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I have to wonder:

1) Where the OP's "expections" are really derived from? Who/whom said that computing life would be hunky and/or dory by switching?

2) How as the OP tried to resolve issues by searching either this forum or even Google, for answers to the issues/

3) What, if any, positives has the OP encountered in switching? For instance, how much trialware was there to remove from the new computer? Have to download many new drivers? Was it difficult to setup networking?

4) Not enough money to buy a new PC after returning a new Mac? That didn't make very much sense to me unless the new Mac fell of the back of a truck somewhere in northern NJ . . .

5) If Unix was a draw . . . Ubuntu or other flavors of Linux is your answer.

6) Does anyone disagree that, change, even change for the better, is difficult?
 
Update: the OP is no longer posting in this thread. Any aversions she had to the Mac platform before have been amplified greatly by all of us piling on her. :D
 
i have the perfect solution for her... ill trade her my compaq desktop with a fresh copy of windows xp pro for her new imac.. ill deal with apples so-called flaws gratefully that i dont have a xp machine in the house then next step is getting some kind of apple laptop.
 
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.

I hope you didn't think this was aimed at you. I thought most people (you included) were pointing out what needed to be done. I'll admit I didn't read every post word for word that's why my post was kind of basic and just telling my experience.
If you thought I was aiming this at you, I apologize. :)
Like I said there are very helpful people, but sadly people who think their pop don't stink.

Did your father in law take any classes at Apple? I want to take an iPhoto class because some things I don't get and I know there are easier ways of doing things in it.
You're also right, Mac OSX is different and I think people (Inducing myself) fail to see this when they switch and once they do see it, it becomes much easier.
 
Update: the OP is no longer posting in this thread. Any aversions she had to the Mac platform before have been amplified greatly by all of us piling on her. :D

:D :D :D :D :D

Actually there have been quite some constructive criticism, that I've looked at and taken along, but you know, that work thing, gotta pay bills........ :rolleyes:

I'm not sure I have more to add. I have posted specifics about why/what is not working and I get called a whiner, complainer etc etc from those that don't help, to those that have helped I thank youhotmai. It seems that if you have specific criticisms, that is not really allowed. Stone the outcast. Funny thing is that they just assume I probably have done no more then get it out of the box and turn it on (no, I did not hit it yet either;)). I've played around on it (actually I'm doing probably 90% of my work on it), and like I said before (see most of my posts are repeating what I said previously) there are many plusses.

My main objection, other then the text, is the software and it's functionality or lack there of. That is very limiting.

As to why text size is such an issue. I suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident a couple of years ago. I know when a possible seizure is coming up pretty good, though not all the time. And it has to do with visual stimulation. Unfortunately that silly text size triggered the first signs of headache that lead to those petit mals. So as trivial as it may seem to some, it is a pretty big deal to me.

As to the POP etc, a little bit of the chicken and the egg situation. I have for instance orders@storeA.com on a POP server. On that server I have the following mailboxes; inbox, junk, orders Dec 09, orders NOV 09, orders OCT 09, supplier A, supplier B, supplier C, backorders. Just to name a few. Now MacMail is set to download inbox for multiple emails, but no able to download multiple mailboxes from 1 server. Somewhere in the 'help' it mentioned such a thing too. Anyways, in the end it is no big deal, I installed Entourage, and we'll play with that for a bit and see how that is gonna go. I make sure I have dealt with all things and emails by making sure I've answered them, and put them in the appropriate mailbox.

And the price for software et al was $2500 (a little less), so if I return it I would have gotten (after you have done file transfer and installed many things they don't take it back), I would get a refund of $1700 (software is open and non-returnable). A VAIO would cost about $2200, which would take me several month to save up again, as summer/spring fashion is coming out and I have to make major inventory purchases. Plus if you buy a computer in 2009 you get a tax break, which doesn't apply to 2010.

Some of you have offered me Compaqs, but I'm going to politely decline on those :D It's like a pizza from the Pizza Inn, whereas a VAIO is pizza made in a pizzaria in Rome, I think a MAC would be the spagetti ;), or perhaps ice cream, the venetian kind :D.

Anyways, for those of you who have come with constructive critisism and help, I thank you, I've taken it along and it has made me explore much and discover much. That was great. I wish you all a great new year!
 
