WSJ’s Walt Mossberg has written a neat article over on the All things digital website, it covers some simple things to know for switchers, like:

 Menu Bars: In Windows, each program typically has its own menu bar. On the Mac, there’s a single menu bar at the top of the screen that changes, depending on which program you are actively using.

Task Bar: The equivalent of the Windows XP Task Bar on the Mac is the Dock. Unlike the Task Bar, which primarily holds icons representing open windows, the Mac Dock primarily holds icons of programs you use most often. To place a program onto the Dock, you just drag its icon there. To remove it, you just drag its icon off the Dock and it disappears in a puff of animated smoke.Start Menu: There is no Start Menu on a Mac. Its functions are divided between the Dock and the Apple menu at the upper left of the Mac screen.Control Panel: The Mac equivalent of the Windows Control Panel is called System Preferences, and it can be launched from either the Dock or the Apple menu.Keyboard shortcuts: Common Windows keyboard commands, such as Ctrl-S for Save, Ctrl-P for Print, and many others, are also available on the Mac. However, instead of using the Control key, they use the Mac’s Command key, which bears either a cloverlike symbol or an Apple logo. So, on the Mac, for instance, Command-S is for Save.

But, best of all are the comments, of which there are currently 43, which all have more advanced tips like:

 If you are lucky enough to live close to an Apple store, they offer a great program called One to One, which is personal training. For just $99 a year you can come in up to once a week for training on your Mac. My neighbor just got her first Mac and it’s amazing what she has learned so far. She says that the trainers are very patient and make the lessons on what she wants to do with her laptop. She hardly calls me anymore with computer questions. It’s a bargain! 

—————————–One argument I often hear from Windows people is that menus belong to an application so should be in the window. This is logical programmer’s thinking, but Apple thinks different. Well for one thing that wastes screen space because every window requires menu space. But there is a much more fundamental reason – Mac menus are much faster for the user. It’s called Fitts’ Law and is expounded by Bruce Tognazzini at:http://www.asktog.com/basics/f…..l#fittsLaw

What this means is that an object (the menu) at the top of the screen is infinitely big in the up direction. Thus a user needs only flick the mouse upwards and has an easy-to-hit target. In Windows, the user must carefully position the mouse over the menu before clicking. The claim (backed by some tests) is that Mac users are five times faster hitting menus than Windows users. It is probably why Windows users much more rely on so-called keyboard shortcuts, which aren’t even shortcuts compared to the shortcuts on the Mac.IanPosted by Ian Joyner at July 3rd, 2008 at 8:15 pm  

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I switched last December. My concern at the time was the learning curve after using Windows all my life (I’m 64). Within hours I was up and running and had no problems what so ever. I believe that the iMac I purchased was one of the best investments I have made and even today it still amazes me.

lass="Apple-style-span">Posted by Allan Sherman at July 3rd, 2008 at 9:01 pm  

 

 

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You can find an excellent free switchers tutorial at MacProVideo, as well as other quality video tutorials… Highly recommended!

http://www.macprovideo.com/tutorial/xpToLeopard