10 Reasons To Blog With Mac
Filed in: Tips n Tricks — February 21st, 2008
Guest blogging by hongkiat. If you like this entry, subscribe my feed.
I’m a 7 month old Mac user but the satisfaction it gives me makes me hate being Windows user for more than 1 decade. I personally think it’s pretty fair why Mac machines or Apple product are slight more expensive than the rest. For long run sake and user experience, they are really worth it. I personally own iPod touches, iPhone, Macbook and several Apple accessories I have to say they pretty much communicates (sync and connects) with each other very well and let’s not forget the nice and sleek designs.
As a blogger, Mac has efficiently help me in may ways. I’ll sum them up in 10 reasons why you should be blogging with Mac. Full list after jump.
Terminal
Terminals are great tool and they comes with Mac OS. This light SSH application helps you easily connect to your blog web account, doing tasks like backups, reboot server, edit files. It even does FTP so you don’t need an extra FTP application.
Group and view by application type
In Windows you can group applications of the same kind together in toobar but it just gives you a list view when you click over it. In Mac, you don’t have to group them manually. On any active application window, just hit "F10" and it will show you all application-of-the-same-kind. For example if you have 3 images opened in Photoshop, just go to one and hit F10, you’ll see the all 3 as overall. Simple click on any and that will make it the current-active. Pretty convenient if you swap from files to files.
Print Screens
Mac by default comes with 2 types of screen capturing function. Shift + Command + 3 print screen the entire page, Shift + Command + 4 allows you to select a specific region. As for windows, there’s only a whole page screen capture or you’ll to depend on third party softwares.
The Invert Mode
Sometimes I work in the dark, but the way the LCD screen glares irritate and hurt the eyes. Mac has got this inverting function, Control + Command + Alt + 8 to invert the screen. That’s more comfortable for the eyes in the dark.
Spotlight Fast Indexing
Windows does support files and keywords indexing for the convenience of searching, but Mac makes it a whole lot more faster and efficient. It also search through your Mail client, and if you are reading feeds with Newsfire, it’ll index that too. If you are blogging on a specific topic, type in a keyword in Mac’s Spotlight and results are grab from your HDD files, Mails contents, RSS, etc. You can even configure it to fetch results from your chat histories.
Parallels
You are on Mac, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need a Windows anymore. I test Windows softwares so I can review and share them on my blog. I also test my web design XHTML/CSS compatibility in Internet Explorer 6. Parallels is a great Mac apps that allows you to run Windows within Mac. It opens up the entire Windows OS like a Mac application, or you can even go full screen. Imagine dragging files from Windows directly into your Mac desktop, vice versa.
Safari Browser
Safari is another reason why you should be on Mac. We know there is a Safari for Windows, but trust me the original on Mac is way better. Firefox is a great browser for developers as it’s rich in plug-ins but in terms of surfing and stability, Safari is no doubt the better. Did your Firefox browser recently hung on you? Well, the ratio of Firefox and Safari browser hangs on my experience is 9:1. Safari almost never hangs.
Blue Screen of Death
Hands up who hasn’t seen this on your Windows. It might not be the #1 reason you should go for Mac, but at least Mac don’t hang for no reason.
Spaces for better working environment
Spaces is a new function that comes with Mac OSX Leopard. Linux has similar function. It basically allows you to create more working desktops and conviniently swap from each other. Organize different applications into different spaces, and that will not eat up much resources. And resources is what Windows need 
Typography
Last but not least, the Mac’s typography. Mac uses Lucida and Myriad Pro fonts in most displays, no more pixelated fonts anywhere.
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February 21st, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Windows for life!
February 21st, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Huh? Why do you work in the dark?
February 21st, 2008 at 9:28 pm
i am looking forward to buy one mac
February 21st, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I just heard about better Mac..but personally I never experience Mac itself..I wish I can buy Mac in the future..liew..thanks for sharing your million dollar experience over Mac.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:32 am
Mac is nice but the price is pretty steep!
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 am
I am using the Safari in Windows. Very good and smooth.
Look n Feel is much better.
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:24 am
I run Windows XP and spend about 16 hours a day on it, only turn it off when I go on holiday and only reboot if I have a new program or update which is every couple of weeks or so. I have not had a blue screen for about four years. Most of the software you like is freely available for Windows although they are likely to be open source products that do the same job but cost nothing.
I don’t understand why mac users have a big chip on their shoulder as their products are nowhere as good as they like to think they are. Maybe its because they cost so much more than a proper PC that they have to justify spending so much.
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:31 am
want to buy mac? jump to this site.
http://www.applicationuniverse.com.my/mac-store
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 am
Cool features of MAC. Hope to get one MACBook for blogging!
–blog for dream–
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:28 am
Now have you ever heart of Linux?
First thing first.
#1 If you own your own server, i guess you would download some thirdparty programs to easily control your webserver, and there’s tons of client on Windows, which makes it easy to do. No need to “Write to do” when you can “Click to do”.
#2 I don’t see how this ever could become handy. Unless you work with tons of shit, which you don’t do when you’re a Mac user. “neat and simple”
#3 Windows users also have to opportunity to take a screenshot of a window, with the simple Shift + Screenshot.
#4 Oh I really can’t live without the invert function! This is the most funniest function ever. I use paint to do it..
#5 F3 / CTRL + B / CTRL + F
#6 You can even run Linux inside Windows - yes inside.
#7 Be smart - Use Mozilla Firefox.
