The Worst Advice We’ve Ever Heard about Mac
One of the reasons the Mac is continuously growing in popularity is that it doesn’t require a ton of upkeep to run smoothly. Apple hardware and software is well-known for being relatively user-friendly and easy to maintain.
Despite Apple’s stellar reputation when it comes to the Mac, we’ve heard some troubling advice in regard to Mac maintenance over the years. Let’s correct those errant tips right now—here’s some of the worst advice we’ve ever heard about using a Mac (plus, what to do instead):
1. That you don’t need to back it up.
A Mac is an amazing machine, but that doesn’t mean you should forgo periodically backing up your files. Performing routine backups is essential—you never know when a freak disaster could occur (spilling a beverage at your desk, for example). Keeping your documents backed up is important regardless of what kind of personal computer you own.
Best of all, backing up on a Mac is very simple—all you need is an external hard drive and to set up Time Machine.
2. That you can ignore software updates.
We know, we know—waiting for your software to update is tedious (at best). But it’s another essential to-do when performing Mac maintenance. And again, Mac makes it easy for you: Software Update will check for updates once a week by default. The Mac App Store needs manual check-ins, but it’s well worth your time if you want to keep all of your programs running the way they should.
3. That you don’t need to keep it clean.
It can be easy to let your Mac desktop become cluttered or your files unorganized, but you and your Mac will be more productive if you can keep everything in order. A few quick tips for keeping your Mac humming along nicely: keep your desktop clean (or use an app to do it for you); run Disk Utility every now and then to repair permissions; and keep the snacks around your machine to a bare minimum!
4. That you can’t run Windows on it!
If you’re hesitant to purchase a Mac because you don’t want to abandon Windows, stop worrying. The easiest way to run Windows on Mac (without rebooting) is with Parallels Desktop. And it doesn’t end with Windows—you can also run numerous other guest operating systems, including OS X Mavericks, Linux, and Google Chrome. For the full list of supported OSes, head here.
At the end of the day, don’t follow bad advice—keep your Mac in amazing shape for years with just a few simple maintenance tips.
