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)

Similar Messages

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?

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.

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.

Debating the switch from PC to Mac?

Hello,
I am debating the switch from PC to Mac, but I currently use CS5 and Lightroom 5. Is it possible to do a Platform Swap? I would HATE to have to purchase CS6 (and Lightroom, if applicable) on top of a $2500 upgrade on a computer.. Help, please!
Kristi

Yes, you will need to cross upgrade to CS6 Mac for $200, but the Lightroom license is also for the Mac and you can activate using your present serial number.
Gene

Just switched from PC to Mac, What's the tutorial items out there to learn this system?

Would like to know the best ways to learn this system. Wasn't very good with PC but there is something about this iMac that makes want to master it. (Ha!) I would welcome any suggestions on what to get to help me learn in an easy every day language. Any suggestions greatly appreciated..... Thanks

I didn't prune this list, so some might have been mentioned.
Switching from Windows to Mac OS X,
Basic Tutorials on using a Mac,
Mac 101: Mac Essentials,
Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts,
Anatomy of a Mac,
MacTips,
Switching to Mac Superguide, and
Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Mountain Lion Edition.
Additionally, *Texas Mac Man* recommends:
Quick Assist,
Welcome to the Switch To A Mac Guides,
Take Control E-books, and
A guide for switching to a Mac.

Trying to make the switch from PC to Mac

Hi, I just graduated from high school and I'm off to college so I've been doing some research on what kind of laptop to get. I'm heavily leaning towards the Mac but I'm looking for that extra nudge that makes me a believer after a life on PC. I tend to be pretty virus-prone so the fact that Mac doesn't really have a problem with that is a huge factor. I really like the style and aesthetics that Mac has and it's simplicity of use. I'm not so worried about making the switch in that aspect because I feel like Mac won't be a very complicated and overwhelming change from PC. I also like the deal that I would get a free iPod Touch upon purchase and a $100 cut in price (so I'm told by the man at the Apple store). I have been looking specifically at the Macbook Pro 13-inch. However, one thing that I hear a lot about is problems with compatibility. Apparently there are a good deal of programs that don't work well with Mac and I don't know which ones. I would like to know exactly what kind of programs these are. Will I be able to download music or movies on a Mac? run games like WoW (if I would ever decide to play it) or similar MMOs? If it's not too much to ask it would be nice if someone could point out what Macs can do that PCs can't or on the flip side what PCs can do that Macs can't - Pros and Cons are good too. I would really appreciate any help anyone could give me. Thank you.

Hi Tower_Sage,
I hope you realize that you are going to get an extremely Apple-biased viewpoint here . The choice between a Mac and PC is purely personal, and compatibility is generally not an issue. There are really only a few instances where compatibility becomes critical, and that is the requirements of your college, and games.
First, my favorite, games:
Most high-profile, big-budge titles eventually come out for Mac. Unfortunately sometimes the performance of the game suffers compared to the PC version. This is not because of some flaw or problem with Macs, but rather the amount of time and effort developers put on the game. EA uses a Direct X "wrapper" for many of its games, and this results in lower performance than on a comparable equipped PC. The few games I have played this way (Spore, C&C 3, NWN2) all played "good enough" on my Mac. Some developers (like PopCap and Blizzard) actually support Mac from the get-go, and these titles do not suffer at all. Another example that I just discovered today, PopCap and Blizzard have created a World of WarCraft themed Peggle game, however this is available for PC only (at least right now), so I can't play it on my Mac. Bottom-line, if games are a priority, you need to investigate if the games you want to play are on the Mac, otherwise you will need to run Boot Camp.
School Requirements:
My college specifically requires Microsoft Office 2003 (not earlier or newer versions like 2007) for coursework, and Internet Explorer. So, when I switched to a Mac (in early 2008) I faced a few hurdles. I am a "computer geek," and was able to work around the compatibility issues by using Safari, and Office 2004 (and later Office 2008) for about 98% of the issues. The biggest issues seems to be the individual professors and classmates, as if they are not able to open your Word or PowerPoint documents, then you of course can't get grade. However, the work-around for this, was to use the Save-As command and save the documents in the 2000/2003 format. If you remember to do this, you should be able to get by using the Mac versions of Office. One of my final courses, I absolutely had to have Internet Explorer due to some glitch on the school servers, as I was unable to turn in assignments using Safari. Make sure you check with your college and see what requirements they have.
The only other "real" issue you will have, is software. Mac software is not sold everywhere, so you will end-up getting most of it online, unless you happen to live near an Apple Store (best place for Mac products, as far as selection goes). The advantage of getting software online, is that there is a lot of open source software that can be found for free.
Lastly, your copy of Office 2007 will not run on your Mac, without using Boot Camp. Under Boot Camp, your Mac becomes a PC. This means you must have a Windows disc (with license) to use Boot Camp, and this forces you to share your Mac hard drive with two operating system. Unless your college supports Macs (many do), plan on getting a copy of Windows at around $150 along with your Mac. Depending on the monetary support you have, you may want to consider getting a copy of VMWare Fusion (http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/) or Parallels Desktop for Mac (http://www.parallels.com/) for around $80 as well. This program will allow you to run Windows in a window on your Mac Desktop, and integrate Windows only program into the Mac experience. Plus, if you use Boot Camp, these programs can actually use that Windows install, allowing you to run in a window on your desktop, and if you need max performance (like for a game), you can re-boot into Boot Camp. This is how I currently run (with Parallels Workstation), and it solves 100% of the possible compatibility issues.
Good luck!
Rich S.
Coming Soon: Wombat Computer Service (http://www.wombatcs.com)

