What's the best way to learn how to use a Mac?

[BenchyUK]

I am so excited on getting my first ever Mac computer next week.(20'' imac)

The problem is that i don't have a clue on how to use them:grin:

Sure, i have seen a little demo in the apple store and had a quick 10 minute play in PC world, but i don't know excatly on how to use them properly

What's the best option to learn?

I don't know ANYONE who has a Mac and can show me:thumbsdow
I live too Far away from the Apple Store to go for lessions :thumbsdow

I don't want to buy a really nice Mac and not learn all the nifty little features that it offers. Otherwise you're only geting half the package

Advice Appricated :smashin:

[Stuart Kirby]

Hmm, I picked my first Mac up over 3 years ago now after a poxy PC laptop I had broke so I replaced it with a Mac to learn the OS etc for the future. Never went back. I work with Windows nonsense all day, horrific. ;)

They're fairly easy to get around even for a brand new user so you'll be fine getting to know the basics of the system. As for the more advanced stuff, well, have a play about! There's absolutely loads of tips on Apple's website as well which is cool. I think the best way to learn a Mac, short of getting lessons from Apple as you say, is play with it yourself. The chances are you won't break it because it's a solid system.

Have fun and enjoy it.

[Steve Davies]

When I got my G4 PowerBook just over 3 years back I bought the 'Panther' (earlier OS) version of this book....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mac-OS-Missing-Manual-Tiger/dp/0596009410/sr=8-2/qid=1172532007/ref=pd_ka_2/202-4403109-2598250?ie=UTF8&s=books

I found it a fairly easy read, and a good means of reference when you get stuck.

Having said that.... I reckon that once you get your new toy, you'll pick it up pretty quickly.... and now of course, we have this brand spanking new forum if all else fails! :grin:

[BenchyUK]

I did consider a book but wondered if a book would be too out od date as things move along so fast. I'll have a browse on Amazon and see if there are any good books

[timmillwood]

you can pick up all the basics very easily, but try all the forums (like mac rumours) everyone is willing to help

[labbey]

I got 'Tiger the Missing Manual' from Amazon. It's ok but covers far too much stuff for a complete newbie like I was.

I think you'd be better off with a shortish colour packed overview of the os and then for anything else you can pretty much get all the technical help on the net.

It's quite intuitive and I love the fact it's really hard to screw the system up as it's all hidden from you. As an old DOS/windows user it seemed weird at first but then you suddenly realise that it's acting like a useful tool should - I.E. letting you get on with what you want to do actually do rather than forcing you to think about loads of technical crap.

IT JUST WORKS!

[Peridot]

One of the MAC magazines (Macuser I think) does a subscription offer of three cheap issues and a free copy of OSX for Dummies thrown in.

I'm not a great fan of the 'Dummies' series but it does cover the basics and free is not a bad price :)

[flugger]

Tips of the Week are a great way to start to learn some of the shortcuts around OS X... there are so many cool features for us to find...

http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/

also when you here of a keyboard shortcut, try and learn it, they make life so much easier and you will start to zoom around OS X

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459 - fairly daunting list from apple
http://guides.macrumors.com/Keyboard_shortcuts - macrumors list
http://www.tuaw.com/2005/12/11/top-x-keyboard-shortcuts-in-os-x/ - mentions some of the hidden gems

[swanny78]

buy Vista ;)

[Kieron]

They are very simple to use. Within the OSX software is a "new to mac" guide that walks you through the system. It will also show you what the equivalent windows/mac commands are.

Seriously, after a day or two it will be second nature to you. Once you have learnt a few shortcuts you will be flying.

When you get the machine, drop us a few Q's on here for anything you are stuck on. The walkthroughs are very explanatory though.

[ebony]

They are very simple to use. Within the OSX software is a "new to mac" guide that walks you through the system. It will also show you what the equivalent windows/mac commands are.

Seriously, after a day or two it will be second nature to you. Once you have learnt a few shortcuts you will be flying.

When you get the machine, drop us a few Q's on here for anything you are stuck on. The walkthroughs are very explanatory though.

I too am completeley new to the mac world. I purchased an imac 20 inch on sunday.

I didn't get to turn it on until monday. The first thing I did was update the software. This stalled because I had a USB hard drive plugged in, the mac did not recognise it, even though I'd ensured it was formatted correctly, so I've given up with that. When I unplugged the usb hard drive the update started.

While I was waiting I started iMovie which I quit but when the update got to imovie it said it couldn't update as the app was still open. To resolve I tried to shut the mac down, which closed the app but did not do the shutdown ( which I now didn't need anyway )

After everything updated it said to reboot, on rebooting its now stuck on a blue screen with a timer, nothing is happening and its been like that for 4 hours.

My point is ( eventually !! ), the mac world is pretty daunting, and to complete newbies I for one am completeley lost, and so far have not seen any of the advantages of owning a mac.... but I know eventually I will and look forward to it, otherwise I wouldn't have bought one in the first place. I appreciate I'm having a pretty bad start, but I know its down to my ignorance rather than the mac.

I'll raise my mac problems in a different thread so as to not hijack this one, but lee if you find a good source of information for us mac virgins please let me know.

Cheers.

[harrinp1]

Do a Google for Mac Switch(ing) Guide or similar - there are
quite a few posts out their from switchers detailing the non-obvious
differences and details of what additional software you may want to use.

http://osx.iusethis.com/ is a good site for a list of software.

[Monopot]

I too am completeley new to the mac world. I purchased an imac 20 inch on sunday.

I didn't get to turn it on until monday. The first thing I did was update the software. This stalled because I had a USB hard drive plugged in, the mac did not recognise it, even though I'd ensured it was formatted correctly, so I've given up with that. When I unplugged the usb hard drive the update started.

