Too big of a switch!

[RacerX]

Originally Posted by danielqho

My aunt just bought me a iBook with OS X for my middle school graduation and uploaded pretty much all the programs i will ever need or really want such as:

I'd be happy to attempt to help with questions on any pre-installed apps that came bundled with an iBook and anything you actually own (as in was purchased)... but I'll leave questions on the uploaded stuff to those who find that sort of thing less objectionable.

[powermac]

[quote=danielqho;1321349]

I also tried downloading software such as aol instant messenger and aim triton but all the software downloads are saved to the desktop into mac binary form and when i try to open them, they open in excel and i dont know how to install it.

AOL makes a Macintosh version of Messenger, Triton is the windows version and will not work on your Mac. Any file with the .exe extension is not going to work under OSX.

You will probably find that AOL instant messenger is not widely used on the Mac. You could use iChat program built-in to OSX, or a program called Adium, that supports AOL, Yahoo, and several others. Of course, that is your preference as to which program you want to use.

When you download a program for the Mac, it will, by default, show up on your desktop. If it is a .dmg file, just click it, and it will open, and you can from there install the program, usually by dragging the file to the application folder, as in AOL instant messenger. Another format is .sit, which requires the file to be expanded, sort-of like Winzip, although on the Mac the program is called 'Stuffit'.

One other thing to know is you will not see the file extension of programs under OSX, as in windows. For example, a Microsoft Word file will not show up, by default as "Myfile.doc", but as "Myfile".

[nixgeek]

One other thing to remember:

STAY AWAY FROM NORTON PRODUCTS FROM SYMANTEC!!!

They haven't supported Mac OS X in years and when they have it's done more harm than good. Use either TechTool Pro or DiskWarrior if you have to. For system maintenance, I recommend OnyX.

[Curiosity]

[quote=powermac;1321450]

Originally Posted by danielqho

One other thing to know is you will not see the file extension of programs under OSX, as in windows. For example, a Microsoft Word file will not show up, by default as "Myfile.doc", but as "Myfile".

There is a way to fix that. If you open Finder Preferences and click the Advanced button, there is a checkbox that will allow the extensions to be shown.

[macremorse]

As I post this, your post is over two years old. So you've gotten through it-- or not. Others thinking about the switch may read your questions and my answer. I must say to them: don't do it. Even though it's still quite early in my struggle I've seen enough to know it ain't worth it. The best you can hope for after a nasty relearning curve is to be as competent with Mac as you were with Windows. But the Mac still won't be as easy to use. The Mac "equivalents" I've learned so far take more keystrokes than Windows. The biggest reason I tried to switch was the expectation of things being more straight-forward. Just the opposite is true. Take Window's 1-key "print screen" maneuver compared to Mac's Shift+Command+3+click to capture the screen. I barely have enough fingers. The iPhone I bought at about the same time I got my iMac has no copy and paste at all!!! This post will be described by Mac lovers as whiney. I'm just telling the truth. There's a damned good reason Mac is very small.

[nixgeek]

Originally Posted by macremorse

As I post this, your post is over two years old. So you've gotten through it-- or not. Others thinking about the switch may read your questions and my answer. I must say to them: don't do it. Even though it's still quite early in my struggle I've seen enough to know it ain't worth it. The best you can hope for after a nasty relearning curve is to be as competent with Mac as you were with Windows. But the Mac still won't be as easy to use. The Mac "equivalents" I've learned so far take more keystrokes than Windows. The biggest reason I tried to switch was the expectation of things being more straight-forward. Just the opposite is true. Take Window's 1-key "print screen" maneuver compared to Mac's Shift+Command+3+click to capture the screen. I barely have enough fingers. The iPhone I bought at about the same time I got my iMac has no copy and paste at all!!! This post will be described by Mac lovers as whiney. I'm just telling the truth. There's a damned good reason Mac is very small.

This reeks of trollness, but I'll take a little nibble for the sake of other potential switchers lurking through these threads.

Considering that the Apple Store has seminars on the basics of using a Mac, this whole point is moot. Most everything that needed to be explained here has been explained to the utmost degree to help in the transition. My neighbor who had always used a PC got herself a MacBook because she thought it "looked cute". I spoke with her and explained the differences between the Finder and Windows Explorer, and that really most of the basic concepts are practically the same (windows, icons, menu, pointer). After a short adjustment period, she got used to how things worked on the Mac and fell in love with it. So really, most of what you're saying is moot. It just sounds like someone who is impatient in learning something that's a little different. Heck, if this is the case then don't dare move to anything beyond XP or you'll be in for quite the shock. Shame that Microsoft also wants everyone to move on from that aging OS.

Adjustments take time. Don't try and make it work like Windows because it's not Windows. It's OS X. Bring up valid points as to the negatives of OS X, but don't just say don't do it because you don't get it. There are many switchers that do get it and have in fact left Windows for good. This site is most definitely proof of that if anything.

I'll be honest, after years of being a Mac user, I still prefer the way the Finder does certain things over Windows. And there are some things I wish the Finder could do that other desktop environments do as well.

[macremorse]

Originally Posted by nixgeek

This reeks of trollness, but I'll take a little nibble for the sake of other potential switchers lurking through these threads.

I've never really known exactly what a troll is but I every time I express my views someone calls me that. A new user can learn Mac just as easy as he can learn Windows. He'll be at a disadvantage in the work place because most corporations use Windows. But he'll have no trouble learning Mac. Switching to Mac after years of Windows has no advantage that I know of. It's like changing from right handed writing to left handed writing just to prove you can do it. If that's trolling, I'm trolling.

[nixgeek]

Originally Posted by macremorse

I've never really known exactly what a troll is but I every time I express my views someone calls me that. A new user can learn Mac just as easy as he can learn Windows. He'll be at a disadvantage in the work place because most corporations use Windows. But he'll have no trouble learning Mac. Switching to Mac after years of Windows has no advantage that I know of. It's like changing from right handed writing to left handed writing just to prove you can do it. If that's trolling, I'm trolling.

Usually when people find out that something is not for them, they go back to what they're used to and move on. You telling everyone not to switch because of your experience (or lack thereof) really helps no one because you have not given any valid reasons to do so. It doesn't bother me as much that you chose to go back to Windows....everyone is allowed their preference and that's the wonderful thing about choice. But to come to a Mac forum and tell others here not to switch with the same baseless information I've seen from Windows fanboys won't get you any sympathy, especially since you didn't feel like taking the time to be open to learning it (not that you really need much time since the basic concepts I already mentioned are the same on both). So yes, the troll tag does have merit, especially if you say that you've done this before in other forums (which I assume were also probably Mac-centric).

You like Windows? Great! Stick with it if the Mac (or any other OS for that matter) is not for you. Just know that sometimes if you don't have anything nice (or in this matter, constructive) to say, just don't say anything at all.