Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition [Paperback]

David Pogue (Author), Adam Goldstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005 | Series: Missing Manual

It's little wonder that longtime Windows users are migrating in droves to the new Mac. They're fed up with the virus-prone Windows way of life, and they're lured by Apple's well-deserved reputation for producing great all-around computers that are reliable, user-friendly, well designed, and now--with the $500 Mac mini--extremely affordable, too.

Whether you're drawn to the Mac's stability, its stunning digital media suite, or the fact that a whole computer can look and feel as slick as your iPod, you can quickly and easily become a Mac convert. But consider yourself warned: a Mac isn't just a Windows machine in a prettier box; it's a whole different animal and a whole new computing experience.

If you're contemplating--or have already made--the switch from a Windows PC to a Mac, you need Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition. This incomparable guide delivers what Apple doesn't: everything you need to know to successfully and painlessly move to a Mac.

The latest reprint of this book has been updated to reflect the new generation of Mac models that run on Intel chips. There's even a new appendix that guides you through the installation of Windows XP on your Macintosh (using adapter software like Boot Camp or Parallels), so that you have the best of all worlds: a single, beautiful machine that can run 100 percent of the world's desktop software.

Missing Manual series creator and bestselling author David Pogue teams up with 17-year-old whiz kid and founder of GoldfishSoft (www.goldfishsoft.com) Adam Goldstein to cover every aspect of switching to a Mac--things like transferring email, files, and addresses from a PC to a Mac; getting acquainted with the Mac's interface; adapting to Mac versions of familiar programs (including Microsoft Office); setting up a network to share files with PCs and Macs; and using the printers, scanners, and other peripherals you already own.

Covering the latest in Mac OS X v.10.4 "Tiger," Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition explains the hundreds of innovative new features to the Mac OS and how you can understand and make the very most of each.

Whether you're a novice or a power user, Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition, teaches you how to smoothly and seamlessly replace (or supplement) your Windows machine--in a refreshingly funny and down-to-earth style--with a mighty Mac.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David Pogue, Yale '85, is the personal-technology columnist for the New York Times. With nearly 3 million books in print, he is also one of the world's bestselling how-to authors, having written or co-written seven books in the "for Dummies" series (including Macs, Magic, Opera, and Classical Music), along with several computer-humor books and a technothriller, "Hard Drive" (a New York Times "notable book of the year"). Pogue is also the creator and primary author of the Missing Manual series of complete, funny computer books, a joint venture with O'Reilly & Associates. Titles in the series include Mac OS X, Windows XP, iPod, Microsoft Office, iPhoto, Dreamweaver, iMovie 2, and many others. His Web page is www.davidpogue.com, and his email address is [e-mail].

Adam Goldstein runs GoldfishSoft, a shareware company that makes games and utilities for Mac OS X. Adam is the author of AppleScript: The Missing Manual and was a technical editor for O'Reilly's best-selling Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, and an editor for Mac OS X Panther Power User. When he's not writing books or code, Adam attends high school in New Jersey, where he is captain of the Debate and Quizbowl teams and an editor of the school paper.

Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 2nd edition (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596006608
• ISBN-13: 978-0596006600
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #626,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Pogue is the personal-technology columnist for the New York Times. Each week, he contributes a print column, an online column and an online video. His daily blog, "Pogue's Posts," is the Times's most popular blog. David is also an Emmy award-winning tech correspondent for CBS News and a frequent guest on NPR's "Morning Edition." His trademark comic tech videos appear each Thursday morning on CNBC. With over 3 million books in print, David is one of the world's bestselling how-to authors. He launched his own series of complete, funny computer books called the Missing Manual series, which now includes 60 titles. David graduated summa cum laude from Yale in 1985, with distinction in Music, and he spent ten years conducting and arranging Broadway musicals in New York. He's been profiled on both "48 Hours" and "60 Minutes."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

165 of 170 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Useful, August 25, 2006

By 

foundpoem - See all my reviews

This review is from: Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition (Paperback)

I've been using Windows since the early 1990s and recently bought my first Mac. At first I thought this wasn't the book I wanted. I wanted to learn the OS on its own, not in "translation." For example, you'll find things like this in this book: "Finder = Windows Explorer," "Dock = Taskbar," etc. I thought it would hinder learning in a way total-immersion wouldn't; I'd hoped to learn to use the Mac directly. So after my husband picked up "Switching to the Mac" the first day I had the computer--in order to figure out how to network the Mac to our PCs and printers, and to transfer files, etc. (all of which is in this book)--I ordered four other books. I wanted to read them like other reviewers did: straight through, fun learning. But, it's not as easy as I'd hoped to learn a whole new operating system and, for me, the manuals don't prove to be fun reading -- as cheeky as their humor can be. So, I find myself reaching for "Switching to the Mac" as a necessary reference book. It presupposes that the reader is proficient at using a computer, but not a Mac (unlike other books, which either assume no computer knowledge or are written in "Mac language" for those familiar with previous Mac operating systems.)

