Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Maybe a first time mac owner.
- Thread starter TSX
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
iMacs - Cool but takes getting used to
First time Mac user since Nov 24 on an iMac 21.5" 500 GB
. Used Windows since 1991. Happy overall with my iMac. Some things take getting used to.
Annoyances:
1) Finder has no cut feature. Must drag/drop files to move them. Also, files and folders aren't grouped separately in an alphabetical list. A 3rd party $40 program called Pathfinder will fix these issues.
2) Must resize all windows at the bottom right hand corner.
3) Some webpages take longer to load on Mac vs Windows (using Safari, Firefox, Google Chrome).
4) No 1-click "hide all" or "show desktop" although can achieve same result through Spaces.
5) Programs assigned to a Space don't always stay there.
6) Reflective screen takes getting used to.
7) Time machine only lets you select what you *don't* want to back up. I wish it would let me chose only what I *do* want.
8) Syncing up my iPod occassionally crashes the computer (others on web have reported same issue).
9) Camera quality isn't as good as say the iPod Nano 5G (but not a big deal)
10) Mouse/keyboard take getting used to ergonomically. No number pad on the keyboard. Right clicking takes some practice. Wireless never seems to track quite as well as a cable mouse.
11) $1200 *starting* for an iMac.
12) Entry level graphics cards below industry standards for overall price (not a big deal for me since I don't have time to play, but its the thought that counts right?).
13) Crashed 3 x 1st month. But take into account that I'm installing a lot of 3rd party stuff.
14) Menu bar is at the top of the screen instead of the application window. Must remember to select the app you want before using the bar (not a big deal, but it takes getting used to).
15) Allow/Deny glitch with new programs. The window flashes for <1 sec before going away, but comes back when you try to do new things on the 3rd party program. You have to be quick to hit the Allow button to stop it from coming back.
16) Must add 3rd party drivers to write to NTFS files.
17) Galling to admit, but I could get done everything that I wanted on a Windows PC for half the price. Windows 7 is *almost* as a stable an OS as Snow Leopard from what I hear. Given that you can buy an i7 for around $1000, speed isn't likely to be an issue with Windows anymore.
Likes
1) Unmatched *cool* factor - the iMac looks like it came off a Star Trek episode.
2) Fast processing. The Core Duo handles things just fine now, so the i7 should keep things running quickly that much longer for the life of the computer.
3) LED backlight is DAZZLING!
4) Built-in speakers, camera, microphone.
5) No stinkin tower!
6) Wireless keyboard/mouse.
7) Magic Mouse's touch only surface is AWESOME. Love the inertial scrolling.
8) Can install Windows on it if you need to. It is $160-$200 for a copy of Win 7 or $90-$100 for Win XP. Just please don't buy ever use Vista. That's just sick.
9) Can upgrade RAM easily on an iMac.
10) Plenty of productivity options: MS Office for Mac for $130, iWork 09 for $80 (cheaper on ebay), or Open Office for free.
11) Expose is a dead useful feature! You can see what you are looking for and just click it to bring it up.
12) Spaces can give each application its own desktop if you like. Or group some apps in the same desktop.
13) Dashboard is handy for loading apps that will show you in one click the weather, radar, CPU usage, daily comics, and a clock you can see from across the room.
14) The Dock works much like a task bar. Very easy to learn for me.
15) iPhoto slideshow is a professional presentation. You'll love it.
16) My 2 year old son loves playing with it (yes, I had to throw that in there)
I'm sure I could go on, but 30+ bullets is probably enough to get you started. Hope this was helpful.
First time Mac user since Nov 24 on an iMac 21.5" 500 GB
. Used Windows since 1991. Happy overall with my iMac. Some things take getting used to. Annoyances:
1) Finder has no cut feature. Must drag/drop files to move them. Also, files and folders aren't grouped separately in an alphabetical list. A 3rd party $40 program called Pathfinder will fix these issues.
2) Must resize all windows at the bottom right hand corner.
3) Some webpages take longer to load on Mac vs Windows (using Safari, Firefox, Google Chrome).
