Mac converts

[Goofy]

so here's the long story made short...my old laptop is on it's last leg and I'm looking at a new one.

I've read review after review and tech specs and all that jazz. I know that the vast majority of Mac owners are fiercely loyal to them...but what I'm really interested in, is hearing from real folks about their experiences in switching from a PC to a MAC....

was it a difficult switch? Is there anything that your pc did or have that you wish your mac had or did? Were you able to move all the stuff you wanted (music, pics, etc) from your pc to your mac? What was the "getting used to it phase" like and how long did it last? Did anyone switch to a mac and wish they hadn't?

And lastly...any suggestions, advice or anything like that? Thanks in advance!

[IrishGrrl]

well damn, I thought you were talking makeup..LOL

[Goofy]

well damn, I thought you were talking makeup..LOL

I probably should have specified eh?

But I figured folks would see my name and figure that it wasn't about makeup ;)

[Selenay]

I love my mac! I converted in 2007 after 10 years of PC usage. I found it 100% fine, with no adjustment time. The only pain in the ass thing was losing all of the extra applications that were not mac compatible (games, etc.) and having to buy the microsoft suite again. This past month, my mac had an issue and was brought to be serviced, and while that was going on I rented a PC.


The comparison is unbelievable, I will never go back.


Oh, by the way, if you're getting the laptop? Buy a protection plan. Seriously.

[Goofy]

I love my mac! I converted in 2007 after 10 years of PC usage. I found it 100% fine, with no adjustment time. The only pain in the ass thing was losing all of the extra applications that were not mac compatible (games, etc.) and having to buy the microsoft suite again. This past month, my mac had an issue and was brought to be serviced, and while that was going on I rented a PC.


The comparison is unbelievable, I will never go back.


Oh, by the way, if you're getting the laptop? Buy a protection plan. Seriously.



apart from games, what sort of aps did you lose?

and I'm curious about the protection plan...did you have issues that needed it?

[Mister Bent]

Ha! I thought it was about makeup, too, until I saw Goofy's name.

I really can't speak to the Mac conversion process. I was born into the cult of Mac and have never actually owned a PC. All hail the Apple!

Just get the thing!

The extended warranty isn't a bad idea for any laptop, assuming you actually take it places. While Mac is known for excellent hardware, they aren't by any means perfect. I had an iBook that had a recurring logic board problem. Mac actually offered the extended warranty to anyone who had this known issue with their machine, I managed to eke out a couple more free repairs (the logic board needed replacing a total of 5 times) before finally giving up - after 6 years (seems like a pretty good lifespan).

My MacBook has had a few issues, all of which have been resolved with updates, no hardware issues.

[Queerasfck]

Ha! I thought it was about makeup, too, until I saw Goofy's name.

I really can't speak to the Mac conversion process. I was born into the cult of Mac and have never actually owned a PC. All hail the Apple!

Just get the thing!

(The extended warranty isn't a bad idea, though I've never needed one).

O, I thought it was about food, as in Big MAC's...............

[bonne-maman]

I was really shocked, as I thought Mr. Fender Bender had gone straight. :eek:

[Selenay]

apart from games, what sort of aps did you lose?

and I'm curious about the protection plan...did you have issues that needed it?

Aw, shit, I can't even think now, it's been so long. The biggest pain in the ass is that when you find a really cool free download.. for example, software to rip movies off of DVDs onto your Hard Drive... you have to search twice as long to find something mac friendly. That's changing, though, so not such a hassle. The biggest things for me were photoshop/PSP and the microsoft suite.



I've actually had more problems with my mac than anyone I've ever spoken to.


I've had: speaker problems, case problems, keyboard problems, clamshell problems, software problems and hard drive problems.

They wound up giving me a completely new computer that had more RAM and Disc Space than my old computer for free due to all the hassle. Recently, I had a complete hard drive failure because I work with files so much and they all got fragmented, and it was really just a big mess. After all the recovery was done, (by an outside party because my warranty was up) Apple helped me migrate all my files to where they belonged so none of my settings were wonky.


I don't want to get offtrack, but I'm happy to explain in more detail why I wound up with a new comp, as well as my trials/tribulations with mac people, and all that, if you'd like to hear it, either in PM or in the thread (don't wanna talk too much, shit!)


