Bought a Mac

I guess you won't be making it to the POA chat room then :)
 
I connected to chat from my MacBook using Safari yesterday. Worked first time, no problem.

John


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Ive been been an Apple "junkie" for a number of years with iPhones and iPads but planned to get around to buying a Macbook Air laptop, I've always been reasonably happy with my Windows based machines up until now but just have this itch to go Apple Mac. But my buddies tell me I will need to log quite a few hours on the Mac before I'm happy with the trasition, when I ask why, they just say...."It's different"... :dunno: ?
 
One big help is to have an experienced Mac user sit down and show you shortcuts.

For example, click and hold on almost any image, even in FaceBook or a browser, and drag it to the iPhoto icon on the dock and it will save that image to your iPhoto library. From there it can be edited or shared in myriad ways. Email, FaceBook and Flickr to name a few.

The trackpad also has amazing and intuitive "multitouch" gestures.

I'm sure Windows often has similar or better shortcuts, but it's a matter of getting used to a new workflow.

BTW, on the tech shows there's been a lot of positive talk about Microsoft, esp their "Hololens" and Windows 10 and even the Surface. Enough of a turnaround in prospects that I actually bought a few shares (15) and may add to that position as able.
 
I bought a macbook pro a few years ago for my daughter. She wanted it for college. She picked up on it pretty quick. Even after 2 years, that laptop holds its own. It has a SSD which makes boot times pretty short.
 
I am a former Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (the ATP of the computer world). I used to rip Apple up and down and my argument was because it simply sucked compared to Windows. And it did.

Then, Apple was in bankruptcy, on the verge of being a hobby, and they called back Steve Jobs. He came in and developed the iPod. I that it was cool, but could already play music on my Ipaq PocketPC. I had to download the music, put it on an SDCard, load it into the phone/device, move the folders around so the device could read it, reload the program so that it would recognize the new music, and manually switch each song. I thought it worked fine.

Then, Steve Jobs bet the farm because, he too, knew their OS sucked. He had them rewrite the OS from the ground up. Threw it all out and started over from scratch. He did the same with their hardware (which wasn't really bad to begin with, but the new OS would run on universally distributed hardware, not just proprietary hardware). I still believed it sucked because I wouldn't even take a look at it.... it was Apple.

Then, Steve Jobs unveils this shiny new iPhone. It was an Apple phone. Had to suck because it was Apple. I wouldn't even take a look because I was really happy with my Motorola Q "smartphone" which ran Windows embedded. It was slick. I had to reboot it every day to keep it from corrupting, but hey, it synced my contacts, did my email, and was much better than a Blackberry that it was developed to compete with. The iPhone? It was a kids toy.

Then my buddy got one. I went 6 months making fun of him for his toy. Until he saw me reboot my phone. He laughed at me. Said, "Why are you rebooting your phone?", my answer, "I do it every day!" He proceeds to tell me that he went 6 months without ever rebooting his phone. Not only did I reboot it every day, but for optimal performance I would wipe and reload the thing once a month. He throws his phone at me and says, "Play with it!" I first refused... I wouldn't entertain the dark side. But I did... I was so ****ed at my phone at that moment that I did. I liked it. I still was skeptical that he didn't have to reboot his phone daily, but I liked it.

Then, the iPhone 3g came out (the second one). I was up for a new phone and got it. I fell in instant love. It just worked. Simple. No problems. No reboots. No reloads. No programming. Nothing. IT. JUST. WORKED.

About a year later, after becoming an iPhone aficionado, my laptop started giving me lots of trouble. It was time. Do I dare look at an Apple? I hate them. They're crapple. I called my buddy, who incidentally bought his first Apple computer about a year prior, and of course, he loved it. Since he was right with the phone, I trusted him on the computer. I had to take a leap on this one, but I did it. I bought my first MacBook Pro. I loaded it. It just worked. No reboots, no blue screens, no screwing around with it, nothing. It drove me crazy for the first 2 weeks picking up how it works and getting used to it. But, just like the phone, it just worked. In fact, my plan was new computers every 2 years. That MacBook Pro lasted 4 for me, and my daughter still uses it a year and a half later. It is still working.

I am on my second MacBook Pro and love it, my wife switched 2 years ago to a MacBookPro and loves it, we are on our 4th set of iPhones, and both use iPads.

Now, I can clearly say that Windows sucks compared to a Mac. Steve Jobs did it right, that is, he looked at why Microsoft was successful (simplicity and ease of use), looked at why they failed (buggy, prone to crashes, viruses, etc) and made a superb product. If Microsoft wants to stay viable in the future, they need to do what Jobs did: Scrap the Windows NT kernel and replace it. NT was written in the 1980's. It was better than the old DOS kernel (that ran 95, 98, & ME) which they did scrap, but it is not as good as the Unix-based Kernel that nearly every web server, mainframe, Android, Apple, and many other devices use.

