Mac feels clustered.

[BrerSam]

Can i get some advice I have had my macbook pro for a while now and i always get the feeling of feeling clustered when i use it, windows every where and not very organised.

Can i get any tips on how to keep it organised and windows in check, it is bad to compare but i liked on Windows 7 you can see exactly what is open and how many tabs or windows of the application is open but on the mac im finding i am losing windows or clustered. I love my mac just looking for some tips on using it better

 

[spinnerlys]

Do you use Exposé, Spaces and the Dock?


Also have a look at the following links, as the information presented there might be helpful in your future endeavours into Mac OS X and could clear up initial confusion and may even prevent harm to your system or your files.

Mac OS X Basics

Switch 101 - guide with articles made by Apple on how to accustom yourself, after you switched to Mac OS X from Windows​

Mac 101 - How to get started with Mac OS X​

Find out how - tutorial videos made by Apple on how to do certain thing in Mac OS X​

Pro tips - tips made available by Apple for easier ways of doing certain tasks​

Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts - Learn about common Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.​

Mac OS X Beginner's Guide by MacRumors - learn about software, media players, shortcuts and some useful tips, tricks and hints​

Mac Guides - tutorials, product guides and more​

Mac Guides - Finding Mac Software​

MRoogle - a very effective tool to search these fora using Google and made available by edesignuk, introductory threads: 1, 2 and 3​

"How to maximise your MacRumors troubleshooting experience" created by mad jew in 2006​

 

[BrerSam]

Thanks and no i only use the dock, i have not used the others.

 

[spinnerlys]

Thanks and no i only use the dock, i have not used the others.

Spaces and Exposé will seriously help your cluttered work.

In Spaces you can set up different virtual desktops and assign applications to it. I currently have 12 Spaces (4 columns and 3 rows), with Safari and other browsers in Space 2, Mail and FTP in Space 3, System Preferences and other diagnostic tools in 4, PS, Avid, FCS in Space 5 to 8, entertainment and word/spreadsheet editing in 9 to 12.

 

[kernkraft]

I don't use Spaces but I'd recommend setting up Hot Corners for Expose. Maybe one bottom corner for all apps and another for just the relevant app windows. Also, if you use the glass trackpad, you have three and four finger gestures.

 

[snberk103]

Also, just try minimizing the apps/windows you don't need at the moment. They will then appear in the dock.

I have stripped my dock of pretty much anything I don't use everyday, and then - in preferences - set the icons to appear very small but turned on magnification so that when I run the cursor over it the icons get big again. When I need to find a minimized app/window I just run the cursor along the dock and click. I also have my dock along the side to make the vertical space bigger on the desktop. Try the dock there for a week to get used to it and see if you like it on the side.

 

[decksnap]

apple + tab, apple + ~, and expose solve all my needs. Minimizing can confuse the issue because they don't show up in the app and window switchers or expose.

 

[kernkraft]

apple + tab, apple + ~, and expose solve all my needs. Minimizing can confuse the issue because they don't show up in the app and window switchers or expose.

Of course, but on the newer ones, it is cmd + Tab (->|).

 

[decksnap]

Of course, but on the newer ones, it is cmd + Tab (->|).

what is that? explain please.

 

[cherry su]

what is that? explain please.

The tab symbol is depicted like this (except in one unicode character), as the poster in two posts above said: ->|

See attached screenshot.

 

[R94N]

Yeah, Expose is a great way to switch applications quickly.

 

[decksnap]

The tab symbol is depicted like this (except in one unicode character), as the poster in two posts above said: ->|

See attached screenshot.

Oh, thanks. Guess me and my keyboards are old.

Now I know why my users keep asking me what the apple key is.

 

[DirtySocks85]

I'm going to put in another vote for expose. I'm guessing you have one of the "newer" MacBook Pro's w/ the multitouch glass trackpad. If so, a vertical 4 fingers swipe down activates expose. This makes it very fast and very easy to switch between open windows.

Watch the relevant video and see if it helps:

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/features.html#overlay-trackpad