Recent Windows Switchers: Miss the fact that Windows stacked all of your open windows for a given application down on the Start Menu? Here's where to find 'em on the Mac.

The Mac takes a different approach to "applications" (your programs such as Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Quicken, Final Cut, etc) and "windows" (the different views that exist when one program is open) than Microsoft Windows.

Although it can take a moment to become familiar, the Mac system is quite intuitive and efficient once you understand it.

At the top of screen, there will always be a blue or gray Apple. Directly to the right of this icon will be a program name in bold. This lets you know which program or 'application' is currently active. Moving a little over to the right you will see the "Window" menu. Click on this to view a full list of windows that you might have open in that given application.

One major advantage of this system over Microsoft Windows is the use of shortcut keys. If you press Apple-` (the character next to the "1" on the keyboard), you will cycle through the windows only of the program you have active. This prevents you from jumping from, say, your web browser to your mail program when you really just wanted to switch to another web page you have open.

Pressing Apple-Tab will cycle you through the applications you currently have open - similar to Alt-Tab on Windows.