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NickH88

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 9, 2012
50
0
Florida
Wow, this thread has become quite popular! Thanks everyone!

One killer feature of OS X for me is the ability to scroll in a window without actually having it in focus. That is, you can type in one form while scrolling a background window at the same time. Makes working with databases/lists/looking up data so much quicker.
Are you referring to the ability to place your cursor over an inactive window and scroll within it?

Its not double-tap is right click, its two finger tap (simultaneously tapping with two fingers - its awkward at first, but you'll learn to love it). A double tap is just like a regular mouse double-click, you quickly tap two times with a single finger.
Thanks for clearing that up for me.

The only issue I have with a macbook's trackpad is that it seems physically impossible to do a right-click-drag in excel (for when you want to quickly fill in cells with a series of values).
Does anyone know if this is possible to do on an MBP?

I am a computer dunce compare to most of these guys on this board, and if I can make a mac work...anybody can....seriously it is pretty smooth, and wave bye bye to all the hassles with windows that drove me nuts.
Actually, most of the Mac users I know are casual users, while my more technically-inclined friends use Windows and/or Linux.

I will say that one thing I don't like about OSX (maybe this is changeable, I don't know) but in Windows I frequently used the END key to get to the end of a line. In OSX this just takes you to the bottom of the page.
I didn't know that. Does anyone know if there are any shortcuts to go to the end of a line? Can you create such a shortcut?

The only reason I would go back to PC, is because sometimes I get the itch to build one, and I would only do that if there were some game I wanted to play that wasn't available to me through console/OSX/bootcamp (due to hardware requirements)...All in all, I think I am done with Windows as an operating system, especially considering how Win8 is.
What do you mean by a game being unavailable through Console? From what I know, Console is a utility in OS X that lets you examine error messages and such.

It was an easy switch for me. Can I ask why you are switching though? Are you unhappy with Windows?
See the below quote. I'm actually quite satisfied with Windows.

I am an aspiring Film student, and a few of the classes at my college teach on Final Cut Pro. While it's not required that I have a Mac for them since there are on-campus labs, it is highly recommended. On top of that, I understand that Macs are generally superior for video editing, which is really the main area of Film that interests me, and I know FCP is the software of choice for many professionals.

That's really the reason... were it not for that, I'd just stick with PCs, especially since they have some exclusive features that I like.

I came back to the fold after nearly 20 years of PC this year. Now I have an MBP, my wife uses a Macbook, the study has an iMac that also serves iTunes to 2 ATV3's and they're all linked by an Airport Extreme. Oh and an iPad too. We're sold lol! As many others have said go to an Apple store and have a play.
Haha, well I do already have an iPhone! :)

I'd say don't assess it solely in the store. Spend a couple weeks or so with it to get past the differences (until you're comfortable with it and using it is second nature) and then make your decision -- especially if you're the type that dislikes change in general.
What is Apple's return policy? I would be ordering/customizing it online and likely opting for the in-store pickup, if that matters.

In OSX, you can set it in keyboard settings to swap the control and command keys, so that control+C = copy and such.
Do you feel that this is the way to go for me, as I'm so used to using Control shortcuts, or would I likely find using the Command key for those same shortcuts to be "easier" once I get used to it?

See my comments above.
Regarding your comment about editing, if you're referring to Windows Movie Maker, I've never really used it much (I use Pinnacle Studio, and used Dazzle in the past), but I heard that the new Windows Live Movie Maker (included with Microsoft Live Essentials) is actually quite nice.

I use my left thumb and right thumb to strike and hold the Command key and it works very well because my thumb doesn't feel uncomfortable at all and I rarely need to hit the space key at the same time as a command shortcut.
Are Command + spacebar shortcuts uncommon? From what I see, Spotlight is the only thing that uses them.

Also note that there's a free App for OSX on the App Store called "Cheat Sheet" which shows you ALL the available shortcuts for the App you are currently using. All you do is hold Command for a few seconds and a dark transparent overlay displays all the shortcuts you can use. It's very useful.
Thanks for the tip!

It's not easy to view system files on OSX and even doing something like deleting 'kext' files requires entering your password.
Is there no option to disable having to enter your password for that?

Hot corners.
Actually, Windows 8 has this feature too.

