Mac and Windows Compared

Situation
Macintosh OS 8, 9

Windows 95, 98 *

File Management and User Interface Options

Get Help

-? or Select an item from the Help Menu

Start/Help or Press F1

Open an Application

Menu/Recent Applications or Double Click on Program Icon (or its Alias )

Start Menu/Programs or Double Click on Program Icon (or its Shortcut)

Hide an Application

Select Application Menu and choose Hide

Click on Minimize Button or Alt-Space, N

Switch between Applications

Select Application from Application Menu (or -Tab in OS 8.5 or later)

Alt-Tab

Find a File

-F or File/Find

Start/Find

Get File Information

-I or File/Get Info

File/Properties (not always available)

Open a File

Double-click the file and its Application launches automatically (or choose File/Open from within the Application)

Double-click the file and its Application launches automatically (or choose File/Open from within the Application)

Move a File (within a disk)

In the Finder, drag the file from its old location on the disk to the new location

Run Windows Explorer and then drag from its old location to the new one

Copy a File (to a different disk)

In the Finder, drag the file icon from one disk to another disk

Run Windows Explorer and then drag from its old location to the new one

Duplicate a File

-D or File/Duplicate or Option-drag the file to its new location (a + symbol will appear on the icon)

Control-drag the file to its new location (a + symbol will appear on the icon)

Delete a file

Drag file to Trash Can (or Control-Click/Move to Trash) and choose Special/Empty Trash

Drag file to Recycle Bin (or Right-Click/Delete), Double-click on Recycle Bin, Choose File/Empty Recycle Bin

Move a Window

Drag window from any edge

Drag title bar

Resize a Window

Click the resize box or drag from lower right

Drag window from any edge

Maximize a Window

Click Resize box or drag from lower right corner to manually resize

Click on Maximize Button or Alt-Minus Sign, X

Cancel a Process

-. (Apple-Period)

Esc, or sometimes Ctrl-Break

Access a Floppy Disk

Insert the disk and its icon appears on the desktop

Insert the disk, click on My Computer, click on the A: drive icon.

Eject Disk

Drag Disk to Trash or Choose File/Put Away

Push Eject Button (Make sure it's not in use)

Select a Printer

Choose from drop-down list when doing File/Print or Menu/Chooser to set default printer

Choose from drop-down list when doing File/Print, or Start/Settings/Printer to set default printer

Restart or Shutdown

Special/Restart or Special/Shut Down or hit Reset Key and then choose Restart or Shut Down

Start/Shut Down or Alt-F4 (if an application not active), then choose Restart or Shutdown

Working Within Application Programs (Keyboard Shortcuts and their Menu Alternatives)

Select All

-A or Edit/Select All

Control-A or Edit/Select All

Copy

-C or Edit/Copy

Control-C or Edit/Copy

Cut

-X or Edit/Cut

Control-X or Edit/Cut

Paste

-V or Edit/Paste

Control-V or Edit/Paste

Save

-S or File/Save

Control-S or Alt-F, S

Print

-P or File/Print

Control-P or Alt-F, P

Undo

-Z or Edit/Undo

Ctrl-Z or Edit/Undo

Redo/Repeat

-Z or Edit/Redo

Ctrl-Y or Edit/Redo

Open File Window

-O or File/Open

Alt-F, O or File/Open

Close File Window

-W or File/Close or click on Close Box

Ctrl-F4 for windows within an application

Hide File Window

Double-click the Title Bar (Window Shade)

Click on Minimize Button or Alt-Minus Sign, N

Maximize Window

Click Resize box or drag from lower right corner to manually resize

Click on Maximize Button or Alt-Minus Sign, X

Quit Application

-Q or File/Quit

Alt-F and then press X, or click the Quit box, or Alt-F4

Technical Tips, Troubleshooting Tricks

Screen Capture

-Shift-3 (full screen) or -Shift-4 (selected area) captures to numbered PICT files in top level of the Macintosh HD

PrintScreen (full screen) or Alt-PrintScreen (active window) captures to the clipboard, which can then be inserted with Edit/Paste

Make an Alias (Shortcut)

Select Application and choose File/Make Alias (-M)

In Windows Explorer, select Application and choose File/Create Shortcut, or just choose File/New/Shortcut

Add Item to Application Menu

Drag an alias to Apple Menu Items folder in the System Folder or to the Launcher window

Drag application or shortcut to Start Menu

Check File Size

Select file and choose File/Get Info (-I) or View files as List

In Windows Explorer, choose View/Details, or select file, then check Status Bar or choose File/Properties

Check Available Disk Space

Select disk, Choose File/Get Info (-I) or look in Header of Disk Window

In Windows Explorer, select disk, then check Status Bar or choose File/Properties

Check Operating System Version

Menu/About this Mac

Start/Settings/Control Panels/System

Check Installed Memory (RAM)

Menu/About this Mac

Start/Settings/Control Panels/System

Allocate RAM to Application

Select Application, Choose File/Get Info (-I)

Done Automatically

Restore to Factory Settings

-Option-P-R on reboot (Zap the pRAM)

Sometimes a BIOS option (Access at startup)

Rebuild Desktop

Hold -Option during Reboot

N/A

Soft Reboot

-Control-Reset (Reset is the power key for some Macs)

Control-Alt-Delete

Reboot with Minimal Software

Hold Shift key during startup (Extensions off)

Hold F8 while Windows starts up, then choose Safe Mode

Boot from Floppy Disk

Insert floppy at startup

Insert floppy at startup

Boot from External SCSI Device

Hold -Option-Shift-Delete

N/A

Boot from Internal CD

Hold C key during Reboot

Sometimes a BIOS option (Access at startup)

* Special thanks to Alistair Cullum for his help with the Windows tips.

