A 'Switcher's Tale'

[Chipell]

Day 4:

--Today I have been playing all day. I have been using Photoshop Elements and using Aperture. Both of these software packages are quite capable, but believe it or not, even though I've used ELements since, well, for a long time, Aperture feels more intuitive to me. Go figure.

-- I'm still trying to figure out Safari. I can't seem to get it to show tabs consistently. Most of the time yes, but then sometimes it frustratingly doesn't.

-- Mail is nice, but it lacks a few features I enjoyed in Outlook. You cannot permanently change your message font for instance. You have to do it message by message. It also adds Re: to every reply, so if you have a long chain of emails, you start getting RE's breeding like little bunnies. Last night I was having an ongoing email conversation with my sister, and by the end of the night the RE's had propagated to 9! Bunnies have nothing on the RE's!!!

-- Did I mention yet that my butt is getting sore from sitting in front of this iMac?

-- The system bogging down wasn't the activity, it was the Logitech mouse and software I tried to install on the system. I took off the mouse and the software, and it's fine now. I am still using the Logitech keyboard because it fits me better, but I'm using the wireless mighty mouse and I am starting to like it.

-- I downloaded Ieatbrainz, and it's a cool little program.It tries to add information to your iTunes music if it is missing. It works most of the time, but it does have some brain farts from time to time. It uses a sound signature to try to identify the music. Go to the website, it's a pretty cool project looking for people to help!

-- As I type this I am listening to a very old CD I found when cleaning up from my PC, it is entitled "Ancient Echos" and it is a CD of old Russian Orthodox Chant. It is lovely, and somehow it sounds better on my iMac than I remember it sounding before.

--Discovered (new for me at least) a little program called appzapper. Coolio!

-- Did I mention yet that my butt is getting sore from sitting if front of this iMac?

Well, I'm calling it a day, because it's almost suppertime, then one of my favorite TV shows is on, PBS's "Nature." G'night all. More to follow.

[baseballboy828]

You cannot permanently change your message font for instance. You have to do it message by message.

Yes and no. You can change your message font in the Mail preferences under Fonts & Colors. This will also change the font for viewing messages as well. I personally like Helvetica and haven't wanted to change it.

[philbowell]

I'm still trying to figure out Safari. I can't seem to get it to show tabs consistently. Most of the time yes, but then sometimes it frustratingly doesn't.

What problems are you having here? Do you mean that when opening a link from something like GMail it opens in a new window. There is currently no official way to have Safari act as a one window browser so consequently some links force the browser to open a new window.

[houltmac]

Safari can show tabs all the time by choosing View from the menu bar and choosing Show Tab Bar. I don't know if this is what you mean, or if Phil was more along the right lines. Also, if you want to try and force a link to open in a new tab, not a new window, you can hold Command (Apple) while you click on it. If you want to force something to download you can hold Option (alt) while you click on it. Pretty useful to know.

[Chipell]

Originally Posted by philbowell

What problems are you having here? Do you mean that when opening a link from something like GMail it opens in a new window. There is currently no official way to have Safari act as a one window browser so consequently some links force the browser to open a new window.

Ahhhh, that explains it! Thank you!

[Ginamos]

There is an unofficial way of forcing Safari to use a single window (possibly you were hinting at this Phil), documented in this TUAW article, from a couple of weeks ago.

It looks fairly safe, it's just exploiting a hidden preference.

[Chipell]

Day 5

Downloaded, installed and am very impressed with the Firefox3 Beta 4. It is fast, agile, and is much more 'mac like' than Firefox 2.

Figures out the Dashboard, finally. Also figured out the dock!

Have been playing with some little programs that I downloaded. I like Adium for instant messaging, since I use MSN most of the time but don't want to install Messenger on my mac, and Adium does just fine.

Downloaded and am using 1Password. It is a nice little program and it actually imported all my passwords from my ancient ZDnet Password Pro!!

I finally think I am getting comfortable with Leopard, it's interface anyway. I know I have a lot to learn as far as tweaking, automating, etc.

I really need to check out Twitter, it seems I keep hearing more and more about it!

More to come......................

[philbowell]

Originally Posted by Ginamos

There is an unofficial way of forcing Safari to use a single window (possibly you were hinting at this Phil), documented in this TUAW article, from a couple of weeks ago.

It looks fairly safe, it's just exploiting a hidden preference.

Indeed I was, just wasn't sure whether to link it or not (that and I forgot where I read it!).

[Harlemite]

Good for you Chip! Welcome to the wonderful world of Apple computing. I have to tell you it only gets better.

I switched over a year ago, and I'm pretty sure my switching has influenced at least 6 people. You be sure to spread the word as well.

[Chipell]

Day 6

ARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!

My first trouble. I started VmWare Fusion. It said it had an update. I updated. It fried my virtual machine. No, I did not make a snapshot of it. BUT! I have been using Time Machine faithfully. It makes like a gazillion backups a day. NO PROBLEM?!!?

I go to the Apple website. Look up for instructions on restoring your entire machine. They seem rather straight-forward, until I get to the 'retart' part. It doesn't say anything about restarting! Whoa!

Ok, time to call Apple. I paid for that Applecare thingy, so I'm gonna' use it. I call, and wait, and wait. I finally get to talk to Shaheeshwagabi. He tells me NO NO NO do NOT restart! Just go to the time machine disk, copy all of the files over.

This does not work.

He puts me on hold for 10 minutes.

He says to to the Time Machine disk, copy the MAIN DRIVE and put that on the iMac main drive.

This does not work.

I refer him to the page I was reading about restoring the complete system using the OSX startup disk.

He puts me on hold for 10 minutes.

He comes back and tells me that yes, this is actually what I have to do. I ask him about the restart.

He puts me on hold for 10 minutes.

I push restart while waiting for him. Then I go to utilities, then I go to restore, and the systems asks me which restore I would like to use. I tell it, and it starts.

Saheeshwagabi comes back on the phone. I tell him thank you very much, I got it to work. He asks me if there is anything else he can do for me. I tell him 'no thank you very much.' He tells me to have a good day and I go on my way.

3 hours and 26 minutes later, the disk is restored. Only problem: The virtual machine will not restore with the Time Machine.

So after all that I am back where I started.

Now I have a dilemma. I only use VMware Fusion because I use Microsoft Money. I have used it since it came out for Pete's sake! And of course, the bright, intelligent guiding lights at Microsoft won't make a version of Money for the mac, those elitist baaaastaaaads, so my only choice is to go to Quicken.

But my billpay through MS is free for 2 years. Billpay through Quicken is $10 a month. Plus, from everything I've read, Quicken doesn't import Money data all that well, so therefore I'm looking at about 2 days of cleaning up a mess because of the elitist mentalitiy at Microsnottypeople, I mean, Microsoft.

AAAARRRRGH!!!!

BUT:
--Time Machine is a great program, and if you aren't running it, you should. I just have to figure out how to only do one backup a day though.

--BetterZip is a fantastic program, worth every penny, nickel and dime.

--I am soooooo tired of Microsoft.

-- I love my iMac!!!