Things you HATE about Macs...

[Tosser]

Oh ... and about the comment upstream about iPods and iPhones not being peripherals, my iPod is merely my portable music server and my iPhone (still in my dreams) is merely my portable telephony server. Those are peripherals in my book. :

mt

Hmm, never thought that I'd ponder where the limit of "peripherals" go (in my mind, that is).
To me, this is how it plays out:

Phone:
A product that I cannot do my work without, yet I'm not dependent of it –*I could use any old phone for the most part. It only does "one" thing (I know it does more, but the most important is phone calls, so …). It cannot host anything. Verdict: Peripheral.

DAP (audio player):
No question this is a peripheral.

Camera:
Certainly a peripheral, even if I use it for work as well. It's

Audio Recorder:
Not a peripheral. This is key to my work (and two hobbies). It has the possibility of its own "peripherals", such as external FW disks/cardwriters, keyboard, mics, headphones and so on. Also, it has disk mode and can update itself if a card with another firmware version is present.

PDA (SoMo 650)
Although a PDA is considered by many to be a peripheral, I don't consider this one to be one. I guess it has to do with my use. I use it more like a pocketable computer, in that I can write (with a BT-keyboard), edit audio, edit photos, update it, and basically do all what I can do with a full fledged computer (albeit slower). It even has USB host. It's not dependent on a Laptop or desktop to function or to be upgraded. Which brings me to my argument about Touches/iPhones being peripherals.

Both the iPhone and the Touch is dependant on a computer, and more specifically a computer with iTunes.
You cannot transfer a single file to any of them without the use of a computer. You cannot transfer an audio file from some random computer or card, you can't edit anything, and you certainly can't update the software without the use of a specific computer with iTunes installed. Those things are certainly peripherals.

One thing I wonder though: How is it that the firmware is a whole 248MB? That's HUGE for something like that. I guess that's why I thought earlier that it was lacking SDRAM, compared to the SoMo, but I guess it boils down to the firmware being bloatware.

 

[peoplevoice]

Maximize button to fill out completely the screen

There is not excuse to not be able to fill out your screen with for example a document that you're reading. This document can be a web page, a pdf file, a word document, etc. Since I've being using a Mac computer 3 years ago, and every time I'm reading, I'd like to have this feature.
If you can see a movie in full screen mode what not other things?
It is unbelievable that you cannot see a picture in full screen in iPhoto!
If I can read in full screen, I don't have to wear my glasses. Believe me that this would be really nice.

Wrong. People do. Lots and lots of people in this very forum have asked for that to happen. The very fact that you have responded to someone who does, dictates that 'nobody' is an untrue description. I want it to happen. If I'm working on one thing - I don't want everything else peaking out from behind it - it's a bloody mess - and even more so with Pro apps like Photoshop etc that scatter windows around.

Why can't Apple just put an option somewhere - a setting that makes the green button "Maximize to content" or "Maximize to screen" - Even make it better - if you press 1 and then click it - it maximizes it in space 1, hold down 4 and click it - it is moved to and maximized in 4. That would be brilliant.

But no - I'm a heritic for suggesting that - because actually, I'm not allowed to 'Think Different' now I've got a Mac - I have to like OSX the way it is, and anything else means I'm a moron.

The thing I hate about Macs - 1) Fanboy Mac users. 2) The prices of Mac hardware.

Doug

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

There is not excuse to not be able to fill out your screen with for example a document that you're reading. This document can be a web page, a pdf file, a word document, etc. Since I've being using a Mac computer 3 years ago, and every time I'm reading, I'd like to have this feature.
If you can see a movie in full screen mode what not other things?
It is unbelievable that you cannot see a picture in full screen in iPhoto!
If I can read in full screen, I don't have to wear my glasses. Believe me that this would be really nice.

hey bud, can you stop spreading lies?

You can look at a photo full screen in iPhoto, you just press command option F and it takes you to full screen mode. I believe you're talking about maximizing windows, not full screen (they're two completely different things) since fullscreen is just as common on windows as it is OS X. Why would you want one single web page or document to take up a full 30, 24, or even 20 inch monitor. That's waaaay too big. Making something fullscreen/maximized does not enlarge the font, so you would still have to wear your glasses.

