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Coming from Windows over to a new iMac, what should I know?
- Thread starter bobright
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My first Apple product was an Apple IIc but that was a very long time ago. I ordered a new iMac so this will be my first Mac as well. I am computer guy by trade but the new iMac will be my full time machine when I am at home.
I plan on installing VMware fusion so I can have Win 7 as a virtual machine for items that are only available on the PC.
I plan on installing VMware fusion so I can have Win 7 as a virtual machine for items that are only available on the PC.
I just made the move to using osx a little over a year ago and the biggest problem for me was navigating the file system (still not very good at it lol).
one of the first things I did was change my keyboard to windows (using control instead of command).
one of the first things I did was change my keyboard to windows (using control instead of command).
If anybody has any tips do this or don't do that etc feel free to drop them here
I am a Mac virgin and am a little nervous
This from a 68k User
, no just joking, you probably have an iPhone or other Apple stuff.You'll find your way, it is much different than windows but you'll see you'll get used to it fast.
Don't defrag for instance, not needed on OS X.
Learn to use short cuts, most of them use the Apple command key, e.g.
Command-C Copy
Command-V Paste
Command-O Open
Command-I Info
Command-Z Undo changes
Command-Q quit a program
Command-T Open new Tab
Command-W close window
Command-Option W close all windows
and so forth.
Edit: You also see those shortcut commands behind the menu items in Menu Bar.
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If anybody has any tips do this or don't do that etc feel free to drop them here
I am a Mac virgin and am a little nervous
Join the club
I recommend you listen to some good experience advice given by the people on here, they have helped me a lot as well.
If anybody has any tips do this or don't do that etc feel free to drop them here
I am a Mac virgin and am a little nervous
Get ready to empty your wallet...j/k. No seriously, once to buy Apple products, it's hard to switch to any other ecosystem.
Yup, have owned every iPhone since its launch and to go with few iPad gens so that's where my posts are from. I've been here in the iMac forum for the last few months though anticipating this iMac release and trying to soak everything up.This from a 68k User
You'll find your way, it is much different than windows but you'll see you'll get used to it fast.
Don't defrag for instance, not needed on OS X.
Learn to use short cuts, most of them use the Apple command key, e.g.
Command-C Copy
Command-V Paste
Command-O Open
Command-I Info
Command-Z Undo changes
Command-Q quit a program
Command-T Open new Tab
Command-W close window
Command-Option W close all windows
and so forth.
Edit: You also see those shortcut commands behind the menu items in Menu Bar.
Yes, been long enough thanks for the tips guys keep them comingJoin the club
I recommend you listen to some good experience advice given by the people on here, they have helped me a lot as well.
My top tips would be this (as an OS X convert in 2009):
- OS X is not Windows. Expecting it to act the same (if you're used to Windows) may not turn out as expected. Some things will be similar, some things will be slightly different enough to drive you nuts until things click.
- Even though you may be initially frustrated due to the above, bear with it. Once it "clicks" it is worth it.
- if you're looking for something cool to grab your interest, check out automator - there are plenty of tutorials on youtube or as podcasts.
- Software installs when not from the app store are generally a case of download the .DMG file (like an ISO), open it (will open up like a disk on your desktop) and then drag the application wherever you want to install it to. Most software doesn't have an installer. To uninstall, just drag the app to the trash.
- the disk image will remain on your desktop until you drag it to the trash to "eject" or "un-mount" it. similar to the way virtual CD-ROM drives would work in Windows.
- if you're using an apple mouse, and haven't already done so - go into the system preferences, mouse and set the right mouse button up as button 2, rather than the same as the left button, so you can right click. Also, if it is an apple mouse, if you have your left finger on the mouse you can't right click - it will default to "button 1" clicks if you have both fingers touching.
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One thing you also might notice is that mouse and trackpad actually works the way they should work.
All clicks in OS X are remembered and the trackpad is 100 times better.
All clicks in OS X are remembered and the trackpad is 100 times better.
This is a good example of how different Mac OS and Windows are. You'll find if you keep clicking in a frozen application on Windows you'll completely kill it, if you do it on OSX it remembers what you've clicked on so when it starts working again it'll do whatever you told it to do in the mean time.
