Mac refers to computers made by the Apple Company. Mac operating system faces stiff competition from its counterpart Microsoft Windows.
Nevertheless, Mac is more user-friendly and has an appealing graphic interface. Beginner Mac users find it a little bit confusing because it’s so much different than PCs. It’s mainly because most people are familiar with Personal Computers than Macintosh computers.
Operating it isn’t as hard as people think. There are reasons why you can opt to switch to a Mac. Such as;
• It has a very stable Operating System.
• It has an attractive interface.
• It is safe from computer viruses.
If you intend to switch to Mac, worry no more, this guide will teach you the basic principles on how to use a Mac. It allows you to do the same things that you can do on a PC.
What are some of the basic principles of operating a Mac?
1. Knowing how to start up your Mac Computer.
It’s the easiest step in operating Mac. After switching on your machine, you just have to feed in your details that are the username and password. It will automatically log you in.
2. You should familiarize yourself with the terminology.
The terminology in Mac computers isn’t that different from the PCs, only that the terms refer to different objects on a Mac screen. For instance terms such as title bar, toolbar, menu bar and status bar are also used in PCs. The difference is that unlike in the PCs the menu and title bar in the Mac screen are at the top.
Only the status bar is at the bottom, and it appears when displaying application preferences or the view option. In Mac, there is another bar known as “Dock” which is at the bottom of the screen and it holds applications.
Using this information you can now navigate the home screen easily.
3. The act of Control-clicking.
Recent PC users are fond of using the right click to view a list of other options. In Mac, it’s a bit different. For you to see such options, you have to press the control key while clicking on an item. You can also make the process much simpler by configuring your mouse right click button to perform this task.
4. You can use Finder to check on files or documents.
It performs a similar task as windows explorer. Finder aids you in locating files, movies and even music on your computer. To close the finder window or any window, Mac doesn’t display the “X” button that closes Windows in PCs. There are three buttons on the top left corner; the red button exits you from any program or window. The green button maximizes a window while the yellow button minimizes a window.
5. You can use the Command key for shortcuts.
Unlike in PC’s, the command key replaces the control key. It enables you to carry out a variety of shortcuts, such as Command Key + V allows you to paste while Command Key +C allows you to Copy.
These alternatives will enable you to maneuver easily.
There are also other amazing features that come along with Mac computers. It allows you to set up your mail account by launching the application. You will sign in to your account and receive emails when you connect to a Wi-Fi network. Applications such as iPhoto and iMovie enable you to edit and view pictures and videos. You don’t even require a tutorial to use these apps. Mac also covers your writing needs.
You can use Apple iWork to access documents. It also enables you to open up documents from Microsoft Office.
Mac computers are after all not that tricky. Even if you are a first time user, the knowledge above can enable you to operate it smoothly without much difficulty.