Updates shmupdates. One thing I hated about Windows was it's "screw you" method of installing updates. I was in the middle of a movie with a date, full screen, things were going GREAT with me and her. She was enjoying the movie, I just fixed her a drink. Randomly the movie exits full screen and my computer starts shutting down. It says "Configuring Updates. Do not power off or unplug the computer". It took 6 minutes for it to shut down. No big right? Small chat for 6 minutes and we'll be good to go? I restarted, it was configuring 9 updates and it took 15 minutes. The buzz was killed and she had to go shortly after. Windows.... The "something other than pop-up" blocker. What's that? You can configure the Update settings differently? If that's the case, why the HELL would the DEFAULT recommended settings be to shut down your computer without asking? What engineer proposed that and managed to keep his high paying job at Microsoft?

I can't even imagine the conversation:
"Okay guys let's talk updates... How should we handle them?"
D-Bag Stevens (Chief Engineer) : "I think updates should be #1 most important and we should shut down the computer immediately when they're done. That should be the way."
Future Apple engineer: "Don't you think we should install the updates in Windows and put a small notification in the corner to restart? Let them restart when they're done working?"
D-Bag Stevens: "Are you crazy? Don't you know that if you install Windows updates while in Windows, the computer will go Ape **** and babies will go flying all over the place with explosions?"
Future Apple engineer: "Well okay then, as long as they can get back to work as soon as it's done restarting."
D-Bag Stevens: "Well it will have to configure the updates when the computer starts..."
Future Apple engineer: "But wasn't it installing them when it was shutting down? You have to install again?"
D-Bag Stevens: "Well yeah, we installed them when we were shutting down, now we have to configure them when we start it up... It's a complicated process but it makes sense. And this should be the default setting."
Future Apple engineer: "I think I'm done here, good luck guys."
LOL! The issue with Windows automatically rebooting after an update isn't an issue to me since it can be disabled, but I do agree that it was a poor decision to make it the default.

The best part is the most subtle novelty: No antivirus. I didn't notice how much I didn't enjoy leaving my computer on scanning for infections one day a week until I didn't have to do it anymore.
I've actually never had much of a problem with viruses on my PCs (only 1 or 2 major ones in all my years), to the point where I scan much less frequently than what is recommended. I'm not careless with what I download like other people seem to be. I know that Macs can get viruses too though...

I guess the biggest adjustment for me was the way to exit applications and plug-ins. With Macs the process isn't just unplugging the USB or clicking the X button. You have to physically quit each application and eject each plug-in, and that can be a bit clunky.
Isn't one of the 3 colored "dots" in the top-left corner of an app a shortcut to exit that app (the equivalent of Windows' "X")? If not, do you exit all apps by File -> Close?

I've used ThinkPads for almost 20 years. I always used the track point and couldn't stand the trackpad to the point of turning it off in the settings. When I switched to a MacBook Pro, I was amazed at how much better the trackpad was.
Do you now prefer the Mac's TrackPad to the ThinkPad's TrackPoint?

For a programmer, Apple offers a very rich set of APIs which even allow you to extend standard UI controls; e.g. changing the system-wide spellchecker or adding a new file system type.
I'm somewhat of a programmer (Computer Science student)... I'd be interested in hearing more about this.

From a purely technical perspective, its all about what applications you need to run and how optimal you'd like those applications to run.
I mainly use Microsoft Office, Notepad, Firefox, video editing software, some user-created programs (most of which are Windows-exclusive), and IDEs. I would certainly like all of them to run as optimally as possible.

Be warned that Apple also made no effort to optimize bootcamp - so Windows is less than ideal (terrible battery life, poor fan control).
Thanks for the heads-up!

The command button has the same placement on the keyboard as the control does on a PC. However if you plan on using win 7 on your macbook you might find it annoying with the only control button.
Actually, Command is 2-3 (depending on which side) keys closer to the spacebar on the MBP's keyboard than Control is on a PC's.

On an MBP, how would it be any different in Windows than it would be in OS X?

---------

A few of you mentioned actually having difficulty going back to PC keyboards/mice after getting used to those on a MacBook... I'd hate for that to happen to me, since using PCs is pretty much inevitable with many careers at this point in time.

Also, there's one other issue that I forgot about... maximize/ minimize/close being on the opposite side. How much adjusting do you think this would take?
 

DTKblaster

macrumors member
Aug 3, 2012
74
4
The biggest hidden problem I find is the inability of macs to write to NTFS formatted drives without having to buy premium software.

So any external drives you used with windows for files >4gb will be read only, and the same goes for USB sticks, which should all really be NTFS formatted if you use windows.

