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How Do I fully switch to Macs?

gazfocus

gazfocus

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 3, 2008
1,650
0
Liverpool, UK
Ok...so I've been using PC's for years and years and years and everything I do is on a PC (I do video editing, web design, photo editing, etc) but I have been using a MBP for a while (which I've now sold to my dad) but I really want to switch completely to Mac's.

I know the title of this thread is strange but I just can't quite get my head around making the switch because I'm so use to Windows XP and although I have been using a MBP lately, I just find it so much easier to do certain things on Windows XP.

Plus alot of the software I have is Windows based (I do have Mac versions of some of it).

Has anyone made the switch that can offer me advice?

For what it's worth, I'll be getting either a Mac Pro or iMac and a Macbook or Macbook Pro (when they're updated).

Thanks in advance
 
Not a switcher, but use both. It's much faster to use OSX if you know how.

With windows you are expected to click, right click, click, click. With OSX your hands can multi task, with left hand on keyboard, and right hand on mouse. Much quicker to get things done if you know the short cuts.
 
For a multitasker it truly more difficult to make the switch. Of course I know people who have never touched a PC before either.
 
alphaod said:
For a multitasker it truly more difficult to make the switch. Of course I know people who have never touched a PC before either.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's my main issue.
It's much easier now Adobe have ported Adobe Premiere back to Mac because that's what I'm use to (although I have a full license for Final Cut Studio for my MBP).

I was thinking one option would be to buy my macs for main use and a £300-£400 Dell Laptop for those 'Windows moments'
 
gazfocus said:
Thanks but I'm more looking for other peoples experience to give me the confidence to make the switch :)

As I said, I have been using a Macbook Pro but find some things easier on Windows than OSX - but I love OSX and Apple hardware so really want to make the switch
Click to expand...

My only regret in switching is that I didn't do it earlier! I researched Mac hardware and software, identified what programs I needed Mac equivalents for (in most cases, found free apps that work well), reviewed available information on the switching process and then made the leap. I still have the Windows PC I was using before, so if I really needed anything from Windows, I could get it. So far, I haven't missed any functionality that I had before, other than a few little nuisances, like Finder vs Windows Explorer.
 
ggjstudios said:
My only regret in switching is that I didn't do it earlier! I researched Mac hardware and software, identified what programs I needed Mac equivalents for (in most cases, found free apps that work well), reviewed available information on the switching process and then made the leap. I still have the Windows PC I was using before, so if I really needed anything from Windows, I could get it. So far, I haven't missed any functionality that I had before, other than a few little nuisances, like Finder vs Windows Explorer.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments. Can I just ask, how did you find the OSX way of organising files compared to Windows? Thanks
 
gazfocus said:
Thanks for your comments. Can I just ask, how did you find the OSX way of organising files compared to Windows? Thanks
Click to expand...

In Windows, I got pretty elaborate in terms of folders and subfolders, trying to keep all my files organized. With the Mac, I was determined to keep it simple. I do have a few sub-folders in my Documents folder, to separate spreadsheets from PDF files from documents, etc. Other than that, I use Spotlight to find most things very quickly.

In years past before search engines were very advanced, I organized my email in folders and sub-folders. Gmail taught me to leave it all in one spot and just use search to find what I wanted quickly. It has been so effective that I carry this methodology to organizing files on the Mac: Create fewer sub-folders and depend on searching to find what you want quickly.
 
ggjstudios said:
In Windows, I got pretty elaborate in terms of folders and subfolders, trying to keep all my files organized. With the Mac, I was determined to keep it simple. I do have a few sub-folders in my Documents folder, to separate spreadsheets from PDF files from documents, etc. Other than that, I use Spotlight to find most things very quickly.

In years past before search engines were very advanced, I organized my email in folders and sub-folders. Gmail taught me to leave it all in one spot and just use search to find what I wanted quickly. It has been so effective that I carry this methodology to organizing files on the Mac: Create fewer sub-folders and depend on searching to find what you want quickly.
Click to expand...

AKA: Windows users are neat and Mac users are not. :p
 
alphaod said:
AKA: Windows users are neat and Mac users are not. :p
Click to expand...
Well, you know the old saying: "If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what does an empty desk mean?" :D
You DO have a point, though. I guess Windows users ARE neater than Mac users!: :D
 

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How Do I fully switch to Macs?

