What's bad about OS X and MacBook?

As Sam said, that many kernal panics is not normal. Either the OS install is FUBAR or their is a hardware problem. And one thing about maximized windows, I hate them now. I used to be the same way, but there are only a couple of programs now that I actually want maximized, like Aperture or Photoshop. Otherwise, things like browsers just waste a ton of space when maximized. I would rather have the ability to stack another window next to it in order to click it. That is one of those things that if you drop the old ideas you had about how computers work and let yourself see new ideas, you may like it a lot. That is what ant was talking about.

 

Like others have already pointed out, that many kernel panics is not normal. Also, like you yourself mentioned before, a lot of stuff is just about habit. And I would argue that your dad is not an experienced mac user yet:

1. Right-click button: Sam talked about other ways to do it than the command-button click. I use a two-button mouse so that's no problem, but even if I'm using my trackpad, well I'm used to the two-finger click now. It was a bit annoying at first, but now I'm used to it and find the pc-version trackpads annoying. The mac one is more intuitive I think, cuz your middle finger is always beside your index finger, and all you need to do is lower the middle finger and hit the click button to get the right-click.

2. I agree 100% with your point about the placement of the menu bar at the top of the screen as opposed to the top of the window.

3. The main part of Dock where is has shortcuts can be customized, it doesn't have to be a big mess. You can have 3 shortcuts, you can have 20. And you can choose the icon size. Applications which are open are indicated by a black arrow, which is neat. Yes, they don't have any names unless you move place your mouse's cursor on them, which sometimes makes it harder to differentiate between two minimized applcations.

4. Windows maximization:l I agree, I find it a pity as well that OS X doesn't have it. What's more, I hate how I can't automatically arrange the windows which are open on my desktop vertically or horizontally, like you can do in windows. I'd say this is the weakest thing about OS X, and it behooves apple to reflect on this issue a bit more. It's such a simple but necessary task which they forgot to include/ignored.

5. There's no function for the desktop to automatically align the desktop icons without touching the order of the files. You can align them by date, size, etc., but if you want to keep them as they are, you'd have to set the 'align to grid' option, then move everything around to make them get aligned to the grid.

Most of these are really small issues, I think. Windows has much bigger problems in my opinion.

 

With maximising windows and new Leopard features that can't be changed but are annoying for some of users (you can't turn off stacks, menu bar transparency etc. without hacks) it is more Apple team that forces users to do it this way... the Mac way.

We should have a choice, should we? Or Mac culture is more important that usability?

 

no i think we should have the choice. My #1 complaint of mac is that it's either Jobs' way or the highway.

 

So wich is the most efficient OS? Who would get the job done faster on average when just doing everyday tasks like webbrowsing, listening to music etc? Windows or mac osx? Assuming the two persons have equal skills and experience under their belt.

I've also heard the mac doesnt have any great lightweight mediaplayers. And the maximizing thing looks pretty nasty to me

 

That's one of the things I would like changed in OS X...I'd like more options to customize how I want my Mac to look. Like in all this transparent Menu Bar argument, where some love it and some hate it, Apple could have just satisfied everyone by allowing you to adjust the opacity of the Menu Bar in System Preferences.

 

Maximizing isn't something to worry about. If you want the window to go full screen, just drag the window larger. Not a biggie, if you ask me.

And whether Windows or OS X is a more efficient OS has no right or wrong answer. Its a personal opinion. Some find they work better with Windows, others find they work better in OS X. I personally like working in OS X.

 

I don't really care that much about OS after about 5-10 minutes. When I'm using Windows, I'm fine, when I'm using OS X, I'm fine.

I do find myself clicking the middle mouse button on Windows sometimes...

I have that mapped to exposé in my Mac...

 

OH NO It's a biggie if you ask me. 0.5 seconds vs. 2.0 seconds (I'm not being sarcastic). And the 0.5 seconds is precise: it can't be maximized more.

 

The windows stay maximized if you drag them though. I found it odd when I first started using OS X, but it never bothered me.

 

I don't notice the maximize issue much... the browser I use (Opera) DOES maximize, most other programs I don't want maximized anyway. It's still an issue even if it doesn't bug me badly. Oh, and Apple, please let us drag any side to resize!

The twofinger rightclick on the trackpad is a BIG improvement over PC lappies, as is two finger vertical/horizontal scrolling. IMO, of course.

The Dock is a good idea, marred by some issues. Consistency, clarity and the minimized icons need improving (Tiger). The Leopard version is a really good idea, let down by implementation of the stacks idea and the 3d stuff just doesn't fit, and some other issues.

Cycling through applications usinc cmd-tab SHOULD un-minimize an app from the dock, that I cycle to the application and it doesn't show up is just daft. I still have to go down to the dock and click on the minimized app to get the application WINDOW up. I made the APPLICATION active by cmd-tab, not its window..... Silly!
I also wish that when cmd-tab cycling through apps I would get a good preview pane of the app, like I get on my Ubuntu Linux machine, instead of the generic icons that show up. Is that in Leopard? (I haven't upgraded, just checked it out at the apple store, forgot to check this)

Now, I really disagree with the menu bar thing. A relative noob to the Mac, I still vastly prefer this method to the menubar stuck to the app version used in Win.
Two main reasons (one, really, but two faced).
One: is that I can always look to a fixed location to see which app is active, when multitasking this is good.
Two: For multi windowed apps such as photoshop and some ausio applications, there is no good central window to stick the menubar to anyway. Add to that the fact that even if the app has a proper main window you may position that anywhere on the screen, still the menubar is in a fixed location.
Yet another reason (I know, I'm up to more than two already ) is that having the menubar at a screen edge makes it a much easier target, hitting that menubar is easy for me, and it's easy for people with disabilities.
On that point, I've done some maintenance on XP and Vista on notebooks, and each time I want to get an external mouse, because trackpad navigation is NOT ideal on those systems. On the Macs I never even think of external meeces. It's not because of magical Apple trackpads either, the OS is just easier to navigate. The menubar is a part of that. So is the dock, faulty as it is. Even the finder (especially in column view) makes navigation easier than on any other OS I've tried.

 

My final conclusion - we are all really picky We complain about little things, demand a lot (sometimes impossible - why my Mac isn't a PC) but at the end of the day we should be happy that it is not 1950 and we can all enjoy brilliant portable computers at affordable price with capabilities that are only limited by our imagination. They are not perfect, of course, but it is what we do on them that matters. System is just a desk we work on.

By the way, I have re-switched to Mac yesterday! Welcome back and thanks for all your support on this forum! The screen on my MBP is absolutely brilliant!

 

I disagree. I think we complain a necessary and healthy amount. Call that a lot if you want, but that's how it should be. The computer world has one of the fastest (if not the fastest) advancement rates, and we as consumers keep raising our expectation bar, and rightly so. We want a as-close-to perfect OS, what's wrong with that?

 

I agree we should demand, send our feedback, put pressure on the manufacturer and it is good. Jest sometimes this pursuit for perfect OS is getting mad and there is no way there will be a system that suits everybody. That is all.