So, to make it Apple simple: Windows sucks. Apple is good. You made a good choice and congratulations on your purchase!
 
rbridges said:
Even after 2 years, that laptop holds its own. It has a SSD which makes boot times pretty short.
Click to expand...

Cool.

I'm typing this on a late-2008 15" MacBook Pro. No SSD, though I've considered one in place of my failed optical drive. Though probably that money would be better banked towards an eventual new Mac.

Only one battery replacement (handled under warranty though it wasn't - it had swelled and was keeping the trackpad "button" depressed) and a failed optical drive. Upgraded the memory and HD (8/750) along the way, but it just keeps soldiering on.

OTOH, while we were still tied to the Windows world, our HP, Toshiba and Sony laptops all crapped out in a big way after an average of two years. To be fair, they were all entry-level, but it still left a bad taste and for now we're Windows-free.

Oh, and Karen has an early 2014 21" iMac and its a wonderful and elegant machine that with her iPad and iPhone serves all her needs as well.
 
Last edited:
My first laptop outlived its programming, though it still works fine and can be used for documents and things like that. It works for on-line applications, but poorly. Its memory is too small to take on lots of photographs or videos, it predates a lot of that. I think I bought it in 2000.

My second is actually malfunctioning a bit (has trouble charging its battery), but has also outlived its obsolescence. Works find so long as I keep it plugged in. Plenty of memory for photographs and whatnot, at least there would be if I didn't have it loaded to the gills with tunes. Fine by me though.
 
I live life using iOS and Windows 7. Don't prefer Windows 8. I have Lenovo desktops and one laptop for work stuff because my professional software is Windows based. Personally I prefer Mac and have used MacBooks for many years. My newest, the latest Pro Retina, is solid state, powerful, and smoking fast. I installed Windows 7 on it and run iOS and Windows 7 simultaneously using Parallels. Even my Hasp Key validated program for work (windows) runs exceptionally well on my Macbook. Better than on the Lenovo laptop. I doubt I'll ever buy another Windows machine. My wife has a Macbook Air and frankly now that the Pro is solid state I can't recognize any difference other than mine's slightly thicker. My Pro had more memory options so I went that way. But I'm not here to sell anything to anyone, that's just my preference.

For learning Mac shortcuts, here's a simple solution. KBCovers makes a variety of ultra-thin silicone keyboard covers for various languages and specialty users but the shortcuts cover is the easiest way I know to familiarize yourself with the nuances of the iOS keyboard functions. http://kbcovers.com/os-x-shortcuts-keyboard-cover
 
Last edited:
Going to date myself here... During college in the late 80's I worked several jobs writing Mac software back when it had Object Pascal as the standard language style. It was so far ahead of anything we had in the PC world that it was laughable. DOS, Windows 1 and 2? What a joke. But then Windows 3 came out and changed everything. I became a huge Microsoft fanboy.

Fast forward to this year. After developing on Windows for two decades (always with one foot firmly in C++ and the other in MFC then over to .NET), we are slowly moving over to Apple. We're transitioning our software to cross-platform frameworks since we have a large customer base who need it to run on Windows, but we're starting to bias ourselves more and more towards Macs. My last two notebooks have been Macs. I've got a Sony Vaio that remains unused now. For those of you who like .NET and C#? Check out Swift... ;) 'nuff said. Microsoft has lost their way. Under the hood the mishmash of technologies and poorly thought out architecture when compared to what Apple is doing is going to ultimately kill them unless something changes. I don't want them to die. Competition is good. If Windows 3 hadn't come along the MacOS would not have evolved as it has.
 
Okay, Mac guys. I have a Macbook Pro at home and sometimes I use it. But there one thing I can't figure out how to do.

HOW do you place multiple resizable, overlapping windows on the screen? I like to have maybe a portion of a web browser or spreadsheet visible while I write text, or vice versa so I don't have to flip back and forth through screens as I work. Can you do this with a Mac?
 
Sac Arrow said:
Okay, Mac guys. I have a Macbook Pro at home and sometimes I use it. But there one thing I can't figure out how to do.

HOW do you place multiple resizable, overlapping windows on the screen? I like to have maybe a portion of a web browser or spreadsheet visible while I write text, or vice versa so I don't have to flip back and forth through screens as I work. Can you do this with a Mac?
Click to expand...

Yes.

