A is for Apple

July 22, 2008 · Written by Melissa Donovan

So the computer crash of ‘08 is finally behind me. What a week it’s been!

I spent hours online checking prices and specs and finally decided to buy another PC instead of a Mac. The windows computers are more affordable and frankly, I felt like the last thing I had time for was learning a new system.

So Many Choices

After perusing the many options, I settled on an HP tablet notebook, but I wanted to go into a store and try it before buying. The tablets are attractive because you can take handwritten notes, use a stylus on the screen, and also navigate by touch.

In the store, I was impressed by the way it worked but wondered if I would really get much use out of it. Plus, after browsing the aisles, I realized I could get a more powerful laptop and buy a peripheral stylus and tablet for less money. I started over, checking out the oodles of windows-based laptops and that’s when I started getting sick and tired of computer shopping.

Keep in mind I was sticking pretty much to the HP section. The models are so poorly named I couldn’t keep them straight in my head and a couple hundred dollars difference between the various models was confusing because the features were basically the same. What a nightmare.

What Would You Do?

Throughout all this, a very helpful salesman was assisting me and answering my questions. In the midst of my frustration, I finally said, “Alright, tell me this — what kind of computer do YOU have?”

“Me?” He sort of blushed. “Oh, I built my own.”

“Nice,” I responded, impressed. “Is it all tricked out?”

“Yep, it sure is.” Wait, that wasn’t a blush. This kid was glowing with pride.

“Okay, so let’s say you wanted a store bought computer. What would you get?”

“Oh, that’s easy. I’d get a Mac.”

All I could do at that point was sigh.

Zen Happens

I walked over to the Mac section and sat down in front of the MacBook Pro. I’d already done the research and knew if I was destined for Appledom, this would be the machine for me.

It was sleek, simple, and easy on the eyes. I blinked and ran my finger across the touchpad. The screen lit up.

And that’s when I got The Feeling.

The Feeling always shows up when I’m in great need. Sometimes it shows up when I’m not. But whenever it appears, I do as it says because The Feeling is always right. It’s helped me buy cars, make career decisions, and gotten me through some tough times. Sure, The Feeling is a little bit like my muse, and has a tendency to run off at times when I could really use its advice. But for the most part, it’s always there when I really need it and that’s what matters.

So I was pretty relieved when The Feeling showed up while I was sitting at the Mac station. Actually, I was so out of sorts from the whole experience, I would have been happy if it had appeared at any station, maybe even Dell.

Okay, not Dell. I may have actually doubted The Feeling if it rooted for Dell.

Deciding Factors

“Apple it is,” I said. And the rest, as they say, is history.

There were a few things that sealed the deal for me.

Two years no interest means I can afford to spend a little more (thanks Best Buy!).
All the new PCs have Windows Vista and the older versions of Microsoft Office conflict with it. In other words, I had to buy the latest Office whether I got a Mac or a PC.
I’m sick and tired of Microsoft. Their software doesn’t work right and they build an operating system on which their own software doesn’t run properly. Could they be any lamer?
Everyone I’ve ever talked to raves about how well their Mac works. PC users just complain.
When my intuition rears its little head and starts giving me instructions, I obey.

The Mac Life

I’m not fully switched over yet. I’m still using my old laptop for most of my client work because I’m much faster on the PC than on the Mac. There are some significant differences that I need to adjust to before I can switch over completely. Also, I need some (expensive) software for the Mac and that’s going to have to come later.

Here are the things that are difficult for me with the Mac:

I miss the HOME and END keys. I use those a lot and really wish the Mac keyboard included them.
The DELETE key backspaces and there is no BACKSPACE. I liked having both.
Right click used to be my friend. Yes, I know I can connect a two-button mouse, but then I’m not really adjusting to the minimalism that is Apple. I’m learning how to do CONTROL-click.
I do not like COMMAND- keyboard shortcuts for cut, copy, and paste. That key is just in the wrong place and CONTROL is in a better location for those shortcuts.
No games! Where is my spider solitaire? Eeek!

Other than that, I’m loving the MacBook Pro. It feels solid, is nicely designed, and easy to use. I’m looking forward to making the full switch over the next few months.

photo credit: Spintwig

It’s a beautiful thing.

Oh, and I hope you all backed up your computers this past week!

Now, back to our regular blog posts about writing.

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Filed Under Personal Stories

Comments

75 Responses to “A is for Apple”

Brett Legree on July 22nd, 2008 2:58 am

Welcome to the Dark Side…

You’ll be happy with your purchase for sure, once you figure things out. Feel free to email me if you have any questions at all, I’d be glad to help out.

-Brett

PS - here’s one for you right off the top of my head - your MBP has multitouch on the trackpad (I think it’s enabled by default, if not, it isn’t hard to do)

So to right click - tap the trackpad gently with TWO fingers, and the right click menu will pop up.

To scroll, drag with two fingers on the trackpad.

