Using a Mac: Difference between revisions
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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. The following are some notes on trying Mac OS X on a Macbook Pro. | |||
This is the | |||
== Software == | |||
All the following are free software or open source. | |||
VLC - http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html - 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 but decent | |||
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? | |||
- The whole keyboard muddle makes switching between operating systems especially frustrating. | |||
- 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... what the #($((#*? | |||
- There's a limit of ten connections to your host for file sharing, for more you have to buy an add-on. | |||
== 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 | |||