on 23 April 2010
Every year, the latest Macs get faster and faster. But do we? No matter how many teraflops it can flip, your computer’s ability to save you time and effort depends on you finding your way around its features and functions. Even if there’s nothing you don’t know how to do, it’s knowing the quickest and simplest way to do it that divides the true power user from the person who’s still trying to get that coffee they promised themselves before they started that job that was going to take them five minutes.
Unlike certain other operating systems, of course, the Mac OS has a habit of making it pretty obvious what buttons you need to push. But its very ease of use can lead even seasoned users into competence complacency. OK, so you’ve sprinted up that gently sloping learning curve and are sunning yourself on the lush plateau of computing confidence. Take a peek just ahead of you, though. What’s that twinkling through the undergrowth, a few short steps out of reach? Yes – it’s effiency nirvana: the place where you can finally relax because everything takes a little bit less time than you expected.
The following tips don’t delve into uncharted territory or unearth strange artefacts from the bowels of the operating system. They just shed new light on familiar everyday tasks, revealing secrets and shortcuts to smooth your journey. Follow our map, take note of the pitfalls, and we’ll see you safely from ‘to do’ to ‘done’ in time for elevenses.
Read the full article in MacFormat issue 221, on sale now.
adambanksdotcom @Herring1967 "watching on screen"?! That's not a subeditor, it's a butcher with English as a third language