Help -- Going from PC to Mac

[Lindley]

Parallels is great for Windows programs where you can take a slight performance hit. How is it on games though?

 

[msbae]

That is the same cry we've been hearing all along. The "backdoors" just are not there. I have been waiting five years for a mac virus. Unix and Windoze are.... hold on I guess I should, shhhhh

Mac OSX is based on FreeBSD. FreeBSD is just another flavor of Unix. If there's a way to hack & crack FreeBSD, it can happen to Mac OSX too. There is no perfect system. There never will be either. Being so cavalier with one's security is fool-hardy. As a technical professional, I don't recommend that kind of attitude. At least get a few free tools like Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, et al.

 

[msbae]

I switched to a MacBook Pro a year ago and will NEVER buy a PC again. Mac's are a vastly superior product and the quality of my computer both inside and out never ceases to impress me. I now have an iPod and an iPhone, too. If Apple made a coffee maker, I'd buy one. I also need to run the Windows-only program AutoCAD. Fortunately, my Mac runs it better than a Windows machine does. You won't be disappointed.

"Mmm... coffee from an Apple CoffeeCreator. What's it taste like?"
"Expensive, but I think I just had sex twice."
"Amazing!"
"No kidding, and all I did was pour it, I haven't even taken a sip yet!"

considering you only need it for basic functions. I would say get the Mac mini. it is at a great price point and is adequate for what you need it for. But wait for a few day to purchase, Apple is expected to announce an upgraded model of the Mini today at the MacWorld Expo.

The Mac Pro is WAY more computer than you need.

I would also recommend the iMac. it has a good balance of speed to cost and the built in displays are gorgeous

This is fairly good advice. However, you won't be opening the case and making additions/changes with the Mini and iMac. They aren't designed to be that kind of user-friendly...

Personally, I think Mac is over-priced but, that's just me being a cheapskate and a nearly-broke recent college graduate/Technical Professional who's still looking for a job.

Just to correct one little thing; it's not difficult for me to open my iMac and replace the hard drive, Superdrive or video card. RAM is a snap, literally, underneath the front of the computer. They're not difficult to open, as I experimented already.

J.

I'm basing my opinion on my experiences with the Mac machines at my school. There were 3 woefully-underpowered PowerMac G5's and 8 new iMacs that were just set up last summer. I took a look at those iMacs while watching the Systems Support Technician set them up in the lab. There didn't seem to be a way to easily open them.

I took some time to play with them too. It looked beautiful and worked well enough but, I hated that mouse! Also, the keyboard shortcuts could use a LOT of refinement. Not everyone is a noob that has to point and click, Apple.

All computers are pretty much the same to me. I don't care about the OS as long as it's easy-to-use, doesn't use up ungodly amounts of system resources (Yeah Vista, I'm looking at you),the software I need is available and it doesn't break the bank. So far though, I'll stick with XP and Linux Mint. They serve me very well.

 

[msbae]

Many thanks to Thurisaz for making me a helluva deal on his old system. As I told him in our PM interaction, I'm having an absolute BALL tormenting my Microsoft Drone co-worker apeshit talking about the Mac. The eye-twitch thing gets going and he almost goes into convulsions. He goes on about how I'm "boxing myself in" and can't do anything, and follows up that I'm "limiting" my career (I'm a programmer). He has yet to understand that when I leave my cube, that world ceases to exist

Have fun torturing him. You might also try asking him how Vista is doing in the marketplace just to rub it in a little...

Just install XP on the Mac via Boot Camp......any potential problems solved.

Right. Macs are the only computers that can boot Linux, Mac OS and Windows at the same time. That doesn't seem limiting to me...that seems like the most flexible.

I could probably build a PC that will run MacOS, Linux and WinXP at the same time. With Mac now being Intel-based, the hardware isn't really all that dissimilar anymore. That being said, I can't imagine why I would want such a thing...

 

[TerriO]

Going PC to Mac? Yes... "Help" would be the appropriate word.

Please leave contributing to the PC/Mac war at the door.

Thank you.

