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I think you have a very straightforward choice;
1. return the Mac, get a PC.
2. install XP3 on your iMac (no need to go Win7 with this option) , and keep the stuff you like under XP3 on the iMac.

I think the initial expectation you had were way too high, what exactly were you hoping would change, given you have a set list of applications you must use, so thats thereal computer experience for you, not whether its Xp, Win7 or OSX.

As essentially a hobbyist on my computer it doesn't matter to me (and I suspect most of the folks here) if I use one package or another to accomplish a task, or have a steeper learning curve, thats not costing me money, but it is you. And if you really are only using 2 or 3 apps mostly, then what OS they are running under will make little difference.If you go with Option 2 you can be back as you were in a day and then tinker with the Mac as you have time, you'll have to decide if thats worth the extra cost compared to option 1, (but not having to mess with Win7 is an upside). Good luck with your business whatever you do.
 
WOW - this is definitely a 'split' group. One hand really helpful (hugging Jon-Luke amongst others) whereas some get hostile for me not implementing a suggestion made within the previous hour. Making personal statements like 'it's not the computer, it is the person'. WOW, that is all I can say about that.

I struggle to see how that comment is "personal", when the fact is that it's the truth.

You're on here moaning at the Mac not doing what you thought it would, you have quite clearly opened the box and expected miracles when in actual fact you will need time to learn OS X and how the Mac works compared to Windows.

That's not offensive, it's not personal, it's the downright facts of the matter.

You can have the single best computer on the planet, with the best specifications, the best preloaded software, and the latest hardware refinements.

Sit a complete novice in front of it, and it doesn't matter what the computer can do, because the person operating it doesn't know how.

That's the truth, that's the facts. If you took it as personal, then I can only apologise, but that's the way it goes.
 
I went to the Apple store after the post office, to see whether anybody was available to help me out with the mail, as I tried the previously mentioned suggestions.

We tried around it a bit, and eventually the 'high-tech' got involved and the problem is that there are multiple POP, IMAP and a 3rd which I can't remember, are involved. He said it is a fact that on POP only the INBOX will download, it will not sync, so if you read it on the MAC it will still show as unread on the server. But that is no big deal. His suggestion was to use 'Entourage' to manage all my mail and contacts. Entourage will be able to handle multiple email exchanges.

I did have high expectations of the MAC, everybody kept on telling how much of a step up from Windows it was. It is not. Windows basic programming and the MACs basic programming are on the same level. Some of the basics in Windows were more advanced then what you get with the SL.

Perhaps I'm showing my age here, but in the early '90s I worked as a programmer @ the SAS institute in Cary, NC. I'm not a stranger to using multiple interfaces. And the fact that MAC was UNIX based was what put me over the edge as to buying a MAC. And really changing manners is not that hard, as you can find it. @ SAS you had to go through multiples to test.

I can not return the MAC. They can't give me full refund. And without the full refund I can not afford a new computer. I think this is a great computer for basic stuff, I think the mail is great for college students and to reduce spam, but when you run a business and mail goes into junk/spam that is not intended there and you can only find it on the server, not your computer, that is not good. I think for editing basic pictures and making small videos for youtube, you're all set, but if you do more it is just an incredible setback. I think the appearance and appeal is fabulous.

And to the above poster, saying 'it is not the computer, it is the person' has a personal touch to it, to deny that show lack of linguistic understanding. You increase your insult by saying that when you put a novice in front of a master computer you won't get out it what you could either. When the problem is just the other way around, this computer is too limited as it is presenting itself, and mind you I'm talking about the software, not the operating system. Mac Mail can't handle the multiple mailboxes, iphoto and imovie are very basic, too basic for what I do, QB is limited. The fact that you can not change text size without changing the resolution is absurd!

It is just a very basic computer, and not what I was told it was to be. It is not on the same level that I'm used to. A faster processor, so of course it is faster, but I got told that it was what it wasn't. My fault, my responsibility.
 
So basically, because you can't use the Mac and because you had over zealous expectations, you now think you can belittle the Mac platform?

Sorry, but all I can say is "Do not feed the troll".

The Mac IS a step up from Windows, you simply don't have the patience or willpower to give it a prolonged try.

Sell it privately, you will make 99% of your money back.

