I’ve been a linux user for 20 years (mostly on KDE). I just started at a new job, and they gave me a mac. I found out later that I could have got a linux machine instead, which is a bit annoying. Still, I know there are some nice things about a mac, and I figured I’d give it a try for a while.

I’m pretty quick moving around my desktop environment, and I’m finding picking up the mac is not too bad. BUT I use keyboard shortcuts a lot, and they are all every different on a mac. So whenever I switch back and forth between my work machine, I end up stumbling a bunch and wasting my time, and getting annoyed. It’s mostly keyboard shortcuts, but the trackpad buttons and scrolling are annoying too.

So, question is: is it possible to regularly use two OSs with wildly different control surfaces, and be comfortable with it? e.g. either MacOS + Linux, or I guess MacOS + Windows? Or will it be annoying forever?

  • @[email protected]
    5•1 month ago

    I’m autistic so your mileage may vary with this advice, but:

    Just make certain visual elements from the OS part of the context trigger for your skills.

    “command-W” to close a tab becomes “ctrl-W”.

    “command-right” to switch to next tab becomes “ctrl-shift-pageup” (that one works on mac too).

    Each of those commands already exists in a context in your brain, such as “when in a web browser”, so just make the operating system part of that context. You can use visual cues for your subconscious to pay attention to, to activate the context. Like, the top bar or even the fonts of the operating system can be your visual cue.

    It is possible, in my experience, to answer your question.

    • @naught101OP
      2•1 month ago

      Thanks, that’s decent advice. Actually I think the different feel of the keyboard already does that to some extent. No so much the mouse, but that’s an easier fix.

      • @[email protected]
        2•1 month ago

        That works too.

        I guess the reason I use fonts and OS edges as my contextual cues is that I dual boot my macbook, so I’ve got the same equipment for windows and mac os.

        Really the main thing for me is the look and feel of the apps. Firefox just looks subtly different in windows, as do most apps that are cross platform.