Advice making the jump from pc to mac - video card?

Hi,
I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post but I've been having trouble finding an appropriate place to ask some questions.
I'm thinking about making the jump to a mac after many years of having pc's because I'm starting to get fed up with tinkering and want something that just works. I want to do mainly office stuff; use for photography and play a few games. Unfortunately warhammer online isn't supported but I see that there are alternative ways - not a deal breaker. I've been WOW sober now for 150 days.
When trying to compare systems I'm finding a few sticking points. I think what I want is a mac pro as I want to use my existing dell 24" lcd and upgrade to an eizo (for photography) at a later stage. There are things that I'm finding a little odd :
1. 1TB HDD is $450 AUD whereas I can just pick one up locally for almost half of that price. Can I order one without and then just put my own in? Is this ever done?
2. and what's the deal with the memory price?
3. and why are the video cards 1-2 generations behind the pc?
I'm not saying the system is overpriced - if I configure an xps system or alienware system the prices just get absurd.
Any comments appreciated.

Mac pro or Macbook pro? Big difference! If you want a laptop with gaming capability then you are pretty much into the Macbook pro, as graphics on the Macbook won't handle high intensity gaming. However, for MS Office and iPhoto, any mac will do. You could, for example, buy a macbook 13" and use your 24" monitor with that...or the MBP or the Mac Pro.
With the Mac Pro, you can add any compatible HD with ease. A HD is user installable on a Macbook, but it is absolutely NOT with a macbook pro. That should not stop you from going to an apple authorized repair center and having THEM do the install. If any other provider does the install and there is a problem, the warranty could be voided. Most folks buy aftermarket RAM and install themselves. It is easy.
Don't know anything about video cards.

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Making the move from pc to Mac

Greetings! I have been using itunes on a windows-based computer for the past several years, and have amassed a huge library. A few days ago I purchased a MacBook Pro, which will, obviously, become my primary computer. I need advice on how to transfer my library from the old computer to the Mac. I have a large list of items I have purchased from the itunes store that I would also like to transfer to the Mac. I would like to keep itunes on the old computer for occassional use. I also am concerned about syncing my iphone to the Mac for the first time. How can I be sure that all the information on my iphone is preserved and backed up when I sync it to the Mac for the first time? Is there any way to transfer the back-up file for my iphone from the old computer to the Mac? Thank you for your time and any information you can offer.

Roaminggnome,
Thank you for the response. Unfortunately, I do not live in a location that has an Apple Store within several hours, so visiting in person is unlikely. But, am I to understand you correctly? I can simply call Apple Support and they will walk me through the process, simply because I bought their product?

Making the switch from PC to Mac.

I am a dedicated Apple fan, to say the least. Like, I need a t-shirt and a tattoo. I have an iPod and iPhone currently and I've played a bit with the iPad but that's not what I'm asking.
My whole life I've had a PC. I hate Windows and PCs have always seem to fail me. I'm an extremely heavy computer user.
In school, I use Macs. I'm in Graphic Design. I also am a musician. I've been begging for one for a super long time. Now that I'm getting ready for college - a Mac could very well be my Christmas present.
In the past five years I've went through quite a few laptops due to Windows failing and what not, just dumb things that could happen I suppose. Being an Apple lover, I've heard that Macs are very could quality laptops, it's harder for them to get viruses, ect. Is it true?
Would it be worth it to make the switch?
What tips can you give?
& what antivirus software should be used for a Mac?
Previously, I used Norton and I haven't had too good of an experience.

Whereas no Windows computer would last very long without products like Norton, a Mac already includes all the protection it needs against viruses and malware. Norton a/k/a Symantec functions well on Windows PCs but it will cause no end of problems on a Mac.
A Mac is far removed from a Windows PC. It has always been so. Evolution of the two systems has been completely separate from the beginning, and have followed very different philosophies. Whereas OS X draws its roots from mainframe OS with multiple user accounts that must be separated from one another and the system that runs them, Windows took a very open approach from the beginning. It got much worse with Explorer and Active Destkop. Microsoft has been trying to shut the door on that Pandora's box of viruses and malware ever since.
Norton and its many Mac variants are one of the worst pieces of trash you can install on a Mac. All commercial Mac anti-virus software is superfluous and some of it is harmful. Apple Support Communities is full of horror stories describing the effects of installing such junk.
OS X already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. You don't need to buy anything else.
This is an interesting thread you might enjoy: Virus count?

Making the switch from PC to Mac what's my best option?

