Noob needs help!

[N6REJ]

Hello everyone.. This is my first post so please be kind...
The last time I used a mac was my b/w G3 in 1994 ( maxed out & in mint condition still ) so I'm more lost then a blind man with a where's waldo book!.
I do quite a bit of web development & photography.
I don't know if I'm ready to completely move over to mac as my pc is worlds above the mac mini I have. But I'd like to setup the mini up for web dev, and hopefully photography.
Currently I use "neard http://neard.io " but that won't work on the mac so I'm looking for another method.
I typically have 5 or 6 vhosts at a time and use netbeans, & phpstorm for my ide's.
I was looking at using the built in apache / php / mysql and had it going today but when I installed homebrew and upgraded php everything went to heck in a handbasket.
So, I've uninstalled ( i think ) mysql and turned off apache. I just realized I forgot to remove homebrew *sigh*.

I'm having a couple of issues...
#1 what SHOULD i be using for a LAMP stack?
i'll need apache, nodejs, php, pear, mysql/mariadb, composer, xdebug, git, phpmyadmin and HOPEFULLY a easy way to add/remove vhosts.

#2 I REALLY hate the terminal, is there a better version?
#3 I'm using teamviewer ( is there a better way? ) to remote in and none of the "control+" keys work.. like "ctrl+c" I realize its %C on the mac but my kbd doesn't have that so I'm pretty sure its ctrl.
#4 I'm having a very hard time finding things with "finder" is there a better file manager?
#5 how can I setup the user folders like "documents", "pictures" so they live on the windows drives so things are shared. I do have a homegroup on the windows side.

Lastly any good free resources for understanding OSX?
At my age It's getting harder and harder to remember things, so I think I should limit how much I try to do.
Thanks so much for being here.
system info:
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Thanks in advance

 

[960design]

I'm having a couple of issues...
#1 what SHOULD i be using for a LAMP stack?
i'll need apache, nodejs, php, pear, mysql/mariadb, composer, xdebug, git, phpmyadmin and HOPEFULLY a easy way to add/remove vhosts.

back in the day I used MAMP and still have it on my system for quick tests. All of my current development is for SPA, so no need for MAMP

#2 I REALLY hate the terminal, is there a better version?

I do not understand the terminal hate, I use it everyday. It also benefits from easily going over to UNIX, LINUX, SOLARIS,

#3 I'm using teamviewer ( is there a better way? ) to remote in and none of the "control+" keys work.. like "ctrl+c" I realize its %C on the mac but my kbd doesn't have that so I'm pretty sure its ctrl.

I have not used teamviewer in 8 years. I remote all my hosts using Remote Desktop or better ssh

#4 I'm having a very hard time finding things with "finder" is there a better file manager?

This is probably just a learning curve thing with Mac OS X. Finder is pretty fantastic, I cannot remember the last time I lost a file. Apple puts everything right where I expect it to be.

#5 how can I setup the user folders like "documents", "pictures" so they live on the windows drives so things are shared. I do have a homegroup on the windows side.

ownCloud
set it up on your MacMini and host your own cloud based file storage. No more fussing around with shared folders or there annoyances.

 

[N6REJ]

back in the day I used MAMP and still have it on my system for quick tests. All of my current development is for SPA, so no need for MAMP

ok, just wasn't sure if mamp was the best choice.

I do not understand the terminal hate, I use it everyday. It also benefits from easily going over to UNIX, LINUX, SOLARIS,

it's not console that i dislike, i don't mind console at all, its the .. styling?.. behavior.. that is driving me nuts. I use git-bash quite a bit.

I have not used teamviewer in 8 years. I remote all my hosts using Remote Desktop or better ssh

I was trying to figure that out.. I'll happily change if you've got a guide or something to follow?.. I would be remoting INTO the mac from the pc. Everything I found was visa-versa

This is probably just a learning curve thing with Mac OS X. Finder is pretty fantastic, I cannot remember the last time I lost a file. Apple puts everything right where I expect it to be.

I'm sure your right. For example, I installed firefox developer tonight and when I went to "applications" it wasn't there. Luckily it was in "recent" but if I want, for example, to go to the webserver/documents folder, I don't see anyway to drill down thru the harddrive to get there.

ownCloud
set it up on your MacMini and host your own cloud based file storage. No more fussing around with shared folders or there annoyances.

I'll look into that! ty.

 

[Helmlein]

ok, just wasn't sure if mamp was the best choice.


it's not console that i dislike, i don't mind console at all, its the .. styling?.. behavior.. that is driving me nuts. I use git-bash quite a bit.

VanDyke SecureCRT


H.

 

[960design]

it's not console that i dislike, i don't mind console at all, its the .. styling?.. behavior.. that is driving me nuts. I use git-bash quite a bit.

Try one of the many included skins. I use Pro as Default.
Terminal > Preferences > Profiles > Pro

I'm sure your right. For example, I installed firefox developer tonight and when I went to "applications" it wasn't there. Luckily it was in "recent" but if I want, for example, to go to the webserver/documents folder, I don't see anyway to drill down thru the harddrive to get there.

I'd do something like this:
Command + N ( while Finder is priority / listed at the top menu / easily done by clicking on the desktop ) > Applications > MAMP > htdocs

Once you have found the folder, drag it across to the Favorites section ( left column, Finder window ) for easier access in the future.