Anyway, just wanted to clean up the lies you left behind. Have a good day.

 

[ToneMonkey]

I miss mnemonic keyboard shortcuts a LOT...

One of the problems I have with the Mac UI (hate is a strong word), is that on a 24" display with menus along the top edge, I am always (seemingly) 18"-20" away from mousing to a command. That's a lot of wasted effort, all the time.

I think one of the things Windows got right was supporting several different types of keyboard shortcuts. For example, printing can be accessed using File > Print, CONTROL + P or ALT + F + P. The latter is called a mnemonic shortcut because F and P represent the File and Print portion of the command as single letters. Nearly every Windows command can be accessed mnemonically. After a while it becomes a habit that saves a TON of mousing around. Yeah, occasionally you guess wrong, but that's what CONTROL + Z is for!

I think Apple needs to rethink the wisdom of menus along the top of the screen on large displays. I don't think it's as good a user experience as putting the menus along the top of the window would be, or putting everything on right mouse button menus.

I guess that's my biggest complaint about the Mac - too much mousing.

But hey, given that my Mac just works and I don't have to fiddle with it (much), I'm a happy camper.

 

[HLdan]

There is not excuse to not be able to fill out your screen with for example a document that you're reading. This document can be a web page, a pdf file, a word document, etc. Since I've being using a Mac computer 3 years ago, and every time I'm reading, I'd like to have this feature.
If you can see a movie in full screen mode what not other things?
It is unbelievable that you cannot see a picture in full screen in iPhoto!
If I can read in full screen, I don't have to wear my glasses. Believe me that this would be really nice.

You can view pictures fully maximized 2 ways using one button. If the pic is on your desktop or anywhere on your hard drive you can just highlight the picture and press the space bar. Quicklook will have a full screen option.

In iPhoto the maximize button is on the bottom left of the iPhoto window, it's two arrows facing away from each other.
PDF's can also fully maximize using the zoom button in Preview. Hopefully you are using Leopard in this case. Please don't put out untruths, the least you could do is ask the forum IF its possible to do something rather than scare of potential Mac switchers with wrong information.

 

[HLdan]

One of the problems I have with the Mac UI (hate is a strong word), is that on a 24" display with menus along the top edge, I am always (seemingly) 18"-20" away from mousing to a command. That's a lot of wasted effort, all the time.

I think one of the things Windows got right was supporting several different types of keyboard shortcuts. For example, printing can be accessed using File > Print, CONTROL + P or ALT + F + P. The latter is called a mnemonic shortcut because F and P represent the File and Print portion of the command as single letters. Nearly every Windows command can be accessed mnemonically. After a while it becomes a habit that saves a TON of mousing around. Yeah, occasionally you guess wrong, but that's what CONTROL + Z is for!

I think Apple needs to rethink the wisdom of menus along the top of the screen on large displays. I don't think it's as good a user experience as putting the menus along the top of the window would be, or putting everything on right mouse button menus.

I guess that's my biggest complaint about the Mac - too much mousing.

But hey, given that my Mac just works and I don't have to fiddle with it (much), I'm a happy camper.

Umm since when can't you hit File-Print (mouse) or Command Print (keyboard) on a Mac and not get the print dialog? There is a keyboard shortcut for just about every mouse command on a Mac. I'm starting to wonder if people are making stuff up to create a bad name on Macs.

 

[DaveF]

I think one of the things Windows got right was supporting several different types of keyboard shortcuts. For example, printing can be accessed using File > Print, CONTROL + P or ALT + F + P. The latter is called a mnemonic shortcut because F and P represent the File and Print portion of the command as single letters. Nearly every Windows command can be accessed mnemonically. After a while it becomes a habit that saves a TON of mousing around. Yeah, occasionally you guess wrong, but that's what CONTROL + Z is for!

