7 ms·

I bought my first Mac on Friday at the Mall of America. There's a Microsoft store right across from the Apple store. It was amazing to me how much more crowded

I bought my first Mac on Friday at the Mall of America. There's a Microsoft store right across from the Apple store. It was amazing to me how much more crowded the Apple store was. There were a lot of people at the Microsoft store but it was ridiculous how many were at the Apple store.

aforty 15y ago
More importantly, how do you like your first Mac?
- yequalsx 15y ago
  Some things I really like and some I really hate. Overall though I like it (Macbook Pro 13" base model - no upgrades). I don't know why but I thought it would load applications faster than it does. Though, the overpowered Dell I bought last December is even slower. Why do I have this feeling my Mac should load applications faster? I don't know. I don't like traversing the file system in the Mac. Perhaps its familiarity with Windows. File search on the Mac is infinitely faster though. I like that Macs are true multi-user operating systems. I can separate work and leisure better that way. I didn't think I would care but I really like that the battery lasts a long time on the Mac. I pretty never used battery power on Windows laptops because "3 hours time remaining" ended up being 45 minutes. The overall user experience is much better but I'm still getting used to it. I really hate that I can't create a folder at the time I save a document. Maybe there's a setting I don't know. The most telling thing I can say is that I'm fairly certain that I'll never get a Windows machine again. With less ram, less video card power, less processing speed, my Macbook is much more responsive and the screen is much better.
  - sid0 15y ago
    I'm not sure what definition of multiuser you're using, but all the Windows NT-based OSes meet the normal definition of multiuser.
  - aeontech 15y ago
    command-shift-n to create a new folder even in a save dialog. command-shift-g to quickly go to a filesystem path (supports tab completion. It's unix filesystem, so ~/ == your home directory. ~/Doc[tab] will take you to your Documents folder, etc). As for speed - RAM upgrade and an SSD make all the difference in the world (as they would for windows as well). Oh, also, if you're new to the mac, you might need some of these: * Quicksilver http://qsapp.com/ http://qsapp.com/ - quick app launcher and much more. * Adium http://adium.im/ http://adium.im/ - the only IM client you'll need * Colloquy http://colloquy.info/ http://colloquy.info/ - IRC client * DTerm or iTerm - somewhat better than default Terminal.app * Hex Fiend - awesome hex editor * HandBrake - video conversion * Sublime Text / Textmate - really excellent programmer editors * XLD - lossless audio conversion
    - ajtaylor 15y ago
      How did I not know about the command-shift-g shortcut? That is a awesome tip! New iTerm user here as well, and I'm really liking it so far. Don't forget VLC to play pretty much any video file you may get.
    - aforty 15y ago
      Don't forget: Native shortcuts to take various screenshots (unrelated to anything, but so useful and cool): http://guides.macrumors.com/Taking_Screenshots_in_Mac_OS_X http://guides.macrumors.com/Taking_Screenshots_in_Mac_OS_X * Sparrow http://sparrowmailapp.com/ http://sparrowmailapp.com/ - Gmail done right * TextWrangler http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/ http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/ - Best text editor, for any purpose and free * Pixelmator http://www.pixelmator.com/ http://www.pixelmator.com/ - Mac equivalent of Paint.NET except it's not free. Worth it though! * Transmit http://www.panic.com/transmit/ http://www.panic.com/transmit/ - FTP, SFTP, you-name-it client * LittleSnitch http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html - Software firewall for when you want to block certain apps outgoing web requests Enjoy your new Mac!
      - elithrar 15y ago
        Paintbrush makes for a good free image editor (http://paintbrush.sourceforge.net/ http://paintbrush.sourceforge.net/) — I use Pixelmator as an almost-Photoshop replacement, but the former is good if you want something really light.
  - mmorris 15y ago
    I really hate that I can't create a folder at the time I save a document. There is a "New Folder" button in the bottom left corner of the (expanded) save dialogue box. But it is true that you can't edit folder names or move files around from within the save dialogue. While I realize that a save dialogue should be focused on saving, it annoys me to no end that I can't do some basic editing while I'm in there.
