Switching from a PC to a MAC!

[Black Mamba]

Hello all!

This my first post on this forum, since I thought this would be a great place to start asking a few quetion regarding the Macintosh hardware line, as well as making the switch from a Windows-based background.

First of all, a little background information.
I have just finished my 4th year at University, studying Architecture, and our next semester does not start until end of February/early March.
Since my desktop is in fine order, and will merely serve as back-up device (which I'll give to my sister later in 2007), I'm thinking of purchasing one of the notebooks.

Now, I have barely used a Mac before, only just recently at my collegues' place. And even then, I must have only been using it for 30 minutes.
Anyway, I've been visiting the stores more often in recent times, had a look at the laptops, while also browsing this forum for any info I could get.

Since I'm studying Architecture, I will most certainly be using CAD software, while also performing 3D renders, as well as the usual documentation.
I'm also hoping to play a few games. The title I'm anticipating most is UT 2007!
So again, since my desktop is still doing its job, I'm considering to buy a laptop!

I'm willing to wait until Leopard comes out, but I hope to purchase one prior to the semester, just to get used to it, as well as move all the fils across, etc. I doubt the Santa Rosa chips will be available that soon....

On with the questions:

Question 1:
Am I making a smart move, in completely switching to a MAC?

Question 2:
If you install XP and hook it to the Internet, wouldn't you be just as vulnurable to hacks, viruses, etc, as you would normally be on a regular PC?

Question 3:
Is it difficult to adapt to OS X?

Question 4:
Do you think any of the current notebooks will be handle things like ArchiCAD, Lightworks, Photoshop, and UT 2007 (which hasn't been released yet)?

Question 5:
How good is Front Row?

Question 6:
Purchasing the Apple Care Package is a good thing, correct?

Thank you all in advance for any comments, tips, advice, etc!


P.S My current computer is a 2GHz Athlon XP, 768MB DDR RAM, GeForce4Ti 128MB, 1x 20GB HD, 1x40GB HD!

 

[Fearless Leader]

A1) good choice
A2)yes, but just on windows, osx stays nice and safe.
A3)no, just little things, buttons moving, If you have questions just post em.
A4)Yes, the last one it'll run but how well is to be determined. It'll be just as good as our pc counter parts.
A5)I like it.
A6)I would buy it near the end of your one year warranty, but with laptops its worth it.

Just remember, the current macs are very well built pc's that run windows. Anything your pc can do A mac can do better.

 

[Chundles]

Question 1:
Am I making a smart move, in completely switching to a MAC?

Question 2:
If you install XP and hook it to the Internet, wouldn't you be just as vulnurable to hacks, viruses, etc, as you would normally be on a regular PC?

Question 3:
Is it difficult to adapt to OS X?

Question 4:
Do you think any of the current notebooks will be handle things like ArchiCAD, Lightworks, Photoshop, and UT 2007 (which hasn't been released yet)?

Question 5:
How good is Front Row?

Question 6:
Purchasing the Apple Care Package is a good thing, correct?

Thank you all in advance for any comments, tips, advice, etc!


P.S My current computer is a 2GHz Athlon XP, 768MB DDR RAM, GeForce4Ti 128MB, 1x 20GB HD, 1x40GB HD!

1. Yeah, I would say so. Macs are now possibly the most capable machines on the market with the ability to run all operating systems.

2. On the XP side, absolutely, you will need to maintain XP just as you would on any other PC. Viruses shouldn't affect the Mac OSX side though because XP can't read or write to HFS+ formatted drives so the viruses can't see the Mac partition.

3. No, it does take some time though. You really have to unlearn a lot of things but in the end you just go "wow, that's so much easier."

4. I can't really answer those questions, Photoshop should be fine but you might want to look into a MacBook Pro with its dedicated graphics card for games and the graphical aspects of the CAD programs.

5. It's a fun little app, not a replacement for Media Centre on Windows but it never claimed to be. It's definitely handy for displays etc. And you can use the remote to control Keynote presentations, iTunes etc. without loading into Front Row - it can even put your computer to sleep and wake it up.

 

[bigjimbob]

Question 1:
Am I making a smart move, in completely switching to a MAC?
Question 2:
If you install XP and hook it to the Internet, wouldn't you be just as vulnurable to hacks, viruses, etc, as you would normally be on a regular PC?
Question 3:
Is it difficult to adapt to OS X?
Question 4:
Do you think any of the current notebooks will be handle things like ArchiCAD, Lightworks, Photoshop, and UT 2007 (which hasn't been released yet)?
Question 5:
How good is Front Row?
Question 6:
Purchasing the Apple Care Package is a good thing, correct?

1) I did it a few months ago, haven't looked back. Bought it when intel came on so i could run XP - But haven't needed to....
2) Yes
3) not at all - so easy to use.
4) wouldn't know but yes.
5) haven't really needed to use it...
6) I think so... a friend had a G5 motherboard/logicboard (don't know if theres difference) blew about 2 months out of standard warrantee... not a happy chappy....

I'm a happy chappy and you will be soon.

 

[wal9000]

As far as I know, UT2007 will not be released on Mac. I've seen no statement from Epic (Or from Destineer Studios / Macsoft, who were responsible for the 2004 Mac port) suggesting that the Macintosh platform would be supported. Unrealtechnology.com states that the Unreal 3 engine is "intended for games shipping on next-generation consoles and PCs."

I hope I'm wrong on this, but I don't think I am.