4) No 1-click "hide all" or "show desktop" although can achieve same result through Spaces.
5) Programs assigned to a Space don't always stay there.
6) Reflective screen takes getting used to.
7) Time machine only lets you select what you *don't* want to back up. I wish it would let me chose only what I *do* want.
8) Syncing up my iPod occassionally crashes the computer (others on web have reported same issue).
9) Camera quality isn't as good as say the iPod Nano 5G (but not a big deal)
10) Mouse/keyboard take getting used to ergonomically. No number pad on the keyboard. Right clicking takes some practice. Wireless never seems to track quite as well as a cable mouse.
11) $1200 *starting* for an iMac.
12) Entry level graphics cards below industry standards for overall price (not a big deal for me since I don't have time to play, but its the thought that counts right?).
13) Crashed 3 x 1st month. But take into account that I'm installing a lot of 3rd party stuff.
14) Menu bar is at the top of the screen instead of the application window. Must remember to select the app you want before using the bar (not a big deal, but it takes getting used to).
15) Allow/Deny glitch with new programs. The window flashes for <1 sec before going away, but comes back when you try to do new things on the 3rd party program. You have to be quick to hit the Allow button to stop it from coming back.
16) Must add 3rd party drivers to write to NTFS files.
17) Galling to admit, but I could get done everything that I wanted on a Windows PC for half the price. Windows 7 is *almost* as a stable an OS as Snow Leopard from what I hear. Given that you can buy an i7 for around $1000, speed isn't likely to be an issue with Windows anymore.
Likes
1) Unmatched *cool*
factor - the iMac looks like it came off a Star Trek episode.2) Fast processing. The Core Duo handles things just fine now, so the i7 should keep things running quickly that much longer for the life of the computer.
3) LED backlight is DAZZLING!
4) Built-in speakers, camera, microphone.
5) No stinkin tower!
6) Wireless keyboard/mouse.
7) Magic Mouse's touch only surface is AWESOME. Love the inertial scrolling.
8) Can install Windows on it if you need to. It is $160-$200 for a copy of Win 7 or $90-$100 for Win XP. Just please don't buy ever use Vista. That's just sick.
9) Can upgrade RAM easily on an iMac.
10) Plenty of productivity options: MS Office for Mac for $130, iWork 09 for $80 (cheaper on ebay), or Open Office for free.
11) Expose is a dead useful feature! You can see what you are looking for and just click it to bring it up.
12) Spaces can give each application its own desktop if you like. Or group some apps in the same desktop.
13) Dashboard is handy for loading apps that will show you in one click the weather, radar, CPU usage, daily comics, and a clock you can see from across the room.
14) The Dock works much like a task bar. Very easy to learn for me.
15) iPhoto slideshow is a professional presentation. You'll love it.
16) My 2 year old son loves playing with it (yes, I had to throw that in there)
I'm sure I could go on, but 30+ bullets is probably enough to get you started. Hope this was helpful.
In most operations, no. If you're using a highly multi-threaded application, then yes. It really depends on what you're doing.
To everyone who complains about no file cut: when you drag a file from one location to another on the same volume, it will move it. You can navigate by dragging and holding it over the destination, which will open folders, etc, and allow you to delve into whatever directory you want it to go to. Let it go, and it moves the file, unless it's a different volume, in which case it will copy it. Command-delete is a quick shortcut to move something to the trash, if you're trying to move a file to a new directory.
First time Mac user since Nov 24 on an iMac 21.5" 500 GB
Annoyances:
1) Finder has no cut feature. Must drag/drop files to move them. Also, files and folders aren't grouped separately in an alphabetical list. A 3rd party $40 program called Pathfinder will fix these issues.
2) Must resize all windows at the bottom right hand corner.
3) Some webpages take longer to load on Mac vs Windows (using Safari, Firefox, Google Chrome).
4) No 1-click "hide all" or "show desktop" although can achieve same result through Spaces.
5) Programs assigned to a Space don't always stay there.
6) Reflective screen takes getting used to.
