My Move to Mac

My laptop debacle has come to an end, with a brand new Macbook that was gifted to me by my big brother. I’ve been getting used to the new operating system. Fortunately, it hasn’t been very difficult for me. Plus, there’s always Google.

Here are some things I love about my new Macbook.

The ability to save webpages (or anything for that matter) as PDFs lets me put a mini-library on my computer. If I have to go somewhere without internet, I can simply save my research to my computer, then refer back to it when I’m ready to to write my article.

Managing mail from different email addresses is much easier. With Outlook, I had to set up rules that routed my email to different folders. Mac Mail automatically creates an inbox and sent folder for every email address you set up. It was a little difficult to get the POP3 and SMTP folders set up simply because I didn’t know where the port numbers were supposed to go.

I have a new software, MacFreelance, to help manage projects and invoicing. It doesn’t have as much functionality as my home grown Access database does, but it’s a good option, considering there’s no Access for Mac.

A dictionary application comes installed.

My (factory) battery lasts like 4.5 hours.

Safari, the internet browser has built-in spellcheck, which I absolutely love. I’d downloaded Firefox to my PC, which also has spellcheck, but I like Safari much better.

The touchpad can do a lot. Mac’s touchpad lets you zoom in and out, scroll up and down, minimize windows, and switch applications, without picking up your fingers. It’s a huge time saver.

Some things I don’t like…

I don’t get the OS yet. I’ve been a Windows user since I first learned to use a computer in 1998. I’m having to learn things all over again…like the Ctrl+Alt+Delete equivalent for Mac and the location of the command prompt.

There’s no Outlook. Mac has separate mail and calendar applications, which isn’t so bad. I’m just used to managing activities and mail in one place. But, I’ve been looking at purchasing Office for Mac which has an application called Entourage. It may solve the Outlook problem.

My Macbook has a cutting edge…literally. The computer is made of aluminum and has a sharp edge that cuts into my wrists when I’m typing and hands when I’m using the mouse. I haven’t found a suitable solution yet.

No more right click, which was so convenient in Windows.

The Verdict

There are some huge differences between Macs and PCs and a steep learning curve in some areas. Overall, though, I love my Mac.