Daryl L
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Sep 26, 1999
- Messages
- 766
Well, I've been using my first ever mac (blackbook) for a week now. First off, I do love the fast bootup and shutdown times. The three plus months of researching, reading and viewing demo/tutorial clips definitely helped with preparing me for my switch from WinPC's to a Mac w/OS X. I haven't had too much trouble getting around the OS. After my first startup I turned on sticky keys, mouse keys and turned my firewall on and set it to stealth mode (even though I'm behind a router firewall) and did a software update.
Next I created another user account (w/admin rights) for my default login account. I did that so if I start having problems and determine it's just within that account and repairing permissions won't help I can just backup my files, delete that account, create a new account and start fresh. Even though I'm using Mouse Keys to work the pointer I plugged in my 3 button mouse to have right click ability and middle click to open browser links. But constantly having to enable/disable mouse keys to switch between pointer and typing letters is annoying so I ordered a Logitec Marble Mouse Trackball. Then I won't need to use mouse keys.
I really enjoy the change to OS X's gui after years of Windows gui. I like using Finder compared to Windows explorer (which I rarely used). I prefer column mode in finder. It makes it simpler and smoother than list or icon mode when moving through folders. After years of hitting the enter key to open files, folders and apps on Windows, It took a couple days to train myself to open files, folders and apps using Cmd+O. I still slip and hit the return key occasionally to open something. I thought only the enter key next to the Apple/Cmd key was used for renaming. Didn't realize the return/enter key was used for renaming also. I don't mind having the toolbar separate from the apps windows (I kinda like it) but I do really miss something like Alt+F to open the applications File menu. I drug my application folder to the right of the dock separator to have right click access to apps and utilities.
I installed Opera (default browser), Firefox, Thunderbird and keepassX and was able to move my needed files for these apps from my Dell to the Mac with ease allowing me to continue were I left off with my browsing and e-mailing (and all my FF extensions). I also installed Onyx, Quicksilver, vlc, iStat Pro widget and xCut widget. I haven't explored quicksilver's usage beyond opening apps and utilities yet but I will, slowly but surely. Getting familar with the differing from Windows keyboard shortuts has been my highest priority task and I'm getting familiar with them pretty easily.
The past 3 days I've been playing with OS X's built-in speech recognition. It's actually pretty cool. It already has commands included but you can add/make your own. If you want to use it to open a file, folder or app you just hilite it and say "Make item speakable" and it adds an alias to ~library/speech/speakable items folder. If you want to control items in apps, as long as there's a keyboard shortcut for it you can make a speakable command for it by having the app open and active then say "define a keyboard command", press the shortcut keys in the popup window, name it and hit save and it's saved in ~library/speech/speakable/ folder. Depending on the rooms ambient noises recognition works pretty good. I've made commands to open hilited links in current tab, a new tab, open and close tabs, open my bookmarks managers and a few other tricks like get mail. I even found a command I used to make an apple script run only app named "Shutdown" allowing me to shutdown the mac by saying "Computer, Shutdown", Computer being my listening word for all my commands. Neat huh?
Will I say I'm glad I switched to a Mac? I can honestly say yes, I am very glad. I can not say Mac is better than PC, YET! I've used PC's since 1989, I've only used a Mac 1 week. I still have a lot to learn and I haven't even completely skimmed it's surface yet. For me personally thats not anywhere near enough time to give a fair honest comparison. But even quiting Windows cold turkey (no bootcamp, no parallels) I have no regrets so far moving to Macland. Well, I just wanted to give a rundown of my first weeks experience on my first ever mac. I'm happy and having fun learning OS X. And wanted to also say thank you to all for helping me with any/all questions I had prior to getting my Mac and to any answered in the future.
Next I created another user account (w/admin rights) for my default login account. I did that so if I start having problems and determine it's just within that account and repairing permissions won't help I can just backup my files, delete that account, create a new account and start fresh. Even though I'm using Mouse Keys to work the pointer I plugged in my 3 button mouse to have right click ability and middle click to open browser links. But constantly having to enable/disable mouse keys to switch between pointer and typing letters is annoying so I ordered a Logitec Marble Mouse Trackball. Then I won't need to use mouse keys.
I really enjoy the change to OS X's gui after years of Windows gui. I like using Finder compared to Windows explorer (which I rarely used). I prefer column mode in finder. It makes it simpler and smoother than list or icon mode when moving through folders. After years of hitting the enter key to open files, folders and apps on Windows, It took a couple days to train myself to open files, folders and apps using Cmd+O. I still slip and hit the return key occasionally to open something. I thought only the enter key next to the Apple/Cmd key was used for renaming. Didn't realize the return/enter key was used for renaming also. I don't mind having the toolbar separate from the apps windows (I kinda like it) but I do really miss something like Alt+F to open the applications File menu. I drug my application folder to the right of the dock separator to have right click access to apps and utilities.
I installed Opera (default browser), Firefox, Thunderbird and keepassX and was able to move my needed files for these apps from my Dell to the Mac with ease allowing me to continue were I left off with my browsing and e-mailing (and all my FF extensions). I also installed Onyx, Quicksilver, vlc, iStat Pro widget and xCut widget. I haven't explored quicksilver's usage beyond opening apps and utilities yet but I will, slowly but surely. Getting familar with the differing from Windows keyboard shortuts has been my highest priority task and I'm getting familiar with them pretty easily.
The past 3 days I've been playing with OS X's built-in speech recognition. It's actually pretty cool. It already has commands included but you can add/make your own. If you want to use it to open a file, folder or app you just hilite it and say "Make item speakable" and it adds an alias to ~library/speech/speakable items folder. If you want to control items in apps, as long as there's a keyboard shortcut for it you can make a speakable command for it by having the app open and active then say "define a keyboard command", press the shortcut keys in the popup window, name it and hit save and it's saved in ~library/speech/speakable/ folder. Depending on the rooms ambient noises recognition works pretty good. I've made commands to open hilited links in current tab, a new tab, open and close tabs, open my bookmarks managers and a few other tricks like get mail. I even found a command I used to make an apple script run only app named "Shutdown" allowing me to shutdown the mac by saying "Computer, Shutdown", Computer being my listening word for all my commands. Neat huh?
Will I say I'm glad I switched to a Mac? I can honestly say yes, I am very glad. I can not say Mac is better than PC, YET! I've used PC's since 1989, I've only used a Mac 1 week. I still have a lot to learn and I haven't even completely skimmed it's surface yet. For me personally thats not anywhere near enough time to give a fair honest comparison. But even quiting Windows cold turkey (no bootcamp, no parallels) I have no regrets so far moving to Macland. Well, I just wanted to give a rundown of my first weeks experience on my first ever mac. I'm happy and having fun learning OS X. And wanted to also say thank you to all for helping me with any/all questions I had prior to getting my Mac and to any answered in the future.