|
The Top Ten Reasons I Like My Macintosh I had a very trying day at work today. We all have them, but mine was totally related to trying to accomplish a fairly simple task using a PC and Microsoft Word. Nine hours later, only 3/4 of the way complete I walked into my house as my phone was ringing. It was the editor of Webintosh asking if I would please write a column about using a Mac. After laughing hysterically I assured him that it would be my pleasure. So - here are 10 reasons that I really LOVE using a Mac. Number ten: I have print options including the one that lets me reduce the size of the page with just a click of the mouse. Sometimes reducing the document from 100% to 80% allows everything to fit on one page and it does not compromise the contents or looks of the document. I took this option for granted also until I realized that I could not do it on the PC. Number nine: Even a novice can hook up a Mac. There are picture guides for all the cables and wires and all it takes is common sense. The novice computer user can gain confidence and skills using a Mac because they are designed to support the user. Number eight: I don’t even have to THINK about this whole Year 2000 thing that has everyone in such an uproar. Nothing on my system will be outdated and nothing will cease to work. The Mac was designed in such a way that it will recognize the year change and just keep going. Number seven: The “find” option is wonderful. It is simple, easy to access, and it works. I don’t have to identify an exact title or any other identifying information. I can type in one word or part of a word and within seconds I will get a list of anything that includes that word in the title, plus information where it can be found. Then I can open it from that same source. Number six: Everything is so easy to do. Windows “adopted” many of the features that have been available on the Mac for years. Even with that “adoption” I find that it takes three steps to accomplish anything on the PC that I can do in one step on the Mac. Even turning on the Machine is easier. Creating documents, saving documents, moving documents, and discarding documents are all easier. And this is not dependent on certain kinds of software. I have used a number of different kinds of software for the Mac and they all have the same similar features because, I guess, the Mac supports those features. In Microsoft Word it takes three steps just to rename a file. Number five: The folder system is so user friendly. I like it that I can create folders with numerous icon choices. They draw the eye and I find what I am looking for much faster. On my PC I can not even color the folders different colors so everything looks the same and I have to read the titles of each folder to find what I want. I also like the fact that I can view folder contents either as icons or as a list. If I view the contents as a list I have the further option of clicking on an arrow and instantly viewing the contents of that particular folder. Number four: I appreciate the fact that I can print a document without actually opening it. I took that feature for granted until I discovered that I can’t do that on the PC. Number three: I Love the Windowshade feature. If you don’t have this feature I recommend that you get it. It is free. Windowshade allows you to “roll up” any document that you have open. It gets it temporarily out of the way but does not close it. This is particularly helpful if you are doing cut and paste activities. I do a lot of that creating job descriptions so I know how much time it saves. It also allows you to instantly remove something from your active screen if you are working on something that you do not want anyone else to see. Number two: The Apple Menu list on the far left side of my desk top makes it easy for me, a non technical user, to find anything I need to find. For example, I wanted to add a vocalization from Captain Picard of the Enterprise to the opening sequence of my computer. A friend gave it to me on a disk and I copied it to my desk top, opened the Apple Menu, found the system folder and simply dragged the message into the start-up folder. The next time I turned on my Machine Captain Picard greeted me. The important thing here is that it was easy to do. I asked someone how to do it and then I did it. The Apple Menu also allows me quick access to recent documents. This is a big time saver. Number one: It smiles at me when I turn it on. Now, that probably sounds silly on first read, but what that little happy face means to me is that we are on the same side. I am not going to have to fight my Mac to do what I need to do. I am not going to have to search for hidden ways to accomplish tasks, and I am not going to have to compromise on what I want the finished product to represent. It will not matter if I want to do charts and graphs, greeting cards, resumes, or business letters. Since my office imposed PC’s on us several months ago, I find that I bring at least 2 tasks a week home because of the capabilities of my Mac. And, in case you think I have something superduper in the way of a Machine, let me assure you that I do not. My Mac is a Performa 560 which I got second hand. I can create an organizational chart from scratch for 55 employees in less than 2 hours and that time includes making it “spiffy” looking. Even with some special software at work I can not accomplish this on the PC. It just does not lend itself to those kinds of tasks. And yet, I have to keep an organizational chart and a floor plan current at all times. I hope you find this information helpful and that some of my favorite options are yours as well. I would like to include some of yours in a future column. Particularly if you are a new or inexperienced user. Your successes can help someone else. And thanks to those readers who have taken the time to drop me a line. I enjoy hearing from you and appreciate your comments. [e-mail Nancy your vote for your favorite reason from her list for using the Mac. Responses will be reported in an upcoming column.] |