7) Time machine only lets you select what you *don't* want to back up. I wish it would let me chose only what I *do* want.
8) Syncing up my iPod occassionally crashes the computer (others on web have reported same issue).
9) Camera quality isn't as good as say the iPod Nano 5G (but not a big deal)
10) Mouse/keyboard take getting used to ergonomically. No number pad on the keyboard. Right clicking takes some practice. Wireless never seems to track quite as well as a cable mouse.
11) $1200 *starting* for an iMac.
12) Entry level graphics cards below industry standards for overall price (not a big deal for me since I don't have time to play, but its the thought that counts right?).
13) Crashed 3 x 1st month. But take into account that I'm installing a lot of 3rd party stuff.
14) Menu bar is at the top of the screen instead of the application window. Must remember to select the app you want before using the bar (not a big deal, but it takes getting used to).
15) Allow/Deny glitch with new programs. The window flashes for <1 sec before going away, but comes back when you try to do new things on the 3rd party program. You have to be quick to hit the Allow button to stop it from coming back.
16) Must add 3rd party drivers to write to NTFS files.
17) Galling to admit, but I could get done everything that I wanted on a Windows PC for half the price. Windows 7 is *almost* as a stable an OS as Snow Leopard from what I hear. Given that you can buy an i7 for around $1000, speed isn't likely to be an issue with Windows anymore.
Likes
1) Unmatched *cool*
2) Fast processing. The Core Duo handles things just fine now, so the i7 should keep things running quickly that much longer for the life of the computer.
3) LED backlight is DAZZLING!
4) Built-in speakers, camera, microphone.
5) No stinkin tower!
6) Wireless keyboard/mouse.
7) Magic Mouse's touch only surface is AWESOME. Love the inertial scrolling.
8) Can install Windows on it if you need to. It is $160-$200 for a copy of Win 7 or $90-$100 for Win XP. Just please don't buy ever use Vista. That's just sick.
9) Can upgrade RAM easily on an iMac.
10) Plenty of productivity options: MS Office for Mac for $130, iWork 09 for $80 (cheaper on ebay), or Open Office for free.
11) Expose is a dead useful feature! You can see what you are looking for and just click it to bring it up.
12) Spaces can give each application its own desktop if you like. Or group some apps in the same desktop.
13) Dashboard is handy for loading apps that will show you in one click the weather, radar, CPU usage, daily comics, and a clock you can see from across the room.
14) The Dock works much like a task bar. Very easy to learn for me.
15) iPhoto slideshow is a professional presentation. You'll love it.
16) My 2 year old son loves playing with it (yes, I had to throw that in there)
I'm sure I could go on, but 30+ bullets is probably enough to get you started. Hope this was helpful.
This is probably one of the bust summaries of the Mac experience (from a switchers perspective) that I have come across. I just purchased my first Mac - the iMac i7 and this is pretty much how I feel.
There are some slight annoyances and quirks you will need to get used to but the hardware is AMAZING, love the screen - it is unbelievable - with a nice high res desktop background you feel like you are there, love the mouse (it is slightly uncomfortable but has some cool features), the machine is absolutely silent - no fan noise and only the occasional click of the HD, the OS takes some getting used to because certain things like the task bar differences and a few other things this poster listed. Overall I would say if you are looking to buy your first Mac this is a great machine to do it on.
I will definitely buy another Mac in the future and I am only just beginning the switch from PC - that is how impressive the 27 inch iMac is.
Appreciate the compliment.
About how quiet the machine is: I didn't realize just how loud my old PC is until I turned it off and listened to the silence of the iMac. You put the screen experience very well.
I'm a graduate student at the University of Texas. Out of curiosity, where are you planning on going to college?
The only major grip I have about using a Mac is Excel. Microsoft Excel for Mac is a piece of junk. If you plan on using it a lot (business school, engineering school), it can be a real hassle. I usually load Vista in a virtual machine and use that version of Excel instead.
Microsoft Entourage is also a big piece of poo, but Mail, iCal, and Address Book on Snow Leopard are great alternatives. I hear Microsoft has or will replaced Entourage in the latest version of Mac Office, and I might give it a look eventually.
