NEWBIE. ?s about macbook pro and mac

[nasr91]

Hi All,
I am considering a 13 in macbook pro. I need a new computer as my PC thou still going is dying. So I have some questions and looking for honest answers and in small words as I am not a computer guru! lol Heres some back ground info....

I am 40ish and lucky to get to my email...lol anyway I mostly use my computer for internet surfing,email,youtube,watching dvds and music downloads and after 10 yrs Im going back to college and will be taking online classes. I have only ever one laptop a compaq and I have nothing ill to say about it as its about 5 yrs old and still works abeit painfully slow.

Will I be able to firgue out how to use it after using windows? or will it be a real challenge? remember not very computer savvy.Also my school said safari is not compatible that I will need to use firefox...use that one the mac? And I must be able to get to AOLmail.

I am waiting for my tax refund so I will be actively looking to buy in a few weeks. IS the Macbook pro worth the extra money vs the other pc? or would someone like me be better off with a pc?
Any info would be great!
Thank you

 

[niuniu]

My mother was 47 I think when she got her first Mac (white Macbook) and is largely computer illiterate. She picked it up fast and easy enough so I think you'll be fine too

 

[kyzen]

As a hardcore PC user myself, I'd actually honestly say a Mac might be a better option for you - IF you can get accustomed to the changes. Don't just buy blindly though - go into a Best Buy w/ an Apple booth, or an actual Apple store, and play with them. Try doing everything you'd need to do on the computer. If you can't figure it out, it might not be a good idea to risk confusing yourself prior to enrolling in online classes.

Firefox WILL work on a Mac.

Should the Mac not be as intuitive as you'd like, I can say that Windows 7 is a superb OS, and if you end up opting to skip the Mac, you'll still be fine. But seriously, get some hands on time with both.

Also, if you live near a Microcenter, you can currently get the basic Macbook - which would be fine for your needs - for $800, making a Mac a VERY sexy alternative to any PC.

 

[macrumorsMaster]

It seems like your not that computer savy from they way you posted, but you got here and posted, so you must be somewhat computer savy.

Going from Windows to PC can be a bit traumatic for some people, it all depends on you ability to adapt to the changes in the user interface. If you don't mind learning a new way of doing things, then go ahead and get a mac.

I'd go into an Apple store or another computer store where you can try it out though.

Really for you the question is WHY do you want to get a mac, you've used a PC laptop fine for the last 5 years and have been okay with it. You're not doing video editing or anything special with a mac(the only reason I'm considering it--for the Final Cut Studio program)

If you want to save money you could get a cheap PC laptop with windows 7 and be fine with that.

Or you could try installing ubuntu or another easy to install distribution of Linux on your old compaq, you'll be surprised how FAST it will be using Linux compared to the XP or Vista you have on it.

 

[pukifloyd]

While you will definitely get a windows laptop cheaper, in the long run a mac will be good for you. You won't have to worry about viruses or regular maintenance like defragmenting your hard drive or something like that.

You can buy a refurb macbook (from here)cheaper than a new macbook...currently one is going for $849...which is $150 cheaper. Refurbs are as good as new...sometimes even better...have same warranty...so its a nice way to save some money.

If you don't want portability you can also buy a mac mini and a good display to save even more money. Do check out the refurbished store regularly for good deals.

Yes firefox will run easily on your mac.

 

[nasr91]

Thanks guys!
I am looking for less maintance yes and less viruses ease of use. I have to have someone help me very time I need to defrag which seems to be all the time. And good grief the viruses! I need a laptop as I travel a bit.

 

[iLMAO]

I promise you that a Mac will change your life forever and since you're 40 years old, within a short time you'll realize how badly you have been missing something so beautiful and reliable.

I used Windows for 12 years before switching to Mac in 2007, its a life changing transformation and I'm happy you'll get to experience it soon !

Happy new Mac to you !

 

[macrumorsMaster]

Thanks guys!
I am looking for less maintance yes and less viruses ease of use. I have to have someone help me very time I need to defrag which seems to be all the time. And good grief the viruses! I need a laptop as I travel a bit.

Can you get by with a small screen?
If you can you can get a Dell Mini 10V, get a friend to help you hackintosh it(it's real easy to do), and test the waters with the mac os x.

Or you can get a friend to help you install Ubuntu. It's free and very easy to use. Linux used to be just for power users, but they've made it easy for beginners now, plus Linux(ubuntu) is less and maintenance and less viruses like mac os x

 

[iMacThere4Iam]

Won't Take You Long to Learn

Don't worry about making the switch. As far as navigating around, Macs and PCs are more alike than different. The real difference will make itself known to you, as you see that Macs really are easier to use, to such an extent that you will find yourself willing to try new projects that you might not have even considered doing on a PC. Macs really can do more right out of the box, that's no false claim. You can get a student discount on MS Office, or you might decide to buy iWork, which is usually discounted w/ your purchase at the Apple Store. You won't have much of a learning curve at all. The tutorials on Apple's site are very helpful; they're brief and easy to follow. If you want to spend an extra $99, you can get a full year of personalized help at the Apple Store. Enjoy your new Mac.