It works so well, I find myself trying it at work on my HP laptop… and then grumbling at the thing…
Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - a long road.
Bill Womack - Words for Writers on July 22nd, 2008 5:40 am

Ooh, now this is interesting. I used to be a Mac guy like three hundred years ago, and gave them up when I had to switch to PCs for compatibility reasons with my clients. Now that it’s less of an issue, I eyeball those pretty white things whenever I’m in a computer store. I know the Feeling, believe me. So far I’ve held mine at bay by buying it expensive coffee drinks, but one day it’s going to push me into the arms of a Mac, I just know it.

Glad to see I’m not the only one who wouldn’t buy a Dell even if it gave backrubs. Some behavior just shouldn’t be rewarded.

Let us know how you get on with your MBP from time to time, ‘k?

Bill Womack - Words for Writerss last blog post..Horseshoes for the Homeless
Joe Melo on July 22nd, 2008 5:56 am

Congrats on your new MacBook pro. I “converted” some time ago and I couldn’t be happier…you’ll get used to it very soon. As as the first commenter said, just use 2 fingers on the touchpad, then click, that will give you a right click. If not, just hold command while clicking.

take care.
LIsa on July 22nd, 2008 6:02 am

Congrats on your purchase! I switched to a MBP about a year ago, and though there is a learning curve, I don’t regret the purchase one bit. Scroll with two fingers on the trackpad, and tap with two fingers for a right-click. You’ll get the hang of it. My problem now is that I’m on a PC at work and my mac at home, and I sometimes get the commands wrong when I switch from one to the other.

I also run windows when needed using VMWare - yes, an added expense, but invaluable for those times when you have to check something in IE, etc. It’s also a good way to continue using some of your existing windows software to save money - You’ll need a copy of windows to run it. I have mine installed on a bootcamp partition, so I can either start the mac directly into windows, or start in Leopard and access windows through VMWare.

Keep reading and trying new things - you’ll get the hang of it!!
F_D on July 22nd, 2008 6:23 am

re: “I miss the HOME and END keys…”
*** that can be a bummer; try Command+up and Command+down, Command+left and Command+right — those should give you the equivalents that you’re looking for. Option+… for the others…

re: “DELETE key backspaces…”
*** Try Fn+DELETE to get the “delete” you’re familiar with; otherwise, yes: Delete = Backspace.

re: “Right click…”
*** aside from Control+click, like Brett (above) said: tap the pad with both fingers.

re: “I do not like COMMAND- keyboard shortcuts…”
*** You’ll get used to it… hehe!

re: “No games!”
*** What? You don’t like Chess?
--Deb on July 22nd, 2008 6:33 am

I just had to buy a new computer a couple weeks ago and as much as I would have liked to try a Mac, just couldn’t afford it.* I have lots of friends who’ve made the switch, though, and love them, so good luck with yours!

(*And, besides, almost my entire music library on my computer is in WMA format which, I know, is worse quality than MP3 but that’s the format they copied from my CDs in and, darn it, who has time to go back and re-rip all those CDs?)

–Debs last blog post..Linguist vs Grammarian–The Fallout
Joel Falconer on July 22nd, 2008 7:01 am

I can’t believe I actually read your blog and you only just became a Mac user.

Nah, just kidding. But welcome to the Cult. I know what you mean about getting a right-clicking mouse and how it ruins the minimalism thing, but if you’re anything like me you’ll try for a few months (years, in my case) and eventually go out and get one. Save yourself some frustration. Speaking for my desktop, not my laptop, though, so it may not be so bad for you. The trackpad makes up for it.

Deb: No need to re-rip everything. iTunes will do the conversion for you on a Mac, nice and easy.
Brett Legree on July 22nd, 2008 7:57 am

A while back, before I made the switch, I started bookmarking sites with lists of Mac apps - here are a couple of good places to start:

http://www.opensourcemac.org/

and

http://bestmacsoftware.org/

I use a lot of these myself. Also, as Lisa mentioned, Vmware (or Parallels, if you prefer an alternative) is a great way to virtualize Windows and allow you to run Windows apps.

Though, I’m finding more and more that I don’t need to do that. Only for a few apps I really like

-Brett

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - a long road.
Deb on July 22nd, 2008 8:31 am

Very nice. Making life and financial changing decision can get wonky. Glad you pushed through it.

Definitely agree the Dell is the no-option even if it were free, and the same goes for HP anything. My PC is a home build (my son built it for me, not me silly) but I don’t know about a home build laptop.

As much as I could seriously use a laptop I have to save for an external hard drive first. So have fun.
Brett Legree on July 22nd, 2008 8:45 am

I find you generally get what you pay for, too. There are not a lot of laptop/notebook OEM’s as far as I recall (so your HP and your whatever might have been made by the same OEM).

I think a sub-500 dollar anything is… well, you know what I mean.

Whereas the new HP Mini-Note 2133 is a pretty sharp little unit - aluminum chassis etc. (the only issue I’d have with it is a fairly underpowered CPU, but then again, it is not meant for 3D rendering!)

So maybe if you spent $2000 on a Dell, it wouldn’t be too bad?