I posted the same sentiment many pages ago: I miss these keyboard shortcuts from Windows. OS X has it's own, similar feature -- pressing something like ALT-F2 triggers the menus and then you can keyboard through them. But (and maybe its my 10yrs of intense Windows vs 1yr of casual OS X), it's grossly inferior to how Windows does it.

Especially in Word, etc. The efficiency of e.g. Alt-I-R-C for inserting a caption is so much easier for me than mousing to find the caption button in OS X Word. Similarly, I haven't found the equivalent to (the little known WIndows trick) e.g. ALT-0181 to insert the µ symbol on OS X (I use a handful of these numerics to enter scientific and grammatical symbols). It's probably there, but I don't know how to do it.

Now, if Windows would only get a CTRL-H and CTRL-Q for hide and quit

 

[lucas]

Similarly, I haven't found the equivalent to (the little known WIndows trick) e.g. ALT-0181 to insert the µ symbol on OS X (I use a handful of these numerics to enter scientific and grammatical symbols). It's probably there, but I don't know how to do it.

OS X has a lot of symbols/etc accessible by pressing alt and a key (and sometimes follwed by another key if it a modiferer for a letter like ü (alt-u u), ô (alt-i o) etc). knowing this you can often find things through trial and error. I just found µ at alt-m

 

[Tosser]

[…]

[…]

Are you two guys for real?

One of the problems I have with the Mac UI (hate is a strong word), is that on a 24" display with menus along the top edge, I am always (seemingly) 18"-20" away from mousing to a command. That's a lot of wasted effort, all the time.

There are keyboard shortcuts for most things. And if you need another one, or want to change it, go to system preferences>Keyboard and mouse>shortcuts and roll your own: Either make them global or app-specific.

I think one of the things Windows got right was supporting several different types of keyboard shortcuts.

You think? How do you make a long of these: "-" on a PC (I'm asking, never figured it out. On a mac I can go alt+"-" resulting in "–". Small thing perhaps – but I use it a lot.

For example, printing can be accessed using File > Print,

Great example of window's superiority

Go to file, then print. Whatta you think? How can you not know that?

CONTROL + P or ALT + F + P. The latter is called a mnemonic shortcut because F and P represent the File and Print portion of the command as single letters.

NOOOO, you don't say!!

Try CMD+F, CMD+P, CMD+s, Shift+CMD+P, and so on.

Nearly every Windows command can be accessed mnemonically.

Actually, it's much easier on a mac. The shortcuts are what Macs are renowned for. You just have to know enough to press CMD instead of CTRL.

After a while it becomes a habit that saves a TON of mousing around. Yeah, occasionally you guess wrong, but that's what CONTROL + Z is for!

Yes, it's true: That's what CMD+Z is for.

I think Apple needs to rethink the wisdom of menus along the top of the screen on large displays. I don't think it's as good a user experience as putting the menus along the top of the window would be, or putting everything on right mouse button menus.

Did you ever notice that if you click on, say, "edit" or "file" and the "curtain" comes down, that to the right of the command are some "signs"? Those are the keyboard shortcuts.

I guess that's my biggest complaint about the Mac - too much mousing.

That's because you don't know the keyboard shortcuts.

But hey, given that my Mac just works and I don't have to fiddle with it (much), I'm a happy camper.

LOL

I posted the same sentiment many pages ago: I miss these keyboard shortcuts from Windows. OS X has it's own, similar feature -- pressing something like ALT-F2 triggers the menus and then you can keyboard through them. But (and maybe its my 10yrs of intense Windows vs 1yr of casual OS X), it's grossly inferior to how Windows does it.

You have been on a Mac for a year, and you don't know how to use shortcuts even if you say you WANT to use shortcuts?
alt+f2 is a ridiculous way to go about it.

Especially in Word, etc. The efficiency of e.g. Alt-I-R-C for inserting a caption is so much easier for me than mousing to find the caption button in OS X Word.

I rarely use Word. Hell, I haven't even installed it this time around. But it IS possible to use shortcuts for things like that. If it's not there, go roll your own in system preferences.
Personally, I didn't like how I couldn't press CMD+P in Word and get the "Print" dialogue, so I changed it in sys prefs, so it became that dialogue.

