I'm in love with my PowerBook again
 

After a reformat and clean reinstall of OS X, all my various strange issues have been resolved. The system works as expected, and I've reloaded most of the software I want and need without any problems. No idea what happened the first time around, but as I've learned in many years of IT work, a clean reinstall is what I should have done when strange issues started happening with no explanations.

Once again I can get back to work, and I'm greatly enjoying the things that OS X does so much better than windows. Mostly I simply characterize that as a more comfortable, usable user interface. I've used Windows since version 2, and have sat in front of a Windows-based computer for 8-12 hours a day or more sometimes. In three days I was more productive with Mac OS than I was with Windows. I think that says a lot.

The Finder in column view is a huge productivity-booster. As a network admin and consultant I spend a lot of time browsing files/drives/networks (all of them Windows-based). The Finder in column view is a powerful, flexible, and ultra-fast way to work with files. Plus it's attractive and pleasant to work with. I always hated the Windows Explorer, and used "My Computer" instead which looks somewhat like Finder in icon view. That's much less efficient however. I was surprised to find that the Finder is also a great replacement for the "Start" menu in Windows.

Expose is just...well, every OS should have this. Not only does it have "wow" factor, but it's as useful as it is impressive. And I'm just starting to use its more advanced features. For those of us who keep a dozen applications running at once, it's amazingly valuable.

Which brings me to the dock. Same applies here. In Windows I used to open my always-used apps in a certain order so they would go in the taskbar in that order. That kept me from having to hunt for them when I need them. Every now and then Windows would randomly move them anyway, and if I closed an app of course it would no longer be in order. The dock always keeps things where I expect to find them, another huge productivity booster when you click on something a few hundred times a day.

I'm still occasionally hampered by software which has no Mac counterpart, but I'm finding ways around that, including VPC and/or simply running things on the Terminal Server at the office. These are things that most people don't depend on like I do, so the average user probably would never notice.

I've tried really hard not to Windows-ize my Mac because it would be pointless to spend all that money and time just re-creating Windows. The few things I found it impossible to live without are a mouse with a scroll wheel, and a keyboard with extended functionality. I love the way the Apple mouse clicks by pushing the whole thing down. Now if they'd just add a scroll wheel...I could even live with the lack of a second button.

So for whatever it's worth, these are the things I see as big benefits to Mac OS X over Windows, for a power user.

Oh, an interesting aside... I live with a Mac hater (though she owns an iPod). She set out to show me she could make Windows look and feel like Mac OS X without the price tag and without the issue of finding Mac software. Her computer certainly looks a lot like mine now. However, when I tried to use it, I just found myself completely confused. It may LOOK like OS X, but it doesn't work like it. She's got a nifty Finder alternative that looks as good, but doesn't quite work as well. The point I think is that there's more to the UI than just being pretty (a point some Mac users make which I think is silly; that doesn't make you more productive). On the other hand she does have the higher resolution and extra features of her Wintel notebook, but overall even with the hardware limitations I'm more productive on the PowerBook. If the PB hardware catches up, it will certainly make that even more true.

I am glad that you are in looooooooooooove again ;)

Conditional Love
 

"It may LOOK like OS X, but it doesn't work like it."

To me, there is more to a computer than its OS--though important. The real test is to see if she can get "Movie Maker" look and act like iMovie, or the myriad of other iApps. AIM act like iChat (good luck!) etc.

There are still a few things that Windows does that is needed in OSX...

1) Ability to copy a file or folder and paste elsewhere.

2) A Restore capability to save a computer "state" before a key install

3) An up one heirchal level button

4) Ability to theme the interface (color changes and tiff replacement only)

I know others may disagree with the above. They are just my opinion. And yes, I can probably hack or app the above, but I think it should be integral to the OS.

Not sure what you mean since I do this all the time in Finder. Maybe you meant "cut" instead of "copy" (to move a file instead of copying it)?

This exists as an option for the Finder toolbar. But it isn't just an "up one" button - it is a control that shows you the hierarchy and allows you to go up one or two or whatever.

I haven't tried any of those except iTunes and iPhoto. Tunes is nice, iPhoto so far has proven completely useless to me, but I will give it a second try to see if it's just user error. Neither of us use AIM, so iChat had to be replaced. Unfortunately she's got me beat there...Trillian is by far the best IM client on the planet, and not available for Mac OS. Fire is good, but not great. The others I've tried range from horrible to not good.

