Help! Switcher beginning to wonder if he's made the right choice!
I'm the newish owner of an iMac G5 with Panther bought just a few weeks ago. I love the way it looks, I love how quiet it is - but I'm finding using it so confusing I'm beginning to wonder if I made the right decision ditching Windows.
I know this might sound awful to all you Mac fans out there and I really do want to try and get along with my new Mac, but the way things are going I just feel like I'm still waiting for that ease of use I was promised when I switched. It's probably just that I don't get OSX and that I'm not the brightest person or the best at dealing with change so if you could help me love my Mac I'd really be grateful.
If some kind people could explain a few OSX basics to me I think I'd feel a lot happier.
1. Closing/opening programs - I'm never sure if I've actually properly shut down a program on my iMac.
In Windows you can shut a program just by clicking on the little red X box at the top right hand side of a window, but on Mac OSX the little red button that I assumed was the equivalent - well I'm not sure if it shuts a program down or not. On the bar at the bottom on the screens with the big icons - that's the Dock I think? - it seems to put a little black arrow underneath the icon of every program I open up, which I assumed was just to remind me that program was open and running. But when I press the red button and the window closes, the little arrow remains in the Dock. Even if I right-click (yeah got a 2-button mouse sorry) on the icon and choose "quit" the arrow stays there. Why? Does this mean I haven't closed the program down properly?
Also if I open a program in the Dock, sometimes I just click once on the icon which then bounces up and down and the program opens, but other times the icon just bounces and then nothing happens and I seem to need to double-click to make a program open. Which way is correct?
Basically, how do I properly open and completely close down programs in OSX and what do the green amber and red buttons at the top of windows do exactly?
2. Resizing/minimising windows - in Windows the little two-box box next to the red X button will automatically re-size to either fill the screen or return to the original size. In OSX I can't quite figure out what the little green and amber buttons do.
3. Speed - my iMac seems very slow for a brand-new machine with hardly any files or new programs on it. When I go into "Help" it can take about 30 seconds after I pick a help topic for it actually to appear. Is that normal?
4. Finder - this seems like a bit of a complicated way of doing things. If I want to open a program not on the dock, it wants me to open up Finder - even working out how to open Finder from the Finder menu seems odd to me - and it seems odd that it wants you to open up a whole new program just so you can open up another one! I don't really understand Finder at all. In Windows any program without an icon on the desktop, you just go Start then Programs and you have a list of every program on the machine right there.
5. Finally, my iMac now seems unable to connect to the internet and at the same time this happened, Mail started having problems - I could never shut the iMac down because I always got a report saying the machine couldn't shut down because Mail was running and I ended up having to use the "force quit" option every time. Between this and the speed issue, I'm beginning to wonder if my iMac is faulty. Does OSX have a "system restore" feature to take you back to an earlier time like Windows does? That usually used to sort out my problems with Windows.
I know this might sound awful to all you Mac fans out there and I really do want to try and get along with my new Mac, but the way things are going I just feel like I'm still waiting for that ease of use I was promised when I switched. It's probably just that I don't get OSX and that I'm not the brightest person or the best at dealing with change so if you could help me love my Mac I'd really be grateful.
If some kind people could explain a few OSX basics to me I think I'd feel a lot happier.
1. Closing/opening programs - I'm never sure if I've actually properly shut down a program on my iMac.
In Windows you can shut a program just by clicking on the little red X box at the top right hand side of a window, but on Mac OSX the little red button that I assumed was the equivalent - well I'm not sure if it shuts a program down or not. On the bar at the bottom on the screens with the big icons - that's the Dock I think? - it seems to put a little black arrow underneath the icon of every program I open up, which I assumed was just to remind me that program was open and running. But when I press the red button and the window closes, the little arrow remains in the Dock. Even if I right-click (yeah got a 2-button mouse sorry) on the icon and choose "quit" the arrow stays there. Why? Does this mean I haven't closed the program down properly?
Also if I open a program in the Dock, sometimes I just click once on the icon which then bounces up and down and the program opens, but other times the icon just bounces and then nothing happens and I seem to need to double-click to make a program open. Which way is correct?
Basically, how do I properly open and completely close down programs in OSX and what do the green amber and red buttons at the top of windows do exactly?
