Welcome to the WIT '99 PC to Mac and Mac to PC Transition Workshop

For the Curriculum guide for this workshop, please check the  Curriculum Guide page.

What are we doing here?

Many of you may be more familiar with one kind of computer rather than another. But here in WIT you will run into both kinds of computers: Windows and Macintosh. This workshop aims to familiarize you and make you facile in either kind of computer. We will compare and contrast how to use them and how they look. As well as cover how you move documents from one computer to the other.
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Assumptions

This workshop assumes you are familiar with either a Mac or Windows computer. If my saying "pull down the File menu to the Save As... menu command" confuses you then you will be confused by this workshop. Or maybe you're familiar with both but want some explanations or tips for getting along in both environments. That's good, but be aware that I do assume basic computer skills. (If you're truly new to computers, please see  Computer Basics Workshop.
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Contents

What are we doing here?
Assumptions
What's an Operating System?
Kinds of Computers
The Major OSes
Sidebar #1: A brief history of personal computer operating
Telling Windows from Mac
Similarities
Keyboard Clues
Mouse differences
What's on their Menus?
Closing Windows
All About Files and their Successful Exchange
File Naming Conventions
File Extensions
Common File Formats
Getting floppies to work at all

What's an Operating System?

Computers use Operating Systems (OS) to work. Without a working operating system you don't have a working computer.
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Kinds of Computers

The most important aspect of a computer is not the kind of disk or how much RAM memory it has but what operating system runs that computer. Knowing the OS tells you what the machine looks like for the user and what to do to get stuff working again.

There are two OS' that are most common for microcomputers currently. One is called "Microsoft Windows" (about 85% of the market) and the other is called "Apple Macintosh" (about 15% of the market). There are different flavors of Windows and Macintosh; we'll get to that soon.

For now, saying what kind of OS you use will tell the informed computer user what kind of computer you have. For now, the hardware (the physical parts of the computer) will only work with a specific OS. This means that if you have hardware that says Apple Macintosh (or Performa) on the outside then you're using the Apple Macintosh OS. If you have computer hardware that comes from a manufacturer like Hewlett Packard or IBM or Gateway or Dell (collectively known as the "IBM or IBM Clones") they you're using some version of Microsoft Windows.

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The Major OSes

In approximate order here are the names of the major operating systems you might run into:
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Sidebar #1: A brief history of personal computer operating systems

(All dates approximate.)

First there was the Apple II from Apple. 1978

This has nothing to do with the Macintosh, that came later. No, the first personal computer was *not* the IBM / IBM Clone or DOS machine.
Then there was DOS (Disk Operating System) from Microsoft. 1980
IBM made a personal computer and did two odd things: 1) they let someone else develop the operating system for this computer (a small company called Microsoft) and 2) they released information about how to build such computers so that anyone else could build them. They assumed that the business would grow and that they money was in hardware, not in system software. The biz did grow but, because of #2 above, they lost the hardware edge to competitors.
Then there was Macintosh. 1984
Initially under powered and overpriced, this computer was actually easy to use and features menus, a mouse, icons and lots of really neat innovations like that. Stuff we take for granted today.

Unlike IBM a few years before, Apple jealously guarded the Macintosh from any other manufacturer. They retained complete control over the hardware and system software. Was this a mistake? Don't get me started....

Then there was Microsoft Windows v3.n. 1988
Microsoft realized that a) they owned the marked but that b) Macintosh was a much better way of computing. So they developed Windows. This was a graphical user interface (sort of like the Mac) that could work with a mouse and such. Windows versions 1 and 2 were lousy. Version 3 was better.

Everybody sued everybody else over the above. All the suits did was a) keep many fine lawyers happy and b) maintain the status quo. (This is the short version, remember!)

Then there was Windows 95. 1995
While the Mac kept on improving hardware, performance, features and drove down cost, Microsoft kept improving Windows. Version 95 of Windows was a very great improvement in how to use Windows-based computers, giving Windows users some of the features that Mac users had enjoyed since 1984. (The preceding was a vicious dig, I agree. But still true! ;-)

Windows 98 is basically Windows 95 with a few differences. It's a minor upgrade.

A word about Windows NT
OK. Windows NT actually is a big deal. But it does *look* the same as Windows 95 / 98. For our purposes, the biggest difference is Windows NT has CaSe SeNsItIvE file names where as DOS and Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 and Windows 98 aren't.
The future? Let's not go there. Not at least, in this document....
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Telling Windows from Mac

Here's the short version: If your computer has a Start button in the lower left of the screen, you're using Windows 95 or Windows 98. If there's a colored apple in the menu bar in the upper left of the screen they you're using a Macintosh.