Sorry for the O/T, we were talking about Macs!

-Brett

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - a long road.
Ricardo Bueno on July 22nd, 2008 10:15 am

Like Bret said, “welcome to the dark side.”

I never thought I would get a mac. I started using macs 3 years ago. When I did I thought to myself, “where have you been all my life?” They’re so easy to use (they’re very fast), never freeze up and simply put, I don’t know what I’d do without my mac.

What’s more, if you ever have a problem, their customer service is beyond great!

So enjoy your new computer! (Though I don’t need to tell you that, I know you will).

Ricardo Buenos last blog post.."The Sky’s the Limit!"
Allison on July 22nd, 2008 11:14 am

Yay! We have a convert!

To go to the beginning of a line, press command and left arrow. Command and right arrow for the end of the line, command and up arrow for the beginning of the paragraph (or page in certain programs), and command and down arrow for the end of the paragraph (page).

To skip forward and back by word, hold option and press left or right.

To delete in the other direction (forward instead of back), hold the fn button when you hit the delete button.

Depending on how you have your trackpad configured, you can either do what Brett recommends to right click, or (because I don’t like tapping on my trackpad to open things) just put two fingers on the trackpad and click the button.

I hope these tips help, and best of luck with your new MBP.
Allisons last blog post..Breakfast Roll
Friar on July 22nd, 2008 11:58 am

Brett recently upgraded to a new Mac…and I just bought his old PC. So looks like I wont’ be switching over to the Dark Side any time soon.

At least not until Brett decides to upgrades his new Mac…
Friars last blog post..Bob Dylan is Messing With Us.
Courtney on July 22nd, 2008 12:23 pm

Congrats on making the move! I am still stuck with a PC myself, but have committed to having a Mac the next time around. Thanks for pointing out some of the “transfer” issues of switching from one to another. Funny…my first laptop ever was a Mac but back then, I was the only person in my dorm with one. I’m sure that would be flipped these days.

Courtneys last blog post..Google Books - Wow!
Melissa Donovan on July 22nd, 2008 12:59 pm

@Brett, Thanks! Oh YEAH! That’s right. The two finger thing. I learned that the first night I had the Mac but then I guess I forgot. Maybe because I’m using Mighty Mouse instead of the touch pad. Thanks for the reminder, that’s going to be helpful!

@Bill, When I bought the Dell, I had heard great things, but as soon as it arrived, I had The Other Feeling. The one that says, “this is not good.” That’s interesting you went from Mac to PC and now would like to back to Mac. Well, it says a lot for Apple anyway. I’ll definitely keep you posted.

@Joe Melo, Thank you! I was pretty nervous making the switch because I’ve been a heavy and avid PC user for over 15 years. It sure helps to hear from people who love their Macs. And I’m definitely going to practice the touch pad techniques you’ve mentioned.

Hi Lisa! I was going to install windows like you’ve mentioned but of course my copy of Windows only works on Dell, which is another reason to stay away from Dell hell. By the time I buy VMWare and Windows and use up all that space on the hard drive, I’d rather just get Photoshop and Illustrator. Those are the only two programs I’m missing on the Mac. Well, Spider Solitaire too, but I can live without that if I have to

@F_D, Yes! You rock! Thank you so much for sharing those shortcuts. You’re right, I am (slowly) getting used to the COMMAND shortcuts. As for chess, I didn’t see it on the Mac. Is it hiding in there somewhere? Oh well, I don’t know how to play chess anyway. I do like checkers though
Melissa Donovan on July 22nd, 2008 1:30 pm

@Deb (Punctuality), Between the no interest credit and the fact that it’s a write-off, I just had to splurge. I also kept telling myself, “You get what you pay for.” Okay, so I talked myself into getting the Mac in more ways than one. Can you blame me? Look how pretty it is! PCs are still good too and a lot more people use them. There are benefits to both.

@Joel, Thanks for welcoming me into the cult, and for reading my blog even though I was writing it from a PC! I’m interested to see how I feel about all this in about a year. Will I be ready to toss my PC laptop? Will I have discovered that Mac life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be? Only time will tell.

I didn’t mention iTunes in my post because it was getting way too long but that is another area where I’m having problems. In fact, all of my files are set up properly except my music, which is annoying and looks like it’s going to take about a month to fix. I got all my songs in there, but the ones I had unchecked or deleted from iTunes (like duplicates) all reappeared and none of my playlists copied over even when I brought in my backup library file. So annoying! But I have fun organizing and playing around in iTunes so it’s not too bad.

Oh, and I set up iTunes in the Mac to organize my files so it went and made copies of all my old mp3 files. We’ll see how I like that system. I sort of feel like I just lost control over organizing my files but maybe it will be a big time saver in the long run. That’s what I’m hoping for.

And yes, Mac and iTunes did all the conversion for me. I was even able to copy all my TTF fonts into the Mac and let me tell you, as a serious font collector, that was crucial for me!
Brett Legree on July 22nd, 2008 1:49 pm

Melissa,

Mighty Mouse! You can configure that to a two-button mode also! You go to System Preferences, Mice (or whatever it is called) - have a look in there. When I’m back on my Mac I’ll send you an email message with the details!