But...she runs iTunes too, since she got the iPod. And likes it.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding this, but I do it all the time, or what I think you're asking for. You right-click a file, select copy, then paste wherever. Or CTRL-click or hold-click if you don't have a multi-button mouse. Or option-click-drag the file.

Agreed on #2. It's been a real slow-down to have to make a full image of my system between loading apps, just in case one of them caused my original problems. On the other hand, the Windows restore is far less than 100% reliable.

I haven't run into the need for #3, could be because I only use the column view. Doesn't the back button cover this? Also you can add a hierchy/path button to your finder toolbar by going to view/customize toolbar and dragging it onto the bar.

Just select file, command-c, then go to the place you want it, then command-v. Too easy.

In the title bar of any folder in any view, just command-click on the actual title of the folder, and down will drop a little hierachial list!! again, too easy!

Wow i never knew that......this is amazingly useful!

This works in most places where the window title pertains to the document title - try it in Photoshop or BBEdit or whatever it is you crazy kids use these days ;)

Once they make this heirarchical too (please, please!) this will be the only killer app OS X needs :D

Absolutely (everyone)-- my bad. I did mean to "cut" and paste.

Yes, and it is handy (as with the command-click). I use the "up" button all the time on Windows. Then when I work on OSX, the lack of it slows me up a bit. It just seems to me that this button would be so easy to create and up to the user whether or not to put it into the menu bar.

I find it pretty useless myself. I use it for ordering prints or books or the occasional slideshow. For my cataloging, I use iView and am quite pleased.

I like the ability, not instability. I think Apple should create a Restore feature, but actually make it reliable. Basically, I would like to be able to mark a date, then have it annotate what new files have been installed with the ability to undo it. Who knows, maybe Spotlight will have this feature built into its metadata (ie "date installed") so I can search and destroyed a bad application install or an unstable upgrade.

For the way I work, I find it faster when I am not in column view. The back button is more a "history" button and not "up one" heirarchal button.

My PB is now doing what I bought it for... I can sleep it as I move about, connect/disconnect my (many) various devices, and it just keeps working. The Logitech Windows drivers were always flaky if you unplugged and re-plugged devices frequently. This is an annoying issue when you carry your notebook off to meetings, or take it between home/office and try to plug it into your desktop stuff again. USB is generally cleaner in OS X when you do a lot with it. Windows USB works great as long as you follow some rules (have your home and office devices on the same ports, plug things in carefully, etc); there are no rules to follow in OS X, as far as I can see.

OS X sleep/wake happens quicker than it does in Windows, which is nice, again, if you move it around a lot.

Am I the only one who really loves a simple thing like a lighted KB? I can't touch-type numbers and most of the non-character keys; I need help finding those in a dark environment.

Same with auto screen brightness. Doing repetitive things like adjusting lighting is one of my peeves. Having the machine auto adjust the screen and KB lighting is great, and surprisingly, it gets it right nearly every time.

I have to admit, I did the "oooooh" when I saw the lighted keyboard. I then looked in distain at all those little USB lights for PC laptops. It is a very, very cool feature-- and badly needed.

You just reminded me that I still have the USB light in my carrying case...no longer needed.

Love is so fleeting... This morning when I unplugged my external monitor, the PowerBook locked up hard. This time with the LCD still on, but no mouse movement and no response to the keyboard or power button. Plugged the external monitor back in, and then the LCD went black, with nothing on the external either. Only option was to hold the power button until it shut off.

And I've added nothing since it was last working well. Now I can't reproduce the problem. As I found before, it's related to how long the system is up. Guess I gotta reboot daily.

You shouldn't have to do this, but try putting the machine to sleep (e.g. by closing the lid) before disconnecting the external monitor.

ooo! I just discoverd something that does this! Command-up arrow, I found this out when I accidentally clicked on the Go menu in the Finder (I don't usually use that menu) and Lo and Behold, there is a go to enclosing folder item there, complete with the shortcut! You need to have a folder window selected to see this.

Hayne, good point, I'll give that a shot. I've been trying to disconnect things more slowly rather than all right after one another (USB, FW, monitor). So far no issue after a bunch of disconnects and sleeps.