2. Resizing/minimising windows - in Windows the little two-box box next to the red X button will automatically re-size to either fill the screen or return to the original size. In OSX I can't quite figure out what the little green and amber buttons do.
3. Speed - my iMac seems very slow for a brand-new machine with hardly any files or new programs on it. When I go into "Help" it can take about 30 seconds after I pick a help topic for it actually to appear. Is that normal?
4. Finder - this seems like a bit of a complicated way of doing things. If I want to open a program not on the dock, it wants me to open up Finder - even working out how to open Finder from the Finder menu seems odd to me - and it seems odd that it wants you to open up a whole new program just so you can open up another one! I don't really understand Finder at all. In Windows any program without an icon on the desktop, you just go Start then Programs and you have a list of every program on the machine right there.
5. Finally, my iMac now seems unable to connect to the internet and at the same time this happened, Mail started having problems - I could never shut the iMac down because I always got a report saying the machine couldn't shut down because Mail was running and I ended up having to use the "force quit" option every time. Between this and the speed issue, I'm beginning to wonder if my iMac is faulty. Does OSX have a "system restore" feature to take you back to an earlier time like Windows does? That usually used to sort out my problems with Windows.
Comments
Tips for Crossing Platforms
By DAVID POGUE
Whether it's Mac OS X, Windows XP, or Billy Bob's System-Software Special, every operating system has pretty much the same job description. It must somehow represent your files and programs so that you can organize them; permit adjustments to things like your speaker and mouse; interact with external gear like printers, cameras, and scanners; and so on.
Truth is, you could summarize the chief difference between the two operating systems in, say, a single e-mail column -- like this one. Clip, save and pass along to your platform-crossing friends, no matter which way they're switching:
1. A Windows mouse has two buttons. You use the left one for selecting things, and the right one for making shortcut menus appear.
An Apple mouse, on the other hand, has only one button, which you use to click and select things. To simulate a right mouse button click (that is, to open shortcut menus), you hold down the Control key as you click things. (And if that's too much effort, cheap two-button Windows mice work fine on the Mac.)
2. On the Macintosh, there's only one menu bar. It's always at the top of the screen. In Windows, a separate menu bar appears at the top of every window.
3. In Mac OS X, the "home base" program -- the one that displays the icons of all your folders and files -- is called the Finder. In Windows, it's often called Windows Explorer.
4. The Command key (bearing the Apple logo) on the Mac does many of the same things as the Ctrl key in Windows. So you press Ctrl-S to save a file in Windows, Command-S to save on a Mac.
Similarly, the functions of the Windows Alt key are often assumed by the Mac's Option key. For example, in Microsoft Word, the keyboard shortcut for the Split Document Window command is Alt-Ctrl-S in Windows, but Option-Command-T on the Macintosh.
5. In Windows, you switch from one open program to another by clicking buttons on the taskbar. In Mac OS X, the equivalent entity is the Dock, a tiny row of photorealistic icons at the bottom or side of the screen. A key difference: On the Mac, the Dock also offers quick access to the icons of things that aren't currently open, rather like the Windows Start menu.
6. Here's a time-saving keystroke: You can cycle through your open programs by pressing what amounts to the same keystroke in Mac OS X and Windows: Alt-Tab in Windows, Command-Tab on the Mac.
7. Most Windows fans refer to the row of tiny status icons at the lower-right corner of the screen as the "tray." On the Mac, these so-called "menulets," or Menu Extras, appear at the upper-right corner of the screen. Either way, the little icons are both status indicators and pop-up menus (for adjusting your speaker volume, screen resolution, and so on).
8. Whereas Windows is designed to show the names (letters) and icons for your disk *drives,* the Mac shows you the names and icons of your *disks.* You'll never see an icon for an empty drive, as in Windows. As soon as you insert, say, a CD, you see its name and icon appear on the Macintosh screen. In Windows, you open the My Computer icon to see it.
9. On the Mac, you never eject a disk by pressing a button on the disk drive itself, as you do in Windows. Instead, you press the Eject key on the keyboard or use the Eject menu command.