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - a long road.
Melissa Donovan on July 22nd, 2008 1:52 pm

@Brett, Thanks for the links! That’s exactly what I need right now, lots of yummy Mac resources. Yeah, I looked into Vmware and Parallels, but after doing the math, I decided to wait and save for new Photoshop and Illustrator. Plus, I figure that will give me time to adjust to using the Mac.

@Deb (gscottage), My first computer, the one I had in college, was built by a computer shop and it sucked. Lots of crashes and other problems. I know there are some great home or professionally built machines out there but I was permanently turned off by that experience. With store bought, I can just bring them in and have them fixed and with my 3-year warranty, I don’t even have to worry if I spill on it because I have accidental damage coverage. Expensive? Yes. But totally worth the peace of mind it gives me

@Ricardo, That is the same story I kept hearing about Macs. Mac people just don’t seem to have all the worries and problems that PC users have. Thanks for commenting and making me feel good about my decision!
Ricardo Bueno on July 22nd, 2008 1:56 pm

No prob! And you know, that’s funny…we do seem to be a happier bunch
Ricardo Buenos last blog post.."The Sky’s the Limit!"
Melissa Donovan on July 22nd, 2008 2:01 pm

@Allison, Thank you so much! I have started a little list of Mac notes that I can use until I learn all these keyboard shortcuts. Everyone’s so helpful and that really makes this easier and even more exciting. And I didn’t even know you were a Mac person!

@Friar, LOL! I’m on my PC right now. Even though I have the Mac, I’d like to continue to use both, at least until they are completely interchangeable.

@Courtney, Thanks! I wish I knew what percent of the market Mac has right now. I believe ever since they launched iTunes and iPod, Mac users have increased dramatically. Back when I was in college, nobody even had a laptop, except astute and wealthy business people.
Melissa Donovan on July 22nd, 2008 2:03 pm

@Brett, What? But Mighty Mouse only has one button! I don’t understand…

@Ricardo, Well if the Mac never crashes, I know I will be a lot happier, and I’m a pretty happy person to begin with, heheh.
Marelisa on July 22nd, 2008 3:11 pm

I know what you mean about the feeling. You do all the research you can, all of the analyzing you can, all of the comparison shopping you can, and then all of a sudden, there it is: the knowledge that you’ve found it. When I walk into a store and a salesperson walks over and asks: “is there something in particular you’re looking for?” I say “Yes, but you can’t help me, I’ll know it when I see it.”
Joel Falconer on July 22nd, 2008 4:10 pm

Melissa, the mighty mouse only appears to have one button, but it actually does have a left and right button. There’s just no dividing line in between them.
Brett Legree on July 22nd, 2008 4:20 pm

@Friar,

That machine should serve you well for many years, so not to worry. Besides, you could run Mac OS X on it if you desired (cough *hack* cough).

@Melissa,

For something that exists natively e.g. Photoshop or Illustrator or even MS Office, I’d always recommend going “native” rather than emulating. I could run Office 2007 under XP, but Office 2008 is so much smoother. But I use other stuff too…

Oh, and for Mighty Mouse explanation as Joel said, check here:

http://www.apple.com/mightymouse/

They just hide the buttons!

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - a long road.
Milena on July 22nd, 2008 5:14 pm

Can I tell you what a great thing you’ve done for yourself? You’ve done better than great trust me. I’ve worked on Macs since ‘95 and never looked back. Currently I’m using my MacBookPro 17 inch. This last Mac I bought 3 months ago to replace my old PowerBook G4 which I’d bought in 2003. The Powerbook still works fine, I just wanted a faster machine for my graphics.

Macs are something that you either love or hate. I’ve always had a love for them and they love me back. Never had a problem and everything works like a charm. This is me knocking on wood. You’ll get used to the difference in keys soon enough you’ll see and then, you will wonder how you ever worked it another way. From one MacBookPro sister to another, welcome to the fold.

Milenas last blog post..22 things I half believe in
Karen Swim on July 22nd, 2008 6:16 pm

Melissa, hooray! You survived! Congrats on the Mac!! There is a Mac in my future too. Whenever I see a picture of one it seems to beam at me with a glowing light beckoning to come home with me. I know that you will love it and your fingers will soon happily dance across the keyboard churning out even more great writing. I shall join you in Mac bliss, soon.

Karen Swims last blog post..How to Get Your Groove Back
Coby on July 22nd, 2008 8:32 pm

Every mac I have used has been badass, They are supposed to be the best for music and photos. Congrats on the new computer Melissa.
Friar on July 22nd, 2008 9:23 pm

@Brett

Well, there’s always that possibility…I’ll need my resident “Computer Guru” to help me install the OS X

It’s still a better machine than the old one I had (I got it from my Dad in 2005 and it was already 5 years old!)

