Windows to Apple - who's done it?
 

Not looking to incite a Ford vs. Chevy, Red vs. Blue, or a Apple vs. Cherry pie debate (cherry is better). But, who here has made the change from Windows to Mac? If so how recently?

As you might guess, I've had enough of Windows-based hardware, and Dell specifically. I'm looking to change platforms, but my biggest issue is a rather expensive licensed software library. I know I can do a cross-platform exchange with Adobe, but for other titles, how well does an Apple do Windows?

If you've made the swap, would you do it again? What were the pitfalls (besides the higher cost of hardware)? What was the best thing?

All I know is I'm SO done with Dell. But to Dell's credit, they are an extremely effective marketing tool for Apple.

Thanks!

I made the leap a few years ago with much hesitation over the same issues. Glad I did, I'll never own anything again with Microsoft anything. The only program I need Windows to run is logbook pro, so I installed VMware Fusion. Allows you to run Windows in it's own window. I use an old version of XP in it. Sadly my Apple runs Windows better an any Dell or HP I've owned.

Granted there are some generic computer makers that can build a laptop/desktop for 300-500 bucks that probably work "fine" but my Apples are worth every cent. I have a 4 year old macbook that runs like the day I bought it.

You will never look back. I used to be an avid PC hobbyist and used to build PC's as a hobby, but I got fed up with the Windoze OS. Even with my frustration at a boiling point, it was a big step to go out and buy a Mac. I have NEVER regretted the switch. You will have a 10 minute learning curve. That's it. Apple designed their OS and their hardware so that the average customer could pick it up and just use it, with little or no grief. I just wish I could get back the MONTHS of my life wasted tinkering, reinstalling, rebooting, and just gnashing my teeth in general.

I know quite a few who in the last year have made the switch from Dell to apple - under the encouragement of one of those 'apple is better' believers. Most are very happy with the swicth (they sound like Grumble there), though some have had particular problems too. One has a constant problem with the Mac dropping the wireless signal and then having great difficulty reacquiring it, while the Dell sitting next to it has had no trouble at all.
Right now I'm getting to do a nice comparison because I spend half my time on a PC and the other half on a Mac and I still haven't come to a consensus.
I do enjoy the iPhone though EXCEPT for the call quality. Lucky for me I do more texting and checking e-mail than anything else!

USMCFLYR

Part of the problem with PC vulnerability to malicious attack is simply the larger number of users. I don't have the stats but most people use PCs, so the best way to wreak havoc on the most people as a hacker is to write hacks for PCs. An expert on malicious code once said you can write harmful code for a Mac, but why bother. That of course does not mean a crashed windows PC now works because it is among the majority and the vulnerability difference is actually a pretty good reason to switch to a Mac. I am just making the point that as far as harmful code is concerned there is no magic about Macs they are just as susceptible as PCs to attack. I will stick up for PCs in-as-much as I have been using them for the last decade with only minor trouble. I had to reload windows xp on my present machine a few weeks ago after it crashed from an attack that got around McAfee somehow. It worked fine for 4 years before that and reloading windows fixed it. I would say dump McAfee if you want to dump something.

Half of your problem is Dell. There are variety of smaller PC and Notebook builders who will provide a good product without getting their hooks into you like dell.

Also use XP or Windows-7, not Vista.

My problem with Mac is that the "real world" is not quite there yet. Between airline and military systems which I need to access, Mac is a non-starter. If UAL supports Mac for crew applications, then you can probably do it. SKW has not always given mac access the same priority as windows.

Last week I heard the argument to dump Norton too.
Is there anything out there that actually works?
I'm going on 5 years with my Dell and except for someone letting it get infected once (and I had to do that restart that puts it back in factory condition - I forget the name), it has always worked fine.
It is good now that you can run Windows though on an Apple product. I might make anohter switch and buy a second Mac sometime in the future. I'm not a hard core believer in either product.

USMCFLYR

Symantec/Norton works pretty well. That's what the DoD uses.

Well even the Pentagon gets hacked occasionally so I do not think there is anything that is 100% safe. They even have morphing viruses these days that can mutate at will. You have to do your best using all the tricks to avoid infections. Go to safe websites, don't put your key drive in places it should not go, be careful about keeping firewalls on and antivirus software updated, do scans frequently, and so forth. I am using AVG Free right now and so far so good. I have subscribed to both McAfee and Norton and I am doubtful they are worth the money although Norton was the better of the two.

I just made the switch a few months ago and I wish I had done it sooner. I love my Mac. I still run Windows 7 via a program called Parallels on my Mac. It allows me to still run all my old software that I need to carry over.

The Mac is superior in so many ways, not to mention it's so much more intuitive. Good luck in your quest, you won't regret making the change.

Without a doubt! My frustration is with Dell's business warranty administration. I can accept that hardware breaks, but when it breaks down as much as these machines have the next-day on-site service doesn't mean much.

As far as the OS goes, I'm still running XP and have never had a crash, it's actually a pretty stable OS, just clunky. I'm sure that Apple products breakdown too, although their warranty service can't be any worse.

Thanks for all the replies (and validation).

McAfee and Norton are a waste of money

I'm using Microsoft Security Essentials - It's free, light and no problems thus far

I had a Mac Pro for a year and sold it. Wanted to do a lot of video editing. Software selections were limited, Video cards were limited and EXPENSIVE. There is more user/knowledge support through Windows users for video encoding/editing. I had VMware Fusion with Windows on it and it worked pretty good. Wouldn't run MS Flight Simulator through VMware or Boot Camp nearly as good as the PC. Just didn't find it was worth the money for the limitations I had.