Some of these thing are there already
 

1) Ability to copy a file or folder and paste elsewhere.

*) This does work in OSX, just try it out (either command C then command V, or you can use the File>Copy method

2) A Restore capability to save a computer "state" before a key install

*) Yeah, this would be cool, but even in Win it doesn't work properly all the time, also, it chews up drive space, which may or may not be a concern to you.

3) An up one heirchal level button
*) Again, this works, try command and one of the arrow keys

4) Ability to theme the interface (color changes and tiff replacement only)
*) It can be done, but involves peering into systemresources, and playing about with a Graphics Application, is dangerous to your sanity, and can seriously damage your lungs, erm sorry, you mac. Also, they may be Third party apps around to do this, I haven't looked for them though


Hope this helps someone

Yeah, I meant "cut".

I was thinking of a "file location database" rather than a file for file backup. Think it can be done this way?

Hoping for a button. Seems like it should be available to use or not to use.

This is why I think Apple should do it. Make it part of the OS. There are many reasons for this--not to mention bragging rights of Mac users (Windows can, we can't right now). Could they not just have grayscale TIFFs with the ability to color them? Don't know, right now I feel very limited, even with third party solutions. No biggie--still love me Mac.

And I thought it was hierarchical... :D
But, hey, heirchal, herachial and heirarchical (please, please) are cool. :)

What applications?
 

Might I ask what applications you have not found a Mac version for yet? We might know of some that you have not found yet. ;)

The only place (I am a switcher, and recently switched my environemnt at work to Mac as well) that I have had problems is with Mapping/GPS software. There are a few Mac apps and they are sorely lacking in quality or features. And Garmin just refuses to support the Mac... But they make like 90% of all the GPS devices out there.... :(

But I have been able to find a solution for everything there is on Windows on Mac - so far... And many things that I have found on the Mac I love and they don't exist in the same fashion in Windows. I have also found the OpenSource community to kick ass on the Mac....

Adium rocks.
 

Have you tried Adium?

Yes, it was horrible. At least Fire is pretty good, not as good as Trillian, but good. Once I got it configured right it speaks the messages to me like Trillian, and really other than missing emoticons it works nicely for me.

PaperPort document management software and the Strobe Pro sheet-fed scanners. I did a lot of research on that, there's nothing like it. So I run it in VPC. Stamps.com also has no Mac version, and I found no other postage/shipping software for the Mac. Run it in VPC. Same with MS Streets & Trips; there's Route 66 for the Mac, but it's clumsy and slow.

I actually dislike Fire, and prefer Adium. (To each their own). Adium is being more actively developed than Fire. And Not only can I configure it just about any way that I can conceive. And there are a billion "extras" for sounds, themes, contacts, etc.... How long ago did you try Adium?

I used to use Delorme Street Atlas on the PC. True, Route66 sucks by comparison (or just in general, slow buggy software with few features). The GPS/Mapping arena is lousy so far on the Mac. Although there are some interesting smaller applications like MacGPSPro and GPSNavX.

I have no answer about the PaperPort and Scanner issues. Maybe someone else has some tips. Omni makes an OCR solution, and VueScan is a great scanner driver app...

I'm also curious about your reasons for disliking Adium. Have you tried the latest version?

Probably about a month ago. I can't remember the specific things I disliked about it. I recall trying 4-5 IM clients and absolutely hating all of them except Fire, and that still pales in comparison to Trillian. But like you said, personal preference. Certainly Adium *functioned* correctly.

PaperPort has no answer really. There is a barely-Cocoa version of it that's really ugly and counter-intuitive. It doesn't work with the Strobe scanners, just two specific HP flatbeds (in the $800 range). There's one document management package I found from a company in the UK, but it's horribly ugly and also not intuitive, plus very expensive to boot.

What PaperPort and the Strobe scanners do is very specific and very timesaving. You stick the paper in the sheet-fed scanner (a tiny thing that sits atop the monitor), it scans instantly, automatically launches the filer software, and puts it in there in PDF format. You can put it in a "file folder" or just leave it wherever, as the system will OCR it and index every word in the document. Because of this I have not had a single paper file in my home or office for over five years. And I haven't lost any important paperwork.