Oh, and another thing I hate about macs are that if you have something wrong with your computer they must restore it to factory default before they can fix it. Example: your USB port doesn't work, and you have a broken clamshell, they must fix the broken clamshell before they touch the USB port.

[Goofy]

Mr Bent, thanks a bunch for you input. I was an avid mac user back in the day, but I think that was in the day of the IIc, if I remember right.



Selenay, I don't do too much with the free downloads, so I think I'm ok there. I appreciate hearing about your trials and tribulations, since I haven't heard of many. I'm fairly computer savvy, but I'm not familiar with "clamshell"...can you tell me what that is?

[Selenay]

Mr Bent, thanks a bunch for you input. I was an avid mac user back in the day, but I think that was in the day of the IIc, if I remember right.



Selenay, I don't do too much with the free downloads, so I think I'm ok there. I appreciate hearing about your trials and tribulations, since I haven't heard of many. I'm fairly computer savvy, but I'm not familiar with "clamshell"...can you tell me what that is?


Okay, so you know the part of a laptop that does the actual opening (the hinge)? That's the clamshell.

As for my trials and tribulations. . . I'm the exception to the lovethemac rule.

[Linus]

Hey Goofy,

I'll add my expertise in that might be of help. I've used all platforms throughout my life (I actually counted and have used 13 different OSes). Prior to going back to Mac I had been using XP because of my computer security needs (XP is great to break into) as well as gaming needs (I gotta have my WoW). My work offered me the opportunity to get a MacBook Pro (OS 10.4 at the time and we're about to upgrade to 10.6 once corp finance gets its butt in gear). So I decided to go back to Mac again, after an absence of about 7 years.

It's actually very easy to switch over and if you're really not sure, the Apple stores have a program to help you. One of the pluses I have (given the company I work for) is the ability to use a program called VMware Fusion. You can take your old PC, turn it into a virtual machine and run it on top of OS X (like an application, not instead of). I did this for a while so I could take my time transferring what I needed (you can use VMware Converter, a free application, to turn your old PC into a virtual machine). Once I had finished the transfer, I deleted the VM and got the extra space back. I'm now pretty much using my Mac exclusively and my Dell desktop has just bitten the big one so I think I may be forking over for a new Mac laptop for personal use.

If you have questions or need advice, just ask. :)

[Goofy]

Okay, so you know the part of a laptop that does the actual opening (the hinge)? That's the clamshell.

As for my trials and tribulations. . . I'm the exception to the lovethemac rule.

well now I feel like a doofus. I've never heard it called that before *shrug*

Thanks Linus! I may be hitting you up for more info soon!

[blush]

so here's the long story made short...my old laptop is on it's last leg and I'm looking at a new one.



How about this...
If you get your Mac and don't like it, you can use my PC, and I'll use the Mac?

[Jet]

I've been on a Mac for almost 15 years, love it. I would NEVER own a PC after growing up on a Mac; I've had to use a PC every now and then, and I can't stand Windows. But that's because I'm a designer and Macs are better for design in my book.

[Waldo]

Goofy - I, like you, started off on Apple products - way back in the late 70s. Stuck with them through the very early 90s until I got my first desk job and had to switch to Windows 3.1.

Now that was a "culture" shock. But once I got used to it - and particularly once Win95 came out I was pretty much ok.

Fast forward to two years ago when I went to work for a Mac only shop and I had to make the transition. For me, it was actually semi-painful, but worth it.

If you haven't already, I say go for it.

[Darth Denkay]

Linus,

Thanks for your expertise! I can't really call myself a convert - I started on an apple machine in the early eighties and I've never owned anything but. I use a pc at work, but my preference is and always will be a Mac. Nice to hear someone like you support Macs!

Hey Goofy,

I'll add my expertise in that might be of help. I've used all platforms throughout my life (I actually counted and have used 13 different OSes). Prior to going back to Mac I had been using XP because of my computer security needs (XP is great to break into) as well as gaming needs (I gotta have my WoW). My work offered me the opportunity to get a MacBook Pro (OS 10.4 at the time and we're about to upgrade to 10.6 once corp finance gets its butt in gear). So I decided to go back to Mac again, after an absence of about 7 years.

