How the hell do mac's work?

[Shostakovich]

How the hell do mac's work?

I am at the end of my tether already with these silly machines. I've used windows for 10 years and I simply can't get used to these things, especially as I continue to use windows all day at work...

Why on earth, whenever you install anything, do they "mount stuff" - what is happening there?

What is the "dock"? Where do I save general files? Ie. where is my c: drive?

I recently downloaded audacity, which as usual mounted, but did not do the usual drag into applications thing. And so all I had was the mounted thing on the desktop.... now how do I use it without keeping on my **** desktop forever more?

What are some of the basic file equivilent as on windows?

I assume a dmg is an exe, what is a sit?

How can I learn the intiutiive logic, in general, the way these things work, in a more systematic and comprehensive way instead of getting frustrated?>

Any help much apprecaited (note, I cant even type proprly on this darn keyboard)

 

[Shostakovich]

Thanks so far guys, and apologies for my attitude.

I am just finding it suprisingly frustrating, I feel like a retarded 50 year old!!

I am going through all the help files on the computer - I think the biggest thing is simply not knowing what is what, in the sense of I don't know if what I am doing is the right thing, at any one moment..

Can you partition a drive? One of the fears/annoyances I am having is kinda putting files in propritary folders, like "my pictures" in windows, I don't want to do that, I want my own partition and own folders...

 

[Shostakovich]

Check this out dude, it's a complete guide to all things Mac.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17609685

I have looked at that thread before, but it doesn't really tell you much in the way of use...

Couple of quick questions:

What is the keb=yboard shortcut for moving back a window - on XP I just used backspace, doesn't work on Mac

What is pg down key?

Why is there no general maximise button that just makes the window fill the whole screen? The green maximise button just seems to extend a browser width wise, but not all the way to the bottom of the screen..

What is the best MP3 Encoder program for use with LAME on the Mac?

 

[Shostakovich]

Page Down

As for doing things.. have you checked out the help guides that come with your Mac? Try pressing Apple+? when you're on the desktop

As for maximising.. if you press the green + and then drag the window to the right size it will always remember the size

No, the page down button merely works like the down arrow key - i mean page down in that it skips down more at once (but not page end, of course) as opposed to incrementally.

 

[Shostakovich]

You are making the classic mistake of still thinking as a Windows user. You will eventually get used to it, as mentioned above, just stick with it. These links may help:

http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/
http://www.apple.com/support/switch101/
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/cdb_whatcalled.html

Thanks everyone. And thats AJUK for these really great links. I think this is exactly what I need.

I think the problem is intensified in my case, as I have used my work laptop all day at work and for personal use in the evenings, too, for about a year.

This means that as well as the operating system, I am trying to get used to a new keyboard, trackpad, etc, which is making me more impatient and irritable, too!!