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Hi everyone!

I first have to say I have not used the forums for a very long time & don't know why...it's the best ,even better than the forums on Apple support.

but I will say there are some really SMART SMART people here! way beyond my knowledge of Mac and I have only used a Mac since forever...I think the first one was the small screen and just a little keyboard..well now I have a brand new iMac cause my FIRST LEMON was the last iMac and man o man it was a lemon...the support was, they reinstalled the software and handed me back the computer...NO that's not fixing it, I could have done that at home and saved cab fare back & forth!...but LION is proving to be something I can not make my mind up one way or the other..all I know is ..I just opened System Preferences to change my screen saver(HOW COOL ARE THE SCREEN SAVERS!!) but it crashed!..a brand new computer crashing and I am not running any other apps except this Firefox...but it has also crashed in iTunes...I have documented and will call..but I do keep my iTunes on a hard drive..one of six now..cause I back up the back ups...I learned the HARD way with that last computer..and still all my music is not here but I have access to it cause I gave it all to my best friend...and that's over 500 cds...I love music of all kinds..anyway I know this is not the correct place to write this but I will say something about working on a Windows computer..for me, it's almost impossible cause I have no clue where everything is and I am pretty good with computers..I would give myself a grade of B+ in knowledge , people come to me when they have a problem..but my neighbor has a nice laptop and Windows and when she asks me to do something, I am all flustered..can not find anything and I don't want to be bothered, when this is so much easier for ME and everyone!...I have been on the Apple "team" for so many years.I remember a friend bought Apple STOCK shares way back and he was going to sell. I said hold on to them, you never know..I lost contact ,he's probably a millionaire by now!...but Windows and me, do not and will not ever go together...and I do not like laptops, I work mainly on a desktop..I guess old habits(and if in bed,iTouch)..but I have the LEMON next to me and will use it as an extra monitor, thinking of putting it next to my bed ,Bose speakers, to look at movies..cause it's even nice looking from the behind..my favorite all time Apple computer I gave her, my next door neighbor has..it was the one with the swivel screen and a base for the hard drive in the shape of a half a EGG..the best computer,never gave me any problems that I could not solve...so I will end in saying..you need to try both computers out..walk into an Apple store..they let you try everything now or if you do not have one near, any computer store..but also try one that has Windows and you'll immediately see the difference.For us old folks, we have traveled the long road to a beautiful OS..I just looked at some of the screen savers and MAN O MAN, they are breathtaking...but I have to solve the problem of crashing here...I have ALL my memory slots filled when I bought, so it used to be a memory issue but can't be that now.
Cheers..
Tony(NYC)
 
Thanks for the reply Tony. Tried the apple computers at the apple store and they are just wow...very impressed. I've been saying that I want to try it out - if it's not for me then I can sell for a great price I reckon. I've always been a windows user, but it's just getting old and boring, and buggy and just generally not as nice to use as the macs I've tried at the apple store. I think I'm getting on my dads nerves going on and on about apple lol...I just love my iPad 2 and really think I would love mac. I'll see what happens with my stupid Sony vaio, but I'm sure I'll get a MacBook by the end of the year.

Oh, also notice your from NYC - love it so much, favourite place in the world...just got back 3 weeks ago... Can't wait to go back next summer :)
 
While I like my MBP 13, I still prefer windows 7 as my primary OS.
My 3 year old Dell xps, functionality wise, runs circles around the MBP especially when it comes to port options. Then again the MBP has much better battery life and more portable power supply.
HP has implemented a similar track pad.
The Dell has USB ports on both sides which is very convenient, especially when it comes to USB drives.

One think I have learned is if the person want windows let them get it and help them. If it's security that is the issue there are a number of free programs to aid the user. You surely don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on these programs, freeware is abundant.

I can't deny macs form factor wins, minus the port set up.
Run windows in bootcamp and the user has the option.
 
If only we had mastered the ability to run Windows applications on our Macs... Darn!

You can run Windows Apps on OS X through a system originating for Linux called "Wine." (Google it).

From what I remember, It is kinda difficult to install (terminal stuff) and you have to write scripts to easily open your programs without having to type in terminal every time you want to open something.

I remember installing Wine on my Macbook, because I was running a Garry's Mod Server off of it, and Gmod doesn't have native server support for OS X.
 
If only we had mastered the ability to run Windows applications on our Macs... Darn!

More to the point, the OP suggested that they need to run PowerPoint. Not only is a Mac more than capable of running PowerPoint, but Keynote is equally capable and IMO better to use.

I concur. Keynote is very powerful but easy to use. The OP should also try the other iWork apps. The only downside to iWork is that Pages falls short of MS Word in a few places ... But it also is better in some places:)
 
Oh, also notice your from NYC - love it so much, favourite place in the world...just got back 3 weeks ago... Can't wait to go back next summer :)

So you are not planning to visit California? I thought California is better than NY? :) Anyway have fun in NY next summer!
 
So you are not planning to visit California? I thought California is better than NY? :) Anyway have fun in NY next summer!

Funny yoU say that ... I'm actually planning a 4 week holiday across the U.S and California is in my plans ;)
 
hi

I made a switch to mac just this year, though ive been using mac at work for 10 years now. Yes, macs are expensive now but in the long run its cheaper than pc (time you spend reformatting, restarting plus hardware replacements). my last laptop was hp $900 from ebay, it was fast when i bought it, i didnt bother getting Antiviruses because i managed to have a desktop pc for 5 years without experiecing someone hacking on my emails. Yes, its very trouble some not to have or even if you have antivirus on pc. My hp laptop started slowing down, some features stopped working (bluray drive error). I really made my decision to buy a 2011 mbp 2 months ago when my hp laptop took 2 hours to boot! I did not want to spend another 4 hours on reformatting my windows, so i just told myself, "SCREW THIS" so i drove to a close by apple store right away.

I wish i have made this descision long time ago and didnt waste my money on Windows computer. It was one of my best decisions i have ever made.
 
Your dad makes the point that I hear so many people make: Macs are expensive. However, I respectfully disagree. As the old saying goes... you get what you pay for. Windows computers can easily cost as much as a Mac if you get similar hardware! The reason PCs seem so cheap is because they come in a "budget" variety. Apple doesn't offer cheap computers because they try to appeal to the market of people who want reliable, quality computers. There are good PCs out there, but they often cost as much as a mac. (When you work in a comparable screen along with the main hardware)

I agree with some of this, I bought a Dell Studio 1555 2~ years ago for around 1900AUD, even by Apple standards this price tag is not really a budget one. First thing I noticed after pulling it out of Dell's 850x850 brown cardboard box was a dead pixel. Ok I can deal with that, few months later I started getting blue screens about once a month. I can deal with that too. The glossy plastic is getting scratched even though I never move the laptop- I spose im ok this this too. Then the shiny coating starts peeling off the trackpad buttons. Now im starting to get a bit annoyed.

This was not a budget laptop, it is about the same price as a 13" MBP specced up a bit. The thing you pay for with Apple is the 'Apple Experience'. Instead of pulling a laptop out of a huge industrial looking box, it comes in a nice looking, colourful, slimline pack. Then you open it and are greated by a musical 3D animation. Then the quality of the laptop, being second to none, means you don't have cheap plastic peeling off it.

If you can justify paying this premium, do it.
 
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