Image Credit: "Apple Genius Bar" by .imelda on Flickr

When you begin a MacLife(tm), there are several things that are completely different than any previous computing life. In some ways it feels like you’ve waken up as a cat instead of a person. You need to learn about being a cat when all you know is how to be a human. To their credit, Apple has plenty resources to help with the migration and introduction to the Mac world. One amazing resource are the Mac Genius’.

Apple loves to tout the friendliness and expertise of their staff. When I began looking at purchasing a new computer I asked several Mac genius’ across 3 stores and 2 states all sorts of questions concerning Mac. My questions were specific from web design to general maintenance. Each one of the Genius’ have been able to answer my questions or find another Mac Genius to answer my question. I’ve never left the Apple Store without an unresolved issue!

What happens if there isn’t a Mac Genius around and your left alone, by yourself, with a million questions to answer? Through the advice of friends, Mac Genius’ and google searches I’ve compiled a list that has helped me through my initial days of adjusting to Mac.

Straight From The Horses Mouth

The official source to find help and information is Apple’s support page. They help with all sorts of questions, such as “How to Burn a CD” to “Do I Need to Defragment My Hard Drive?” This is the best place to begin your search for specific questions concerning your new Mac. I would also keep an eye on Apple’s Hot News, offering news and information on everything Apple. Hot News also includes tips concerning the Mac OS, like this one about securely deleting trash in the Finder.

Apple also offer’s classes and workshops in their Apple Retail Stores. These span from the generic topics such as using Leopard to the specific like Podcasting. Some stores even have featured events, such as the Apple Store in SoHo which featured Whoopi Goldberg on May 20, and musicians Gonzalo Grau y La Clave Secreta on May 22. You can find an Apple Store near you by visiting www.apple.com/retail. There’s also a series of video and text tutorials on their website.

The Experts

Plenty of websites provide information specific to Apple. For years I’ve been a subscriber to the magazine PC World. Their website provides a great resource for news and information about the PC world. Now that I’ve turned Mac, I’ve have to transfer over to the sister publication, Macworld. Macworld, a magazine that provides expert information on everything Apple, provides a wealth of knowledge, tricks, tips, and reviews that will help navigate through your Mac life. Mac|Life, another magazine about all things Apple, is an additional source for information and reviews. Mac|Life also provides how to’s for many topics, such as 25 Ways to Speed Up Your Mac.

The Bloggers

Bloggers have a lot more lenency than magazine or the experts when discussing Apple topics or issues. While they provide helpful hints, tips, and news, and tend to be able to deliver a breath of information across many topics. There are several blogs I enjoy, ZDNet has a popular Apple themed blog The Apple Core that could be more informative, but provides plenty insight on the world of Apple. TUAW (The Unafficial Apple Weblog) is a really great resources while keeping track of Apple news and rumors, however I find The Apple Blog to be the best blog for news surrounding Apple.

Finding Software

I’ve mentioned Mac software related websites in the past, and I feel I should mention them again. These websites are great tools while finding popular Mac software for your needs. MacUpdate and VersionTracker provide extensive lists of Mac software. Alternativeto,net and the Open Source Alternative websites provide lists of alternatives to popular software. Macworld has begun their yearly roundup of great Mac software, titled “MacGems 2009” which can be found at www.macworld.com/macgems

When All Else Fails, Google

If you still cannot find an answer to your question or a particular type of software, Google is your best friend. It’s helped me find all of these great resources!

Image Credit: "Halfway point!" by OwenBlacker on Flickr

15 days in, and I’m very happy with the new MacBook Pro (Avalon), even drawing some jealously! To say that getting a new computer has changed my life is cheesy, but accurate. In 15 days, they way I work and live has changed dramatically, this is due to the fact that my life is directly related to IT. I’ve been able to accomplish tasks faster, easier, and manage them in ways unable to do previously. Life changing, yes, perfect, damn near close.

Half of the things I had to worry about when using a PC have been removed from my computing life. Viruses, spyware, malware aren’t high concerns; but does not mean I can begin to act recklessly. Most of the maintenance tasks, file organization, and compatibility issues I’ve experienced with PC are gone.

The purpose of this 30 day journey isn’t to gloat about how great Mac’s are over Windows, but to describe the migration process. There’s a notion that Mac’s are better than PC’s, or PC’s are better than Mac’s are both true. In my search for answers to these questions, I’ve found pundits and fanatics on both sides, but never a clear answer. I haven’t found a resource that details, from a regular point of view, the experience from going to one platform to another. What works? What doesn’t? Which are the alternatives to popular software? Which isn’t? What to avoid? What would make this process complete is a long time Mac user migrating to Windows and detailing their initial 30 days.

I realize I’m not going to cover every nook and cranny, I’m going to try. If you’ve found these post helpful, up until this point I would also recommend reading two books that will help you in your migration process. The first is My New Mac: 52 Simple Projects to Get You Started which helps new users through many tasks that will adjust them to Mac. The second book is Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition, providing great insight, tips and help with a new Mac after coming from PC.

I hope those who have been keeping track have enjoying the process so far. Feel free to share your experience, thoughts, and even suggestions in the comments.