15 August, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Switching to my new laptop has been more difficult than expected. Most of the struggles have not been related to PC vs. Mac issues though, but just the difficulty of switching to a new computer when my whole life was on the old one. Until this week, I did not have Microsoft Office for Mac, which meant that I still had to use my PC a lot. Now that I have this software (plus iWork), I will be able to transition more fully to the new MacBook. Still, I can’t just put the PC in a closet because it has Photoshop on it and other photo-editing software that I can’t afford to buy for another computer. Grrrrrrr.
As you know, this is my second MacBook. This one seems to be working fine, with no obvious problems. I hope I’m wrong, but I do wonder if the first computer I got was refurbished? Perhaps it would be illegal for the Apple Store to engage in such dirty tricks. I’m probably just being paranoid, but students do get a hefty discount and, well, I’m sure you can connect the dots in my thinking process.
For me, making the PC to Mac transition hasn’t been bad. [I do have a few Mac-related problems that I've listed below if anyone can help.] If a person has a lot of PC-specific software, then switching to a Mac might not be cost-effective. I have two expensive CD-ROM dictionaries — one is British English, the other is French. They won’t work on a Mac, which is a huge bummer. If I had lots of expensive software like this that would be rendered useless on a Mac, I may hesitate about making the switch, but for me, this is not really an issue. I use my computer mostly for word-processing, internet, photo editing, movie watching and music. These are all very basic things. As long as I have access to MS Word, I can easily use a Mac or PC — it really doesn’t matter. I know not all computer users are in this position, but it’s worked out fine for me.
One thing I really like about the Mac is that its operating system and applications and overall design are extremely visually appealing. I appreciate things that are aesthetically pleasing and I value this aspect of the Mac. [I'm one of those people who judges a book by its cover.] The Mac is hipper and cooler than a PC and just more fresh and modern, there is no doubt about that. It’s also much more streamlined. My PC was filled with countless applications I didn’t even know I had and certainly never used. The Mac doesn’t seemed to be filled with all this extraneous junk. It’s also pretty easy to use. In fact, I’d say it’s idiot-proof. You can do lots of things just by dragging, dropping, etc. No wonder American schools use Macs. Doing any sort of action is easier than it was on a PC, which often seemed to make things needlessly complicated.
It’s also thrilling to have a superfast computer. Part of this excitement is just because my other laptop was three years old, which in computer terms is old. But still, I suspect the Mac is faster for different reasons. One of the great things about using a Mac is escaping Norton Anti-Virus and all the hassle that comes with that. I removed Norton from my PC recently due to a variety of problems. Now the PC runs much more quickly and rather than taking ten minutes to fully start up, it takes less than half that. I had a lot of bad luck with anti-virus software and that was one big factor in my decision to switch to a Mac. [Not to mention the horrid prospect of using Windows Vista.] I just love it that when I turn on my MacBook in the morning…it turns on almost right away. It doesn’t take forever to start up, nor does it make as much noise as the space shuttle getting ready to take off. For someone as impatient as me, just the fact that the MacBook turns right on has made this switch worthwhile. I remember sometimes when I’d turn off the ol’ Dell at night and then remember I forgot to email someone or something, the thought of turning it back on and waiting ages for it to fully boot up was horrible. Now I press a button and that’s it. Presto. This is fab.u.lous.
My difficulties with the new computer have stemmed mostly from issues to do with the actual physical computer, rather than software and operating systems. Size is a big problem. I wanted a small laptop this time — rather, I wanted something very light. Well, with the MacBook that’s what I got. I just never anticipated how difficult it would be to make the adjustment. My Dell was essentially a desktop replacement model, so it had a huge screen and keyboard (and weighed a ton). While I am in love with the lightness of the new laptop, it’s tough to get used to it. The screen is VERY small compared to my other laptop. It’s a shock to the system. I want to get an external flatscreen monitor, which I hope to buy before the end of the year. Then I’ll have the best of both worlds — a small laptop with a big-screen option.