Oh, and I find it amusing that someone with a poor grasp on basic grammar can question the "linguistic understanding" of someone else.
 
Perhaps I'm showing my age here, but in the early '90s I worked as a programmer @ the SAS institute in Cary, NC. I'm not a stranger to using multiple interfaces. And the fact that MAC was UNIX based was what put me over the edge as to buying a MAC.
I am surprised you're having as much issues as you are if this is the case. On the surface you do seem intelligent but I think even the most intelligent people can be clouded by expectations that cannot be reached.

And to the above poster, saying 'it is not the computer, it is the person' has a personal touch to it, to deny that show lack of linguistic understanding.

That was me, basically. Perhaps WeegieMac elaborated on the statement but I do recall saying that it is possible that it is not the computer at all. It was not a personal attack as you've clearly taken it in your defense but it is, in fact, a possibility that you have grown to expect something that a Mac cannot be. I don't think it's offensive to say that some folks aren't cut out for the switch. I also recall stating that some folks can't go from Mac to Windows and be happy. It happens, such is life. In all my years I've grown to realize that I cannot force things to happen for me no matter how bad I want them to.

Maybe I missed what was really the issue with you. All of your previously stated issues can be resolved. Adobe products are made for the OS X operating system as well as Windows. Calling them will begin the process of exchanging them. Mac Mail is notorious for being decent but not awesome. There are free alternatives that you may need or want to try. Perhaps buying Office 2008 for the Mac and using Entourage (Outlook) may suffice. Text size, it is not tiny to begin with but you're using a 27" screen. I run on a 30" screen but I paid for my 20/20 vision ... no I am not suggesting you do the same. The text size took time to get used to. There was a suggestion to use a utility in the first couple of responses. I had no idea of your computing background but knowing it now I can say you'll likely be able to figure out that. Or not. It seems to depend on your level of patience here. You have yet to dish out an issue that lacked resolution except the fact that you may not have known that each time you opt to switch to a new OS you're likely to have some expenses, especially if you're running a business.

Many successful businesses in design, manufacturing, customer service, retail etc are ran using a Mac. The wine store down the road actually uses Macs and Quick Books I believe. Point being, yes, while the Mac OS is built on Unix it is still OS X. If that makes sense.

I hope you continue to try it but if not you can sell your machine for near what you paid minus the taxes and likely afford a new windows box. I suggest you start looking into a local sale. If I had a need I'd probably offer to take it off your hands after visual verification that you haven't hammered the top of it yet with a blunt object. ;)
 
Actually this sounds like a unwillingness to learn how to use the computer, not have the computer do everything for me. i have been a windows user for the last 15 years and just got my first mac a week ago come wednesday, granted its a much older imac its a g3 400 mhz slot load version the point is it is running os x 10.3.9 panther and is much easier to use than windows any day since you dont get freezes, crashes and constant alerts from the anti virus program. my g3 even seems to work faster than my 4 year old compaq 3.0 ghz windows machine. so the point is one needs to spend time with the mac more than 1 minute and learn the way to use os x properly.
 
I find it annoying when people say that "computer a" is outperforming "computer b," but then offer no real examples, other than they don't understand where something is or have an unwillingness to learn.

Since I love housing/neighborhood analogies, that's like saying a nice neighborhood is not nearly as functional as a crappier one since, in a crappier one, I can cash my check at any corner check-cashing place, whereas in the nice neighborhood, I have to get a bank account at a real bank.
 
My advice is, give it time and learn it. It took me about a month to learn the basics on my own and over a year later I love it and still need to learn more. I know my Mac can do so much more, but because I just learn what I needed to know it will take me more time to find out. I just started using iPhoto 2 weeks ago. Before I used that I just had folders for all my pictures. I have a lot of questions for iPhoto, but I feel good learning it now.
Personally I wouldn't make a switch like you did when my life depends on a computer, but like others said you can use Boot Camp and switch back and forth.
I got my mom to switch over and for a while I regretted it, but she's a lot better. I also get far less calls from her "what do I do now?" then when she had Windows, and she's not all that young either. I kept her Windows computer running and every time I go there I was always fixing something and sadly it wasn’t her, it was my brother. It takes time and don't expect to learn everything overnight.
You will find very.. VERY helpful people on here, but at the same time you will find some people who are not and will rip you down because they feel better.
Good luck!
 