Win95 Start Button From the lower left--the sign of Windows 95 or 98 OS.

The Macintosh Apple Menu. From the upper left--the sign of the Apple Macintosh OS.

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Similarities

Windows 95 is more similar than different from Apple Macintosh. Both systems have: But substantial differences remain, both at the user and at the technical aspects of these different operating systems.
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Keyboard Clues

"Modifier keys" are keys that change the *meaning* of what you type. You're used to the shift key, it changes lower chase letters into UPPERCASE ones. But computers introduce additional modifier keys. And these keys differ between Windows and Macintosh computers.

Macintosh Modifier Keys

The modern Macintosh keyboard has a ctrl, option and Command key. To Command key does *not* say "Command" on it. It has a little propeller-y or four-leaf clover looking item on it.

In general, the Command key is the one you use to issue commands to the Mac. (Example: Command-A will usually Select All.) The option key allows you alternative command (it will often copy something you drag with the pointer, for example). Depending on the version of the Mac OS you're using, if you hold down the control key while clicking the mouse you may generate menu of commonly used commands.

Windows Modifier Keys

Windows computers have three or four modifier keys depending on the vintage of the keyboard. They will at least have keys labeled ALT (for ALTernative) and CTRL (for ConTRoL). Later keyboards may have keys with things that look like a menu and / or the icon for Windows.

In general, the CTRL key allows you to execute commands from the keyboard while the ALT key allows you to exercise options like different characters (eg: ü--a U with an umlaut). (Example: CTRL-A will usually Select All.)

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Mouse differences

The mouse is different on Macs than Windows computers. All Macintosh mice have one button. (All right, some manufacturers of mice may give you more than one button. But the vast majority have one button.) All Windows mice have at least two buttons.

It's common then, to hear Windows users and manuals talk about a "right-click" or a "left-click". (Note that in Windows v3.1 and earlier the right click usually didn't do anything. In Windows 95 and later the right click often produces a menu of options.) Beginning with Mac OS version 8.0 holding down the control key on a Mac while clicking the mouse is the rough equivalent of a right-click in the Windows environment.

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What's on their Menus?

Menus are a convention adopted by Windows. There are two major differences you should know about.

Where do menus live?

In the Macintosh OS, menus are always, only across the top of the screen. The menus change as you switch between open program applications. In Windows, you can change the dimensions of the window that contains the application and the menus *for that application* are always at the top of that window. So it's possible to see several different sets of menus on one screen within different windows.

Windows 95 different apps windows In Windows 95 each of these windows is an app and has menus.

That Pull-down Click

In all versions of Windows a single click will pull down a menu and keep it down until a) you click on an item in that menu (executing that command), b) you click somewhere off that menu to cancel that pull-down or c) the menu pull-down "times out" on its own and it goes away.

The Mac treats clicking within menus the same way beginning with Mac OS version 8.0. If you happen to be using a Mac with system version 7.6 or earlier, you need to press and hold and continue to hold the mouse button down in order to pull down a menu.

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Closing Windows

That naming problem

When Microsoft created Windows their operating system had windows. But the Mac OS has always had windows. So what gives?

The term "windows" has two meanings. It's a commercial software product from Microsoft (that's with a capital "W") and also a feature of many operating systems (Mac OS, Windows OS, UNIX running X-Windows, etc.)

Hey, this doesn't have to make sense. You just have to understand it.... ;-)

Differences in working with windows

In Windows the most common way to close or otherwise control a window is in the upper right hand corner. In the Mac you close a windows by clicking in the upper left hand corner while clicking in their upper right offers ways to control it's size and shape.

Windows control boxes Where to control a window in Windows.
 

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All About Files and their Successful Exchange

One of the major problems people experience is when trying to exchange files with colleagues or acquaintances who have the "wrong" computer, that is: not the kind of computer they have.

It turns out, just to be annoying, there are several levels to this problem. I guess that's why it's such a problem.... ;-)

First we'll look at the general rules and then as what to do as you move from Mac to Windows within WIT 99.

Mac and Windows file differences

Macintosh files have something called a "resource fork". This is unlike any other operating systems way of storing computer information. Not a big deal. The file translation explanations and steps I outline below will manager this matter. I just wanted you to have heard of this. ;-)

Other than this sort of background difference, Windows and Macintosh files differ in  host of ways. Let's look into this....