 

[Lindley]

Also, the keyboard shortcuts could use a LOT of refinement. Not everyone is a noob that has to point and click, Apple.

Curious that you'd say that. I find the mouse far more vital to Windows than OSX. Maybe it's just what you're used to.

 

[RevDMV]

Parallels is great for Windows programs where you can take a slight performance hit. How is it on games though?

Don't have enough info on that. I saw it running games and it looked good enough. They just came out with a new version, with Vista support, I'd like to see games run there myself.

Being an old fart now I'm pretty much reduced to Wii games with my 5 year old.

 

[Chess Piece Face]

I could probably build a PC that will run MacOS, Linux and WinXP at the same time. With Mac now being Intel-based, the hardware isn't really all that dissimilar anymore. That being said, I can't imagine why I would want such a thing...

Right, I forgot about building a hackintosh. You could definitely do that.

 

[msbae]

Also, the keyboard shortcuts could use a LOT of refinement. Not everyone is a noob that has to point and click, Apple.

Curious that you'd say that. I find the mouse far more vital to Windows than OSX. Maybe it's just what you're used to.

That is entirely possible.

I could probably build a PC that will run MacOS, Linux and WinXP at the same time. With Mac now being Intel-based, the hardware isn't really all that dissimilar anymore. That being said, I can't imagine why I would want such a thing...

Right, I forgot about building a hackintosh. You could definitely do that.

I still wonder why I would concievably want to do such a thing though...

 

[Lindley]

Also, the keyboard shortcuts could use a LOT of refinement. Not everyone is a noob that has to point and click, Apple.

Curious that you'd say that. I find the mouse far more vital to Windows than OSX. Maybe it's just what you're used to.

That is entirely possible.

Mainly it's the right-click, I think. I was recently playing around with Boot Camp using a 1-button mouse, and it was amazing how inconvenient it is to do anything on XP without a second button. Definitely a different design aesthetic there from OSX......

Did okay once I downloaded a utility to make control-clicks simulate right clicks (similar to OSX's behavior), though.

 

[Chess Piece Face]

Also, the keyboard shortcuts could use a LOT of refinement. Not everyone is a noob that has to point and click, Apple.

Curious that you'd say that. I find the mouse far more vital to Windows than OSX. Maybe it's just what you're used to.

That is entirely possible.

I could probably build a PC that will run MacOS, Linux and WinXP at the same time. With Mac now being Intel-based, the hardware isn't really all that dissimilar anymore. That being said, I can't imagine why I would want such a thing...

Right, I forgot about building a hackintosh. You could definitely do that.

I still wonder why I would concievably want to do such a thing though...

To get the Mac OS experience, I would think. Personally I would only build a hackintosh to get a cheaper version of a Mac Pro, but since I already have an 8 core top of the line Mac Pro, that's not an issue.

I am considering dumping windows on my netbook and throwing os X on it, but I haven't gotten around to that yet. I figure if I eventually do it then I could still dual boot windows and os X anyway.

 

[msbae]

Curious that you'd say that. I find the mouse far more vital to Windows than OSX. Maybe it's just what you're used to.

That is entirely possible.

Right, I forgot about building a hackintosh. You could definitely do that.

I still wonder why I would concievably want to do such a thing though...

To get the Mac OS experience, I would think. Personally I would only build a hackintosh to get a cheaper version of a Mac Pro, but since I already have an 8 core top of the line Mac Pro, that's not an issue.

I am considering dumping windows on my netbook and throwing os X on it, but I haven't gotten around to that yet. I figure if I eventually do it then I could still dual boot windows and os X anyway.

Let me know how that works out. I might get one of those Asus Eee PC's one day. I'm not opposed to setting up a dual or multi-boot on that system if there's adequate HDD space and system power.

 

[Amaris]

I'm basing my opinion on my experiences with the Mac machines at my school. There were 3 woefully-underpowered PowerMac G5's and 8 new iMacs that were just set up last summer. I took a look at those iMacs while watching the Systems Support Technician set them up in the lab. There didn't seem to be a way to easily open them.

