Whether you've decided to make the leap from a PC to a Mac already, or have just been contemplating making a switch, you're probably curious about a few of the main usability differences. To help out, I've put together a guide on some of Apple OS X's primary elements. This should give you a basic understanding of how things are organized on your new laptop or desktop — so that you can get back to work. Making the switch may be easier than you might think...
1. Finder
Windows programs have the task bar and menu functions located on the top of each window or panel for that program. For the Mac, they approached it differently. There's a common ribbon that runs at the very top of the screen called the Finder. This displays stats like battery life, the time, and info on background applications. It's dynamic in that the options listed on the top left (i.e. File, Edit, Help) change based on the program you have in the foreground. It takes a bit of practice to look here for options and menu settings but you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly.
2. Installing programs
With a Windows based machine you simply click the executable and get presented a panel where you progress through installation. For Mac, clicking that executable loads a temporary drive on your desktop. You simply double click that drive and then begin your install. Some programs take you through a set of panels similar to a Windows machine, while others follow a more simple approach and advise you to just click and drag the app icon into the Applications folder (as shown here with Spotify).
3. Uninstalling Programs
Uninstalling programs is often a breeze as well, but not always. (Ahem.… Adobe.) For most programs you'll simply drag and drop the icon from the Applications folder into the trash and Poof! it's gone. For larger programs like Microsoft Office and Adobe's Professional Suite I like to use a tool called App Cleaner (it's free). Opening that program displays a panel that you simply dump the application icon into instead of the trash. The app basically does a search for all connected preference files and caches and then gives you the option to trash those all together for a tidy uninstall.
4. Window Management
In Windows there are icons on the right to maximize, minimize, and close. For Mac there are icons on the left that look like they maximize, minimize, and close as well. Except on the Mac what you may think is a maximize button is actually a fit button that is designed to size the window around the content it contains. You'll have to click and drag the panel from the lower left to make things larger. If it's an optimized OS X 10.7+ program you can click the full screen icon on the upper right of the window to enter full screen mode.
5. Command is your new Control
All the shortcuts you're used to like Control + C for Copy and Control + V for Paste are on the Mac as well — you just use the Command key instead of the Control key.
6. Strange new Symbols
If you're a shortcuts person, then you may make an effort to remember the hot keys to common functions. There are a few new symbols in the Mac that aren't intuitive, and you'll want to learn them. For some reason the Option symbol to me looks like the face of a person that's ummm… weighing his options (or an unimpressed McKayla Maroney).
7. App Store
You may be used to going to a specific site or product page to download the appropriate Windows programs you're looking for. Or you may typically purchase something physical at a store and install using a disk. Apple is making a hard push to online distribution, and their App Store is the first place you should look for your programs. The programs sync to your Apple ID so that when you upgrade computers down the road, or simply get another, you can sign in with that ID and have access to those programs conveniently through the iCloud distribution. Some popular programs like Adobe's Professional Suite and Microsoft Office aren't in these distribution channels yet, so you'll have to resort to old school methods for them.
Those were the basics I learned when I made the switch to Mac a couple years ago. Mac users, did I leave out any essentials that stumped you?
(Images: Chris Perez, Business Insider)
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There's only one thing you really need to know before making the switch: You'll never regret it!
*emails link to parents hoping they'll convert*
I'm kinda regretting it...clicking on something and just getting annoying boxes of various ilk asking to do other things.
I am regretting it.
Nooo. Don't regret it! The only thing to know about Apple (in the main) is It Just Works.
I feel like Apple should offer some sort of trial service, where they grab your credit card info (just in case) and then hand you a loaner laptop for a couple weeks for no charge to let you get a feel for their interface before you actually buy it. I think it would grab them a bunch of converts, while sparing people who really don't mesh with the Mac OS from wasting a grand just to find out that they just don't really like Macs.
It may "just work" but if it doesn't just work the way you want it to then you are likely "using it wrong".
The apple store does this already. When you buy a new apple product in full, you get 14 days to bring it back and get your money back.
http://store.apple.com/us/help/returns_refund
I've been so disappointed by Apple's product quality recently (see: have had my 2 yr old iMac hard drive replaced 3 times, display replaced once) I'm thinking of switching to a PC. As a lifelong Mac user, I'd love to see the inverse of this article.
Uhhm, no thanks. I'll stick with my PC. I don't need to learn a new language.
Learn Ubuntu instead.
When I did my MA, the departmental computer lab was all Macs...I'd never used one before, had no clue how to use them, and never managed to finagle someone into showing me how to use them. I did not find them to be simpler, or intuitive. To this day the only Apple products I use are iPods, because I've never really gotten over that mix of confusion/resentment. I mean come on, I couldn't find the on/off button because it was hidden on the back of the monitor...how the eff is that intuitive?!
