Switching Between Mac and Windows

Often one has to switch betwen platforms for work or sometimes when taking a class. This page is to show it is not that hard to do—there are many similarities between the Macintosh OS and the Windows OS.

Applications:

Generally, there is very little, if any, difference between programs, other than some command/control key usage noted below.

One of the main differences is that the preference menu is usually under the Edit menu in Windows programs and under the program menu (the left-most) in the Macintosh OS.

Fonts:

Use of OpenType fonts eliminates any cross-platform issues.

It is also possible for the Macintosh OS to use Windows TrueType fonts.

Some Type 1 fonts may work cross-platform, but one version for each platform has to be purchased.

Graphics:

If using Adobe programs, native files formats (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, etc.) are cross-platform. QuarkXPress files are also cross-platform. Microsoft Office files are cross-platform if at similar versions.

Other cross-platform formats include: TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and EPS. If using EPS, be sure to save with an 8-bit color preview (this is the default setting on Windows, but not for Mac).

It is critical for Mac users to include the file extension (.psd, .ai, .qxp, .tif, etc.) when saving files if you plan on sharing files with a Windows user. This is the default for most Mac programs, but if the user removes the extension when naming the file, the OS does not put it back on (as it does on the Windows OS).

OS Issues

Right-click

Newer Macs have come with multi-button Apple mice (mouses?) for a number of years now, however the second button (aka the right-click) may need to be activated in the system preferences.

I would recommend Mac users with an older, single-button mouse to purchase a new, multi-button mouse, possibly with a scroll wheel. As long as it is USB, it will work. It might take a few days to get used to it, but once you do, you will not want to use a single-button mouse again (and I've been a Mac user since 1985).

If you only have a single-button mouse, you will need to hold down the Control key (on the Mac keyboard) to replicate the "right-click" of a mult-button mouse. Both the right-click on Windows and the Control click on the Mac are to access contextual menus.

Major Keyboard changes

The equivalent of the Control key in Windows is the Command key (sometimes known as the Apple key) in Mac. (As mentioned, the only major use for the Control key on the Mac is to replicate the contextual menu.)

The equivalent of the Alt key in Windows is the Option key on the Mac. (In fact, most Macs add a smaller "alt" label on the Option key.)

For example, a keyboard command of Control-Alt-Shift-S on Windows would be Command-Option-Shift-S on the Mac.

The Command and Control keys are in different positions on the keyboard; training your fingers to use the proper key is probably the hardest thing about going between platforms. (Technically, one can use a Windows keyboard on a Mac and vice versa, as long as it is USB. Keys are mapped by position on the keyboard, not the lable of the key.)

Navigation issues

The Finder on the Mac is basically the same as the Desktop on Windows. On the Mac, the Finder is usually called the Desktop too. When opening and saving a file, the Desktop shortcut is listed on the left side of the dialog box on both platforms.

The Task Bar on Windows is similar to the Dock on Mac. The major exception is the Dock can show unopened programs in addition to the open ones. You can drag a document to an icon on the Dock and it will open the program if necessary and the document; you can drag a document to an open program in Windows, except you have to wait a second for the program to become maximized and then drag the file up into the program area (you can't simply drop the document on the Task Bar).

The equivalent of "My Documents" on Windows is "Documents" on the Mac. There is a slight difference as to where music, movies, and pictures are stored: in Windows, they are in My Documents; on the Mac, they are in the users Home folder, but not in the Documents folder.

On Windows, drives always have drive letters, such as "C:"; on the Mac, they do not. In both OS', the drives can be named. This can have a great impact when working off of a server. Keep the files together in a single project folder.

Other Differences

On Windows, the Minimize, Maximize, and Close boxes are in the upper-right corner of a window; on a Mac, they are in the upper-left corner and represented by the Red (Close), Yellow (Minimize), and Green (Maximize) buttons. (Adobe programs have the close box for panels on the right for both platforms.)

On Windows, CDs and DVDs can be ejected by pressing the drive's eject button (as long as the disc is not being actively used); on the Mac, the disc must be ejected from the Finder first —usually by pressing the Eject button.

On Windows, software is in the Programs folder; on the Mac, they are in the Applications folder.

On Windows, it is the Recycle Bin; on the Mac, the Trash Can.

On Windows, a Shortcut points to a file, folder, or program; on the Mac, they are called Alias.

On Windows, one used Control Panels; on the Mac, one used the System Preferences (although they used to be called Control Panels prior to OS X)