I took some time to play with them too. It looked beautiful and worked well enough but, I hated that mouse! Also, the keyboard shortcuts could use a LOT of refinement. Not everyone is a noob that has to point and click, Apple.

All computers are pretty much the same to me. I don't care about the OS as long as it's easy-to-use, doesn't use up ungodly amounts of system resources (Yeah Vista, I'm looking at you),the software I need is available and it doesn't break the bank. So far though, I'll stick with XP and Linux Mint. They serve me very well.

That's cool with me. To each their own.

Curious that you'd say that. I find the mouse far more vital to Windows than OSX. Maybe it's just what you're used to.

That is entirely possible.

Mainly it's the right-click, I think. I was recently playing around with Boot Camp using a 1-button mouse, and it was amazing how inconvenient it is to do anything on XP without a second button. Definitely a different design aesthetic there from OSX......

Did okay once I downloaded a utility to make control-clicks simulate right clicks (similar to OSX's behavior), though.

I found out that there are tons of keyboard commands for Leopard, which is great because I was a keyboard commando on XP & Vista. Oh, and bless their hearts, the store that sold me my Mac also sent me a Mighty Mouse, which is a godsend.

J.

 

[John Picard]

Well, Thurisaz and I were finally able to speak via telephone yesterday and it was a great discussion. I'm buying his system and he's being extremely generous (IMHO). I'm jazzed about entering the Mac world, and he's excited for me, as he says I'm in for a royal treat. Once my check clears, he'll ship everything to me and I'll report back on my experience.

As far as my old PC, I removed the video card and connected the monitor to the onboard video port. It lasted about 4 hours and *BAM* the video blanked.

 

[msbae]

As far as my old PC, I removed the video card and connected the monitor to the onboard video port. It lasted about 4 hours and *BAM* the video blanked.

Check the Motherboard for blown capacitors. I've had that happen to me on 2 different machines belonging to friends that t hey wanted me to service/repair as of late.

 

[Shaw]

Also, the keyboard shortcuts could use a LOT of refinement. Not everyone is a noob that has to point and click, Apple.

The Mac has had keyboard shortcuts since it was released in 1984 (and the Lisa had most of the same ones in 1983 as I recall). Since those early days any noob (like yourself) can find out what the keyboard shortcuts are for any application by noting the shortcut next to the menu item.

Most of the system wide shortcuts Apple used originally are the same across most platforms these days, and the shortcuts used by both of the OS lines that contributed to Mac OS X (the Mac OS and NEXTSTEP) have been virtually identical for more than 20 years (not surprising as many of the people from the Macintosh development team designed NEXTSTEP).

Most Windows users do take a few minutes to get oriented on a Mac (Apple has always used the cmd or Apple key rather than ctrl for it's shortcuts)... but considering that most of the major graphic design and productivity software started on Macs (and their shortcuts haven't changed much over the years) it is hard to imagine why you would be having difficulty.

 

[Lindley]

(Apple has always used the cmd or Apple key rather than ctrl for it's shortcuts)

I hear that on the latest MacBooks the key no longer bears the Apple logo. I guess they got tired of people calling it the "Apple" key rather than its proper name, "Command".

 

[Thurisaz]

(Apple has always used the cmd or Apple key rather than ctrl for it's shortcuts)

I hear that on the latest MacBooks the key no longer bears the Apple logo. I guess they got tired of people calling it the "Apple" key rather than its proper name, "Command".

That's true. They left the little squiggly thing on the key but got rid of the .

 

[Shaw]

(Apple has always used the cmd or Apple key rather than ctrl for it's shortcuts)

I hear that on the latest MacBooks the key no longer bears the Apple logo. I guess they got tired of people calling it the "Apple" key rather than its proper name, "Command".

Yeah, I started seeing the new keyboards lately... end of an era. Kind of reminds me of when they stopped using the smiley Mac boot icon after Mac OS X v10.1.5.

 

[Chess Piece Face]

Here is a video of Mike Huckabee on Fox News talking favorably about his recent switch to Mac.

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/19688/