  - potatolicious 15y ago
    The Finder sucks, a lot, so file system traversal can be a pain. There are free alternatives though nothing comes to mind right now. You can create a folder at save-time - there should be a disclosure/down-arrow button to the right of your file name textbox (this is a universal cue for "click here for advanced options"). This will roll out the advanced settings. This gives you all the standard file system manipulation abilities you're looking for, including New Folder.
    - yequalsx 15y ago
      Thank you all for the information. It is most helpful.
  - r00fus 15y ago
    Get yourself an SSD pronto. They are worth the money, and as many software luminaries have said, they are the best upgrade money can buy right now. You can take a Sandforce (or any TRIM enabled) ~64GB SSD and an optibay kit or similar and double to triple your load speed. Cost me ~$200 total. Here's my account of an optibay-like installation on my 2010 MBP: http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=10814085&postcount=12 http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=10814085&post...
    - maximilian 15y ago
      According to Anandtech[1], TRIM only works on Apple purchased SSDs. However, it is recommendable to get one anyway with or without TRIM support. [1]: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4205/the-macbook-pro-review-13-and-15-inch-2011-brings-sandy-bridge/6 http://www.anandtech.com/show/4205/the-macbook-pro-review-13...
      - r00fus 15y ago
        OSX Lion is completely TRIM compliant for all capable drives now.
  - jpr 15y ago
    > I like that Macs are true multi-user operating systems. I can separate work and leisure better that way. I've heard this a couple of times in the last days, and it has left me wondering, in what ways isn't Windows a "true" multi-user system?
kenjackson 15y ago
I'm mostly a Windows user, and I don't know why I'd go to a MS store. For example, if I want an iPad or MBP I'd go to an Apple Store. I'm not sure what other stores carry them (does Best Buy?). But I know that the Apple store does. In contrast, I can buy a PC anywhere. But I don't actually know what specific PCs are available at the Microsoft store. I do know they have all of the available phones at the MS store, but given that the only phones I'm interested in are those by my carrier, I'm more inclined to go to my carrier store (to see all carrier phones) than the MS store.
- m0nastic 15y ago
  I think one of the main benefits to the Windows stores (besides the fact that they sell Windows Phones, and by all accounts don't actively try to talk their customers out of buying them) is the fact that they sell systems there which are part of Microsoft's Signature PC line.‡ For those unfamiliar, it's basically a system from a vendor without all the crap that they install on a fresh system. The fact that Microsoft actually has to have a service like this is certainly an interesting topic for discussion (I'm sure Microsoft would prefer that vendors not load up new pc's with garbage software that slows them down) ‡ http://signature.microsoft.com/Default.aspx http://signature.microsoft.com/Default.aspx
  - Tyrannosaurs 15y ago
    I agree it's great you can get a PC without the crap installed but I think MS have to tackle off the root problem and have it so that's how they all come. Seriously, you'd get a noticable performance increase on the average low end laptop right off the bat if they could do that.
    - m0nastic 15y ago
      My understanding of how that works (which I admit is an outsider's understanding) is that PC vendors subsidize the price of new PC's by installing crapware on them. The race to the bottom in PC pricing basically left them scrambling to find ways to keep their prices low without gutting their already-falling margins. I don't think Microsoft is in a good position to require PC's to stop doing this (unless they were willing to eat the loss of vendor revenue by lowering their Windows license cost, which would effect their own margin). I'm left optimistic by companies like Lenovo, who are now marketing crapware-less machines as a competitive advantage (as a byproduct of their Rapidboot initiative), and hope maybe other vendors will try and compete. I don't remember the last time I bought a Windows PC where the first thing I did wasn't to immediately wipe it and reinstall the OS from an OEM version, although it'd be nice not to have to do that. EDIT: realized I started two comments in a row with "Yeah,". That makes me almost as angry as if I'd littered the comment with "like, you know"'s...sigh

aforty 15y ago

More importantly, how do you like your first Mac?