Get Help	-? or Select an item from the Help Menu	Start/Help or Press F1
Open an Application	Menu/Recent Applications or Double Click on Program Icon (or its Alias )	Start Menu/Programs or Double Click on Program Icon (or its Shortcut)
Hide an Application	Select Application Menu and choose Hide	Click on Minimize Button or Alt-Space, N
Switch between Applications	Select Application from Application Menu (or -Tab in OS 8.5 or later)	Alt-Tab
Find a File	-F or File/Find	Start/Find
Get File Information	-I or File/Get Info	File/Properties (not always available)
Open a File	Double-click the file and its Application launches automatically (or choose File/Open from within the Application)	Double-click the file and its Application launches automatically (or choose File/Open from within the Application)
Move a File (within a disk)	In the Finder, drag the file from its old location on the disk to the new location	Run Windows Explorer and then drag from its old location to the new one
Copy a File (to a different disk)	In the Finder, drag the file icon from one disk to another disk	Run Windows Explorer and then drag from its old location to the new one
Duplicate a File	-D or File/Duplicate or Option-drag the file to its new location (a + symbol will appear on the icon)	Control-drag the file to its new location (a + symbol will appear on the icon)
Delete a file	Drag file to Trash Can (or Control-Click/Move to Trash) and choose Special/Empty Trash	Drag file to Recycle Bin (or Right-Click/Delete), Double-click on Recycle Bin, Choose File/Empty Recycle Bin
Move a Window	Drag window from any edge	Drag title bar
Resize a Window	Click the resize box or drag from lower right	Drag window from any edge
Maximize a Window	Click Resize box or drag from lower right corner to manually resize	Click on Maximize Button or Alt-Minus Sign, X
Cancel a Process	-. (Apple-Period)	Esc, or sometimes Ctrl-Break
Access a Floppy Disk	Insert the disk and its icon appears on the desktop	Insert the disk, click on My Computer, click on the A: drive icon.
Eject Disk	Drag Disk to Trash or Choose File/Put Away	Push Eject Button (Make sure it's not in use)
Select a Printer	Choose from drop-down list when doing File/Print or Menu/Chooser to set default printer	Choose from drop-down list when doing File/Print, or Start/Settings/Printer to set default printer
Restart or Shutdown	Special/Restart or Special/Shut Down or hit Reset Key and then choose Restart or Shut Down	Start/Shut Down or Alt-F4 (if an application not active), then choose Restart or Shutdown

Select All	-A or Edit/Select All	Control-A or Edit/Select All
Copy	-C or Edit/Copy	Control-C or Edit/Copy
Cut	-X or Edit/Cut	Control-X or Edit/Cut
Paste	-V or Edit/Paste	Control-V or Edit/Paste
Save	-S or File/Save	Control-S or Alt-F, S
Print	-P or File/Print	Control-P or Alt-F, P
Undo	-Z or Edit/Undo	Ctrl-Z or Edit/Undo
Redo/Repeat	-Z or Edit/Redo	Ctrl-Y or Edit/Redo
Open File Window	-O or File/Open	Alt-F, O or File/Open
Close File Window	-W or File/Close or click on Close Box	Ctrl-F4 for windows within an application
Hide File Window	Double-click the Title Bar (Window Shade)	Click on Minimize Button or Alt-Minus Sign, N
Maximize Window	Click Resize box or drag from lower right corner to manually resize	Click on Maximize Button or Alt-Minus Sign, X
Quit Application	-Q or File/Quit	Alt-F and then press X, or click the Quit box, or Alt-F4

Screen Capture	-Shift-3 (full screen) or -Shift-4 (selected area) captures to numbered PICT files in top level of the Macintosh HD	PrintScreen (full screen) or Alt-PrintScreen (active window) captures to the clipboard, which can then be inserted with Edit/Paste
Make an Alias (Shortcut)	Select Application and choose File/Make Alias (-M)	In Windows Explorer, select Application and choose File/Create Shortcut, or just choose File/New/Shortcut
Add Item to Application Menu	Drag an alias to Apple Menu Items folder in the System Folder or to the Launcher window	Drag application or shortcut to Start Menu
Check File Size	Select file and choose File/Get Info (-I) or View files as List	In Windows Explorer, choose View/Details, or select file, then check Status Bar or choose File/Properties
Check Available Disk Space	Select disk, Choose File/Get Info (-I) or look in Header of Disk Window	In Windows Explorer, select disk, then check Status Bar or choose File/Properties
Check Operating System Version	Menu/About this Mac	Start/Settings/Control Panels/System
Check Installed Memory (RAM)	Menu/About this Mac	Start/Settings/Control Panels/System
Allocate RAM to Application	Select Application, Choose File/Get Info (-I)	Done Automatically
Restore to Factory Settings	-Option-P-R on reboot (Zap the pRAM)	Sometimes a BIOS option (Access at startup)
Rebuild Desktop	Hold -Option during Reboot	N/A
Soft Reboot	-Control-Reset (Reset is the power key for some Macs)	Control-Alt-Delete
Reboot with Minimal Software	Hold Shift key during startup (Extensions off)	Hold F8 while Windows starts up, then choose Safe Mode
Boot from Floppy Disk	Insert floppy at startup	Insert floppy at startup
Boot from External SCSI Device	Hold -Option-Shift-Delete	N/A
Boot from Internal CD	Hold C key during Reboot	Sometimes a BIOS option (Access at startup)