Got my Macbook Pro, realized I have no idea how to use a Mac

AdamWathan

AdamWathan

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Apr 12, 2002
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Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
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I feel so stupid trying to use this thing! I can't figure out how to maximize Safari, the green + button doesn't do anything? I have to drag the window to full screen size and position it myself... I don't like feeling like I have a non-maximized window just stretched to maximum size and centered by eye, there has to be a way to maximize a window no? Also, how do I see what programs I even have open? Is there a drop down or something somewhere that lets me select focus between open applications? When I minimize something it disappears and leaves no indication anywhere that it's still open? This touchpad mouse is weird to get used to as well, I can't figure out how to click and drag something since there's no mouse button and the whole touch pad is the button... I've sort of been using my thumb on the bottom pretending there is a button and then dragging with my finger which seems to work but still feels weird haha... Is there anyway to set up the touch pad so I can double touch it to act as a click instead of pressing it down?

I'm sure I will get used to this thing eventually but it is mindblowingly foreign to me right now, nothing seems intuitive at all so far coming from Windows! I had to download MSN Messenger twice before I figured out how to even install it, it gave me some pop up with the MSN logo, an arrow and a picture of the applications folder, I had no idea what to do with it but clicking the MSN logo seemed to work? Haha fuck I feel dumb.
 
lolllllll:lol:

I felt the same way on my friends macbook with the safari windows and shit haha, itll prob just take some getting used to though!

congrats on the purchase btw
 
XGabrielX said:
Hey Adam, it will take like 3-7 days and you absolutly comfortable with everything....

Seeing programs:

holding apple and press tab
Click to expand...

One mystery solved! Haha thanks man! I called my sister who has a Macbook and she also pointed out that in the dock anything that is open has a blue light under it, which helps for sure... She also told me I can't maximize Safari, only vertically, but I will get used to it I'm sure.

Semi-related, does anybody know how to close that goddamn floating virtual midi keyboard in Logic 9? I somehow opened it when I first tried the program and could not close it, it disables all my keyboard shortcuts when it's on screen :erk:
 
AdamWathan said:
I'm sure I will get used to this thing eventually but it is mindblowingly foreign to me right now, nothing seems intuitive at all so far coming from Windows! I had to download MSN Messenger twice before I figured out how to even install it, it gave me some pop up with the MSN logo, an arrow and a picture of the applications folder, I had no idea what to do with it but clicking the MSN logo seemed to work? Haha fuck I feel dumb.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the problem when coming from Windows is you think everything in the Windows-way. That's what got me, at least. In OS X, you install the application by dragging and dropping the application to Applications folder. I felt like an idiot when I finally figured that out :lol:
 
Seriously there is nothing more humbling than not being able to figure out how to use an OS that is supposed to be designed in a way that it's intuitive to people who can't even tie their own shoes yet :lol: I should be able to understand this! Getting there slowly lol
 
Like jarkko said...you tend to stick to the same habits from when you were running windows...to me Macs OS is alot simpler now that ive had time to play with it...when your installing something you would think ok i have to put it here and do this and that blah blah blah but in all actuality its in plain english...you literally take the icon and drag it that 1 inch over to apps folder and its done...theres a cool feature called "hot corners" its on your system preferences...once u set that up, if you have multiple programs up and running then just drag the mouse in the predefined corner and all programs will be on the screen,then all u do is click which one you want at the moment and it brings that one up front,all i did was go to apple.com and just watched all the videos promoting OS X...they give you a quick rundown of the features and how to utilize them...which OS did you get? Leopard or snow leopard?
 
What stuck in me about using Windows is that you can't copy-paste things in OSX. I still sometimes try to do it, after a whole year. You can do it in Logic though, obviously, so it's kind of odd that you can't do it in OSX.
 
Sorry, meant cut-paste. For example, if I would want to move large files inside an external hd, without copying them on the desktop, and MOVING the file so that it has been removed from its old place.

At least I don't know any convenient alternative route to do this without having to open two windows at the same time
 
Some useful key commands that help me all the time...

Cmd+C = copy
Cmd+V = paste
Cmd+A = select all
Cmd+W = close current window
Cmd+Q = quit current app
Cmd+Option+Eject = put to sleep
In Firefox or Safari, Cmd+T = new tab
In Finder, Cmd+Shift+N = new folder
In Finder, Cmd+N = new finder window
In Finder, Cmd+Shift+Delete = empty trash
In Finder, Cmd+Delete = move to trash
In Finder, Cmd+Shift+U = opens utilities folder
In Finder, Cmd+Shift+A = opens apps folder
Option + Tab = switch apps
With trackpad, hold control, two fingers forward on trackpad = zoom in, two fingers backward = zoom out

That should get you started.
 
Use the Finder in Column. Select all the files and move your selection back in the column (with your selection clicked), go in the external disk icon, it shows automaticly his folders in the first column and go on the folder you want (when you go with you cursor on a folder, it's opened after 1 second in the next column). When you come on your destination folder, release the mouse button......it's simple as fuck.
But you're right at 50%, if you do this for an external drive, it does the copy, if you move inside a single disk, it does a cut
 
Yeah, this seems a good way to move files around, I've never really used the column mode in Finder much. :lol: Thanks.
 
sopulurn said:
Sorry, meant cut-paste. For example, if I would want to move large files inside an external hd, without copying them on the desktop, and MOVING the file so that it has been removed from its old place.

At least I don't know any convenient alternative route to do this without having to open two windows at the same time
Click to expand...

Holding cmd while dragging works for me
 
sopulurn said:
Sorry, meant cut-paste. For example, if I would want to move large files inside an external hd, without copying them on the desktop, and MOVING the file so that it has been removed from its old place.

At least I don't know any convenient alternative route to do this without having to open two windows at the same time
Click to expand...
yeah, use the column to the left in your finder window... just keep holding what you are moving, holding over each folder until it opens until you get to the folder you want to put your file in.. then just let go.

if you are just moving a file within a particular hd, there's no need to "cut"... it will disappear from the original location automatically... hold the Option key while moving if you want to leave the original.

moving to another hd will automatically perform a "copy"... then just go back and delete the file from the original location if you want.

if you want to Cut & Paste as you described, between hd's... just hold the Command key as you drag... it will move the file to the new location on the other hd, and delete it from the original hd. your friend was wrong, ;)

BlackestEyes said:
Some useful key commands that help me all the time...

Cmd+C = copy
Cmd+V = paste
Cmd+A = select all
Cmd+W = close current window
Cmd+Q = quit current app
Cmd+Option+Eject = put to sleep
In Firefox or Safari, Cmd+T = new tab
In Finder, Cmd+Shift+N = new folder
In Finder, Cmd+N = new finder window
In Finder, Cmd+Shift+Delete = empty trash
In Finder, Cmd+Delete = move to trash
In Finder, Cmd+Shift+U = opens utilities folder
In Finder, Cmd+Shift+A = opens apps folder
Option + Tab = switch apps
With trackpad, hold control, two fingers forward on trackpad = zoom in, two fingers backward = zoom out

That should get you started.
Click to expand...
that's a good list to get you started.. here's a few more to add to those:

Command+~ allows you to toggle between open windows/files within most applications.

within any finder window, typing the first few characters of a file-name/sub-folder name will scroll to and/or highlight that file or sub-folder for you in the window. hitting TAB from there will move successively to the remaining files in the window, in alphabetical order... Shift+TAB does the same in reverse alphabetical order. any highlighted file or folder in any finder window can be opened by hitting Command+O.

there are extended View options under the little "gear" menu in every Finder window, which you can choose to either apply to only that window, or to all windows.
 
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