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Coolest Features in OS X
- Thread starter MPHL
- Start date
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You might like to direct him to Apple's website, then they outline the various features in some depth.
im finally buzzing about time machine as I finally got to use it today! took me long enough to get an external hd!
Its so cool!
Its so cool!
The Little Things
Sometimes it's not the things on the side of the box or on Apple's site that count. It's all the little things. Here are a few:
-Stationary menu bar.
-Column view in Finder.
-Pages and Keynote are only available on Mac.
-Close the window without quitting the application (for the most part).
-Dock (much more useful than the Task Bar)
Sometimes it's not the things on the side of the box or on Apple's site that count. It's all the little things. Here are a few:
-Stationary menu bar.
-Column view in Finder.
-Pages and Keynote are only available on Mac.
-Close the window without quitting the application (for the most part).
-Dock (much more useful than the Task Bar)
The coolest feature in my opinion is Exposé & Spaces. Used together, it is simply the best way to manage windows. Hiding apps is cool to, reduces clutter on the desktop.
A 3rd party tool that is really impressive is Growl. It's a notification manager that all apps on Mac OS X can hook into and display notifications on screen. Much better than having multiple apps fighting to show notifications all at the same time.
A 3rd party tool that is really impressive is Growl. It's a notification manager that all apps on Mac OS X can hook into and display notifications on screen. Much better than having multiple apps fighting to show notifications all at the same time.
+1 on expose' specifically view all and desktop, spaces is a waste of resources, and also available on any linux distro, hardly worth mentioning, something else i love though, and its not mentioned here, is the ability to scroll inactive windows LOVE THIS
oh and two finger secondary click /scroll beats the crap outta a secondary mouse/trackpad button anyday
oh and two finger secondary click /scroll beats the crap outta a secondary mouse/trackpad button anyday
I've come to use quick look all the time and love it.
Time machine is great too. At first I thought I'd never use it, but it has come in handy a couple times.
Time machine is great too. At first I thought I'd never use it, but it has come in handy a couple times.
Spaces is a godsend for anyone with a 12" PB and certainly a better implementation than any other virtual desktop that I've tried in the past. However, I do agree that two finger secondary clicking (and scrolling) is much better than a secondary physical button or wheel respectively.
My favorite feature has to be sleep mode because it actually works perfectly. I have yet to have it crash on me while putting it sleep mode or waking it from even if the battery died while in it (thank you excellent emergency hibernation mode). I find it pathetic that Microsoft still hasn't got sleep mode to work that well in Windows.
After that it's two fingered scrolling. It's so natural I can't stand wheel scrolling anymore.
a few of my favorite features:
expose
spaces
control zoom
two finger scrolling**
stacks
apple mail
coverflow view (though i use it more in itunes than anything)
dashboard
stickies
spotlight search
wikipedia built into dictionary
_______________
my favorite 3rd party app is the inquisitor plug in for safari, its a godsend.
expose
spaces
control zoom
two finger scrolling**
stacks
apple mail
coverflow view (though i use it more in itunes than anything)
dashboard
stickies
spotlight search
wikipedia built into dictionary
_______________
my favorite 3rd party app is the inquisitor plug in for safari, its a godsend.
This is great, but it's also been a feature available in Windows since XP. I'm just glad OS X finally caught up there. The next step would be to add the ability to turn inactive windows into active ones simply by hovering the mouse over them.
I'm totally with you on two-fingered scroll-click, though. That's awesome.
you have it speak the word in system preferences, click speech, then the text to speak tab, the check the box in speak selected text, click set key and set a key(obvious)
after that select the word and the key combination, (such as cmand-opt-s)
and it wil speekit!!
after that select the word and the key combination, (such as cmand-opt-s)
and it wil speekit!!
in speech as well, click on speech recognition play around with it and you'll find a cool tool, you can open iTunes, play music, ask for knock knock jokes(they're kinda stoopid... but sometimes unexpected) by clicking a key and saying the command.
One of the things I found the coolest when I switched was Spotlight... not only can you quickly search for documents, but you can also launch application very fast (cmd+SpaceBar and type in the first few letters). I also use it for quick calculations and as a thesaurus... speaking of which, the system-wide spell checker is cool!
