Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition (Paperback)

~ (Author), Adam Goldstein (Author)
Key Phrases: audio chat, more info, main hard drive window, Address Book, System Preferences, Disk Utility (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Maybe you've been persuaded by Apple's "Switch" ad campaign. Maybe you've been seduced by the sleek, sculpted lines of today's Macs. Or maybe you're just fed up with windows. In any case, there's never been a better time to switch to Mac OS X Panther--and there's never been a better book to help you do it.

This funny, authoritative guide takes an honest approach to the three challenges involved in crossing from Microsoft's worldview to Apple's: Transferring your stuff. Moving files from a PC to a Mac by cable, network, or disk is the easy part. But how do you extract things like your email, address book, calendar, Web bookmarks, buddy list, desktop pictures, and MP3 files? Now you'll know. Re-creating your software suite. The big-name programs (from Microsoft, Adobe, and others) are available in both Mac and Windows versions, and their documents require no conversion on the Mac. But hundreds of other programs are available only for Windows. This book describes the Macintosh equivalents and explains how to move data to them. Learning Mac OS X Panther. Once you've moved into the Macintosh mansion, a final task awaits: Learning your way around. Fortunately, you're in good hands with the author of Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, the #1 bestselling guide to Mac OS X Panther. Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Panther Edition offers warm, witty writing and reveals the shortcuts, surprises, and design touches that make the Mac the most passionately championed computer in the world.

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, an online video, and a popular daily blog, "Pogue's Posts." He is also an Emmy award-winning tech correspondent for CBS News, and he appears each week on CNBC with his trademark comic tech videos. With more than 3 million books in print, he is one of the world's bestselling how-to authors. He wrote or co-wrote seven books in the "Dummies" series, and in 1999 he launched his own series of computer books called the Missing Manual series, which now includes more than 100 titles. He has been profiled on "48 Hours" and "60 Minutes." Pogue's website is www.davidpogue.com and his Twitter screen name is Pogue. He lives in Connecticut.

Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 2nd edition (September 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596006608
• ISBN-13: 978-0596006600
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #254,131 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This item is part of The O'Reilly Missing Manuals Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

163 of 168 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	foundpoem - See all my reviews

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.

37 of 38 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)

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.

26 of 27 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

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.