[TriLUG] Macs ... I just don't get it

[Benjamin Reed]

Ben Pitzer [uncleben at mindspring.com] wrote:
> Actually, I disagree here completely.  I started off on Linux using
> Afterstep.  That's all I still use.  The Mac interface is similar in
> many respects.  I find that all the apps are easily reachable and easily
> managed.  Don't underestimate the baby bird syndrome here.  You probably
> started out on PCs.  KDE and Gnome emulate Windows PC operation and
> function.  Mac is a complete departure from that.  Its fluidity,
> heirarchy, and general feel make perfect sense after just a little time
> spent using them.  Honestly, they do.

Yeah, I noticed that too.  The first couple of days I kept trying to
figure out how to bend the UI to my will.  After that, I started getting
into the cadence of how you work on the mac, and while it is different than
how I use windows or linux PCs, it is just as productive, if not more.
Once I stopped fighting to make the UI unixy, it became one of my favorite
interfaces...

> > I'll never get used to the one mouse button thing either.
> 
> Easily fixed.  Apple has USB down pat.  Get a 3 button USB mouse, and
> viola'.  You're good to go.  A good USB keyboard too.  That's what I'd
> do.  The OS is great, but those little Mac keyboards and mice do bug me
> a bit.

Yeah, this is one of the biggest drawbacks, as far as using it on a laptop.
There are times you just don't want to carry an extra mouse, and in that
case the 1-button mouse can be a bit limiting... especially if you're
starting up XDarwin, and need to emulate 3 mice.  In OSX itself, it's
designed to work well with a single-button mouse, so it's no big deal (click
for left-mouse-button, click and hold, or option-click for right).

> You know, they might be an interesting speaker for a meeting one night. 
> Not the store sales guys, but maybe some sort of Apple spokesperson. 
> Somebody (from Apple) who would come in an talk about how OS X compares
> to Linux and BSD, and the OSes that we've all be using and loving for
> years.  Plus, maybe they'll sponsor a meeting and give us free schwag. 
> Any thoughts?

Sounds good to me...  Then I can get some face-time with someone I can beg
for one of those dual-G4's for doing my KDE-on-OSX builds.  =)

-- 
Benjamin Reed a.k.a. Ranger Rick (ranger at befunk.com) http://ranger.befunk.com/
Is it considered bad form to quote one's self in a .sig?  -- Me