:D :D :D :D :D


Anyways, for those of you who have come with constructive critisism and help, I thank you, I've taken it along and it has made me explore much and discover much. That was great. I wish you all a great new year!

...And best of luck to you!!!
 
Firstly, your old Sony Vaio is not outperforming your iMac.

What is happening is the typical "Switcher" problem, where you are so used to Windows and everything that goes with it, that OS X is completely alien to you.


Give it time, have patience, and enjoy your new iMac.

I have to agree with this sentiment. I just got myself a new MacBook Pro and am making the switch from being a Windows user since 1989.

OSX is pretty foreign to us Windows users I agree, but since I'm on vacation for the Holidays, I'm just digging in and discovering how to use the new OS.

So far I love the the multi-touch scroll pad and the super ease of setting up my new network (AirPort Express). I linked up my laptop and connected my printer to my new wifi network in about 5 minutes.

Also LOVE the start up time and shut down times.

I think I'm gonna like this new Mac life.
 
And trust me the OS X system is far more stable, more durable and of course isn't blighted by all the virus's, trojans and malware that virtually crippled my old XP system. And perhaps a good way of justifying some software purchases can be offset by the cost of Antivirus programs, time wastage etc...

I must be doing something terribly wrong then. I've been using Microsoft operating systems since the early 1980s, and I still have to catch the first virus, trojan and other malware on my computer.

There are two extremely simple things to prevent that from happening:

1. Use common sense and don't click on everything that moves.

2. Install an anti-virus software. And guess what - there are several available FREE OF CHARGE that do the job perfectly well. And if you need a commercial one - well, they usually cost less than 30 bucks per year. I've spent more money on Shareware tools to make OS X work which I wouldn't have to buy for Windows, because either Microsoft already had that functionality on board or there was a Freeware tool available for the job.

So OS X is far more durable? Since when? The same person that manages to completely cripple a Windows installation will also manage to kill an OS X installation. The problem usually sits in front of the computer. And no magic bullet from Cupertino will ever solve that.

The real difference between Windows and OS X is that Mac users are extremely forgiving when their precious Macs or Apple screw up and they usually just tend to ignore that fact as if nothing had happened. "Because there cannot be what is not supposed to be" or whatever the correct translation of that German saying might be.

It took Microsoft more than twenty years to make me want to switch to another platform. Apple already got me there in less than four years. They screw up more often than Microsoft and Apple's screw-ups cost me much more money.

To the original poster: Don't waste your time on the OS X platform when Windows worked for you. Install Windows 7 64-Bit on that iMac and be happy.
 
First off, have you tried using the :apple: button plus +? this should zoom the text on most applications.

I agree that windows is probably your comfort zone, I am in the same boat when I use a friends Windows machine after I used a Mac for half a decade, I would consider if you have all your old software, to try to run it in a Windows partition on your Mac, especially if you have Photoshop already.

Lastly, if you owned your computer for less then 14 days you can return it to Apple, they have a good customer service, just tell them your not happy and they should give back most of your money. (you will be charged Restocking)

Can't say though you will get money back though if you bought software with it, but hey those first 2 options could help alot.
 
I must be doing something terribly wrong then. I've been using Microsoft operating systems since the early 1980s, and I still have to catch the first virus, trojan and other malware on my computer.

There are two extremely simple things to prevent that from happening:

1. Use common sense and don't click on everything that moves.

2. Install an anti-virus software. And guess what - there are several available FREE OF CHARGE that do the job perfectly well. And if you need a commercial one - well, they usually cost less than 30 bucks per year. I've spent more money on Shareware tools to make OS X work which I wouldn't have to buy for Windows, because either Microsoft already had that functionality on board or there was a Freeware tool available for the job.

So OS X is far more durable? Since when? The same person that manages to completely cripple a Windows installation will also manage to kill an OS X installation. The problem usually sits in front of the computer. And no magic bullet from Cupertino will ever solve that.

The real difference between Windows and OS X is that Mac users are extremely forgiving when their precious Macs or Apple screw up and they usually just tend to ignore that fact as if nothing had happened. "Because there cannot be what is not supposed to be" or whatever the correct translation of that German saying might be.

