Master Dilettante

It’s here!

Just two days ago I wrote that I was making the switch from PC to Mac. I had ordered an iMac Monday through my friend Lisa and was told to expect it “by the end of the month.” Aiyah! I require instant gratification! Imagine my delight when Lisa called me this afternoon to let me know the package already had arrived!

So far, so great. My early thoughts:

• The out-of-box experience is phenomenal. My friend Emily suggested I photograph each step of the process, but, hey, this was like unwrapping presents on Christmas, and I had no patience for documentation. Open the top of the box (~24 in. height x 23 in. width x 10 in. depth), and the first thing seen is a smaller 11 in. x 5.5 in. x 1.5 in. box labeled simply “Designed by Apple in California.” Centered inside this smaller box is a pamphlet labeled “Everything Mac” and an identically-sized sleeve beneath it labeled “Everything Else.” The “Everything Mac” pamphlet is a quick start guide containing simple, clear, illustrated startup instructions. The “Everything Else” package includes the warranty and two backup installation disks. Flanking these items are Apple’s Mighty Mouse on one side and the remote control on the other. The only other three items in the overall box, all carefully and cleanly packed in Styrofoam, were the keyboard, the power cord and, of course, the iMac itself. Utter minimalist simplicity. Just beautiful.
• Startup is as easy as advertised. Plug one end of the power cord into the back of the iMac and the other into an outlet. Connect the Ethernet cable. Connect the keyboard to the iMac and the Mighty Mouse to the keyboard. Press the power button. A few startup and registration screens later, and I was opening Safari (the Mac’s Internet browser) and surfing the Internet. That’s it. Really. I timed the entire process from the moment I opened the top of the box; it took 10 minutes, and only that long because I was taking particular care with the unpacking and placement of items on my desk and marveling at the clarity of the user interface. Shockingly easy.
• I just joined a fun fan club. Usually, I eschew online registrations and avoid mailing lists like the plague. With this first Apple, I was happy to provide contact information during registration and to opt into mailing lists. I wanted to be known and to know. Can you imagine thinking such things with a Dell or a Sony?
• Bigger is better (for displays). I thought my Vaio (PCG-K13) screen was huge compared to the tiny screen of the Dell laptop (Latitude D410) I have for work. This 20-inch iMac dwarfs those. This is not unique to Mac — of course, larger displays can be had for any computer — but it’s still contributing to the delight I’m experiencing.
• Small is beautiful (for footprints). With the CPU, display and disk drive all combined in a single unit, this desktop hardly takes more space on my desk than my Vaio did. Efficient.

Again, so far, so great! The two early drawbacks I noticed:

1. Installation of new applications was marginally confusing. I installed Firefox and Skype during the first 30 minutes but experienced minor difficulty getting their icons to persist in the Dock. I expect to be able to do this more efficiently with familiarity.
2. The ergonomic designs of the keyboard and mouse aren’t very good. I think the spacing of the keys on the keyboard is too close, but I’m prone to think that because I use a Goldtouch keyboard at work. The mouse doesn’t feel great either, but I’m prone to think that, too, because I use a Whale Mouse at the office. I expect I’ll replace both Mac input devices to suit my idiosyncratic needs.

Overall, I’m very happy and looking forward to learning how to play with my new toy!