The only major grip I have about using a Mac is Excel. Microsoft Excel for Mac is a piece of junk. If you plan on using it a lot (business school, engineering school), it can be a real hassle. I usually load Vista in a virtual machine and use that version of Excel instead.
Microsoft Entourage is also a big piece of poo, but Mail, iCal, and Address Book on Snow Leopard are great alternatives. I hear Microsoft has or will replaced Entourage in the latest version of Mac Office, and I might give it a look eventually.
Mail and the other iLife apps are pretty damned good. FRACK MS. Open Office, baby! I LOVE it.
I agree that these are nice methods to move files and I use the dragging-over-directory every now and then, although the open-two-windows way is as quick for me. And you don't have to hold the mouse button all the time.
However, I still prefer the Windows file cut: just do ctrl-X, navigate to the destination folder and do ctrl-V (no mouse button holding, no second window opening).
I had thought about it, but I though I could get more power and a bigger hard drive with a desktop for about the same price. I currently have a Dell laptop that's still in good shape but the hard drive is about full with pics and video's.
The trouble with the Windows method is that it's a little too easy to delete a file. You cut it, and then before you get to paste it to the new dir, you get an important email or IM that requires you copy and paste something else, and then, POOF - there goes your file. Also, what if you cut it, then your computer crashes (always a risk in Win)? HOSED. I totally see why Apple didn't include the feature.
No, I just tried it on my PC
When you do ctrl-X on a file, it isn't deleted. It is dimmed instead to indicate it is going to be moved. When you go on copying some other file or copying/moving something else, the first file will be there - undimmed (and not deleted).
I never lost a file under Windows while I was moving it with ctrl-X and ctrl-V.
No, I just tried it on my PC
When you do ctrl-X on a file, it isn't deleted. It is dimmed instead to indicate it is going to be moved. When you go on copying some other file or copying/moving something else, the first file will be there - undimmed (and not deleted).
I never lost a file under Windows while I was moving it with ctrl-X and ctrl-V.
The cut/paste for Windows is unquestionably superior in terms of speed and accuracy. I frequently gnash my teeth in Finder because I accidentally drop my files into the wrong spot. I know that will be less of a problem as I practice, but this is one area where Windows gets it right and Apple needs to fess up and fix itself. I'm trying to abstain from trying Pathfinder because I know I'll like it and have to fight the urge to spend $40 for a feature that should have come with the OS X in the first place. Join in the campaign by leaving feedback at the Apple site about this! I'd hate to have to wait till Steve Jobs *dies* before this becomes an option in OS X. So if enough of us complain, they might just put it in.
I took ONE LOOK at the Pathfinder interface and RAN LIKE HELL. Ugly as sin, and WAY to complex. There's all sorts of things that don't need to be there. I like the dimming feature on cut/paste in windows, not bad. Though, I could see how the dimmed file could confuse some users. Apple tends to try and make the computer usable by the lowest common denominator.
I'm almost of a mind that there should be more features in regular finder, and fewer in "simple" finder, one for users who know what's up, and one for the rest.
I took ONE LOOK at the Pathfinder interface and RAN LIKE HELL. Ugly as sin, and WAY to complex. There's all sorts of things that don't need to be there. I like the dimming feature on cut/paste in windows, not bad. Though, I could see how the dimmed file could confuse some users. Apple tends to try and make the computer usable by the lowest common denominator.
I'm almost of a mind that there should be more features in regular finder, and fewer in "simple" finder, one for users who know what's up, and one for the rest.
I'm perfectly fine with the default features being as simple as possible. I know where to find the preferences. Problem is, Apple seems to disagree with me about including a few more "advanced" features.
They only way I've ever seen any malware get on a mac is people that download torrents of pirated software, install the software and enter their password. If you install illegitimate software, you run the risk of getting malware, no matter what OS you have. The difference is, because of the superior user permissions in a Unix system (like OSX), you won't get malware by just browsing or opening email. You would actually have to install and enter your password for a malicious package. I've seen one malware for mac and it was the iWork 09 torrent.