Making the switch from Word to Pages

I'm trying to make the switch from Microsoft Word to Apple Pages. For my job, I push Word to the point of not working anymore with large, 150+page reports, that have many figures (images), tables and cross-references. I am trying to see if Apple pages will handle these documents any better than Word.
My problems are many, and any help would be very much appreciated.
I need to learn how to use the styles the right way,to set up my main report like so:
1. Heading Primary
     1.1 Heading Secondary
          Bodytextbodytextbodytext
     1.2 Heading Secondary
          Bodytextbodytextbodytext
          1.1.1 Heading 3rd
and so on. This can easily be done with the default heading tool and a simple press of the tab button-but I need to be able to change the font size on the different level headings, and the only way I can manage this is when I define each sub-heading as a different paragraph style (like 1.Heading 1 and 1.Heading 2), but it seems whenever I do this the table of contents has a hard time indenting the right topics.
Also, I'm not fully sure how to add captions to pictures and tables, and then how to below the table of contents make a list of figures and a list of tables, respectively. In word, it is as simple as inserting a caption and defining it as a figure or table.
Like I said, any help would be appreciated-I can't seem to pick these things up from tutorial videos or the user manual, so I've turned to the trusty Apple Support Community.
Thanks,
     -Skyler

Table of Contents doesn't adapt to the automatic lists numbering, sad to say. The TOC has it own Styles you can set.
For caption use a text box that you group with the image, table or any other object.
To make a list of images and tables you have to do them manually.
Pages doesn't have all the feature Word has.
Have you downloaded the Pages User Guide from your Pages Help menu?
There is a rather good boo you can get "The missing manual for iWork".

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.

Making the switch from iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4 today. Purchased a SIM adapt

I have a 2 ATT/Apple/iTunes questions.
I am switching from a 3GS to a 4 today. I purchased a SIM adaptor so I can use the new mirco SIM in my 3GS. Once I activate my 4 will my 3GS be deactivated? ie will be able to swap my sim from one to the other and use each seamlessly?
My second questions is if iTunes will allow two iphones to be synced on a single computer/account simultaneously?
Thank you for the help everyone!
Kalel

Kalel wrote:
I have a 2 ATT/Apple/iTunes questions.
I am switching from a 3GS to a 4 today. I purchased a SIM adaptor so I can use the new mirco SIM in my 3GS. Once I activate my 4 will my 3GS be deactivated? ie will be able to swap my sim from one to the other and use each seamlessly?
Yes, Upon activation of the SIM in the iphone 4, the SIM in the 3GS will be simultaneously deactivated. Only one SIM per mobile phone number can be active at one time.
My second questions is if iTunes will allow two iphones to be synced on a single computer/account simultaneously?
Yes.
Thank you for the help everyone!
Kalel

I'm looking to make the switch from PC to Mac to accommodate Premiere Pro CC.