I'm actually struggling to think about what would prevent you from doing that on a mac....If you use the "Spaces" feature of OS X, just make sure the windows you want to see at the same time are in the same "Space"

Otherwise, just move around the various windows and resize them to your liking.
 
Last edited:
Owned Macs since 1985.

My current setup:

16457436370_3c1800d2a4.jpg


Lets me use the trackpad* on the MacBook Pro and its screen as a second screen which is handy. Rarely leaves my desk except when we go on trips, with the iPad getting most mobile use around the house.


*If you look closely, I also have a mouse.
 
BTW, PhotoStream is very elegant.

To get that prior image, I just reached over and took the photo with my iPhone.

In just a couple minutes it automatically shows up in iPhoto.

From there a quick edit and one button to get it into Flickr where I can grab the link and insert it here, thusly:

16457683070_5c93b788c2_z.jpg


Very handy features.
 
FYI, if your phone is a android device, and you take video with it, you must require it to hook up the computer as an android device to load the video to the computer.

I use an MAC desktop.
 
FastEddieB said:
BTW, Google+ is very elegant.

To get that prior image, I just reached over and took the photo with my Android phone.

In just a couple minutes it automatically shows up in Google+.

From there a quick edit and one button to get it into Photobooth where I can grab the link and insert it here, thusly:

16457683070_5c93b788c2_z.jpg


Very handy features.
Click to expand...

Fixed it for you. BTW, I LOVE my MacBook Pro, but now it just boots up to a flashing padlock!
 
I'm a real happy Linux Mint user. It's not for everyone, but I sure enjoy it.
 
You will enjoy it, I personally prefer a Mac over Windows after using one for sometime. I usually don't have any problems loading POA chat from safari, but if you do, just download chrome or Firefox and it should load from there.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Okay, Mac guys. I have a Macbook Pro at home and sometimes I use it. But there one thing I can't figure out how to do.

HOW do you place multiple resizable, overlapping windows on the screen? I like to have maybe a portion of a web browser or spreadsheet visible while I write text, or vice versa so I don't have to flip back and forth through screens as I work. Can you do this with a Mac?
Click to expand...

I don't understand your question. I can open multiple windows easily. I don't need to operate between multiple active windows so I'm probably not the most proficient guy to ask. If you want to re-size windows you can do it in Mission Control or buy a $2 app like Better Snap Tool. I use multiple monitors on my desktop occasionally but have never needed such a function on a laptop. Where there's a will, a teenager somewhere has figured out a way. Google it. Your answer is probably available in a YouTube tutorial.
 
I think it's purely user-preference at this point for Windows vs Mac. I don't think there is really any argument, save for a handful of application-specific areas where you should choose one over the other. In terms of machine-specs, there's not too many ways to come out with higher-performing hardware for the price than a windows unit. Macs just have too much of a price premium. If you are willing to encapsulate all of your electronics into the Mac universe, then it makes sense to go with it.

I can't stand iTunes, and after having owned a few Galaxy Andriod phones, am not impressed with the iPhone though it's what I carry full-time because it's a work cell. Those two items pretty much eliminated my desire to own anything else Mac. The home PC has been running Windows 7 flawlessly for 5+ years, but it's only used for electronic media storage, occasional MS Office, and internet use (pretty low demand).

Mac makes an excellent, functional product, with expanded capabilities when paired with other Mac devices. I'm just not willing to make all of my app, music, accessories, etc. purchases through the iStore.
 
Tom-D said:
FYI, if your phone is a android device, and you take video with it, you must require it to hook up the computer as an android device to load the video to the computer.

I use an MAC desktop.
Click to expand...


An Android video automatically arrives on your computer, PC or MAC, if you are signed into Google+.;)

Also, if you take 5 videos on the same day and they will also come back automatically edited together, to use or not.
 
Skywag,

I stipulated earlier that most or all of the things I can do on my Mac can likely be done with Windows and/or Android. And I'm sure they can do some things more easily than a Mac can, and things a Mac can't so at all.

I am posting these tips and observations for someone who bought a Mac, not to imply superiority.

But these things usually do degenerate into Mac vs. PC, so its not a surprising tack.
 
Bob Noel said:
Yes.

I'm actually struggling to think about what would prevent you from doing that on a mac....If you use the "Spaces" feature of OS X, just make sure the windows you want to see at the same time are in the same "Space"

Otherwise, just move around the various windows and resize them to your liking.
Click to expand...