Give it a little more time. You'll find yourself loving it. I was like you several years ago, my boss gave me a Macbook to replace my actively dying Dell laptop. "This is strange and unfamiliar" I thought, and was slow to adopt it. I soon realized that everything I ever need or want to do can be done quickly and easily on a Mac, and I have never given another thought to going back to PC's and the avalanche of bullcrap that comes with using them.

Your annoyance is probably also stemming from the fact that you shelled out extra cash for "1 to 1 Care" at the Apple Store in addition to the new 'puter... now that's just a waste. Post your questions here instead.

POP, IMAP, and SMTP is probably the third? I used to use Entourage as well... until I checked "Activity Monitor" and saw how much of my system's resources were being hogged by that cow of an email client. I switched to Apple Mail, and now I actually have 3 email addresses all filtering into the one inbox; one of them is even a Microsoft Exchange account. Address Book and iCal link up seamlessly to it and to MS Exchange. Life is simple.

And your complaint about the font size of the bar on the top of the screen has been addressed... "Tinkertool" resolves that problem for you. There are about a billion fun little programs that enhance your enjoyment and productivity on a Mac, if you take the time to try them out. A few other freebies you might find fun and useful:

Onyx
Quicksilver
Cyberduck
Little Snitch
 
I'm very new to mac's (5 days!) after years using windows. The only help I can offer is work at it. It is different, but learning something different is good and can be better. I'm currently in a battle with iphoto, because it doesn't work like windows, but i'm working with it and seeing that it does things better than the old windows system that I like alot!
Don't give up, it's your mac, with time and patience I'm sure you can make it work for you:)
 
I have a couple more thoughts for you.

As you have explained, you are committed to making this work so there is no point in rehashing whether our not making the switch was a good decision.

I'm a small business person myself, so I have some idea of what you are going through - and sympathies.

1) Don't sweat the sized of the text in the menu bar.... pretty soon you won't even really be reading it. Concentrate on the bigger problems.

2) Make back-up copies of all of your important files now, and put them away. While you are migrating your information back and forth, and working with the Sony to do some things and the Mac to do other things the probability of overwriting a file increases. Your data files are critically important.

3) Get a Mac Guru... ask around your friends and find someone who speaks normal language (not geekese) and will help you with the switch. I do this for my friends and acquaintances - and what I do is ask my clients for each session to prioritize what they need to learn immediately. Its too tempting to try to learn (and teach) too much at once. e.g. Your guru should show you how to make Mail do what you need it to do. They should, ideally, sit to the side and talk you through it ... and let you take notes. Once you have learned how to work Mail, then go to the next thing.... and then send the Guru home for a few days. In the next few days you should practice what you learned, and then at the next session you can ask follow-up questions plus add something new.

I don't think you will need more than a few sessions.... your needs aren't that complicated (despite what it feels like right now). I know you feel that you don't have the time for this, but if you don't you are going to prolong the switching misery. Do you have time to be banging your head over simple tasks for the next few months?

As you are discovering, Macs are not Windows - and despite the marketing, Macs don't do everything that a Window's system does. On the other hand, Macs do things that Windows can't... you just don't know what they are yet. Once you have fully made the switch, start discovering what a Mac can do.

One of the things I love about my Mac is that I can create a family of advertizing material that all look the same very quickly. Because so much of the Mac is 'drag-n-drop' I can create ads, brochures, up-date my website, create a price-list, make an artist statement, send out a press-release, etc etc using several different applications but still using the same text, images, keeping the same 'look and feel', etc. very very quickly.

Good Luck. Keep your spirits up.... find that Guru.

...
We tried around it a bit, and eventually the 'high-tech' got involved and the problem is that there are multiple POP, IMAP and a 3rd which I can't remember, are involved. He said it is a fact that on POP only the INBOX will download, it will not sync, so if you read it on the MAC it will still show as unread on the server. ... .

I'm using 10.5.8, and I'm guessing you are using 'Snow Leopard', 10.6.x - but I believe Mail will be the same...

