Since building my new computer, I have been tinkering around with multiple operating systems and for the first time getting lots of play time with Apple’s Mac OS X. Altogether, I’ve switched to using my Hackintosh for about 8 months now. I started off using the iDeneb version of 10.5.5 install disc based on the specs of the component parts I used to piece my PC together. Alas, several weeks ago, Apple released the 10.5.7 update and I had to update because I had skipped out on 10.5.6.
I am a hardcore PC user as long as I can remember but since Vista was such a miserable failure in my opinion, I wanted to try alternative operating systems. After trying different flavors of Linux, I came to settle on using OS X. It just feels much more polished than what any other desktop operating system has to offer. I am still much more familiar with Windows structure but to me, the Mac definitely has plenty of eye-candy as well as useful programs built in that I know I cannot do without moving forward.
Getting used to the Mac took awhile from getting used to the global menu on top rather than every window to using the nice built in programs such as Expose and Spaces. I love having multiple desktop sessions rather than being tied to only one screen. Here are some of my favorite things about OS X:
- Spotlight – Its a desktop search much like Google’s desktop search but already built into the operating system so I am able to use it any time to find files, pictures, videos, etc. whether clicking on the magnifying glass embedded on the top right corner of the global menu or in Finder (Apple’s equivalent to Window’s Explorer).
- Spaces – As mentioned previously, Spaces lets me have multiple desktop sessions or surfaces to work on. It is like having multiple monitors rather than just one single monitor. The great thing about Spaces is I am able to open particular programs in a certain workspace that dedicate it to. This is good because sometimes, I do my web development and dedicate a workspace just for the Dreamweaver, Photoshop, etc. programs.
- Quick Look – Underrated feature in OS X is the ability to browse through files in Finder or on your desktop and be able to click the space bar and see a files content or preview it. Not like the program Preview, everything loads instantaneously. So if I find a Excel spreadsheet or PDF and as long as the file is selected, I can push space bar and it will load its contents for me to see without even launching Excel or Adobe Acrobat. This is great to see pictures in larger size rather than flipping through thumbnail versions which are too tiny at times.
- Starting Up – From booting up my machine to log in, it feels a lot faster. The only downside is since I am dual-booting I have a special loader needed but once I select my operating system, it loads fast for me to start navigating through the web.
- Look and Polish – The environment you are working in is much more aesthetically pleasing over any other operating system’s experience. Windows XP and Vista both feel dated. Linux desktops such as KDE or Gnome feel less polished. Even with add-ons like Comfiz Fusion, it still feels buggy. (Windows 7 is nice, but I haven’t had too much time playing with that as the OS X is still a new toy for me.) The layout, the Dock functions, combined with keyboard combinations just feels like a much more sophisticated and geared towards a modern work space environment. Although many will say Dock is useless, I like the function of it.
Overall, I am quite happy with the OS X software and it is too bad that the only computers you are able to buy with it installed on it is from Apple unless you choose the Psystar route. Personally, the downside factor is the limited hardware your able to choose to configure your system from Apple and minor yet effective upgrades like RAM can cost an arm and leg.
I am keeping a close eye on their product line particularly laptops since mine died. I would choose a MacBook or MacBook Pro but never an iMac or iMac Pro. However, the cost is still quite high as much as I like the operating system. I may just end up getting a netbook and loading a OS X version designed for it. But if you are in the market for a new computer or laptop and are unsure of switching over to a Mac, I would say you should go for it.