PC --> Mac user transition issues? (1 Viewer)

[glitterfairy]

The general gist of things is that I'm about to get a free laptop as a gift Free setup and everything

The secondary gist of things is that it's a Notebook, and I'm really only proficient at using a PC (when I say proficient, I really mean only proficient - I'm basically computer illiterate). The few times I've worked on a Mac I got really frustrated at having to continually close windows with the weird little square thingy etc...

Two questions.

1) Is there some way that the Notebook can be reconfigured to work like a PC?

2) Would I eventually get used to working with the Mac system? I'll probably still use my PC but if my neighbour (who does something computer-y for a living) can make it so that it runs on wireless internet I might start msn-ing from my room... ooooh the possibilities!

3) Is there a version of msn for mac that's up to date with PC versions yet? (ie avatar and custom message thing)

 

[jake2.0]

Ok, iam confused, by 'Notebook' do you mean its a MacBook (or wateva da Macs r called now)?

 

[glitterfairy]

might be. I'm just calling it by the name I heard it described as.

Anyway. It's a laptop

But a mac. Hmmm

 

[mr_brightside]

iBook?

 

[jm1234567890]

The few times I've worked on a Mac I got really frustrated at having to continually close windows with the weird little square thingy etc...

I don't know what you are refering to :/

Unless the last time you used a mac was 5+ years ago when the close buttons were square.

As for transition issues. Some things will take a while to get used to. Like riding a bike, you will learn how to use it eventually.

You can't really configure it so that it will work like a PC.

 

[Skeeta]

I made the transition a few months ago and i'm VERY computer illiterate.

It takes a few days to get used to - if you download firefox as a browser (instead of that safari junk) you'll find it alot easier to internet

and yes MSN works - if you get the newest version it does have Avatars and all that jazz. The only thing it doesnt have are those "nudge" features and the extra pics.

just a warning if you get wireless internet.. you WILL become addicted

and yeah i kinda prefer my mac now - i find it alot easier to find/store files (especially for uni). Its not THAT different, just something to get used to

good luck!

 

[Casmira]

macs are evil... you'll adapt though, they just have a simpler interface

 

[MedNez]

I made the transition a few months ago and i'm VERY computer illiterate.

It takes a few days to get used to - if you download firefox as a browser (instead of that safari junk) you'll find it alot easier to internet

and yes MSN works - if you get the newest version it does have Avatars and all that jazz. The only thing it doesnt have are those "nudge" features and the extra pics.

just a warning if you get wireless internet.. you WILL become addicted

and yeah i kinda prefer my mac now - i find it alot easier to find/store files (especially for uni). Its not THAT different, just something to get used to

good luck!

Ahhh <3

Sums up more or less everything I wanted to say. I recently got a mac (~2ish weeks ago?), and I'd never used one before. Ever. I might've touched one in a shop or something, but I'd never sat and tried to use one.

That being said, it arrived on a wednesday. I had everything running by the weekend. Everything just worked!

On networking:

It was painless to set up. Wireless I go to wireless icon->network name , and it just works. At home, I plug in ethernet cable, and it's connected to my network. Internet, file sharing etc all works, no need to run wizards or anything like I do with the windows machines when they refuse to work.

On MSN:

What Skeeta said, but I prefer Adium. Much nicer interface. Messenger is a terrible client- it's bloated, slow, works it's way into your operating system. All the ads, features you don't need, bah.

The extra features you can live without on your laptop realistically- if you're going to be on the laptop at uni/on the train, you're rarely going to be on MSN (and if you are for a few hours at uni, you really don't need the 'second custom name thingy' that MSN has.

I have all that on Trillian at home, it really doesn't bug me that Adium doesn't have everything at uni, you really don't *need* to have the extra stuff for a few hours :\

On generally using:

It looks quite plain on the surface (unlike Windows which has 10000 buttons, balloons, icons, notifiers everywhere), which is nice to start with. It has *alot* under the hood I keep finding, that's nice for more computer literate people.

