A new switcher seeks help!!!

Question

Hi,
I have just switched to Mac OS X from Windows! I have used Windows since my childhood but I can honestly switching to Mac is the best thing I have done. I have already feel in love with my Mac and I am enjoying learning about the new system!
Obviously I am starting pretty much from scratch as all my knowledge is Windows based but I am determined to learn all I can about Mac's and OS X!
I would be really grateful if you experienced Mac users could point me in the direction of good learning material for switchers, so I can learn about my Mac a lot faster and all the functions of OS X!
Thank you for all your patiance and help!

Answer 1

I'd stop by and show you but I'm only going to be in London for 2 hours via an international route to Manchester in a few weeks.
So here is something you can print out and help yourself get to know you Mac with.
First of all a quickie about the Doc. This is a combination application launcher that you can drag files (applications, web page shortcuts, etc.) onto and off of to customise to your hearts content. When applications run it also puts a small black triangle under the application to show you that it is already running. No triangle, not running =) simple. You can right-click on icons to bring up context menus like in Windows and I'm sure you are good to go from there.
Keyboard Shortcuts Cross-Reference
o Copy an item
Mac = <Option> + drag icon to new location (try holding the dragged icon over a folder or disk icon without releasing the mouse button to see something that makes you appreciate Mac finder a lot!)
Windows = <Control> + drag icon
o Clipboard - copy to
Mac = <Command> + <C>
Windows = <Control> + <C>
o Clipboard - cut to
Mac = <Command> + <X>
Windows = <Control> + <X>
o Clipboard - paste to
Mac = <Command> + <V>
Windows = <Control> + <V>
o Clipboard - screen capture to
Mac = <Command> + <Control> + <Shift> + <3>
Windows = <Print Screen>
* actually Mac has more options including using the number 4 instead, etc. but you'll just have to play with them and understand how different needs are addressed by the different numbers wink
o Create an alias or shortcut
Mac = <Command> + <L>
Windows = Right mouse click and select Create Shortcut
o Delete one space backwards
Mac = <Delete>
Windows = <Backspace>
o Delete one space forwards
Mac = <Del>
Windows = <Delete>
o Display contextual menus
Mac = <Control> + mouse click with one-button mouse
Mac = Right mouse click with two-or-more button mouse
Windows = Right mouse click
o Exit a dialog box without changes
Mac = <Escape>
Windows = <Escape>
o Force quit a frozen application
Mac = <Command> + <Option> + <Escape>
Windows = <Contol> + <Alt> + <Delete>
o Get item info or properties
Mac = <Command> +
Windows = <Alt> + <Enter>
o Move an item
Mac = Drag icon
Windows = <Shift> + drag icon
o Quit/Close a program
Mac = <Command> + <Q>
Windows = <Alt> + <F4>
o Select more than one item
Mac = <Shift> + click on each item
Windows = <Control> + click on each item
o Select all items
Mac = <Command> +
Windows = <Control> +
o Send items to Trash/Recycle Bin
Mac = <Command> + <Delete>
Windows = <Delete>
o Toggle through open applications
Mac = <Command> + <Tab>
Windows = <Alt> + <Tab>
o Installing program
It is almost too easy for anyone coming from their windows experience! Usually the application is in a .dmg format or a .sit, dmg files are disk images/compressed iso files, while sit files are like mac zip files. Basically you just run the dmg or sit file and it will mount the application like a drive/usb key does on Windows.
Just open the application and you should either get a Install Here type icon or the application itself.
1. If you get the application itself (most frequently encountered method of modern OS X applications), just drag it into your Applications folder and voila; its installed! See, almost too easy eh?
2. If you have an installer (old applications and a small few of the modern applications) then simply run the installer and off you go.
o Removing programs (simplified explanation)
Again, too easy! just move them to your Trash Bin. Those that used installers might also have an uninstaller you can run in the folder for that application.
o Moving programs
This is where you discover how much you love your Mac and that Windows and its centralised Registry and ".DLL ****" was a seriously bad move.
Just drag any modern Mac application from your computer to another drive or your New Shiny Mac you just upgraded to. A large percentage of them will run just fine.
On Windows, impossible, it will break left and right, you have hours of copying files by hand, editing and reading registry databases and then still missing a file or two and it usually never works. You are best to sit back and re-run the installation program on Windows, twiddling your thumbs while you wait for it to finish, uncompress, copy, manipulate registry databases, and just make you feel rather unproductive =P
Cheers,
Jan