Comments on: I’m a Mac…Day 3 http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/ Empowering lawyers to anticipate the changes, realize the opportunities, face the challenges and embrace the expanding possibilities of the application of practice management concepts to the practice of law in innovative ways that provide service excellence. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:02:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Fred http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-10948 Fred Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:14:16 +0000 http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-10948 Right click on mouse pad put 2 fingers on mouse pad, click also, you can scroll a window by drawing two fingers across/down the mouse pad in some programs, you can zoom/unzoom by doing a motion where you spread to fingers apart or move them together Right click on mouse pad

put 2 fingers on mouse pad, click

also, you can scroll a window by drawing two fingers across/down the mouse pad

in some programs, you can zoom/unzoom by doing a motion where you spread to fingers apart or move them together

]]> By: David Austin http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-10203 David Austin Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:03:17 +0000 http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-10203 I'm soooo jealous. I'm chomping at the bit here wanting to get my own MacBook Pro. I'm enjoying your running day by day commentary on the transfer from PC to Mac. It's exactly what I'll be doing shortly..... I’m soooo jealous. I’m chomping at the bit here wanting to get my own MacBook Pro. I’m enjoying your running day by day commentary on the transfer from PC to Mac. It’s exactly what I’ll be doing shortly…..

]]> By: Blake Boyd http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-10020 Blake Boyd Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:43:57 +0000 http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-10020 When I made the switch I also complained about no right mouse button and also said "they should just add one". But remember this ISN'T windows. It's a mac, and if you give <em>yourself</em> the time to get used to using your two fingers you'll eventually see how it makes much more sense than having two buttons. For me and people that I know that have made the switch in the past year, now use the two fingers religiously, not only to right mouse click, but also to scroll through anything you'd like (I never ever use the up and down arrows). Every time I get back onto a mainstream PC laptop I'm confused as to why I can't use two fingers on the trackpad. And the couple of times that the PC manufacture added the feature, it didn't work well at all. Dual screen options and funcunality in mac OS is light years ahead of windows. I've spent the past 8 years going in and out of courts using their built in technology/projectors/lcd's and most of the time have to fight with windows to get the screens setup like I wish. I recently bought a 24" lcd that I'm using a my main monitor in the office. Now, I ditched work stations years ago, so I plug my MBP into a usb hub (which has all my peripherals connected) and plug the DVI cable in and I'm setup. Since MacOS is smarter, it allowed me to setup what is traditionally on the laptop screen to automatically be viewed the 24" and it sets my 15" on the MBP as my secondary monitor. I haven't used Vista much, but XP never allowed you to move your start menu to whatever monitor you wished, and then at that, remembered to do it on this particular LCD, but not move it when I plug in my projector. That's just a small example of what Mac does that makes it so great, it's the small things that make computing life so much easier. I hope you give it more time than just a couple days, the more you learn how to use MacOs (which doesn't take long) you start seeing things that will really make you mad at yourself for putting up with for all these years under windows. Blake When I made the switch I also complained about no right mouse button and also said “they should just add one”.

But remember this ISN’T windows. It’s a mac, and if you give yourself the time to get used to using your two fingers you’ll eventually see how it makes much more sense than having two buttons.

For me and people that I know that have made the switch in the past year, now use the two fingers religiously, not only to right mouse click, but also to scroll through anything you’d like (I never ever use the up and down arrows). Every time I get back onto a mainstream PC laptop I’m confused as to why I can’t use two fingers on the trackpad. And the couple of times that the PC manufacture added the feature, it didn’t work well at all.

Dual screen options and funcunality in mac OS is light years ahead of windows. I’ve spent the past 8 years going in and out of courts using their built in technology/projectors/lcd’s and most of the time have to fight with windows to get the screens setup like I wish.

I recently bought a 24″ lcd that I’m using a my main monitor in the office. Now, I ditched work stations years ago, so I plug my MBP into a usb hub (which has all my peripherals connected) and plug the DVI cable in and I’m setup.

Since MacOS is smarter, it allowed me to setup what is traditionally on the laptop screen to automatically be viewed the 24″ and it sets my 15″ on the MBP as my secondary monitor. I haven’t used Vista much, but XP never allowed you to move your start menu to whatever monitor you wished, and then at that, remembered to do it on this particular LCD, but not move it when I plug in my projector.

That’s just a small example of what Mac does that makes it so great, it’s the small things that make computing life so much easier.

I hope you give it more time than just a couple days, the more you learn how to use MacOs (which doesn’t take long) you start seeing things that will really make you mad at yourself for putting up with for all these years under windows.

