bought a macbook...

Tim Cole · #1 06-30-2010, 02:05 PM

Liking it so far, on snow leopard OSX. As a long time firefox user, I see how a LOT of the perks and tech were come up with....it's very close to Safari.

So, is there a reason of preference between using sari/firefox over the other?

I am still reallyyyyy new to this....any mac tips/tricks for dummies you can recommend?

Relic · #2 06-30-2010, 02:28 PM

I tend to like Firefox on a PC but for Mac, I prefer Safari.

Woah.. did I just sound like the guy from the Dos Equis commercial for a minute there?
<Spanish accent>I tend to like Firefox on a PC but for Mac, I prefer Safari.
Stay thirsty my friend..</Accent>

MakiSupaStar · #3 06-30-2010, 02:42 PM

I use firefox primarily. I like the tabs, things tend to load faster, and it seems more stable with flash and stuff. Safari isn't that bad however. One little tip. Set up hot corners in expose of your system preferences. I have them set up where my top left shows all open windows, my bottom left hides all windows and gives me access to my desktop (a handy feature if you don't want people walking by to see what's on your screen), and then my top right is all application windows (like if you're working with multiple files open at the same time.

MJ5150 · #4 06-30-2010, 03:14 PM

<Spanish accent>Stay surfing my friend..</Accent>

-Mike

smeet · #5 06-30-2010, 03:17 PM

I use firefox these days because it loads certain pages much faster, and it has plugins for blocking ads and scripts.

sloasdaylight · #6 06-30-2010, 03:46 PM

<Loud obnoxious Australian Accent>I USE GOOGLE CHROME!</Loud obnoxious Australian Accent>

popinfresh · #7 06-30-2010, 06:33 PM

Spend plenty of time looking through the manual for shortcuts. Almost everything has one. You can set up your Mac almost how you like, organise open programs together easily, there's many different ways to use the trackpad etc.

Mine keeps surprising me on what it can do!

BurningSkies · #8 07-01-2010, 01:42 PM

To me Firefox is just a better 'developed' browser. I really have tried to like Safari since it came out, but FF keeps winning out. Smoother, faster and the features seem to be more complete and integrated more fully. Also, I really like the add-ons, etc. for FF...lots of options out there.

MatticusMania · #9 07-01-2010, 01:44 PM

No macwheel?

coreyfyfe · #10 07-01-2010, 05:44 PM

Firefox. I always used firefox on my PCs so when I got my mac it was just a smoother transition to continue using firefox instead of switching to safari.

L-A · #11 07-01-2010, 05:52 PM

I use Chrome, because Firefox can eat up to half my RAM with no window open.

As well, I highly recommend using Alfred. Especially if you're big on productivity.

Tim Cole · #12 07-01-2010, 06:33 PM

Cool, so the general consensus is 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other as far as browsers go.

I am enjoying the mac experience so far, but am a bit confused at the overall point of it all.

In the end, it takes you to the same places and does the same thing. I use microsoft streets and trips a LOT on my pc to route my work several trips a week, and if I want to use that on this I need to spend more money on parallels, or fusion, then more on a windows license to do the same thing I was doing before.

So what is the extra money for? The "cool" factor of having a mac? Stability and speed is great so far, just trying to figure out the overall justification of it all.

Godfather · #13 07-01-2010, 06:40 PM

Since switching to a MacBook, I have not had a single virus.....not 1....
it is also MUCH less prone to freezing up....
I won't go back to a PC ( especially since my last experience, the one that actually pushed me into the arms of Apple, with those wankers at Dell ! )!

L-A · #14 07-01-2010, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Cole

Cool, so the general consensus is 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other as far as browsers go.

I am enjoying the mac experience so far, but am a bit confused at the overall point of it all.

In the end, it takes you to the same places and does the same thing. I use microsoft streets and trips a LOT on my pc to route my work several trips a week, and if I want to use that on this I need to spend more money on parallels, or fusion, then more on a windows license to do the same thing I was doing before.

