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Impressions from a first-time Mac user

loganmarchione.com

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Re: Impressions from a first-time Mac user

#441

No one mentioned the home/end keys so I will. ;-) I am a big user of these, use them a hundred times a day to go to front/back of line. Mac doesn't do that, goes to front/back of doc, which I do very rarely. But if I do, just click with the mouse or hold down PgUp/Dn. More common operations should get the default hotkeys imho. I managed to change this, but DBeaver finds a way to screw it up occasionally.

This initially bothered me too.

The macOS equivalents are command+left-arrow and command+right-arrow. I find them even easier to invoke than home/end.

Re: Impressions from a first-time Mac user

#442

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand what's random about always switching to the last window you were using. It's a simple rule, no exceptions. Macos window/app switching rules are too complicated and full of special cases, which makes it harder to integrate into your work flow.

Because, basically, I don’t think in terms of switching windows, I think in terms of switching tasks/apps and some apps/tasks happen to have a bunch of windows.

It's still easy to understand because it is just one rule, with no exceptions. Comparatively the OSX model is filled with arbitrary rules that depend on many factors (is another window of this app open in a maximised mode?, does the last desktop you were on have no windows?).

Even if, with time, you have become comfortable with it, it is still a more convoluted way to manage tasks.

Re: Impressions from a first-time Mac user

#443
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't get used to the fact that I can't alt-tab to a minimized window. Nor can I figure out how to switch to any particular minimized window. You have literally no way of knowing that a minimized window exists other than right-clicking the dock icon, or going to the "Window" menu after you switched to the application. The dock was fine 20 years ago when they released OSX, but they've literally done nothing to make…

Ok, so you can actually do this but the keyboard sequence is a bit bonkers. * Hold down Command and press Tab until the application icon representing the minimised window is highlighted. * Release Tab but DONT let go of Command. * Now press Option too so you are holding down Command + Option * Now release Command so you are just holding down Option * Finally release Option Amazingly this will then maximise the window…

That's new to me. I had gotten used to knowing that the first minimised window for something like Messages or Activity Monitor is what I wanted, and used Cmd-0 to get that up.

Re: Impressions from a first-time Mac user

#444
post #365

This review is misses for me due to these two quotes: > I’m using this Macbook almost exclusively with the lid closed, with a USB-C adapter to connect my keyboard/mouse/monitor. > However, that keyboard doesn’t have the Option (⌥) or Command (⌘) keys like on my Macbook. The reviewer isn’t using the built in webcam, Touch ID, trackpad, or the Mac keyboard layout! Why even have a Mac with that setup? Opening the lid so…

> However, that keyboard doesn’t have the Option (⌥) or Command (⌘) keys like on my Macbook.

What? Option is literally just the "alt" key, and Command is the "windows" key - I haven't seen a keyboard without a Windows key in almost twenty years, maybe more. There's also a UI to switch the Alt/Opt and Win/CMD keys so the functionality is on the same placement as the laptop keyboard (alt and win are switched).

Re: Impressions from a first-time Mac user

#445

No one mentioned the home/end keys so I will. ;-) I am a big user of these, use them a hundred times a day to go to front/back of line. Mac doesn't do that, goes to front/back of doc, which I do very rarely. But if I do, just click with the mouse or hold down PgUp/Dn. More common operations should get the default hotkeys imho. I managed to change this, but DBeaver finds a way to screw it up occasionally.

Moving around in lines is a complete mystery to me on my new MBP, having used Windows and Linux exclusively for ~20yrs. Throw in some various terminal programs and tmux and vim and oh god the horror.

Re: Impressions from a first-time Mac user

#447
I always found windows (not the os) to be pretty annoying. Having a full screen app, or two full screen apps side by side is way more usable than a window on top of another that keeps getting lost, or you have to move it around all the time to see what’s underneath.

Re: Impressions from a first-time Mac user

#448
post #447

I always found windows (not the os) to be pretty annoying. Having a full screen app, or two full screen apps side by side is way more usable than a window on top of another that keeps getting lost, or you have to move it around all the time to see what’s underneath.

On large (>24-inch) monitors I prefer windows, but on smaller monitors I typically prefer full screen apps, for the reasons you mention.

Re: Impressions from a first-time Mac user

#450

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

> everything is unified around that in MacOS by making the apps images and then leaving non-window apps to either daemons or console scripts I have been using Macs since the late '80s and have no idea what you mean by "making the apps images". Also, to me, "non-window app" sounds like "menu bar app". > This person is new to computers in general and maybe is a longtime windows-user Kinda feel like you have to pick one…

Not really chief. You can use internet explorer, Word, and browse websites for 10+ years and that makes you a longtime windows user.

Now, tell me, does someone who browses Facebook in IE and learns a lot of windows commands going to understand why another operating system does things differently?

They won’t, because they’re new to computers, and are still, shocker, logically a longtime windows user.

You can be pedantic about my terminology but the logic is sound.

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