@Melissa

Can I hide out here for a while and discuss computers and poetry, where it’s safe and warm?

(On my blog, I seem to have offended the Bob Dylan Accolytes, who are proceeding to lecture me on my Heresy against the Prophet!)
Friars last blog post..Bob Dylan is Messing With Us.
Jaden @ Screenwriting for Hollywood on July 22nd, 2008 9:26 pm

Yay! Congratulations.

When I get home from my trip next week, I will be at your service.

The Backspace thing is the only thing I miss. The rest that you mention, you just have to retrain yourself.

I hope you are ultimately happy with your choice. I am!

Jaden @ Screenwriting for Hollywoods last blog post..Sunday Picture Post 20 / Home Sweet Home
Jaq on July 22nd, 2008 10:14 pm

I’m also thinking of getting a MacBook Pro. I fell in love with it when I saw it and played with it in the store once.

So it’s really good huh? Hmmm. I’m seriously thinking about it now.

Jaqs last blog post..Relationships As A Full-Time Job
Brett Legree on July 23rd, 2008 5:14 am

@Friar,

Probably not necessary, really - your laptop runs fine now as is, and the OS X on non-Apple hardware is… flaky at best.

Brett Legrees last blog post..step out of line.
Melissa Donovan on July 23rd, 2008 12:32 pm

@Marelisa, Exactly! When you get The Feeling, everything else goes out the window, although I suspect sometimes The Feeling is informed by some of the research we’ve already done, or by our existing desires

@Joel, Thanks! I tried it last night and was astounded that there are two buttons hiding in the Mighty Mouse. Who knew? Certainly not me! Now I can right-click without having to tap keys. Very nice!

@Brett, Mac is so smart, hiding the buttons like that. Yep, all I’m missing on the Mac are Photoshop and Illustrator. I try to keep programs to a minimum anyway so I’m going to wait and go native with those ones. Heheh.

@Milena, Thanks for the welcome! So far anyone I’ve talked to who does not vehemently support Mac is a PC user who hasn’t really tried or ever owned a Mac. That’s pretty interesting if you ask me.

@Karen, Oh cool! Do let me know when you get yours! And I know exactly what you mean about how the Mac beams at you from across the room
Melissa Donovan on July 23rd, 2008 12:38 pm

@Coby, Hey you Thanks very much! I haven’t processed any photos or images yet and so far the music on the Mac isn’t any different than the PC but it’s definitely a simple, sleek piece of equipment. I’m loving it!

@Friar, You can hide out here anytime! Yeah, people have great love and loyalty for Bob Dylan, so I’m not surprised. But you can take it

@Jaden, And where are you traveling now? Always on the road or in the air! So far I’m VERY happy with my choice, and growing more eager to make the full switch.

@Jaq, I’ve only had mine for a little over a week but so far yes, I’m very happy with it. Also, with the shortcuts that everyone shared, it looks like all I’m missing now is 1) using COMMAND, which is not where the CONTROL key is in the PC and 2) Spider Solitaire. So, I say go for it!

@Brett, Maybe you should give him some of those Apple stickers so he can pretend
Brett Legree on July 23rd, 2008 1:50 pm

Just a side note, with a lot of comments going to keyboard differences - you could check out DoubleCommand.

http://doublecommand.sourceforge.net/

It is free and lets you remap keys to different functions. This might help.

-Brett

Brett Legrees last blog post..step out of line.
Deb on July 23rd, 2008 2:14 pm

@Melissa - “My first computer, the one I had in college, was built by a computer shop and it sucked…” Yeah the computer shop builds are losers. My son sniffed out all the best stuff at the best prices from sources he has known for years. I have never had a crash or a hiccup. He’s a graphics designer so he rebuilds about every 18 months because he grinds them into the ground. I know how lucky I am and he won’t be in the area to build the next one.
Brett Legree on July 23rd, 2008 6:04 pm

Melissa (and other Mac users),

This is IMHO a ‘must-have’ free application:

http://www.jinx.de/SmartSleep.html

When I first used a Ti Powerbook back in 2003, I was amazed at how quickly it would ’sleep’ when you closed the lid.

The Macbooks & Macbook Pros don’t do that by default anymore. They write out the contents of the memory to the hard disk (because there is no backup battery on the mainboard, so if you were to swap batteries without doing this, you’d lose what is in the memory).

But, because we’re smart, we won’t do that, and we want the machine to sleep instantaneously when we close the lid.

Hence SmartSleep - it puts a new setting for sleep / hibernate in the System Preferences panel.

Anyway, have a look - I think it is pretty nice.

-Brett

Brett Legrees last blog post..step out of line.
Michele on July 23rd, 2008 9:35 pm

So happy for you, Melissa, that you got your new laptop. Woo Hoo for you! Yay!

*smiles*
Michele

Micheles last blog post..Blogging Has Its Rewards
Joe Melo on July 24th, 2008 2:53 am

Hi Melissa, me again.