It took Microsoft more than twenty years to make me want to switch to another platform. Apple already got me there in less than four years. They screw up more often than Microsoft and Apple's screw-ups cost me much more money.

To the original poster: Don't waste your time on the OS X platform when Windows worked for you. Install Windows 7 64-Bit on that iMac and be happy.

So really, have you considered switching back then? The Windows 7 is getting some very good reviews. If you were to sell your Mac Pro, the switch may not even cost you anything and you would be actually saving quite a bit of money eventually (since as you said, when Microsoft screws up it costs you much less money as compared to Apple doing so).

Why keep suffering when you don't have to?
 
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).

You don't even have to write - just call them... I did this 2 months ago for a client. All he paid was $7 for shipping and it was there in 3 days. It's a cross-platform license transfer. Happens all the time.
 
Ok, after reading this ENTIRE thread, I still see the text size in the menu is pretty much the biggest complaint. If this text size is really that important, I would seriously suggest connecting a secondary, smaller display to use as the primary display - housing your menubar, dock and such and using the HUGE 27" display (they're made for high resolution, not magnification) for extended real estate for applications.
I too had to resort to Entourage (the suck) for mail but it works pretty well for all of my email.
I understand the Quickbooks aggravation, I have to deal with this, too - but that's Intuit's fault, not Apple's.
Now, don't take any of this in a negative tone, I don't do that.
 
The key there: "so far", as others have said in so many words.

Those "funny" characters:
⌘ = command
⌃ = control
⌥ = option
⇧ = shift
⇪ = caps lock
⇥ = Tab Key
⎋ = Escape Key
⏏ = Eject Key
⌫ = delete (the one above the return key)
⌦ = forward delete (the one in the page up/down/home/end cluster)
⌧ = clear (???)
⏎ = return

i've been using macs since i was like 6 (21 now..) and i still don't know control and option. i get them switched all the time.
 
O OOO, it said 'fatal disk error' and shut off, now I can't get it to start........

That went so fast, I didn't even realize what was going on? I just briefly looked the other way, I have no idea what just happened.
 
And the thing is I hadn't been doing anything...... I had just started up and hadn't touched it yet, and I was organizing my paperwork of what to do. I'm baffled.
 
And the thing is I hadn't been doing anything...... I had just started up and hadn't touched it yet, and I was organizing my paperwork of what to do. I'm baffled.
OK I have no idea what would cause that, unless you had been moving the computer while it was on or something (although I doubt this on it's own would cause disk failure). I'd say at this point, call Apple.
 
Seems like you expected to grasp a whole new OS in ten minutes? Even so, when I was 12/13 I learnt to use Mac OS X in a week or so, without ever so much as hearing of it before. It's not hard, it's just different. Now I could never go back to using Windows. Just get used to it all, use it more, won't take long before you can do most things.

I think it's funny your hard drive screwed up as well, huge coincidence.
 
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'.

Mac users seem to fall into two groups:

1 - People who like tech and use a wide range of different goods and

2 - Apple fundamentalists, who buy technology they consider religious artefacts and see Apple marketing as messages from the one true god. They never (and I do mean never) miss an opportunity to lash out at false prophets such as Microsoft, Dell and other unworthy foes. These are the sweethearts who will call you a liar or troll if you say you've got a problem with an Apple product. (I am seriously considering investigating this as a PhD thesis as the close personal relationship some people form with a multinational consumer brand must show some underlying condition).

For what its worth IMO any new OS will prove a challenge. I got a horrendously expensive G4 Powerbook six years ago and barely used it as I believed the "its all so easy" messages from Apple. Well no, it's not. But a while later I got an iPod touch on launch and that persuaded me to buy an iPhone 3G on launch and that let me become familiar with the OS. I did do some research on the main differences and yes, now I use Macs as much as I use PCs. Neither is better at everything; its as much about what you are used to.

