07-26-2004, 01:01 AM

hello fellow mac-aholics! i'm switching to mac very soon (15 inch powerbook g4!) and am in desperate need of some feedback.

i've been a pc user my whole life, and have no mac experience whatsoever. the only experience i have of it was a touch of the keyboard. technically, zero experience.

so, my major is graphic design and will be spending loads of time using photoshop. photoshop was installed on my pc and i managed to burn it on a cd, tried installing on a different pc and tada! works like a pro

anyway, will i be able to install photoshop using this same cd?

also, if you have any advice you can give a total newbie- ie: any programs i should download, what programs to run when i recieve it, things to check before the purchase etc.. pls let me know! thanks!

p.s: i am SOOO looking forward to my 15 inch powerbook g4 purchase! it may be very pricey, but then again.. there is no mac in heaven right? carpe diem! CHEERS!

07-26-2004, 01:11 AM

your pc photoshop will not work on macs....they have their own version

07-26-2004, 04:33 AM

Originally Posted by daughter_anna

hello fellow mac-aholics! i'm switching to mac very soon (15 inch powerbook g4!) and am in desperate need of some feedback.

i've been a pc user my whole life, and have no mac experience whatsoever. the only experience i have of it was a touch of the keyboard. technically, zero experience.

so, my major is graphic design and will be spending loads of time using photoshop. photoshop was installed on my pc and i managed to burn it on a cd, tried installing on a different pc and tada! works like a pro

anyway, will i be able to install photoshop using this same cd?

also, if you have any advice you can give a total newbie- ie: any programs i should download, what programs to run when i recieve it, things to check before the purchase etc.. pls let me know! thanks!

p.s: i am SOOO looking forward to my 15 inch powerbook g4 purchase! it may be very pricey, but then again.. there is no mac in heaven right? carpe diem! CHEERS!

First thing I'd do is check everything it ships with is in the box, then set everything up according the the manual (but it's fool proof) next plug in the power and startup then install the OS.

While it's installing you might wanna browse through the manuals (i know non of the guys here do) but it's acutally interesting to know how to use your new toy without resorting to online support. Plus you'll get to know what all the ports and cables do and how to install the OS and what to do next. Basically, it's just for personal knowledge.

After your done, you might wanna look around get a little more familiar with everything. Oh, one of the first things you'll discover... there's only ONE button on the trackpad (don't worry, you can used Ctrl+Click for right click.Option+Click and Apple+Click also do things, in different applications.)

If your Adobe applications were brought recently (boxed versions) then changing platforms isn't a problem as the original installer disks include both Mac and Windows versions. However, according to the license agreement your only allowed to run one copy of the application, at any one time. Otherwise, you might have to obtain another version as your Windows versions won't work.

Hate to tell you this, but all the Window applications you have been using won't work on the PowerBook or the PowerMacintosh Platform, we have our own versions. If your planning to use the machine for Graphic Design then i suggest you invest in a good mouse (the Apple one is good, not the Bluetooth version as there is a delay or lag.) using a is much easier to draw and lay down illustrations you got more control.

Anyway, welcome to the Apple Community.

07-26-2004, 09:18 AM

instal the os? Gee - what kind of powerbook you expect her to get? I mean, clearly the os is going to be preinstalled...'least I hope so.

07-26-2004, 10:04 AM

Nop... When you buy a new PowerBook, chances are one part of the OS is installed. On powering up, it'll ask for your system install cd/dvd. At least in the UK and in HK they come like this... dunno about the USA.

If your system come with pre-installed OS then your suppiler may of tested your Macintosh before shipping or maybe they installed some additional ram and they test for incompatibility.

I hate it when suppilers place their shipping stickers directly on the Black Apple Box, so annoying...

07-26-2004, 10:35 AM

eh, it's a small price to pay. I know when I powered up my powerbook, it didn't ask me for the os CD. But I had the apple store install a gig of ram for me, so what do I know?

07-27-2004, 01:15 AM

Brand new Mac will come with OS preinstalled, but unconfigured. As you boot the first time you will be able to set up time zone, network, and your first login ID. You do NOT need a disc inserted for those. You never need to take the system CD out of the sleeve unless you reinstall the OS.

07-27-2004, 12:41 PM

My Powerbook asked for the disc first time I switched it on. So did my dad's. This was after setting up time zone etc. It never asked for disc 2 though.

07-27-2004, 01:47 PM

I tell you, if you buy a PowerMac and I mean Brand New! Fresh from the factory, unopened and untouched buy your supplier. On powering up, you will be asked for the Installer CD.

07-27-2004, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by hype.it

I tell you, if you buy a PowerMac and I mean Brand New! Fresh from the factory, unopened and untouched buy your supplier. On powering up, you will be asked for the Installer CD.

I think this is only outside the US. I've never heard of this for any functional US Mac.

07-27-2004, 05:18 PM

Yea that doesn't happen in the US

07-27-2004, 05:25 PM

Ah... then I guess you'll never know was your Mac a former ex-demo machine. At-least you know it's working.

07-27-2004, 10:07 PM

there is no need for a disk on first start up, and you know it wasn't a demo, because you have to set it up and register it on first logon. The US really is great!

07-28-2004, 01:14 PM

Like the original author of this thread, my experience with modern Apple machines has been limited to fiddling with the keyboard at CompUSA and a brief encounter with a friend's iBook several months back. Those experiences, combined with what I know of Apple's history along with my own distaste for Microsoft's blunderings are enough to convince me to switch, cold-turkey.

In other words, once I switch, my Apple will be the only computer I own!

That said, I anticipate switching sometime in the next month or so. There have been several interested nibbles on my PC offer (posted here and here) and I will likely have it sold or traded before the end of August.

In the meantime, I want to begin my research on the operating system and what I can expect from the machine overall. Being an avid e-book collecter (Rocket eBook 1100), starting a collection covering all things Apple seems like a good place to start.

Does anyone have such files or volumes they can send to me? I have a Google email account, so space isn't really a consideration if you happen to have a 50 meg PDF file. Thanks in advance and I look forward to not only this new learning experience, but also the world of Apple computing!

Please respond to bragle@gmail.com. Thanks again!

07-28-2004, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Ragle

Like the original author of this thread, my experience with modern Apple machines has been limited to fiddling with the keyboard at CompUSA and a brief encounter with a friend's iBook several months back. Those experiences, combined with what I know of Apple's history along with my own distaste for Microsoft's blunderings are enough to convince me to switch, cold-turkey.

In other words, once I switch, my Apple will be the only computer I own!

That said, I anticipate switching sometime in the next month or so. There have been several interested nibbles on my PC offer (posted here and here) and I will likely have it sold or traded before the end of August.

In the meantime, I want to begin my research on the operating system and what I can expect from the machine overall. Being an avid e-book collecter (Rocket eBook 1100), starting a collection covering all things Apple seems like a good place to start.

Does anyone have such files or volumes they can send to me? I have a Google email account, so space isn't really a consideration if you happen to have a 50 meg PDF file. Thanks in advance and I look forward to not only this new learning experience, but also the world of Apple computing!

Please respond to bragle@gmail.com. Thanks again!

I'm just making the switch myself and did ALOT of reading beforehand.
I know you said you're an e-book collector, but I've found an excellent manual
by David Pogue. It is called OS X-The Missing Manual. I'm waiting on my G4P Powerbook to arrive on Friday!