Question about Windows 7 on MBP! Please help! :(

Question

Hey everyone, thanks for taking the time to check out my problem. Basically, I'm getting a MBP soonish (yes, I'll be waiting for the coming update). I'm a student (17 years old), and have used Windows my entire life - so on my MBP I definitely won't be using the Mac OS, I just can't be bothered adapting myself to an entire new OS. Anyway, here are my questions:
1) If I solely use Windows 7, is it still possible to alter some of the physical options of the MBP? (e.g. the trackpad, touch sensetive or pressing to click, two finger click = right click or not, and so on).
2) Will the trackpad gestures still work, even though I will be using Windows 7?
3) I am aware that Apple products sometimes get Firmware updates. Will a popup still appear if I am using Windows 7? If not, where can I see/obtain the Firmware update?
4) I'm not very tech savvy about Mac OS, but, when I get my MBP and the IT guy installs Windows 7, will the Mac OS still be 'on' the laptop? Or will it ONLY be Windows 7? Should I bother about having the Mac OS on it, even though I will never use it?
Thanks so much for your help everyone! I really really appreciate it.
Regards,
Brad.
Message was edited by: Brad1549

Answer 1

What you're essentially looking to do is replace the engine of a Ferrari with a diesel lawn tractor engine (nothing against diesels, the new ones are excellent). Windows is slow and clunky and always gets in your way with constant interruptions and maintenance that always has to be done. I'm a student too (20 yrs old) and there is absolutely only one reason to run Windows and that is for games. Everything else can be accomplished much more easily under Mac OS X.
So the obvious question that I have is... why would you want to run Windows when you pay a small premium for the Mac hardware? You've already said you don't want to be bothered to adapt yourself to anything new and you think that you're not "tech savvy" enough to switch. In reality, you are the perfect person to switch from Windows to OS X. My girlfriend was just like you. Didn't initially have any interest in changing platforms, and wasn't that tech savvy (but wasn't a luddite either, for sure). I convinced her to get a Mac largely with the premise that Windows could be installed if she didn't like OS X. And she loved the hardware. So she got the Macbook, first night, and played around with it a bit. I came over the next day to install Windows and she told me she had no need for it and didn't want it at all. She has never used Windows at all since then. It took her one night to "adapt" herself to OS X and she said herself that she's more productive and happier using a computer since switching. And I know dozens more people exactly like this. Not only will you be the cool kid running OS X instead of clunky old Windows, you'll be more productive and happier too. How can you lose?
Anyway, if you have a specific app to run in Windows you can use Boot Camp. Boot Camp installs Windoze directly onto a separate partition on the hard drive. You can then use the Alt (Option) key to toggle between 'Doze and OS X at startup. Windows will run at full native speed, and will use the dedicated graphics chip in the MBP (if you get a 15/17" model that has one). Windows will use more power and generate more heat than OS X. As a result, battery life on Windows is considerably less than OS X (talking 3-4 hours compared to 5-6, probably).
If you do decide to go ahead with Windoze only (for some insane reason) then you will need to keep OS X around if you ever want firmware updates. Windows will never remind you of them, so you'll want to keep an eye on Software Update in OS X every month or so. The trackpad gestures will not work in Windows because Windows doesn't have trackpad gestures like OS X does. OS X is somewhere in the range of 6-8GB in size now, I think.
I say you should +at least+ give OS X a chance. Use it for a couple days. Ask questions if you have any. If you hate it after that, then go ahead and use Windows. But at least you'll know you tried something different. Learning new things (that are better than existing ways) is one of the best things we can do for ourselves. There is absolutely no reason not to be constantly learning and growing. To willingly shut yourself off from that is a shame, IMHO.
--Travis