The lack of a Start button is a big deal for newbies, just try and forget about it and eventually you'll realise it wasnt all that great anyway
This is a good example of how different Mac OS and Windows are. You'll find if you keep clicking in a frozen application on Windows you'll completely kill it, if you do it on OSX it remembers what you've clicked on so when it starts working again it'll do whatever you told it to do in the mean time.
The lack of a Start button is a big deal for newbies, just try and forget about it and eventually you'll realise it wasnt all that great anyway
Yep, and it doesn't stop there, I also think it's the same with the keyboard, I am on a slow Powerbook and sometimes I type while something else prevents the characters showing up but they will always appear after it was "stuck".
Must be some hardware/driver controlling this separately this while in windows it might be software controlled.
Mac virgin here too!
I'm 57 yrs old and have ordered the base 21.5
I'm sure it will do me fine coming from a 10 yr old windows pc with approx 250mb ram and 500mb memory. It will hopefully seem lightning fast!!
Just using it for basic things: web surfing, itunes bit of photo editing etc!
Was just fed up with slow boot up times. Anti virus scans that bogged the system down. And stuff running in the background that I have no idea what they are!!
I'm sure I will adapt as I have an iPhone 4S, ipad 3 and Apple TV.
I ordered it with the trackpad as advised on here by most people and plan on buying a bluray writer at later date!!
Have been cleaning up my photos etc on pc ready to transfer. Just a bit confused as to how I move my itunes library across. But I'm sure I will get my head around it !
I'm 57 yrs old and have ordered the base 21.5
I'm sure it will do me fine coming from a 10 yr old windows pc with approx 250mb ram and 500mb memory. It will hopefully seem lightning fast!!
Just using it for basic things: web surfing, itunes bit of photo editing etc!
Was just fed up with slow boot up times. Anti virus scans that bogged the system down. And stuff running in the background that I have no idea what they are!!
I'm sure I will adapt as I have an iPhone 4S, ipad 3 and Apple TV.
I ordered it with the trackpad as advised on here by most people and plan on buying a bluray writer at later date!!
Have been cleaning up my photos etc on pc ready to transfer. Just a bit confused as to how I move my itunes library across. But I'm sure I will get my head around it !
Mac virgin here too!
I'm 57 yrs old and have ordered the base 21.5
I'm sure it will do me fine coming from a 10 yr old windows pc with approx 250mb ram and 500mb memory. It will hopefully seem lightning fast!!
Just using it for basic things: web surfing, itunes bit of photo editing etc!
Was just fed up with slow boot up times. Anti virus scans that bogged the system down. And stuff running in the background that I have no idea what they are!!
I'm sure I will adapt as I have an iPhone 4S, ipad 3 and Apple TV.
I ordered it with the trackpad as advised on here by most people and plan on buying a bluray writer at later date!!
Have been cleaning up my photos etc on pc ready to transfer. Just a bit confused as to how I move my itunes library across. But I'm sure I will get my head around it !
Congrats.
About your iTunes Library, I think Migration Assistant will take care of that, if not and the Database is the same just copy over the iTunes folder(provided everything including music files are there), but it might not be compatible.
Thanks perry!
Yes. I am looking at transferring via migration assistant. I think it should do the job. Should I install itunes 11 on pc first though!!?!
Thanks perry!
Yes. I am looking at transferring via migration assistant. I think it should do the job. Should I install itunes 11 on pc first though!!?!
If you like iTunes 11 then yes, there are quite a few people which don't like it.
You could make a backup on the windows machine first and then install iTunes 11, if you don't like it you could reverse it.
I am telling you this because most of the times the new iTunes database is incompatible with the old one and visa versa.
Lets say you don't do this and install iTunes 11 and later move toi the Mac you are stuck with it because the old database is not compatible.
I would wait with installing itunes 11 on the windows machine, then move over with your iTunes 10 folder intact.
Then make a backup of the iTunes folder( it is in /Users/your name/Music) and install the new iTunes, if you don't like it reverse it.
