Life-long PC/Windows user thinking of getting MBP - concerns about differences

[snaky69]

Does that make other processes at all slower?

No, unless you're running out of RAM, of course.

 

[NickH88]

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.


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

I understand all that... I just don't get what you mean in your previous post by "the power of being able to manage both documents + apps," "Windows shotgun approach," and "having text file opening always instantaneous, but always shut down." What exactly do you mean by these?

 

[nontroppo]

power of being able to manage both documents + apps instead of sticking with Windows shotgun approach

OS X allows me to cleanly manage documents seperate from applications; Windows offers a "shotgun" approach in that some applications may allow all their tabs/windows to close but it is not consistent, nor is there a consistent keyboard binding to these two things. Often all we can do is treat a document and application as one, a shotgun solution IMO.

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.

I always keep textmate running even if no documents are open as I do value and need fast textfile opening, but I always close Chrome/Opera/Webkit after a browsing session as I don't want it running. I choose a document or application centered approach depending on my needs.

 

[slwiser]

My biggest surprise was that there is no file system on iOS or OSx. This has taken me some time to figure out. If you want to share a file between two programs one has to take the file off system and import it into the second program, assuming compatibility.

 

[Rhyalus]

Blah...there is no "shotgun approach".

The bigger problem on Mac is when the focus is changed from one app to another and the menu bar at the top changes but it was not clear which program was being changed...

It is really a matter of taste and what one is used to, I guess... but I would not classify the Windows mechanism as being a shotgun approach. Close a doc or close the app and doc... that is how it is for any app that opens documents.

R

 

[NickH88]

OS X allows me to cleanly manage documents seperate from applications; Windows offers a "shotgun" approach in that some applications may allow all their tabs/windows to close but it is not consistent, nor is there a consistent keyboard binding to these two things. Often all we can do is treat a document and application as one, a shotgun solution IMO.

By "documents," are you referring to any file open in an application, not just a traditional "document" file (.txt, .doc, etc.)?

 

[nontroppo]

Yes, an open document/page/tab etc.

@Rhyalus: Windows does not offer a clean OS recommended separation of open documents and applications, usually they are locked together and inconsistently handled (programs are not required to use consistent keyboard bindings like ⌘w and ⌘q as on OS X). In terms of focus, the menu bar always shows you what Application is running with the name clearly printed in bold (and with visual highlighting of the active window/ dimming of non-active windows UI as Windows does).