The Big Switch: My Experience in Migrating from PC to Mac
I want to start of by saying that I am not in any way trying to convince you to go out and buy a Mac. I am a long-time PC user and I know there are pros and cons to both. Besides, how could I compete with the cutesy Mac vs. PC ads that Apple is putting out to win you over? The purpose of this article is to share my experience with you, so if you decide that getting a Mac is "how you roll" then reading this might aid you in your transition.
Why I Switched
I’ve met so many Mac owners who are devout in their belief that Macs are superior to PCs and will go so far to prove their undying devotion by plastering Mac stickers all over their vehicles and own copies of MacWorld that are autographed by Steve Jobs. In any case, I was intrigued by this phenomenon and decided to find out why so many Mac users are so loyal. After doing some research, I came to the conclusion that it’s because Macs are quite shiny, and one cannot help but become hypnotized by their luster. In order to keep my objectivity, I wore special goggles to counteract this effect while making my decision. Moving on, here are the reasons I chose Apple:
- Design – I was in the market for a laptop, and I found the MacBook Pro to be slim, lightweight, and had all the hardware requirements I needed for it to be a great development computer. I did a lot of shopping around and considered PC alternatives, but the MacBook Pro design won out (I think the aforementioned "shiny" factor also played a part in it when I accidentally took off the goggles).
- Versatility – If you haven’t heard yet, Microsoft Windows XP and Vista can now run on Macs. This is a big sell as a Web developer since I can now test sites in Mac browsers AND Windows browsers without needing two computers. Also, I can still run Windows applications that need a "wean-off period".
- Security – Apple’s operating System, known as Mac OS X, is far less susceptible to viruses and spyware than Windows, eliminating the need for an Antivirus package and overall a better peace of mind.
- Applications – In my industry, Macs are quickly becoming the standard, and there is a growing list of development apps that are only available for the OS X platform. Many of the application licenses also happen to be less expensive than their Windows counterparts.
- My job paid for it - Thanks TradeMark!
Taking inventory
Before making the switch, I wanted to make sure that the software I used on Windows had a decent equivalent on OS X. I made a list of all the applications that I use on a regular basis and looked up their Mac counterparts. For instance, I couldn’t live without a way to open and create Microsoft Office documents. To my surprise, Microsoft actually made a Mac version of Office. After my inventory was complete, I found that there was only one obscure (and rarely used) application that had no Mac equivalent, but it wasn’t really an issue since I could still run Windows on the MacBook.
If my list had had been longer, it would’ve been a good sign to stick with the PC. Although you can run Windows on Mac, it is somewhat of an inconvenience to switch back and forth. There is an application called Parallels that will let you run OS X and Windows simultaneously, but this option considerably slows down your computer more than if you run them individually.
Getting Settled In
Once I got my MacBook and installed all my apps, I was ready for the ultimate test: the user experience. Setting up and configuring the Mac out-of-the-box was a cinch. A wizard guides you through the process and in no time you’re ready to delve into the OS X Wonderland where "Explorer" is called "Finder", "Taskbar" is called "The Dock", and in place of an hour glass is a happy, spinning beach ball. Installation of applications is also quite different on the Mac. On Windows, most programs come with a "Setup" file. However, most Mac applications involve a single step: dragging a single application file into the "Applications" folder.
I spent the next few hours getting acquainted with OS X and managing my files. For the most part, most tasks seemed straight-forward and I didn’t have to refer to "Help" very often. However, when I did use it I was comforted to see that there was no dog or paper clip or any other annoying mascot to ask me "What do you want to do now?" At the end of my discovery period I came up with some noteworthy differences between Windows and OS X:
The Dock – The Dock is OS X’s equivalent to the taskbar in Windows. It can be placed on any corner of your screen, but it by default resides on the bottom. Like the taskbar, you have the option to make it hidden until you mouse down to it. On the left of the dock are icons of popular applications and any programs that are currently open (these will have an arrow directly over them). On the right are minimized windows and the "Trash" can (similar to the Recycle Bin). The significant difference is the lack of a "Start" menu, or a quick way to browse through all of the programs you have installed on your computer. You instead must open your "Applications" folder, which you can add as a shortcut on your desktop.