Blake

]]> By: admin http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-9702 admin Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:18:05 +0000 http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-9702 Thanks Mark, Steve and Danni. Opening the "Displays" settings and moving the white strip to the 2ndary monitor worked just fine. DejaMenu is a great idea! Many thanks! I am still missing the right click but this eases the pain! From the comments and emails I am seeing first-hand that there is a big community of legal Mac users that are only too willing to help out. Tip of the hat to y'all - and thanks for all the assistance..I will try to pay it forward. Cheers, Dave Thanks Mark, Steve and Danni. Opening the “Displays” settings and moving the white strip to the 2ndary monitor worked just fine.

DejaMenu is a great idea! Many thanks!

I am still missing the right click but this eases the pain!

From the comments and emails I am seeing first-hand that there is a big community of legal Mac users that are only too willing to help out. Tip of the hat to y’all - and thanks for all the assistance..I will try to pay it forward.

Cheers,

Dave

]]> By: Danni http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-9668 Danni Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:22:53 +0000 http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-9668 Hi, David, and welcome to the world of Mac! And I see you should have visited my Mac help table in Laptop Alley when you presented at the WA Solo/Small Firm conference at Ocean Shores last summer! So, re your dual monitor issues: First, we usually refer to that strip along the top of the screen as the menu, not toolbars (some apps do have toolbars, but those usually do follow the app). If you're going to be using your MacBook with another monitor a lot, you should set that external monitor as the primary (in System Preferences>Displays>Arrangements), and then your menu *will* be on that monitor. Note that by dragging, you can also fine tune how your monitors align with each other, mimicking the real world placement virtually. Also, you might want to consider installing DejaMenu With a keystroke, it will bring up your menu (hierarchal) wherever your mouse cursor is located. Very handy for those of us who use dual monitors. And it's free. And definitely configure to use the two-finger tap for a right click, per Steve's suggestion. Much easier, plus then your finger is already where it needs to be to make a selection. Hi, David, and welcome to the world of Mac! And I see you should have visited my Mac help table in Laptop Alley when you presented at the WA Solo/Small Firm conference at Ocean Shores last summer!
So, re your dual monitor issues: First, we usually refer to that strip along the top of the screen as the menu, not toolbars (some apps do have toolbars, but those usually do follow the app). If you’re going to be using your MacBook with another monitor a lot, you should set that external monitor as the primary (in System Preferences>Displays>Arrangements), and then your menu *will* be on that monitor. Note that by dragging, you can also fine tune how your monitors align with each other, mimicking the real world placement virtually.
Also, you might want to consider installing DejaMenu With a keystroke, it will bring up your menu (hierarchal) wherever your mouse cursor is located. Very handy for those of us who use dual monitors. And it’s free.
And definitely configure to use the two-finger tap for a right click, per Steve’s suggestion. Much easier, plus then your finger is already where it needs to be to make a selection.

]]> By: Mark http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-9662 Mark Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:59:02 +0000 http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-9662 You can move the menu bar to the larger monitor if you choose to do so. With your Mac connected to the external display, go to System Preferences on the Apple menu and select "Displays." From there, chose the middle tab ("Arrangement") and you'll see a graphical depiction of your two screens. One will have a small white bar the top (that's currently your laptop) and the other one will not. Drag the white bar to the other monitor and your mission is accomplished. Best of all: When your external display is disconnected, the Mac is smart enough to know that and the menu bar (plus any programs or icons you had on the external display) will all be on your laptop screen. True, the Windows approach of having the menu bar in the window obviates this need, but there is a workable, reasonable solution to your issue. You can move the menu bar to the larger monitor if you choose to do so. With your Mac connected to the external display, go to System Preferences on the Apple menu and select “Displays.”

From there, chose the middle tab (”Arrangement”) and you’ll see a graphical depiction of your two screens. One will have a small white bar the top (that’s currently your laptop) and the other one will not. Drag the white bar to the other monitor and your mission is accomplished.

Best of all: When your external display is disconnected, the Mac is smart enough to know that and the menu bar (plus any programs or icons you had on the external display) will all be on your laptop screen.

True, the Windows approach of having the menu bar in the window obviates this need, but there is a workable, reasonable solution to your issue.

]]> By: Steve http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-9652 Steve Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:44:36 +0000 http://thoughtfullaw.com/2008/10/08/im-a-macday-3/#comment-9652 There is right clicking on a Mac..just like on a PC. Get yourself a normal, windows-oriented mouse with at least two mouse buttons. The right mouse button should work automatically without the need to interact with your track pad or your keyboard. Also, if you do a two finger tap on the trackpad (and assuming you have enabled this feature under system prefs), it will be the equivalent of a right click -- no need to interact with the keyboard. There is right clicking on a Mac..just like on a PC. Get yourself a normal, windows-oriented mouse with at least two mouse buttons. The right mouse button should work automatically without the need to interact with your track pad or your keyboard. Also, if you do a two finger tap on the trackpad (and assuming you have enabled this feature under system prefs), it will be the equivalent of a right click — no need to interact with the keyboard.

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