Mac pro

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 1:05 am

I just bought a Mac Pro, it had not occured to me just how used I am to the way MS Windows works, first thing that bothered me was the mouse that came with the system, no buttons, you push the front end of the mouse for left-click but there's no right button and I use the right button a lot in Windows, fortunately you can plug in a MS or Logitech mouse with no problems.
another thing that will take some time getting used to is that the applications I tried to install don't have an installer, you must manually drag and drop into the Applications folder, though I probably will like this feature.
also when you click on a download link, you don't get a choice as to where you want it stored, that bothers me.

GeoTrail · Post by **GeoTrail** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:12 am

I must say, I have only used Mac for school along time ago when I took technical drafts. Other then that I don't have any experience with Mac. But I'd love to have one, maybe I'll buy one when I can afford it.

Nik · Post by **Nik** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 1:45 pm

Cool to see another Intel Mac user here, some time ago I bought an Intel iMac 20" with Core Duo processor for my 18. birthday. By then i was already using Linux 99% of my time and had not touched my Windowsbox for longer then an hour for nearly a year. I had the same Issues when starting to use my Mac as you explain, I now use a Logitech Mouse. I must say though that I love my new Mac, though I would like to use Linux a little bit more but this screen is just to gorgeous to let me sit in front of my Ubuntu Laptop, I might install Linux on this mashine though to dual boot between OS X and Linux.

btw a List of very good applications for OS X:
1. iTerm (replaces the xterm from Apple) (http://iterm.sourceforge.net/)
2. Fink (A debian apt port for OS X, let's you install hundreds of OpenSource Applications on your Mac using a seperate root tree in /sw/ therefore you can install tools like VIM, Nano, Gnome, Gedit, OpenOffice, arm-ggc, and many more) (http://fink.sourceforge.net/)
3. Xcode, it comes on your install CD and is one of the best IDEs I know coding C/C++ or Java in it is a lot of fun
4. Adium (A multi protocoll Instant Messenger)(http://www.adiumx.com/)

One thing I must warn you is that you will probably have some trouble with normal Keyboards in the future, I always keep trying to paste with alt+v because the Alt key is where the apple Key sits. Another thing is that you will probably hate Installers in the future, they are just senseless, I didn't have so many problems with that since I was already used to the Ubuntu way of installing aplications wich is even better then the OS X way. However I have fink now and over Fink you install applications in the same way you do on Ubuntu Linux.

CSAUER · Post by **CSAUER** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 3:03 pm

I must say, OS X is for me the best operating system I have seen. Very impressive is the spotlight thing. You can create virtual folders which just contains your query-result. Then you don't need to care any longer, where the data are stored. The whole systems gives a feeling like it is a iTunes lib. But I am sure, that 80% of Mac users haven't figured out the features.
XCode and Interface Builder are the very best IDE I have seen. I love the springs, where you can create gadget resolution independences, as well as the often copied alignment features. You can create relations between objects with drag and drop and you can design your data structure visually.
Apropos drag'n'drop: I like it to drag and drop everywhere I want. Everything works with drag'n'drop.
I am a Windows user since 15 years. I missed the right mouse button. But with the Mighty Mouse it comes to the macs. This is the best mouse ever. It has a 360° scroll-ball as well as three buttons (they are sensored, where you click - so you cannot see the buttons). To click on the right button you need hold up the fingers on the left button area, else it would be a left click always.

Some other nice and cheap (everything <100 Euro) applications, I like:
- iWork 06 => word-processing + presentation
- iLife 06 => iTunes + music-composing + web-composing + video-composing + picture archive
- iCalamus => DTP
- iSale => eBay manager
- Checkout => small ERP / point of sale
- Cheetah3D => 3D rendering
- Cyberduck => FTP client
- and maybe Objective-Basic => basic dialect using interface builder

That's everything I need at home. So I never need to turn on my PC, just only for playing games.

jack · Post by **jack** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:06 am

thanks Nik and CSAUER for the tips, maybe you can tell me how to open the bottom cd?

also, I was not able to setup my email, my email server is web based but I like to get all my mail in one place, like in outlook express, any tips?

Nik · Post by **Nik** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:30 pm

bottom cd?

jack · Post by **jack** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 12:29 am

yes, I think they call it superdrive? the mac I got has 2, but there are no eject buttons, I am ashamed to say it took me several minute before I noticed the eject key on the keyboard, but no matter what combination of keys I press the bottom cd won't open.

Nik · Post by **Nik** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 5:25 pm

Well I don't know the exact answer since my iMac only has one drive but I'm sure I will find an answer with google.

Nik · Post by **Nik** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 5:32 pm

And here it is:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304526

jack · Post by **jack** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 1:41 am

thanks Nik, I really appreciate your tips, I especially like Fink, it opens a whole world of software.

dracflamloc · Post by **dracflamloc** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:32 pm

The software-based eject is probably the thing that bugged me the most about Macs back when I had to use them.