New Macbook Pro :D

[UltraMagnus]

I got my new macbook pro a few days ago, I am not normally a Mac person, and my plan was originally to just nuke OSX and install Linux which is what I am used to, but one of my Mac fanboy friends managed to persuade me to at least try it, so I thought I may as well post some of my experiences here. I actually got it for free because I am at university and have dyspraxia, if you are wondering (did I mention I am thinking of changing my degree to politics :-P lol ).

The hardware is nice and thin and light, as you would really expect, but the power adapter 5 times as thick as the notebook with the UK plug attached, which spoils things really. It obviously has all the apple gimmicks, the magnetic power cord, and the fancy big touchpad etc, but the keyboard is going to take some getting used, no delete button, tiny enter key, and some idiot moved the bloody @ and " buttons! oh, and most annoying of all, no SD card reader...

As for the software, well, I have decided to stick with it, Its rather "meh" if you ask me. It seems a lot like linux, with a little more polish in places, which isn't surprising I suppose considering it is based on BSD. I guess jobs can take that as a complement coming from me, although I still can't figure out how to get MS office to maximise properly. firefox is nice and familiar of course. adium works just like pidgin I suppose. iCal is a nice touch too, given it integrates nicely with the google calendar on my G1.

I do have a few questions though...
1) can anyone recommend a good "open" forum for macs?
2) is it possible to resize bootcamp partitions? without telling bootcamp manager to just nuke windows?
3) any good no-cost mac software I should know about?
4) is the any way to emulate middle click? other than CMD-click?

anyway, thanks for reading.

 

[Minox]

4) is the any way to emulate middle click? other than CMD-click?

Best way would be to just get a proper mouse for it, then you'd have no need to emulate anything.

 

[UltraMagnus]

4) is the any way to emulate middle click? other than CMD-click?

Best way would be to just get a proper mouse for it, then you'd have no need to emulate anything.

great idea, but it kind of reduces the portability of it, now doesn't it?

 

[xoinx]

4) is the any way to emulate middle click? other than CMD-click?

Best way would be to just get a proper mouse for it, then you'd have no need to emulate anything.

great idea, but it kind of reduces the portability of it, now doesn't it?

well there is a alternative driver for the macbook trackpad called sidetrack, but it still doesn't work with macbooks released after 2008... well pray and hope that an update comes soon. alternatively, i remember seeing someone working around the problem by binding 3finger swipes to cmd-click using multi-clutch and spark i think... but it is too much of a hassle for me to set up and it doesn't work well nicely anyway. if you just want middle click for opening links in firefox in a new tab, consider Easy DragToGo 1.1.2.3 as an addon... it works fine for most things including bookmarks on your bookmark toolbar, though there are still limitations.

edit: there is one forum that i frequent: MSJ, though it is more like a community that shares hacked software etc... i guess a quick google should help you find most big/popular mac forums though