One mouse button is interesting to get used to,but ctrl+click , or holding the mouse button brings up right click menu.

You'll get used to it fairly fast. You can always bug me on MSN for tips

Where am I so far?

I love my new laptop. Having never used a mac, OSX is a nice operating system once you start using it for things other than browsing the internet.

On software:

You can find Mac equivelants to virtually any PC software. Haven't found something I can't install yet. If you can find out the model of the laptop, it's possible you can install Windows on it (mine can, since it's intel based).

If you can install windows, that might be an option.

That being said, there's office for mac, and a bunch of other converted programs.

Anything you need, you can usually find.

So, in summary

1) Is there some way that the Notebook can be reconfigured to work like a PC?

Find out the model. If it's a new one, you can install windows. But you'd be better off playing with OSX (the Mac operating system) at first, because that's what the laptop is configured and pre-set up to use.

Anything you want to do in windows, you can pretty much do in a mac.

2) Would I eventually get used to working with the Mac system? I'll probably still use my PC but if my neighbour (who does something computer-y for a living) can make it so that it runs on wireless internet I might start msn-ing from my room... ooooh the possibilities!

Yes. You'll get used to it. Took me like 2 days (although I'm fairly literate). You'd be used to it in a week, easy. As I said, plenty of us you can bug for help

3) Is there a version of msn for mac that's up to date with PC versions yet? (ie avatar and custom message thing)

As skeeta said, yes.

I would recommend adium though.

You don't need the extra features if you're at uni, or in your room, the computer is close by if you're desperate

Hope this helps a bit

Med

 

[glitterfairy]

Thanks for all the advice guys and gals!

I don't know what you are refering to :/

Unless the last time you used a mac was 5+ years ago when the close buttons were square.

Let's count. I was in Yr 8, so... maybe about 6 years? Scared for life and all that jazz, have been running away from macs ever since

just a warning if you get wireless internet.. you WILL become addicted

Already addicted. Trust me

You don't need the extra features if you're at uni, or in your room, the computer is close by if you're desperate

Mmm. Since all my music is on this computer, it'll probably still be my main. But I still like all my secondary stuff to have 'all the comforts of home', you know?

 

[withoutaface]

I think this video will explain everything you need to know.

 

[jm1234567890]

I think this video will explain everything you need to know.

Why does he then go to say that they video was made on a mac at the end? :/

 

[MedNez]

Mmm. Since all my music is on this computer, it'll probably still be my main. But I still like all my secondary stuff to have 'all the comforts of home', you know?

Yes. The same with me. You don't want to listen to music on a laptop anyway, proper speakers are heaps better.

I think this video will explain everything you need to know.

Hahah, that's awesome. There are a couple of other good ones too.

Why does he then go to say that they video was made on a mac at the end? :/

All the mac-paying-out videos are done by mac users. They're all satiring how they moved from windows, and things were just different, all every one I've seen picks something different to play on. They're quite clever, but I don't think any of those people actually hate the OS, just like paying out problems after being accustomed to Windows.

I'd jump to a mac if ms word worked properly. Put simply MS Word works faster and better on windows.

Haha, I agree. Office for mac is so-so. I don't particularly like it, I use other software (Although probably going to move to LaTeX).

 

[glitterfairy]

uh oh.

MS word is probably the thing I'm going to be using the most of. Is the mac equivalent this "office" thing y'all are talking about?

 

[kami]

The mac version of word is frustrating - at least the version UTS has installed. It doesn't even have a word count feature.

Further frustration with the mac is when I tried to right click...

 

[Skeeta]

i have all the office software
(excell, powerpoint, entourage and word) It is "sometimes" temporamental but i think it has something to do with my and my boyfriend using the same cd when its only licensed for one.

One think i really like with it is that it has Word notebook - which works exactly like a book - with tabs etc. so ihave all my lecture notes from one subject in one file (backed up of course)

i dont know if its available on just PC (it probably is now that i think of it - but yeah its trendy)