So what is the extra money for? The "cool" factor of having a mac? Stability and speed is great so far, just trying to figure out the overall justification of it all.

Overall, it's not like trading your car for a spaceship. A Mac is just a different beast that, as you say, brings you to the same places.

I'd say my main selling point was how "integrated" a Mac can feel. Most of my productivity comes from the absence of waiting time when I launch apps and the cross-application capabilities I use.

MJ5150 · #15 07-01-2010, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Cole

....I need to spend more money on parallels, or fusion......

It's worth it. I use Fusion.

-Mike

Radical Edward · #16 07-01-2010, 08:06 PM

Safari never gives me any problems. I like how quick it is, and it never has any problems opening anything and has never froze on me on my Mac. I HAVE had Safari on a Pc before and it just didn't go well. But, then again. It was a PC.

Johnny Crab · #17 07-01-2010, 08:10 PM

From son's 2 years of 24/7 with a Macbook Pro at college(aka film school) and about 100 of his classmates:

1) Consider setting up a dual-boot system if you must access any MS apps/docs
2) Consider in investing in a second battery and stand-alone charger
3) Get a water-proof bag or sleeve. Macs hate water(i.e. rain). Hurts the MB and display.
4) If you get USB drives, be very careful NOT to let MS's SP2 near it.
5) Consider a accessory cooling adapter for it. They WILL melt plastic if left on top of it.

Think that sums up what we've seen. After seeing how my son's runs, I want one but have no excuse(or $$$) to get one at present. Enjoy.

MIJ-VI · #18 07-01-2010, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Cole

Cool, so the general consensus is 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other as far as browsers go.

I am enjoying the mac experience so far, but am a bit confused at the overall point of it all.

In the end, it takes you to the same places and does the same thing. I use microsoft streets and trips a LOT on my pc to route my work several trips a week, and if I want to use that on this I need to spend more money on parallels, or fusion, then more on a windows license to do the same thing I was doing before.

So what is the extra money for? The "cool" factor of having a mac? Stability and speed is great so far, just trying to figure out the overall justification of it all.

Used properly *nix-based systems are inherently more secure than MS Windows and are currently smaller targets for malware.

best virus protection software for OS X?

Also, OS X taps into the world of Unix and a larger amount of Open Source software while maintaining excellent compatibility with its hardware (because Apple makes that too).

If I weren't already using and enjoying Ubuntu Linux then Mac OS X would be for me.

(A former 68k and PPC Mac user.)

bongomania · #19 07-01-2010, 08:42 PM

I have both a Mac and a PC, so I'm not one of those rabid us vs. them types. Honestly the stability, robustness, and relative lack of viruses makes the Mac the best internet browsing computer by far. And on the Mac, I like Firefox the best because it's very intuitive to use, with great features, they update it regularly, and now it's considered one of the main benchmarks for compatibility when sites are developed, so it's "mature".

There are plenty of reasons to prefer PC or "other" when doing heavy computing such as gaming, corporate work, engineering, etc.; but for the internet, it's Mac w/ FF. I haven't seen enough support for Chrome or Safari out there yet.

MIJ-VI · #20 07-01-2010, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Cole

Cool, so the general consensus is 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other as far as browsers go.

I am enjoying the mac experience so far, but am a bit confused at the overall point of it all.

In the end, it takes you to the same places and does the same thing. I use microsoft streets and trips a LOT on my pc to route my work several trips a week, and if I want to use that on this I need to spend more money on parallels, or fusion, then more on a windows license to do the same thing I was doing before.

So what is the extra money for? The "cool" factor of having a mac? Stability and speed is great so far, just trying to figure out the overall justification of it all.

You may wish to check out Oracle's VirtualBox first (it's free).

In fact. just Google 'Mac OS X, Open Source' to get a feel for the plethora of legally free software which is available (much of which has been ported over from Linux).