Open Mail, then go Mail's preferences. Go to Accounts, and you should see your email accounts listed down the left side. Click on one of your POP accounts. You should see, along the top of the right hand pane - "Account Information", "Mailbox Behaviours", and "Advanced". Click on 'Advanced'. One of the check boxes should allow you to "remove copy from server when retrieving message." If you enable this, then it will remove it from the inbox of your server. However, it may take a day for your server to change the status. If your server is moving "read" messages from the server's inbox to the server's 'read' folder then you may have change a setting on the server to stop that behaviour or to purge the 'read' folder after a day or two so you don't go over any storage limits your server may have.

Also, you may want to play with the 'Mailbox Behaviours' a bit... but don't change everything all at once because if something doesn't work as you expected it will be impossible to figure out what went wrong.

In Mail Preferences you can turn off Junk Mail filtering. If your email provider is filtering spam you may be able to get away with this. There are also ways to customize Junk Mail filtering that may better suit your needs.

I use Mail rules to do my initial mail sorting. I have about half a dozen email addresses that all go to my inbox unless a message meets certain criteria, in which case it goes to the appropriate folder so I can watch emails that relate to specific groups or people.

Once you understand about "Smart Folders" in the Address Book, you can use the Address Book as a simple data base for your addresses. "Smart Folders" (in the Address Book) allow you group addresses/contacts based on a set of rules. It is a filter that matches the criteria in real time, and therefore is always up-to-date (in theory - not always in practice... sometimes you have close Address Book to make the changes 'stick'). I've set up a bunch of code words that I insert into 'Note' section that allows me sort based on my own criteria, and not just the built in fields. I do mail-outs on a regular basis, and can send emails to just the groups that have expressed an interest in a particular project.

Hope this all helps.
 
If you already own a PC version of an adobe program you can convert it to mac, here's what you do:

Write to support, telling them, that you have a valid licence and you want to switch to a mac.

They will need proof of purchase of the full version (!) and all upgrades that apply (see below for details)

They will send you a LOD (Letter of destruction), where yo have to confirm, that you have destroyed the old license along with all CDs and so forth.

You'll receive the new license and CD (or probably have to download it).


For your mail problem you can try adding the address of the mail that is being junked to your address book and then telling mail that it is not junk - this should work (I personally still prefer to use Entourage the MS Office email App and I don't get this problem at all).

Will try to get you some answers on your other questions (Sorry I know nothing about Quickbooks). What format did you save your contacts into? One quick solution here is to sync all your contacts online (you should anyway as a backup) to a site such as Plaxo or Gmail and then you can easily keep them in sync with your new Mac (I don't know if you still have your VAIO and can still do this).

Exactly! Jon-Luke is right. I did the same thing in order to upgrade my old Windows-based version of Photoshop to CS4 and Adobe will upgrade across platforms.

I'm very new to mac's (5 days!) after years using windows. The only help I can offer is work at it. It is different, but learning something different is good and can be better. I'm currently in a battle with iphoto, because it doesn't work like windows, but i'm working with it and seeing that it does things better than the old windows system that I like alot!
Don't give up, it's your mac, with time and patience I'm sure you can make it work for you:)

+1 vote! That's the right attitude. We all had to learn the interface, but in the end I know that I am far happier with my Mac than with any other Windows-based PC I ever had.

It is just a very basic computer, and not what I was told it was to be. It is not on the same level that I'm used to. A faster processor, so of course it is faster, but I got told that it was what it wasn't. My fault, my responsibility.

I sympathize with you, but Mac is really so much more than a "very basic computer." I switched from Windows last year and I couldn't really be happier. There are indeed some programs I sometimes need to use (MS Project or Visio) that only run in Windows, but using VMware Fusion it is super easy to run Windows alongside. I do find surprising though that you didn't plan your transition to be somewhat smoother, as compared to jumping in with both your feet. Especially since you run a business using your computer. It would have been much easier to keep using your Vaio, getting the iMac and learning the platform, and once you feel comfortable with Mac OS X and have it set up the way you need, fully migrating away from your Vaio. The way you're doing it is really putting a lot of pressure on yourself. And I'm not exactly sure why.

Speaking from my own experience, if you stick to it and get over your initial problems, I dare to say that regardless of how you feel now, you will be far happier with your iMac than you were with you Vaio.

Good luck!
 
You will find very.. VERY helpful people on here, but at the same time you will find some people who are not and will rip you down because they feel better.
Good luck!