It's actually very easy to switch over and if you're really not sure, the Apple stores have a program to help you. One of the pluses I have (given the company I work for) is the ability to use a program called VMware Fusion. You can take your old PC, turn it into a virtual machine and run it on top of OS X (like an application, not instead of). I did this for a while so I could take my time transferring what I needed (you can use VMware Converter, a free application, to turn your old PC into a virtual machine). Once I had finished the transfer, I deleted the VM and got the extra space back. I'm now pretty much using my Mac exclusively and my Dell desktop has just bitten the big one so I think I may be forking over for a new Mac laptop for personal use.

If you have questions or need advice, just ask. :)

[Andrew, Jr.]

I'm laughing now...I thought the thread was about makeup, not computers. :D

God bless me,
Andrew

[Dylan]

Get a Mac

I was forced into Mac-dom, and I'm so glad. I will never ever ever go back.

And a lot of offices in the Austin area are switching to Macs. Austin is (supposedly) the highest Mac-using city in the country.


PC's Blow,
Dylan...devoted Mac-er

P.S. It's sooooo relieving to NOT have to worry about virus after virus after virus, or endless pop-ups, or just the b.s. of PCs

[Goofy]

Okay, I finally did it! I picked up my new macbook about an hour ago. Haven't done too much with it yet, but so far I absolutely love it!

Thanks to everyone that gave their input!

[Mister Bent]

Okay, I finally did it! I picked up my new macbook about an hour ago. Haven't done too much with it yet, but so far I absolutely love it!

Thanks to everyone that gave their input!

Smart guy! Congratulations, may the two of you be very happy together for years to come.

[Goofy]

Another one lost to the dark side :fencing:

;)

What can I say? They had puppies :dog:

[blush]

Another one lost to the dark side :fencing:

;)

Tell me about it. If I hear one more word about "2-finger clicking" vs. "1-finger clicking," I may choke those puppies.

The Mac Widow

[Cowboi]

well damn, I thought you were talking makeup..LOL

Oh.......I thought is was about MAC Anesthesia :worried:

[Tucker]

Oh well shit, I thought we were talking about makeup as well.
Hmmm

[Medusa]

Welcome to the AWESOME side, Goofster!

Dusa
(Converted 4 years ago and has never regretted it!)

[Jet]

I grew up on mac and own a 24" flat screen duo-core named Popeye.
But I'm a designer going on 16 years on a MAC

The old rule of thumb is that MAC are better for design
PC's for data.

That's what it used to be anyway

I hate PCs with a passion and refuse to design on them.

[Medusa]

Oh RIGHT! GOOFY! You gotta name your machine!

Jet's "Popeye" reminded me!

Mine is "Dirty Gertie of Upper Buttcrack" :eek:

[Cowboi]

Mine has a name even though its not a Mac.
I call it "you piece of shit" (its a Dell)

Must be a popular name for a Dell. Thats what I call mine too!

[Nina]

I have had a Mac since my son got one...at age 7...I still remember him working on unpacking the box...me a nervous wreck since I'd never had any computer relations before...he, on the other hand was as confident as could be...he set it up (nothing to it)...turned it on...put in the disk and that was it...
I saw that smiley Mac face and fell in love...I just assumed that was what all computers were, and that everyone had a Mac....it was a stunning revelation to find how wrong I was...

we have moved on from the first Mac...I have a desktop and a laptop...I don't do anything fancy or earth shattering on them...but, I love, Love the Mac and still assume everyone has one...not long ago a friend was talking about moving some information around on her computer...I told her to just highlight it, and cut and paste it...she looked at me and said, 'I don't have a Mac'...I was stunned...

I will admit I may have gone from assuming everyone has one to everyone Should Have One :)

[Darth Denkay]

My macbook is named Hal (the computer in the movie 2001, A Space Odyssey).

I realized that, technically, I shouldn't be on this thread. You see, I'm not a mac convert. I started out on an Apple IIe and used Apples through high school. Started using macs in college and have never used a PC by choice. But I like hanging with y'all, cause you're the cool kids with the macs!!!

Oh RIGHT! GOOFY! You gotta name your machine!

Jet's "Popeye" reminded me!

Mine is "Dirty Gertie of Upper Buttcrack" :eek: