Mac users?

[Frederik]

Yeah, I was pretty stumped when seing PROPER drag-and-drop for the first time, too.

One thing I´ll never understand is why you drag the CD icon into the trashcan for ejecting the disc, though. A new user might think that this will erase all the data on it. Yeah, eject button and all that, but still, it´s a bit weird

One feature I couldn´t live without, though, is Exposé. It makes managing several things at a time much easier.

[subcons]

I think some of the hatred from PC people of Macs is their lack of understanding how the OS works. It's things like you guys are talking about that operate so differently from Windows that make people feel stupid when they sit in front of one and try to use it. But once you get used to it, it's just better. I went to the Apple store to look around recently and saw that they have a new program where when you buy a Mac you get free, private lessons included with the price where you can come into the store and learn how to use them. That's just genius on Apple's part IMO.

I don't think that I'm better for owning a Mac than someone that owns a PC. A part of me actually wishes I didn't know the difference because I have to spend a bit more on my computers when I go to buy one. But that's how strongly I feel about the difference in the user experience between the two that I'm willing to drop the money on one. It's like going from dial-up internet to broadband and then back to dial-up again. It's all about what you're used to. Sometimes friends or family ask me about advice on buying computers and if they're just casual users and aren't used to Macs, I tell them to just buy a PC. They're cheaper, they already know how to use them, and they work just fine.

[moozooh]

I don't hate OSX, I just really don't like some of the interface choices which were for the most part done to differentiate from then-prevalent operating systems (like Windows), and resulted in rationally dubious design choices like the whole single-button mouse thing. Obviously one can get used to it, but hey, you can get used to anything. Doesn't make one thing more ergonomic than the other, still.

[KindGrind]

The mouse may be single button, but it works exactly like other ones. The add of a right click was necessary.

I understand what you say, though. It seems to me some changes were only for the sake of change. Best example of this is the X and - to in OSX to reduce or close windows. Did it really have to be on the left side instead of the right? This seems minor, but you realize how many times you have to do that particular action when you reach up to the right for nothing 50 times a day. Sure you get used to it, but it doesn't add anything, and turns off many users.

[MR_Soren]

dubious design choices like the whole single-button mouse thing

Actually, it's brilliant because it forces developers to make interfaces that can be operated with a single mouse button. The worst thing about some Windows software is that some functions are only available when the user right-clicks in the correct place. Right-click (mouse wheel, and any other additional buttons) should enable shortcuts to frequently performed actions, but should not be required to perform any action.

You might think that sounds stupid, but a lot of (older) people have trouble with this when learning to use a computer.

Strongly encouraging all software to be operable with one mouse button also ensures that software will be compliant with touch-based interfaces which will become increasingly common in the near future.

It's not like anything is lost because you can still plug a two-button mouse into a mac and have it work as expected with contextual menus and all that.

It seems to me some changes were only for the sake of change. Best example of this is the X and - to in OSX to reduce or close windows. Did it really have to be on the left side instead of the right?

The original 1984 Mac OS always had the window close icon on the left, so one could argue that Microsoft actually reversed the positioning when they created Windows.

Regardless, I use Command+W to close my windows.

[subcons]

The whole single button mouse thing actually helped me. It kind of forced me to be a power user so I could do things more efficiently. Now, even though I'm using a Mac in conjunction with a mouse that has two buttons, I just keep my left hand in the option-control-command area pretty much all the time. I still use the right click on the mouse, but I use shortcuts via the keyboard far more.

[Ganelon]

I don't hate OSX, I just really don't like some of the interface choices which were for the most part done to differentiate from then-prevalent operating systems (like Windows), and resulted in rationally dubious design choices like the whole single-button mouse thing. Obviously one can get used to it, but hey, you can get used to anything. Doesn't make one thing more ergonomic than the other, still.

Uh, choices to differentiate from Windows? If anything, Windows made choices to differentiate itself from the Mac OSs. The single-button mouse combined with Ctrl is certainly an anachronism, but Apple has conceded the point and has been offering 2-button Mighty Mouse for a couple of years now (and has been letting people use any 2-button mouse for ages) so that's not really an issue, esp. when the Ctrl-click menus offer much of the same options as Windows.

The original 1984 Mac OS always had the window close icon on the left, so one could argue that Microsoft actually reversed the positioning when they created Windows.

Well, Microsoft didn't reverse the close button position until Windows 95 as part of its efforts to keep itself from being a Mac OS derivative. But I guess KindGrind was focusing on the minimize button, which was shifted to the left in OSX for pointless window viewing maximization.

[Stormwatch]

One thing I´ll never understand is why you drag the CD icon into the trashcan for ejecting the disc, though.

That's a leftover from the original Mac's limitations. Full explanation here.

[t0yrobo]

One feature I couldn´t live without, though, is Exposé. It makes managing several things at a time much easier.

If you ever get a chance check out compiz fusion on a linux system. It has a feature that's a straight copy of expose, plus a whole bunch of others that blow the entire expose/spaces thing entirely out of the water.