I am a long time Windows user (I hate the term PC user, since a Mac is a PC also). Anyway, I'm due for a new computer. I'm currently running Windows XP Pro SP3. It's okay, but defo outdated. I've been waiting until October 22 to get a new computer with Windows 7 installed. But I've also been checking out Snow Leopard. I'm quite torn.
As you should be!
Okay, now that that's out of the way...input please! What is the best thing about a Mac? How hard is it to learn for a 20+ year Windows user? What are some major advantages to switching to a Mac? Or are there any? Honesty, please! I'm vulnerable at this point! Let me say what I want from a computer and what I don't care about in a computer. It may help in...helping!
In all honesty, the biggest advantages are those you hear in the ads: Macs are easier to maintain, and the software is generally nicer and easier to use. That's my opinion anyway. I would never switch back to Windows, no matter what they do to it, because I find it clunky and hard to maintain. Macs are also more stable than Windows systems, by nature, thanks to it's UNIX core. You can also run Windows on it (either through bootcamp, or through something like parallels) if all fails, too. So you get two computers in one, if you have the software for Windows. I don't have Windows on my iMac, personally, but I know a lot of people do and it works out well for them.
Oh and Macs have a universal dictionary (so it corrects your spelling in almost every text field... which is useful!)
I want to do some minor video editing of home videos. I have seen Windows Live Movie Maker, and honestly, I think it would suffice. I tried CyberLink's Power Director, and found it to be overkill. I would be editing MOD files from my Panasonic camcorder. Can a Mac play and edit these files?
I'm an amateur movie maker and find the Mac to have much better software for video editing. My iMac came with iMovie 08, which was had no effects and was very barebones (Apple rewrote the software that summer), and still I found it better than anything I used on the Windows side of the pond (I'd used Windows Movie Maker and Adobe Premiere elements). So I would recommend iMovie all the way (Although I use Apple's Final Cut Express now).
I'm not sure about MOD files. I've never heard of it before. But you can edit pretty much anything if you install "Perian". While you could argue that Macs don't do everything out of the box, what they don't do is covered by very well written third party software (most of which is free). I was looking over my applications when I upgraded to Snow Leopard and worked out that very few of the apps I used on a regular basis cost me anything at all - all of which I wouldn't be able to live without.
I also want to do minor audio editing. Minor, as in Windows Sound Recorder almost cuts it! Yeah, it's that basic! I also like to use my computer to store and play my MP3s, which I've ripped from all my CDs. I currently use Windows Media Player to play the 3000 some odd files...not huge, but I use the player because I like the cross fading effect.
The easiest way to record and edit audio in Snow Leopard is through Quicktime X, which allows you to record audio, video and then trim the beginning and end points. However, if you're looking at cutting bits out of the middle, I recommend open source Audacity (cross platform). You could also use Garageband, but I feel that's a bit too overkill for what you sound like you want to do (Garageband comes with iLife, which comes with your Mac).
As far as playing audio, you can use iTunes which lets you control crossfade through one of it's preferences. Mozilla also has an alternative called "Songbird" if you have anything against iTunes. I've never really use Songbird, but I know it is a pretty good player.
I will store all family videos and pictures on the computer. I do no photo editing other than red eye reduction.
iPhoto (which will no doubt become your iTunes for photos) will let you edit red eye. I love iPhoto, and it's one of the few apps that encourages me to update iLife every refresh. You'll love it.
The rest of my computer experience includes web surfing, messaging and checking email. And in the last decade, I have picked up a grand total of about 5 viruses. And that's using Internet Explorer. I am an extremely safe web surfer, what can I say!
Web surfing - Safari, Firefox and Chrome (beta) all run on a Mac, so you've got plenty of choice for your web browsing. Personally, I use Safari and love it. It's a really good browser (on a Mac, anyway - can't speak for the Windows version).
Messaging - If you use AIM, there's iChat which comes with the OS. It's very good (voice chat, video chat and screen sharing built in). There's also Adium (for multiple accounts/services), MSN for Mac, a Skype client, etc. etc.. There's plenty of choice!
email - I use Mail, which comes with OS X, but Microsoft currently have Entourage for Mac, and are working on Outlook for Mac which should be out next year (I think). I think Mozilla Firebird also runs on a Mac too.
And as far as those viruses go, as any mac user will tell you, that's 5 too many
A few other things I want from my computer:
-Fast, powerful and tons of storage
-Easy to use and customize
- You can configure your Mac before you order it to have a bigger hard drive. I custom ordered a 500GB hard drive in my iMac, which rocks! I've barely used any of it after two years of owning it (I've also had no major problems with the system, either). Macs also work with almost all USB and Firewire input devices without the need for drivers, so any USB or Firewire drives you have should work with it with no configuration, too. Storage for all!
- Macs are very easy to use. It's also very easy to learn how to use things that might not be so blatant, too, as there's loads of stuff online (and on forums like this). Since Mac users on forums like these are generally glad there are people considering and using macs, they're quick to help with any problems you may be having. I've never found my Mac to be too overwhelming to use. Nor have people who I've known to give Macs a try. When I started college, people were using Macs for the first time and complaining that they didn't know how to use them. After actually giving them a chance, they soon learnt the differences. It took about a month for everyone to get the hang of it (this is with people using them for about 2 and a half days a week, and using their PCs at home in the meantime). Personally, it took me an evening to work it out. For other people it takes about a week. It varies depending on how open you are to the changes, and how quick you are to pick up things. I know a few people who changed the function of the Command Key with that of the CTRL key to make it easier for them to switch. It's personal preference. But I'd say the biggest problem is trusting the computer, and trusting that what you think a button should do is what it's going to do.
As far as customisation goes, it depends what sort of customisation you want. As far as UI customisation goes, out of the box it's limited. But I've never found a problem with the default UI (despite not using the default on Windows). There are apps that let you change these things though (although Apple tends to frown upon them). But there are a lot of ways to customise a Mac to your liking. For one, you can change any keyboard shortcut in the OS to one you prefer and so on. Personally, I find using other Macs a lot different to using my own purely because of the customisations to my own. It really depends what you want to do, but I'm sure you'll be able to customise it to how you want to. Just search "Mac Screenshots" online (on Flickr or something) and you'll see how different a lot of Macs can be.
Okay, I think that's about it! Honestly, do you think making the switch to a Mac is worth my while? Thanks again, for any help! By the way, my name is Dan and I joined up tonight just to ask this question! If I get a Mac, then I guess I'll be around for a while!
In all honesty, I think it's worth everyone's while. I've not tried Windows 7 but for anyone coming from XP, it will be such a nice breath of fresh air - it was for me.