I many times just rename the iTunes folder( to lets say iTunes Old) and iTunes will create a new one, or make a copy of it by command click and select make copy)
If it is not OK rename back
Thanks again Perry.
If I get stuck. I will come to you on the day!!
PM me if you need help.
simple things that I recall I had to search for when I transcended EDIT:transitioned
External drives must be a mac compatible format like FAT32. It will let you read NTFS drives but it wont let you write to them.
When you delete stuff from an external hard drive, its not deleted until you empty the trash too.
when you read "option" key anywhere, that's refering to the alt key
External drives must be a mac compatible format like FAT32. It will let you read NTFS drives but it wont let you write to them.
When you delete stuff from an external hard drive, its not deleted until you empty the trash too.
when you read "option" key anywhere, that's refering to the alt key
Another Alternative is Avast! free anti-virus for the mac, they also make anit-virus for windows
OTB yes it can't write but there are ways to do so and mount it writable.
And, with a bit of effort it also can read Ext formatted disks.
The year was 2007. Up until that point I was a power Windows PC user for most of my life. I had just completed taking possession of a custom-built $4k computer from Velocity Micro.
The computer was nothing but problematic. The vendor could not fix it despite the fact it was sent back several times.
Frustrated, I decided to try something new. I went to a Mac Pro.
Now, mind you, back in 2007 Macs were not popular. In fact, the conception was pretty much that if you were moving to that platform you were moving to the "dark side." It was not a popular choice amongst most computer users.
5+ years later I now own a Macbook Pro, iMac, iPad and iPhone (though I just moved to an Android Galaxy Note II).
Once you go Mac, you never want to go back to Windows. You don't have to worry about viruses nor registry conflicts. Everything just works.
Is there a learning curve? Slight. Instead of .EXE files you deal with .DMG files. Some you simply open and drag to your applications folder to install. Some you click on and they install themselves.
I promise you, I think you will find using a MAC a very rewarding experience. The computers are built like bricks. You have enormous support from Apple, and the operating system is fantastic.
The computer was nothing but problematic. The vendor could not fix it despite the fact it was sent back several times.
Frustrated, I decided to try something new. I went to a Mac Pro.
Now, mind you, back in 2007 Macs were not popular. In fact, the conception was pretty much that if you were moving to that platform you were moving to the "dark side." It was not a popular choice amongst most computer users.
5+ years later I now own a Macbook Pro, iMac, iPad and iPhone (though I just moved to an Android Galaxy Note II).
Once you go Mac, you never want to go back to Windows. You don't have to worry about viruses nor registry conflicts. Everything just works.
Is there a learning curve? Slight. Instead of .EXE files you deal with .DMG files. Some you simply open and drag to your applications folder to install. Some you click on and they install themselves.
I promise you, I think you will find using a MAC a very rewarding experience. The computers are built like bricks. You have enormous support from Apple, and the operating system is fantastic.
when you come over from windows to mac ur life has become so simplified
Let's start with ejecting your USB device safely from your shiny new mac all you need to do is drag the icon to bin that's it
Secondly installing apps is so easy you can either purchase them from the App Store much like iOS App Store once you select an app or game u want it installs it automatically.
Thirdly uninstalling if bought from the app store hold the mouse over the icon and it shows a x just click on the x and the app is gone howeverthird party apps can be tricky might I suggest purchasing app zapper.
That's some pointers congrats on the purchase if you are like me u won't be returning to windows.
Let's start with ejecting your USB device safely from your shiny new mac all you need to do is drag the icon to bin that's it
Secondly installing apps is so easy you can either purchase them from the App Store much like iOS App Store once you select an app or game u want it installs it automatically.
Thirdly uninstalling if bought from the app store hold the mouse over the icon and it shows a x just click on the x and the app is gone howeverthird party apps can be tricky might I suggest purchasing app zapper.
That's some pointers congrats on the purchase if you are like me u won't be returning to windows.
Just a note on this, a .DMG is a compressed file (Like a Zip) while an .EXE is a executable ("program")
And macs have executables yet there is no extension, see below.
