Terry White, President and Founder of MacGroup-Detroit, offers up three tips for new Mac users.
1. If your new Mac is a portable Mac like a MacBook, the 1st thing I would do is setup the security to require a password upon startup/wake from sleep.
2. Get an external drive and backup via Time Machine.
3. Join your local Mac Users Group.
Full article, with screenshots and more info, here.
MacDailyNews Take: #4. This is a biggie for Windoze to Mac upgraders: On a Mac, the red “X” button closes open windows, but most applications remain running. Command-Q or “Quit’ quits (exits) the frontmost app. Look at your Dock from time to time: If you have 46 apps running, you’ll want to actually quit a few of them at some point. 
Very good advice thanks
A Mac users group was a must have in 80s..
Then we got on the internets.
Now, notsomuch.
A local Mac users group? In 2011? Hell, in 2005? Come on, the internet offers way more than these groups ever could. They’re just made up of a bunch of old guys who sit around and talk about their original Powerbooks from the early 90s.
@Tony
If they were capable of learning all they need to learn on the internet, they’d have bought a Mac long ago. Switchers often need help to be in-person. Lot’s of them still look for that blue “e” on the desktop – it’s the only way they know how to get on the internet.
We have a Vermont Mac group here: http://goo.gl/vVBvJ
@The Mac That Roared
I wholeheartedly agree, and the feedback I get from some of my friends who switch to mac is that they’d much rather ask someone familiar (ie: me) for mac-related help since they aren’t as comfortable with the OS.
With me, I was afraid that any little tweak could mess up something because I was unsure of the ins and outs of the Mac OS when I first moved away from WIndoze, so I can relate that having someone trusted to walk you through your first few tweaks, tips, and such is much more helpful.
Eventually, as i become familiar with terminal and the OS, I began to use guides online and get help from other sources because I could evaluate the risks myself
Forgot to mention “Read MDN” daily!
New users should also go to preferences in Mail and turn off HTML loading to avoid having your e-mail address spread across the web. You can still hit the “Load” button to see HTML e-mail from sources you trust, without announcing “We Have A Hot One Here” to every worthless site that sends you an e-mail with HTML that communicates back to their site.
Oh, and you can show up at your local coffee shop/ WiFi hotspot and ask any friendly patron with a Mac for advice. We are usually pretty friendly and helpful and who knows, you might make a new friend or business contact.
Very nice idea ET. Thanks
I like my 27inch iMac. Great computer is almost every aspect. However there are two things I miss:
– Windows Mouse acceleration curve.
– Paint Shop Pro.
These two issues are by far the top two complaints I hear from clients when they switch to a mac.
After owning two iMacs I still cannot get used to the OSX mouse acceleration curve. The curve is very steep. Either the mouse moves painfully slow or lightning fast depending on how you move your hand.
I wish Apple would let the user adjust the mouse speed and then adjust the acceleration rate. I would speed up the mouse speed and slow down the acceleration rate.
I am not exactly a computer neophyte. I have owned and used the following computers over the years. Commodore 128 with GEOS, Commodore Amiga 500, Ten Windows PC’s from Windows 3.0 to Windows 7 and two iMacs. The mouse acceleration rates on OSX are the strangest I have ever come across.
I am HOPING Apple fixes the Acceleration curve in 2011 and Paint Shop Pro is finally released for the Mac.
ET,
In ‘Mail’, is that: :Display remote images in HTML messages”?
@ET and A.Dumas: same question from me. re: and turn off HTML loading. where is that?
Ra
@tony: yeah, the MUGs are sort of like those creepy dungeon and dragons guys, like the cartoon salesman in the Simpsons… “look! ive an 002 serial number Newton in the original plastic shrink wrap!”
@old tech
Sigh. Has it ever occurred to you to try a mouse other than the one that came with your iMacs? Most Mac users I know just abandon the Apple mouse and get one that feels best to them. These other mice come with their own drivers that have the identical acceleration curves to their windows counterparts.
Yes, really.
My advice to switchers is usually “resist the urge to maximize everything”, but with Mac OS X Lion it looks like Apple is moving *towards* full-screen apps.
@OldTech, Montex is right.
So is MDN’s take. It’s a dead giveaway when I see people do click the red dot rather than quit an app that they had previously been a Windows user. Yet, in spite of the specific training I give to Mac newbies, it is really tough for them to change.
I’ll add to my agreement with Montex that my current favorite mouse is Apple’s Magic Mouse.
@old tech,
Try http://triq.net/software/mouse-acceleration-preference-pane-mac-os-x
That “security” advice sucks because Macs are too easy to break into.
They should learn about keychains and encrypted sparsebundles as well.
http://www.macyourself.com/2009/08/03/how-to-reset-your-mac-os-x-password-without-an-installer-disc/
Actually switchers should pay a measley $99 for free data transfer from their pc to their new Mac AND get Apple’s amazing One To One training for a year for FREE!
Montex,
Wish it was that simple. My clients have purchased several different bluetooth mice and because of polling rate differences have not found a great mouse for their snazzy new Macs.
You can read about polling difference problems here if interested:
http://dae.cyberic.eu/blog/mouse-cursor-skipping-jumping-bug-on-mac-os-x/
Having tried three different mice myself I can verify that this bug actually exists. Unfortunately, this video does not show the full extent of the problem.
Therefore, it would be nice if Apple let the user adjust the Magic mouse speed and the acceleration rate. Hash marks on the sliders could indicate default positions for those who like the current settings. This way everyone can be fully enjoying using their Macs.