Top ten things you need to know about Macs
Wires and Web
By Harrison Keely

No matter how you look at it, Apples are gaining a foothold in the market. Statistics show a rise in the number of Macs, so the following scenario is more likely than not: You're running down the street to the general store when all of a sudden you're confronted by a Mac. What do you do? Either you've never used one before or the one Mac you have laid your fingers on was a green-letter-onthe black-screen Apple II of the early 1980s era.

The fact is, Apples are a bit different than your regular Dell box or (Trash)Compaqters. Here's a crash course on the top ten things you need to know to be a Mac user (aka survive in the coming era):

1. If you know iTunes, you know Mac. You're probably one of those people who downloaded iTunes because it's easy to use, it looks good and it just works well. The fact is - that's exactly what a Mac is. It's built using the same basic design principles as iTunes.

2. You can make amazing things. Trying to use Excel for 24 hours can disillusion you to the fact that it's possible to record a podcast, create a personal website and make your own music. All easily.

3. Windows works. Yes, on a Mac. You can boot up in Windows or Mac on an Apple, run Windows programs, or even run both operating systems at the same time. From Microsoft Officeto Doom Nuk'em Math Blaster Edition, the number of programs that run on an Apple may in fact be higher than those on a PC.... Hmm...

4. It just works. Ever sit down at a PC and feel like it's plagued with disaster? Have you ever used one that doesn't freeze when you open Internet Explorer? Macs aren't for troubleshooting. Expect an easy set-up out of the box.

5. Macs aren't second-rate machines. They've got the latest Intel processors, screaming speed and memory to boot (pardon the pun).

6. Everything's ready. With drivers preinstalled, devices like jumpdrives or memory cards won't be an issue.

7. Next time you do a "Here's- My-Life-Story" movie to show your grandchildren's parents, do yourself a favor and make it on a Mac. Macs are made for movies. From the simple-to-use iMovie and iDVD to the powerful-toshow off final feature, you'll be back to make the sequel in no time.

8. It's simpler. Much simpler. Nearly every feature or command you could think of may be slightly different on a Mac, but it's probably a whole lot easier.

9. The design is stunning. When was the first time you asked yourself if a whole computer could fitinside the screen? Why shouldn't it? Because the same company who designed the hardware made the operating system, they know it works and optimized it for the best possible result.

10. Finally, they're not what you expect. Macs are not going to suck out your soul or litter your screen with error messages or better yet, random Oregon Trailesque notifications that someone has died. So next time you're in the general store take some time not just to pull someone's finger, but to put on a smile and introduce yourself to a Mac.

To comment on this article, e-mail Harrison at hkeely@ gmail.com.

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