Also, you'll want to get in the habit of just writing Mac or mac, instead of MAC. Mac is an abbreviated form of Macintosh, or the computers made by Apple. MAC stands for Media Access Control, and is quite unrelated.

 

[FFTT]

You'll need to dual boot to run your Windows Only architecture programs unless the shop you end up working for is running VectorWorks 12.
http://www.nemetschek.net/

If you're buying a notebook to run both operating systems, it's no biggy, but you'll want to upgrade your hard drive to handle both partitions and at least 2 GB RAM to handle rendering.

You'll also need a full retail CD of Windows XP Home or XP Pro INCLUDING SP2.

If most of your work is server based, you may be able to simply connect to the server via VPN network without installing Windows or you can run MS Remote Desktop client for Mac to access your P/C at work.

Most network administrators require that you run A/V software, but you'll only need to install it on your Windows partition.
Windows viruses and malware can not affect your OSX partition, but you can pass an infected file on to another Windows user.

A MacBook Pro is indeed your most versatile machine, but you have to know
what you're getting into once you enter the workplace.

 

[mini.boss]

On with the questions:

Question 1:
Am I making a smart move, in completely switching to a MAC?

Not necessarily. The OS matters much less than people make you feel. It really depends on the apps YOU use. There are alternatives for almost everything but sometimes the alternatives are inferior to the app you're used to. So do your research before switching.

Question 2:
If you install XP and hook it to the Internet, wouldn't you be just as vulnurable to hacks, viruses, etc, as you would normally be on a regular PC?

Yes. But then if you're an intelligent pc user then those things are easily avoidable. It is nice to not worry about viruses on macs, but i havent had a virus on my dozen+ pc's since the floppy-swapping days.

Question 3:
Is it difficult to adapt to OS X?

It depends on how well you can operate your pc. PC veterans will have many more habits to break than new users so yes it can be difficult to adapt. But many people switch BECAUSE of the challenge so its all up to how you approach it.

Question 4:
Do you think any of the current notebooks will be handle things like ArchiCAD, Lightworks, Photoshop, and UT 2007 (which hasn't been released yet)?

Yes. Any coreduo notebook is likely more powerful than your current pc/laptop. Its an impressive chip. But what keeps me using my old PC rather than my mac for photo editing is that Photoshop isn't native yet and the thing is a dog with non-universal apps.

Question 5:
How good is Front Row?

Ive had a media center for years so the praise heaped on frontrow never made sense to me. Its pretty but its also very limited in file formats and features. Ive got a library of media in all sorts of formats that all read fine in media center. But for FrontRow to detect it i have to convert it all. Thats an unecessary pain so unless you plan on buying ALOT of iTunes movies its not that big a deal. Most people show it off to friends but then realize months later they lost the remote because they dont remember the last time they used it.


Anyway, im not being negative on mac here. I just dont like people buying things on hype rather than on need. I love my mac but i'm still spending 30% of my time in parallels because too many pc apps i love aren't as good on the mac side. Plus, rebuying software sucks.

 

[dpaanlka]

Question 1:
Am I making a smart move, in completely switching to a MAC?

Question 2:
If you install XP and hook it to the Internet, wouldn't you be just as vulnurable to hacks, viruses, etc, as you would normally be on a regular PC?

Question 3:
Is it difficult to adapt to OS X?

Question 4:
Do you think any of the current notebooks will be handle things like ArchiCAD, Lightworks, Photoshop, and UT 2007 (which hasn't been released yet)?

Question 5:
How good is Front Row?

Question 6:
Purchasing the Apple Care Package is a good thing, correct?

1: Yes.
2: Only on the PC drive, and any drives the PC can see.
3: Not at all.
4: Yes. You will want a MacBook Pro for UT.
5: It's awesome at what it does. You cannot watch TV with Front Row.
6: Yes. You want this.

Some tips: Remember to quit applications manually by going to the Application's menu and choosing Quit. Or by hitting Command (a key on a mac keyboard with squiggly lines on it) + Q. Simply closing all windows of a program does not quit it, and it will continue to run and take up memory.

Also, remember to unmount any external hard drives or USB flash drives before removing them, by dragging their icon to the trash (which becomes and eject button when you start dragging them). You didn't have to do this on a PC but you do on a Mac.

Finally, "Mac" is not an acronym for anything, it is just short for "Macintosh" so there is no need to capitalize all three letters. "MAC" actually does mean something else, related to networking.

Welcome to Macintosh, and welcome to MacRumors!

 

[doctor pangloss]

Here's a good reference thread for switchers

 

[clevin]

1. depends what you do with your computer. gaming and drm protected media would not be good on mac
2. Yes
3. No
4. MB or MBP
5. Interesting, but depends on personal preference, I never use it
6. Theoretically no, but in reality, apple's products, especially MBs, now has a series problems, still, you can wait a year to decide if you need applecare.

 

[eXan]

As far as I know, UT2007 will not be released on Mac. I've seen no statement from Epic (Or from Destineer Studios / Macsoft, who were responsible for the 2004 Mac port) suggesting that the Macintosh platform would be supported. Unrealtechnology.com states that the Unreal 3 engine is "intended for games shipping on next-generation consoles and PCs."

I hope I'm wrong on this, but I don't think I am.

UT2007 will be released for Mac, it should be. Its such a big game, it would be stupid not to port it to Mac platform.

Hope I would be able to run it on my iMac...