@elspethdawitch - Actually, if you were using an iMac, the on/off button was in a logical spot, the CPU. It just happened to be that with iMacs, the CPU is encased inside the monitor. I remember the fairly old white iMacs didn't even have buttons! Talk about counterintuitive. They had sensors on the bottom front of the monitor and you had to know where to place your finger to turn on the computer.
I really wish Apartment Therapy would stick to decor related posts and leave the technology posts to the experts on other blogs. There are a lot of blogs out there dedicated to novice users and they don't have as many errors.
I miss being able to create new folders, deleting or renaming other files when saving a file. My PCs are always organized. With MAC I feel it's a huge task to go in a file my files.
Unless I am missing something???
@Sitt - You can do the same thing with Macs. You can rename things and create new folders wherever you want. It works the same way as it does in PCs.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5020350_create-new-folder-mac.html
@chriskayTO - I kind of agree. I think these are useful here because there are a lot of novices and I've seen a lot of comments from people who find Macs challenging, when all it is is that they aren't getting the tutorials that explain basic concepts. I think OS X is very intuitive, but my mother is completely dumbfounded at the keyboard of a Mac because her idea of intuitive is so different from mine. I think these posts can help those people who would be intimidated by a tech forum.
The first three computers I used in school were Macs. I find that you can switch back and forth with minimal issues. For me- the issue is price. I can get a decent Windows laptop for $500-$600. (Less than that, if I'm willing to compromise on a few things...) A comparable Macbook is almost twice that price.
I have a pc at home and a Mac at work. I see the pros and cons of both. I do not like how expensive Macs are nor do I like the turnover rates of Apple products now. Also, my iPad is a pain to use. My emails always look like a fifth grader typed them the due to the non- fabulous autocorrect feature. This week's fun: I keeps being changed to PRI and I have to go back in and manually change it. I don't even know what PRI is.
I use both on a regular basis, and the biggest advice I have to PC users switching over is this. Be prepared for far less freeware than you're used to, particularly since the , be readdy for nag screens and shareware like hassles. Also get ready to be forced to upgrade your OS or be left behind. OSX has been doing cheap upgrades so it's not a big deal. But not being able to find software compatible with Leopard is irritating when just about everything that runs on Windows 7 will work on XP.
From what I have seen so far, Windows 8 may force me to change over to Mac. I really dislike those boxes on the desktop.
In most cases the hard drive is the same as in any other computing device. Your odds at failure are about the same in that regard. Just bad luck.
OMGG!...my daughter finally got her wish & I sprung for a $1500.00 MAC...She hates it, I hate it & she borrows my $500.00 Sony most of the time...MACs are SO > Hyped!
I just bought a MacBook Air 13. I have a big desktop pc with windows 7 in my office.
Ive used this laptop for about two weeks now, and been at my desktop once, ( only to get my important files to an external hd ). The speed in this OS amazes me over and over again. When photoshop is combining pictures for a panorama i can switch space or app and it still, just works. The ease of shortcuts and alfred ( love this app/butler ) is really making the daily grind a lot of fun. It starts so quickly and doesn't leave me with "why are you doing this now?!?" as the desktop did. So i have only pluses on the switch from PC to Mac. The next time i need a new laptop or desktop I'm definitely getting 1 with os x.
Before bashing the spelling, I'm Danish and english is my third language =) love your site!
I've been playing with Windows 8. I don't like the boxes either, but, depending on how you use your computer, you'll rarely see it. I tend to use keyboard shortcuts a lot, and, in that respect, the tiles just turn into a "giant start menu" for me. Press the windows button -> start typing -> press enter when your program appears.
I suppose the best suggestion is the suggestion made above RE: Macs. I would try it out for a week or 2 before committing. Or, better yet, if you don't need to upgrade, just stick with Windows 7 / XP whatever you have until you need to.
intuitive in that they don't really want you to turn off your computer that way- but to let it go into sleep mode automatically, or use the shutdown option in the main Apple menu. surely you don't turn off your Windows computer using the main power switch?
Perhaps something is tripping her up or she's not doing something properly? I concurrently use Mac, Windows, and Linux (mostly Ubuntu). I used to train people on using operating systems and still help people out all the time at the office and with friends. In every case I've run into of someone getting frustrated with their iPhone, iPad, or OS X based computer, it was because they didn't understand some key element or were doing something wrong. After a quick training session they're always thrilled and say something along the lines of "well duh that makes total sense I can't believe I didn't think of that..."
The more I use OS X, the more I've grown to prefer it over Ubuntu and Windows 7 as my primary work and lifestyle OS. Of course I still jump into Windows for gaming and Linux for geeking, but 90% of the time I'm in Mac land now.