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  • Making the Switch

    Well, after yet another inexplicable computer crash last week, I'm on the verge of making the switch. I've been to the Apple Store a couple of times already, and will probably make another pass or two before taking the plunge. Hey, when even your wife - who usually puts the brakes on hare-brained schemes - is pushing you to jump, you jump!

    So, I put this thread out seeking the wisdom of Mac users. (Please spare me the pithy, not-so-witty Mac-hating and Mac-loving one-liners -- trust me, we've all been through the Mac-PC wars more than enough times to have heard 'em all.) I have absolutely no doubt I'll love making the transition, as I have been a Mac person for years (from the SE30 through the PowerMac 9600 personally, with a great secondhand G4 for my daughter now) -- I just never wanted to pay for the quality I admired... until now. I'm just hoping to make the transition as smooth as possible.

    So, any tips from recent switchers?

    As for specific concerns, I recently posted a few questions at Ask MetaFilter. While I don't know if anyone here rises to that level of geekiness, I figured I'd post the key issues.

    • Moving iTunes? I have lots of music, much of it purchased off iTMS and thus DRMed, and an iPod linked to my PC. How hard is it to move everything to the Mac? From what I've read, it's not too complicated.
    • Networking. Apparently, this isn't a problem -- sharing files at least -- via a standard home network. I'm not sure if I'll be able to leave my HP OfficeJet 6110xi hooked up to my XP system and print through it, though.
    • Software. I know I'm probably going to spring for Mac Office, and iLife for Garageband and iMovie. Oh, and apparently I can cross-upgrade Adobe Photoshop. Anyone use iWork? Is Pages a good replacement for Adobe PageMaker (which doesn't even exist anymore)? Does iSync work seamlessly with PalmOS devices (I have a Treo 650)?
    • Hardware. This is the real question, and the fun one. Part of me still can't get used to all-in-one designs, so I was thinking of a well-spec'd Mac Mini and the most expensive display I can afford (20" Cinema Display?). But most folks are steering me toward the 17" iMac G5, for the newer chip and built-in imaging memory (I will be doing some audio and video editing). Anyone with experience with either or both configurations?
    And yes, I know, the web is rife with fora and other great resources for questions like mine, but, like Ask MetaFilter, I do appreciate especially specific, real-world advice from people I'm already comfortable with.

    Even if no one has any answers, I'll let you know how this great experiment goes!

  • #2
    Re: Making the Switch

    Personally, I would wait for the Intel based Macs to come out. Although PowerPC Macs will definately be around for a couple of years, I can see support for it to go away quickly once Apple is fully transitioned to the Intel platform.

    If you need a Mac now, perhaps a late model 1.6 GHz Power Mac G5? How much are these worth on eBay?

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    • #3
      Re: Making the Switch

      I think even with the Macintel machines coming out next year, a new Mac bought today won't be obsoleted any quicker than machines generally do -- three years or so for "power users." I'm pretty sure I'd get a lot of life out of it even beyond that, considering how much I love the secondhand G4/350Mhz someone gave to my daughter. Besides, a cynical part of me says, the last thing I want to wait for is another Intel chip in my house!

      The secondhand G5 tower is appealing, because I'm reluctant to go with an all-in-one like the iMac. But given the size of the investment, I'd rather spring for new at a retail store plus Apple Care. I do have three small children in my house, after all!

      I like the Mac mini for the price and for the separation from the display, but I've played with G5s and boy, are they nice. I expect I'll be doing more audio and video stuff, so the architecture changes for the G5 might actually make a difference. (Then again, I might just be dreaming.)

      Considering the degree of encouragement I'm getting from my wife, the iMac G5 might work out... because I'll end up having to get her a Mac mini to get her off my machine!

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      • #4
        Re: Making the Switch



        Ah, bliss...

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Making the Switch

          Originally posted by pzarquon
          Ah, bliss...
          Congratulations!

          -Mac Lover

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          • #6
            Re: Making the Switch

            Originally posted by pzarquon
            I think even with the Macintel machines coming out next year, a new Mac bought today won't be obsoleted any quicker than machines generally do -- three years or so for "power users."
            Yep. No such thing as obsolete here. I run a G4 and it is just fine. many other macs have come out since then, and the main thing i wait for to instigate the major upgrade is the corrosion factor, electronics in general having a short lifespan here as they do.
            (or, the new BIIIGGG cinemascreen which requires a G5 and a the new videocard) (Or a new big powerful version of final cut pro which may require a dual processor)
            Can't handle the "all in one" things. Need the tower, definitely.