That being said, yes, there are plenty of anti-virus packages for mac. As an OSX user since 10.1, I've never installed any of them and never had an issue.
There are a couple of points here that bothered me so I decided to enlighten a bit.
Granted.
Granted.
This is most likely a problem with your internet or the web site's server. As a web designer and CS degree holder, this is not a OSX vs Windows problem.
Ever hear of Show Desktop with Expose? Check your system prefs for the hot key.
You can move the program around, that's the point. The assignment only opens the program in that space.
Granted. Personal pref and glossy screens come on computers of all flavors.
Weird. Why would you want that?
Haven't seen it but I'll take your word.
The web cam? It's not for photos, it's for compressed video chat.
You can opt for both a "cable mouse" and a wired keyboard with num pad if you build your machine on the apple site.
Not a bad deal if you compare Apples to apples.
Graphics cards are a problem with Apple. Usually a bit behind.
Don't install ANYTHING that modifies input managers. Verify this when installing anything developed by some idiot in his basement.
Makes sense, only an issue if you're used to Windows.
Windows will never be as stable until they ditch the registry and stop trying to patch their crummy underlying architecture. They need to start from scratch much like Apple did with OSX. Until then, they'll always be playing catch up.
Good writeup from ecualegacy and 66Replica.
Great tip. Standard it's set to F11 (fn-F11).
Great tip. Standard it's set to F11 (fn-F11).
Always grateful for tips. Thanks so much for responding to these. I saw a few things to reply to.
I had both my old Win XP eMachine and iMac running through the same router pulling the pages at the same time. I'm running the firewall on the mac, so I'll try going without it as a test. I was checking Americanexpress.com, Citicards.com, bankofamerica.com. Successive loadings came up faster as though reading from a cache, but the inital load was painfully slow. Even google images came up slower on the iMac.
When I say there is no "Show Desktop" I mean there is no *single* button or icon to minimize all open application windows like in Windows. It isn't a very big deal since you can get a clean desktop by selecting Spaces and chosing a Space with no open applications. Oddly enough, Finder has a keyboard shortcut to close all *other* windows.
Thanks for the tip. How do you move the program around though? I'm still not sure it isn't a glitch, but I'll play with it some more.
Granted its weird, but I only have a 100 GB external drive. I'll upgrade next year
Admittedly I'm being picky. It is more "the thought that counts" kind of thing since it is now a standard ipod feature.
Yes, but then I wouldn't have been able to use my $200 in best buy gift cards and 18 month of 0% financing
I agree it is a great *Apple* value. Just pointing out that Macs are luxury items.
What sort of things would modify input managers (and what are those ... I'll do my homework on that teach, but for the others reading, if you could educate ...)
Thanks again 66Replica
Generally plug ins for Safari or other existing apps like an Ad Blocker for example. Basically it's a lazy way of injecting code into an existing application to modify the functionality of said application. I had an ad blocker on Safari, once I upgraded to SL I was constantly getting pinwheels and browser crashes. Deleted the input manager files and restarted, stable ever since.
Check both of these places for input managers if you're experiencing abnormal system performance:
(MacHD)/library/inputmanagers
(UserName)/library/inputmanagers
I believe if there is no folder at this location, none have ever been installed. If you want to remove them, drag to trash, empty and restart.
This should bring your install of OSX back to stability.
As far as spaces go, drag the window to the edge of the space and hold for a second, it should then move into the next space depending on which edge of the screen you drag it to. Alternatively, you can click and hold on the window and hit the hot key to switch spaces.
Thanks again. The thing is, my slow Safari experience was literally out of the box. I just hit up Apple support for good measure. They suggest a reinstall of the OS so I'll try that tonight. ... Update 12/23 .. the reinstall may have done the trick. Things seem to have picked up.
Rats. No such luck. While waiting for *this* page to load, I was able to TYPE OUT the entire address in my win xp and STILL BEAT the iMac to the page!!! Time to call Apple again.
~Brian