Things you HATE about Macs...

[CalBoy]

It's just a double-click IIRC

Is that all? Really? Sounds to me like that would create even more trouble if you were to accidentally press something.

No, I use that little wheel on on external mouse to scroll down a page. I have never seen a feature like that on a notebook.

Ahh, yes, I misread your post.

So you use the middle button for double-clicking? Does that really save all that much time?

 

[macgruder]

Can someone clear this up for me? What are all the different ways to get rid of a window in Os x? I'm getting slightly lost..

There's hitting the red button, which closes but doesn't quit (on most apps) (black triangle in dock stays there)
There's the minimize, which puts it into the dock on the right side
There's actually closing the application (in which triangle dissapears and app is fully quit)
There's the hide command, which... here's where I get lost. What's the difference between red button close, minimize, and hide?

Exspes, you'll find things work out if you get into the habit of always using the Quit command to Quit an application and never the close Window command (which only is guaranteed to close a Window). So I use command - Q to quit Photoshop, command-Q to quit System Preference, command-Q to quit iTunes (get the picture🙂) . I never use 'close a window' or 'red X' to quit because it doesn't always quit. It only does so when you are using an App which can never have more than one window. But if you're in the correct habit of Quitting to quit anyway this confusion disappears and you don't discover that Photoshop has been running for hours despite closing the last window.


The hide command simply does that. It hides the app which continues to run. I regularly do a command-option H to hide all other apps because it saves system resources (the system doesn't need to draw the windows).

A cool way to quit apps is as follows:

Command-Tab
(all the time holding down the command key)
TAB - TAB till the target app is selected.
Q

You can do
Command-Tab
TAB TAB etc.
H
to hide apps too.

There are already numerous ways to Quit an app with both the mouse and the keyboard. It's misguided for people to suggest that apps should quit with a single click somewhere. Working fast involves repetitive habits. Using X to quit sometimes breaks this habit.

 

[eXan]

No, I use that little wheel on on external mouse to scroll down a page. I have never seen a feature like that on a notebook

So you don't use the middle button, you just use the scroll wheel.

I've never seen an actual scroll wheel on a laptop, but on current Mac laptops you can move 2 fingers on a trackpad in any direction to scroll to that direction, in case you didn't know 🙄

 

[SkyBell]

So you don't use the middle button, you just use the scroll wheel.

I've never seen an actual scroll wheel on a laptop, but on current Mac laptops you can move 2 fingers on a trackpad in any direction to scroll to that direction, in case you didn't know 🙄

Not on iBook G3's (Because I'm too poor to buy a new one. 😀🙄)

 

[eXan]

Not on iBook G3's (Because I'm too poor to buy a new one. 😀🙄)

I can hardly classify iBook G3 as a current Mac laptop, but you surely read about 2 finger scrolling or seen a new Apple laptop in person?

If I'm not mistaken, this feature was first added to PowerBooks in last or pre-last revision, like on iBooks 😕

With the transition to Intel no additional functionality was added to the trackpads, they just became much bigger in size.

 

[lamadude]

I use the middle mouse button for closing tabs in firefox (and other browsers), just middle click on the tab in the tab bar and it's gone.

 

[eXan]

I use the middle mouse button for closing tabs in firefox (and other browsers), just middle click on the tab in the tab bar and it's gone.

I either Cmd-W for that or just click the X button on the tab.

 

[djellison]

So you don't use the middle button, you just use the scroll wheel.

I've never seen an actual scroll wheel on a laptop, but on current Mac laptops you can move 2 fingers on a trackpad in any direction to scroll to that direction, in case you didn't know 🙄

Same feature on most PC laptops I've used. The right hand part of the trackpad is a scroll section - ditto the top or bottom, usually user customizable. Two finger scrolling is just a different implementation of a feature that almost ever modern laptop has - it's not a unique Apple selling point.

Doug

 

[freebooter]

I'm not at all happy with the screen on my MacBook glossy 1.83 ghz. I'm going to sell it asap.
Other than that....it's all good. My iMac 24" (1st gen.) is to die for. And my MacMini ppc (in storage) was rock solid.

Oh, I live in South Korea, the land that Mac forgot. So it's not easy to find software. I bought some in Hong Kong on a recent trip, however. 😛 (I love Hong Kong)

 

[eXan]

Same feature on most PC laptops I've used. The right hand part of the trackpad is a scroll section - ditto the top or bottom, usually user customizable. Two finger scrolling is just a different implementation of a feature that almost ever modern laptop has - it's not a unique Apple selling point.

Doug

Its just a poor copy of Apple's solution.

You are restricted to a side of the trackpad, can accidently scroll something and the trackpad button is still divided into 2 parts. Apple's idea is just better.

 

[djellison]

Apple's idea is just better.