10. There are a few Windows/Mac terminology differences, too:
Program Files = Applications folder
My Documents = Home folder
My Pictures = Pictures folder
WINDOWS or WINNT folder = System folder
upper-right Close box on a window = upper-left Close button
Control Panel = System Preferences
Properties = Get Info
Recycle Bin = Trash
Search command = Find command
shortcut menus = contextual menus
shortcuts = aliases.
Those aren't the only differences, of course. In fact, there are enough profound design philosophy differences between Microsoft and Apple to provide fodder for a nation of zealots on both sides. But if your mission is to set aside the emotion and, for whatever reason, to cross the chasm from one platform to the other, may these pointers make those first steps easier.
Word of general advice. Try to stop comparing everything to Windows! I know that's not easy but try. pretend your new to ALL computers. The Mac does some things pretty much the same as the PC, and some things differently. After a while you will prefer the Mac way. Honest!
1. Closing/opening programs
Really simple. The red button just closes THAT window. To quit the program use the menu (ie Safari/Quit Safari), you will also see there the keyboard shortcut, (applekey and Q)
[I}- it seems to put a little black arrow underneath the icon of every program I open up, which I assumed was just to remind me that program was open and running. But when I press the red button and the window closes, the little arrow remains in the Dock. Even if I right-click (yeah got a 2-button mouse sorry) on the icon and choose "quit" the arrow stays there. Why? Does this mean I haven't closed the program down properly?[/I]
Yep. The black triange means the app is running, and a right click should quit it. If the icon starts bouncing around it may mean that you have a doc open that may require saving.
Also if I open a program in the Dock, sometimes I just click once on the icon which then bounces up and down and the program opens, but other times the icon just bounces and then nothing happens and I seem to need to double-click to make a program open. Which way is correct?
One simple click should do it. Apps might take a couple of bounces to start up when you first turn on the iMac, but will open quicker if you open them up a second time. NOTE. If you have plenty of memory (if not get some!) you really don't need to worry about quitting them if you are not using them.
Basically, how do I properly open and completely close down programs in OSX and what do the green amber and red buttons at the top of windows do exactly? Resizing/minimising windows - in Windows the little two-box box next to the red X button will automatically re-size to either fill the screen or return to the original size. In OSX I can't quite figure out what the little green and amber buttons do.
Also simple. The amber button will send your open window to the dock, where a simple click on it's icon (in the dock) will open it up again. like Windows taskbar. The Green button. Mac OS doesn't do FullScreen like a PC (thank god!) for most apps. I hardly ever use the green button....but what it does is change the size of the window to fit the content. Try this. Open up a finder window. Drag the bot lright corner to fill the whole screen. (You should be looking at a lot of white space). Now click the green button! That's what it does.
3. Speed - my iMac seems very slow for a brand-new machine with hardly any files or new programs on it. When I go into "Help" it can take about 30 seconds after I pick a help topic for it actually to appear. Is that normal?
Help can be a bit slow but that sounds like a long time. Methinks you don't have much memory. Let us know your iMac's specs. What else do will you use it for? Anyother way we could work out how fast/slow it is?
4. Finder - this seems like a bit of a complicated way of doing things. If I want to open a program not on the dock, it wants me to open up Finder - even working out how to open Finder from the Finder menu seems odd to me - and it seems odd that it wants you to open up a whole new program just so you can open up another one! I don't really understand Finder at all. In Windows any program without an icon on the desktop, you just go Start then Programs and you have a list of every program on the machine right there.
I think you may be a little confosed here. Your confusing me anyway! There are lots of ways to help you here.
The finder is always running. The smiley blue face in the dock...is the finder. One click will open a new finder window, if one is not already open. In the left hand column of the finder...click applications......there they are. Double click to start app. If you want easier access to a frequently used app...just drag it to the Dock. It will stay there. (note Left hand side of the dividerin the Dock is for apps...right side contains all your windows that you minimized with the old amber button)
I've kept it as simple as I can (for now) there are lots of tips and shortcuts to make you much more productive, but I suggest baby steps for now.
I am going to let someone else help with the "Mail" and internet prob cos they all know better than me.
Good luck. It's worth it!
And don't be too concerned with closing programs. Most programs don't really consume any resources when they aren't doing something (Microsoft programs being an exception to this), and memory is a lot more flexible on MacOS X. I do second the recommendation on upgrading the stock memory though... MacOS X loves more memory (as does XP).
