Filed under: Switchers
OS X Help simplifies the Mac segue
My mom and dad just purchased their first Mac. Unfortunately, it turns out I'm not a great teacher because I get overexcited about advanced features and take the basics for granted when I try to explain things. Fortunately for me, my father shares my autodidactic personality (might be where I got it...) and has been taking the learning curve in stride. I've felt like there are a lot of things they need to know about my favorite platform, though, that I haven't been very good at communicating. I've been wishing there was an all-inclusive, step-by-step resource that could better convey all of the information I try to share in my not-so-good-for-switchers way.
Enter OS X Help, which debuted in January and has built up a nice catalog of articles for people just getting their first taste of OS X. The site features the tag "Insanely simple tutorials for the first time Macintosh user." I immediately thought, "son of a switcher! This could be the answer!" From hardware tips to an in-depth look at Safari and Finder, Scott Haneda and Caroline Merchiers have compiled a well-organized collection of brief introductions to Macintosh topics. The email to my parents is on its way.
[Ed. note: Brett's modesty forbids any mention of our own Mac 101 series for new and returning Mac users... but look there, it got mentioned anyway!]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ludvig Elster said 10:29AM on 2-25-2008
Hope they know how to open e-mails then :D
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Brett Terpstra said 12:59PM on 2-25-2008
I managed to get them through the basics, I think I just lost them when I started wanting to skip ahead to Quicksilver and boolean Spotlight searches... One thing at a time, right?
For the record, my dad is a masterful mechanical engineer and my mom is an English teacher (you'd think I'd keep the which/that thing straight) with years of software experience. We had computers in the household from about the time I was 6. So they're great with computers, it's just that the PC blood runs deep and the transfusion could take a while :).
Larson said 11:28AM on 2-25-2008
Son of a switcher. That's awesome. Rock on Brett, rock on.
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Dan Warriner said 10:47AM on 2-25-2008
hundred's of wonderful Video Tutorials are also available at Apple's website:
http://www.apple.com/findouthow/macosx/
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kpravda said 11:18AM on 2-25-2008
you can also check this one www.macmigrant.com
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Robert said 11:39AM on 2-25-2008
There is Mac Kindergarten at www.mackindergarten.com. They got a lot of screenshots and less text to read, so it's really easy to follow it. Even my mum can.
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Ed said 11:41AM on 2-25-2008
OK, so the Oscars are already done, but my nomination for the best TUAW blogger goes to Brett (closely followed by Scott). Consistently high level of useful posts, written in a very entertaining and intelligent style.
Does anyone have any nominations for the Razzies? :-o
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Brett Terpstra said 1:07PM on 2-25-2008
Thank you. I'd like to thank our director, Scott McNulty, and our editor, Mike Rose. And Victor, and the whole cast. You guys have been great to work with. Oh, and my mom and dad, my wife, my dogs and my cats and my fish and my parrot... *cue orchestra*
@Ed Sorry, I couldn't resist. Thanks for reading!
I withheld all references to the TUAWscars yesterday. Merciful, I know.
S said 12:25PM on 2-25-2008
For $99 a year, you could buy your parents One to One training at the Apple Store. Then they get all the help they could ever need from a real, honest-to-God mac fanatic who also knows how to teach. Much more useful than some video tutorials.
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Rob said 2:56PM on 2-25-2008
Good article. I'd like to add a web guide that was a GREAT help to me when I finally switched to Mac last month:
Hack Attack: A guide for switching to a Mac
http://lifehacker.com/software/mac/hack-attack-a-guide-for-switching-to-a-mac-224674.php
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