Mac Attack

Resistance is futile

-The Borg
Star Trek
First Contact (1996)

In late May, assimilation occurred in my house. I switched from a PC to a Mac laptop. Eric has used a Mac in his studio for a while and more recently as his primary computer in his office. I’ve been having some “issues” with my desktop PC for several months and when I proposed the idea of getting a new computer, two questions were posed to me: desktop or laptop and PC or Mac.

I was leaning toward a laptop for ease of transport around the house and when traveling. The brand was another decision; PC versus Mac; Mac versus PC. I know for some this would be a no-brainer type of decision. But after using a PC for a number of years and, more importantly, using a PC for a small business, I had to consider the equivalent tools in Mac format.

That didn’t take too long (thanks to Eric for doing much of that research for me.)

Actually, the conversion hasn’t been too difficult. We used Apple computers years ago (Apple IIG, I think) before becoming PC users. And now the pendulum has swung back to the Mac. I’ve found that there are similarities between the two (yes, I’m sure simply saying that is like committing a mortal sin) in the sense of how you save a document or reply to an email (similar keyboard shortcuts).

Other things are better on a Mac, like having a series of tabs open in the web browser that can be automatically recalled when the laptop restarts (so I don’t have to try and remember what web pages I had open). I’m also enjoying the “My Day” widget that shows my calendar to-do items right on the desktop (it looks like a little handheld device.)

I was a little hesitant about using Quickbooks which is only available in the Pro format for Macs. I had the basic version on the PC but I’ve found that even though Pro has way more stuff than I’ll ever use, I am getting used to it and enjoying the format.

I’m slowly poking around and learning how to use Aperture which is my Photoshop equivalent. Macs use a different hierarchy in their tools and what seemed obvious in Photoshop (e.g. how to convert an image from 300 dpi to 72 dpi) took some sleuthing and having Eric say “try that tutorial” which finally explained how to change the size of an image (in Aperture you change the dpi when you export the image into the desired folder. It does make sense but I certainly can’t explain how.)

This also explains why I haven’t posted the Milagro Spirit Icon pictures as I need to understand Aperture a bit better before I let myself edit those images in this new tool.

It really has been fun learning how to use a Mac and I’m happy that the assimilation, I mean the transition, hasn’t been as difficult as I imagined.

Excuse me, I hear that Borg Queen again.

I’ve overseen the assimilation of countless millions. You were no different.