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What Mac and Windows PCs Have in Common
For all their differences, Mac and Windows are more alike than you may initially grasp. If you’re switching from a Windows-based computer to a Mac, you’ll be happy to know that the following items remain [more…]
How to Move Your Windows Files and Preferences to a Mac
You’re ready to move from your Windows PC to a Mac, but you’ve invested time and energy over the years getting your Windows files and preferences just as you like them. Within certain limits, you can replicate [more…]
Running OS X and Windows XP on One Machine
If you own one of the newer Intel-based Macs, you can run OS X and Windows XP on one machine, thanks to Apple’s Boot Camp. Although Boot Camp itself is free, you have to supply your own single-disc, full-install [more…]
How to Run Both OS X and Windows on Your Mac
Thanks to Apple software called Boot Camp, you can run both Windows (XP or Vista) and OS X on one Mac machine. Here’s how to install Boot Camp, which came with Leopard, so you can use both Windows and [more…]
How to Avoid Rebooting Every Time You Switch between Leopard and Windows
Apple Boot Camp let's you run both Leopard and Windows on your Mac, but Boot Camp’s biggest drawback is its requirement that you reboot your computer every time you want to switch between Leopard and Windows [more…]
Comparing Mac and Windows Keyboards
Apple’s keyboard layouts look very much like standard Windows keyboards. The biggest difference is in the two keys on either side of the spacebar. On a PC, the keys closest to the spacebar are labeled [more…]
How to Overcome Objections to Buying a Mac
The question of which is a better personal computer, a Macintosh or a Windows PC, provokes a good debate. If you’re thinking about purchasing a Mac or you’re considering moving from a Windows PC, you may [more…]
Why Mac Users Feel a Mac Is Better than a Windows PC
Standard business school theory says that a company that sells the most product can’t be stopped because it just gets better and better at what it does, to the point where no one can catch up. But Apple [more…]
Comparing Your Existing PC with the Mac You Want
Before deciding which Mac to buy, you need to figure out what is on your existing computer. You’ll want your new Mac to have at least the capabilities of your present computer, plus lots of room to grow [more…]
Which Ports Work on Both Macs and PCs
When you’re deciding what Mac model to buy (and what you can afford), you need to figure out which of the ports that you already own will work with your selected model. The good news is that Apple keeps [more…]
Which PC Ports Require an Adapter for Macs
If you have a PC device with a connection type that a Mac does not support directly, you might still be able to connect your device using an adapter. By adding the adapters you need to your list of items [more…]
How to Use Your PC Technology with a Mac
Just because you’re switching from a PC to a Mac doesn’t mean you have to buy all new technology gadgets. Digital cameras, camcorders, cell phones and PDAs, and portable music players are well supported [more…]
How to Use Your Old PC Display with a Mac
If you’re buying a mini or Mac Pro, using the PC display you already have can save you some money. High-end displays often cost more than a computer. Even if you’re buying a Mac with a built-in display [more…]
Using Your Old PC's Keyboard and Mouse with a Mac
If you’re switching to a Mac from a PC, you don’t have to discard all your old PC equipment and buy new. In fact, you may even be able to connect your PC’s keyboard and mouse to your new Mac. When deciding [more…]
Comparing Common Windows Terms with Mac Terms
Computers seem to run on jargon. Many of the buzzwords and common terms used to work with Macs are exactly the same as those used for Windows: files, users, log on, log out, open, close, shut down, help [more…]
Comparing Windows and Mac Desktops and Menus
The basic idea of the Mac desktop is the same as the Windows desktop. Most of the Mac screen is filled with a pattern or image that’s like a tablecloth on which you see various icons that represent files [more…]
Choosing between the Mac Basic Mouse and Mighty Mouse
One of the great divides between Apple and Microsoft was over whether computer mice should have one or two buttons. Apple touted the simplicity of having a single button, but eventually introduced its [more…]
How to Use Mac Aliases
Shortcuts, in Windows, are icons that point to some other file, program, or disk drive. Macs have a similar feature called an alias. You can create an alias by clicking the name or icon of the file, program [more…]
Accessing Special Characters and Foreign Languages on Mac Keyboards
Macs let you input text in a wide variety of languages. On the menu bar at the top right, you should see a little national flag, corresponding to the keyboard's language [more…]
Understanding the Mac's Menu Options
The menu bar in OS X is at the top of the screen, not in each window. The leftmost menu on a Mac is always the Apple menu. The Apple menu always offers the same set of choices, regardless of which applications [more…]
How to Decipher Mac Filenames
Filenames in Mac OS X can be up to 255 characters long, and you can use any characters you like except the colon (:). Windows doesn’t allow any of the following special characters in filenames: [more…]
How to Create a Local Network to Connect Two Macs
All recent Macs have an Ethernet port, as do many PCs and many printers and other devices, including the Apple TV. All you need to connect two such computers is an Ethernet cable, which is inexpensive. [more…]
How to Use the Mac Finder Window
When you first start Mac, you find yourself in a special program that Apple calls the Finder. The Finder is somewhat like Windows Explorer, but it’s an even more basic tool. You'll find that you use the [more…]
How to Move Files by Networking a PC to a Mac
Even if you plan to keep using your PC after you purchase your Mac, you’ll want to move your files to the Mac just to have another backup. If your PC has an Ethernet port or WiFi wireless connection, you [more…]
Moving Files from a PC to a Mac Using an External Hard Drive
In most cases, you’ll want to use an external hard drive to transfer files from a PC to a Mac. Fortunately, using an external hard drive to move files is easy. Just plug the external drive’s USB cable [more…]
