AustinIllini
macrumors G5
I stand corrected. Their hardware is inconsistent and generally bad, and their software/hardware integration is non-existant.
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How hard is it to move to Windows?
- Thread starter Astroboy907
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I stand corrected. Their hardware is inconsistent and generally bad, and their software/hardware integration is non-existant.
Renzatic
Suspended
Huntn
macrumors Penryn
All I can repeat is that I've seen computer issues solved by cleaning the registry, unless it was just coincidence. 🙂
Renzatic
Suspended
Well...yeah. No. Maybe. I dunno. The registry can apparently get goofy every rare once in a blue moon, and people do occasionally recommend jumping into it to fix some issues or another. But more often than not, it's something best left alone. Since I've never experienced any problem with it myself, that's usually the advice I most often give.
You likely did fix a big problem when you ran that reg cleaner through it. Hell if I know what it could've been, though. 😛
localoid
macrumors 68020
If a issue exists that can be identified as being a problem with the registry then using a utility to correct the registry _might_ be the right thing to do. Personally, I'd much rather edit the registry manually to correct issues than to rely on a program doing it (correctly.)
On present-day Windows, the registry entries are indexed, so Windows should find the right entry without needing to make its way through the entire registry. At start up Windows only loads what it needs from the registry to operate, then loads additional items as needed.
Back in the Win95 and Win98 days that wasn't the case. These days, I rarely find myself going into the registry to edit anything. On the rare occasion when I do nowadays, it's usually to get a very old program working correctly. 😉
Renzatic
Suspended
In recent history, the only time I recall absolutely having to go into the registry was to remove those annoying scareware programs people seem to constantly install. Like Antivirus 2012, PC Optimizer Pro, and their ilk. Sometimes you have to delete a few keys to get rid of them entirely.
Beyond that? I think I used it to change the border padding in Win8 a couple years back.
localoid
macrumors 68020
The "scareware" stuff is one of the major annoyances of Windows. Most of it people can learn to avoid, but it occasionally sneaks in on the back of some legitimate program (as you mentioned earlier in the thread.)
The unending stream of updates issued by Microsoft is another major Windows annoyance IMO. Windows is Windows, I suppose. Frankly, I 've found that going the Hackintosh route to be a good way to deal with the Apple's rather limited hardware selection. 😉
Renzatic
Suspended
The fact it's easy to avoid is the worst thing about it. If you see a pop up that says you're infected with 50,000 viruses, or that your computer isn't running as fast as it should, DON'T CLICK THE DAMN THING! THAT'S IT! 😡
And I love the fact that even though I can sell someone a $10,000 surveillance system, I can give them explicit instructions not to use the computer for anything but the surveillance system, and even made a background image with a disclaimer stating that using the computer for anything besides a surveillance system isn't covered by the warranty, know what they'll do?
...yeah, one day I'll get a call from someone saying the computer's acting weird. I show up, and, sure enough, I'll see exe files labeled FREE MOVIE DOWNLOADER ONLINE scattered all over the desktop.
"But that wasn't me! I don't know how all that got there! I used the computer exactly how you told me to, I swear!"
Ayup.
So here are my main issues with Macs right now - cost vs performance and upgradability - It's really hard to justify spending almost $3k on a decent computer that will last me a while when the same amount of money could get me much better specs on a windows laptop. Upgradability is a issue for me too, as I plan on keeping any computer for a while (however, it's not the end all I guess). I am also starting to dislike Apples limited hardware offerings (no 17 inch 🙁 ) and a shift away from "power users".
As for me being able to handle Windows, I think I could pull it off fine. I'm computer literate and understand the virus-trojan-registry shenanigans that are so often faced with Windows computers.
I've tried windows 8 a few times and found it to be pretty confusing. I'm starting to think that the release of Windows 10 will be the real decider in this....
Perhaps a Hackintosh would be the best solution for me... the hardware I love and the OS I love. Would probably be a PITA to keep running though...
*edit no hi-res 17 laptops available yet, it seems. Gosh I never thought I would be running a 15" for the next few years...
As for me being able to handle Windows, I think I could pull it off fine. I'm computer literate and understand the virus-trojan-registry shenanigans that are so often faced with Windows computers.
I've tried windows 8 a few times and found it to be pretty confusing. I'm starting to think that the release of Windows 10 will be the real decider in this....
Perhaps a Hackintosh would be the best solution for me... the hardware I love and the OS I love. Would probably be a PITA to keep running though...
*edit no hi-res 17 laptops available yet, it seems. Gosh I never thought I would be running a 15" for the next few years...
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localoid
macrumors 68020
Heh heh...
I've been running OS X on generic PC hardware since 10.5 and have found it fairly easy to keep them up to date and running well, provided you follow a few simple rules. These days, it's easier that ever before to install and maintain a Hackintosh, provided you use compatible hardware of course. 😉
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maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
I support windows servers and many windows desktops, I've rarely (read almost never) seen any issues that were related to the registry. I can't answer if its a problem or not, but I can say that during my experience its been a non-issue.
thejadedmonkey
macrumors G3
Approach Windows 8 like it's a new OS that you've never used before. Don't rely on previous Windows experiences with it. Use it as it's intended to be used, with a touch screen. You'll find that it's a phenomenal OS.
Or don't use a touch screen with it, and simply install Start8. It'll make it feel like Windows 7 😉
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
That's what I use, even on my Surface Pro 3. I prefer the traditional desktop and Start8 gives me that.