yequalsx 15y ago
Some things I really like and some I really hate. Overall though I like it (Macbook Pro 13" base model - no upgrades). I don't know why but I thought it would load applications faster than it does. Though, the overpowered Dell I bought last December is even slower. Why do I have this feeling my Mac should load applications faster? I don't know. I don't like traversing the file system in the Mac. Perhaps its familiarity with Windows. File search on the Mac is infinitely faster though. I like that Macs are true multi-user operating systems. I can separate work and leisure better that way. I didn't think I would care but I really like that the battery lasts a long time on the Mac. I pretty never used battery power on Windows laptops because "3 hours time remaining" ended up being 45 minutes. The overall user experience is much better but I'm still getting used to it. I really hate that I can't create a folder at the time I save a document. Maybe there's a setting I don't know. The most telling thing I can say is that I'm fairly certain that I'll never get a Windows machine again. With less ram, less video card power, less processing speed, my Macbook is much more responsive and the screen is much better.
- sid0 15y ago
  I'm not sure what definition of multiuser you're using, but all the Windows NT-based OSes meet the normal definition of multiuser.
- aeontech 15y ago
  command-shift-n to create a new folder even in a save dialog. command-shift-g to quickly go to a filesystem path (supports tab completion. It's unix filesystem, so ~/ == your home directory. ~/Doc[tab] will take you to your Documents folder, etc). As for speed - RAM upgrade and an SSD make all the difference in the world (as they would for windows as well). Oh, also, if you're new to the mac, you might need some of these: * Quicksilver http://qsapp.com/ http://qsapp.com/ - quick app launcher and much more. * Adium http://adium.im/ http://adium.im/ - the only IM client you'll need * Colloquy http://colloquy.info/ http://colloquy.info/ - IRC client * DTerm or iTerm - somewhat better than default Terminal.app * Hex Fiend - awesome hex editor * HandBrake - video conversion * Sublime Text / Textmate - really excellent programmer editors * XLD - lossless audio conversion
  - ajtaylor 15y ago
    How did I not know about the command-shift-g shortcut? That is a awesome tip! New iTerm user here as well, and I'm really liking it so far. Don't forget VLC to play pretty much any video file you may get.
  - aforty 15y ago
    Don't forget: Native shortcuts to take various screenshots (unrelated to anything, but so useful and cool): http://guides.macrumors.com/Taking_Screenshots_in_Mac_OS_X http://guides.macrumors.com/Taking_Screenshots_in_Mac_OS_X * Sparrow http://sparrowmailapp.com/ http://sparrowmailapp.com/ - Gmail done right * TextWrangler http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/ http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/ - Best text editor, for any purpose and free * Pixelmator http://www.pixelmator.com/ http://www.pixelmator.com/ - Mac equivalent of Paint.NET except it's not free. Worth it though! * Transmit http://www.panic.com/transmit/ http://www.panic.com/transmit/ - FTP, SFTP, you-name-it client * LittleSnitch http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html - Software firewall for when you want to block certain apps outgoing web requests Enjoy your new Mac!
    - elithrar 15y ago
      Paintbrush makes for a good free image editor (http://paintbrush.sourceforge.net/ http://paintbrush.sourceforge.net/) — I use Pixelmator as an almost-Photoshop replacement, but the former is good if you want something really light.
- mmorris 15y ago
  I really hate that I can't create a folder at the time I save a document. There is a "New Folder" button in the bottom left corner of the (expanded) save dialogue box. But it is true that you can't edit folder names or move files around from within the save dialogue. While I realize that a save dialogue should be focused on saving, it annoys me to no end that I can't do some basic editing while I'm in there.
- potatolicious 15y ago
  The Finder sucks, a lot, so file system traversal can be a pain. There are free alternatives though nothing comes to mind right now. You can create a folder at save-time - there should be a disclosure/down-arrow button to the right of your file name textbox (this is a universal cue for "click here for advanced options"). This will roll out the advanced settings. This gives you all the standard file system manipulation abilities you're looking for, including New Folder.
  - yequalsx 15y ago
    Thank you all for the information. It is most helpful.
- r00fus 15y ago
  Get yourself an SSD pronto. They are worth the money, and as many software luminaries have said, they are the best upgrade money can buy right now. You can take a Sandforce (or any TRIM enabled) ~64GB SSD and an optibay kit or similar and double to triple your load speed. Cost me ~$200 total. Here's my account of an optibay-like installation on my 2010 MBP: http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=10814085&postcount=12 http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=10814085&post...
  - maximilian 15y ago
    According to Anandtech[1], TRIM only works on Apple purchased SSDs. However, it is recommendable to get one anyway with or without TRIM support. [1]: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4205/the-macbook-pro-review-13-and-15-inch-2011-brings-sandy-bridge/6 http://www.anandtech.com/show/4205/the-macbook-pro-review-13...
    - r00fus 15y ago
      OSX Lion is completely TRIM compliant for all capable drives now.
- jpr 15y ago
  > I like that Macs are true multi-user operating systems. I can separate work and leisure better that way. I've heard this a couple of times in the last days, and it has left me wondering, in what ways isn't Windows a "true" multi-user system?