I am at the stage where I need to upgrade my notebook. I am looking at a Mac because of all the multi-media capabilities that come with Mac, but I will still need to function in the MS world. Any comments on running MS Office on a Mac? Can I run both the Apple software & the MS software on the Mac at the same time? I need some help to decide what to do.
Dell Inspiron 8200 Windows XP Pro

I am by no means a Mac head that will recommend a Mac in any circumstance, regardless of the facts. However, I think devbob's comments are biased and he has never used a Mac.
I own both a Mac and a Windows computer and I consider myself above average when it comes to computer knowledge, so I thought I would add my 2 cents. The Mac is, hands down, is easier to use and requires much less maintenance. And the Mac interacts very will with Windows for the basic stuff like email, internet, Word, and Excel. If you need to do anything else with other Windows users regularly, a Mac is probably not for you. Outside of those items, it can get very difficult to work across platforms and it would be much better to use the same opporating system your peers are using. In most cases, that is Windows.
devbob is certainly correct that there is more software for windows than for Mac. But there are also more viruses and spyware for Windows. For home use, I don't think there is a better computer than a Mac. However, I don't think I will ever use a Mac at work because, like devbob said, there isn't enough software out there for the Mac. Also, since only 3% of the world uses a Mac currently, there isn't much incentive for outside vendors to write for a Mac yet. Although, there isn't much incentive for people to write viruses for it yet.
If you are planning to use a lot of Windows programs at work, don't get a Mac. If you are doing a lot of multimedia, email, and internet surfing and only need very occasional access to Windows software, I think getting a Mac would be a good choice.
Oh, and one more thing. I don't currently have an Intel Mac, but if you do want to run Windows with bootcamp or Parallel, I am pretty sure that you will need to buy you're own copy of Windows XP and you'll also probably want to buy virus protection. That could set you back another $400. You could almost buy a cheap laptop for that.
iMac (Flat Panel 21) G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
iMac (Flat Panel 21) G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Thinking of making the jump!

it has been many years in the making and i think the time has come for me to make the jump from PC to Mac...that being said, i am not familiar with all the idiosyncrasies of the mac...i'm considering a mac mini core duo...here are some of my general questions:
1) one way i was considering connecting the mini was using a KVM switch to run along side my current PC. i know the regular mouse and keyboard for mac is different, but will this work? can i use my Viewsonic monitor and current keyboard/mouse with the mini using a KVM?
2) i am also considering connecting it to my 50" DLP. i've seen some questions raised about connecting macs to large displays (lcds and plasma). since i am new to the mac arena, what issues should i be aware of before i consider this adventure?
3) what are some general issues a long-time PC user should consider or be aware of when purchasing a mac?
4) i have a linksys wireless network setup with my linup of PCs. i currently have a networked drive on one tower. this drive has a lot of music on it. will connecting to a networked drive from a PC be a problem on my wireless network using a mac?
thanks for any assistance or any general info you can provide/suggest...can't wait to get a mac, and hope your guidance will make the transition much better!

1) Yes, your current keyboard & mouse will work through a KVM.
However, as you said, Mac keyboards and PC keyboards have a slightly different layout : PC keyboards usually have a "Windows" key whereas Macs have a "Command" key (with an Apple on it), and Macs also have an "Option" key (usually it is combined with the Alt key) that PCs don't have. While some hybrid Mac/PC keyboards show both the Windows and Mac functions of each key, most don't. So you'll have to remember which key does what. Some manufacturers offer Mac software that will fix those issues though, so you should check your keyboard manufacturer's website.
There shouldn't be any issue with your monitor.
2) Don't know about that.
3) Software. The Mac is compatible with a lot of PC software such as Microsoft Office, etc. but your PC discs won't work - you'll have to get the Mac version of each app. While it may seem obvious, some poeple don't realize that and then complain because their copy of MS Office 2003 won't work on the Mac ...
You shouldn't expect everything to work as it does on a PC. Many things work differently on the Mac, and it takes some time to get used to it. It is better to be patient and ask questions, rather than get upset or believe that something can't be done on the Mac.
And on the Mac, viruses, while they exist, are mostly proof-of-concepts.
4) You'll have to adjust some settings in System Preferences on your Mac but I haven't heard of issues with networked drives & Macs.
The AirPort card included with Intel-based Macs is made by Intel and supports 802.11a/b/g as well as any PC's wireless card.
iTunes will have trouble with protected WMA (unprotected WMA can be easily converted to AAC), and protected WMV cannot be played at all.
The Core Duo Mini is an Intel-based Macintosh, and will run older PowerPC software under emulation through a built-it app called Rosetta. Not only will this software run slower than on recent PPC Macs, but it will require more memory. If you can afford it, get 1 GB of RAM, it will make your new Mini faster, especially when dealing with PPC software (such as MS offce:mac 2004, for example).
There are many interesting applications available for OS X - including the iLife suite which is inlcuded with every new Mac, and popular open-source software, like Firefox or OpenOffice.org (although things are a bit more complicated with OOo since there are two versions - one official and the other considered a derivate - each with its pros & cons) have a Mac version too.
Feel free to ask any other question(s), and good luck with your new Mac !
P.S. I have used the word "Mac" a lot in this post

