Switching from PC to Mac – Here Are Some Starting Out Hints

1. How do I copy and paste?Apple or Command key (cmd)
this key does a lot of what the control key did on the pc and more
to copy and paste you can use this key with c for copy and v for paste

2. How do I right-click?

The ctrl click is the same as right-click on the pc

3. How do I log off or shut down?

Look in the upper left corner of your screen. Click on the picture of an apple. This menu lets you log off or shut down among other things.

4. What if a program freezes?

you would ctrl-alt-del
On the Mac press Cmd-Alt-Escape

5. How do I close an application or minimize it?

A lot of what was on the right on a pc is on the left on a mac. You will see three buttons on the left top of the application window. From left to right – close, minimize, maximize
You can also you the keys cmd and M to minimize

6. How do I backspace?

pc backspace = mac delete
If you wish to delete left to right like the windows delete key you have to press fn and delete

7. How do I know a program has been shut down?

In Windows, if you are working on a Word document and you close it, then Word is closed too. On the Mac you may close a document, but if you look at the icon in the dock (that’s that strip of programs at the bottom of your screen) you will see a little black triangle under the open programs. If you were working on a document in Pages and closed to document, you will still need to ctrl click on the icon and close the application.

*sorry – The little black triangles are what you see if you have Tiger, if you have Leopard you may have what looks like a little light under the application.

8. Where are all my applications?

If you click on that icon that looks like a hard drive on your desktop, you will see a folder called applications. That is where all your programs are.

More to come later!

4 thoughts on “Switching from PC to Mac – Here Are Some Starting Out Hints

  1. Frances

    But if I already KNOW how to do this stuff on my PC, why do I want to learn a whole new vocabulary and skill-set? Just so I can be one of the cool kids?!?

    Love, Frances (who can’t imagine being even a late adopter of the Mac phenomenon…)

  2. Dee Post author

    Well there is the cool kid factor but also – not one moment of downtime in 2 years, lightweight (great for carrying around for hours), amazing for multimedia, and did I mention no downtime? Not one virus.
    I just like the thing!

  3. Denise

    I’m sending this to Chris. He’s still struggling with some of the Mac vs. PC stuff. I’m absolutely no use to him when he gets stuck on the Mac. Should I give him your cell number???

  4. Dee Post author

    Sure – give him my cell. I am going to be doing a series of these posts on the basics and a series on PowerPoint. It’s also on my school blog and I think Karol sent the link out to the group that just got Macs.
    Now I just have to get Leopard and Bootcamp on the iMac so I can play with them to get familiar enough to answer questions. Tell him I said to hang in there – it’s worth it and kudos to him for trying!

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