too bad

I hate to say it, but i'm considering going back to a PC. I do like the mac, it works great I like working on it. But I have a few complaints that are just frustrating enough.

Office 2008 works good. I don't have solver in excel and the equation editor for word doesn't work. I did get the solver add-on but it's slow and annoying to use. I still can't get the F4 button to lock a cell when i'm typing in a formula like it does in windows.

I have a number of programs that i'm using for school that only work in windows. Every time I do homework (i'm a chemical engineering student) I always have a virtual box open to run my software.

Basically, a mac just isn't made for engineers. Most of the software is windows only, and it's frustrating. I like the mac, but I do have to use the software that need. I have an imac, and I don't anticipate selling it, but I am going to get a laptop. I was hoping to get a macbook pro but I think I might have to get a pc.

Bootcamp + Windows. Use Mac for everything else that isn't school related.

Bootcamp!

Crimson... you got in there while I was reading the post

6string said:

Crimson... you got in there while I was reading the post

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I is a fast reader.

Agreed - engineering software on OSX is pretty weak. Also agree with the previous posts. Bootcamp/Parallels is my solution as well. I have a bootcamp partition pointed to by Parallels. With Parallels 6 it is pretty snappy. I also upped my RAM to 8GB so I don't go into swap anymore either. That has helped too. VirtualBox cannot do this currently.

With Parallels I also have a Ubuntu Virtual machine that I use to run all my CAD software locally. If I really need the horsepower I vnc or xwindows/ssh into a beefy server.

If you are looking for a laptop just to have a laptop then by all means go get a windows machine to back up your Mac. If you just want to run Windows and save some money - just bootcamp, minimize the Mac partition and never boot into OSX. Or try Parallels - it really does run well - all but the most intense 3D games/applications - and simulations that take 100% cpu for long periods of time.

NyoGoat said:

I hate to say it, but i'm considering going back to a PC. I do like the mac, it works great I like working on it. But I have a few complaints that are just frustrating enough.

Click to expand...

Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do!

Come back when you feel like it...you're always welcome!

- Nick

Bootcamp is great and all, but I realized that every time I sit at my computer I open windows, and that kind of defeats the purpose I think. It's more hassle to try and switch back to the mac just to use the internet and then go back to windows to do everything that I do.

But that is what we are saying. Load Bootcamp/windows - set the default to boot windows, and don't boot into OSX - you have your windows computer.

Go back. Or install Windows on your iMac. But if you do want a laptop, go ahead and get whatever you want. Some folks just don't like OSX, and some just don't like anything from MS.

6string said:

Bootcamp!

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quoted for truth.

NyoGoat said:

Bootcamp is great and all, but I realized that every time I sit at my computer I open windows, and that kind of defeats the purpose I think. It's more hassle to try and switch back to the mac just to use the internet and then go back to windows to do everything that I do.

Click to expand...

it's not a hassle at all(imo), reboot and hold alt couldnt be any easier. Have you tried parallels at all too?

I do have bootcamp installed. I feel funny having my fancy mac boot into windows all the time. I could have built a similar or better spec'ed pc for less, so it kind of feels like buying a fancy sport car with a limiting chip (not that a mac is inherently faster than a pc, but it is supposed to be more awesome). I haven't used parallels because it costs, but virtual box had a pretty easy set do do what I needed, and i was bugged that I always had to have windows up whenever I sat down, even though I could run them side by side. You'de have to really love OS-X to run two OS's all the time I think. I need a second computer, which is why i'll be getting a pc laptop, but when it comes time to upgrade I think i'll be phasing out the mac.

It is obvious you want a second computer so go get one. Here is your internet seal of approval to go spend money.


You do realize a laptop is more expensive than Parallels?

Awww

You guy's are missing the point. The question wasn't whether or not I should buy another computer. I was lamenting that I liked the mac but it wasn't useful for what I need, so I will be phasing it out.

Parallels seems to be all the hype, how is it different from virtual box? I have windows set up in a virtual box that I use and it works, but you seem to think that parallels will fix my problem and make me want to run two OS's all the time? Like I said before, isn't that a hassle? I do like OS-X a lot, but not enough to keep it up on the side just for internet because most everything else I do requires windows.

I've heard both sides of the mac-pc arguments, I gave the mac a good honest look at and I like it, but it doesn't work for what I need. It's too bad because I really do like it and I will have it for a at least a year because I already bought my imac. But my next purchases will probably be pc's.

NyoGoat said:

CLIP... I have an imac, and I don't anticipate selling it, but I am going to get a laptop. I was hoping to get a macbook pro but I think I might have to get a pc.

Click to expand...

Actually, we got it. The general thread was that you COULD run both OSes at once through Parallels or VMWare, saving some startup time over Bootcamp by leaving them running all the time and just switching to them on the fly. I did that for a while, until I was totally weaned from Windows, and it wasn't much of a hassle at all. But if you're buying a laptop anyway, go ahead and get something to run whatever OS you want. There are some pretty cheap laptops out there with MS stuff. Of course, you get what you pay for, but hey, if it's a knockabout school machine that you plan to throw away in a couple of years, it'll do.

Just make sure you are doing a fair comparison of laptops. Unless you want a laptop made of marshmallows you want to get a business class laptop from a PC maker. Also once you make the specs match you'll see that the price difference isn't all that much. I usually recommend business class laptops from Fujitsu, Lenovo, or Toshiba.

I do plenty of engineering with my Macbook Pro, but a lot of it is through Virtual Machines and logging into big servers. With a built in X11 server and macports I can run a lot of FOSS native on the Mac. When I need to use a windows or linux box - I can do that too. The reverse is not true - you cannot (legally) run a Mac in a virtual machine from the other OSes. Other than Office what software do you run that needs Windows?

Lastly - what really brought me over to Mac is the touch pad. With a Windows laptop I always wanted an external mouse. With the trackpad on the Mac I hardly every plug in an external mouse. Going back to a non-multitouch interface is really annoying.

NyoGoat said:

You guy's are missing the point. The question wasn't whether or not I should buy another computer. I was lamenting that I liked the mac but it wasn't useful for what I need, so I will be phasing it out.

Parallels seems to be all the hype, how is it different from virtual box? I have windows set up in a virtual box that I use and it works, but you seem to think that parallels will fix my problem and make me want to run two OS's all the time? Like I said before, isn't that a hassle? I do like OS-X a lot, but not enough to keep it up on the side just for internet because most everything else I do requires windows.

I've heard both sides of the mac-pc arguments, I gave the mac a good honest look at and I like it, but it doesn't work for what I need. It's too bad because I really do like it and I will have it for a at least a year because I already bought my imac. But my next purchases will probably be pc's.

Click to expand...

Not sure if you visited this site or not but it will give you the advantages. Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac - The #1 choice of customers worldwide

To be honest, the tipping point was Mac Office 2008. I have been ok running my other needed programs in a virtual box, but excel is quirky and annoying, and then the lack of equation editor threw me over. I paid for office once, I don't want to have to buy a windows version just to be able to write technical reports. I'm frustrated because I feel like even the common-place software isn't compatible with what I do.