That said, the space taken up on translating Windows lingo/usage to Mac takes up space that isn't used to fully describe how to use Mac applications. This book does a stellar, succinct job of teaching the OS. From there, I need a second book to explain the applications. And, oddly for me (because I'm not a David Pogue fan, and wouldn't have chosen either book had my husband not bought this one first) "The Missing Manual OS X," also by Pogue, is the best of the books I've bought for that purpose. The latter picks up where this book leaves off. Pogue states in the intro that the material overlaps, and as nice as it would be to spend money on one book rather than two, I've not found overlapping material to be a problem, and I've found them equally useful. Since the books are already fairly weighty, the two together are working very well for me. I truly don't think I'd have learned as easily or quickly without "Switching to the Mac." I definitely recommend it for Windows users...and I had resisted this approach.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Switching to the Mac" - Entertaining and Informative, August 9, 2006

By 

Brian M. Oldham (Alameda, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition (Paperback)

Are you a long time Windows user that is new to the Mac?

Perhaps you are a long-time Mac user that is thinking of running Windows on your new Intel-powered Mac?

In either of these cases, "Switching to the Mac" is a great book to read. Surprisingly, I also found it a good book for Mac users that have no interest in Windows.

When I see the name "David Pouge" on the cover of a book, I expect to be entertained and educated in equal measure. "Switching to the Mac" did not disappoint on either front. Mr. Pouge has a talent for starting his books in a conversational and humorous manner that draws you in, and after you've turned some pages, you realize that you've learned some useful tricks and tidbits.

"Switching to the Mac" is broken into four parts.

Part One, Welcome to Macintosh (Chapters 1 to 4), covers differences between the Mac and Windows, terminology, and an overview of the Mac OS, including many small but very useful tips. Although I've been using OS X for as long as it has been around (and Macs for as long as they've been around), I was pleasantly surprised by the things I learned in this section of the book. The authors succeed at a difficult balancing act - giving new users the information they need, while giving power users information to keep them from being bored. For example, the first thing taught in Chapter One is where to find the power button on various models of Macs, then just a few pages later they show where to root around in the System folder to activate the Eject menu extra. One of the many highlight of Part One is Chapter Two's discussion on finding files, which covers Spotlight (Apple's new search technology), and Smart Folders (saved searches).

Part Two, Moving In (Chapters 5 to 8), covers transferring data, an assortment of third-party (non-Apple) applications, and hardware that connects to the Mac. Highlights of Part Two are Chapter Six's detailed discussion on transferring your email and contacts from PC to Mac, and Chapter Eight has several sections useful to any Mac user, covering topics as diverse as printing, burning CDs and DVDs, and a discussion on fonts that could save you hours of frustration and grief. Part Two shows repeatedly how useful the book is, not only as a tutorial, but also as a troubleshooting resource.

Part Three, Making Connections (Chapters 9 to 11), is the breeziest part of the book. Chapter 9 covers the many ways to connect your Mac to the internet, and Chapters 10 and 11 cover Apple's Mail application and Safari web browser. Most of this you may skim over, particularly if your plan on using more powerful alternatives to Apple's applications, such as Entourage (mail), and Firefox (web browser). Chapter 11 does have a nice section on RSS (subscriptions to internet-based information). If you read a lot of web pages and are not currently using RSS, this section explains why you'll love it, and how to set it up.

Part Four, Putting Down Roots (Chapters 12 to 15), covers OS X's built-in applications and system settings. Chapter 12 discusses accounts and security in a manner that is both easy to follow and detailed. I wish that this one chapter were available separately, as I'd like to make it mandatory reading for every Mac user. Chapters 13 and 14 briefly and alphabetically discuss each of the System Preferences and built-in Apple applications. Given the length of these chapters, they're probably best used for the curious--looking up a particular item--than reading from start to finish. My only disappointment with the book was that there was no discussion of Automator in Chapter 14 (or anywhere in the book). "Switching to the Mac" finishes with a chapter on troubleshooting. The authors hope that you'll never need the information in this chapter, but I'm glad that they wrote it. Many of the basic OS X troubleshooting techniques are covered here, and you may find yourself wanting to name your next child "David" after these details save you from a misbehaving Mac and a heart attack.

Many people would not think of reading a computer book as a fun activity, but "Switching to the Mac" was certainly both entertaining and informative. I'd recommend this title to anyone who wanted to understand the Mac better.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential for the beginner with MacOSX, August 9, 2004

By 

Delyse Oxford (Warkworth NZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition (Paperback)

Switching to the Mac -the Missing Manual

Despite it's title this book is not just for those defecting from PC's

An essential for the beginner and an excellent read for those wishing

to burrow into the hidden depths and capabilities of the Mac.

Neither will be disappointed as this is a book written with enthusiasm and humour.

Every topic is dealt with straightforwardly and comprehensively, beginning

with the basics, then leading you on to uncover the complexities, versatility and the

many other wonders of the Mac.

An enlightening and enjoyable read.