If you're a new Mac user and using Windows as your operating system before maybe you have to adapt for Mac instruments. And that happened to me when I was searching the way to create shortcut for my data files. I've written an article that discusses about substitute between Mac OS X and Windows XP and hopefully, that article may help you to learn Mac OS X.
OK, back to main article, to create new "shortcut" on Mac OS X. Mac OS X calls it 'alias'. Alias has a same function with shortcut on Windows. But, they have a little difference between them. Shortcut on Windows is easy to lost its link to original file such as if you move the original file, shortcut would lost its link to original file (although you'll ask to find the main file when you open the shortcut file that has lost its link but that's pretty annoying for me). If Mac OS X's alias always updates its main file location so, it's doesn't lost its link to its original file even you move the original file except if you delete the original file.
On Windows, to create a shortcut, click the original file, press Ctrl key, click and hold it and then point to your destination folder (you also can choose to the same folder with your original file) and then release the mouse button. The another way is right clicking the file and chooses Create Shortcut menu in context menu, and then you'll get its shortcut in original file's folder.
On Mac OS X, to create a shortcut, press Option + Command key, click the file, and hold it and then pointing to your destination folder and you'll get a new alias in there (you allowed to pointing to original file's folder to create alias in that folder). The another way to create alias, right click the file, and choose Make Alias menu in context menu.
To recognize an original file or a shortcut/alias, usually a shortcut/alias file has a little arrow on its icon.
If you're already connected to your home network or office network, you have to accustom your network setting in Mac OS X onto existing network settings.
First step, write down your network setting in Windows XP by click Start - Control Panel - Network Connections, right click your LAN's icon then click Properties menu. Find Internet Protocol(TCP/IP) in This Connection uses the following items list, click it then click Properties button.
If you've got the network settings, in Mac OS X click Apple menu - System Preferences menu then click Network icon. Then click Show combobox, choose Built-In Ethernet in list, in TCP/IP section, type your old settings into it. You can see the attached picture in this article to get an visual to make it easier. Don't forget to change your Configure IPv4 combobox to Manually because Mac OS set to Using DHCP by default if your network doesn't using DHCP service.
Input your IP Address onto IP Address field, Subnet Mask onto Subnet Mask field, Default Gateway onto Router field and DNS Server onto DNS server, if DNS server is more than one server, write them per line, so type first DNS then press Enter then type your secondary DNS server address at there.
And if your LAN using DHCP service you don't necessary to input any settings (usually in DNS service you'll asked to input the DNS server value).
This night is like the other night, just dark and bored. But suddenly, I have an idea to write this article that contains my reasons why I am very like with Mac and want to migrate to Mac (from Windows series ehmmm....). I had been using PC for 17 years from MSDOS 5, MSDOS 6.22, Windows 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 95b (a lot people call it Windows 97), Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP and I am thinking to migrate to Windows Vista and I calculate it I need to pay approx. $700 (it's my calculation hehehehe) which are for $399 for Windows Vista Ultimate (huh that's very expensive for me) and $300 (or more) for upgrading my computer (I have to change everything from processor, memory, graphic card that DirectX 10 support) and that's price to "enjoy" Vista.
So, I am thinking to buy a new iMac for my wife because with $1000, I will get new monitor, harddrive, keyboard, mouse, memory, dvd drive, processor and the most important is new original operating system, MacOS X, because I had bought a Macbook and I start to like it.
But on other hand I still using my 'lovely' Windows XP for Visual Basic 2005, so in order to objectively, I write this article with my wife who using my Macbook too sometimes (hmmm so serious...:D ). And remember, this reasons made from comparing experiences using Windows for years and Macbook for 2 months. And no offense please hehehhe this is just our own opinion so you may have different opinion about this too.
And these are our reasons to migrate to Mac :
1. Easy Setup, when I bought Macbook I just come to store, choose it, pay it, go home, open a brown box, open white box, open laptop cover, press power button, fill languange, user name, time zone, and begin to work, that's it, it just takes 20 minutes to begin my works, image it if compare with when you buy a new PC and install it with Windows XP (no offense please .... hehehehe)
2. Heaven to a beginner, my wife is not a 'computer freaks' but surprisingly in 3 hours she is not ask me anything although for one question ! She just doing her work to import photo from digital camera to iPhoto.....
3. Make your room be more clean, when you put iMac on your desk maybe your friend will give you a question "Where the big box ?" (I has imagine it although I don't have it yet....)
4. Faster booting time, Mac just takes 1 minute or less from press power button to start my work, even if you're using a Mac laptop you will get amazing experience, just close your laptop lid and put it to your bag when you finished your work and if you want use it again just pull it from bag, open laptop and start work....
5. Better stability, huh this is my big deal when using PC, as you know that Windows is designed for vary configuration computer and Mac designed to their own hardware so Mac has great stability when it ran. I had been using my Macbook for almost 3 months and I never get it crash although for once ! Try compare it with Windows that crashed 3 times in one day....
6. Easy installation software, you just need open .dmg file and drag it to Application folder and you run it... and I still thinking to double click install.exe file.
7. Windows run on Mac, use third party software like VMWare, Parallels Desktop to emulate Windows on a Mac.
8. Safe from Viruses, Windows has 114,000 viruses and Mac ?
9. iDVD, this great software to authoring a DVD with your own content, photo, video and the others. And you can do it with very easy interface even for a beginners and it's free !
10. iMovie DVD, a great software to capture your handycam result and edit it with easy interface and it's free !
11. Garage Band, I just plug my MIDI cable one port to my keyboard and the other to Macbook through USB port and it's works and once again GarageBand has an easy intercafe.
12. MacOS X GUI, my wife is very like with MacOS X interface, it's more eye cathing and eye candy....
13. Spotlight, just type first character to make MacOS X begin to search your files and it's very fast.
14. Dashboard, it's very help me in all ways, you may using Oxford dictionary, calculator, follow the stock by real time, display your city weather by real time, and there's still have a lot useful widget to install.....
15. Smart Folders, you may save your search result and make it as folder, so if you move the file you don't need worry about it, MacOS X will handle it.
16. Automator, it makes our routine job be more easier. You can resize image, rename it and move it to a folder with one click.
17. Support PDF (Portable Document Format that provided by Adobe) natively, if I want exchange my report document to other work friends, usually I use the PDF document when I use PC I must buy additional software to creating PDF file, if you use Mac just click Print and choose PDF and it's done....
18. Great handling windows, press F9 to tile all opened programs, F10 to tile all opened documents in one programs, F11 to slide all open programs to side and show your desktop.
19. Remote Control, Apple has bundle a remote control for every iMac, Macbook, Macbook Pro. Use it to open Front Row for play movies, music and slideshow of your picture collections. And you can use it to control your Keynote's presentation too...
OK, may you add these list ? hehehe I am ensuring you have one..... please write it on comment....