Huntn
macrumors Penryn
I could kick myself because I had the errors written down on a scrap of paper and have misplaced it. We are visiting the friend I referenced. I've kept a log of all the adware, malware I've removed from her computer. I'd start the computer up (windows 8), and if I tried to do anything with a browser or even launch programs (sorry, did not write down the sequence of activity), I'd get a message in3-5 minutes, "windows has run into an error that requires a restart." There were two different errors. As I recall they were related to registry calls.
Once I decided to Install Tuneup Utilities, I'd try to download it to her computer, but before the download would end, the message would appear and it would restart on me. So then I downloaded it the TU install program to my computer on an external drive, copied it to her computer, and finally got it copies to her computer and installed! But in the process the computer shut down again! Finally I got it running and told it to do several things. one was "registry clean", and then I did its "1 click maintenance". During the registry clean 1500 registry errors were reported as corrected. During the maintenance, a variety of problems were fixed, including browser issues. The shutdown issue immediately ceased.
Internet explorer has been on my ****-list for a while. On her computer it would launch it self to present her with dire warnings about her computer and "call this number". I disabled IE as described in a previous post while realizing that is most likely a symptom of some adware, or utility surepetously installed, I have yet to discover.
MS says that the registry is self sufficient. I'll admit that knowing as little as I do, I regard the registry as window's archille's heal. I'm curious if it is supposed to self clean out old outdated entries, in essence do self maintenance? For reference , I've used registry cleaners for years and have never had an apparant issue pop up as a result of these cleanings. Thanks! 🙂
BenTrovato
macrumors 68040
If you're technologically competent (or even just a little) I think it's fairly simple to move back and forth. It will take some time but eventually you get it. I use both almost daily. The user experience and overall feel of computing is much nicer on OS X. Maybe Windows 10 will knock it out of the park? Maybe it won't - we'll find out!
Huntn
macrumors Penryn
MS has only been tryin for 40 years, lol. 😀
I will admit, that as far as navigating Windows when it's working correctly, it is very similiar to MacOS, install and launch programs, open folders, copy and paste, search functions, etc, etc. It's when Windows starts messing up that you'll pull your hair out with the urge to throw your computer out the window. Every single version of Windows I've owned at one point or another has required a clean install. As compared to the MacOS, I can't remember the last time this was required on one my Macs, certainly if it happened it was prior to MacOSX.
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Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Windows is much more vulnerable to malware unless you use good virus protection software, in which case its pretty safe.
Also, volumes formatted in NTFS are read-only in OS X unless you 1) fork out for third party drivers or 2) get free drivers that are slow or 3) fool around in Terminal and enable Apple's NTFS write function, which is supposedly not without bugs.
Other than that, switching between Windows and OS X is a trifle. Microsoft Office is horrible on both platforms so it doesn't matter which OS you're using there.
Also, volumes formatted in NTFS are read-only in OS X unless you 1) fork out for third party drivers or 2) get free drivers that are slow or 3) fool around in Terminal and enable Apple's NTFS write function, which is supposedly not without bugs.
Other than that, switching between Windows and OS X is a trifle. Microsoft Office is horrible on both platforms so it doesn't matter which OS you're using there.
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Ulenspiegel
macrumors 68040
That is so true. I remember some 10-14 years ago, my Windows started messing up after I uninstalled a Symantec product. It took me whole night to figure out how to solve the issue. Did it, but never became friends again with the OS.
balamw
Moderator emeritus
My XP->Vista upgrade was what drove me to consider Macs again and for a very brief time I had an entirely Mac based home arsenal.
The lack of an xMac meant that Windows crept back in and today I use both around the house and Windows exclusively for work as well. Switching between them is trivial for the same reason that allowed me to come back to Macs in the first place.
So many things are web/network based today that you can be platform agnostic/portable easily.
B
0098386
Suspended
It's easy peasy. I use both (bootcamp) for work and games.
-OSX feels better to type in, I don't know why this is.
-You don't have the same level of cross-software integration in Windows. Using Calendar, Mail, Contacts and have them sync across all my OSX systems and devices is pretty great.
-Windows handles mouse movement much better, OSX handles trackpads better.
-OSX as an OS is faster. It boots quicker, every task seems to be done quicker and with less fuss. But this is offset by the worse mouse tracking, even applications that try to emulate the Windows mouse acceleration+speed don't seem to get it right.
-There is nothing as good as OSX's quickview (or whatever it's called, when you press space on a file) for Windows.
Those are my findings having dualbooted on iMacs since the first intel Macs. I couldn't get rid of either OS at this stage.
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
I have to disagree, Office for windows is much much better then Mac. I've long given up using Office for Mac. It just simply was not as easy to use.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
I agree that Office for Windows benefits from better support and attention on Microsoft's part, but I just don't think it's a very good software package. It's good enough in most ways, and it's practically the only game in town (though that may be slowly changing), and the latter is why it continues to dominate. I disagree, though, that the OS X version is that much worse (at least for the bits of it that I use). Both versions are bloated beyond belief. It's is an outrageous resource hog.
I miss the days when there was more than one major player in the home/small business word processing/spreadsheet/database world. That was a loooooong time ago.
AppleDApp
macrumors 68020
As long as
you don't buy computer with a smaller hard drive than the amount of data you actually have.
Understand that MAC OS X journaled and NTFS are proprietary file formats and wont communicate with the other platform.
FAT32 is a the file format of choice to go between OSX and windows with the caveat that a single file cant be over 4gb in size.
than its relatively easy and painless.
you don't buy computer with a smaller hard drive than the amount of data you actually have.
Understand that MAC OS X journaled and NTFS are proprietary file formats and wont communicate with the other platform.
FAT32 is a the file format of choice to go between OSX and windows with the caveat that a single file cant be over 4gb in size.
than its relatively easy and painless.