FAT32 works, but that sucks. (4GB file limits and much lower disk performance in certain tasks like writing/deleting thousands of tiny files)

On the other hand macs use HSF+ formatting, of which the bootcamp drives come with a read only driver, meaning that the situation is reversed, so formatting a usb stick with HSF+ doesn't really work either.
 

GLS

macrumors 6502a
Jun 26, 2010
561
600
The biggest hidden problem I find is the inability of macs to write to NTFS formatted drives without having to buy premium software.

So any external drives you used with windows for files >4gb will be read only, and the same goes for USB sticks, which should all really be NTFS formatted if you use windows.

FAT32 works, but that sucks. (4GB file limits and much lower disk performance in certain tasks like writing/deleting thousands of tiny files)

On the other hand macs use HSF+ formatting, of which the bootcamp drives come with a read only driver, meaning that the situation is reversed, so formatting a usb stick with HSF+ doesn't really work either.

exFat formatting to the rescue.
 

pmurph5

macrumors newbie
Jan 30, 2010
9
0
If you are near an Apple store, I highly recommend buying the $99 One-to-One service. Reasons:

1) This helps in the PC-to-Mac transition. The 1-2-1 Apple expert can show you both simple stuff like Fn+Delete and deeper things like editing package files.

2: Every now and then Apple does things wacky. For example, in Pages the Insert menu has a giant list of things that can be inserted ... but no "Picture" or "Image"! The 1-2-1 person showed me how to do this ("Choose") and then went on to show some cool but obscure features like Hidden Alpha background removal from within Pages.

3) It is fun to pick an application like Garage Band or Numbers that maybe you wouldn't normally use, and have the 1-2-1 person go through it with you. They can show you shortcuts, best approaches to file storage & organization, etc. You may find productive or recreational uses you hadn't previously considered.

4) It is an indulgent treat, for only about $2 a week. You have the undivided attention of a person who is an expert in his or her specialty area (photo editing, video, productivity apps, etc.) They will talk at your level, as deep as you want.

Just be sure to sign up for the 1-2-1 program when you get your new computer. I think you have 30 days to sign up.

While Internet forums and books are great resources in their way, there's nothing like your own private tutor to really ramp up your skills and knowledge!
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,539
941
So, how difficult would the adjustment be for me? How disoriented would I be at first? How quickly do you think I would adapt?
That depends on you. Some adapt quicker than others. I made the switch from Windows to Mac OS X about 5 years ago, after being a rather advanced user of Windows since it was first released. I ramped up rather quickly because I didn't try to cling to the Windows mentality. I embraced the fact that things work somewhat differently on a Mac. I also elected to minimize my dependence on 3rd party apps, forcing myself to learn what was available in OS X (such as learning to use Safari rather than installing Firefox, which I had been using on Windows). In other words, I "dove in the deep end of the pool" and learned my way around fairly quickly.

Now my only regret is that I didn't switch sooner!

This may be useful:


I know that Macs can get viruses too though...
Yes, they can, but they don't, since no Mac OS X viruses exist in the wild, and none never have. The only OS X malware in the wild is a handful of trojans which can easily be avoided.

You don't need any 3rd party antivirus app to keep a Mac malware-free, as long as you practice safe computing, as described in the following link. Read the What security steps should I take? section of the Mac Virus/Malware FAQ for tips on practicing safe computing.

The biggest hidden problem I find is the inability of macs to write to NTFS formatted drives without having to buy premium software.
So what's wrong with buying an inexpensive app to enable writing to NTFS? People buy apps for other purposes. Windows can't even read HFS+ drives without added software, and you have to spend more than twice as much to enable Windows writing to HFS+ drives. At least Mac OS X can read NTFS natively.
 
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DTKblaster

macrumors member
Aug 3, 2012
74
4
exFat formatting to the rescue.

I didn't see this, but apparently XP support is sketchy, and when multiple external drives are already NTFS, finding an empty area to temp store everything while you format them is a pain.

The paragon NTFS software is 20 pounds, to pay that for basic functionality such as writing to my USB stick is a joke, and one the OP should be aware of.
 

Lone Deranger

macrumors 68000
Apr 23, 2006
1,894
2,133
Tokyo, Japan
I will say that one thing I don't like about OSX (maybe this is changeable, I don't know) but in Windows I frequently used the END key to get to the end of a line. In OSX this just takes you to the bottom of the page.

I didn't know that. Does anyone know if there are any shortcuts to go to the end of a line? Can you create such a shortcut?