2. As explained by piot, this is a cultural difference. I to dislike an application filling the screen. How can you multitask or drag between programs if only one can be on-screen at a time?
3. Help is slow to launch. The reason is actually for the same reason help is slow occasionally to launch on Windows: it has to re-index the help files. Because programs can go anywhere and don't have to register with a registry the help program has to check around and build the database every time. This was not enormously well done (the flexibility is great... but there should have been better caching). I understand that this is very fixed in 10.4 (Spotlight... coming soon to a store near you).
4. Another effect of not forcing all applications to register... There are a number of things you can do: first put all of your usual applications on the dock. When one is not running just drag its icon onto the dock and it will stay there. To remove it, just drag it off.
Another trick is to drag the Applications folder to the right side of the dock, then you can right-click on it to select your application of choice. I actually have a folder with applications (or aliases to them) that I use the most and then an alias to the main /Applications folder.
5. You might need to do a re-install. You can use the disk that came with your computer and do a "Archive and Install" that will keep all of your settings and user data while replacing you system. This does not replace the programs that came with the computer, so if Mail is actually at fault... and it could be your settings... same deal.
But it is really hard to diagnose on those vauge descriptions.
Originally posted by RSteve
I'm the newish owner of an iMac G5 with Panther bought just a few weeks ago. I love the way it looks, I love how quiet it is - but I'm finding using it so confusing I'm beginning to wonder if I made the right decision ditching Windows.
4. Finder - this seems like a bit of a complicated way of doing things. If I want to open a program not on the dock, it wants me to open up Finder - even working out how to open Finder from the Finder menu seems odd to me - and it seems odd that it wants you to open up a whole new program just so you can open up another one! I don't really understand Finder at all. In Windows any program without an icon on the desktop, you just go Start then Programs and you have a list of every program on the machine right there.
RSteve, firstly, I'll second everyone whose already spoken and say, don't worry, things will come right and click into place for you. You've come to the right place for help too, I've always received great suport from this forum.
2ndly. As others have mentioned there are lots of ways to shortcut to programs that you may not want to keep in dock. I personally use a program called Quicksilver which, among other things, enables you open any program you want at a few very simple key strokes.
Good luck.
First, the short version - For all intents and purposes, the Finder is anything other than an application (like Safari, Mail, etc.). When you open any windows, you're using the finder. If you move files around, you're using the finder. I believe that the dock is also part of the Finder.
The long version - The Finder is its own application on a Mac, acting as a broker for the system. It's always running and can't be quit, but CAN be restarted if you have problems. It is the graphical interface for managing where all of your applications, files, and aliases (the Mac equivalent to Shortcuts) are kept and organized.
I also want to reassure you that things will get easier. No matter how user-friendly a computer is, there is a learning curve with ANYTHING new that we do. Some are easier than others.
When my dad first got his iMac G4 a couple years ago, I can't tell you how many times he swore at the thing and said, "I just want it to do x!!!" And this frustration came from moving from OS 9 to OS X (which is only slightly less confusing than switching from Windows). After explaining things to him and him getting used to how the system works, he now wouldn't go back to any other operating system.
Heck, even when I moved from WinAmp on my old IBM to iTunes on my Mac, I had to force myself to get used to it. At first, I didn't like the interface of iTunes (because it was different), but learned to understand it and use it in the most efficient way. Now I couldn't see myself going back.
Praise to all people here at AI, pretty helpful they are.
Originally posted by RSteve
...
1. Closing/opening programs - ...
Get used to the fact that Mac OS apps remain
running in the background after you've closed
the last window (of that particular app). After a
while you'll find this behavior superior.
The goodies about that:
create a document at anytime you want.
opening an existing document in a split second.
...
2. Resizing/minimising windows - in Windows the little two-box box next to the red X button will automatically re-size to either fill the screen or return to the original size. In OSX I can't quite figure out what the little green and amber buttons do.
As someone else pointed out, there is no "maximizing"
on the Mac. But as soon as you get used to that fact,
you will learn, that "Fit to content" is much much more
effectice. Particularily when it comes to "Interactivity"
between different documents and apps.
