Windows users may, however, find it to be counterintuitive to tap the same green icon to reduce the size of a full-screen window, but thats how it is in Macland.

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Or maybe you find yourself in front of a Mac at work and need to get going with it.

Here are a few pointers for Windows users making the move to Apple.

Just look at how the Apple Watch uses the terminology of expensive timepieces ( crown, complications ).

Though the selection of form-factors isnt quite as wide as for Windows 10 PCs, the Mac line makes up for that in its refined hardware that includes appealing members such as the all-in-one iMac, the slender MacBook Air, and the upcoming, extremely powerful, and surprisingly upgradeable Mac Pro.

A lot of that stems from the hardware coming from the same company that makes the OS software.

By contrast, Windows needs to support literally millions of hardware combinations and a much more enormous range of software, including legacy programs and AAA games.

Tie-ins include the ability to answer text messages from the computer, make FaceTime calls, and see notifications.

You can do a lot of that with Skype, which offers a good iPhone app, but that doesnt work with standard SMS messages from your phone.

Sticking with all Apple products also lets you easily send video and audio using AirPlay, and files and photos using AirDrop.

Android phones get good support in Windows 10s Your Phone app, which does support SMS messaging, but Microsoft hasnt been able to get similar functionality for the iPhone yet.

People used to claim that macOS was more intuitive than Windows, but if youre used to working in Windows, youll probably find just the opposite.

For example, theres no Start menu, so where do you start For me, its not a huge paradigm shift, but rather some furniture is rearranged, and some operations differ.

The tips below can get you started with your journey to Apple land.

Windows users are accustomed to initiating computing activity from the Start button, which pops up the Start menu.

You start by clicking an icon on the desktop, using Spotlight search to find what you want to start doing, choosing an option from the top menu bar, invoking the Launchpad by icon or shortcut key, or tapping a Dock icon.

The Launchpad is an attempt to give Macs an iOS benefit, though it doesnt make a whole lot of sense with a non-touch screen.

Another program-launching option that some Mac users have found helpful in streamlining OS use is the Alfred app, which includes a set of automation utilities and a program launcher that adapts to how you use your Mac.

Windows users are accustomed to looking for the main application menu along the top edge of the program window.

On Macs, for many apps you wont see the program menu there; instead, it will appear as part of the OS rather than part of the app, occupying the top margin of the desktop.

The concept is that macOS windows are documents belonging to an app, rather than the application itself.

All that said, occasionally an app will actually include a menu in its window, but that usually duplicates whats in the main menu bar.

Its intuitively based on traffic lights: Green is full screen, yellow is minimize, and red is close window.

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