Comments on David Alison's Blog: Little adjustments - from Windows to Mac

I can't remember where I picked this up, but here ...

2008-04-10T05:27:00.000-04:00

I can't remember where I picked this up, but here is a trick for super-sizing your Safari windows. Using a bit of scripting (javascript:self.moveTo(0,0);self.resizeTo(screen.availWidth,screen.availHeight);) you can force Safari to expand to its fullest. I Googled this and came up with the web page: http://www.jydesign.com/safari/ It has several little tidsbits to enjoy.

Oh... have you ever looked at Kensington products ? I have been using their "Orbit" trackball 'forever'. Since you like 5 mutton mice, you looked at their PilotMouse (http://us.kensington.com/html/4006.html)

Scott

@Viswakarma: Perhaps, though I think it's really j...

2008-04-09T16:30:00.000-04:00

@Viswakarma: Perhaps, though I think it's really just a choice made by each company a very long time ago. User behavior at that level starts to become pretty subjective. The thing that I have found that makes a UI useable is consistency.

At a minimum you need to be able to do the same actions on different objects and get results that you expect to have happen. That creates confidence in the user, and both Mac and Windows are pretty consistent at that level.

Where people have trouble and assume the UI is "hard" is where they are used to it performing one way in one environment and then getting a different response when they switch environments.

I'll be the first to agree that it can be frustrating though. My brother has a right hand drive car he imported from Japan that I love to drive, though I can't make a turn in the thing without activating the windshield wipers because they are on the "wrong" side, where the turn indicator should be.

The metaphors used by Mac and Windows are differen...

2008-04-09T15:14:00.000-04:00

The metaphors used by Mac and Windows are different. Macintosh user-centric (i.e. document), while Windows is developer-centric (i.e. applications).

I use Windows for work and Macs for home use. Windows always irritates me by shutting down the application when I close the last document associated with it, and want start a new document associated with the same application. Further, in Windows the documents open as windows inside the application window and one has to look for the correct "X" button to close the document. The user interface in Windows is very confusing and requires more mental work to perform the correct action.

sgt-phail: I just started to "get" that yesterday....

2008-03-18T08:35:00.000-04:00

sgt-phail: I just started to "get" that yesterday. Someone else told me about holding down the option key while I was selecting a file and I would get slightly different options. Who would have thought that the Options key would give different options? :-)

Thanks for the tip!

Just a little thing-- I have the control and comma...

2008-03-18T04:44:00.000-04:00

Just a little thing-- I have the control and command keys mapped to each other on my MBP (and capslock deactivated), it's ridiculously easy to do and results in a major reduction of pinky gymnastics. hardly a losing battle.

The thing about Macs is that windows AREN"T meant ...

2008-03-15T10:09:00.000-04:00

The thing about Macs is that windows AREN"T meant to be used in full screen. In fact, I spend 90% of my time in my web browser, and it doesn't take up my entire screen, instead on the left side of the screen is my list of MSN contacts (I use MSN messenger instead of AIM), but you could basically place any window you want there to keep yourself updated. It's the best way to make use of the Mac's widescreen, though on a Macbook you'd be hard pressed for real estate.

Oh and if you DO find a replacement for Microsoft Visual Studio, PLEASE post it immediately, I need such a program too :P Though I would suggest trying XCode, it's the Mac's development platform.

Chris' response is right on. I actually hate how m...

2008-03-14T20:17:00.000-04:00

Chris' response is right on. I actually hate how maximizing in Windows makes something take up the whole screen. The whole point of a screen is to look at multiple things at the same time. I expect a window to resize to the content and let me utilize my desktop fully.

But I understand the reason in Windows. In Windows, a window is an application and vice versa. There really isn't the idea of an application that has multiple "regular" windows as part of it. Even apps like Photoshop originally had one big Application=Window and your individual files were all interior child windows. Maximizing is really maximizing an application. And for some reason you tend to need the whole monitor to use applications. They just seem to be designed that way.

I think you'll find yourself more productive after you get used to having windows that are only the size they need to be, instead of huge. (Billg uses an entire 20" monitor just for Outlook. How wasteful is that!?)

Originally—and it's been changing slowly, probably...

2008-03-14T17:00:00.000-04:00

Originally—and it's been changing slowly, probably because of the influx of a lot of new Windows to Mac converts—pretty much all Mac applications worked like Safari. They would make their window only as big as the content inside of it.

This is because of the basic philosophy that drove the original Mac: The concept of the desktop.

Each window/document is an analogue to a paper on a desk. That's why all windows from all applications are always visible and can be shuffled around each other.

Windows took a different approach and became Application based; meaning, of course, that each Application has a main window and document windows are open inside the main window and windows from other applications never meet them.

Actually, dragging an image from Firefox in Window...

2008-03-14T16:43:00.000-04:00

Actually, dragging an image from Firefox in Windows XP to the desktop works just fine. :)

And you're not supposed to maximize an application. You're supposed to multi-task. ;)

Btw, I'm typing this on my MBP, as I'm a convert on my second year now, and have, during that time, managed to convert two of my colleagues, my mother and my girlfriend. :)

Quick tip for closing a lot of apps, hit Command t...

2008-03-14T15:22:00.000-04:00

Quick tip for closing a lot of apps, hit Command tab, then hold command while hitting Q when the switcher is over the app you want to quit. When I head home for the day from work, I have a few apps I don't want to leave running. Keystroke sequence usually is Command-Tab-Tab-Q-Tab-Tab-Tab-Q-Tab-Q until I've closed all the apps I want.

Also, don't worry so much about memory with 4gb in your Mac. It takes a bit to get used to, but you might as well just leave apps open if you plan on using them again sometime soon. I use a program called Spirited Away (http://drikin.com/spiritedaway/) to auto hide apps I haven't used recently (normally Command-H). Works great at work to keep me focused on what task I'm doing, and not need to manually hide or minimize other apps I'm not currently using.

Back in the days of the classic Mac OS, you used t...

2008-03-14T15:11:00.000-04:00

Back in the days of the classic Mac OS, you used to be able to resize the window from every side. That somehow went the way of the dinosaur with OS X, unfortunately.

Typically hitting the "plus" button will not "maxi...

2008-02-28T20:22:00.000-05:00

Typically hitting the "plus" button will not "maximize" the window, but resize it to how it should be. So in Safari, its maximizing vertically because the webpage is longer than your monitors height, and it's resizing itself horizontally to fit the width of the webpage.

Thats what i've gathered from my personal experience.

I agree that you should be able to resize from all sides, but theres nothing we can do about it.

Brad- thats a great idea, but personally i would accidentally hit it too much :)

I use a logitech MX revolution with my Imac. Usin...

2008-02-28T19:17:00.000-05:00

I use a logitech MX revolution with my Imac. Using steer-mouse, I mapped one of the thumb buttons to Command Q.

Now I just click the button with my thumb whenever I want to shutdown an app.