The move from PC to Mac...maybe

I have been recently considering making the switch from PC to mac. I am an avid PC user and very PC savvy. I guess its just a big leap for me and i just want to be sure its the right decision. Im going to college and need a good laptop im going to major in photography so i need a computer for graphics and that can handle what i need it to do. So i guess my question or questions are, How big is the learning curve? Are there any problems major or minor? What are the essential programs to get? Are the peripherals good if so which ones? and finally is the switch totally worth me paying the 1000 or so USD to get a mac?

i need a computer for graphics and that can handle what i need it to do. So i guess my question or questions are,
You really need to get a MacBook Pro if you plan on doing graphic and video work. The graphics circuit in a MacBook shares memory with the main RAM. Performance for pro graphic and video work is anemic.
How big is the learning curve?
Should be easy for you. You can always run Windows on it right along side the Mac OS with Fusion.
What are the essential programs to get?
iLife includes apps you can use. You may want to look at some Adobe products for graphics work.
Are the peripherals good if so which ones?
You should have a good drive for backup. External USB drives are inexpensive.
and finally is the switch totally worth me paying the 1000 or so USD to get a mac?
You will be looking at little more for a MacBook Pro. You can get an educational discount though it you're in school. You may even consider a refurb. Same warranty as a new one.
-Bmer
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Making the jump, NAS drive, FLAC and other stuff

Hi all,
I'm seriously thinking of making the jump to an i7 27" iMac in the next couple of months after using PC's since their inception. Yes I'm that old
Just a quick couple of questions in relation to my music library & storage, not sure if this is the right forum?
My current music collection (400GB +) is currently stored on a NAS drive (NTFS) in RAID 1 configuration. Any new music is ripped via my laptop (PC) to this drive as FLAC files.
The music is played through my SONOS system but is regularly accessed on the computer for updating metadata and housekeeping etc.
Firstly once I move to the iMac, will I have to reformat this NAS drive to continue to write new tracks and housekeep it?
The other option is I could just keep the old laptop handy for this purpose but I ideally wish to move all my computer work away from the PC.
Secondly am I correct in thinking that FLAC files aren't supported by iTunes and for iTunes to reconize them I'd need to convert the 400GB's worth to apple lossless?
Any thoughts appreciated
Regards M

Thanks both for your input.
Thinking aloud......I'm reluctant to alter the files from FLAC. You wouldn't believe how long they took to encode and it took forever to get the metadata just right so that they displayed correctly via the sonos software.
As this is my primary way of listening to the music and isn't reliant on any computer to listen, why fix what isn't broken.
I only add ripped music from CD to this library to maintain the quality. I appreciate that at some time I may have to move with the times and adopt a digital download but not yet.
I do however convert some of this music back onto my laptop at a lower bitrate so that it can be added to my/wifes ipod/iphone etc. This music only is in an iTunes run library.
This senario works well for me at the moment and I will need to think through what you have said to see if I can enable this to continue.
That is, find a method via the mac to
1. Make the NAS visible and updatable via Mac ( i think this will work anyway, but from what you say may require a drive to be reformated with a Mac compatible file structure and the library recopied to it)
2. Rip CD's to the NAS drive as FLAC
3. Convert a lower bitrate copy of selected music for use in an iTunes library (solely for portable use)
Lots to think about
Regards M

Trying to make the jump from JPEG to RAW...

