After using Windows my entire life, I finally took the plunge and made a Mac my main development rig. Sure, I’d touched Macs here and there for specific tasks, but this was different—this was going all-in. Here’s what the first week really looked like.
The Double-Click Reality
Let’s start with something that immediately frustrated me: window behavior. On Windows, you click a window once and you’re ready to interact. On Mac? Nope. You have to click again before you can actually start typing or clicking buttons. This is apparently by design.
“I get what Linus was saying in his video now. It’s a little annoying, but not a deal breaker.”
You really notice this when you’re running multiple windows across three screens with nothing maximized. It’s like the Mac is saying “Are you SURE you want to use this window?” every single time.
Keyboard Shortcuts: A Love-Hate Relationship
The good news? Mac keyboard shortcuts are genuinely nice once you get the hang of them. The bad news? Getting the hang of them requires completely rewiring your muscle memory.
I’m now at the point where I can properly use shortcut keys for window placement without thinking too hard about it. It’s not perfect yet—just needs a little bit more time and a lot more patience with myself when I accidentally minimize everything.
Excel: The Muscle Memory Massacre
If you’re an Excel power user coming from Windows, prepare for some frustration. All those keyboard shortcuts you’ve internalized over the years? Yeah, they’re different now. It’s like learning to type all over again, except more expensive.
Temperature Concerns
My Mac Mini consistently runs around 72°C, with peaks hitting 90°C. These are laptop-like temperatures that seem wild coming from a Windows desktop that cruised at 45°C. I actually ended up pointing an external fan at the thing.
Is this normal? Apparently yes. Is it comfortable for someone used to whisper-quiet, cool-running desktops? Absolutely not.
The Learning Continues
Despite the frustrations, there’s something compelling about the Mac experience. The ecosystem integration is real, the build quality is undeniable, and once you start getting the hang of the different workflows, things start to click.
But let’s be honest—this transition isn’t just about learning new shortcuts. It’s about unlearning decades of Windows habits and being okay with feeling like a beginner again.