Switching between an Apple Mac and Windows 10 PC: five things to love, and five to hate
At one point or another, whether you are a Mac, or a Windows user, you will find yourself having to wrestle with the one you are less familiar with.
Perhaps you are a PC user at home, and your workplace is predominantly Mac-based, or maybe you have been a Mac user for a long time, and all this talk about how good and versatile Microsoft Surface Pro tablets are, got you curious enough to try one and finally purchase it.
Regardless of the reason, transitioning from one operating system to another doesn’t have to be a pain in the neck. Here is five things you may love, or hate about switching between a Mac and a PC... and how to cope with either.
Finder Vs.File Explorer
One of the most glaring differences between Macs and PCs is the method used to browse and find files and folders.
File Explorer is the default system browser in Windows 10, and all previous versions of Windows. As simple a concept as it may seem, File Explorer is fundamentally different, compared to Finder, which is the default file manager application on a Mac.
These differences are not as obvious when working with Finder and File Explorer by themselves, but when accessing Open, or Save As dialogs, these annoying little differences begin to surface.
For instance, in a scenario when we need to save an image from a web browser, on a Windows 10 computer, we would have features that may not be available on a Mac. For instance, the Save As dialog uses a simplified version of File Explorer, which allows to interact with existing files and folders, with a certain amount of freedom. In such environment Windows users are allowed access to all right-click menu options available in the standalone instance of File Explorer.
As a Windows user on a Mac, Finder can be frustrating, as all file and folder management features are stripped from the Save As or Open As dialogs.
With that said, a Mac user will find certain things about File Explorer, just as irritating, like the overly-complex menus and options that allow to customize the files and folders views, and preview pane.
In that regard, Finder is far more simple and to the point, with just a handful of predefined configurations.
As a PC user, one might find the Columns view in Finder, the most appealing, because it gives a better sense of hierarchy and relative position within the file system, especially as Finder lacks an address bar in which to type, or even visualize the current path. For that, oddly enough, a Get Info option is available, which can be compared to the Properties pane in Windows 10.
Start Menu Vs. Dock
Windows 10 users have a lot to say about the new Start Menu, compared to previous versions of Windows, but from a PC user’s point of view, the Dock will be quite possibly one of the most annoying things, at least within the first month of using a Mac. Windows application windows are designed to span across the entire area of the screen, but on a Mac this is most definitely not a typical behavior. PC users will often accidentally hover on the dock, and sometimes even inadvertently open applications, when interacting with elements at the very bottom of the active application window. This can be frustrating when working in Photoshop or Illustrator, where tools and panes can often be positioned at the bottom edge of the user interface.
From a Mac user point of view, however, the Start Menu on Windows 10 can be overbearing and hard to manage, at a first glance, because Mac users are so used to have all their favorite applications available and ready to launch at the bottom of their desktops. Putting applications in folders is also another thing that can be atypical on a Mac, and whose usefulness depends on the user’s personality.
Touchscreen Vs. Retina display
The touchscreen on a Surface Pro 4, as well as other Windows 10 2-in-1 devices, is comparably on the same level as an iPad Pro for responsiveness and precision, with that said, Macs do not have a touchscreen, which might throw a Windows user off, especially when one is accustomed to using Windows 10 on a touchscreen. With that in mind, resolution and image quality can be important to some users, over other features.
Macs have indeed the best displays, and the Retina display offers the sharpest image available on a computer screen, with the widest range of colors. This is why photographers and designers often have a hard time letting go of their Macs.
Ctrl Vs. Command
On a PC, Ctrl+ is how the most important keyboard shortcuts are prefixed. Ctrl+C/V/X are how you copy, paste, and cut items. Ctrl+D is how you duplicate items in a range of applications. Ctrl+Alt+Esc is how you bring up the task manager when a program freezes and needs to be shut down, or when we want to check CPU, memory, network or disk usage.
On a Mac, the Command button is the go-to option, but, as a Windows 10 user, if you think for a moment that the Command button functions exactly like the Control button on Windows, you are in for a surprise.
For one thing, many shortcuts will not work by simply replacing the Control key with Command, as the Option key, which is known as the equivalent of the Alt key, will often work differently than what a Windows user expects.
Often timers, keyboard shortcuts for similar applications across Macs and PCs will have different shortcuts available, that may require a relatively short time to get used it.
Task View Vs. Mission Control
Task View is relatively new to Windows users prior to Windows 10. Task View allows to create virtual desktops, by organizing applications across different virtual screens that can be switched to using Win+Ctrl+left/right arrow keys, however, Task View offers a useful alternative to Alt+Tab, as it features a comprehensive view of all open application windows, in full preview mode.
On a Mac, Mission Control does the same thing, including the ability to create virtual desktops, which, on a Mac are called Spaces. These spaces can be accessed by enabling Hot Corners, which are areas on the four edges of the screen where we can hover the cursor and trigger an active space.
Considering that virtual desktops are a new concept to Windows users, Task View is often overlooked a feature on Windows 10, unless one has a specific need for it, which, once again, depends on the user’s personality.
For some, Mission Control offers some invaluable tools to manage the workspace, but at the same time, from a windows 10 user’s point of view, it might look like too much to work with, and slightly more complicated than Task View.
Ready to shop?
PortableOne has the best deals on Windows 10 Pro laptops, featuring the latest hardware-based security features, and full BitLocker encryption to protect your files from prying eyes.