perldiver

I just bought a new computer.

For the first time in my life, it does not contain an Intel or AMD chip.

Yes, I bought a dual-processor, 1.8Ghz, 1.25G RAM, 900Mhz dual front-side-bus PowerMac G5.

(Saying that, I feel like the wirehead equivalent of a NASCAR fan...I can just see myself in bib overalls and a John Deere hat, thumbs proudly hooked into the suspenders, chawing my tobacco and saying "Yep...jes got me a dual overhead cam fuel injected four-on-the-floor with nitro injection and 17" spinny hubcap thingamajigs...."  Ah well...to each their own source of obnoxious pride.)

I have not settled on a name yet (all my computers get names; for example, the Win XP laptop that I've been using for the last couple of years is 'Faust', because I needed a Windows box with IE to do web testing), but, were I not a rabid atheist, I would be seriously tempted to go with 'Moses', as this machine has finally led me out of the darkness that is ugly hardware design, viruses, poor user interface, and general frustration. 

However, I am a rabid atheist, so that name is out.

There are some changes to get used to, I admit.  For example, a one button mouse.  No problem, I got a PS2->USB adapter and plugged in my 2 button Microsoft wheel mouse (a certain delicious irony there).  Works flawlessly.

Keyboard shortcuts are the biggest problem.  I'm a keyboard junky...on Windows, I can go almost an entire day without touching the mouse (unless I'm websurfing, about which more in a moment).  That's a lot of time and energy invested in learning keyboard shortcuts...which now need to be relearned.  I also use a special ergonomic keyboard in order to avoid pain in my forearms and wrists after prolonged computer use.  I just plugged this into my PS2->USB adapter (which has two cables, one for mouse one for keyboard) and it works...but not perfectly.  I'm not sure what the equivalent of the Command key is, and the Windows keys seem to inject strange characters (which is fair enough).  I'm hoping that there is a keyboard remapping tool somewhere. [EDIT: Since posting this, I have stumbled on some of the correct replacements for my favorite shortcuts. For example, my Windows key is now the Command key, used for Copy/Paste/etc, and Alt-arrow is the Mac equivalent of Ctrl-arrow, while Command-tab is the equivalent of Windows Alt-tab.]

Only one other problem:  I ordered a SuperDrive (combo CD/DVDRW), I paid for a SuperDrive...but, so far as I can tell, there is no SuperDrive.  There is a slot where I suspect it shoudl go, but it still has the metal knockout in place.  We'll see what's up with that.

[EDIT:

Ooooh-kay, then. Here's what's up with it: that's not actually a metal knockout. It's the cover on the SuperDrive. (I feel dopey. (I was trying to feel Snow White, but I missed.))

There is no button on the case to open the SuperDrive, and there is no software command to open it. Instead, there is a button on the Mac keyboard that opens it. So far as I have thus far found, there is no other way to open it. So, I have both the Mac keyboard and my ergo keyboard plugged in, all so that I can use one single button off the Mac keyboard (I tried every likely button on the ergo keyboard and nothing worked.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled post, which was put up several hours ago.
]

Anyway, before this gets too long and boring, let me wrap up:  I am very, very happy with my new Mac, despite the above mentioned nits.  I am looking forward to learning a whole lot more about it, and I suspect it's true what they say:

"Once you go Mac, you never go back...."