I'm more than happy to help and initially did so by offering some friendly advice, but it soon became apparent to me that a) the OP clearly had issues with the Mac based on her own expectations, and b) there was a clear indication that the OP was not willing to actually take the time to learn the way a Mac works.

So now we have a scenario where the OP has basically ripped the Mac a new one and labelled it a "basic computer", simply because it didn't somersault out it's box, onto her desk, and do everything she thought it should.

As I also said previously, this can (and generally is) the danger when you overhype something in your own mind, no matter what it is. You will invariably end up disappointed because you've in effect created your own monster.

The iMac and OS X presents itself to the end user as far more than a basic computer, but a long term Windows user will need to devote some time to unlearning what they have learned on Windows and re-educating themselves.

And again, the OP seems to take issue with the fact I said that you could put a novice in front of any computer and they would struggle. If they cannot see that logic for the sense that it is, then that's their problem. The problem here is not the iMac, it's the attitude of the OP and her blatant disregard for pretty much every piece of advice handed out here, except for that to contact Adobe to switch her CS license from Windows to OS X.

I even tried to explain that my own Father-in-Law, a long term Windows user and freelance digital photographer, switched to the Mac some eight months ago now when I upgraded my 17" Core Duo to a 20" Core 2 Duo and I handed down my 17" to him.

Initially, and this is the truth, he hated the Mac. I even caught him back on his Packard Bell laptop using Windows for some photo projects when I popped in to visit. He simply could not get his head around the way OS X worked and the placing of certain items he was comfortable with on Windows.

And that's the irony, it was simple things like Control Panel now being System Preferences and having it's own icon in Applications as opposed to being accessible from the Start menu. I simply told him to keep at it, and every odd weekend I would take my iMac down to his house and we would set them up side-by-side and I would do my own "tutorials" to show him where "X" and "Y" were and how "A" and "B" worked.

Now, he uses Adobe CS3, Aperture, and Elements for his photography work and has a network of external drives hooked up for his projects and swears by Time Machine. He also can't imagine life on a computer without something so simple as Spaces, which allows him to run each Adobe app in it's own "desktop" without any clutter.

It took a couple of months, but he got there. It took a lot of perseverance and patience and a degree of willingness to actually learn the system. The OP, from where I'm sitting, is doing nothing but dismissing the Mac right off the bat, and it doesn't matter what we say or offer in the way of help, because it seems her mind is well and truly made up.

In the end, the Mac simply isn't for her ... but it's not because it's a bad system, a "basic" system, or an inferior system. It's because it's different ... and no, that's not an intentional play on the old Apple marketing tactics.
 
So basically, because you can't use the Mac and because you had over zealous expectations, you now think you can belittle the Mac platform?

Sorry, but all I can say is "Do not feed the troll".

I'm not sure if categorizing her as such is really achieving anything. She is trying hard to make it work. The lack of a good transition planning is really to blame here.
 
I'm more than happy to help and initially did so by offering some friendly advice, but it soon became apparent to me that a) the OP clearly had issues with the Mac based on her own expectations, and b) there was a clear indication that the OP was not willing to actually take the time to learn the way a Mac works.

...

Well, she's committed to it now... My philosophy is to look past the frustrations that are showing and try to help out. I'm not saying you're wrong - just that sometimes one has to understand that the negative comments are not really specifically about - in this case - the Mac, but about feeling overwhelmed and not quite in control of your professional space.

If we can get the OP to ask specific questions, and we can answer them, then I predict we will have a very happy Mac user in a few weeks. Until the new iMacs come out and we get the inevitable "... now my Mac is obsolete ..." posts. But she won't be unique in that, will she ;) ?
 
I'm not sure if categorizing her as such is really achieving anything. She is trying hard to make it work. The lack of a good transition planning is really to blame here.

I agree the "Do Not Feed The Troll" comment was in bad taste, and to the OP I apologise.

However, I genuinely got the impression that no matter what was being said by others, it was going in one ear and straight back out the other ... it seems her mind is already made up without actually trying to get to know the system.

It will take a bit of time, but the more enthusiastic you are about any product the more keen you are to learn it.

I remember when I switched back in 2003, I will admit at first I thought it was a bit too different for my liking. Today, there's not a chance in hell I will buy a Windows system and use it for my day-to-day tasks.

