Hi, All
I dl'd CrossOver (CO) about seven hours and, have been playing with it pretty much since. I've installed it twice, the second time about 2 - 2.5 hrs. after the dl. I had Total Commander (TC) running in less than 3 mins after the dl, without the help files. I started to have trouble when I tried to run TextPad (TP). By this time I had finally skimmed through "How to Install the Trial". I found out about TIE files before I knew what the were. Dl'd one in Win 8 (the browser got in the way on the Mac) and found out they were xml, so I had to figure out how to us them. When I figured out they worked with the app installer I read "Remove CrossOver from your Mac" and haven't read any more help except the "Tips & Tricks". TP doesn't have any T&Ts which is why I took so long figuring out about the TIE files. The reason for trashing the first install was somehow TP wasn't showing up in Manage Bottles>Applications for some reason.
On the second install things went much better. I now have TextPad as my text editor. I was jumping between Smultron/Fraise and TextWrangler. Irfanview for pictures and PDF files. Never really liked Preview. Lastly, Total Commander for file management. I've been using Pathfinder and Mu Commander. Why is it that 'ix operating systems don't have a two pane file Commander, except Gnome Commander (which has it's own problems) I think, have a brief view (filename.ext only).
Yeah it took 5 to 6 hrs. to get here but, on the way I have totally set-up TC and TP twice and, added Irfanview with Ghostscript. I've also learned a lot about CO without having to read the help files. I've also learned where I can find a lot of help or at least enough for me. I did kind of cheat (for me) with I-view and Ghostscript, I did read the T&Ts (on the Win 8.1 box) for them.
I've been playing with Microsoft since the earlier '80s and my first Mac was a 17" PowerBook in '05. When asked the inevitable question, which is better. I hate them both equally. For example I liked Windows Explorer was better than Finder. The menus were more accessible, you could easilly use the keyboard for everything. Then Microsoft got intuitive and invented "ribbon menus", UGLY hard to use without a mouse and hard to see because options are stack vertically and horizontally. Mac put tabs in Finder and I always could decide what directories were on the left side. So, if I have to use a mouse Finder is now better. I admit, I am more Microsoft based I've been using it longer, but Macs are nice simpler too.
Anyway, CO has made the Mac much more usable for me, now if Macs had a little more free/shareware I liked.
I'll be buying CrossOver by Feb. 5th at the latest. I live on Social Security Disability my budget's tight but I like my toys.
Robin