So what is a file, anyway?

A file is a collection of information that the computer uses. But there are lots of varied ways that different OSes and different applications (and even different versions of the same applications) can store information in a file. You care about this problem because if you try and give someone a file (in electronic form) for them to look at you had best think of these questions: If you are note sure about any of these then you need to a) be aware that they may not be able to read the file you send and b) take steps to make it more likely that they can read the file you send.
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File Naming Conventions

One of the first steps to take is to make sure that the name of the file can be read by the system you're sending to. Windows and Mac have different characters and numbers of characters they will allow for the names of files.

Macintosh File Name Rules

The easiest case first: Any file or folder or volume can have up to 32 characters in it's name. You can use any character or combination of characters except the colon (":"). Upper or lower case don't matter. This has been true from 1984 to the present.

Windows 95 File Name Rules

Windows 95 allows 256 characters but some more restrictions. You cannot use any of the following characters in naming a file or folder or volume in Windows 95:

/ \ : * ? < > |
 

Windows 3.1 and DOS

Don't get me started.... DOS and Windows v3.1 require an "8.3" file name scheme. That is, eight characters, a dot and then the three characters of the file extension. Not more. And no spaces, capitalization doesn't matter. That's it. the short answer: just hope your recipient doesn't suffer along with this software. (But don't worry! After Y2K gets them, they won't suffer along with this software any more! It won't work!)

UNIX File Name Rules

Although this is the Mac to Windows and back workshop, let me say a few words about naming files for the UNIX environment as we'll be using UNIX machines in WIT for some of our Web servers.

Here's the short version:

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File Extensions

However, there's a whole additional aspect to Windows file names: the Extension. Every document you create in any of the various flavors of Microsoft operating systems (all versions of DOS, Windows up to v3.1, Windows 95 and 98) have a file extension that tells the operating system what program to use to open the file. This is what makes files double-clickable in Windows. Haven't seen these extensions much? In Windows 95 and 98 you can make it so you don't *see* the file extensions but they're still there....

File Extensions take the form of a dot or period and then three characters. as in: ".exe" (without the quotes) at the end of the file name.

The rules for these extensions are rather arcane; I'll mention only a few. Here are three kinds of files you might want to send someone and the extensions for the programs you might want to have them open:

Note that these last two applications (Notepad and Painter) ship with every copy of Windows 95 and 98. You can assume they're there. Microsoft Excel and Word are common but Adonis, they may or may not bet there.

So, if you're sending files from Mac to Windows, it's best if you don't use Those Nasty Characters above and if you add a file extension. If you're sending from Windows to Mac: don't worry! If your user has Mac running a modern version of the Mac OS (anything after System 7.6 from 1995 or so) they'll almost certainly be able to make use of your file.

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How the Mac does Files without Extensions

The Macintosh operating system is more sophisticated than Windows. It stores information about the creating application within the file, outside of the users view. Mac files have something called Creator and Type codes. Double click on the icon of any file and the operating system will "just go get" the application that can open that file. (Note: this doesn't work perfectly.)
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Common File Formats

So how do you get around the problem of not knowing what system, application or versions of applications you recipient may have? You can save the file in a format that's less customized and more general, sort of a lowest common denominator file format.

If MS Word does some really fancy thing in its document file format that doesn't translate well then save your word processing document as TEXT only. (That's an option within the Save As dialog box.) I guarantee that there's some software on every computer that can read TEXT. You will loose your fancy format but you will get the typing through. In the case of spreadsheet documents there's a file format called SYLK that will translate well. The Save As dialog box may allow you some other File Types that may work. Check them out!

When in doubt, try and try again....

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Getting floppies to work at all

The last bit of trouble stems from the fact that operating systems also dictate how they read and write floppies. DOS / Windows computers can't read floppy disks formatted for Mac computers. But all modern Macs can read floppies formatted for Windows / DOS. So the simple thing to do is use a Windows formatted floppy. You can even create a DOS / Windows floppy on Macs; it's an option in the Erase Disk dialog box.

NOTE: You can add software to a Windows computer that will allow it to read Mac floppies but it won't do that trick unless you add the software. Macs come with software that allow them to read and write DOS / Windows floppies.

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Last updated 990707
v1.1
Bill Geraci
708-988-1936
billg@mcs.net