Unfortunately I still need to use Windows in work from 9 to 5, and what makes that even worse is that the Pentium 4 systems they use are so poorly maintained that they can slow to a complete and utter crawl on most days.
 
MariekeFJ,

You may want to take a look at www.lynda.com in order to help with your transition. You can find some great courses there, such as this one (http://www.lynda.com/home/DisplayCourse.aspx?lpk2=643), called Switching from Windows to Mac. This one is nearly 8 hours long, but you can pick and choose whatever areas you would like to focus on. You can also find a number of other courses there to facilitate your platform change. You can join and take as many courses as you like for $25/month. I've taken several of them and I heartily recommend you trying it out.

Good luck!
 
We tried around it a bit, and eventually the 'high-tech' got involved and the problem is that there are multiple POP, IMAP and a 3rd which I can't remember, are involved. He said it is a fact that on POP only the INBOX will download, it will not sync, so if you read it on the MAC it will still show as unread on the server. But that is no big deal. His suggestion was to use 'Entourage' to manage all my mail and contacts. Entourage will be able to handle multiple email exchanges.

If I understand this correctly, it is not true. If you want to leave a copy on the server using POP, just go to Mail preferences-accounts-(choose appropriate account)- Advanced and unclick "remove copy from server after retrieving a message." Edit: after rereading your comment, messages should (or do in my case) show up as read on the server that I have read on my computer using POP. I can't speak for IMAP since I don't use it.


I think the mail is great for college students and to reduce spam, but when you run a business and mail goes into junk/spam that is not intended there and you can only find it on the server, not your computer, that is not good.

I'm not sure I follow you here. If you want mail that a service like gmail puts into its junk folder, then you need to use IMAP. It does depend though. I get junk from an account on an exchange server using POP. I shouldn't. Otherwise, you 'train' Mail to recognize junk/not junk.

I think for editing basic pictures and making small videos for youtube, you're all set, but if you do more it is just an incredible setback. I think the appearance and appeal is fabulous.

I'm not attached to the apple brand, so there is no defensiveness here. Macs are used in large film studios for film editing. They are more than toys. I still don't get what it is you are finding to be so lacking for film editing. The ilife suite is increasing less for amateurs, however, and seems to be directed towards novices. Apple has let it go IMHO, so if you expecting more from iLife, I can understand your frustration there.


Mac Mail can't handle the multiple mailboxes, iphoto and imovie are very basic, too basic for what I do, QB is limited. The fact that you can not change text size without changing the resolution is absurd!

I am currently running 8 'inboxes' in Mail, down from 15, with more folders and smart folders that I can count. I can help you sort this out if you could be a bit more specific about what you need. I agree that iphoto and imovie are basic though. I haven't been happy with iMovie since HD.

Interesting issue with the text size. It's just never occurred to me, but I can see it might be a problem.

It is just a very basic computer, and not what I was told it was to be. It is not on the same level that I'm used to. A faster processor, so of course it is faster, but I got told that it was what it wasn't. My fault, my responsibility.

I don't agree with this. It doesn't follow from your complaints. The bundled software is basic, not the computer according to what you've said. iHate iLife personally. It used to be good, but that's hardly any consolation. Mail and iCal are quite powerful if you'd take the time to use them.
 
If you have questions about how to setup your mac ASK! This discussion board is created for this very reason. Its for mac users to collaborate and discuss. Instead of simply expressing your dissatisfaction with the mac discuss with us all the issues you are having so we can help you. Your mail issue is an easy fix. If mail is simply not working with all your accounts due to the servers then switch to entourage. If you are concerned about the text menus at the top then download tinkertool. This is the same thing everyone else has been telling you so I don't understand what the issue is. What are the other problems you are having? While there are negative people here there are just as many that would be willing to help you if you simply ask.:)
 
I would install Windows on your Mac (not MAC:p ) so you can still use your computer. I would also rely more on the Vaio (sp?) right now, and take some time to learn the ins and outs of your iMac. I tell you, once you get used to it, you will be glad you stuck with it!!!
 
Sheesh! its amazing to me how heated some people have gotten over the fact that someone has pointed out something they don't like about a Mac... (To be honest I chose not to buy the 17" MacBook Pro because I didn't like how small the type was... I know! I know! its better resolution for editing photos and movies - but come on if you are buying a laptop to finalize your image processing then you aren't working in a true pro environment anyway).