Hi all, I'm trying to make the jump from JPEG to RAW, and am hoping you might be able to help with a few questions.
When I open JPEGs in Lightroom's Develop module, the settings are mostly zero by default. But when I open RAW files, some of the settings seem to have non-zero default to values.
Am I correct to think these settings are from metadata saved into the RAW file when I took the picture? eg, the camera saves the White Balance settings as metadata within the RAW file, even though the White Balance settings don't actually affect the image data itself. And so when I open that RAW file in Lightroom, it'll apply the White Balance as recorded within the file, making that a non-zero default.
Is that about right?
Does Lightroom similarly 'pre-set' other values when importing RAW files? (I ask because I seem to have non-zero settings for Blacks, Sharpening, as well as the Color slider under Noise Reduction.)
Meaning: I'm not quite sure "how much work" Lightroom is doing by default when I import RAW files, and how much I need to do to at least reproduce what my camera would do in making a JPEG.
For example, even though Color under Noise Reduction is given a value -- Luminance, also under under Noise Reduction, is left at zero. And the picture looks a bit grainy. Would my camera have processed some Luminance Noise Reduction? If so, is there a way to get Lightroom to help get that pre-set too?
Basically, is there a rule of thumb for how a novice should import a RAW file and have it reasonably "at least as good" as what the JPEG would have been?
Thanks very kindly, -Scott

Given that the camera ships with so many special effect presets -- is there no built-in preset that could be named "Auto Camera" so to speak? Or might it be possible import such a preset that somebody else has made?
Lightroom, nor any other third party raw processing program will not read the camera settings beyond simple stuff such as white balance. So you cannot do this. If you go raw, you really have to change your mindset and completely ignore the in-camera jpeg styles. Just set it to a neutral style and learn what the preview on the camera means for the actual raw data. You will find that this gives you orders of magnitude more creative freedom afterwards as you will not be stuck with a burned in interpretation.
So (for me) even just making my own presets -- let alone making separate presets for every ISO -- all that seems a bit daunting.
There really is no need to at all. I don't use presets for example. I think they are a waste of time as it is extremely rare that two images need exactly the same treatment. You really are just choosing a different starting point. I start all my raw at a relatively neutral setting (but using a camera profile generated from a colorchecker!) and blast through a shoot very quickly. You'll learn how to recognize what modifications to the Develop settings images need and just do it. Then typically I use auto-sync or manual sync to modify similar shots (say a series of head shots taken shortly after each other). I work differently as most of my photography is landscape, but a typical workflow for many photographers that do more people/style/event stuff is to import all the raw and start culling them with pick/reject flags and refine collection. You'll arrive at a subset that is worth looking at more closely and to finetune their development. The conservative default rendering helps you here because you'll quickly see what images are simply badly exposed, not in correct focus, etc. and you can reject them.
Think of your raw as the unprinted negative. It represents a nascent image. One that still has to form completely. A jpeg is like a polaroid. The image style is pretty much chosen for you by the film maker. There is very little you can do to it afterwards without it breaking down. Raw gives you much more freedom but it does come with a learning curve and it is more tasking for your equipment. Many people including many pros are simply not interested (or don't see the pay off) in this part of the creative photographic process and just shoot jpeg, which is a fine approach (just not mine). Lightroom can help you there too to quickly find the best images in a series, keyword, caption, and disseminate.

When I open a word document attachment in mail for IOS 7.1.1 the previous jpeg is showing on the first page. When I open the attachment from mail in mac OS X the jpeg does not appear. Can anyone help?

When I open a word document attachment in mail for IOS 7.1.1 the previous jpeg is showing on the first page. When I open the attachment from mail in mac OS X the jpeg does not appear. Can anyone help?

gonsa47 wrote:
When I open it in pages or word the correct company logo appears.
Does the mail app display whatever is in the document without the ability to differentiate between hidden or non hidden images?
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I copied iPhoto library from old Mac to NAS. I cannot access the library from my new Mac

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I can see the library on the NAS from the new MAC. Unfortunately when I select it using option key on iPhoto launch or trying to open directly from the library in Finder, I end up with iPhoto open and showing "No photos". I've tried using iPhoto Library Manager and this can't select the library either.
I can open the library on the NAS from my old Mac OK.
Does anyone have an idea what I'm missing here?

iPhoto Libraries cannot be located on a NAS driver. Read this Apple document, iPhoto: Issues with FAT32-formatted drives - Apple Support, and note the last sentence of the first paragraph.
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i am looking to make the switch from pc to mac and have been eyeing the MBP 13". I would like to know whether it is fine to add RAM and SSD myself? any compatibility or warranty problems? what brand/type of RAM and SSD is the best fit? thank you.

Chamar wrote:
I'm possibly wrong here but I suspect opening a brand new MBP to add parts yourself will void the warranty. It is probably in the small print. I certainly would not risk it for an expensive Apple product.
Some (Windows) laptops have easy access to memory and disk slots that do not necessitate taking the complete back cover off. However, Apple does not make life easy for you.
However, if you are going for a 'used' machine it is probably worth a try.
Not possibly, definitely wrong, Ram and Hard Drive are considered user replaceable and will not void the warranty if changed.

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Advice making the jump from pc to mac - video card?

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