I’d hate to kick a dead horse, but try out Mozy backup, its $5 a month and will backup everything of your computer (unlimited data). They’ve got a Mac version too! There’s a referral link on my main site if you’d like to try.

Thanks!
Brett Legree on July 24th, 2008 2:57 am

Just to follow up on what Joe said, you could even try out Mozy for free (it is free up to 2 gigabytes, as MozyHome Free, and then I think you can upgrade to the unlimited at any time for the $5/month).

Which reminds me… I was using it on my PC, and though I use several backups (physically), time to put it on my Mac.

-Brett

Brett Legrees last blog post..step out of line.
Melissa Donovan on July 24th, 2008 1:28 pm

@Brett, You sure have lots of Mac resources! My bookmarks are filling up and they’re all super useful. Thanks so much for sharing those.

Are you saying when I close the Mac but leave the power on it doesn’t go to sleep? It hushes like it’s gone to sleep. Hmm…

@Deb (gscottage), It must be nice to have someone in the family who knows a lot about computers, especially when it comes to hardware. I’m pretty savvy with software and I understand the hardware specs, but I’m not one to take apart my computers and start adding or taking things out

@Michele, Thanks! It’s pretty exciting!

@Joe, I’ll add Mozy to the list, although I think I’ve heard of that one before. Eventually I’d like to invest in off-site backups but it may have to wait awhile, like until after I get Photoshop and Illustrator for my Apple.
Brett Legree on July 24th, 2008 2:52 pm

@Melissa,

You see, I’m in the wrong line of work… (further to my email to you - and maybe even my next blog should be a computer/tech blog)

Anyway, it works like this. On the old (pre-Intel) Mac notebooks, there were backup batteries on the motherboards - to allow you to ’sleep’ aka suspend-to-memory and then change the battery without losing what you were doing.

For whatever reason, Apple decided to change this with the Intel machines - and so, when you sleep your machine, by default it also dumps the contents of the memory to the hard disk. The machine still wakes up instantly of course. It appears to sleep instantly, except that it is writing out to disk - and this takes a bit of time.

You can see this because the light on the latch button stays solid for about 15 or 20 seconds after you close the lid, then starts flashing.

If you use SmartSleep to change this behaviour, it sleeps immediately.

I just prefer it this way, so I can move the laptop immediately without worry. I know that Apple has a mechanism for their notebook drives such that if you drop them, a built-in accelerometer will park the hard drive heads.

But I prefer to be safe rather than sorry!

(Sorry for the long winded reply. But if you have any questions at all, just email me. There’s a good chance I can help.)

-Brett
Manchild on July 24th, 2008 5:49 pm

Congratulations Melissa!!

You’ve made a wise decision, one you’ll not regret. I’ve owned a Mac in one form or another since 1988.

Since Macs are Unix-based machines, you won’t have to worry about viruses and computer bugs like you did with the PCs.

NetBarrier is a great personal firewall application that will protect your computer from unwanted intrusions.

Enjoy!!
Manchild
Melissa Donovan on July 25th, 2008 12:11 pm

@Brett, So, it still works the same, but saves about 20 seconds when you put the Mac into sleep mode? I always figured it stored everything on the hard disk. Hmm.

@Manchild, Wait! If I don’t have to worry about viruses, why do I need NetBarrier? Is that to prevent hacks or something?
Brett Legree on July 25th, 2008 12:18 pm

@Melissa,

Yes, that’s pretty much it in a nutshell - it still sleeps, only instantly without writing out to the hard disk. I suppose it is a fine point, but it is something I prefer so that I know as soon as I close the lid, the machine is asleep, and I can move it safely.

If you ever want to change it back so you can remove the battery, SmartSleep allows you to do this with a simple click.

One other thing - SmartSleep is, err, smart. If the machine is ’sleeping’ i.e. everything is stored in memory, and the battery drops to a certain level, it is supposed to write out the memory to disk. I haven’t tried this yet as my machine is rarely ever below about 75 percent charge.

-Brett

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - burn the boats.
Michele on July 25th, 2008 3:01 pm

You’re welcome, Melissa. You deserve it after all your hard work!

*smiles*
Michele

Micheles last blog post..Juice Fasting Cleanse: Do You Eat Processed Meat?
Manchild on July 25th, 2008 4:02 pm

Most definitely! Every computer needs a firewall to be protected against unwanted guests, malicious hackers, and intrusions.

Did I answer your question? If not, check out NetBarrier when time permits to see why I suggested it to you since you’re a Mac “newbie.” (smile)

Manchild
Ellen Wilson on July 25th, 2008 6:55 pm

Melissa,

That is great. I’m happy for you. I can’t even imagine the stess you have been through. Well, I can, but it doesn’t matter. The main thing is you got the feeling and went with it!

I know for sure now that my next computer will be a mac. In a few years.

I’m sorry I can’t give you any advice, but I know there are a lot of people here who can.

Ellen Wilsons last blog post..Interpreting Art
Melissa Donovan on July 26th, 2008 1:48 pm

@Brett, Okay that makes sense. So it’s sort of a time saver… Actually, last night I noticed how fast the MBP shuts down. I think I counted six seconds or so. My PCs took far longer. Another score for Apple!