#8 Most BSoD is coursed by hardware failure. Now instead of spending money on Apple stuff, use the money to buy some good hardware, for your PC.
#9 What’s wrong with ALT + TAB?
#10 Oh just one thing, I love Pixels. (And you can easily change it from the probities windows)
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
A small correction: with windows, you can capture only the active program window instead of the whole screen. Alt-PrintScreen.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Mac is the one. We should know that.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:43 pm
never use this but should try soon.
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Hi LiewcF
I love Mac and I use Mac at home. One more thing I think worth mentioning that comes with Leopard is Bootcamp which allows you to install Windows and OSX side by side and you can run Windows at native speed.
And if you have more than one Mac, the sync functionality is quite impressive.
Ash
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Blue screen of death? Have not seen that in a long time in Windows.
Anyway, for most, we have never been exposed to the Mac so we don’t know any better. Thanks for sharing with us, Hong Kiat.
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
yeah, we are in the same boat raymond..windows for life..haha
February 23rd, 2008 at 8:54 am
We can even install Mac OS on PC now. So…
February 23rd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
For me, i will choose to install Mac on my PC. There are a lot of applications for windows, but not fore Mac…….
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I will not go for MAC unless I want to show off because using MAC it is just like driving BMW.
It is a different status.
February 24th, 2008 at 12:04 am
Hear of
True Type?
Alt-PrintScreen?
Command Prompt?
PowerShell?
Window Desktop Search? Google Desktop?
Opera?
VMPlayer?
Microsoft Virtual Desktop?
These are all your cool thing about MAC in windows. Except they work much better compare to MAC. All come either build-in or Free download.
But i guess MAC lover love their inverted screen. I have my computer glasses all the time, no thanks
MAC is cool on the look, work wise, please give me microsoft (hey, even Office @ Mac look nicer in window !)
February 24th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I’m using Mac for about 3 months. I love it. I really like the OSX features and the unix Os
February 24th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Blue screen of death? Never seen one for sometime now. Bear been on linux mostly.
The only good Mac is Big Mac. Bear like Big Mac.
But Bear do not mind trying out a free MacBook. Who wants to give Bear a MacBook?
February 25th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
erm..
you guys have thick money in your pocket
then you get the MAC
for me i just use Windows. I can’t afford the cost.
I just never turn off my pc and reboot but only doing that when need.
For info i never see a death blue screen. Maybe it’s not the OS, it’s a machine..
February 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Well, all MAC, Windows and linux got their own pros and cons…
Hardly to compare…
But for myself, i prefer to learn all…. hehe
February 26th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
wah.. a lot of debate here…
I would prefer windows..since I have not use mac for longer than 10 minutes from mac shop…..
but would like to have a second computer that is a mac……too bad I bought my laptop and desktop already….
sounds tempting…but mac price is really pushing me away
February 26th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
reagarding the mac price, we have to consider also the licensed software included in a Mac computer. It really worth the price.
February 26th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I don’t understand why mac users have a big chip on their shoulder as their products are nowhere as good as they like to think they are. Maybe its because they cost so much more than a proper PC that they have to justify spending so much.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:22 am
As a graphic designer , I agree that MAC is better.
My experience tell me.
February 27th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Hey LcF, no time no see…how are you?
Mac sounds very tempting indeed, and I’m wondering if I should get a MacBoook or Dell XPS 1530. Almost the same price though Dell offers a better after sales.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I like Mac as it look cutes. But expensive. Can use it during dreaming only.
February 27th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Yeah.. “When you go Mac you don’t go back” - just make sure you have extended warranty. My Apple iBook died 2 months after the warranty expired and the cost of repair is almost the same price as buying a new Apple laptop.
February 27th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Your comments were pretty fair, but lets just say I was a Windows user, now a Mac user and able to give comparison from experiences after using both. Another note to add, I’ve seen many windows user converted to Mac, but none going the reverse.
Gobala: You could be right because iBook is quite a old product. You should consider Macbook now.
February 27th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
basically… apple is the trends innovator while msuck is the follower…
I like the features of inverted mode coz i also a dark night worker…
just curious.. with all that goodies.. how much RAM do you run on? especially when you turned on spaces and parallel features.. does it got turtle????
February 28th, 2008 at 6:30 am
I’m a novelist and I started off on a PC. It crashed three months after I started writing. I had lost everything. I went to a Mac. It’s almost impossible for it to loose you work. I do not want to go back to a PC. They are so easy to crash. My son does it for a living for a global company.
He hates Macs because he can’t crash them. He needs to learn every possible way to crash a PC so he can fix virus. I’m never lost my work since I owned a Mac.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I’ve not used a Mac before. Currently using Vista home premium. Hey don’t shoot me okay. It came with the laptop. So far so good. Boot time are respectable about 60 sec on Core2D 2G Ram machine. Better than linux, go google it. No idea about Mac but Mac is reccomended by many IM.
More stable than XP
Pros’
- fast launch
- stabler than XP
Con’s
- some software can’t run
- can’t fax, unless Vista Business, bought Snappy Fax
- need huge memory, but it can learn what you usually use
Lately I tinker with linux ( got very unproductive, haha)
Tried PuppyLinux. It is for old machine mind u, can run on 128MB Ram no harddisk required
Load about same time with Vista (uncompress kernal etc) Sure it can be
faster if full install. Not too bad. Shut down in like 10sec. Wifi, printing ok.
I like Open Soft, but linux is still not that user friendly yet & I don’t like to pay.