Switching and networking

hi
For the last 10ish years, I have been a PC user with experience limited to windows and linux, but I am considering buying a macbook (hence the post :P)
It looks really good and the Mac OS has always appealed to me more than the windows OS. Plus, having had a good look at vista, the changes that are going to be made to the OS are very superficial. vector based graphics (OS 10.4???) gadgets from a sidebar (widgets???) and a built in searcher (spotlight???)
It would seem that whatever windows has to offer, Mac did it first, so I thought it would only be fair to give the innovators a try, but I'm having reservations about going mac.
Since the rest of my family are stuck with windows and we workd with a windows based WiFi network from a third party router, will be able to use the airport wifi on a macbook?
And if you fancy doing a bit of convincing as to why I should convert to mac it would be much appreciated because I'm struggling with the extra money I would have to spend. Because I know I can get a lot more for £750 than what apple is offering...
slow and steady
lightsguydave
home made PC   Windows XP Pro  

I can understand your trepidation, since that was me last year before I purchased one of the first Mac Minis. Now I have a MacBook and a MacBook Pro to add to the collection of three Dell desktops and one Dell laptop, all running on the same network on a Linksys router and wireless access point, and the Mini and one Dell on a KVM switch. Plus, the Macs access an Airport Express to stream music to the home stereo while I work. And, the Airport Express is also small enough to throw in the computer bag to use in the hotel when traveling to set up a quick wireless network on the go---I use the Mac and the Dell on trips and neither have any trouble. Everything on my network at home shares files and one printer. Nowadays, Windows PCs and Macs play together pretty nicely…
You won’t have any trouble using the WiFi, networking the Windows PCs and Macs, or sharing files and a printer. If you do, you’ll find someone on this forum who can give step-by-step instructions.
The only real problem you’ll run into is that once you learn your way around on the Mac, you think you need another one.
MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini PPC   Mac OS X (10.4.6)   Dell D500, GX620 with Windows XP Pro

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