Re: hey Simon et al

[see_sig_for_valid_email@no.spam (Simon Williams)]

Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote:

> Simon Williams wrote:
> 
> <snip>
> 
> >BTW, Macs are apparently "easy to use" only if you've never used another
> >OS... I've got friends who can strip a PC to bits and rebuild it
> >blind-folded, but can't seem to get a handle on the Mac's "weird"
> >desktop... though I have similar problems with Windows -- I'm sure it's
> >designed for lefties ;-)
> 
> The thing that Macs do that drives me crazy is having a non-filename
> type for files.
> 
> I am accustomed to being able to 1) change a file's apparent type by
> just renaming it,

Luckily we can now do this with OSX, though there are a few simple
utilities such as Flipper that can easily change filetypes and creators
on 'classic' macs.

> 2) being able to open pretty much any file with
> any "simple" application (like a text editor), and 

BBedit will open anything (though it not exactly ideal for editing
graphics)

> 3) being able to send
> a file to many different applications with a single right-click, select,
> release operation.

I guess the drag-n-drop thing would be the Mac equivalent... probably
'cause our stubby little fingers can't navigate all the gizmos and
geegaws you PC guys have on your mice ;-)

<snip>

> I used to think that the Mac had a real advantage in the transparency
> of its software install operation, with simple preference files, etc.,
> but lately it seems to be a muddy as the PC in terms of software
> installs changing nonobvious things in nonobvious places that are
> hard to undo with an uninstall.

Assuming you're talking about the 'classic' Mac OSes, I've found that
most _decent_ software follows the 'rules' for installation and is
fairly easy to deal with, but...

> I suppose it's all what you're used to...

Absolutely! Despite what most OS zealots will say, a competent Mac user
is as productive as a competent PC user (and vice versa).

-simon
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