Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Trying to get parents to switch to iMac but have Hallmark problem.

Julien

Julien

macrumors G4
Original poster
Jun 30, 2007
11,875
5,454
Atlanta
Long time PC user trying to switch my long time PC using parents to an iMac. However I have ran into a gigantic stumbling block. My mom uses Hallmark Cards but they don't seem to make an Apple version. On their website I can't find any contact info to ask if there is a chance this will happen. My mom is elderly and has been using Hallmark Cards for some time. If I switch to another program it must be as easy as Hallmark Cards to cut and past with lots of cards to choose from. I can't seem to find a program at all like this for the iMac. What am I missing (strange since these types of graphics programs was the Mac's first and strongest selling point) and what can I do?

Don't want to get into dual booting (Boot Camp?) operating systems because this would cause more confusion than it solves.
 
Cromulent said:
A little bit of searching and you would have found it.

http://www.novadevelopment.com/products/us/pnm/default.aspx

Why I have to do the searching for you I have no idea.
Click to expand...

Thanks but the link is to Print Explosion and not Greeting Card Factory. Did you post the wrong link?

EDIT: I see it seems to have some type of greeting cards included. Will try and investigate if this will work. Ideally it would be greeting card specific program only because it needs to be as simple and stright forward as possible. Don't want here to have to hunt the greeting cards in a larger graphics program.

She will already be dealing with a all new operating system so it is a must to make the transition as painless as possible.

flipperanubi said:
Why not just use iPhoto?

It makes greeting cards. And they even print them for you, so you don't have to listen to your parents whine about the cost of ink.

Steve Jobs is your friend. He has provided for you, you merely need to open your eyes and see the bounty.
Click to expand...


My mom is over 70 and she wants to do it the way she has been doing it in a way that is familiar (and intuitive) to her. It needs to be an easy (isn't this a Mac selling point?) pick out the card she wants then customize the words and print on her printer. It can't be something that has to be designed and/or ordered.
 
Julien said:
My mom is over 70 and she wants to do it the way she has been doing it in a way that is familiar (and intuitive) to her.
Click to expand...
If that's so, why are you trying to switch her from Windows (which she knows) to Mac (which is unfamiliar)?
 
DaveF said:
If that's so, why are you trying to switch her from Windows (which she knows) to Mac (which is unfamiliar)?
Click to expand...

They are using XP on a 5 year old and it's (past) time to upgrade. They will have to change to Vista anyway so why not go with a Mac? Also if they have problems Apple tech support seems 2ed to none.
 
Julien said:
They are using XP on a 5 year old and it's (past) time to upgrade. They will have to change to Vista anyway so why not go with a Mac? Also if they have problems Apple tech support seems 2ed to none.
Click to expand...

You can still custom order a few PCs with XP. This sounds like a much better option. It is not a great idea to switch the elderly to something they are unfamiliar with. Would it have been a great idea to start them on a Mac? Absolutely. Is it is good idea to jump ship when they are already familiar with an OS? Absolutely not.

Take a peak at these dell offerings: http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/winxp_inspndt?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

I would think the Inspiron 530/530s would be more than adequate for your mom and would last her many years to come. Be sure to pick up the warranty if you dont want to be the one answering the questions.
 
Old people definitely don't like to have to learn new things. That's why the old fashioned ways are always better to them. I would also recommend you upgrade them to a computer with windows xp such as the dell inspiron 530.

If you think about it, there will be a lot of learning that they will have to do. In the long run, sure, it may be easier to use, but old people don't like that learning step. With os x, they will have to learn the whole right click thing over again (which will probably really annoy them), and they will have to get use to the little things such as where the close buttons are on applications (the left instead of right). It may seem like nothing to you, but it's a big deal to the older folks
 
My mother is almost 80 and still had very few problems switching from Windows to Mac. As for greeting cards, try EasyCard
 
Julien said:
They are using XP on a 5 year old and it's (past) time to upgrade. They will have to change to Vista anyway so why not go with a Mac? Also if they have problems Apple tech support seems 2ed to none.
Click to expand...
If you mom won't change her card-making program, how's she going to feel about a radical change in everything else about the computer?

If her programs haven't changed, a 5 year old computer can continue to work fine. Or, you can buy a new computer with XP, or even transfer your current XP license to new hardware.

I'd like to move my mom to a Mac, but it's just not happening. Maybe you'll have more success.
 
Since You're not a fan of dual booting using Bootcamp, have you thought about running Windows Virtually within your Mac OS environment using Virtual PC. With Virtual PC you'll be running windows directly within an Mac OS window.
 
PHX-Locksmith said:
Since You're not a fan of dual booting using Bootcamp, have you thought about running Windows Virtually within your Mac OS environment using Virtual PC. With Virtual PC you'll be running windows directly within an Mac OS window.
Click to expand...

Except Virtual PC is rubbish. Use VMWare or Parallels instead, they are much much better than Virtual PC ever was.
 
DaveF said:
If you mom won't change her card-making program, how's she going to feel about a radical change in everything else about the computer?....
Click to expand...

Where did I say "..mom won't change her card-making program..."? I said "..My mom uses (and likes) Hallmark Cards..." I'm saying that she needs something similar to Hallmark Cards that has pre-designed cards that can be modified and printed in a straightforward method. Print Explosion may meet that criteria (though I (she) would prefer Hallmark or a greeting card specific program). I have emailed her the link and waiting to hear back.

In what seems like a strange irony when you search Hallmark Cards on the Apple site you come up with this. Now explain why Hallmark is Windows only:confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back