Premeire Pro is a big program that needs a lot of power to function correctly. I have the "System Requirements" page up from the Adobe website, but as I'm researching laptops, it's still not clear to me which Macbooks will be compatible with that program. Can anyone help me with this dilemma?

Tess,
I'm not sure why one would switch to Mac for PrPro these days. Once upon a time Apple was clearly a better line of gear for imaging/video, especially as their stuff was more clearly specialized to that work. Over the last couple years it's almost seemed like Apple was tossing their whole concept of "we're the graphics folks" out the window. Look at the massive threads on these boards over the last few OS updates for Mac ... expensive two-year old graphics cards suddenly no longer supported, graphics drivers choking on the system, people needing to go back an OS notch or two to get back to work ... and the hardware is no longer any better designed for graphics than the PC side with similar attention to graphics needs. This isn't to say that Apple doesn't produce some fine machines that do work well for this stuff.
So out of curiousity ... what do you think would be the big improvement in going to Mac for the OS? There's been a post recently where one of the big all-time hardware geeks around these parts posted a laptop over at Newegg for about a grand that would be a pretty good editing machine. Pc ...
Neil

THinking about the switch from PC to Mac Pro

I'm looking at a configuration of two 2.8 quad-core with 2 gb ram from Apple, 6 gb ram from 3rd party, a single 750 SATA drive and Final Cut 2 Studio, and running VMWare Fusion for running Windows apps, and software development tools (Windows world). I have been doing a fair amount of video editing/processing, and see that growing - between this increase, and Windows Vista, I think the Mac world may be my best choice - I would run the Windows apps under Windows XP.
The Apple Store recommended going with 2 x ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB cards - I will be running with dual monitors, and the biggest demand will come from Final Cut 2. Is there a better choice to be made for the money?
Anybody see any flags raised by what I say I want to do, and the hardware I'm thinking about?
I debated the value in the second Quad core - whether the Final Cut 2 Studio software was written to take adavantage of multiple cores. I'm leaning toward the second quad core since the studio is most likely separate apps, and there might be some benefit provided the second quad core via the OS. Any thoughts on this?
The Ram and hard drives are too pricey from Apple - any suggestions on good third party supplier for the ram chips - I know they need to meet the Apple specs, but assume some mfgs have had a better production/quality history than others.
Any input on this is appreaciated.
Michael

Hatter,
The configuration is close - I like both of your suggestions on the graphics card and the boot drive - Apple won't add the Radeon 3870 card, nor the Velocity Raptor drive. So, if I buy the 3870 and Velocity Raptor from OWC, there is a decision I would have to make with regard to what I buy from Apple.
I'd like to continue the process, listing my thoughts, hoping to get more good feedback.
I'm leaning towards buying Apple's standard graphics card (Radeon 2600), and use it for lower demand activities - I figure I can always upgrade it at a later date if the performance is frustrating - I'll have a good comparison with the 3870, so the contrast should be apparent. I'm thinking about the standard 320 g drive, since the extra cost ($50 for 500g, or $150 for 750g) doesn't make sense with the Caviar Black priced at ~$150.
So, I would be getting a machine with the OS sitting on the 320g drive. *Is there a good strategy for adding the Velocity Raptor, making it my boot drive?*
I'm assuming I will get the OS on disc - is this true?
Lastly, I'm looking at the timing of purchasing. I debated on waiting to buy until after MacWorld 2009, but plan on buying prior to the event. My thought was to avoid any issues that come with new releases - adding another layer of issues without knowing what is "normal behavior" isn't worth the increased functionality. In the PC world, sales abound at the end of quarter, and prior to new release. *Is it worth waiting a little while hoping Apple will discount the Mac Pro? Or is this unlikely??*
Again, thanks for all of the great suggestions.
Michael

I made the switch from PC to MAC

Hello Everyone
For the past few weeks I have been visiting this forum for info on the MacBook Pro. Thanks for all the information! A week ago I called the nearest Apple store - an hour and a half away, and reserved the $1999 model, $1799 with my student discount. A week later, today, I called and my laptop had arrived. I took the trip down there and picked it up. I love it and I'm very happy with it. No problems so far! I bought the airport express for wireless internet for my laptop but I didn't realize at the time I bought it that my regular dell desktop is now not hooked up to the internet when i had to hook up the cable model to the airport connection. What can i do to solve that now that I already purchased the airport express? Thanks!
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.5)

