PC User

I am considering buying a mac book. I used one briefly about 15 years ago... I have always used a PC. What concerns me the most is not learning the OS, but finding out that all the software that I purchased for my PC has to be repurchased. I mainly use the Internet, email, office 2000 and some basic webpage design in Frontpage 2003. Will office 2000 and Frontpage 2003 work on the mac book.

Give me a reason to confirm my decision to buy a mac... I have gotten so tired of a PC slowing down after it reaches 3 years of age... what gives??

Thanks for any suggestions!!

Nope, Windows applications won't run on OS-X. However, you won't regret switching. As far as the software that needs to be repurchased, I did it for two Macs and spent less than I thought I would. Your Mac will come with most of what you need, however, shop around and you'll be able to find good deals.

Well, if you get Parallels or VMware with an XP (or, ugh, Vista) virtual machine you can still run windows apps while you transition completely to Mac equivalents.

You will also find that the Mac you used 15 years ago is nothing like the Mac of today. Totally revamped internals (UNIX under the hood) and UI elements of which the good has been retained, but many many changes have evolved for the better over that time. I would never have considered buying a Mac 15 years ago, and it was only within the last 2.5 years I have owned one (coming from Linux mostly, but Windows as well.) I am very glad that I did it.

You would be able to use your windows software on a mac using Parallels.

You can either boot full blown windows within Mac OS and have a full windows experience <shudders> or use the cohearance mode meaning you can add shortcuts to the windows programs you want to use in Mac OS which will open the program as if they were on the Mac but has windows XP/Vista supporting it in the background.



Short answer, yeah it'll work.

You can do what I did. I took my PC laptop (Toshiba Satellite) and cleared of ANY media file or app. All that's left on it are the Office '03 apps and system files. all my media content (iTunes, to be exact) went to my new MacBook. All still works great, but make sure that when you delete all unnecessary files on the PC, defrag it, otherwise it will still be relatively slow.

OS X Leopard didn't take much time getting used to, even after being a long time PC user. Heres a link that shows a TON of Mac shortcuts:

http://rixstep.com/2/20040510,00.shtml

**EDIT** you can also get a Mac, and double boot windows on it. I think Fusion is the service that does this. Heres the link to their website:

http://www.vmware.com/products/fusi...K=WWW_fusion&gclid=CM-d9Yzu3pMCFRKhxgod-ztoWg

walkerj said:

Well, if you get Parallels or VMware with an XP (or, ugh, Vista) virtual machine you can still run windows apps while you transition completely to Mac equivalents.

Click to expand...

Exactly. I have some Windows programs that have no Mac equivalents. So I ordered my MBP with Parallels and XP Pro pre-installed. All I had to do was install my Windows applications.

Thanks everyone for your responses... I am heading to an Apple store this weekend. I have also been listening to The Tech Guy, Leo Leporte and he has me convinced too...