Also, not a 'feature' per se, but being able to run your Mac for days without the need to reboot is pretty cool too...
Also, not a 'feature' per se, but being able to run your Mac for days without the need to reboot is pretty cool too...
Besides Expose and many other features (incorporated speech function since the first Macintosh), there are...
No forced reboot that causes you to lose changed to unsaved files (the default Windows behavior), if MS determines if some update is important.
Windows Antivirus failing
http://www.heise-security.co.uk/news/100900
No limit on RAM access. In Windows, to access more than 3gb of ram, you need the 64bit version of windows which lack drivers. On a Mac, if the hardware supports it, you don't need to pay extra for a less capable version of the OS (that lack drivers) to access the RAM you bought.
No need to wait 10-20 seconds every time you plug in a New USB device (even a friggen mouse), for windows to "install drivers".
OSX auto detects external displays and projectors. No need to press some key combination to "detect" displays.
Easy multi boot with internal and external drives on a Mac. (Easy to boot OSX, windows, even Linux using a thumbdrive).
No idiot ballons.
Benchmark the same computer using OSX and windows. Same computer running OSX score > XP score > Vista score.
Macs accurately display fonts with proper anti-alias, instead of windows which over-sharpens fonts thus look different than printed version.
Many windows programs cannot open multiple files with the same saved name.
Windows key during games. If you press windows key by accident during an app that uses full screen, windows will switch from the program and open the windows menu, you will then have to switch back to your app. Waste of time.
XP: use accounts are not separate. Somehow desktop shortcuts in windows XP are universal for all users. I.e. if you create a new admin account, your new admin account will see the shortcuts that the other admin account made. if you delete a shortcut from an account, it's gone from the other user's desktop.
MS products such as I.E. 7 blocks MS' own products such as visio from opening properly unless you go through a bunch of clicks with every file. LOL.
Mac OS X:
Installing 100 apps will not slow down the system as long as the apps are not running.
Switching between multiple intensive apps quickly will not cause the system to slow down.
Ability to run for months without slow downs.
No need to press start to shut down a computer.
Mac OS X:
PDF maker system wide, can make anything printable into pdf
Print Preview available system wide, can preview in any app
No forced reboot that causes you to lose changed to unsaved files (the default Windows behavior), if MS determines if some update is important.
Windows Antivirus failing
http://www.heise-security.co.uk/news/100900
No limit on RAM access. In Windows, to access more than 3gb of ram, you need the 64bit version of windows which lack drivers. On a Mac, if the hardware supports it, you don't need to pay extra for a less capable version of the OS (that lack drivers) to access the RAM you bought.
No need to wait 10-20 seconds every time you plug in a New USB device (even a friggen mouse), for windows to "install drivers".
OSX auto detects external displays and projectors. No need to press some key combination to "detect" displays.
Easy multi boot with internal and external drives on a Mac. (Easy to boot OSX, windows, even Linux using a thumbdrive).
No idiot ballons.
Benchmark the same computer using OSX and windows. Same computer running OSX score > XP score > Vista score.
Macs accurately display fonts with proper anti-alias, instead of windows which over-sharpens fonts thus look different than printed version.
Many windows programs cannot open multiple files with the same saved name.
Windows key during games. If you press windows key by accident during an app that uses full screen, windows will switch from the program and open the windows menu, you will then have to switch back to your app. Waste of time.
XP: use accounts are not separate. Somehow desktop shortcuts in windows XP are universal for all users. I.e. if you create a new admin account, your new admin account will see the shortcuts that the other admin account made. if you delete a shortcut from an account, it's gone from the other user's desktop.
MS products such as I.E. 7 blocks MS' own products such as visio from opening properly unless you go through a bunch of clicks with every file. LOL.
Mac OS X:
Installing 100 apps will not slow down the system as long as the apps are not running.
Switching between multiple intensive apps quickly will not cause the system to slow down.
Ability to run for months without slow downs.
No need to press start to shut down a computer.
Mac OS X:
PDF maker system wide, can make anything printable into pdf
Print Preview available system wide, can preview in any app