Try drag and drop everywhere
...
3. Speed - my iMac seems very slow for a brand-new machine with hardly any files or new programs on it. When I go into "Help" it can take about 30 seconds after I pick a help topic for it actually to appear. Is that normal?
...
Well "Help" is one of these odd exceptions regarding "speed".
But overall speed is not an issue. You will learn that the longer
you use your Mac the faster operations become.
In a nutshell: intelligent, superior cacheing abilities.
* This thread will be a permanent Document on my Mac.
This is better than 30ooo dollars of therapy!
I actually thought I could breeze through most of it - But I too stumbled around with confusing named items.
1) At First - I didn't like the fact of only one spot to grab to open window wider.
2) Quote: from Karl Kuehn - When one is not running just drag its icon onto the dock and it will stay there. To remove it, just drag it off.
Confusing = Drag it Where? to waste basket?
3) Quote from lundy:
And I Thank You very Much for that posting.
I would see the term aliases and run away.
Lundy cont:
There are a few Windows/Mac terminology differences, too:
Program Files = Applications folder
My Documents = Home folder
My Pictures = Pictures folder
WINDOWS or WINNT folder = System folder
upper-right Close box on a window = upper-left Close button
Control Panel = System Preferences
Properties = Get Info
Recycle Bin = Trash
Search command = Find command
shortcut menus = contextual menus
shortcuts = aliases.
Oh Boy - iPhoto - Boy did I mess that up one day - like day 01. Deleted all what I thought were unnecessary duplicates - and it may have been in Finder (another weird word) - so it was a trip to Apple store for sure - and I proudly wore the retard look signing in at help desk. So the tech takes a look - and in one move of dragging the library to waste basket - it was fixed - countless hours on Apples own forums were totally stumped.
So RSteve - stay away from looking in Finder for Trbl. We PC guys have no clue in there - even if it looks logic.
4) The Spinning Pinwheel - like the curse of Blue Screen if You ask me - But more deadly.
How the heck can accessing a dial-up connection cause a hung application - As this did - You see the scroll of connection attempt - on and On and On - not one time did a dialog box come up and tell me first off that cable is not present - as in Not fully locked into port- Doh!
So sure enough - I get the Pin Wheel trying too make it stop looking for a connection - Oh Boy
Touch anything else - and You just added more Trbl to Hang.
So with quick action to manual - I look up how to do this proper. Nasty Results.
I basically Crashed the Finder - best Guess
Ok- Restart - and welcome to hell - not even a week before while at coffee shop - which tend to be all Mac majority - this Mac Guru I'm sharing Table with looks at new PowerBook I just got.
He set's up all the coolest stuff on mine in nothing flat.
It would of taken a year to perform all what He did to stream line it.
So I load 110 of Pink Floyds best to get that out of the way. All night it seems.
After It reboots though after crash - everything has been vaporized - everything This guy set up that were on the bar as shortcuts - I mean aliases - no trace of tunes.
I do see files named of some of what he had going - but have no idea what happened to the tunes.
Was there a save feature not done when tunes were loaded?
I have to guess if a hung deal ever happens again - don't look in manual - just force down power button.
Ok - I'm Done - I can't Torture all of Ya
But I Thank You All
Originally posted by Philscbx
Wow...
D'ya feel better now?
Btw, what is your proposition exactly?
Interesting, but I too am confused as to where you were going with that post.
Interesting, but I too am confused as to where you were going with that post
__________________________________________________ ________
Well where did You Fall Off? at Vaporized?
I wasn't going anywhere - It's Just a Report - I would think some where in there - There's a reason for what happened - Like what if there is a documented trail of what actually happened - Vs My Memory - and the correct way to access that information.
Poking around is not advised
How's That? CosmoNut.
Quote: from Karl Kuehn - When one is not running just drag its icon onto the dock and it will stay there. To remove it, just drag it off.
Confusing = Drag it Where? to waste basket?
Just drag it off the Dock (it has to be not running) and let go of the mouse button.
You people with Tiger - have you seen the new feature that is associated with this action?
Just drag it off the Dock (it has to be not running) and let go of the mouse button.
How can You Top Real Time Description
Thank You Lundy