now just need to learn how to use it. Is firefox really better than safari (as a friend said)? Got stuffit for the music extraction. What else do I need, besides adjustment thru how-to videos?

yes on firefox, go crazy looking through the extensions and plugins its kind of fun

Safari is a decent browser (way better than the Windows default IE), but I definitely prefer Firefox. I've tried a TON of browsers over the years for the Mac and Firefox is the hands-down favorite. (Google Chrome comes close, but still isn't up to the Firefox level, IMO.)

It shouldn't be too hard adjusting to a Mac after using a Windows computer. That is, I've used Macs all my life but can adjust to Windows easily enough when I'm at school, so the reverse process shouldn't be bad. Windows have become more Mac-like in their user-friendly layouts, and Macs have become more Windows-like in general screen set-up. But how-to videos should ease you into the transition quite handily.

Do they have Chrome for Macs?

yup. It took us about an extra 6 months to get it... but we have it.

Yeah but I'm not much of a fan. I use Firefox as well

LastFM scrobbler

and yes, Firefox is far superior.

I prefer Chrome to Firefox. I find Chrome to be faster. Although the difference on our MBP is a lot less than the difference on my Windows work laptop. Occasionally I do run across a site that doesn't play well with Chrome though.

i'm not on mac, but i also prefer chrome to firefox

One of the main draws of getting a Mac is that you don't have to worry about downloading a bunch of stuff. It comes with most of what you'll need for personal use. I'd agree that both Chrome and Firefox are generally better than Safari, but Safari is perfectly fine. Worlds better than IE on Windows.

Using a Mac for work is a different story, of course, and can sometimes be more of a headache than using a PC, depending on what you do.

Yes

I'm on a mac, prefer Firefox. It just offers a lot more as far as customization and plug-ins.

UnRarX for extraction

Vuze for torrents

chrome for browsing (though I have firefox just in case)

I've been using a Mac for 3 or so years now after a lifetime of Windows and it's amazing the things I STILL have never used or suddenly start using.

For example, I had always seen Spaces on my dock but never gave it much thought until a couple of months ago--now I can't f'ing live without it.

Got stuffit for extraction. seems to work ok. is UnRarX that much better?

Chrome
Unrarx
Vlc player
Transmission for torrents

Love my pro but now thinking I should have went "Mac book air"

I use SimplyunRAR...is there really a big difference between any of them?

all I use it for is uncompressing .rar files...I can't imagine it does it any better or worse than the other programs...

Not getting nearly the download speed that I was on my PC. I'm on Hughesnet. My d/l speed actually decreases the longer the d/l goes on. Is it a configuration problem? Any answers?

Why would you think that? Wish you'd spent more for less?

F this. All I've ever heard are positive things about Macs. I invest $1200 in one and can't even download a full album. After reading several forums, there's not really a universal solution and Apple hasn't seemed willing to address it. It seems to be a fairly widespread problem, as well. Apparently it's an Air Port and DNS issue, but I can't seem to solve it and I'm seriously pissed. Anyone on here had similar problems that they were able to fix?

solution: drop Hughesnet, don't use Air Port.

Pretty sure you can get it to work with Airport. Can't imagine plugging in ... why would you even have a macbook then?

meaning, use something else aside from Air Port.

oh... ya'll talking about the airport base station?
i thought ya'll talking about on the macbook itself.