@Manchild, I thought my firewall was built in through my ISP and network router. Uh oh. I’m going to have to look into that a bit further. Thanks for the tip

@Ellen, It sucked, but these things happen. At first, I did almost go into a panic, but then I just attacked it as a challenge. Yeah, seems like everyone is switching to Mac these days. So far, I’m loving it!
joey on July 28th, 2008 12:35 am

congrats on getting the mac! the MBP lets you do so much more than just write (there are some great games that you can check out as well, don’t worry about losing spider solitaire!;)

it’s certainly more stable than a windows platform. plus, it boots up and shuts down in a jiffy; perfect for writers on the go!

joeys last blog post..Taking The Big Dive: The Lean Months
Melissa Donovan on July 28th, 2008 11:56 am

@Joey, Thanks! I’m really quite excited about it and eventually I’ll look into some games. I know I can buy spider for the Mac, so I probably will eventually
Amy Derby on July 28th, 2008 1:06 pm

Glad you found something you like. But no spider solitaire? How WILL you live. LOL
Greer on July 28th, 2008 4:43 pm

Hi Melissa, my congratulations too! I love my MBP so much it feels like it should be wrong. It was funny to read your lists of Mac difficulties because they were all the things I missed at first too, the only thing that still gets me today is the lack of backspace key.

Some great tips and websites here in your comments so thanks everyone!

Greers last blog post..The Prelude: Book III
Melissa Donovan on July 29th, 2008 11:47 am

@Amy, I know! My windows laptop doesn’t have Spider either because I bought it from my old company when they went out of business. Aaagh!

@Greer, Thanks! Yes, the keyboard shortcuts are all that’s standing between me and my Mac but I’m learning them. Of course now I want to get some new speakers for the Mac, Time Machine, an iPhone… LOL, Apple’s going to put me in the poorhouse!
carolee on August 1st, 2008 7:42 pm

i’m a mac girl. always have been. welcome home.
carolees last blog post..we’re not so different
Melissa Donovan on August 2nd, 2008 12:55 pm

@Carolee, I’m loving the Mac more and more and I’m itching to get more software for it. Yeah, it is a little like coming home
t.sterling on August 3rd, 2008 1:15 pm

Reading about your shopping and converting is really enlightening to me. I can’t say that I’m a true convert yet, but I really was against Macs, but I didn’t have a legit reason to be. Then I started using them at school and I’ve been wanting one for the past year so I can get into video work.

I really can relate to The Feeling because I get that too when I expereince certain things that I know feels right, or destined to be. It’s possible that’s how I got my car or how I have the laptop I have now.

Anyway, thanks for breaking down those differences I rarely read about from PC to Mac that might matter to someone like me. I love the short cuts PCs have, but I know almost nothing about that with Mac, and those are the things that help me get my job done.

Also, thanks for naming the store you went to, I’ll be making a visit soon enough.

t.sterlings last blog post.."one night stand" (in development)
Melissa Donovan on August 4th, 2008 12:46 pm

@t. sterling, Every time I bought a computer, I considered a Mac but I grew up on PCs and because my dad is a dedicated PC user, back in the day he really talked me into being a Windows user. Now that the two have grown so similar, it’s not so difficult to make the switch so I’m glad I waited.

Yep, The Feeling is a helpful guide! I once had a job offer that sounded really posh but The Feeling said NO NO NO. All my friends and family were shocked I turned it down. A few months later, the company went through a major restructure, laid a bunch of a people off and the guy who wanted to hire me left. Good thing I listened to my gut!

I would have preferred to buy directly from Apple, but I really needed the financing option that the other store offered. Plus, I was able to pay extra for a 3-year accidental damage warranty, which gives me great peace of mind

Do let us know when you get back from your trip to that store!
Monika Mundell on August 4th, 2008 5:16 pm

Oh shucks, the Mac fire has been burning in my belly for about 6 months now and you just ruined my day. Damn you woman! Hehehe…..

I also got the Feeling when I first saw a MBP in the shops and wanted to throw my newly purchased laptop out of the window straight away. Then, realism struck and I put my burning dreams on hold.

*she wipes her tears away

I WILL be a Mac user one day. Probably in 2009, perhaps sooner. I’m happy for you Melissa, but oh so jealous right now.:-)

Monika Mundells last blog post..Emotional Connections To Beat Creative Blocks
Brett Legree on August 4th, 2008 5:38 pm

@Monika,

When I come to visit you (once we get to NZ), we can go to the Mac store together

(I’ll probably need some more stuff by then)
Melissa Donovan on August 5th, 2008 12:59 pm

@Monika, I know that fire! It burns hot. It sure seems like everyone under the sun either has or wants a Mac. They must be giving all those PC companies a run for their money! Hahaheh. Just remember — it’s a write-off
Monika Mundell on August 5th, 2008 7:18 pm

@ Brett: Oh YES, pllleeeeeease. When are you coming. The sooner the better.

