Mac for School? Is it the right choice?

I am looking to invest in a laptop for Grad School. I talked with the people from the school and the e-mail that they sent to me read something to the extent that "Windows Xp is ok, Vista is slow; for wireless capabilities students must have internal wireless 'G'. Must have MS office suite with PowerPoint and Word.....then the kicker is it sais....Macs are acceptable, but we cannot adequately support them, make sure that students coming in know this and we are a "PC" friendly campus"

So with all that being said. I have been trying to read up as much as I can about Mac's with the ability to run Windows software and how PP and Word can be ran through Mac. As experienced Mac users however, I want your opinions. Would this discourage you if you were in my shoes from getting a Mac? I know that windows programs can be ran, but on a scale 1-10; easy-hard; how viable is it to adapt to running these programs? I know computers fairly well and I am able to navigate with ease, however I have never even laid my hands on a Mac.

So why Mac? After all I have read, I have a PC and want to go to something different, and I have heard so many good things about them I wanna give it a try.

murse13 said:

I talked with the people from the school and the e-mail that they sent to me read something to the extent that "Windows Xp is ok, Vista is slow...

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What about Windows 7?

pigoo3 said:

What about Windows 7?

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They didn't mention in the e-mail except for the fact that it's currently pre-loaded on PC's.

Also to add this is going to be primarily a school, communication computer. No gaming, just something to write papers, connect to people via internet and webcam,and to be able to stay organized throughout the rigorous program.

pigoo3 said:

What about Windows 7?

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Windows 7 should be supported but most schools cant say it yet since most new PCs have 64 bit and some stuff doesn't work well with it....or so the case is at my school.

You may consider asking what isn't supported. You'll need word, or something compatible, obviously. I won't get into that, but you can read the reviews on this site over what's more compatible for school use.

I'd be concerned over whether there are issues with the e-mail server, and if their wireless routers provide trouble connecting with airport.

You may want to call or shoot them an e-mail addressing this.

I got one for grad school as well and it worked like a charm (and still does). You might want to figure out what they mean by "cannot adequately support them". If it were up to me, that wouldn't deter my choice to buy a Mac but I'm comfortable fixing my own machines if they need "support". Now, if by support they mean that they require you to use software that requires you to use Windows (such as ActiveX), it's a different story. You could always install Windows on your Mac but if that's the case, you might as well buy a Windows machine.

Most schools are PC friendly and don't support Macs. That just means that they don't have any IT people on staff to help you with Mac specific problems, nor can they supply your personal computer with any software from their school licenses. I can request any school software be put onto my computer (PC only) so that I can do work without being tied to a computer lab or my desk, but cannot make that request for Mac.

You'll probably notice when you get there that many of your professors are Mac people, though, and it is likely that at least one or two of the techs in the IT dept are Mac people anyway.

If you anticipate calling your school's tech support because you are not overly computer savvy yourself, or if there is necessary software that you wish to have home access to (PASW, LISREL in my case), I would recommend PC. If you can handle most things on your own or have an external support network (like here or Applecare), and will use school computers for very specialized work then get a Mac.

These days, Macs are compatible in some way with everything PC, and Macs are superior, so I would say yes!

murse13 said:

I am looking to invest in a laptop for Grad School. I talked with the people from the school and the e-mail that they sent to me read something to the extent that "Windows Xp is ok, Vista is slow; for wireless capabilities students must have internal wireless 'G'. Must have MS office suite with PowerPoint and Word.....then the kicker is it sais....Macs are acceptable, but we cannot adequately support them, make sure that students coming in know this and we are a "PC" friendly campus"

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I suggest you buy a Mac (and perhaps Microsoft Office for Mac if you don't think iWork will cover your needs in that regard).

The lack of support from campus staff is actually a HUGE plus in favour of the Mac, as PC-centric IT staff are possibly the lowest form of life on earth, below used car salesmen, lawyer, politicians or even the cockroach.

As a Mac owner you will feel like the electric car people do when they go whizzing by a gas station.

Macs are super-reliable, easy to learn, virus-free and un-intimidating. Read all the other reports here in Switcher Hangout and see for yourself.

I'd obviously suggest Applecare with your purchase of a Mac so that you do have at least some "lifeline" of support if you need it; also you may want to check if there's a retail Apple Store, or an independent Mac dealer/service provider, and/or a Mac User Group near you so you're not totally on your own, but remember, you also have us!

I know that windows programs can be ran, but on a scale 1-10; easy-hard; how viable is it to adapt to running these programs?

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From what your school indicated, you won't have any need to run Windows on your Mac. Microsoft Office is available for the Mac (in fact, it predates Windows!), and that's the only requirement the school indicated. Everything else (network connectivity and email, primarily) should "just work."

I know computers fairly well and I am able to navigate with ease, however I have never even laid my hands on a Mac.

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You'll have no trouble then. You should probably review Switch 101 and may possibly want to pick up/check out a copy of David Pogue's Switching to the Mac, but beyond that I expect you'll pick up the "Mac mindset" very quickly.

So why Mac? After all I have read, I have a PC and want to go to something different, and I have heard so many good things about them I wanna give it a try.

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Great! Have a look at this too: Apple - iLife - Find out how to use iLife applications on the Mac.

chas_m said:

As a Mac owner you will feel like the electric car people do when they go whizzing by a gas station.

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Does that analogy hold when they hit the 100 mile mark and have to stop at a recharging station and wait for their batteries to recharge while the gas guzzlers zoom by for another 250 miles? Will they then feel like the dino fuelers do? Of course we still get about 45% of our electricity from coal-fired plants, another roughly 20% from nuclear, and 23% from natural gas fired plants...all that electricity has to come from somewhere, and that's not all that clean yet.

Just sayin...

chas_m said:

The lack of support from campus staff is actually a HUGE plus in favour of the Mac, as PC-centric IT staff are possibly the lowest form of life on earth, below used car salesmen, lawyer, politicians or even the cockroach.

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Wow, glad I didn't go to your school! Mine aren't braniac Einstein's or Mother Teresa's by any means, but...

Thanks for all of your help! It is much appreciated