While I was waiting I started iMovie which I quit but when the update got to imovie it said it couldn't update as the app was still open. To resolve I tried to shut the mac down, which closed the app but did not do the shutdown ( which I now didn't need anyway )

After everything updated it said to reboot, on rebooting its now stuck on a blue screen with a timer, nothing is happening and its been like that for 4 hours.

My point is ( eventually !! ), the mac world is pretty daunting, and to complete newbies I for one am completeley lost, and so far have not seen any of the advantages of owning a mac.... but I know eventually I will and look forward to it, otherwise I wouldn't have bought one in the first place. I appreciate I'm having a pretty bad start, but I know its down to my ignorance rather than the mac.

I'll raise my mac problems in a different thread so as to not hijack this one, but lee if you find a good source of information for us mac virgins please let me know.

Cheers.

Welcome to Mac mate! I wouldn't really have plugged usb discs and tried to run apps while the systems updating but thats just me.

If its still not working just hold the power button for a few seconds and try again.

I've had my Macs for 18 months now and never had a single problem/hang/crash etc. Some of the updates though are scary as when you reboot it will sometimes sit there for 5 mins doing everything in the background.

[ebony]

Welcome to Mac mate! I wouldn't really have plugged usb discs and tried to run apps while the systems updating but thats just me.

If its still not working just hold the power button for a few seconds and try again.

I've had my Macs for 18 months now and never had a single problem/hang/crash etc. Some of the updates though are scary as when you reboot it will sometimes sit there for 5 mins doing everything in the background.

cheers, I accept the issues are down to me, rather than the mac.

Lee, in answer to your original question the following link seems quite good...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303636

[C225]

When i first got a mac 2 years ago i just learned by trial and error and eventually got quite good after a couple of weeks and they are quite simple.

I too am completeley new to the mac world. I purchased an imac 20 inch on sunday.

I didn't get to turn it on until monday. The first thing I did was update the software. This stalled because I had a USB hard drive plugged in, the mac did not recognise it, even though I'd ensured it was formatted correctly, so I've given up with that. When I unplugged the usb hard drive the update started.

While I was waiting I started iMovie which I quit but when the update got to imovie it said it couldn't update as the app was still open. To resolve I tried to shut the mac down, which closed the app but did not do the shutdown ( which I now didn't need anyway )

After everything updated it said to reboot, on rebooting its now stuck on a blue screen with a timer, nothing is happening and its been like that for 4 hours.

My point is ( eventually !! ), the mac world is pretty daunting, and to complete newbies I for one am completeley lost, and so far have not seen any of the advantages of owning a mac.... but I know eventually I will and look forward to it, otherwise I wouldn't have bought one in the first place. I appreciate I'm having a pretty bad start, but I know its down to my ignorance rather than the mac.

I'll raise my mac problems in a different thread so as to not hijack this one, but lee if you find a good source of information for us mac virgins please let me know.

Cheers.

The thing with the closing the programs confused me for a while as unlike windows where you can close the window and that will close the program in a mac you have to quit the program (either file and quit or right-click on the icon in the dock and quit there) You can tell if the program is still running if there is a small triangle under the icon.

Also i dont think it is best to use apps when trying to update the system. Try what the person said before and hold down the power button and restart it.

[flugger]

When i first got a mac 2 years ago i just learned by trial and error and eventually got quite good after a couple of weeks and they are quite simple.



The thing with the closing the programs confused me for a while as unlike windows where you can close the window and that will close the program in a mac you have to quit the program (either file and quit or right-click on the icon in the dock and quit there) You can tell if the program is still running if there is a small triangle under the icon.

Also i dont think it is best to use apps when trying to update the system. Try what the person said before and hold down the power button and restart it.
trick here is also to start using apple+w (close window) apple+q (quit application)

[BenchyUK]

cheers, I accept the issues are down to me, rather than the mac.

Lee, in answer to your original question the following link seems quite good...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303636

Thanks for the link. It looks quite good. Itmeans that i won't have to buy anything which is great (i.e a book).

I guess like what you have guys have said and that to just play around and learn by error:grin: We aren't using PC 's anymore remember

[Kieron]

I too am completeley new to the mac world. I purchased an imac 20 inch on sunday.

I didn't get to turn it on until monday. The first thing I did was update the software. This stalled because I had a USB hard drive plugged in, the mac did not recognise it, even though I'd ensured it was formatted correctly, so I've given up with that. When I unplugged the usb hard drive the update started.

While I was waiting I started iMovie which I quit but when the update got to imovie it said it couldn't update as the app was still open. To resolve I tried to shut the mac down, which closed the app but did not do the shutdown ( which I now didn't need anyway )

After everything updated it said to reboot, on rebooting its now stuck on a blue screen with a timer, nothing is happening and its been like that for 4 hours.

My point is ( eventually !! ), the mac world is pretty daunting, and to complete newbies I for one am completeley lost, and so far have not seen any of the advantages of owning a mac.... but I know eventually I will and look forward to it, otherwise I wouldn't have bought one in the first place. I appreciate I'm having a pretty bad start, but I know its down to my ignorance rather than the mac.

I'll raise my mac problems in a different thread so as to not hijack this one, but lee if you find a good source of information for us mac virgins please let me know.

Cheers.

Sounds like a comedy of errors! Ah well, it can happen to the best of us. Seriously though, there are plenty of decent walkthroughs within the OS, plus don't forget there are LOADS of walkthroughs over at www.apple.com/support

[>Jaz<]

Just jump aboard and have a muck around - I got to grips with it in weeks :)

[Box of Tricks]

If looking for "basic" Mac help with OSX apps goto
http://www.macforbeginners.com/

Bought a MacBook Nov06 loved it so much...iMac 24' Jan07:smashin: PC Free:clap: