July 20th, 2008
My Experiences With Apple: Part 1
If you've been following me on Twitter lately, you know I've been struggling a bit with my new Apple Macbook Pro. While I've had some issues, there are also things I really like. I'm viewing this experience much like a new relationship, there is a lot of excitement over the pretty new thing, but there are some awkward moments at the start. It is also like learning a new sport, frustrating at first, but as your talent grows, so to do the rewards. (Thankfully there are less bruises than falling down when learning to snowboard). Finally, it is like learning to eat vegetables when you are young, you may not enjoy them at first, but they will (hopefully) be good for you in the long run. Ok, enough ridiculous metaphors...
I want to be clear that I have no preconceived bias (positive or negative) towards either the Mac or Windows platform. I do admit that I have habits and expected behaviors, developed over the years of doing things a certain way. Like most people, I've been a Windows user for a long time, but I'm also not totally new to Mac, as I've had a Mini since the very first model came out. However, this is the first time I've used a Mac as my full time machine. Also, I'm using OS X on a Macbook Pro, so the experience is slightly different (more difficult) due to some keyboard constraints of a laptop vs. a desktop. I hope my Mac zealot friends read this post with an open mind, and I equally hope Windows users don't get scared off.
Whenever I read generic comments like "so and so sucks", I always responded calmly with "Can you please be more specific?". So following that theme, I hope this post highlights some of the legitimate issues I've encountered during the first week of my new Apple life. I am going to do a follow up post which equally highlights the things I really like.
So here you go, in no specific order...
- I have to use the mouse a lot more than I am used to. For example, you can't press ALT+"a key" to bring up the menu items for a program. (ex: ALT+E for the edit menu). You can press fn+control+F2 to get to the Apple menu, then press the left or right arrow key to navigate to the desired menu heading, then the down arrow to get to the list of available commands, but wow, that is some serious finger gymnastics!!! Via System Preferences you can change the behavior of the fn keys, such that you do not have to press fn before pressing the desired key (ex: command+F2, instead of fn+command+F2) so that does improve things, a very small little bit.
- I'm finding navigation around documents to be very difficult. The delete key is really performing a backspace, and to delete you have to press fn+delete. Where are end, home, page up, and page down? I know the answer is Fn + arrow keys, but it does not feel comfortable yet. This may be fine in the long run, but my mind and fingers are not trained for that yet.
- I don't understand the five modifier keys! 1. fn, 2. control, 3. option (or alt), 4. command (or apple), 5. shift. Using the above navigation issues as an example, why do I press fn + delete, or fn + arrow keys? Shouldn't it be option + those keys, because fn is to access features of the F1-F12 keys? And when is something modified by control vs. option vs. command? I'm still pressing control+x,c, or v for cut, copy, paste. I have to keep reminding myself it is now Command. (BTW, Windows keyboards have similar issues)
- I am not accurate with the touchpad yet. I spin around the screen like a drunk driver trying to parallel park. That is not an Apple issue, it is just me having used a trackpoint for a decade, so hopefully I'll get used to it. For now, I've been using an external mouse. I will say that two-finger scrolling via the touchpad is great, as is two-finger tap for secondary mouse commands.
- Only being able to resize windows from bottom right is a pain in the butt. Come on Apple, get over yourself and give in to the Window's way.
- You can't selectively delete files from Trash, it is all or nothing.
- I really miss Windows File Manager. I want my folders locked on the left side, so I can drag and drop files around when organizing my photos or music. Neither Mac's list nor column views work well for me. That is not to say they are wrong, they just don't work the way I am used to. For example, when in column view, the sort option applies to all columns, so I can't sort the folders alphabetically, but then sort the contents of one of the folders by size.
Ex: Below I can see my folders on the left, and the files for the selected folder on the right, but I can't see (or sort on) the details of those files. If I click on List, then the folders on the left go away.
- The Mac selection model for multiple files still confuses me. Ex: If I click on a file, then hold down shift and arrow down to select multiple files, but I go to far (select too many files), when I press up arrow, it adds the file above where I started to the selection, instead of de-selecting the last file as I would expect.
- Similar to above, I really miss Windows Search. I can't figure out how to do simple things with Spotlight, like find all files over 100MB, or all files ending in NSF, then sort them via date or size. Spotlight might be fast, and is really cool at finding specific items that you are looking for, but it is horrible as an overall search tool. Yes, I know what Smart Folders are, they are cool, but do not do what I could in Windows.
- I do like how easy Macs make it to install applications by just dragging a DMG into the Applications folder, but is the idea of mounting and ejecting a disc image really something we need in 2008? It seems pretty 1985 to me. I'd love to see the mount and eject steps removed, or at least hidden. Also, the idea that all information about a program is contained inside its .app package is total hogwash! Programs leave files all over the place like in Library, Preferences, Log directories, etc.
- I am using the highest resolution my Macbook has, which is 1440*900, and while the wide-screen is cool, I really miss the higher vertical resolution, and find I have to scroll up and down a lot more than I used to.
- I'm not sure why, but I keep hitting cap lock instead of A
- My wrists get very sore typing now. The Macbook keys are set much further back then they were on my ThinkPad, and the front of the laptop is pressing against my forearms in a very uncomfortable way. At home I can get past this by using a laptop stand and gel wrist pad, but on the road, this is a problem.
- I don't like the way mail.app handles attachments (showing them embedded by default), and I have to keep clicking on them and choosing view as icon.
- I miss having a "New" menu available on my desktop or in folders. For example, to quickly create a text file.
- The Address Book is far too basic. At a minimum I'd like to be able to add category or tags, but ideally I'd like to be able to add other fields as well. (spouse, children, etc.) I have 14 years of content stored in my Notes names.nsf, and I don't think Address Book is going to allow me to replace that.
- I think it is crazy that Apple installs 3.15 GB of printer drivers.
- Finally, and again, not Apple's fault... but I REALLY REALLY REALLY miss SnagIt. I've tried every tool suggest to me thus far, but none of them can do what SnagIt did.
So there you have it, some of the things that have troubled me this week. Many of you have been extremely helpful via Twitter and chat, and I want to thank you very much for that. I am sure my questions will continue! By the way, I went to my local Apple store and spent some time with one of their training staff. He was awesome, and agreed with almost all my complaints. Not once did he tell me "Well you are just not doing things the Apple way". It was very cool. He suggested some great training learning/how-to videos from Apple's web site, and I also bought a book about switching from Windows to Mac. I will try and read it as soon as I can.
