{"id":7925,"date":"2016-07-21T09:19:47","date_gmt":"2016-07-21T08:19:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mentor.com\/colinwalls\/?p=7925"},"modified":"2026-03-26T16:49:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T20:49:19","slug":"using-a-mac-the-rights-and-wrongs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/embedded-software\/2016\/07\/21\/using-a-mac-the-rights-and-wrongs\/","title":{"rendered":"Using a Mac – the rights and wrongs"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been a year since my \u201cconversion\u201d. That word makes it sounds like a religious experience. In some ways, moving to a Mac felt just like that. Although I am quite happy using the machines, I still feel like a beginner with lots to learn. However, a number of friends, who know that I have lot of computer experience, just assume that I am an expert. My definition of an \u201cexpert\u201d is someone who is a page ahead of you in the manual.<\/p>\n

Of course, I am not 100% certain that I do everything correctly or in the most efficient way. This was compounded recently, when I was working with an experienced Mac user, who saw me do something [start Lightroom, I think], and said \u201cWhat did you just do?\u201d …<\/p>\n

Sophisticated user interfaces to operating systems or application programs tend to offer numerous ways to get things done and the choice of which way you choose to do something is a matter of personal preference. The two areas of Mac usage where I see multiple options are: starting apps and managing running apps.<\/p>\n

Starting apps<\/h3>\n

\"dock\"<\/a>I can think of about seven different ways to start an app in MacOS [as we must begin to think of it]. Rejecting two of them as silly [direct access to Applications folder and the command line], that leaves five that are commonly used:<\/p>\n

Locking apps into the Dock<\/strong>. This is a very common approach, because it almost happens by itself. The downside is that, if you have a fair number of apps installed, the Dock can look very messy very quickly. It is also very hard to see what is actually running – the little dots are hard to spot. Way back, before I got a Mac, I was trying to help someone who was using one. I asked her \u201cWhat is actually running?\u201d She had no idea. Maybe she was right to not care? I lock almost nothing into the Dock, so it just shows the running apps, Downloads folder and Trash.<\/p>\n

\"desktop\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Desktop icons<\/strong>. It is very common for Windows users to litter their desktops with icons, which may be files, folders or shortcuts to files or apps. Some Mac users do the same. I find this approach very confusing – I can never find anything. I treat my computer\u2019s desktop just like I do my \u201creal\u201d desk. It only contains files or \u201cstuff\u201d that I am using right now or very soon. No clutter.<\/p>\n

\"Launchpad\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Launchpad<\/strong>. I am not sure how long the Launchpad app has been around, but it does seem well integrated into the OS. It can be invoked in various ways – I tend to use the 4-finger pinch. I have rearranged the apps so that my frequently used ones are all on the first page. To an iPad\/iPhone user, Launchpad feels very natural. This is my most common method to start apps.<\/p>\n

Spotlight Search<\/strong>. Although it has a ton of other uses, Spotlight Search is a quick way to start an app. Just key CMD-SPACE and then type 2-3 letters from the apps name and you are there. I find myself using this method more and more.<\/p>\n

Data driven app launch<\/strong>. Many users have a workflow that rarely involves creating new documents. They just open existing files or make a copy from a template. Double-clicking on the file opens the associated app, so there is no need to launch it explicitly. Of course, I use this technique quite frequently<\/p>\n

There are probably numerous launcher apps available, but, as yet, I have not felt the need to investigate.<\/p>\n

Managing running apps<\/h3>\n

Most users will have multiple apps running simultaneously. At a glance [at the Dock], I see that I have 7 along with Finder; I rarely have more than about 10. I always found that Windows did not behave well with too many apps running. When my daughter and I went into a store to get her MacBook [the first Mac in the family], I asked the sales guy about this matter. He promptly opened about 30 apps on a Mac and showed me the almost instantaneous swapping between them. That dislodged my credit card from my wallet.<\/p>\n

Most users seem to simply open lots of windows on top of one another, iconizing when necessary. This seems to involve quite a lot of fiddling to get from one app to another. I make heavy use of Spaces – multiple desktops – which seem to work like a charm. On the MacBook I typically have one space per app, using the 3-finger swipe or CTRL-number to get between them. On the iMac, I may have 2-3 apps in a space, with their windows tiled, not overlapping [with the help of the Magnet app].<\/p>\n

There are no rights and wrongs on these matters. I am open to suggestions and advice by comment, email<\/a> or via social media.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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