Very simple.
You have to WANT to switch.
I've worked in IT for over ten years now, and work on PCs/Windows everyday.
And everyday it is something else I hate to deal with, Virii, trojans, failed software installations, upgrades, patches, hotfixes, etc., etc., etc.
Yes I hate computers, and at the end of the day when I get home, the last thing I want to do is deal with the same problems I just spent the whole day dealing with.
I went to the Apple store plunked down some cash for a new iMac and Apple Care, and never looked back. I bought iWork '08 in an effort to eliminate the need for Microsoft Office, Adobe was no problem.
AND I found a replacement for EVERY app that I thought I could not live without that existed on the Windows platform only. MySQL replaced MSSQL.
XCode replaced Visual Studio(but the learning curve was greater than I expected). Built-in Apache/MySQL/PhP is a wonderful thing.
The more time you are willing to spend digging into the OS X internals, the more you see the shortcomings of the Windows platform.
I did buy VMWare Fusion and installed XP Pro, but have weaned myself off of that over the past 8 months. The only time I use XP now is when I need to login to an IE7 specific portal.

So, that's how I fully switched to a Mac! :apple:
 
Hahaha yeah I know what you mean about folders, etc but when I have a lot or projects on the go, I try to seperate them into folders.

My only gripe with using parallels on a mac is the amount of space it takes - plus if I need certain software installing in Windows, the parallels drive or bootcamp partition may become very large which would be problematic on a macbook or macbook pro.

It would definately be the way forward on the desktop side, but I would need a mobile option too (Specifically, I do web development for my church which often requires me to work on the website with my church leader so need the computer with the website on it to be portable)
 
Start off by giving a list of the applications you use. Then we'll tell you how much better they are on the Mac :D

For video editing the most highly regarded video suite in the world is of course Apples Final Cut Studio or Final Cut Express. Nothing on any platform at any price holds a candle to this.

For photo editing, there is obviously Photoshop, however you may want to try Apples Aperture which is very good.

For web design there is Dreamweaver.

The list is endless.
 
nick9191 said:
Start off by giving a list of the applications you use. Then we'll tell you how much better they are on the Mac :D

For video editing the most highly regarded video suite in the world is of course Apples Final Cut Studio or Final Cut Express. Nothing on any platform at any price holds a candle to this.

For photo editing, there is obviously Photoshop, however you may want to try Apples Aperture which is very good.

For web design there is Dreamweaver.

The list is endless.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I do own Final Cut Studio 2 and Adobe Creative Suite 3 for Mac (and CS3 for PC).

I must be honest, due to having the MBP until I sold it, I do have alot of Mac software, such as CS3, FCS2, Mac Office 2008, etc

As for PC software I use, the main 2 that I've struggled with finding for Mac are Microsoft Money and Microsoft Access - I have looked at equivelant database programs but none allow you to fully import an Access database which would mean I'd have to start all over again - As for Microsoft Money, I've not seen any decent application that works in £'s and not $'s.
 
gazfocus said:
Hahaha yeah I know what you mean about folders, etc but when I have a lot or projects on the go, I try to seperate them into folders.
Click to expand...
You may consider using broader definitions for folders, leaving 100 files in a folder, for example, instead of 5 sub-folders with 20 files each.
My only gripe with using parallels on a mac is the amount of space it takes - plus if I need certain software installing in Windows, the parallels drive or bootcamp partition may become very large which would be problematic on a macbook or macbook pro.
Click to expand...
I decided to hold off on installing Windows on Boot Camp until absolutely necessary. So far, I haven't found it necessary.
It would definately be the way forward on the desktop side, but I would need a mobile option too (Specifically, I do web development for my church which often requires me to work on the website with my church leader so need the computer with the website on it to be portable)
Click to expand...
This is why I've bought nothing but notebooks for the past 7-8 years. With a desktop, you're stuck. With a notebook, even if you use it 99% of the time at your desk, you still have the option to take it with you and use it wherever you go. With the horsepower of today's notebooks, it makes even more sense.
 
1911 said:
Very simple....So, that's how I fully switched to a Mac! :apple:
Click to expand...

Thanks for that :) I will have to do some digging to find new apps ready for when I convert :)

I too am an IT Technician (for a university) as well as an IT student for the same university and I hate working on PC's all day every day, however I do find that as I built my PC myself with high quality components, it does tend to be an extremely reliable PC.

Batt said:
This guy did it:
http://www.davidalison.com/
Start at the beginning and read through.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I will give that a read
 
im in the same boat as you gazfocus...ive been a PC user since i was 5 (im 18 now) and im really sick of windows...i cant wait till i save up enough to buy myself a macbook just in time for college yay

and i know what you mean about the whole organizing the folders deal...im so anal about keeping my folders and subfolders in check and clean...hopefully i can make it simpler when i get my mac
 
Consultant said:
With windows you are expected to click, right click, click, click. With OSX your hands can multi task, with left hand on keyboard, and right hand on mouse. Much quicker to get things done if you know the short cuts.
Click to expand...

I have to say this is one of the most idiotic things I have read on here in a while. Are you suggesting that Windows doesn't have keyboard shortcuts?
 
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