Best way to learn OS X?

[dbernie41]

I am a college student and have always used windows. In about 2 hours I am going to the Apple Store and getting a Macbook Pro. What is the best way to learn all the little nuances and things that make OS X so great? I want to know this thing inside and out so that I can use it as effectively as possible. I use Macs at school and can pretty much do anything in it that I can in Windows, but I want to learn all the things that make OS X different.

Do they have tutorials in Leopard that will show me around OS X and all that good stuff?

 

[TheStu]

I am a college student and have always used windows. In about 2 hours I am going to the Apple Store and getting a Macbook Pro. What is the best way to learn all the little nuances and things that make OS X so great? I want to know this thing inside and out so that I can use it as effectively as possible. I use Macs at school and can pretty much do anything in it that I can in Windows, but I want to learn all the things that make OS X different.

Do they have tutorials in Leopard that will show me around OS X and all that good stuff?

Honestly, best way to do it is to just use it. Don't be afraid to try things... I have found that I am surprised when something I tried on a whim doesn't work. LIke dragging images from Safari, to the dock icon of photoshop and having it immediately ready for editing. All kinds of nice things. So, don't be afraid to try things out, and try to use the included apps and see if they meet your needs. Don't immediately run and get Office just because that is what you are used to (you know how Office 07 is completely different than anything you are used to? Office 04 on OS X is the same way), don't get firefox just because you are used to it... that sort of thing.

I would recommend getting Perian, which adds lots of video playback ability to Quicktime. Also, Flip4Mac, which adds WMV support. There are a whole slew of other things that I would recommend, but before you get them, try out what they give you


Enjoy your purchase!

 

[CashGap]

Ditto on just use it. Also read the interesting sections of these boards, lurk a lot and absorb.

Get an external drive and setup Time Machine with hourly backups. That will give you a little more security to prompt adventurous exploration!

 

[cornerdealy]

one important lesson i learned was to let go of the micro management instinct that inherently comes with working on windows. osx and the applications do such a great job of handling things that you should just worry about using the program. For example, in windows you wanna micro manage the music folders and make sure everything is organized to the smallest iota, but instead, let itunes do the work and don't even worry about the music folder, do all your management of your music through itunes.

also, like said above, just try things. Things that seem logical but wouldn't work in the windows world, like moving things between apps and such.

 

[GoodWatch]

I tip my hat to the above replies! I'm following the 'learning on the job' approach as well. I bought a book on OS X Tiger but hardly used it. Perhaps I'm missing out on things but with the help of this forum I came a long way.

Very helpful answers guys!

 

[QuarterSwede]

The only thing you may need to read up on is how to use UNIX commands. But that's only if you want to delve into the underpinnings of the OS.

 

[vansouza]

I suggest you just use it and keep an open mind... once you get going with it you will wonder how you ever got along with out it. You already found the best forum to goto for help... right here... good luck...

 

[Applespider]

The best place to start is reading through Apple's own guides

Switch 101 - to show you Mac equivalents for your old Windows habits

and

Mac 101 - to show you fun Mac stuff

Then playing around will be useful. Read through some of the Leopard hints and tips pages. Consider looking at one of the missing manual books by David Pogue - there's one for OS X and one for iLife apps. They're full of really useful info and are an excellent reference tool.

 

[theman]

best way is to use it, and be curious. look things up, screw around. if you were really knowledgable about windows (not a computer newb), you will get it in no time. get addicted to these forums and within a month you will be a pro.

when I first switched i really felt like an idiot, or one of those old people that get a computer for the first time. it really sucked. but then a month later, i knew all sorts of things, and now, about 3 months later, I consider myself to be as good as anyone else using OS X. I'm far from being a pro... don't understand terminal yet (I'm a DOS person, lol), and I don't know any really deep file settings, system crap. but maybe it's better if i don't know these things.

 

[G4R2]

If you're completely new to the Mac and not confident in using the OS I would consider setting up a user account with limited privileges. This would prevent you from accidently damaging the OS or some application by deleting an important file. Windows users might be prone to do this because of the use of shortcuts on Windows. On the Mac, with the exception of what is on the dock, most icons represent the actual application and not a placeholder for an application that resides in a different location. If you move or delete the icon you're actually moving the application.

This is actually one of the great advantages that the Mac has over Windows. Applications are bundled with their icons and moving the icon doesn't break the application the way it does on Windows. Installing or uninstalling is frequently just a matter of drag and drop.

 

[GoodWatch]

This is actually one of the great advantages that the Mac has over Windows. Applications are bundled with their icons and moving the icon doesn't break the application the way it does on Windows. Installing or uninstalling is frequently just a matter of drag and drop.

I think you meant something else. Moving or deleting an icon doesn't break the application. Moving or deleting the originating executable does. Unless you have a program that consists of only one .exe AND sits on e.g.the desktop. Deleting it will kill it.