A New Dawn...

I know I haven't been posting very much (great way to lose daily readership, by the way!), but my notebook was getting buggier and buggier trying to use Typepad (which I love, but pages were slow to load on the laptop) so I kept away.

In the interest of improving this state of affairs, I finally did it; I got a Mac (let's hear it for credit). It's beautiful, like a sleek jaguar (or snake, according to my friend Bob) perched on my desk...love love love.

However, confusing to someone raised from cradle (almost literally, father worked for IBM from the '60's to the '90's) on a PC, the simplest things are taking me a great deal of time to figure out (accidentally) how to do. Like 'cut/copy/paste' was an adventure...not sure if proper way, but learned I can highlight and drag where I need, or highlight and drag to desktop and can drag it wherever as needed; useful stuff, but not immediately recognized.

I bought the base model iMac (still have the notebook to lug if I wanna), and so far, it's plenty...and the built in video/camera feature with the jillion effects? Oh yeah...changed my social media profile pix for 1st time since November.

Rather than intending this to be an apology- I was hoping that any of you Apple gurus might share some tips with someone newly initiated. I have had the iPhone since day 1, so that exposure has been really helpful- but I know there are many shortcuts, maneuvers, that people  take for granted that I may never learn unless some kind soul or two opens up. This will likely lead to a Google stroll, but some things are just so much nicer in person.

Comments

[Xero]

I would guess your frustration is with Typepad. The fact that they are unable to support safari (the best web browser currently in existence, in my opinion) is unforgivable. Plus they are not correctly implementing cut in paste in firefox or else it would work correctly on all operating systems (I have done cross platform development for years, this is not something new).

That being said post a screen shot of symbols that you can't figure out and I'd be happy to clarify them for you.

[tamsen]

thanks, Xero...I admit, the shortcuts are a bit mystifying to me, because the book- and the file list options- use characters not only am I unfamiliar with, but they aren't actually visible on my keyboard (got a wireless little thing, maybe pretty icons were a space luxury) and I don't know what they actually map to...another interesting thing is the cut copy paste seems to work when using typepad in safari, but not firefox...the issue with that is the html editor is only available in firefox, and the hyperlink displays the actual html in the safari- needless to say, any posts needing hyperlinks I'm just going to do via windows so my head doesn't explode...
although picture posts are way easier, just drag from one site window to the typepad post....

so I can't decide if this means I'm frustrated at Mac, or Typepad...

overall, however, fun toy...today I burn my 1st cd from here...good times :)

[Xero]

Congratulations on finally joining the ranks of the enlightened.

I'm not a Mac guru but I certainly know enough to get around so here are a few tips.

1) For get everything you know about using a computer, because it's all wrong. Not your fault, it's just the way Windows is designed.

2) The exception to the first tip is that most things work exactly how you are used too you just have to understand the terminology. In most cases you can just use the Command key (The Apple Key to some people) in place on the Control key and your Windows commands will translate directly (Command + C = Copy, Command + V = Paste, Command + S = Save, etc)

3) Anything you can do can be done with the menus from the menu bar at the top of the screen (always at the top of the screen, which is where menus belong).

4) The keyboard short cuts are listed right next to the item in the menu, though it might take a little bit to figure out what all the little symbols mean (I'll explain later if you really need help on that)

5) If your mac didn't come with one, get yourself a 3 button mouse. It is a bit more useful that the standard Mac mouse, though really once you learn the keyboard short cuts your hands may never touch the mouse again.

It should take you but a couple weeks and a few small tips to become a master of OS X. It is that much easier and clearer it use that it will become second nature before you know it. And after those couple weeks your are going to wonder how you ever did anything on a PC.

[Jeff]

Yes, I have a tip. Throw it away. Evil, bad, and I think one has to be left handed to use one, if I am not mistaken.

:)