Similarly, I haven't found the equivalent to (the little known WIndows trick) e.g. ALT-0181 to insert the µ symbol on OS X (I use a handful of these numerics to enter scientific and grammatical symbols).

That has GOT to be my pet peeve about windows: Do they seriously think I want to memorise a four digit code for each of these symbols (some will propably show up as question marks on this forum):
¡“§£∞™¶[]≠±°∑鮆¥ü|œπ‘~ß∂ƒ©«‹∆¬äöΩ…ç√∫ñµ‚···–¯”$¢‰˜\{}≈¿⁄•˚ɇŸÜıŒ∏’^Êˇ˘fiÁ»›˝flÄÖº¸˙Ç◊ËÑ˛„÷—
Do they?

Btw, that top row was "acheived" by holding down alt, and then letting a finger run across the keyboard.
The botttom row was acheived doing the same, except I held down shift as well.

It's probably there, but I don't know how to do it.

On a mac with a danish kb, and a danish OS, to get "ü", you either press "¨" and then "u", or you simply press alt+u. To get the accent over the "e", you either press "´" then "e", or alt+e.
If in doubt, you can have a floating keyboard on your screen which will change depending on which modifier key(s) you hold down.

 

[peoplevoice]

OS X can do better

Sorry but I'm not telling lies. It's been impossible to see pictures in full screen in iPhoto5, which I've been using since I bought this computer. I've read that the new version does it. I tried what you suggested and it didn't work. I have a 17 inch monitor. In spite of having big screens it would be good that you can maximize it anyway. To be able to maximize goes hand to hand with the necessity to increase monitor sizes. The fact that you don't need it, doesn't mean that others really need it or want it. Different people, different needs. That's all.

hey bud, can you stop spreading lies?

You can look at a photo full screen in iPhoto, you just press command option F and it takes you to full screen mode. I believe you're talking about maximizing windows, not full screen (they're two completely different things) since fullscreen is just as common on windows as it is OS X. Why would you want one single web page or document to take up a full 30, 24, or even 20 inch monitor. That's waaaay too big. Making something fullscreen/maximized does not enlarge the font, so you would still have to wear your glasses.

Anyway, just wanted to clean up the lies you left behind. Have a good day.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Sorry but I'm not telling lies. It's been impossible to see pictures in full screen in iPhoto5, which I've been using since I bought this computer. I've read that the new version does it. I tried what you suggested and it didn't work. I have a 17 inch monitor. In spite of having big screens it would be good that you can maximize it anyway. To be able to maximize goes hand to hand with the necessity to increase monitor sizes. The fact that you don't need it, doesn't mean that others really need it or want it. Different people, different needs. That's all.

There is no way that you need one single document to fill an entire screen. Let me guess you switched from Windows? I can totally understand dragging the corner of the window to fill the screen as much as possible on an 12 inch powerbook, or even a macbook, but a 17 inch monitor? No way. I hardly even have to maximize windows on my little Macbook, only in Final Cut and Aperture.

Sorry, you were telling lies. iPhoto 7 does do full screen, sorry if your two-version outdated iPhoto doesn't.

Maximizing Windows does not go hand in hand with increasing monitor size. People think they need bigger and bigger monitors so companies spit them out to get your dollar. The only time a large monitor is really needed is when one is editing high resolution photos or films.

 

[coogee]

I hate the disabling of features to fit the 'model', such as crappy Front Row compared to AppleTV interface, or no official AirDisk with Time Machine - that kind of thing.

I don't hate anything about the OS X interface, I prefer it so much to Windows, there is no hate there for me, only tiny gripes which I'll keep all for myself.

 

[gusious]

Actually, it's much easier on a mac. The shortcuts are what Macs are renowned for. You just have to know enough to press CMD instead of CTRL.

Really?And how can you tell when it's best to hit CMD or CTRL?

 

[Tosser]

Really?And how can you tell when it's best to hit CMD or CTRL?

Kidding, right?

You can tell by it being a ComManD.
Or in other words, if you - on a PC - would be pressing CTRL, it would be CMD on a Mac.

