Mac help for a PC guy.

[AlphaTeam]

Ok I've been using computers most of my life. I've been a paid worker in the IT field for almost 8 years now. I'm very good with the PC and what it takes to get them working and their operation.
I've used a Mac before, but just for Photoshop and Illustrator. But those are pretty much the same on either platform.
I recently got a MacMini at work because I'd like to become more familiar with them. I REALLY want to know more about them and their workings. I try to force myself to use the Mac for my everyday tasks so I can get to know it better. The problem I'm running in to is that I get frustrated and go back to my PC. It seems that I know so much about how a PC works that it is hard to grasp the Mac end of things. If I was learning from scratch I'm sure the Mac would be easier, but I keep thinking "This should work this way", "Why isn't that over here", "ARGH!!! why does it do that, that is just backwards". A friend said "You must unlearn what you have learned" and I find it just hard. Simple things like "Alt-tab" and the maximizing of windows don't work like I want them to and it just drives me nuts. I get frustrated and stop.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Where I can go and just learn some basic stuff. I like to tinker, and just see how things works. So many things just seem counterintuitive from what I know. From what I hear things work simpler on a Mac, but it seems counterintuitive from the way my brain is now wired. I really do want to love it. I drive a Prius. And people who own them are crazy for them and you really don't understand till you get one. Mac people seem crazy too, and I'm sure its a similar thing. I really want to love it like you guys do, but I'm finding too hard.

 

[hsotnicaM]

We are all crazy.

You came to the right place. What are you trying to do specifically? The PC people I know get frustrated because they try to figure it out instead of just simply using the machine.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

If I were you, I'd go find one of those Mac books out there and give it a read. You'll understand the "Mac way" better, and become accustomed to both, like I have (mind you, I started with Macs, so I'm used to them).

Also, Apple's site has a ton of useful information for Mac newbies, particularly in the Support area and the section about switching to a Mac.

 

[AlphaTeam]

We are all crazy.

You came to the right place. What are you trying to do specifically? The PC people I know get frustrated because they try to figure it out instead of just simply using the machine.

Most things at this point have been just trying to find the settings of a device. That is just a learning thing.

The little things just drive me nuts though. Alt-Tab doesn't work the same way. Selecting files from a list....why on Earth you can't just maximize a window is mind boggling. I know it is not the "Mac way". I'm having a hard time with that whole "Mac way" thing too, but I'm trying.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Most things at this point have been just trying to find the settings of a device. That is just a learning thing.

The little things just drive me nuts though. Alt-Tab doesn't work the same way. Selecting files from a list....why on Earth you can't just maximize a window is mind boggling. I know it is not the "Mac way". I'm having a hard time with that whole "Mac way" thing too, but I'm trying.

You're not supposed to maximize windows because Macs have always been oriented more towards multi-tasking and Windows single-tasking. Maximizing a window defeats the purpose of multi-tasking... but since Windows' support for drag and drop is so poor, you don't need to multi-task as much. On the Mac side of things, Mac users are used to being able to drag one thing from one window to another to get things done, no matter what application we're using - hence the inefficiency of maximizing on the Mac side.