Simple:
CMND + Right Cursor key takes you to the end of the line.
CMND + Left Cursor key takes you to the beginning of the line.
CMND + Up Cursor key takes you to the top of the document.
CMND + Down Cursor key takes you to the bottom of the document.
Add Shift to any of these combinations and you end up selecting the text.
 

Snowshiro

macrumors 6502
Jan 12, 2008
387
6
The paragon NTFS software is 20 pounds, to pay that for basic functionality such as writing to my USB stick is a joke, and one the OP should be aware of.

Why is this "basic functionality"? Can Windows write to devices formatted in other OS's file formats (e.g. Linux, OS X)? No, I think not.



Really as far as the OP is concerned, I don't really get the "I don't want to use an external mouse to solve my problems" approach. Why not just use the best tool for the job? There are some things that mice will always do better than even the best trackpad.

I used my rMBP for about a week before I got tired of click and drag being a pain in the ass, and went out and bought a Microsoft folding ARC mouse with the receiver magnetically attached to the back. It's tiny when folded up and takes all of 5 seconds to pull it out of a slide pocket of my MBPs case and start using it. But I bet it saves me a hell of a lot more time than that.

I still use the trackpad from time to time with my other hand for stuff that it does really well, like two finger scrolling or swiping to other desktops.
 

runebinder

macrumors 6502a
Apr 2, 2009
904
121
Nottingham, UK
What do you mean by a game being unavailable through Console? From what I know, Console is a utility in OS X that lets you examine error messages and such.

I believe they meant games console as in PS3 or Xbox.

What is Apple's return policy? I would be ordering/customizing it online and likely opting for the in-store pickup, if that matters.

14 days from receiving the item, after that it's the repair route. Also if you get a BTO and do return it in that period you'll have to wait for a new one to be built as they won't have them in the store.

Do you feel that this is the way to go for me, as I'm so used to using Control shortcuts, or would I likely find using the Command key for those same shortcuts to be "easier" once I get used to it?

I think only you can answer that question. My suggestion would be to try the CMD key as designed for a couple of weeks, if you really can't get on with it, change it.

Are Command + spacebar shortcuts uncommon? From what I see, Spotlight is the only thing that uses them.

CMD+Space is for Spotlight, one of my most commonly used shortcuts as Spotlight is very useful.

Is there no option to disable having to enter your password for that?

No that's a behaviour of any Unix based OS, can't be disabled.

Actually, Windows 8 has this feature too.

I disagree, with hot corners you can choose what going to each corner does in OS X. In Windows 8 Top and right hand corners show the charm bar, bottom left the Start and top left most recently used app. MS do not allow you to alter this (wouldn't be surprised if there are reg hacks to change them though).

Isn't one of the 3 colored "dots" in the top-left corner of an app a shortcut to exit that app (the equivalent of Windows' "X")? If not, do you exit all apps by File -> Close?

Some apps will work that way, in most though clicking on the red dot only closes the open instance of the app, not the app itself. You can go to file> quit, use CMD+Q or right click on the icon in the Dock and choose Quit.

A few of you mentioned actually having difficulty going back to PC keyboards/mice after getting used to those on a MacBook... I'd hate for that to happen to me, since using PCs is pretty much inevitable with many careers at this point in time.

I do 2nd level tech support and a lot of staff training so use a lot of different Windows computers. Touchpads will in general just suck on a Windows PC in comparison, but they did for me before I had even used a PC. One of the biggest wow factors for me the first time I used a MacBook was that I didn't feel the need to plug in a mouse.

Keyboard wise I swap between my MBP, home desktop (Win8), and the works computers with no issues. No readjustment period, I just adapt to what I am using without thinking about it so would not worry on that score.

Also, there's one other issue that I forgot about... maximize/ minimize/close being on the opposite side. How much adjusting do you think this would take?

Never been an issue for me. I very rarely minimise as I tend to flick between desktop spaces as I like to keep apps on different ones and find Mission Control/swiping left an right between spaces a much more elegant and easier way to move between the apps I have open.

I tend to use CMD+Q to close apps rather than the red dot and where the apps have the option tend to go to full screen rather than maximise.
 

Spikeywan

macrumors 6502
Dec 11, 2012
252
0
1) The only issue I have with a macbook's trackpad is that it seems physically impossible to do a right-click-drag in excel.

Go to 'Accessibility > Mouse and Trackpad > Trackpad Options...'

Check 'Enable dragging' and select 'with Drag Lock'.