But hey I think we should share some of the joy of owning a Mac with MariekeFJ... Maybe when you can take some time out from work you can get to know some of the really cool things about your new computer and operating system:

OS X is not bloated and weighed down like Windows and there are things that you may be missing, but like the with the iPhone Apple's philosophy is to keep things simple but that does not mean that you cannot have it all... There are a host of small apps (programs) that enhance the OS X operating system to make it do customizable that work for you... One place you can look for these Apps (many of which are free) is HERE on Apple's on site (I recommend searching or browsing the 3rd Party Apps).

The way OS X is designed it looks clean and simple and it is, but once you get to know how it operates and where to find the tinker buttons you will see that it is as customizable (if not more so) as Windows and far more stable. You can load hundreds of fonts without causing a major system slow-down. You can run many Apps without causing crashes and heartbreaks. There is no need to defrag your hard drive or clean your registery. If you delete something it doesn't leave nasty residual pieces of programming that keep popping up and interrupting you to let you know that something isn't working or cannot be found... So rejoice you have left all that behind!

Another great thing about Apple is that there is a loyal fan base with people who genuinely want to help you out. If you cant find the answer to a problem by searching this forum then just create a thread and ask you will be often surprised how elegantly some problems can be solved often with a simple App or some wondrous little tweak that was hiding somewhere that you just didn't know about.

I love my Mac and I hope in time you will love yours too! :)
 
also, posting screen shots is helpful when you are trying to explain things. CMD+ shift + 4 to choose the area you want to capture or CMD SHIFT 3 to take a screen shot of the whole page.

Also, you CAN change the text size (not in the side bar, but in the list of files..refer to images..) Don't know if this helps at all, but you click on the "gear" on the tool bar, and then it drops down a list. Then you click on show view options. Then click whatever text size you want. Here are some images..
 

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What I would like to know... Is there a way of changing the font or icon sizes in this area (using Snow Leopard)? see pic:
 

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I'm not seeing any "real" problems. The OP can brag all he wants about working at prestigious places and being a programmer and make excuses for his age.

My Dad is much more experienced and knowledged than the whiny OP and he got used to Mac OS X real quick. The key to his transition was that he is open-minded and is eager to learn about new technology. He doesn't completely lose his old ways, but he prevents them from keeping him from learning new ways. He didn't nit-pick about font sizes or how exactly his email client works and complain that it didn't work exactly as his old email client.

To OP, just open your mind and calm down. The iLife suite is not for a serious photographer or video editor. It's just something simple and basic enough that anyone can organize their photos and edit a movie without knowing the advanced stuff. Quick and dirty is the phrase here.

Text size. If you think the size is too small or blurry, you need glasses. You can easily zoom in on the screen by holding the control key and scrolling up/down on the mouse.

Email. If email that isn't spam lands in the spam folder, it's not the mail client's fault. POP (specifically Gmail's POP) only grabs email from the server. It won't sync with the server for read/unread, etc. It's very basic and doesn't grab stuff from the spam folder. Why? Security reasons. If you want to grab every email from the server as well as syncing with the server, IMAP is your option. You have to configure it correctly on both the client and server in order for it work like you want it to.

Conclusion: Stop complaining and open your mind. If you have a question, just ask on the forums. Don't throw in your emotions along with it.
 
i did an interesting experiment a few minutes ago... confirms what i said earlier that os x is a far supierior os to windows xp. i have a g3 imac that i am using now to post this it has a 400 mhz processor and 256 mb of memory plan on upgrading that soon but its running os x 10.3.9 panther perfectally. and i have a compaq with a 3 ghz processor and 512 mb memory so spec wise a far better computer but its running win xp the experiment was to boot up both machines and see which one was fully ready to work and the winner is my g3 imac. it was fully ready to work in 35 seconds while the compaq took 55 seconds to be fully ready to work. so now my question is sure os x takes some getting used to but unless someone is so brain dead that they cant learn something new it isnt a difficult process at all but once you have learned the basics of using os x you will find out for yourself just how much better the mac and os x really is... unless you are just too stubborn or brain dead to try to learn how os x works
 
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