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Original poster

Should I convert to a Mac....convert me?

104 replies

KatieMac · 09/04/2005 07:39

Over Christmas my hard drive died....virus related
I reg get annoying blue screens - that mean I turn off & start again
My dad has got a horrendous virus and been out of action for 2 days..still not fixed (and his clients pay him hundreds a day - so he has lost a fortune)

I am considering a Macintosh......but know nothing. My brother swears by them...but is in Sweden so it will cost less to ask Q here and discuss the answers with him when I have facts.

Everyone uses Word/Excell etc can they read any Mac docs? Can I read their docs?
Can I still email/mumsnet/banking?
I use MS Money....is there a reasonable alternative (its April - I need to start this yrs accounts soon - well when I've finished last years)?
I'm haveing a website written - will it still work?
How much will it cost me?
Will I need to change my ISP?

As you can tell I'm fairly illiterate when it comes to puters.....so HELP pleease

OP posts:
Original poster
KatieMac · 09/04/2005 07:43

ps. how much extra will I have to learn to use it
tia
Kmc

OP posts:
sobernow · 09/04/2005 07:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

iota · 09/04/2005 07:58

have you looked at the macmini - we boght one a couple of weeks ago . am still finding my way around it, but so far so good.

Jimjams · 09/04/2005 08:19

macs are great. I have an emac I filled with memory. I work for a company who only use pc's so I added virtual pc (useful for ds1's stuff anyway). that gives me a windows pc on my mac! I only use that when i have to though as the mac operating system is so much better.

website will be fine. isp will be (unless you have something very odd).

not sure about ms money.

macs are far far easier to use than pc's.

Bellie · 09/04/2005 08:25

Macs are great- got myself one when I gave up work after only ever using PC's - found it incredibly easy to use - totally impressed dh by managing to set it up and load all the software from scratch before he got home.
Use safari instead of internet explorer and you can definately use mumsnet!!

basketcase · 09/04/2005 08:34

also - forget worrying about computer viruses. Almost all of them are Windows based and have absolutely no effect on a Mac. We have them in our home and LOVE them. Would buy a mac over a PC every single time. We were delighted when we switched over about ten years ago and have not looked back.
Very very user friendly - we gave my not so computer able parents a Mac for Xmas a couple of years ago as DH was fed p of trying to fix their PC and wipe off viruses time and time again. They were up and running with little help from us within an afternoon and are totally converted.
It is great for work, email and web work is just as easy if not safer and better. There are plenty of children?s games to play (not as many but plenty of good quality).
You can even use your old software for accouns etc. if you wanted by using "soft windows" which is a piggyback type Wondows emulator that allows you to run windows programs. However, there are loads of accounts packages out there, can?t advise as it depends on how detailed and flexible you need it.
Website will work on any cmputer if done properly - it is more about the different browser compatability rather than the computer. My DH designs websites as a sideline to his work and often designs them on his mac to be controlled by PC users, linux and Mac.
HTH

jennifersofia · 09/04/2005 10:47

I second what everyone here has said - I love my mac! Also find that the screen is much nicer to look at - that is, it doesn't give me a headache with the low level 'flicker' like the pc's at college. Don't know technical term for this. Besides, they are so damn sexy!

Original poster
KatieMac · 09/04/2005 16:05

Thanks everyone.....now the big question is how much?

OP posts:
gingerbear · 09/04/2005 17:13

Don't you get less memory for your money than a PC though?

Am tempted by a mac though.

Jimjams · 09/04/2005 18:05

you don't need as much memory in a mac. although usually worth chucking a bit extra in when you purchase.

binkybetsy · 09/04/2005 19:03

Macs are fab.
The build quality is far better than on pc's. I hate pc's!!
The only thing you can't do on them is run pc software unless you use a virtual pc thingy like jimjams said. It depends on what you want them for. Designers and artists only use macs because the reputation is that they're easier and friendlier to use, plus it's the aesthetics really isn't it. Many people hate MS and viruses are generally aimed at MS users. I've had a blueberry imac for 7 years now and it's never been affected by anything. I've had an lime ibook for work and t'internet for 3 years as well and I adore both.
Basically, if you want a mac you'll buy one but if you do you'll never go back to a pc, I guarantee it!!

parmesan · 09/04/2005 19:05

we had a Mac but couldn't get a particular software for it - so gave it to ds1 (designer) who encouraged us to get it in the first place - think we were had!

SenoraPostrophe · 09/04/2005 19:07

No.

Don't do it.