 

[DaveF]

Did you ever notice that if you click on, say, "edit" or "file" and the "curtain" comes down, that to the right of the command are some "signs"? Those are the keyboard shortcuts.

Not every command has a shortcut. Windows seems to make it easier to access by keyboard the commands that don't have default shortcuts, like Insert Caption, Insert Cross Reference, etc.

Similarly, F2 on Windows triggers the Edit Cell function in Excel. There doesn't seem to be an equivalent feature in Numbers: You have to double-click a cell to edit it.

OS X has a broad range of excellent keyboard tools, but it doesn't have it all perfect -- at least for me.

That has GOT to be my pet peeve about windows: Do they seriously think I want to memorise a four digit code for each of these symbols (some will propably show up as question marks on this forum):
¡“§£∞™¶[]≠±°∑鮆¥ü|œπ‘~ß∂ƒ©«‹∆¬äöΩ…ç√∫ñµ‚···–¯”$¢‰˜\{}≈¿⁄•˚ɇŸÜıŒ∏’^Êˇ˘fiÁ»›˝flÄÖº¸˙Ç◊ËÑ˛„÷—

I'm unaware of that tip; I'll give it a go

As I said, I've got 10+ years of professional experience with Windows and 1 year of home use with OS X. But so far I've not found a method to access non-shortcutted commands in OS X as well as I can in Windows.

This is a niche concern: very few people are even aware of this technique for accessing menus. But I've used it for years and OS X throws me off sometimes since it doesn't seem to do it as cleanly.

 

[TBi]

That has GOT to be my pet peeve about windows: Do they seriously think I want to memorise a four digit code for each of these symbols (some will propably show up as question marks on this forum):
¡“§£∞™¶[]≠±°∑鮆¥ü|œπ‘~ß∂ƒ©«‹∆¬äöΩ…ç√∫ñµ‚···–¯”$¢‰˜\{}≈¿⁄•˚ɇŸÜıŒ∏’^Êˇ˘fiÁ»›˝flÄÖº¸˙Ç◊ËÑ˛„÷—
Do they?

Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Character Map

 

[Tosser]

Not every command has a shortcut. Windows seems to make it easier to access by keyboard the commands that don't have default shortcuts, like Insert Caption, Insert Cross Reference, etc.

If they don't exist in word (it truly does depend on the app), you can make and/or tweak your shortcuts in systemprefs>keyboard & mouse>Shortcuts.

Similarly, F2 on Windows triggers the Edit Cell function in Excel.

I'm not sure - I do audio apps more than I ever used Excel, but try using the "small enter" button (don't know the name in english - but it's next to the right CMD-button)

There doesn't seem to be an equivalent feature in Numbers: You have to double-click a cell to edit it.

What do you mean? I simple select the cell, and I can write in it (just tried, but again, I don't really use that app either, other than to open already made docs.)

OS X has a broad range of excellent keyboard tools, but it doesn't have it all perfect -- at least for me.

Nope. Not for me either. But if it doesn't suit you, you can make anything in any menu or submenu into a shortcut. I have tweaked at least Word, Soundtrack, Omniweb, Firefox and Safari's shortcuts. Well, those are the ones I remember tweaking off-hand.

I'm unaware of that tip; I'll give it a go

Yeppers. And if you have the kb-viewer open at the same time, you can look at what you're doing instead of doing it blindly.

As I said, I've got 10+ years of professional experience with Windows and 1 year of home use with OS X. But so far I've not found a method to access non-shortcutted commands in OS X as well as I can in Windows.

Nope, but it's done a little differently, and all in all, the shortcuts is one of the reasons I use OS X, and one of the things I'll miss the most when I ditch my MBP for a Thinkpad (unless I can make it into a hackintosh).

This is a niche concern: very few people are even aware of this technique for accessing menus. But I've used it for years and OS X throws me off sometimes since it doesn't seem to do it as cleanly.

Yes, it's for people who can't use a mouse (it's in the "disability section" of syst prefs)
I don't think it's very effective, though, so I use direct shortcuts instead.

Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Character Map

LOL, OS X have that one as well - on TOP of the mentioned shortcuts:
Systemprefs>international.

whoa man, you just set yourself up for yet another flaming. havent you caught on yet that the overly defensive retard fanboys DONT LIKE you listing the things you hate about macs? geeze, with posts like yours you'd thing this thread was called "things you HATE about Macs..." or something

Haha, are you calling me a fanboy? You really ought to read some of my posts before uttering more of that nonsense.

 

[brent0saurus]

i agree with pretty much everything you're saying except the battery warning. i only get it once. and i like that i have to click it because otherwise while i'm on aim or something i could hit enter and accidentally overlook it. i think that's why you have to click it. i reallllly do hate the inconsitency of the green button

We all know that Macs are tonnes better than PCs, but hating things about something is the way they get better. Here are some things that really bug me (and I hoped would not be present in 10.5).

- The low battery warning will pop up six or seven times before the battery dies - and needs to be CLICKED to go each time.

- The green 'plus' button in the top corner of windows is very inconsistent - can't it simply make the window as big as the screen?

- When you shut down a notebook, you can't close the lid or it will go to sleep mid shut down.

- When resizing a finder window, the coverflow gets bigger rather than the list of files getting longer (10.5).

- eBay never works properly with Safari!

- The sleep light cannot be disabled. I like not shutting down my Power Book but, in a dark bedroom, that light gets annoying.


If Macs were perfect, Steve Jobs would have retired, so what annoys you about Apple products? It's just a bit of fun...

 

[janstett]

I think you could make the case that things like the hockey puck mouse, etc. were radical designs (at least when they were introduced). That's the trouble with pushing limits, lots of times you fail.

Yes, they were radical alright -- radically bad. If someone asked you to make the worst mouse possible, the only thing the hockey puck was missing is spikes that shoot out of it to impale the user. Again, Apple's priority was radical BEAUTY not radical ERGONOMICS.

What I meant is that they should apply their industrial design genious to ergonomics even if it's unconventional. Start with the split keyboard designs Microsoft has and continue from there to some radical designs like chordal keyboards or upright vertical keyboards.

Instead, Apple makes things that are pretty but unusable.

 

[xUKHCx]

Mod Note: Enough of the personal insults thanks.

If you see them please use the report post button.

 

[vivegannaidoo]

ok Mister shortcut guru - being a new mac osx user myself - how do you cut and paste folders in Finder? you can only copy and paste but not cut - in the edit scrolldown the cut option is there but is grayed out and the recommended keyboard shortcut doesn't work!

 

[robbieduncan]

ok Mister shortcut guru - being a new mac osx user myself - how do you cut and paste folders in Finder? you can only copy and paste but not cut - in the edit scrolldown the cut option is there but is grayed out and the recommended keyboard shortcut doesn't work!

You can't. At a semantic level it doesn't make sense so it's not enabled.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

ok Mister shortcut guru - being a new mac osx user myself - how do you cut and paste folders in Finder? you can only copy and paste but not cut - in the edit scrolldown the cut option is there but is grayed out and the recommended keyboard shortcut doesn't work!

you can't. could you imagine if you cut something and then accidentally copied another thing you would lose the file you originally cut.

 

[robbieduncan]

you can't. could you imagine if you cut something and then accidentally copied another thing you would lose the file you originally cut.

No on Windows. If you fail to paste the "cut" file or folder it just goes back where it came. Which is not what happens with anything else you cut. It's this logical inconsistency that means that Apple don't enable it.

 

[HLdan]

Really?And how can you tell when it's best to hit CMD or CTRL?

Very easily. The Mac OS is based on logic, this is where Windows fails, it's not based on logic.
Command, you are commanding the computer to perform an action such as Print, Hide windows, Quit applications, New window, Find and so on...

Control, you are controlling the action of your computer such as holding the Control key and scrolling using the mouse wheel and it will zoom the screen. Pressing Control and a mouse click results in a right-click or contextual menu.

So on Command, you are telling your Mac what to do. On Control, you are controlling the operations of it.