JimmyChicken
Acrobat
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2001
- Messages
- 364
Ok, this might sound stupid but I have trouble using MACs. I have no problems whatsoever using, configuring, optomising, installing, etc a Windows based computer. But when it comes to a Mac, I'm doomed...
Here's why:
Mostly its the interface. I just can't get used to it for some reason. This applies to Mac O9, as I haven't used OS X yet (but I haven't heard rave reviews about it from the people I know who have used it).
My first problem is switching between programs. I do a lot of multimedia design work so I like to have a dosen programs open at once for convenience. With Windows I have no problems switching between programs whatsoever. I just click on the button in the TaskBar (I do turn off the "grouping" feature) and it takes me off to the desired program without much fuss.
But when I'm using a Mac its a different story. There is no TaskBar, so what are my options? ALT+TAB? Gee, that's a bit tedious when 12 programs are open.
What about that menu up the top right of the screen with a list of all my programs I've got open? Its notgood! I have 3 Internet Explorer Windows open, but when I select it from this menu, it takes me back to the last one I was using. But I want to get back to the first one I was using. EEEEEK!!!
Ok lets minimise each program. Oh wait, I can only minimise them down to their Title Bars, and not a nice Icon (ie. Windows 3.1 style). Now I've got a sea of Title Bars plaguing my screen and I have to carefully sift through each one to get to the program I want to use.
There has to be an easier way to sawp between programs than that. But its just not obvious to me.
Next annoyance...
Mac programs don't see to have an individual background like about 90% of Window programs do. So I can see the desktop beneath the program I'm using. If I have 2 or 3 similiar programs (ie Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Freehand) open this can get confusing. Say if I was using Dreamweaver, I can see the toolbars for Fireworks and Freehand underneath. However its all to easy to accidentally to click on one of the toolbars of the programs beneath (since they are very similiar). Of course what happens is it brings that program to the front, which is not what I wanted. So then I have to sawp back (fortunately ALT TAB suffices in this scenario). This gets very frustrating after the dosenth time. With Windows each program (unless its a development package or skinned) has a solid background so you can't mistake the contents of the other programs open with the one you're using.
Another one...
Closing down the programs. I have to drag them into the Trash Can to close them down properly? Ummm why? Can't I just go to Exit (or whatever shortcut) like I do in Windows and the program goes. This is like an added hassle to slow me down.
Which leads too...
All the programs sharing the same pull down menu bar at the top of the screen. I found myself unable to shut down the computer because the "Special" menu with the "Turn Off/Shut Down" option wasn't there. Eventually it came to me the reason was because I was still in another program that I hadn't closed because I forgot to drag it into the Trash Can.
In Windows each window has its own set of Pull-Down Menus. Which seems more logical to me, however I can see how it might confuse some people. But the Windows Start Menu and its "Turn Off Computer" option is easily distinguished between the Pull-Down Menus of the other programs.
And finally (I could keep going but I'll cease before this thread becomes a novel)
The Keyboard and Mouse that came with the G4's I was using. How cramped and awkward were they! A round mouse? With one button? Despite the fact the Mac OS does have Context Menus, but I need to press CTRL before I click if I want to access those. And that hideous cramped keyboard where half the buttons didn't work properly. Like the Enter on the Numpad, I pressed that and instead of going down to the next line out came []. Not to mention the short cut keys and special keys (like the End button) for navigating around text were either not as useful like in Windows or not there.
Ok that'll do... For now...
Here I'm mostly referring to my experience with Macs I was using to do a Multimedia course. The computers were G4's (not sure of the exact specifications) but they ran as fast and just as stable as a Pentium II 350 with 128MB RAM running Windows 98 SE.
Come on! The Mac OS is suppose to be easier to use and learn than Windows. Why am I struggling so much?
Any tips?
Here's why:
Mostly its the interface. I just can't get used to it for some reason. This applies to Mac O9, as I haven't used OS X yet (but I haven't heard rave reviews about it from the people I know who have used it).
My first problem is switching between programs. I do a lot of multimedia design work so I like to have a dosen programs open at once for convenience. With Windows I have no problems switching between programs whatsoever. I just click on the button in the TaskBar (I do turn off the "grouping" feature) and it takes me off to the desired program without much fuss.
But when I'm using a Mac its a different story. There is no TaskBar, so what are my options? ALT+TAB? Gee, that's a bit tedious when 12 programs are open.
What about that menu up the top right of the screen with a list of all my programs I've got open? Its notgood! I have 3 Internet Explorer Windows open, but when I select it from this menu, it takes me back to the last one I was using. But I want to get back to the first one I was using. EEEEEK!!!
Ok lets minimise each program. Oh wait, I can only minimise them down to their Title Bars, and not a nice Icon (ie. Windows 3.1 style). Now I've got a sea of Title Bars plaguing my screen and I have to carefully sift through each one to get to the program I want to use.
There has to be an easier way to sawp between programs than that. But its just not obvious to me.
Next annoyance...
Mac programs don't see to have an individual background like about 90% of Window programs do. So I can see the desktop beneath the program I'm using. If I have 2 or 3 similiar programs (ie Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Freehand) open this can get confusing. Say if I was using Dreamweaver, I can see the toolbars for Fireworks and Freehand underneath. However its all to easy to accidentally to click on one of the toolbars of the programs beneath (since they are very similiar). Of course what happens is it brings that program to the front, which is not what I wanted. So then I have to sawp back (fortunately ALT TAB suffices in this scenario). This gets very frustrating after the dosenth time. With Windows each program (unless its a development package or skinned) has a solid background so you can't mistake the contents of the other programs open with the one you're using.
Another one...
Closing down the programs. I have to drag them into the Trash Can to close them down properly? Ummm why? Can't I just go to Exit (or whatever shortcut) like I do in Windows and the program goes. This is like an added hassle to slow me down.
Which leads too...
All the programs sharing the same pull down menu bar at the top of the screen. I found myself unable to shut down the computer because the "Special" menu with the "Turn Off/Shut Down" option wasn't there. Eventually it came to me the reason was because I was still in another program that I hadn't closed because I forgot to drag it into the Trash Can.
In Windows each window has its own set of Pull-Down Menus. Which seems more logical to me, however I can see how it might confuse some people. But the Windows Start Menu and its "Turn Off Computer" option is easily distinguished between the Pull-Down Menus of the other programs.
And finally (I could keep going but I'll cease before this thread becomes a novel)
The Keyboard and Mouse that came with the G4's I was using. How cramped and awkward were they! A round mouse? With one button? Despite the fact the Mac OS does have Context Menus, but I need to press CTRL before I click if I want to access those. And that hideous cramped keyboard where half the buttons didn't work properly. Like the Enter on the Numpad, I pressed that and instead of going down to the next line out came []. Not to mention the short cut keys and special keys (like the End button) for navigating around text were either not as useful like in Windows or not there.
Ok that'll do... For now...
Here I'm mostly referring to my experience with Macs I was using to do a Multimedia course. The computers were G4's (not sure of the exact specifications) but they ran as fast and just as stable as a Pentium II 350 with 128MB RAM running Windows 98 SE.
Come on! The Mac OS is suppose to be easier to use and learn than Windows. Why am I struggling so much?
Any tips?