On 12/24/13, 7:44 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
A few weeks ago I purchased a 27" iMac for Mrs.E. as an early Christmas
gift. This was after months of "hints" being dropped after she saw my
daughter's iMac.

Mrs.E. isn't stupid. Three days ago she reciprocated and bought another
iMac for me ... this one a 21.5" but with the upgraded memory, cpu and
video driver. I know she figures that I'll dive into it, figure it all
out and then be able to support her in the use of hers.

I've come to realize that Mac computers are ideal for those who:

1. Have and regularly use an iPhone and or iPad or:
2. Have never used PCs and Windows and therefore have not been
indoctrinated in the Microsoft mindset.

I've been using PCs and Windows for so many years that making the
transition is not as easy as I thought it would be. I am making
progress but simple tasks that I can do in minutes on a PC like loading
third party software isn't quite the same on the iMac.

Examples that I am learning: (this probably sounds stupid to many)

Software for a PC is usually called a "program" and typically is
installed in the Programs folder.

Software for a Mac is called an "application". There is no "program"
folder. It took me over an hour last night to install some music
editing software and make it work on the iMac because I didn't know you
had to drag it and any plug-ins associated with it from the download
place to the "applications" page. Took me 15 minutes just to figure out
where *that* was.

And passwords. Holy Crap! Apple has passwords for everything ...
iTunes, iCloud, their Apple Store, and for the computer itself. I have
an account for iTunes that I used on the PCs. Think I could make it
work on the Mac? Seems like everything you do on the Mac results in a
request to enter your password. Problem is, I don't know *which* of the
several passwords it wants. I enter one and the stupid box starts
shaking, meaning I put the wrong one in.

I admit, once you begin to understand the architecture of the Mac, it is
very simple, so simple that Apple doesn't provide much in the form of
instructional information. Again, I can see that if you never used PCs
and Windows, it would be very intuitive. My problem is I have Windows
burned into my brain.

The jury is still out.





It took me a few weeks of steady use and lots of phone calls and a few
visits to the Apple store to transition from Windows to OS X.

Application software pretty much is called application software or
applications on both PCs and MACs. There is a program folder. It is
called "Applications". It can be a Place or a Favorite, depending on
whether you are using the included Finder app or a third party app, such
as Path Finder, which is what I use.

Most of us use the same password for iTunes, iCloud, the Apple store, et
cetera, and a different password for the computer itself. That way, you
only have two passwords to deal with. You can change these passwords to
consolidate them.

There is plenty of instructional info on the MAC operating system. The
problem is that Apple doesn't really provide a manual, so you have to
either buy yourself a third party manual or you have to search Apple's
site on line for what you need, or...just call the Applecare line with a
list of questions, which is what I did when I got started with OS X.

Have you plumbed the Utilities subfolder in the Applications folder?
That'll be fine the first time.

There are plenty of people who can help you. In my experience, they all
speak 'Merikan English.

--
Religion: together we can find the cure.