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            • #7
              Re: Making the Switch

              I love the G5, but yeah, the G4s have plenty of life in them. Heck, I have an upgraded G4/350Mhz that by all accounts would be a doorstop if it were the equivalent in the PC world, but it's chugging along nicely, using Tiger (or is it Panther), slowly turning my daughter into an Apple-head.

              I was really reluctant to go for an all-in-one (my last such computer was the SE30!), but the iMac is just too perfect. The fact that it's flat-panel based and not CRT based makes a world of difference.

              And now that Jen's seen the new MacOS X "Dashboard," she really wants a Mac, too!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Making the Switch

                Originally posted by pzarquon
                I love the G5, but yeah, the G4s have plenty of life in them. Heck, I have an upgraded G4/350Mhz

                here's mine:

                Machine Model: Power Mac G4
                CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (3.3)
                Number Of CPUs: 1
                CPU Speed: 1.25 GHz
                L2 Cache (per CPU): 256 KB
                L3 Cache (per CPU): 1 MB
                Memory: 1.25 GB
                Bus Speed: 167 MHz
                Boot ROM Version: 4.4.8f2
                75 GB internal, slots for 3 more drives.
                using 4 external Lacie drives holding 500 GB's each.
                supplemental:
                mic's, micstand, imic, headphones, Speakers: M-audio Studiopro 4
                Internal cd burner
                External LaCie DVD and cd burner

                and my flatscreen monitors seen here:
                Last edited by kimo55; July 14, 2005, 10:27 AM.

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                • #9
                  Re: Making the Switch

                  I would love to have a G5. I have Powerbook G4 though & I love it. It is so nice to be portable & wireless.
                  Surf Da Link Auctions - You get $25 to register!

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                  • #10
                    Re: Making the Switch

                    Originally posted by kimo55
                    here's mine:

                    External LaCie DVD and cd burner

                    and my flatscreen monitors seen here:

                    Looks like a nice set=up. Nice monitors for sure.

                    That said, have you tried to upgrade to Mac OSX 10.4 Tiger on your Power Mac G4? The reason I am asking is whether or not the Apple OSX Tiger DVD can be installed from a non-Apple external DVD drive. I remember reading some time back that Apple system CDs did not install from non-Apple external drives.
                    I'm still here. Are you?

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                    • #11
                      Re: Making the Switch

                      By the way, hey PZ! How's it been going? Any glitches? Any really slick bits?

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                      • #12
                        Re: Making the Switch

                        Oh, it's all slick bits. OSX is just so elegant, and smooth, and stable, and wonderful... and I can really feel the UNIX underpinnings. I call up a terminal window and just jump around various directories just because I can. The switch was, even for a Mac fan like me, easier than I thought it'd be. iTunes just worked, printers and other USB hardware just worked, and those ridiculous little touches that Apple goes out of its way to add to the user experience really give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.

                        I'd almost forgotten exactly why some Mac users are so evangelical.

                        I ended up getting a Mac mini the next week for my wife, and she loves it. We both can't believe we suffered with XP for so long. All she needed was iTunes, Mail, and Firefox (I quickly realized Safari wasn't for me). And it just works, as they say.

                        I have found one and only one downside or hiccup in the transition: the Mac keyboard.

                        My fingers just fly on a PC, and I do almost everything with keyboard shortcuts. Alt this, tab that, navigate menus, toggle here and there. Many a coworker has marveled how I get around without ever touching a mouse. And... the equivalents aren't quite there on a Mac. And then there's that Apple/Clover key, which is a weird combination of a PC Control key and maybe even the Windows key. I'm always hitting different key combinations to cut, paste, close apps, etc. And just when I get the hang of it, I go back to work and have to recalibrate my brain back again!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Making the Switch

                          Originally posted by pzarquon
                          (I quickly realized Safari wasn't for me).
                          Hmm...how much of a try did you give Safari? It's got some funky differences, but when you get used to them, they are truly wonderful. In addition to the tabbed browsing that Firefox offers, the keyboard shortcuts are great. I really, really like Safari. I run Firefox at home (on my PC) and like it a great deal, but Safari really feels better.
                          But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
                          GrouchyTeacher.com

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