Questions and Answers

Ok. I've used the search function, been reading posts and browsing around before just blindly posting. I feel it is time I ask some questions.

I just got an HP a little over two months ago. I like it, but I want a Macbook mostly because I want to do more with my music. (creating, recording, etc.) However, after reading different posts, I have some concerns.

1 - What is the easiest solution to the compatability issue? I need to use MS Word for school. Also, what if I save something from my Mac to a jump drive and need to open/print it from a PC? I've heard about Bootcamp and such but I'm still confused.

2 - I hear about a new Mac OS coming out soon. Is this correct? Would it be wise to wait? You see, I want to purchase this laptop during Tennessee's tax-free weekend coming up in a couple of weeks. Also, I would get the "free" ipod for being a college student.

3 - How bad are Macs for overheating? The last laptop I had overheated to the point where I had to have my system board replaced twice. When I use my laptop, I actually use it on my lap, not on a desk or a pad.

4 - There are simple operations that I am unsure of their availability on a Mac. Things like right click, right click and save as and the issue of being able to scroll up and down a page with just the touchpad or not.

5 - What are things I am most likely to miss about a PC?

I wanted to ask these questions as to make sure I am getting the most accurate and up-to-date information. If there is anything else you think I should know, please post. Thanks in advance for your help.

-sevenkay

sevenkay said:

Ok. I've used the search function, been reading posts and browsing around before just blindly posting. I feel it is time I ask some questions.

Click to expand...

Good, glad you searched.

sevenkay said:

I just got an HP a little over two months ago. I like it, but I want a Macbook mostly because I want to do more with my music. (creating, recording, etc.) However, after reading different posts, I have some concerns.

Click to expand...

Cool, macs are great for many people.

sevenkay said:

1 - What is the easiest solution to the compatability issue? I need to use MS Word for school. Also, what if I save something from my Mac to a jump drive and need to open/print it from a PC? I've heard about Bootcamp and such but I'm still confused.

Click to expand...

MSword on a mac works the same on PC. Also almost any text program will open a .rtf file on any platform.

sevenkay said:

2 - I hear about a new Mac OS coming out soon. Is this correct? Would it be wise to wait? You see, I want to purchase this laptop during Tennessee's tax-free weekend coming up in a couple of weeks. Also, I would get the "free" ipod for being a college student.

Click to expand...

Yes, a new OS, we will either see it released august 7-11 or see a preview of it (im betting preview). If you buy a mac after august 7-11 you will have the most up to date mac you can buy.

sevenkay said:

3 - How bad are Macs for overheating? The last laptop I had overheated to the point where I had to have my system board replaced twice. When I use my laptop, I actually use it on my lap, not on a desk or a pad.

Click to expand...

Another reason to wait until after august 7th. MacBooks are warm, but they will be getting better in rev b or if new firmware (not that it will help too much)

sevenkay said:

4 - There are simple operations that I am unsure of their availability on a Mac. Things like right click, right click and save as and the issue of being able to scroll up and down a page with just the touchpad or not.

Click to expand...

Yes. Right click can be done with a mouse if it has 2 buttons. Same with scrolling. On the touch pad you can use 2 fingers and scroll with that. To right click with a touch pad you can press "control+click" and it will work.

sevenkay said:

5 - What are things I am most likely to miss about a PC?

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Blue screens? Useless updates? Viruses? Millions of useless programs, and millions of programs that all do the same thing?... not sure. maybe wide selection of games?

sevenkay said:

I wanted to ask these questions as to make sure I am getting the most accurate and up-to-date information. If there is anything else you think I should know, please post. Thanks in advance for your help.

-sevenkay

Click to expand...

Yeah, try out a mac before you buy it, there are a few people out there that belong on PCs.

There are free alternatives like "OpenOffice.org" for mac (and PC).

Graphite answered all of the questions for you very nicely. I noticed that you asked about the new OS coming out and if you should wait to buy one with it. like Graphite said, we'll know for sure what happens with Leopard once WWDC happens. I'm waiting for WWDC to end before I purchase my own Mac. from what I've read here in numerous topics, no one knows when Leopard will be released. if Leopard isn't released until sometime in 2007, I would buy the Mac now and then install Leopard later if I wanted to. otherwise, if it's going to be released sometime in 2006, I'm going to make myself hold out a little longer for it.

and, yes, just like Graphite said... try one out! I played around on a friend's Mac Mini and Macbook to see if I liked the feel of everything before I decided that a Mac was something I wanted for college and not just a regular PC. they also both had and used MS Word and said it was fine. good luck!

sevenkay said:

4 - There are simple operations that I am unsure of their availability on a Mac. Things like right click, right click and save as and the issue of being able to scroll up and down a page with just the touchpad or not.

Click to expand...

you can right-click the ways that graphite listed, but with the new apple notebooks you can also do a two-finger click. you put two fingers on the touchbad and then click the button and it does a right-click.

1 - What is the easiest solution to the compatability issue? I need to use MS Word for school. Also, what if I save something from my Mac to a jump drive and need to open/print it from a PC? I've heard about Bootcamp and such but I'm still confused.

Click to expand...

http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37495&highlight=word+documents
http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/

2 - I hear about a new Mac OS coming out soon. Is this correct? Would it be wise to wait? You see, I want to purchase this laptop during Tennessee's tax-free weekend coming up in a couple of weeks. Also, I would get the "free" ipod for being a college student.

Click to expand...

http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37768&highlight=leopard+wait

3 - How bad are Macs for overheating? The last laptop I had overheated to the point where I had to have my system board replaced twice. When I use my laptop, I actually use it on my lap, not on a desk or a pad.

Click to expand...

http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32727&highlight=heat
Search for "heat" in titles only.

4 - There are simple operations that I am unsure of their availability on a Mac. Things like right click, right click and save as and the issue of being able to scroll up and down a page with just the touchpad or not.

Click to expand...

http://pcworld.about.com/news/Sep092005id122412.htm

You got a mighty mouse, you got right click with the works. The trackpad can Right-click too, as it can scroll.

5 - What are things I am most likely to miss about a PC?

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Depends. Actually nothing, it's just DIFFERENT. You have to experience it to see what personal quirks you run into, but a mac will not lessen your productivity.


You searched, right ;-) ?

Just for reference, I use MSWord on my Mac and find it to be very easy and normal so no worries about it being any different really then a windows Word program.

I am a switcher of some two months now. What do I miss from Windows? Really only two things at this point:

1) Snap To - most Windows mouse drivers feature "Snap To" where the mouse pointer moves to the default button on any dialog. This feature can be acquired for Mac OS X via some pretty pricey shareware, but other than that, it simply isn't available on a Mac. I REALLY miss this one.

2) More Flexible Window Resizing - on a Mac, you can only resize a window by grabbing the lower right corner. That is it - none of the other edges, corners, etc. work. AND, when you do place the mouse pointer over that one lonely little lower right corner, the mouse pointer doesn't change shape or give you any other visual feedback that you are on a "hot zone". I also REALLY miss the ability to resize windows using just about any edge.

What don't I miss? Just about everything else! Nothing in the world is perfect, and neither is Mac OS X ...but, on a scale of 1 to 100, I would award Windows a number in the 50's, while I would award Mac OS X a number in the 90's. Yes, there are little annoyances, but there are SO many pluses. You won't regret switching. I certainly have no intent of EVER going back to Micro$oft again.