Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between a troll job and legitimate inquiries. The initial question sounds legit, the constant defense of Vista sounds like trolling, then the thread tones down and sounds legit again.
Regardless, I'll give the OP the benefit of the doubt and throw my 2 cents in. In part, because I had several of the same questions when I first switched. I think many of us did.
1. The lack of a "Maximize" button is hated (or at least feared) by pretty much all switchers at first. Many of us give working "windowed" a try and end up preferring it. Some don't, and just set their browser to full-screen.
I think a lot of it has to do with your screen size and resolution. If you're working on a MB, you're probably more likely to want your window full screen than you are if you're on a 30" cinema display at full resolution.
If you're on a 30" at full res, the last thing you're ever going to want is a full-screen browser window. It makes reading next to impossible. There's a reason newspapers, magazines and books print in columns, or at least narrow pages. When I'm on my MBP, my window is near full-size. When it's plugged into my 24" monitor, it only takes up about 60% of my screen width.
What I think is cool about the green (+) button is how smart it is. It fits the page on a Web browser, but "maximizes" in something that will actually benefit it, like iPhoto, iMovie, Garage Band, Aperture, etc.
Regarding the multi-tasking debate: The comments made by the Mac diehards aren't really so much about a computer's ability to multi-task, as they are a person's ability to multi-task. Yes, both OSs can have multiple things open at once and have multiple processes running at the same time. Where the Mac is different is that it's meant to be used in a way that has you actually looking at multiple programs at the same time. You can do this in Windows too by re-sizing and windowing, but most Windows users rarely do this. They switch back and forth by clicking on the buttons on the bottom, or by alt-tabbing. Mac users are more likely to have multiple windows open in front of them at the same time. However, we're not immune to alt(command) tabbing... Or... Better yet... Using Expose.
2. One of my first posts on the forum as asking about partitioning. I did it for a different reason, though. I did it (in Windows) to enhance performance. Windows really likes this. I wanted the OS/Apps on one partition to keep things fast... Then I had Web sites on one partition and docs on another. Music on an external, etc.
The answers I got were to not mess with it. I assumed they were wrong. Afterall, most Windows users didn't know this trick either. But, reluctantly, I decided to give it a shot.
Two years later, and I couldn't be happier. These guys were all right. I didn't need to mess with this stuff to keep my machine running fast. And, with the ability to put folder shortcuts in Finder's sidebar (appearing almost like a drive), I don't miss, what I thought would be, the lack of organization.
I still keep my music on an external drive, but just for the sake of portability and RAID redundancy.
With that said, you're welcome to store your stuff anywhere you want to. I've met hundreds of Mac users, and many keep their stuff on external drives.
BTW, iPhoto doing your folder/file management for you is going to scare you as well. Ignore it and just work. Trust the force. You'll come around.
Regarding the OP's comment on backing stuff up, I have two words: Time Machine. Seriously. It couldn't possibly be easier. IMO, it's 1000 times better than what you mentioned, when it comes to a quick restoration of a new computer.
I recently bought one of the new MBPs. When I first started it up, it asked me if I wanted to do a Time Machine restoration. I said "yes", plugged the drive in, and let it run overnight. When I returned to the machine in the morning, not only were all my docs/music/moves/photos/etc. restored, every last detail on the new machine was exactly like the old one. Every preference, my desktop background, my mail read/unread status, iTunes playcounts/playlists/ratings/last-played date/etc., my custom stacks, my dock icons, my dashboard widgets... everything. Even all my apps were reinstalled. I think 3-4 of them required me to enter the reg codes again, but that was it. This was an enormous time-saver for me. The entire restoration was faster than manually installing Final Cut Studio, alone, would have been.
Regardless, I'll give the OP the benefit of the doubt and throw my 2 cents in. In part, because I had several of the same questions when I first switched. I think many of us did.
1. The lack of a "Maximize" button is hated (or at least feared) by pretty much all switchers at first. Many of us give working "windowed" a try and end up preferring it. Some don't, and just set their browser to full-screen.
I think a lot of it has to do with your screen size and resolution. If you're working on a MB, you're probably more likely to want your window full screen than you are if you're on a 30" cinema display at full resolution.
If you're on a 30" at full res, the last thing you're ever going to want is a full-screen browser window. It makes reading next to impossible. There's a reason newspapers, magazines and books print in columns, or at least narrow pages. When I'm on my MBP, my window is near full-size. When it's plugged into my 24" monitor, it only takes up about 60% of my screen width.
What I think is cool about the green (+) button is how smart it is. It fits the page on a Web browser, but "maximizes" in something that will actually benefit it, like iPhoto, iMovie, Garage Band, Aperture, etc.
Regarding the multi-tasking debate: The comments made by the Mac diehards aren't really so much about a computer's ability to multi-task, as they are a person's ability to multi-task. Yes, both OSs can have multiple things open at once and have multiple processes running at the same time. Where the Mac is different is that it's meant to be used in a way that has you actually looking at multiple programs at the same time. You can do this in Windows too by re-sizing and windowing, but most Windows users rarely do this. They switch back and forth by clicking on the buttons on the bottom, or by alt-tabbing. Mac users are more likely to have multiple windows open in front of them at the same time. However, we're not immune to alt(command) tabbing... Or... Better yet... Using Expose.
2. One of my first posts on the forum as asking about partitioning. I did it for a different reason, though. I did it (in Windows) to enhance performance. Windows really likes this. I wanted the OS/Apps on one partition to keep things fast... Then I had Web sites on one partition and docs on another. Music on an external, etc.
The answers I got were to not mess with it. I assumed they were wrong. Afterall, most Windows users didn't know this trick either. But, reluctantly, I decided to give it a shot.
Two years later, and I couldn't be happier. These guys were all right. I didn't need to mess with this stuff to keep my machine running fast. And, with the ability to put folder shortcuts in Finder's sidebar (appearing almost like a drive), I don't miss, what I thought would be, the lack of organization.
I still keep my music on an external drive, but just for the sake of portability and RAID redundancy.
With that said, you're welcome to store your stuff anywhere you want to. I've met hundreds of Mac users, and many keep their stuff on external drives.
BTW, iPhoto doing your folder/file management for you is going to scare you as well. Ignore it and just work. Trust the force. You'll come around.
Regarding the OP's comment on backing stuff up, I have two words: Time Machine. Seriously. It couldn't possibly be easier. IMO, it's 1000 times better than what you mentioned, when it comes to a quick restoration of a new computer.
I recently bought one of the new MBPs. When I first started it up, it asked me if I wanted to do a Time Machine restoration. I said "yes", plugged the drive in, and let it run overnight. When I returned to the machine in the morning, not only were all my docs/music/moves/photos/etc. restored, every last detail on the new machine was exactly like the old one. Every preference, my desktop background, my mail read/unread status, iTunes playcounts/playlists/ratings/last-played date/etc., my custom stacks, my dock icons, my dashboard widgets... everything. Even all my apps were reinstalled. I think 3-4 of them required me to enter the reg codes again, but that was it. This was an enormous time-saver for me. The entire restoration was faster than manually installing Final Cut Studio, alone, would have been.
