. You're very good. That shift 3 pic thing was nice. How did you learn all this?

trailrider said:

I tried to send you a pic of what mine looked like but it said the file was to big and I would have to downsize it myself. I don't know why macs have to be so difficult. Don't miss windows but I do miss not being able to do simple things. Dumb. You're very good. That shift 3 pic thing was nice. How did you learn all this?

Click to expand...

It's not the mac that is being difficult - it's the forum itself that requires a certain file size. Try using command shift 4 and then click and drag around the Finder.. That way you dont have to worry about downsizing the image. It should be an okay size. That's how I do my screenshots of certain windows.

I learned all this from this forum. I am still a new user of my first Mac. I just got it maybe 6 weeks ago or less.

You miss understood my statement. No..the computer is not being difficult. Figuring out what you are trying to do is difficult. Windows was more common sense and basically just doing. On a mac you have to read and research and ask other people.

I don't think it works that way (for me). I hated Windows and how convoluted it was trying to use it even though I've been using Windows since 3.1. The only thing I had trouble getting used to was using the command key for things like copy/paste or print. Other than that it's pretty much been smooth sailing. But then again, I pick up on technology really quickly. I have no problem installing and using Linux, though I probably won't use it again for a very long time unless I put it on my old laptop (which as Windows on it).

When you are starting to use a different operating system from what you've used before there are always going to be many questions that you have. It's normal. That's why there are so many forums online to help others with specific technology worlds. I used to use Linux forums all the time back in the day when I first started using Linux (2002). And if I run into any problems not only with Windows or OS X I will always go to a forum designed for that specific operating system.

We are here to help you.

If applications isn't showing in the side bar click on Finder on the dock and the go up to the menu bar at the top of the screen and click on the Finder menu and then on Preferences , that will open a window where you can choose what you want to show in Finders sidebar. To take a screen shot of just one window use Shift command 4 then hit the space bar and click on the window you want to take a picture of.

trailrider said:

You miss understood my statement. No..the computer is not being difficult. Figuring out what you are trying to do is difficult. Windows was more common sense and basically just doing. On a mac you have to read and research and ask other people.

Click to expand...

Consider that you've been using Windows for perhaps 10, maybe 20-some years. That in and of itself will make you inherently more familiar and comfortable with it. Since you're posting in the 'Switcher Hangout', I'd be willing to bet this is your first brush with the Mac. You don't have the benefit of those years of familiarity when you don't know how to do something.

As you've learned, while the Mac uses similar concepts to Windows (because Windows mostly took its design cues from the original Mac, many years ago), they are not identical. There are some differences and it takes time to learn then - it also helps if you take your "Windows hat" off and put on your "Mac hat". You switched because you wanted something different, so don't be surprised when you find that it is, indeed, different - and different doesn't mean it's wrong or more difficult.

Two things that I'd recommend you start with are this site:
Apple - Support - Switch 101

...and picking up this book....

OS X Mountain Lion: The Missing Manual: David Pogue: 9781449330279: Amazon.com: Books

If you are a visual learner as I am, you may want to check out these short, helpful video tutorials.

Apple - Find Out How - Mac Basics

When you are learning a new OS, no matter how simple it is, there is a learning curve as you grow accustomed to it. It would work the same going from Mac to Windows. In the end though, you'll see that once you know how to do something on a Mac, it's much more intuitive than Windows.

Anyway, to sum up, the Finder sidebar is customizable from the Finder Preferences menu. Almost all applications have their own Preference menus that you access from the application menu.

The Dock only holds some of your applications. To add applications to your Dock, open a Finder window and drag the application icons into position in the Dock. To remove applications from the Dock, simply drag the icons up away from the Dock towards the middle of the desktop and release it. This only removes the shortcut; the application itself remains installed.

You can drag your entire applications folder into the Dock too. Any folder can be added to the Dock but it must go to the right of the dotted line near the right end of the Dock (near the trash can).