Another adjustment is having a British keyboard. I originally said I would buy a laptop with an American keyboard. However, I didn’t realize that Mac and PC keyboards are different. The Mac keyboard places the double-quote mark ["] where it is on the American keyboard, so my main concern about the British keyboard was no longer a problem. I didn’t realize there were other quirks, such as not having a proper # key or delete key. Though I have now discovered that you press backspace + FN to delete, it baffles me why there is no proper delete key. That is a key I use all the time. [# is alt + 3.] Also, there’s the issue of the return key. Rather than being a long horizontal key as it is on the American keyboard, on the British keyboard it is a tall skinny vertical key. I have been typing for more than 20 years and I am a properly trained typist. Because of this, I just cannot get the little finger on my right hand to go the extra space to reach the return key. I’m sure over time I’ll be able to do it, but for now, every time I want to return I end up with these marks \\\\\\\ instead. I also have problems with the left-hand shift keys.
The difficulties of switching to a new computer have shown me that the computer, which I use for hours and hours each day, is almost like an extension of my brain. Seriously. So many of my computer-related actions are automatic, like blinking. Having to make even small adjustments is difficult.
While I am impressed with the MacBook computer overall, there are a few things I don’t like about this particular model:
-The MacBook has hard, sharp edges. If you rest your arms/wrists on the edge of the laptop when you type, the edge of the computer cuts into your skin in an unpleasant, even painful way. I wouldn’t compare this effect to a ginsu knife, as this person has done, but I understand her pain. My Dell has smooth edges. For the life of me, I can’t understand how Apple could produce a computer with this kind of design flaw. Perhaps I am not supposed to be resting my arms and wrists on the computer when I type, but the height of my desk and chair make this unavoidable. Some people online have recommended sanding down the edges, but I don’t think I’ll try that. Does anyone else have this problem with the sharp edges?
-The screen has a glare on it, requiring me to push it back to a more reclined position so it’ll look normal. I have played with the brightness level of the screen, but that doesn’t fix the problem. The screen almost appears to have a white sheen over it. Does anyone else have this problem?
-I don’t like the trackpad too much, so I bought a mouse. Mighty Mouse (totally wireless) is fabulous! I’m not a huge fan of trackpads in general, but the one on the MacBook requires a bit of extra effort to push down on.
-Because this laptop is so small, I have to look down at it. I believe in order to be ergonomically correct, the top of the screen should be at eye level. Perhaps I should investigate getting some sort of laptop stand, but this would make the keyboard too high to type on, wouldn’t it?
-I was surprised that there is no slot for a memory card from a digitial camera. I guess I’ll have to use a USB, which I’ve never done before with my camera. I guess I could use a firewire, but I really have no idea what that is!
Another thing that is difficult about Mac computers is the cost. When I bought the laptop, I didn’t think the price was much different from a PC. But then I realized that I would need to buy more software for the MacBook. In addition, accessories and peripherals and software are much more expensive.
So anyway, I like my comptuer so far and I’m glad I made this choice, but I have not become a Mac fanatic. In researching various issues on Mac forums, I’m sort of creeped out by the cult-like mentality of some Mac users and I definitely want no part of that. I am no fan of Microsoft, but to my mind, Apple is just another giant corporate greed machine as well. [That said, I am happy to have escaped Microsoft's clutches, with the exception of using Office.] As I was making this switch, a few PC users said I was “brave” and/or that I was going to “the dark side.” Well, for me at least, the experience of using this computer isn’t hugely different from using a PC and I think that’s a good thing. This isn’t a war, after all. These are just computers.
Anglofille said @ 1:00 pm | blogging + technology |
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Greig Says:
August 19th, 2008 at 3:07 amFree AVG is fast and free, it is a lot faster than the other anti-virus stuff. It also works OK.
I dumped the stuff I bought in favor of Free AVG.
“I guess I could use a firewire, but I really have no idea what that is!”
http://www.simplydv.co.uk/info-base/pages/about_firewire.html
It’s Apple’s way of saying i.LINK (Sony) or IEEE 1394 if we’re speaking esperanto.
IEEE 1394 is not gay as such, more of a Hawaiian shirt.
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Greig Says:
August 19th, 2008 at 3:11 amU might wanna to use it.
FireWire is one of the fastest peripheral standards ever developed, which makes it great for use with multimedia peripherals such as digital video cameras and other high-speed devices like the latest hard disk drives and printers.
FireWire is integrated into Power Macs, iMacs, eMacs, MacBooks, MacBook Pros, and the iPod. FireWire ports were also integrated into many other computer products dating back to the Power Macintosh G3 “Blue & White” computers. All these machines include FireWire ports that operate at up to 400 megabits per second and the latest machines include FireWire ports that support 1394b and operate at up to 800 megabits per second.
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Greig Says:
August 19th, 2008 at 3:12 am
