From Blue Screens to Blank Desktops: Windows To Mac

When I first opened my new MacBook, the first thing that struck me was how minimalist the desktop was. It was a blank slate—no clutter, no taskbar overflowing with icons, just an empty screen with a small dock at the bottom. Coming from a Windows PC, it felt oddly barren, yet intriguing.

A Search Option That Actually Works

One of the first things I discovered was Spotlight, the search feature. Unlike Windows Search, which often left me frustrated with its inconsistent results, Spotlight was a revelation. It’s fast, accurate, and surprisingly powerful. Whether I’m searching for files, apps, or even doing quick calculations, it just works.

Terminal: A Developer's Delight

As someone who occasionally uses terminal commands, the macOS Terminal was a breath of fresh air. The commands I used on Linux worked seamlessly here. Setting up development environments felt much smoother, and I finally understood why developers often praise macOS as a great platform for coding.

Apple’s Native Apps: Surprisingly Good

I was skeptical about Apple’s built-in apps at first, but they won me over. Safari is faster and more battery-efficient than any browser I’ve used on Windows. Notes, Reminders, and Calendar are simple yet effective, and they sync effortlessly across all Apple devices.

Homebrew: The Package Manager I Didn’t Know I Needed

Windows has recently introduced package managers like Winget, but Homebrew is on another level. Installing and managing software through Terminal with a single command is a game-changer. It made setting up my Mac a lot easier and more fun.

Mac Quirks That Caught Me Off Guard

Closing Tabs Doesn’t Exit the App

On macOS, clicking the red ‘X’ button doesn’t fully close an app. You have to explicitly quit it using Command + Q. This was a strange concept at first, but now I see the logic—apps stay ready in the background for faster relaunching.

No Window Snapping

I sorely miss Windows’ ability to snap windows to corners or sides with a drag. While macOS has third-party apps to replicate this feature, it’s something I feel should be built-in.

Natural Scrolling

Apple’s default “natural scrolling” direction felt anything but natural to me. Luckily, it’s easy to switch back to the traditional Windows-style scrolling in settings.

No Familiar Apps on the App Store

The App Store was another surprise. Apps like Spotify, Skype, or even Google Chrome aren’t available there. I had to download them from their respective websites, which seemed counterintuitive given Apple’s emphasis on security.

Alt + Tab Behavior

Alt + Tab (or Command + Tab on Mac) doesn’t show previews of all windows. Instead, it only cycles through open apps, which feels limiting compared to Windows. Switching between multiple windows of the same app is particularly clunky.

No Backspace Key

On macOS, there’s no dedicated Backspace key like on Windows. Instead, the Delete key serves the same purpose, which was initially confusing. It’s a small change, but it took some getting used to.

The Good: Smooth and Fast Apps

Despite these quirks, macOS apps are impressively smooth. Visual Studio Code, for instance, runs noticeably faster than it did on my Windows PC. Even simple tasks like scrolling feel fluid and responsive.

Command, Control, and Option: The Trio of Confusion

The learning curve with Mac keyboard shortcuts was steeper than I expected. Command, Control, and Option are all distinct keys, and figuring out which one does what took some trial and error. For example, I struggled to stop a script running in Terminal until I discovered the magic of Command + .(period).

Final Thoughts

Switching from Windows to macOS has been an adventure filled with both frustration and delight. While there are aspects of Windows I still miss, the Mac’s smooth performance, cohesive ecosystem, and developer-friendly features have won me over. For anyone making the transition, my advice is to embrace the differences—and don’t be afraid to Google a lot in the beginning!