Stewartb said:
I don't understand your question. I can open multiple windows easily. I don't need to operate between multiple active windows so I'm probably not the most proficient guy to ask. If you want to re-size windows you can do it in Mission Control or buy a $2 app like Better Snap Tool. I use multiple monitors on my desktop occasionally but have never needed such a function on a laptop. Where there's a will, a teenager somewhere has figured out a way. Google it. Your answer is probably available in a YouTube tutorial.
Click to expand...

I know this sounds like a stupid question and it probably is. I guess I'm missing some key things in the window control functionality. Maybe I'll look up a Youtube. I don't even know how to resize a window. It isn't intuitive, at least to me.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I know this sounds like a stupid question and it probably is. I guess I'm missing some key things in the window control functionality. Maybe I'll look up a Youtube. I don't even know how to resize a window. It isn't intuitive, at least to me.
Click to expand...

resizing a window on a mac is pretty much the same as resizing a window on, well, Windows.

For me, the Mac OS X gui makes it easier (the windoze) to find the spot on the lower right of a window to grab. For some reason, on windoze that sweet spot is a royal pain to find vs OS X.
 
kgruber said:
An Android video automatically arrives on your computer, PC or MAC, if you are signed into Google+.;)

Also, if you take 5 videos on the same day and they will also come back automatically edited together, to use or not.
Click to expand...

Bought my first Android phone 6 months ago after 3 generations of iPhones. This feature freaked me out the first time it happened. It will also piece together slide shows and animated GIFs of photos that should be linked together. Cool and creepy at the same time. :)
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I guess you won't be making it to the POA chat room then :)
Click to expand...

My MBP works with Chat . . .

The MBR is prob just a crapped out section of the HDD - seems to be happening a lot lately - had it happen to my 2 month old Mack mini HDD . ..
 
Chat works fine on a Mac provided you have flash installed. I ditched Windows in 2008 and haven't looked back since.

That said, I'm starting to dislike Google more than I dislike Microsoft.
 
Older versions of OSX only let your resize windows on certain edges, I forget which ones. Now you can grab any of the four sides to resize with.
 
kgruber said:
An Android video automatically arrives on your computer, PC or MAC, if you are signed into Google+.;)

Also, if you take 5 videos on the same day and they will also come back automatically edited together, to use or not.
Click to expand...

I don't do Google or Plus, I simply use the Safari works great.

my camera is my phone, simply hook it up to the Mac USB plug and tell it to connect as a camera or an android. It will automatically dump every thing to the MAC.
 
ahkahn said:
I am a former Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (the ATP of the computer world).
Click to expand...

Bwahahahaha... snort... coffee came out of my nose... :)

dilbert_unix_nickel.gif


jesse said:
That said, I'm starting to dislike Google more than I dislike Microsoft.
Click to expand...

Microsoft seems small and limp (get it) since Ballmer left... no more chair throwing... but Apple also seems like they're slipping since Jobs left... no more berating every engineer in sight...

Seems to be a pattern there... treat the engineers like crap... throw things at them... LOL!
 
I switched to Macs a few years ago and I'm on the older side and not that much of a techie. Didn't have any help either. But I'm also not afraid to experiment. :eek:
 
My wife, who's not computer technical at all, wants to start a cooking blog. Since our laptop is about 8 years old, I think we're going to go with a Mac.
 
denverpilot said:
...but Apple also seems like they're slipping since Jobs left... no more berating every engineer in sight...

Seems to be a pattern there... treat the engineers like crap... throw things at them... LOL!
Click to expand...

First part: at the rate Apple is going, their main problem may come when they have ALL the money in the world and none is left to purchase their products.

Second part: Karen and I watched a NetFlix movie last night: "Print The Legend". It focuses on turmoil in the 3D printer world, some of which touches on the way engineers are treated. Worth a watch.
 
Back to the original post (and this is funny): The "MBR" is Master Boot Record, likely a hardware issue (hard drive), not a Windows problem. Funny.

---

I like a lot of Apple's design ethic, but (as of now) there is no way I could run Mac for business use. As we (ironically) get closer to returning to terminal/server, Macs are becoming more rational. One of my lawyers likes his Mac keyboard (a little postcard-looking thing with chiclet keys) better than a regular keyboard, and he's productive (running Windows in an RDP session), so it obviously works.

I assume that, if I just jumped in with both feet, I could get up to speed on Mac in no time flat, but I can't just bail on Win, as that's where all the software for our luddite world lives, but I don't have time to learn a new way of doing things just yet. I got tired of trying to figure out what it was doing (what's that bouncing icon mean? Why is it making that low farting noise?).

Win 7 is our standard for now; 8 works just fine, but its UI is stupid. Since 7 came out, no blue screens, no crashes, everything works like an appliance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top