If you want to have your Dell wired, and your laptop wireless, you can accomplish it with just a simple cable.
When you plug your internet into the base station in the WAN port you have another LAN port that outputs that connection. If you get a network cable (straight-through) you can connect it fron the LAN port on the base station to the internet port on your Dell.
I do not own this particular base station but I think this will work. The picture below will give you an idea of which port is which, even though it is probably shown on the base station.
But if you want to have both connected to wires at once then you will need a hub. You can buy any simple hub that you pick up from any local tech store, no need for anything fancy. You would plug the hub into the LAN port on the base station then you would plug the your Dell and your laptop into the hub. Both require network cables that have a Straight-through configuration. (should say it on the cable packaging.)
Hope this helps, good luck!
Awaiting my precious MBP.
Awaiting my precious MBP.
Awaiting my precious MBP.
Awaiting my precious MBP.

Maybe making the switch from AVID to FCP, would like some input please.

Happy T-Day to all. Would really appreciate any thoughts on this. I have many questions and need some answers from folks who are not always pushing AVID ( my vendor) I am a one man shop and use all Apple apps (LiveType, Motion, etc.) but have always stayed in my comfort zone with AVID Xpro and MOJO. Am thinking of going to Media Composer but after a few days of consideration and a trip to an Apple store, I may do a complete turn around and commot to FCP. Recently made the move to HD with the Sony XDCAM HD system. Here are my questions...plese be patient, this is a major move for me.
1. If I purchase a new Intel G-5, will the internal SATA drives be OK for 35MPS HD?
2. What AJA card or product should I buy so I can view HD SDI on a client monitor and output HD to a Sony XDCAM HD F-70 Deck?
3. What graphics card should I order on the new machine?
4. Can I use the FAM ( File Access Mode) to tranfer content?
5. Any other considerations when ordering the new Intel machine?
I know I have many questions, but I really believe it is time for me to make the move. Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks again.
Tdub

1. Yes, but just. You'd only get 1 stream. Faster drives would allow you to do more than one layer of real time playback. You could stripe more than one internal sata and get the job done that way.
2. Kona LHe will do this, however you'd gain the ability to upconvert and cross convert the video to just about any format with the Kona 3.
3.The X1900. Motion and some effects in FCP will take advantage of it... down the line FCP is likely to rely more on the GPU is an educated guess of mine. the top of the line card is faster, but not enough to substaniate the price if you're working in Video. If you were working in 3D CAD environments, then the top of the liner would be the best choice.
4.I don't use XDCAM here, so I'm presuming that you're talking about a transfer mode with that. I'm pretty sure FCP 5.1.2 added this capability. Might search the COW on this term in the FCP forum there. http://www.creativecow..net.
5.Working with HD and MPEG streams would leave me wanting the fastest of the three machines. You'll want 4 gigs of RAM, but it's less expensive from other than Apple. I know just how scary it can be to move to a new platform, and did exactly as you are contemplating when FCP 2 arrived. I've never looked back. Hang here once you get started, and we'll help you with the transition. There is a book out there in the pro training series from Apple/Peachpit on ediiting on FCP if you're coming from Avid. I'd recommend you get that book. Will ease the transition no doubt.
Hope you make the jump!
Jerry

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?

Switching from PC to Mac - What printer?

I recently considered to give the new IMac a try but soon found out that none of my printers (right now I am mainly using a Canon MF5750) would work with Mac OS X.
I've got two questions:
1. Is there an easy explanation why there are so few supported printers? I found few multifunction-printer and laser printers available in Germany.
2. Is there any multifunction laser-printer that supports Mac OS X that you can recommend? My current MF5750 cost something like $280 so a new one shouldn't cost more. Brand doesn't matter, I should just be able to use it with a PC and Mac and of course all the functions (scanning, printing, fax) should be available on both platforms.
IMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Order an Adobe product platform swap or language swap
Mylenium

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

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