I built my own PC with Windows 7, overclocked the CPU, configured it with the parts I wanted, for much less money and no limitations. Been using it for 6 months, no problems at all. I like Windows 7.

It's not that hard to build a PC. There are lots of tutorial videos for building PC's on You Tube. If you can fly a jet, you can build a PC. Probably the most important aspect of building a PC for a newbie is making sure you get the right components that work well with each other (motherboard to CPU to RAM to power supply) to avoid issues. There's lots of message boards for help. Once you can build your own, with quality components, suited to your needs, for less money, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Best of all you don't have all the crapware programs that Dell, HP, Acer etc. load up their computers with and slow the thing down.

After you research how to build a PC, get the parts for it here
http://www.newegg.com/
http://www.tigerdirect.com/

I have my Mother using an iMac and it's been a good setup for her. Works great for internet and email. For someone with limited knowledge of computers and unable to deal with the slightest glitch, it's a good way to go.

Actually, that has been the part that I have been most impressed with Apple - their customer service, at least in the store.

USMCFLYR

I have never had to find out what Dell customer service is like in ten years of using it simply because none of them ever broke, honest not once. Microsoft software has had some trouble with viruses over the years, but they have online support for every conceivable problem so on those few occasions when things were not going right I just googled up a solution. Sometimes I even had to dig using the Microsoft forums to get a remedy, but the sheer number of users guarantees someone out there has had the same issue and found a solution. If Dell and MS were not working for me I would jump ship in a heartbeat. The only times I have been tempted to go with Mac is when I was into graphics, computer simulation, or when I wanted to impress someone. Not having ever given in to that temptation I know nothing about them but I see them like German cars- they run and look great and people really like them but parts are hard to get and everything costs too much.

I went to a public speech this evening given by Buzz Carpenter the former SR-71 pilot. His slide show was nice, but what I took with me was his comment that Kelly Johnson did not like unreliable cockpit instruments so the SR-71 panel was filled with off the shelf instruments.

I've had the same Dell computer for 6.5yrs. I upgraded the vid card right away, and then this past year I went ahead and went from 512 RAM to 2Gig. I'm getting ready to switch from McAfee to Norton, but that's it, my BIL has a hook-up on that is my main reason.

I currently use an iPad for our IAP's/etc... and do like the functionality. I just don't know if I'd go for buying a Mac just because. If it was time to replace this computer, I would consider it with all the other options out there. I just use things until they crap out, or on the verge of it.

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I hae he inerface of he Mac.

I sill freezes like a PC all he ime even houh mine is 18 monhs old.

Several hins aou i annoy me rih down o he power cord ein so lare ha i can' fi in some oules.

One oher hin ha really us me is ha afer jus 18 monhs of his piece of crap, aove a cerain emperaure I lose funcionaliy of several keyoard keys which you can see in his pos.

Really a piece of junk in my opinion. I mean I lierally can' even ype his pos correcly.

Dell....Sitting on floor with cables wrapped around it. I came close to hanging up on Dell when I bought it....wished I had now.

Not to mention it seems like I could have bought a 2009 Beechcraft G36 Bonanza instead of the all the ink for my Dell printer.


HP...In use.

I have a Mac that I bought last spring. It has not been without some issues, much to my dismay. I do like it overall, but I don't think it will replace the PC based computer(s) for the reasons Rick stated.

I still use a cheap HP notebook that I bought 4 years ago when I'm on the road. It's a slow / clunky Vista based machine.

If the Mac were the same price, it would be a better machine. At almost double the price, it's a good machine at a premium price.

It integrates well with the iPhone, of course.

Imagine that :rolleyes:
Ask for opinions and they come out almost 50/50%.
Some have good experiences with PCs, others love their Macs.
There are problems with both and each have their own experiences.
This is about like watching those interesting (and funny) commercials!

Sounds more like a personal preference than being able to nail down solid goods and others.
Tough decision.

Maybe this is similiar to what I had to do when I was trying to decide between the iPhone and the Droid.
Eventually you can make yourself go crazy trying to compare and you just ending up going with one and then making it work.

USMCFLYR

I would suggest anyone wanting to invest in a new computer look the subject up in Consumer Reports magazine at the local library. They gather a lot of data on computer purchases, and they are not funded by the manufacturers. Customer feedback on large websites such as Amazon is also pretty useful given enough responses.

HSLD,

Switch, that's a no-brainer. A Mac is like a Boeing, a Windows machine is like an MD-11 or L-1011 (breaks all the time).

Then, whatever software you use that's Windows-only, put it on your Mac (via VMWare Fusion). Done!

I have a $3,000 Dell Precision Workstation that now sits idle thanks to my ditching the virus-plagued OS called Windoze...

Two laptops in my family. One PC (HP), one macbook. Wife and I hate the mac. It has had many problems and, at two years old, is nearly as slow as my 5.5 year old PC. It's been in for repairs twice, had to buy new parts 3 times. My PC? Just like a Timex. However, the PC that the Mac replaced had many problems too. I switch back and forth when I'm home, I don't find the Mac any more intuitive than the PC. I was "raised" on PC's, but I think I've been using the Mac long enough to break myself of the "old habits" that so many guys mentioned when talking me in to buying a Mac. Our next computer will be a PC again. The Mac's are just so overpriced for the hardware you get. I won't advise against a Mac, I wont even say I'll never buy another one. I've heard that Mac's excel at certain things, I guess we don't do those things, so we'll stick with the PC for now.