I disagree. As a regular use of both, it's different. Not better. I like both implementations. Both have problems (why is my pointer not moving - oh, a corner of one hand is on the trackpad so my MB wants to scroll) both have upsides. Neither is a selling point to put in some way ahead of the other.

DOug

 

[CalBoy]

Not on iBook G3's (Because I'm too poor to buy a new one. 😀🙄)

Does iScroll (or whatever the heck it's called) not work on your iBook?

 

[akm3]

If you were familiar with how Mac works (and always worked), you would not say bad things about 1 button mouse. I would actually like to buy one now, but I can't find it anywhere. Most apps in Macs dont have the contextual menu. In Windows, on the other hand, most of the actions are done with this menu. Same operations on Macs are mostly done by KB shortcuts, which is a faster way of doing things anyway.

I never owned a PC, in all 10 years I'm using computers, all I had were Macs. And in these 10 years I have never used the contextual menu, except for occasionally using the "save file to desktop" command in Safari, and "Compress <files>" in OS X .4 and .5 Finder. My left hand is on the keyboard most of the time because I use a lot of hotkeys, so having right mouse button is needless.

As for 1 button on trackpads, its actually better than 2. You dont have to aim to press the certain button. If you want right click, just place another finger on the trackpad and press the button, again, anywhere on the button, no need to aim.

BTW, you are the first person who needs a 3rd mouse button I've met O_O

Firefox makes extensive use of the middle click button. I'm used to two (Actually 4) button mice, so for me, there is no 'aiming' involved anymore than 'aiming' to hit the "q" key instead of the "w" key. They are different keys for different functions, thus giving flexibility.

Would it be SO bad to just have the the macbook trackpad split into two pieces, and give the option...THE OPTION of making the right side be a right click? But by default it is another left click? would that be SO bad? It'd make a lot of switchers much happier.

I'm glad you don't use contextual menus, however they are all over the place in OSX. Yes, you are supposed to get to them in with keyboard shortcuts but lo-and-behold if you use a mouse with the requisite buttons, they pop up that way too! And it's easier 🙂

The mouse button thing is my personal biggest pet peeve about Apple.

 

[adamfishercox]

What exactly is your problem with dropping your other finger down on the trackpad? That is much easier and more elegant than contorting your hand to reach the right mouse button in my opinion. You can keep your hand right where it was, and just drop down a second finger. Bam, right click.

 

[SkyBell]

Ahh, yes, I misread your post.

So you use the middle button for double-clicking? Does that really save all that much time?

Not really, it's just a habit I picked up from my dad. 🙂

 

[CalBoy]

Not really, it's just a habit I picked up from my dad. 🙂

😛

In other words, we have yet to see a strong argument for the middle-click. 😛

 

[HLdan]

Would it be SO bad to just have the the macbook trackpad split into two pieces, and give the option...THE OPTION of making the right side be a right click? But by default it is another left click? would that be SO bad? It'd make a lot of switchers much happier.

I agree, it wouldn't be so bad if Apple designed the trackpad to have both left and right click, but they don't so live with it.

Also dude, the majority, probably 90%+ of the Mac world are switchers at some point and time. Stop acting like the recent switchers are the only "switchers". I switched back when the OS was Mac OS 8.5. You know nothing about that version I'm sure.
I was diehard Windows too and when I switched we didn't have the option to install Windows on the Mac natively or have the many beauties of OS X's prettiness so for us switchers back in the day it was pure Mac and I enjoyed exploring something new that was not on Windows and you should too.

Ask yourself, (and this question goes to other recent switchers) if Apple gave all those silly Windows-type options that you want would you use the "Mac way" or the "Windows way"?
For example, if you had the option to quit the app with the red button rather than just close it or right-click contextual menu rather than double tap which way would you choose?
Based on the complaints here you'd do it the Windows way. Well that means you are not willing to learn something new or give the Mac way a try.
Apple did not implement Windows style features for the old switchers like me so why should the recent switchers like you get it YOUR WAY?

 

[McGiord]

Not anymore....we are in 2008

The thing I hate most is the responses you get from PC users when they find out you use a Mac...

"What's the point? You can't play games."
"Totally overpriced"
"Why would you have a computer that doesn't have Office?"
"Can you use <insert Windows-only software> on it?"

It really drives me up the wall sometimes, although not nearly as much as Windows did when it decided to do something I didn't want it to do 😛

Don't you know that you can run Windows on an intel Mac?
Overpriced: a BMW cost what it's worth, same with Macs. I would love this to change, without them becoming cheap products.

Why Office is that important when comparing a Mac to a PC? You have NeoOffice for FREE. If you want to pay Bill Gates for that overpriced stuff go ahead, what you "save" when buying a cheaper PC you pay in Antivirus, Firewall, Personal vault stuff, and Office Suite.