They cost more to buy, they cost more to fix and they're slower than PCs.

parmesan · 09/04/2005 19:08

you don't get viruses tho!

SenoraPostrophe · 09/04/2005 19:10

(just read the other responses)

they're not easier to use either - they used to be when they first came out. Designers mostly use them out of habit - years ago Photoshop and other industry standard programmes were only available for the Mac. That's not true of anything now, but a lot of software is PC only.

MacOSX (basically Linux) is buggy as hell.

Banking may or may not work, depending on your bank.

And Macs get viruses too.

SenoraPostrophe · 09/04/2005 19:11

You need an anti-virus checker whatever computer/OS you have.

SenoraPostrophe · 09/04/2005 19:12

jennifersofia - you're talking about the refresh rate. Any decent quality monitor will have a good enough refresh rate (I take it the ones at your college are old?)

binkybetsy · 09/04/2005 19:17

I personally would dispute that the new G5's are slower than a pc, but then again I don't have one of those, just know someone who does.
The processor speeds are slower but they are different to those in pc's so you can't really compare like with like.
On the ISP question, NTL didn't know how to set up the broadband for the mac's in our house, so we had to do it ourselves, which we could do, but it was a bit of a pain.

SenoraPostrophe · 09/04/2005 19:25

why macs are crap

This site is a little biased as you can see, but the links and facts are correct. The G5s are pretty fast, but then they should be because they are 64bit (most computers are 32 bit). Speed tests I've seen aren't anything like as fast as they should be though - a top of the range athlon PC is faster. Windows 64bit is due to come out soon.

SenoraPostrophe · 09/04/2005 19:29

sorry, foaming at the mouth a bit there.

KatieMac - if you're getting blue screens, you probably just need to reinstall windows/Linux.

You should also get Norton anti virus. We run a computer company, use PCs with Windows and have not had a virus in 10 years.

Also have you seen 18866.com - calls to Sweden 2p a min

binkybetsy · 09/04/2005 19:34

Bless you, katiemac I probably should've mentioned that mac v's pc is a huge flamewar topic. Probably as bad as breast/bottle, depending on the site you're on!
There are pro's and con's for everything.
I think a nice point for me to end posting on is that people who have mac's generally LOVE them. I've never heard of anyone who loved their pc, but I'll likely be proved wrong on here!
You could see if someone you know has one and ask if they would let you use it, see if you like it. HTH

Original poster
KatieMac · 11/04/2005 22:40

SP - I have Norton it is updated each Sunday and run immediatley after......

The OS was reinstalled for the nth time just after the hard drive was replaced.

I have just moved it from upstairs to down and was horrified by the cables....there must be an easier way....

Do I go for a pc & laptop network or a laptop & docking station.....
Should I change my printer to a scanner/printer/photocopier?

What can I do with old computer (which is nearly dead)?
I don't want to bin it...can it be recycled

Which still leaves me with a major shopping trip on the cards

OP posts:
leahbump · 12/04/2005 14:30

Just wanted to say- I hate my Pc...and Norton seems to be causing the problem.

5 months ago dh's desktop became redundant for email and ionternet.....just after we updated Norton! We had been gradually getting more problems over months.
Having resorted to using my laptop (as can't afford to sort desktop and tried everything we knew!) it's now happenning to my laptop!! ARGHHHH!!! I am sooo peed off with norton and we get at least 10 attatcks a day.

I think that MAC sounds pretty attractive right now!

vkone · 12/04/2005 15:02

I've always had a PC and we recently decided on adding a laptop (2nd hand), I suggested a Mac cos they don't have the same "built-in obsolecence) as PCs seem to, anyway we got one, a G3 and I've been amazed. I can plug any of our peripherals in and it finds them immediately without even mentioning it (no "new hardware found" stuff) and we've been able to setup a wireless network with our WinXP PC so that both can surf and exchange docs. It's got MS Office X and I find the interface alot easier to use (I'm not sure why, mind), so a big thumbs up really.

Jimjams · 12/04/2005 15:29

agree with binkybesty - fi you do swap you'll never go back to PCs- I have tried 3 times now to buy a PC- as it made sense for us to have PC in lots of ways. BUt each time I've tried I ended up getting a mac.

Even virtual PC does my head in after 5 mins (and I have to keep worrying about viruses- so only go onto one site (work) with it- I know have antivirus software on my Mac but didn't until January- have been online at home since 1996 and never picked up a virus). ANyway everything I've had to install on virtual PC has been complicated compared to the mac. So very pleased I didn't get a PC.

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