Welcome to my first Dev Diary everyone. I’ll start this off with a little summary of my switch from Windows to OSX, then introduce one of the little projects we’ve been working on these past few months. Also, my thanks go out to Stieffers for his great guide on how to write Dev Diaries.

So, a few days ago I got myself a new computer – a nice, shiny, MacBook Pro. I’ve used a Windows machine all my life, starting with 3.1 and most recently a short stint with Vista before returning to XP.

First off, the machine itself. Encased in brushed aluminum and only an inch thick all the way around, this thing is slick. Even better, it doesn’t weigh a ton. I can put the MBP under my arm and carry it easily. When I imagined a “notebook computer”, I imagined being able to have a computer replace my actual notebook. I feel that the MPB is that computer.

Opening up the lid, you are greeted with a beautiful (in my case) 15” matte screen. The screen is great, displays colors wonderfully, and the easily adjustable brightness is a great feature. Moving on, the keyboard is just as great. Good sized keys that feel solid and are responsive. Same goes for the trackpad, which is nice and big.

As for the OS itself, I must say I am pleasantly surprised. When you start OSX up for the first time you are greeted with a nice little intro movie, along with a series of menus to setup your new system. Everything is very simple and straightforward.

Once I started really using OSX though, I got why its users praise it so much. Everything looks nice and polished and has a unified style. Things really do work smoothly. Right now I’ve got 7 programs running and at least 15 windows open and I’m not even noticing them.

What really sets OSX apart for me though is the little things. For instance, when you go to install something you downloaded from the web, the system warns you that you’re running something you downloaded off the web. Or when you go to install a program, the system has you input your password. Or you can take a screenshot of the whole screen by pressing Command-Shift -3 – you hear a shutter click and the file is automatically saved to your desktop. Even better, you can press Command-Shift-4, which lets you select the area that you want to take a screenshot of. It’s the little things that make the OS seem very put together and polished.

Software hasn't been too hard to find either. I've already gotten MS Office 2008 (which I actually like more on the Mac than on Windows now) as well as the CS3 Suite. I was a little saddened that I couldn't get mIRC and µTorrent on here, but Colloquy and Transmission aren't that bad.

My only real complaint is the lack of games for OSX. So far, I have been limited to online flash games on this system. However, I can still install Windows if I want and load up Boot Camp to go play. Not quite as easy as I’d like it, but it’s a start.

Coming up next, I’ll introduce you guys to one of the projects that has been in the works, the new SourceForts Userguide. Feel free to ask any questions in the interim.

Goes to show the devs are doing fuck all. ^__^

__________________

Draken, you were unbanned, but that can quickly change. I advise that you do not insult the hosts that have let you advertise and recruit for your new mod on their forums.

The problem is I hate Apple. Their operating system may be alright, but I hate Apple.

__________________
Hey there.

I got my first MacBook last September.

I swear to you if my Mac could play as many games as PC could, I would never ever look back. I love that thing.

That being said, I'm buying a new one later this summer and giving my old one to my dad (since he bought me the first one anyways).

__________________

proof sol said it

You are an idiot.

__________________

I laughed at the description of the screenshot utility because it describes perfectly what my roommate had on his Dell laptop running XP. Also isn't all of that security bullshit what everyone whines about Vista having? Of course Vista is also accused of basically being Window's copy of OSX so no surprises there.

Except, you're only asked for the password when you install certain apps (ones that require access to system files, so Firefox, for example, doesn't need that)

And, you're asked "This program was downloaded from the internet, are you sure you want to open it", but unlike Vista, which deactivates half of Aero, dims the screen, and half locks down the PC, which causes a delay, the OS X prompt just asks, in an instant, and its not irritating.

Two features that snuffy didn't mention, that I would like to add:

1) When you close the last window in an application (ie closing the Mail window by clicking the little red x) it doesn't quit, the app. This means that I don't have the mail window sitting on my desktop or cluttering the dock with its minimised window, but it will still alert me to new email messages. Same with Adium (Instant messaging that supports every protocol I can think of), and same with iTunes.

2) Spaces. This is multiple desktops that are so seamless, and useful. You can switch between them easily, and have a birds eye view that allows you to move spaces around and drag windows into different spaces. When you're working with lots of different apps its a godsend!

__________________

I find that feature quite annoying to tell you the truth.

__________________
Hey there.

That and right-click. There is no fucking reason why Apple doesn't include right-click other than the fact they want to be different. There is literally no advantage to having only one mouse button as opposed to 2. Its that kind of Apple mentality that sucks nuts.

I would have purchased a MacBook Pro until I learned that there was no right-click button on the touchpad.

If you plug a regular mouse into a Mac you get right-click functionality, but for a notebook can't really plug in a mouse unless you want to carry it around, which is a pain.

The OS is shiny and pretty, but because very few top-tier games run on it, I probably won't ever use it as my main computer.