thanks again...this honestly helps more then you can imagine
Glad to hear you're open to new ways of working!
🙂 You will be much more successful switching if you keep an open mind rather than clinging to old Windows ways like some do. Heed motulist's advice. There's no real problem with minimizing and things like that, but if you try out new ways, you may find them much more productive in the long run. I started out minimizing things in OS X and then I realize the "hide" feature was much easier. I never used keyboard shortcuts in Windows because they were odd and confusing, but in OS X they're generally intuitive and work across many application.
You should never be minimizing windows, the minimize feature has been usurped by better window organization functions. The minimize function is basically vestigial at this point. If you're new to Mac coming from an MS Windows world, I'd strongly suggest you start breaking the minimize habit.
Instead try using these (written here as key commands, but also accessible via menu bar items):
command H = hides the app
command ` = cycle windows in the front app
command tab = cycle front apps
f12 = show all open windows
f11 = show all open windows in the front app only
f10 = show desktop
command N = new browser window
command T = open new safari tab
command shift arrow left/right = move to next tab
drag safari tabs into desired order
drag a safari tab off the window to create a new safari browser window with that page
...and many more great options. You should minimize your usage of minimize. 😉
Try all of these out; they're very helpful.
Some other useful habits to get into...
Cmd + W = closes window
Cmd + Q = quits program
Remember, the red "x" button only closes the window, same as Cmd + W, in case you want to do more things in the application after closing that window. Cmd + Q, or choosing quit from the menu, actually quits the application.
motulist's suggestions
Cmd + H = hides the app
Cmd + ` = cycle windows in the front app
Cmd + Tab = cycle front apps
Cmd + N = new window
work for all OS X apps. Also, the Expose features
F12 = show all open applications
F11 = show all open windows in the front app only
F10 = show desktop
are also very useful. The exact F# they are assigned to may differ depending on which Mac you have, but you can change them if you want.
And remember, right click is Ctrl + Click!
😀 If you have a laptop Mac you can make it even easier than right-click was by going into System Pref -> Keyboard and Mouse and allowing right click when you have two fingers on the trackpad. Now you just need to tap with two fingers, or have two fingers on the trackpad and click the button. If you have a Mighty Mouse, you can go to the same place and check "allow right click," and you can right click using that, too, even though there's only technically one button, it'll be able to tell.
