Need help please. I have had the MacBook Pro for 2 months and I'm lost.

[Paper Roses]

I plod along on my old PC but my kids wanted me to have the Mac. It sounds ungrateful of me but I wish they didn't gift me with it.

I'm one of those people who works best from a book. If you don't know what something is called or how to use it, it is a pain in the neck to get over to the PC and try and find what information I need.
I've been all over the Internet and read the "how to" reviews. I wonder if you have a suggestion as to which book is best for a simple user, a beginner really. Many have so-so reviews. I can't tell what to do.

I got the dickens from the man who does any repair I need. He insists I can do whatever I need, well, I didn't want a lecture from him, I wanted a suggestion for a good beginner book. I will never use the computer for much but I've got to get going.
I tried Barnes & Noble but they don't stock computer books. The very nice clerk told me they become too obsolete as they sit on the shelf.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It is simple, I just need a beginners book.
Thanks,
PR

[msongs]

1. macbook pro for dummies - a book, not you lol at amazon

https://www.amazon.com/macbook-pro-dummies/s?k=macbook+pro+for+dummies

[CentralMass]

2. I posted A google search link below. It has a a number of options.

However it would be worthwhile to watch one or more online tutorials. Keeping watching them until the you pick up the concepts of how to use it.
https://www.google.com/search?q=macbook+pro+tutorial+for+beginners+2020&oq=mac+book+pro+tutoria&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0j0i10l3.22113j1j4&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

[soothsayer]

3. Watch this, and the ones above

[brush]

8. She goes entirely too fast for someone new to Macs.

Everyone is not a good teacher. She needs to go step-by-step in every one of those instructions she speeds by, with a full-screen close-up that show a view of her cursor movements to whatever pull-down menu so as to watch what happens when she pulls down and clicks on a menu item.

She goes too fast.

[leighbythesea2]

4. Feel your pain

Work gave me a mac. I switched for a pc. Have way too many learning curves to add on an operating system.
If u find a good solution pls post.
I am a book person also. Some day i may have to learn mac. Im not opposed, just need plenty of time, and no pressure.
Lynda.com is good for training, but that isnt a book either.
Good luck!

[stopbush]

5. The newer PCs look and act more and more like Macs

The differences between the two are fairly slight, in my experience.

Most Mac users I know use their mouse and pulldown menus rather than keystrokes for navigation.

[FreepFryer]

6. Increasingly, books aren't the thing.

But the basics of the Mac are the menu across the top. the icons displayed on the computers background in the “finder”, applications (apps), and the dock along the bottom. To Explore how to change most of these and other things you want system preferences, which is in the first Apple icon choice in the menu.

Otherwise, the “go” menu is a great way to start using various parts of the Mac, and you can always click on the magnifying glass and start typing whatever you are hoping to accomplish.

I hope you find a good book, and some joy in learning the Mac. I’ve been using them since they were invented and love them. Best of luck!

[Jirel]

7. Don't buy any "For Dummies" books.

They really are not well written.

If you want DEAD SIMPLE, try Macbook for Seniors (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1700775456?tag=uuid10-20). It's meant for folks who have spent a lifetime using pen and paper, and then *maybe* that other operating system, and just want stuff laid out for them simply.

Otherwise, I would buy the Teach Yourself VISUALLY series' MacBook Pro and MacBook Air (https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Yourself-VISUALLY-MacBook-Tech/dp/1119683890/ref=asc_df_1119683890/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416787539643&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12601490666709688578&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027965&hvtargid=pla-902439054452&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=95590145204&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416787539643&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12601490666709688578&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027965&hvtargid=pla-902439054452). Pretty much ANYTHING from this series is good. It's meant for people who want to see everything they're doing, not just read descriptions.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. Gosh. I thought that Macs and Apples were all supposed to be totally intuitive

and easy to use. Huh.

[IbogaProject]

10. Mac is easier after adjustment

Mac is easier after adjustment. I use all four operating systems, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS and Mac OS. Mac was my favorite for years, but I've drifted into the windows sphere for most of my computing, mainly as I'm frugal and better selection of used items, and tons of free or affordable software. Support is much harder on windows as everything is more hidden and has moved around over the years, settings wise.
Main difference with Mac, is the two Control and Command (apple) keys, but the settings area is way simpler and up in the top left apple menu.
I personally like putting the dock on the left always on, no magnification. If you want to lock an app to the dock just grab it and drag it, that fixes it.
FYI you can dual boot with windows, but it will crowd your hardrive. Also a wireless mouse might help at times.
Come back when you have questions.

[jrandom421]

11. Didn't even try to use the MacBook I was given

Been an IT engineer for over 25 years. Got given a MacBook by grandkids who had failed converting me to Linux. Sold the thing and bought a Surface Pro 7. It's light, capable, fast and works with all my software, unlike the MacBook, where I had to repurchase all the software I currently use or find alternatives.

[Paper Roses]

12. Don't laugh too much. I gave this MacBookPro back to my daughter to return.

It was 5 days shy of the guarantee. I'm not sure what happened but she went back to the store where she bought it and after a bunch of calls to me for sign-in info, they deleted me and(I hope) credited her with the purchase.

I bough one of the books suggested by a fellow DU'er but that was no help to me. I'm sure the book was great but this old brain could not absorb most of it. The final straw was my attempt to write a document. Holy Moses, I could not figure it out. I mentioned it to my daughter and she is upset with me as it was a gift. She picked it up to return, I assumed she would lose $$ when returning it so I enclosed some $$ in a envelope to cover any loss. Now she is mad because I did that and sent the $$ back to me.

I could not win, no matter what I did. A total of 6 hours(4 times) on the phone w/Apple. Still a "no-go". I'll admit that they were very nice but I guess I'm just too old for this.
My regular computer Guru is coming Friday to check on my desktop and install Windows 10 on my old laptop. I'll be glad when I can toss all my Apple notes and plod along with this old machine--or the other one and hope my daughter forgives me for returning the MacBookPro.
Too much for me.

Sometimes you can't win.