“When Apple switched to Intel processors, I switched to a Mac. It was that simple. And judging by Apple’s latest financial report, millions of you are coming with me: Mac sales have increased 30 percent since last year. But Apple is more than just the Coca-Cola of computing: The company builds solid machines that are capable of handling office work and, in my opinion, are vastly superior to Windows machines when it comes to multimedia editing,” Robyn Peterson writes for PC Magazine.
“A Mac can do more than just multimedia. I have Microsoft Office installed so that I can work on Word and Excel documents, and I use a Cisco VPN to connect with my office network. In fact, I use my MacBook as my sole PC at home, whether it’s work or play,” Peterson writes. “Though it’s fairly easy to find your way around a Mac, I’ve answered the five questions most frequently asked by recent Mac converts or those folks simply pondering a potential switch.”
Top 5 questions asked by Windows PC to Mac switchers:
• Where’s The Start Menu?
• Where’s My Right Mouse Button?
• How Do I Install Apps?
• How Do I Search For Files Or Apps?
• Where’s The C: Drive?
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Mossberg offers advice on switching from Windows to Mac – October 05, 2006
Embrace and Extinguish in action: TechIQ’s ‘The VAR Guy’ dumps Windows, switches to Mac OS X – September 25, 2006
My switch from Windows XP to Apple Mac OS X – August 30, 2006
The Age: Switch to Apple Mac; just say no to Microsoft Windows – August 15, 2006
NY Times covers the basics of switching from Windows PC to Apple Mac – August 10, 2006
Liberal blogger on switch from Windows to Mac: I’m sold – August 03, 2006
Top Ten Reasons I’m Glad I’m a Mac Switcher – June 20, 2006
Switching To The Mac: A Guide For Windows Users – June 15, 2006
Sydney Morning Herald Tech columnist dumps Microsoft Windows, switches to Apple Mac – June 13, 2006
Moving Microsoft Internet Explorer Favorites to Apple Safari Bookmarks when you switch – June 08, 2006
Apple Boot Camp’s ‘Windows Insecurity Blanket’ helps buyers decide to switch to Macs – May 19, 2006
PC Magazine: Top ten questions and answers about switching to Apple Macintosh – May 18, 2006
Macs that run Windows will calm potential switchers’ irrational fears – April 06, 2006
Apple’s Mac market share rises over 24-percent year-over-year – September 21, 2006
Apple Mac’s 2007 market share climb will dumbfound almost everyone, create mayhem in PC market – September 08, 2006
Apple gaining traction as Mac market share increases – July 31, 2006
Apple market share myths deconstructed – July 22, 2006
IDC: Apple Mac attained 4.8% U.S. market share in Q2 06 – July 19, 2006
Gartner: Apple Mac grabbed 4.6% U.S. market share in Q2 06 – July 19, 2006
‘Fantastic quarter’ helps Apple double share of U.S. retail notebook market to 12% – July 19, 2006
BusinessWeek: big market-share gains coming for Apple’s Macintosh – June 15, 2006
Analyst: Apple Mac market share primed to explode; iPod Halo Effect to become increasingly important – June 13, 2006
Analysts: Apple Mac market share to surge by end of 2006 – June 07, 2006
Analysts expect Apple’s new MacBook to drive market share gains in near future – May 17, 2006
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ ultimate goal: ‘to take back the computer business from Microsoft’ – June 16, 2005
Stupid quote from Q5: “On a Mac, you can find all of your files by simply using the Finder. And if you’re hard-core, drop into the Terminal app and get your Unix groove on.”
It’s called Spotlight.
why is he giving advice on control-clicking when all new Macs ship with a mighty mouse?
sorry … that should have been apple-clicking instead of control-clicking
Peterson has pointed out several impediments that inhibit Windows users from making the switch to Apple. Apple should consider releasing a version of OS X that looks like Windows to the casual user, but functions under the hood like OS X. Obviously, the truly devout Mac user would not install such a hideous monstrosity, but the faithful Windows user, handicapped by years of Redmond conditioning, would find this unique OS more familiar.
“Proof in concept” as follows (use your imagination),
Windows
OS X
The Hybrid
mike k says: “sorry … that should have been apple-clicking instead of control-clicking”.
You had it right the first time….
I am still embarrassed by two mouse button woes:
1. One-button track pads aren’t doing anybody any favors.
2. The Magic Mouse (whatever it’s called, and yes I own one) is frustrating in that you have to lift your finger off the left “button” in order to use the right side “button.”
If Apple could address these two issues, the one-button mouse limitation will finally become a thing of the past.
Let’s make it a Top Ten:
6. Why do window “close” buttons just toggle toolbars?
7. Which is the best antivirus?
8. Where’s the floppy drive?
9. (Looking at an iMac) Nice monitor. Where’s the CPU?
and finally…
10. Which Windows version do Macs use?
The Right button is OPTIONAL.
You can do EVERYTHING you need to do with ONE button and menu items.