The Keyboard – If you are a shortcut junky, this is a big one: Macs have a "command" key in place of the "ctrl" key. Okay, yes, Macs do have a "ctrl" key as well, but it isn’t used quite as much. For instance, if you want to switch between applications, you use "command+tab". If you want copy text, you’d use "command+c" and so forth. Another important difference is that there is no "backspace"; only a "delete" key. It works much the same as the "backspace" key when editing text, but if you are deleting a file or folder you must use "command+delete". Finally, the "alt" key is known as the "option" key.
Application Windows – Instead of having options to Quit, Maximize, and Minimize an application, you have Close, Minimize, and Size to content. Clicking on "close" does not quit the application, it just closes that current window. The application is still in memory until you select "Quit" from the application menu. "Size to content" doesn’t maximize the window to the full size of the screen, it merely resizes the window to fit the content that is currently being displayed. If you want to fully maximize an open window, you must manually drag the corner to the end of the screen.- Folder Behavior – Let’s say you have a folder in your "documents" called "taxes". It contains files called "2006.pdf", "2005.pdf", and "2004.pdf". You also have a folder on your desktop called "taxes". It contains a file called "2007.pdf". In windows, if you dragged the "taxes" folder from your desktop to your "documents" folder, you’d expect the files in the "taxes" folder to be merged. That "2007.pdf" file will be sitting pretty with the others. If you do the same on a Mac, you’ve just replaced all those past tax files with a single "2007.pdf". No Apple, I’m not in any way bitter…
- Right Click - Or lack thereof. The touchpad of a MacBook Pro only comes with a single button, and a Mac desktop comes with a single-button mouse. If you want to see a context menu like a right-click would bring you in Windows, you need to hold down "ctrl" when clicking the mouse. Although you can buy a 2-button mouse that will allow you to right-click, I find it annoying that my touchpad is a cyclops.
Even with these distinct differences, I’m very happy with the switch. I find that much of the features are very usable and intuitive in OS X, and the performance is impressive. I won’t pretend that I don’t miss certain features of Windows, but I’ve learned to appreciate the Mac. If you’re thinking of making the switch, I’d suggest that you find a friend who owns a Mac and try it out. Make a list of applications you can’t live without, and see what’s available for OS X. If you still think Apple’s a good fit for you, then go for it… just make sure to invest in a 2-button mouse.
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About the Author
Mike Wisian is TradeMark Media's Technology Director. He uses his XHTML, CSS and programming skills to create Web sites and rich Internet applications.
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Back in June 2007, I made the switch to Mac OS, and I’m very happy I did. I’ve been a windows user since windows 3.1 back in 1993. Looking back, I can’t believe I put up with 14 years of poor performance, blue screens of death, finnicky sofware, loads of viruses, and everything else.
What pushed me over the edge? I refused to move to Vista AND my old Windows XP powered laptop was at the end of its rope.
So I started looking at the Macbook Pro. Many of those who know me pretty much laughed at me for doing this, as they knew me to be someone who thought Mac users were….weird.
In any case, I now understand the cult of mac. The Mac OS X environment is visually gorgeous and functionally beautiful. I get a lot more work done these days because I’m not stopping to load drivers, fight viruses, or reboot machines.
I get to use just about every single tool I had on Windows, plus I get the benefits of a fully-powered UNIX OS under the hood, so I can run Perl/Python/Shell scripts, whatever, and run Apache/PHP/mySQL.
Thanks for the cool article.
Tom,
Thanks for the great comments. I have total respect for Macs, but I still think the culture is a little weird. Kind of hard to distinguish it between an operating system and a religion.
-Nick
I appreciate the comment, Thomas. You bring up some good points. I didn’t mention in the article, but it’s such a relief to be able to develop in an environment where Apache runs natively. I found an an app called MAMP that lets you run virtual hosts and manages your PHP, MySQL, and Apache services. It’s been a great help for me.
Thanks Mike! This was great prep for when I get a Macbook soon!
To browse you your applications: drag your applications folder to your dock, if it’s not already there. Click and hold on that folder and you’ll get a popup menu showing all your apps. You can also do this with a folder that contains aliases (“shortcuts” in Windows-ese) for just the apps you use most, but those would probably be in your dock anyway.
Of course, this tip will soon be obsolete thanks to the upcoming Stacks feature slated for Leopard: http://images.apple.com/movies/us/apple/mac/macosx/2007/wwdc/apple-desktop_672x416.mov
Thanks Marla, that’s good info. I’ve since been using Quicksilver to open most apps. I think I just made my mouse obsolete