Perhaps like me, you have had several years experience with Windows. Your friends consider you a source of information - an expert of sorts. Then you make The Decision: 

No more spyware - no more kooks
No more virus' dirty looks!!!

Apple is your destiny. 

I made the decision & made a pilgrimage to the Apple Store, where I fell in love with and bought the new iMac (with Intel). Talk about glamour! These babies are the 'runway models' of the computer world. They swagger!

Once home, came the 'moment of truth'. I proceeded with my usual 'bull in a china shop' method of learning. I waded in. (Hey - I know about computers, right?)You may even have read and heard how 'easy' Macs are - just 'plug in' and you're off and running! Well... that's applesauce. (Another nice thing about Apple - it raises endless opportunities for puns). 

I'm sure that if you learn on a Mac, you would find it easy - but when you're making the transition from nine years experience with Windows - you will try to make your Mac act like Windows - and you will flounder - so don't get discouraged. Hang in there - and hopefully, you will profit from some of the tips on this site. One important suggestion I would make is to keep your Windows machine if you can. Mine lives in the spare bedroom closet on an inexpensive little desk that just fits the space.  It is not online! Move those files you want to utilize on your new machine via CDs (if you can keep it next to the new Apple - so much the better - you can connect them and move files that way).

Just remember that we must be big boys and girls and not depend on that old machine. We're learning here - and it's fun and a challenge. I've already found programs for Apple that will replace my favorite Windows software - more on that later.

When I got my first PC, I stated that it's one thing to feel inferior to a person - but it's quite another to feel inferior to a machine. I spent considerable time in a state of panic. Omigod - I broke the damn thing! Well, people - I'm back there - except for this:

The Apple Support crew! 

 Three months of free telephone support comes with each machine - and trust me - these people are good! The telephone wait is never long - often almost instantaneous - and they are superbly trained. I'm beginning to realize the potential of this powerful machine of mine and after a 3 month 'shakedown cruise', I doubt I'll need the support security blanket. Now - as a seasoned veteran of 3 weeks - I'm going to make some initial recommendations to anyone making the transition.

My 1st tip: The iMac User's Guide? Pretty close to worthless. Mainly useful as a place to jot notes about your system. It more or less tells you what to do - but not how to do it. (Have you noticed that nothing these days comes with a workable manual)? I checked out reviews and selected this guide: "Switching to the Mac; Tiger Edition - The Missing Manual" by David Pogue & Adam Goldstein. (You can buy it much cheaper online from Amazon than in the store). This book has been an invaluable source of reference and instruction. Without it... well I don't even want to think about that. I've put a link to Pogue's website on the left.

Leapin' lizards! Well - not exactly. More like 'leapin' icons'. If one of your programs wants your immediate attention - it's icon at the bottom of the page will leap madly up and down - like a child asking for attention. F'rinstance - today I set up a printing job from iPhoto. Easy. But then I noticed the printer icon on the bottom of the page  jumping frantically. Oh. Oops. I forgot to turn the printer on. I did and told it to continue the job. It did - and the icon resumed its dignified former appearance. 

Give it your best shot...

One of the first things you'll find on your iMac is that wee icon at the bottom of your screen labeled "Photo Booth". Give it a whirl - you don't have to be a rocket scientist to use it. That little square 'thingy' at the top of your monitor? It's a camera - aimed squarely at you. Don't panic - you have to activate it - and no one can view the pictures unless you let them. What fun - here I am, sitting at my computer yesterday and trying to look both dignified & pleasant - neither of which is easy for me... LOL! iPhoto is way cool and the results are just blurry enough to minimize the wrinkles & gray hair! (Well - I didn't expect a Leica).

 

AHA! I've found something to kvetch about (and - yes - I will be frank when I do find things that bother me). It's a little 'club' we Apple users are all invited to join. It's called ".Mac" - and membership costs only $100 a year! It includes special e-mail & some other bells & whistles that seem of minimal importance to me. Well excuse me. Didn't I just pay a premium price for this 'glamourpuss' - to say nothing of a bunch of Mac software - little things like iWork - and others. In my opinion, this is not at all a nice thing to do. It's another instance that illustrates a point I often make - business does not consider us as  'consumers' anymore - but rather - as a 'cash crop'. Shame!