And YES we can use any Windows Software on our Macs!
Parallels, VM ware, BootCamp.

For the Thread Starter:
I Agree the only why to make our Macs better is giving Apple the proper input.
I would like to be able to quickly and without loosing money be able to upgrade/replace my Mac when a new one arrives.
: please offer us a good green environmental upgrade/replacement policy.

 

[HLdan]

Don't you know that you can run Windows on an intel Mac?
Overpriced: a BMW cost what it's worth, same with Macs. I would love this to change, without them becoming cheap products.

Why Office is that important when comparing a Mac to a PC? You have NeoOffice for FREE. If you want to pay Bill Gates for that overpriced stuff go ahead, what you "save" when buying a cheaper PC you pay in Antivirus, Firewall, Personal vault stuff, and Office Suite.

And YES we can use any Windows Software on our Macs!
Parallels, VM ware, BootCamp.

For the Thread Starter:
I Agree the only why to make our Macs better is giving Apple the proper input.
I would like to be able to quickly and without loosing money be able to upgrade/replace my Mac when a new one arrives.
: please offer us a good green environmental upgrade/replacement policy.

I think the poster you were quoting is referring to ignorance from Windows fanboys that don't even know that MS Office is available for Macs so they just say stupid stuff like, "Macs can't play games" or "Macs don't do anything" or "You might be able to surf the web with Macs but probably not". The ability to install Windows is not the answer to give the Windows fanboys, it just proves them right that Macs are good for nothing.

Also I like your idea about the upgrade policy through Apple because I hate that they don't do this either but could you give us a logical reason for Apple to allow an upgrade without the consumer losing any money?
You can't even trade a car in without losing money.
Provide some feedback on this one please.

 

[Live Steam]

.... only difference is that you have to grab the "sweet spot".

Well that was my point. I don't understand why Apple chose to limit it to just that one spot. Maybe Microsoft has a patent on the other way of doing it? You should be able to grab any edge of a window and resize it.

 

[exspes]

Don't you know that you can run Windows on an intel Mac?
Overpriced: a BMW cost what it's worth, same with Macs. I would love this to change, without them becoming cheap products.

You are absolutely right. Apple computers cost more because they are worth more as a whole.

However, as people who want to keep this up - we must be ever watchful of any slips in quality - and be vocal against it. Apple can never be assumed to "do no wrong" or else (maybe after Jobs retires) they will simply start cutting costs and increasing margins while their users create excuses for themselves.

I'm not saying it's a big problem now, but I do see some people ignoring some problems because it's "Apple"

 

[SkyBell]

😛

In other words, we have yet to see a strong argument for the middle-click. 😛

Habits are hard to break, and when on my iBook, I reach for that wheel and...

"Oh, right."🙂

 

[CalBoy]

Well that was my point. I don't understand why Apple chose to limit it to just that one spot. Maybe Microsoft has a patent on the other way of doing it? You should be able to grab any edge of a window and resize it.

I actually like it that way. It prevents accidental resizing. With OS X, I have to "want" to resize for it to happen. An accidental drag won't do it for me when I don't want it.

 

[exspes]

I actually like it that way. It prevents accidental resizing. With OS X, I have to "want" to resize for it to happen. An accidental drag won't do it for me when I don't want it.

Ehhh, I don't know man - never had a problem with accidental resizing.

For me the key is one-dimension resizing. It requires less precision especially when using track pad. So, say I have a webpage, I want to make it taller, but not wider. I could grab the bottom edge and inaccurately flick my mouse down, expand one direction only, without covering up some word document that's to the right of it.

If I have to grab the corner, I have to be careful and navigate my mouse without resizing horizontally.

 

[McGiord]

Also I like your idea about the upgrade policy through Apple because I hate that they don't do this either but could you give us a logical reason for Apple to allow an upgrade without the consumer losing any money?
You can't even trade a car in without losing money.
Provide some feedback on this one please.

Maybe my statement of not loosing any money was too bold, but maybe we could spend less to replace our macs.

What I was thinking is that could use this type of policy as an environmental initiative to allow us, Mac owners to be able to "dispose/recycle" our Macs in an environmental safe way.

So gains recognition as an environmental friendly company and active player to protect our beloved Earth, so they will safely recycle/dispose our old macs.

The macs that could receive through this program could be refurbished and donated to schools, poor people, etc. CUT TAXES and could be less expensive for them, instead to paying for an environmental campaign or settlements.

We as customers contribute to this initiative while obtaining the benefit to be able to updgrad/replace our macs by obtaining a fair amount of money for replacing/recycling our macs and have a better price for the new one.

In addition to this, as the years go by, our macs, as well as many other end consumer products, advance as product with more new good features, for a lower price and cost.