In Excel double-tap and hold on the second tap. Drag the selection box, then tap again to release the drag.

It works with anything that you can drag, and allows you to continue dragging even if you hit the edge of the track pad.
 

NickH88

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 9, 2012
50
0
Florida
If you are near an Apple store, I highly recommend buying the $99 One-to-One service. Reasons:

1) This helps in the PC-to-Mac transition. The 1-2-1 Apple expert can show you both simple stuff like Fn+Delete and deeper things like editing package files.

2: Every now and then Apple does things wacky. For example, in Pages the Insert menu has a giant list of things that can be inserted ... but no "Picture" or "Image"! The 1-2-1 person showed me how to do this ("Choose") and then went on to show some cool but obscure features like Hidden Alpha background removal from within Pages.

3) It is fun to pick an application like Garage Band or Numbers that maybe you wouldn't normally use, and have the 1-2-1 person go through it with you. They can show you shortcuts, best approaches to file storage & organization, etc. You may find productive or recreational uses you hadn't previously considered.

4) It is an indulgent treat, for only about $2 a week. You have the undivided attention of a person who is an expert in his or her specialty area (photo editing, video, productivity apps, etc.) They will talk at your level, as deep as you want.

Just be sure to sign up for the 1-2-1 program when you get your new computer. I think you have 30 days to sign up.

While Internet forums and books are great resources in their way, there's nothing like your own private tutor to really ramp up your skills and knowledge!
I hadn't been planning on it; my order is already going to be very expensive, and I figured that as a "computer person," I'd be able to figure things out (or at least look them up online), and I didn't really see myself going to the Apple Store to use this service. I'll think about it though. Thanks for the suggestion.

According to this, you can only sign up for One-to-One when you purchase your computer.

You mentioned them showing how to edit package files... is this something I would ever actually do?

Really as far as the OP is concerned, I don't really get the "I don't want to use an external mouse to solve my problems" approach. Why not just use the best tool for the job? There are some things that mice will always do better than even the best trackpad.
I just find using external mice to be a hassle. Having multiple pieces like that almost defeats the purpose of having a laptop over a desktop in my opinion. Even though it's quick to set up and put away the mouse, it's still something I would prefer to not be bothered with. I don't want to purchase a laptop whose mouse I would be dissatisfied with to the point of wanting/needing to use an external one (unless it's for gaming or something of that sort). Plus, I often use my laptop in small workspaces where there isn't really any room for an external mouse, such as on my lap or on a small foldaway auditorium classroom desk.

Some apps will work that way, in most though clicking on the red dot only closes the open instance of the app, not the app itself.
I'm confused... could you please explain what you mean by this?

---

I'm really going to have to look into the whole "multiple desktops" thing that everyone keeps mentioning...
 

nontroppo

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2009
430
22
Very informative thread overall. I really just wanted to pick up on the trackpad -- I was a long term ThinkPad user before my first Mac laptop. After very initial shock, the Mac trackpad was a revelation and the most significant hardware advances for me switching to a Mac. It was very very quick to remap into an IMO superior input device compared to the Thinkpad's trackpad+nipple.

I also stuck with using Command rather than remapping it to CTRL, which did take me a couple of weeks. Now what I do is remap my PCs WIN+CTRL keys so I can use the same muscle memory when switching between Macs and PCs!!! :cool:

Another +1 for Bettertouchtool, brilliant utility and makes Apples input devices even better...

And on the red dot -- Macs in general do not lock current-window<->process, so you can close all open windows of an application without that application process shutting down. As I prefer using the keyboard bindings to silly window ornaments anyway, I love on OS X that ⌘q is always quit application and ⌘w is always close active window, this is much better than the mish-mash of keyboard bindings to close apps / tabs / windows that Windows ends up with.
 

snaky69

macrumors 603
Mar 14, 2008
5,908
488
I hadn't been planning on it; my order is already going to be very expensive, and I figured that as a "computer person," I'd be able to figure things out (or at least look them up online), and I didn't really see myself going to the Apple Store to use this service. I'll think about it though. Thanks for the suggestion.

According to this, you can only sign up for One-to-One when you purchase your computer.

You mentioned them showing how to edit package files... is this something I would ever actually do?

I just find using external mice to be a hassle. Having multiple pieces like that almost defeats the purpose of having a laptop over a desktop in my opinion. Even though it's quick to set up and put away the mouse, it's still something I would prefer to not be bothered with. I don't want to purchase a laptop whose mouse I would be dissatisfied with to the point of wanting/needing to use an external one (unless it's for gaming or something of that sort). Plus, I often use my laptop in small workspaces where there isn't really any room for an external mouse, such as on my lap or on a small foldaway auditorium classroom desk.