kenjackson 15y ago

I'm mostly a Windows user, and I don't know why I'd go to a MS store. For example, if I want an iPad or MBP I'd go to an Apple Store. I'm not sure what other stores carry them (does Best Buy?). But I know that the Apple store does. In contrast, I can buy a PC anywhere. But I don't actually know what specific PCs are available at the Microsoft store. I do know they have all of the available phones at the MS store, but given that the only phones I'm interested in are those by my carrier, I'm more inclined to go to my carrier store (to see all carrier phones) than the MS store.

m0nastic 15y ago
I think one of the main benefits to the Windows stores (besides the fact that they sell Windows Phones, and by all accounts don't actively try to talk their customers out of buying them) is the fact that they sell systems there which are part of Microsoft's Signature PC line.‡ For those unfamiliar, it's basically a system from a vendor without all the crap that they install on a fresh system. The fact that Microsoft actually has to have a service like this is certainly an interesting topic for discussion (I'm sure Microsoft would prefer that vendors not load up new pc's with garbage software that slows them down) ‡ http://signature.microsoft.com/Default.aspx http://signature.microsoft.com/Default.aspx
- Tyrannosaurs 15y ago
  I agree it's great you can get a PC without the crap installed but I think MS have to tackle off the root problem and have it so that's how they all come. Seriously, you'd get a noticable performance increase on the average low end laptop right off the bat if they could do that.
  - m0nastic 15y ago
    My understanding of how that works (which I admit is an outsider's understanding) is that PC vendors subsidize the price of new PC's by installing crapware on them. The race to the bottom in PC pricing basically left them scrambling to find ways to keep their prices low without gutting their already-falling margins. I don't think Microsoft is in a good position to require PC's to stop doing this (unless they were willing to eat the loss of vendor revenue by lowering their Windows license cost, which would effect their own margin). I'm left optimistic by companies like Lenovo, who are now marketing crapware-less machines as a competitive advantage (as a byproduct of their Rapidboot initiative), and hope maybe other vendors will try and compete. I don't remember the last time I bought a Windows PC where the first thing I did wasn't to immediately wipe it and reinstall the OS from an OEM version, although it'd be nice not to have to do that. EDIT: realized I started two comments in a row with "Yeah,". That makes me almost as angry as if I'd littered the comment with "like, you know"'s...sigh