How do you navigate around on a mac?

2009-01-03 23:13:31

#1

TheDonkey: Eat my bearrrrrrrrrrr, Tonighttt; +163|5982|Vancouver, BC, Canada

For those Mac owners out there, what's considered the standard way of navigating around windows?

I find it hard to believe that seasoned owners somehow manage to stay productive while minimizing/moving windows around all the time.

Personally, I always set Hot Corners, Top left > All windows, Bottom left > Desktop, Top Right > Dashboard(Currently disabled to save ram)..

P.S. I request a ban/AWM for anybody that mentions anything related to the Mac Vs PC war.

Last edited by TheDonkey (2009-01-03 23:14:24)

2009-01-03 23:33:18

#2

TopHat01: Limitless; +117|6170|CA

Wouldn't it be double-clicking the HDD icon, and using that? AFAIK, it's the equivalent to using Windows Explorer.

I'm pretty sure either Command + Click or Control + Click is right click, usually good to know if you're used to PCs.

Check out my YouTube channel

2009-01-03 23:52:46

#3

TheDonkey: Eat my bearrrrrrrrrrr, Tonighttt; +163|5982|Vancouver, BC, Canada

TopHat01 wrote:
Wouldn't it be double-clicking the HDD icon, and using that? AFAIK, it's the equivalent to using Windows Explorer.

I'm pretty sure either Command + Click or Control + Click is right click, usually good to know if you're used to PCs.

No, I meant more along the lines of if you have like 5 windows open from various programs(Couple firefox pages, word, iPhoto, etc) How do you navigate between the various windows?

2009-01-04 03:01:20

#4

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6832|NYC / Hamburg

can't you do the equivalent of alt-tab? I think it's command tab.

Where are our macfags when you need 'em?

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2009-01-04 03:10:55

#5

Little BaBy JESUS: m8; +394|6414|'straya

max wrote:
can't you do the equivalent of alt-tab? I think it's command tab.

Where are our macfags when you need 'em?

They were driven out of this forum a long time ago.

2009-01-04 03:19:18

#6

Benzin: Member; +576|6263

Like so many native peoples in far away lands, the Mac owners have had their opinions slandered, their rights taken away and their morals spit on by the Windows crowd. Meanwhile, the Linux crowd, like the Swiss, just sit back and eventually wait for the two mortal enemies to destroy each other so that Linux can move in and take over when both are weak and beaten.

2009-01-04 03:29:40

#7

cospengle: Member; +140|6752|Armidale, NSW, Australia

It's a good question. I've never owned a Mac, but had to use one at my old job a few times. It's painful not having a taskbar at the bottom (the newer versions of MacOS might have something similar, but the one I used was pretty old). I used the HDD icon as I would use explorer to find files, but other than that the whole thing was a mystery to me. I just moved the windows around like pages on a desk (I worked for the government so it was second nature) but it was really tedious. And how can one be expected to use a mouse with only one button? BTW (a bit off topic, but) can you use a normal USB mouse with a Mac?

2009-01-04 03:34:05

#8

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6832|NYC / Hamburg

yeah, most USB mice with 2 buttons should work

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2009-01-04 04:47:58

#9

Brasso: member; +1,549|6895

TheDonkey wrote:
TopHat01 wrote:
Wouldn't it be double-clicking the HDD icon, and using that? AFAIK, it's the equivalent to using Windows Explorer.

I'm pretty sure either Command + Click or Control + Click is right click, usually good to know if you're used to PCs.
No, I meant more along the lines of if you have like 5 windows open from various programs(Couple firefox pages, word, iPhoto, etc) How do you navigate between the various windows?

F9 or F10? one of those i think.

"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"

2009-01-04 08:23:47

#10

Benzin: Member; +576|6263

max wrote:
yeah, most USB mice with 2 buttons should work

It also gives you right click if you use a normal mouse, iirc.

The new ones have a dock on the bottom (you can move it around, though) where you can minimize programs to. I haven't played with the dock that Vista offers also, but the Rocket Dock program that I use on my computers works very much like the dock in OS X.

2009-01-04 08:25:09

#11

phishman420: Banned; +821|5946

Can't you press like ctrl + something to move from window to window?

2009-01-04 08:44:39

#12

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6758|N. Ireland

4 fingers down shows me all my open windows.