@ Melissa: You know, after I wrote that comment yesterday my husband walked into the room and I told him about the comment I just wrote and showed him your Mac pictures.

Suddenly I realized that I was REALLY crying. No kidding, I had tears of anticipation, excitement and a bit of sadness in my eyes. LOL. That is how big that fire is.
Monika Mundells last blog post..Callenges Of Outsourcing
Brett Legree on August 6th, 2008 4:07 am

@Monika,

I’m planning on it being sooner than later now. I had to get one key piece of the puzzle in place, which has now happened. Now I can go full speed ahead.

(Of course, just for fun I’m going to buy a ticket on tonight’s lotto - $43M! - so if for some reason I get hit by lightning and win it, I’ll be there next week, and I’ll buy you any Mac you want.)
Monika Mundell on August 6th, 2008 4:17 am

@ Brett: Way cool. I so hope you get that pushed through ASAP.

Now, let me kneel down in front of the Lotto Gods and pray for your win. * she turns away and starts praying for Brett

For 43 Mil you could actually buy the company and become Mac yourself. LOL.

Monika Mundells last blog post..Callenges Of Outsourcing
Brett Legree on August 6th, 2008 4:22 am

@Monika,

I think once everything is lined up, it just becomes a matter of persistence. So it will happen.

thanks for the lotto prayers - yeah, no kidding, you could buy out a good chunk of the company. You know, though, it wouldn’t really matter how much - I’d still be me. I’m sure I’d open up a computer store just to have a place to hang out and meet people during the day, but other than that, I just want sunsets and ocean…

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - burn the boats, revisited.
Melissa Donovan on August 6th, 2008 12:29 pm

@Monika, That’s a big fire indeed! I can’t remember if there were tears when my computer crashed or when I bought the Mac but I do remember it was a pretty emotional experience ranging from panic to relief and frustration to sheer joy. I was even excited about the MPB box (it’s really pretty).

@Brett, 43 million sounds pretty damn nice right about now. Oh, the damage I could do with that kind of money…
Brett Legree on August 6th, 2008 4:16 pm

@Melissa,

No kidding! I’ll start by buying everyone I know who wants a Mac, a Mac…

(And then I’ll put my GTI into the shop for some “custom work”…)

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - burn the boats, revisited.
Melissa Donovan on August 7th, 2008 12:11 pm

@Brett, I think everyone you know would really appreciate that Haheheh.
Alex Fayle on August 8th, 2008 8:29 am

My next computer is likely going to be a MacBook. I’m just so not into Vista and the stupid DRM that Microsoft has instigated.

I’m amazed however at the difference prices between a Mac in the US, in Canada and in Spain. If you convert the prices to the same currency, the US version is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper, while the Spanish model is the most expensive - for the same computer! Then again the Spanish model includes sales tax, the Canadian model is before tax and I’m assuming the US version is the same - but US$500 is a big difference for a basic MacBook.

Fortunately I think it’ll be a couple of years yet until I need a new computer (oops, now I’ve just jinxed myself).

Alex Fayles last blog post..The Blog is Dead! Long Live the Blog!
Brett Legree on August 8th, 2008 12:21 pm

@Alex,

It would almost be worth your while to come to Canada to buy the machine (when the time is right, that is) - the savings would pay for a significant part of your airfare.

(I’ve known people to do that, though they did a UK to NYC flight.)

Vista *is* workable, but I think you’d be happier with a Mac.

-Brett

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - the worst sickness.
Melissa Donovan on August 8th, 2008 12:29 pm

@Alex, That’s wild. I wonder if the higher cost has to do with shipping and distribution. Then again, I live just a couple hours from Apple headquarters, and I don’t think I got any kind of discount for that (hey, it would have been nice!).

@Brett, After the clerk explained a few things about Vista, I wanted to boycott Microsoft completely. Unfortunately, I still need them for Word and Excel.
Brett Legree on August 8th, 2008 12:34 pm

@Melissa,

I don’t blame you as I said, it is workable but OS X is much nicer… at least you can get Office 2008 for Mac!

One thing to remember, too, is that Mac Office is developed by a different group from Windows Office. And since Office 2008 had to be recoded for Intel CPU’s (Office 2004 was for Power PC), it is a completely clean code base.

Office 2007 on Windows is probably not i.e. it may have legacy code from many, many years ago.

(not working for Microsoft, I don’t know for sure - I just suspect)

-Brett

Brett Legrees last blog post..viking fridays - the worst sickness.
Janice Cartier on August 8th, 2008 12:37 pm

Melissa,
Late to this but wanted to say:

The Feeling.

Om. Welcome to our tribe.
Janice Cartiers last blog post..Gentle Ripples in the Sand
Melissa Donovan on August 8th, 2008 1:14 pm

@Janice, Thank you very much *bows* Ommmmm…
Janice Cartier on August 8th, 2008 1:37 pm

Janice Cartiers last blog post..Gentle Ripples in the Sand