I'm confused... could you please explain what you mean by this?

---

I'm really going to have to look into the whole "multiple desktops" thing that everyone keeps mentioning...

I'll use screenshots. A safari window is open in the first one. In the second one, I clicked the red x (actually I hit CMD-W, which does the same thing).

In both screenshots, if you look at the icon for Safari (the blue compass), there is a little "light" under it. That means the application is still open (or loaded into the RAM), it has not been quit. Think of it as doing File-->Close in Microsoft Word, Word is still open, but no documents are. The only difference is that it does not leave a blank window open.
 

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KdParker

macrumors 601
Oct 1, 2010
4,793
998
Everywhere
Got first mac for working on apps, and really haven't looked back sicne I can run windows too.

Now I only use the windows for development on other platforms.

It did take a little while to learn how the Mac book worked, but I really wasn't that difficult.
 

NickH88

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 9, 2012
50
0
Florida
Thank you runebinder, nontroppo, and snaky69 for explaining the quit/close thing to me. What would be the advantage of closing an app instead of quitting it? I'm guessing it would just be for a faster startup time if you choose to launch it again.

I ran across an app called RedQuits that causes the red dot to actually quit an app. Since I'm used to the "X" in Windows, I'll probably use this if I end up getting a Mac.
 

snaky69

macrumors 603
Mar 14, 2008
5,908
488
Thank you runebinder, nontroppo, and snaky69 for explaining the quit/close thing to me. What would be the advantage of closing an app instead of quitting it? I'm guessing it would just be for a faster startup time if you choose to launch it again.

I ran across an app called RedQuits that causes the red dot to actually quit an app. Since I'm used to the "X" in Windows, I'll probably use this if I end up getting a Mac.

It simply keepsit in memory to make it launch faster, I prefer that ober wuitting most of the time
 

nontroppo

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2009
430
22
What would be the advantage of closing an app instead of quitting it? I'm guessing it would just be for a faster startup time if you choose to launch it again.

Faster startup time, the application's caches and kernel VM are already populated properly etc. I would honestly think about getting used to the power of being able to manage both documents + apps instead of sticking with Windows shotgun approach. For example, I always leave my text editor Textmate running and it does make a difference having text file opening always instantaneous, but always shut down for e.g. Chromium when not using it.
 

NickH88

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 9, 2012
50
0
Florida
It simply keepsit in memory to make it launch faster, I prefer that ober wuitting most of the time
Does that make other processes at all slower?

I would honestly think about getting used to the power of being able to manage both documents + apps instead of sticking with Windows shotgun approach. For example, I always leave my text editor Textmate running and it does make a difference having text file opening always instantaneous, but always shut down for e.g. Chromium when not using it.
Could you please explain what you mean by this?
 

nontroppo

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2009
430
22
It really means I am consistently in control of whether to leave a program open in the background or not. I know ⌘q will *always* clear that program from working memory[1] (like Windows default, except Windows does not IIRC have a consistent key for quitting apps), and ⌘w will *always* close the document window but leave the program fully functional in memory. Traditionally in OS X the (x) icon is linked to ⌘w, which leaves programs in memory and let the OS manage memory; using ⌘q allows me to force a program out of working memory, a kind of "hint" to the virtual memory system of my working habits.

In regards to performance issues, most Apple users use the (x) icon and don't have problems, the OS virtual memory system is based on very general methods developed across unix and windows systems for keeping the system running optimally. Some people prefer to keep most of their memory free, which I personally find ridiculous, and I think a computer scientist would generally agree.


----
[1] actually memory is marked as inactive, so restarting that program is still faster than starting from cold.
 

Liquinn

Suspended
Apr 10, 2011
3,016
57
I really love my Macs but there's nothing my Mac can't do my Windows PC can't do.

But the Mac is indeed better - better battery life, better OS, better resale etc. Better experience overall.
 

Reddyt5

macrumors newbie
Nov 18, 2012
15
0
I've always used PC's but I had a few bad ones with no support from the companies (Toshiba) so I decided it was time for a Mac. At college a fast and reliable computer is very important, so the Mac fits me. I never regret switching to Mac and even my mom who has been using PC computers for years wished she had switched long before. Go to the Apple store and try them out or ask a friend how they like theirs.

Good Luck!!
 
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