2009-01-04 17:16:07

#13

Peter: Super Awesome Member; +494|6667|dm_maidenhead

kylef wrote:
4 fingers down shows me all my open windows.

That's what she said.

Seriously though what do you mean by this?

2009-01-04 17:21:12

#14

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6832|NYC / Hamburg

Multi touch. 1 finger is click, 2 is left click, 3 is scrolling, 4 is moving around apps.

Not sure I got that right. I only played with a new MB for a few minutes.

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2009-01-04 17:53:07

#15

Brasso: member; +1,549|6895

max wrote:
Multi touch. 1 finger is click, 2 is left click, 3 is scrolling, 4 is moving around apps.

Not sure I got that right. I only played with a new MB for a few minutes.

i thought one was left click, two was scrolling. the rest i have no idea about.

"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"

2009-01-04 18:09:53

#16

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,054|7037|PNW

TopHat01 wrote:
Wouldn't it be double-clicking the HDD icon, and using that? AFAIK, it's the equivalent to using Windows Explorer.

I'm pretty sure either Command + Click or Control + Click is right click, usually good to know if you're used to PCs.

They still double-click? Primitive nonsense. I thought Macs read your mind.

2009-01-05 00:25:44

#17

Benzin: Member; +576|6263

The multi-touch pad on the new Macs is a joke. My EEE's touchpad is much easier to use and has more commands. Four fingers for a touchpad command is retarded.

2009-01-05 09:28:11

#18

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6758|N. Ireland

CapnNismo wrote:
The multi-touch pad on the new Macs is a joke. My EEE's touchpad is much easier to use and has more commands. Four fingers for a touchpad command is retarded.

Huh?

How is it a joke exactly. Just because your EEE probably doesn't even have enough room for 4 fingers on the trackpad doesn't it make a joke - the MB trackpad is very large and so easy to use. Mouse gestures are the single handiest thing I have ever, ever used. Mac or PC.

1 - Mouse Pointer
2 - Scroll / Twist
4 - Hide all windows / view all windows beside each other

Simple as.

2009-01-05 10:54:34

#19

Benzin: Member; +576|6263

I am not referring to the size. The size is fine. The ergonomics of a four finger gesture is just dumb, though. I mean, if you're a jungle primate and your fingers are all more the same size, then sure, four fingers is easy. Three is the limit for ease of use for me. I tried the four finger gestures and they were too cumbersome.

2009-01-05 11:24:11

#20

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6846|SE London

max wrote:
can't you do the equivalent of alt-tab? I think it's command tab.

Where are our macfags when you need 'em?

It is command (or Apple, which is what I call it)-tab. You are correct.

Pressing F11 to show desktop is a handy one too.

Hot corners are for gays (possibly why they appeal to much of the Mac market).

Personally, I end up doing a lot of navigating as root in terminal - but that's just because I only use Macs when I'm fixing them. I wouldn't want to use one in my free time, that would just be silly.

Last edited by Bertster7 (2009-01-05 11:26:50)

2009-01-05 12:30:25

#21

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6758|N. Ireland

CapnNismo wrote:
I am not referring to the size. The size is fine. The ergonomics of a four finger gesture is just dumb, though. I mean, if you're a jungle primate and your fingers are all more the same size, then sure, four fingers is easy. Three is the limit for ease of use for me. I tried the four finger gestures and they were too cumbersome.

Your fingers don't have to be lined up. You can do it diagonally ... if you really want to.

2009-01-05 13:15:45

#22

GravyDan: Back from the Grave(y); +768|6197|CA

Anyone who navigates on a Mac does so in only one way: very homosexually.

2009-01-05 13:28:02

#23

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6997|St. Andrews / Oslo

CapnNismo wrote:
I am not referring to the size. The size is fine. The ergonomics of a four finger gesture is just dumb, though. I mean, if you're a jungle primate and your fingers are all more the same size, then sure, four fingers is easy. Three is the limit for ease of use for me. I tried the four finger gestures and they were too cumbersome.

3 steps to sucess:

1) rest your arm on the edge of your desk
2) hold up for fingers pointing upwards, as if you were signaling the number 4
3) "de-activate" all the muscles controlling your wrist and let your hand fall to the desk

doned.