Later this week, thanks to the ridiculous generosity of my buddy Matt, I will be receiving my first Mac. To be honest, after 15 years successfully navigating the ins and outs of PCs, I’m more than a little nervous to be making the switch. I’m terrified that my design concepts will revert back to my high school days when I played around on MS Paint. I’m sure the concern is unfounded, but it’s there.

In anticipation of this new phase in my professional life, what advice do you have for me? What tools do you use to make your jobs or lives easier? What software would you say is an absolute must-have – for personal productivity, for maneuvering around the machine, and for web work specifically? I’d love any feedback any of you have.