Mac OS X Unleashed

Mac OS X Unleashed

By John Ray and William C. Ray

Migration Issues

There are two primary types of users who will be interested in Mac OS X initially: traditional Mac users and die-hard Unix fans. Before jumping into the Mac OS X installation, I'd like to give users a heads up about what to expect as they make the transition from Mac OS 9 or Linux to Mac OS X.

Mac OS users are going to find a number of interface elements missing or changed. Table 1.1 shows what changes Mac OS users can expect.

Table 1.1. Interface Element Changes

Element Change
Pop-up folders Removed.
Springloaded folders Removed.
Finder Font customization Removed.
Apple menu Mostly replaced by the Dock.
Control panels Replaced by a central preference area (similar to Mac OS 6.0).
Window shades Window shading has been replaced by minimized windows.
Trash can Moved to the Dock.
Zoom rectangles Windows appear instantly; zoom rectangles are gone.
Screen savers Integrated into Mac OS X.
Large icons Previously limited to 32x32 pixels, icons can now be as large as 128x128.
Process menu Replaced by the Dock process manager.
Menu organization The OS X menu organization has changed. Systemwide options are now located under the Apple menu.
Control strip Replaced by the Dock and Menu Extras, but missing much of the functionality.
Contextual menus Much functionality is removed.
Hardware support Limited support in the initial Mac OS X release for scanners, printers, and video devices.

Although several of these changes might seem like a step backward, many of these features will return to future versions of the operating system. For the most part, your Macintosh computing experience will translate directly into the OS X environment. There are many other differences in the operation of the system. This list was intended to give you an idea of what GUI features will be missing when you start the system. Don't fret, the advantages gained by running Mac OS X outweigh the negatives.

Note

Apple has set an aggressive upgrade schedule for Mac OS X. It is likely that many shortcomings will be addressed within the first year of release. The 10.1 upgrade, for example, doubled the speed over the initial Mac OS X release, and included support for CD burning and DVD playback.

Linux and BSD users are going to find themselves right at home within the command-line environment. The addition of the XFree86 X Windows implementation can turn OS X into a full-featured Unix workstation. Unfortunately, OS X is lacking many of the graphical configuration tools that Linux users have grown accustomed to. Linuxconf, for example, allows easy configuration of features ranging from e-mail and DNS servers to user accounts.

If you're looking for an easy-to-configure Unix server, consider purchasing Mac OS X Server 2.X instead. OS X Server offers GUI configuration of e-mail, DNS, DHCP, AppleShare, andmany other services. If you're a more adventurous sort, this book will provide all the information you need to run the same sort of services as Mac OS X Server, but without a simple GUI.

Note

Strangely enough, Windows users might find themselves right at home under OS X. The rearranged window controls, process Dock, and Finder navigation are much closer to their Windows counterparts than to previous versions of Mac OS!

Overall, Mac OS X is a pleasant user experience, but it is not Mac OS 9. Given a few months to grow and stabilize, it will easily replace traditional Mac OS. If you find it difficult to use or lacking features you need, tell A p ple! Above all, don't be afraid to decide to wait before installing Mac OS X. All operating systems are a bit shaky on their legs following their birth, and Mac OS X is no exception.

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