Gradually, you’ll start using Command-Keys.
Once you feel comfortable, THEN you can start using Control-Click.
By them, you’ll be cruising and wll be able to do whatever you want with ease and SPEED!
The MAIN thing is to try an release your Windows Instilled™ sense of FEAR of your computer. Macs will HELP you. Windows machines will PUNISH you for mistakes.
The ONE thing that NEVER gets mentioned s the Macintosh COMMUNITY. Mac users aren’t out to squeeze money out of you for EVERYthing. We are your buddies. We LIKE our Macs and want everyone to have fun!
Mac work is FUN work!
The right button isn’t obvious on the books, you have to turn it on in Preferences.
Here’s the two that drive me nuts:
“Why does the mouse slow down when I’m selecting from a list, it should fly over it and I’ll drag it down a touch.” – There is actually a $20.00 program that will shut this off and allow the mouse to go too fast.
“The button at the bottm right is hard to use. Why can’t I resize my windows pulling on the top, bottom, or either of the sides? “
LastOneStanding
“Why does the mouse slow down when I’m selecting from a list, it should fly over it and I’ll drag it down a touch.” – There is actually a $20.00 program that will shut this off and allow the mouse to go too fast.
Mouse Zoom is the one my room mate downloaded. He spent a day arguing me about all the short falls of having to use a Mac. His old man got it for him as graduation gift, at Christmas he was hoping for a new Dell. I hope he gets his Dell, he’s gonna sell me his “OLD” black Macbook with a Gig of RAM for $250.00.
He also complains about the location of everything ans not being able to make the windows fill the screen. He hates having everything stacked on top of itself. I showed him Expose, but he claims “Show Desktop” on the PC is better, he demonstarted on a friend’s PC, all the open Apps go to the task bar, but you have to click on each one to put it back on the window.
Hey Hutzer, that only proves that some people don’t want to be saved. If he got a Zune for Christmas, see if he’ll sell you his iPod?
BTW – if his old man is that generous, you should see if he has a sister…
Mr. Reese,
“You can do EVERYTHING you need to do with ONE button and menu items.
Gradually, you’ll start using Command-Keys.
Once you feel comfortable, THEN you can start using Control-Click.”
I’ve been using Macs since 1984. I am comfortable. I still like the convenience of right clicking via my 2-button mouse. It’s easier than control clicking, and the context-menu is a convenience – i.e. I don’t have to ‘point’ anywhere to access the menu.
I am comfortable with right-clicking on my desktop, and on my laptop when I have an external mouse attached. I am not comfortable control-clicking on the laptop keyboard.
“‘I use my MacBook as my sole PC at home, whether it’s work or play,’ Peterson writes”
Peterson finally came around and saw the light!
Where’s the Start menu?
It’s at the top left of the screen, the one with the Apple logo. But it no longer functions like the old Apple menu Microsoft copied. You may notice MS placed the Start menu at the bottom of the screen so it wouldn’t be as obvious a ripoff.
Guys, switchers aren’t lemmings, stupid, too dumb to know what an all-in-one computer looks like (the iMac isn’t the only one currently being manufactured, you know) or any of the other condescending stuff written in some of the previous posts.
The Macintosh platform is not some secret fraternity! It’s just a different operating system, one with which people who have used Windows aren’t familiar, so there’s a learning curve involved just like learning a new application.
If you really want to impress new Mac users about the Mac fraternity and encourage them to join the fold, arrogance isn’t the way to do it.
BTW, I’m going to be taking one of those Intro to Mac classes pretty soon myself.
Tipping point? We’re getting there.
Yup, hell is certainly starting to freeze over. Who’da thunk we’d ever see a “how to switch” article in a PC magazine?
Here in Oz the masses haven’t quite cottoned on to the Mac to the same extent, but I’m sure we’ll soon be following our US brethren.
I just don’t get this, everything just works – like – I just don’t get…
Where’s the Start menu?
They’ll be asking the same thing when they “upgrade” to Vista.
Switching from Windows is as much ‘un-learning’ as it is learning. This is often because it takes less steps to achieve the same task, but you are looking for all the old steps.
No answer for those…read the manual
I get on Yahoo! Answers and I see those types of questions all the time from Windows Switchers and potential Switchers. I can see that there are a few people that are tired of messing with Windows and are truly considering Switching to a Mac.
Fortunetely, there’s a bunch of us Mac users lurking in amongst the many Windows questions, ready to give some friendly advice to these guys. It seems like the amount of differences between XP and Mac OS X is very small. Usually, I just send them a hyperlink to Apple’s Switcher and Mac 101 areas.
But, yes, there are a ton of Windows Nazis out there ready to flame anyone considering going to the other side. Don’t believe the hype they tell them. There are plenty of viruses out there for the Mac.
It is to laugh!
Mac Genius – How old is your laptop? Does it predate the right click preference setting? Every laptop since August allows right clicking without using the control-click method. Looks like you got your wish, now Apple just needs to let people know that.