Being a Windows-only user for many years, I decided to go for a Mac when planning out which computer to buy to replace the living room PC. I chose the iMac for its aesthetics more than anything else, but I was also genuinely interested in Mac OS X and its BSD underpinnings. But don’t be fooled, the sheer elegance of Apple hardware is what cajoled me into the Mac-platform. And here I am, with a pretty iMac sitting happily on my desk.

I’ll be writing about this subject in a (continually updated) series:

  • Part 1: A Bird’s Eye View of Mac OS X
  • Part 2: Getting AirPort Extreme Working
  • Part 3: Windows & Mac Interoperability
  • Part 4: Windows File Sharing
  • Various How To Articles

Contrary to what Apple may have wanted, I did not switch from PC to Mac. I prefer to call it interoperate more than anything else. Being a core Windows-user I’ve gotten used to Microsoft’s conventions and still find myself reverting back to those from time to time on the Mac. This disgruntled me at first, but if one is open to change, one can get accustomed to it pretty easily.

In writing Mac-centric pieces I’ll be laying down a foundation of which Microsoft-inspired concepts live on on the Mac and which changes I – and no doubt many other Windows-aficionados –  need to take into account when sitting down in front of an OS X-machine.

If you bought into the Apple-thing because of the hardware, make no illusions, you will dislike certain behaviors if you’re used to the flexibility and familiarity of Windows. On the other hand, if you’re fond of eye-candy (like me), OS X will most certainly fulfill many of your fetishes, as it’s (sometimes overly) laden with visual effects.

Interoperating with OS X will be a mixed-blessing in any scenario, thus it’ll be up to you to decide whether you condone or condemn it. The latter will result into major wasteage of your money.