Using a Mac

This Mac thing is just a phase. Between the dominance of Windows and the energy of the open source desktops, it's hard to believe it will last. Nice hardware though - assuming it wears well.

Software

VLC - http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=276&thread=168152 Isn't it cheesy how Quicktime only shows video in a tiny window, and Microsoft doesn't provide a media player for the Mac anymore? This player plays almost anything, with full resizing.

NeoOffice - http://www.neooffice.org/ - Mac OS port of OpenOffice

AdiumX - http://www.adiumx.com/ - multi protocol instant messager

Virtue - http://virtuedesktops.info/ - virtual desktops - a few glitches

Shell - Built in ;) - but iTerm - http://freshmeat.net/redir/iterm/49825/url_homepage/iterm.sourceforge.net - is better

Best Shortcuts

Amusingly, the Mac has some of the most complicated and inconsistent keyboard shortcuts ever invented.

Type a directory location

- in the finder, and saving files using the default open/save dialog

Cmd-Shift G

Copy screenshot to clipboard

Cmd-control-shift-4 - press space if you want to switch to the "window" camera, then use the mouse to select your capture area.

Peeves

Too many to list. Let's just say "overrated" is probably going to be the summary after a couple of weeks of dedicated use.

- An article on UI that pointed out how valuable edges are - so much easier to "select" than any screen area (since when you overshoot you've still got it) - really turned me onto the sensibilites of a good UI design. So why, then, are the shortcuts for ejecting a CD and opening the insipid Front Row located in these key positions? (the latter is miskeyed when using the switch-between-windows key)

- Cursor keys - different combinations in every app. Why?

- Frustratingly, the guideline of there being "no maximized windows" is upheld in apps such as firefox, where you can't "press f11 for full screen mode."

- Speaking of function keys...

Looking forward to

- https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=145890

- http://kberg.ch/q/

- Decent power management/external screen support for Linoox