Whatever you decide don't do what I did six years ago which was to let a £2200 ($4000) laptop gather dust because its just too damn frustrating to use. :eek: Put in some more time to learn the OS or sell it and get something you do like. :)
 
As to the POP etc, a little bit of the chicken and the egg situation. I have for instance orders@storeA.com on a POP server. On that server I have the following mailboxes; inbox, junk, orders Dec 09, orders NOV 09, orders OCT 09, supplier A, supplier B, supplier C, backorders. Just to name a few. Now MacMail is set to download inbox for multiple emails, but no able to download multiple mailboxes from 1 server.
Just to reiterate, the POP protocol only allows for downloading from the 'inbox' folder. The IMAP protocol allows for syncing of all folders.

MacMail (Mail.app) supports both POP and IMAP protocols. The limiting factor is your email provider, and which protocols they offer/support.

If they only offer POP, then you're stuck with the ability of only fetching your inbox. That limitation has nothing to do with your computer.
 
The key there: "so far", as others have said in so many words.

Those "funny" characters:
⌘ = command
⌃ = control
⌥ = option
⇧ = shift
⇪ = caps lock
⇥ = Tab Key
⎋ = Escape Key
⏏ = Eject Key
⌫ = delete (the one above the return key)
⌦ = forward delete (the one in the page up/down/home/end cluster)
⌧ = clear (???)
⏎ = return
Thanks for posting that. I have no clue for what those represent (except for Backspace, eject etc. those are obvious) even after I owned my Mac for a year now. :p

I got used to Mac OS X in a week, I think because of my previous experience with Ubuntu which I think has a similar feel to Mac OS X.
 
I must be doing something terribly wrong then. I've been using Microsoft operating systems since the early 1980s, and I still have to catch the first virus, trojan and other malware on my computer.

There are two extremely simple things to prevent that from happening:

1. Use common sense and don't click on everything that moves.

2. Install an anti-virus software. And guess what - there are several available FREE OF CHARGE that do the job perfectly well. And if you need a commercial one - well, they usually cost less than 30 bucks per year. I've spent more money on Shareware tools to make OS X work which I wouldn't have to buy for Windows, because either Microsoft already had that functionality on board or there was a Freeware tool available for the job.

Ooh really... Not one piece of malware? not one Trojan and no virus's? And your solution? Install anti-virus software and don't click on anything that moves... sounds very scientific. I would love to know what Anti-Virus software you are using? Has it ever discovered anything harmful? Also do you notice any slowing of your system with the anti-virus software working?

Next I have to ask - have you ever had your system professionally cleaned by a systems administrator or some such other computer geek? I thought my old PC system was virus free until we couldn't get my laptop connected to a company's network printer. The network administrator ended up having to do a major clean on my laptop and found a list of Malware and Virus's (I was using AVG anti-virus at the time).

Surely you are also aware that you can also get virus's from USB Drives, peoples home networks, business networks, copied CD's, copied CD Roms etc...

When you work like I do, I'm on another company's network every week then you can't take too many chances and so far with My Mac its been all good for the past three years. Also I have to add that getting attached to printers and to company networks has in general been far easier with the mac (on average).
 
The limiting factor is your email provider

No, other software programs download all folders just fine, even thunderbird does, Outlook does, Entourage does, Mac Mail just doesn't. It even says so on the support page for it, and in the help. Also the phone support told me, and the apple store tech that Mail doesn't support downloading multiple mailboxes from 1 server. Don't blame others.

2 - Apple fundamentalists, who buy technology they consider religious artefacts and see Apple marketing as messages from the one true god. They never (and I do mean never) miss an opportunity to lash out at false prophets such as Microsoft, Dell and other unworthy foes. These are the sweethearts who will call you a liar or troll if you say you've got a problem with an Apple product. (I am seriously considering investigating this as a PhD thesis as the close personal relationship some people form with a multinational consumer brand must show some underlying condition).

.....Falls of chair laughing....... This thread could be good for your thesis. ;)

yes, I agree, some really helpful advice was given here, really productive, and then there was it can not possibly be the apple, it is the person comments.

In the mean time I'm still not sure what happened this morning. I pressed the button for 'on', organized my paperwork, looked up, saw 'fatal error' and poof. I have managed to start up again by inserting the installation disk and it couldn't find a hard disk, and I have to reformat. I'm still waiting for a call back from Apple, but from what I can tell I have a completely empty disk now, and just have to reinstall everything. But before I do so, I'm going to wait to see what Apple says could have possibly gone wrong.

:confused:
 
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