Switching to Mac from Windows

January 7, 2011 in General, Mac, Tricks & Tips by Angelina Roberts

When you go from Windows to Mac, it is a big thing. While at first you may think that you are in an alien land, but with a little training, it becomes really exciting.

Here are some basic points that you have to get used to once you switch to Mac:

1. Menus in Windows

If you have been using Windows then you would be used to having a menu bar in each window, but things are different with a Mac. There is only one menu bar on the screen top which stays there and the menu options change depending upon the open applications.

2. Red X Button

In Windows, when you click on the Red X, it closes the program. There is a red X in Mac too, but while it closes the window, the program keeps running in the background. If you wish to quit it, you need to go to menu bar and simply select quit for that program.

3. Minimizing windows by double clicking title bars

When you double click on the title bar in Windows, it maximizes that window. If you do so in Mac, then that window will be minimized and will be sent to the dock, where it will be hidden from your view.

4. The Maximize button

You won’t find any button for maximization in Mac, but you will see a zoom button of green color. It will be next to the yellow minimize and red close button. This zoom button will not fit the window according to the screen, but it will fit the window according to the content.

5. The Enter key

When you press the Enter key, the selected file opens up. But in Mac, it will just rename the file. To open it, you need to press Command + O, or double click it on Finder.

6. Cutting and pasting files

There is Copy command in Mac as well, but you cannot copy or move file in the Finder. If you want to move or cut a file, then you can simply drag and drop it. You can open 2 Finder windows alongside to do this.

7. Icons on desktop

Though Windows users have a habit of keeping various icons like shortcuts and files etc on their desktops, this is not done on a Mac. All the applications are accessible from the Dock and the desktop is almost empty. If you keep a lot of icons on your desktop, it will slow down your system.

So, welcome to Mac !!!!!