Switching from PC to iMac

[The_Abyss]

I've just bought a 27" 2011 iMac after many years of running different variants of Windows. There were a few motivations for doing this:

- to 'unify' the ecosystem - I currently also use an iPhone 5S and an iPad Air, but back on the PC I'm sort of divided between using iTunes and Windows Media Player to catalogue and organise music
- I'm in the process of redesigning my study, and want a cleaner work environment. I use two 24" monitors at the moment, powered from a pretty big PC tower. I want to cut down the space I use, plus I really no longer game and so don't need the big box graphics grunt from the PC. Although I'm going to miss two monitors, the extra size and quality should, hopefully, compensate somewhat.

As I use my Windows PC for less and less I don't really have much to consider porting over, aside from Lightroom and all my photos. These are run from a NAS - Synology DS211J - which also stores all my music and video files. That looks like it will still run just fine on an OSX system.

However, I'm a little nervous. I admit to not having really researched this much at all and, having been wedded to Windows and only really experienced Apple via iOS, I'm not really sure what to expect from the desktop Apple experience. My question really is: where should I start to make sure I get the most from the new system and make the transition as smooth as possible? Are there any good guides that people could recommend on how I should get started and learn to new OS from scratch?

I'm just a bit worried that the basics won't be terribly intuitive, or am I worrying over nothing and I'll be able to be up and running in a few days like nothing had happened?

 

[lamboman]

To be honest I doubt you'll have any problems - OS X is generally very consistent when it comes to its user interface, so you should pick things up pretty quickly.

I'd take a good look on the Apple website, the Mac Basics articles aren't anywhere near as good as some of the stuff they used to have (why did they change them?!) but they're OK: http://www.apple.com/uk/support/macbasics/

Don't try to do things in a "Windows" way. Try to learn the way that such tasks are done on the Mac and you'll find yourself adjusting far more quickly.

This guide appears to be pretty good, bit old but still covers the basics well: http://lifehacker.com/5717450/set-up-and-get-to-know-your-new-mac

The only thing I'd suggest you do immediately is download and install XtraFinder (http://www.trankynam.com/xtrafinder/). Just gives you more flexibility with Finder's behaviour, and will make the Mac far less frustrating (Finder is arguably the weakest link of the Mac overall, and I personally feel XtraFinder fixes it).

 

[The_Abyss]

Sorry for the delay - still finding my feet with it but slowly getting there. I'm missing right click functionality but am enjoying the overall experience so far. Loving the screen quality and not having any tower - all in blissful silence

 

[Raymond Lin]

Sorry for the delay - still finding my feet with it but slowly getting there. I'm missing right click functionality but am enjoying the overall experience so far. Loving the screen quality and not having any tower - all in blissful silence

you can right click by going into preference - mouse - point & Click and tick Secondary click. Then select either left side or right side

On the magic pad, you can right click buy tapping with 2 fingers.

 

[The_Abyss]

Brill - thanks!