Just purchased, few questions.

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Ok, I just purchased a new 17" MacBook Pro (to be delivered next week) and I have a few questions.

I have been a long time PC user, however I have been using many different OS's over the years with my job. Everything from Mainframe to Unix to Irix to Solaris to Linux to all flavors of Windows. The only OS I seem not to have touched in my professional career is the MAC OX in any flavor. 15 mins in a store doesn't count.

My current laptop just had the fan go out and, being out of warranty, it was going to be too much even to have it looked at than I was willing to spend on a 4 year old laptop. Now, it was a good one and served its purpose admirably. After running some numbers (prices) of 3 different PCs and the Mac, I decided, with the help of some local videophiles, to opt for the (surprisingly cheaper) Mac.

I am still working to get some software licenses switched over from PC to MAC but until then I will need to be able to install and run CS4 and Sony Vegas Pro for photo/video work. I know that Win7 can be installed somehow on a Mac. Either Dual Booting or in a virtual machine type setting. And this brings us to my questions.

1. What will be the optimum way to go about this?
2. With the dual video cards, will the Windows install be able to take advantage of both cards like OSX or will I have to choose one or the other?
3. Are there any other nuisances when it comes to swapping over I will need to make note of so I can hit the ground running?
4. When it comes to iTunes, where is the personal library data stored so I can just copy my library and app files over without having to go back through and reset up 8 years of customization?

Thanks in advanced, and man is it going to be a LONG week.
 
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1. For video editing and extensive Photshop usage I would certainly go with BootCamp and install Win7 natively against a VM.

2. MacOSX will automatically switch between the Intel and AMD cards based on how much "performance" the task requires. There's nothing to do on your part.

I will let the other fellow members chime in regarding #3 and #4.
Good luck! (I am also waiting for my "high-end", SSD+8GB, MacBook Pro 13 to be delivered this Friday)
 
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I just bought my first Mac about a month ago. I won't be able to get into any technical depth about your questions, but I can say you are certainly in the right place for any answers.
1. I'm going to GUESS you can not transfer licenses from PC to Mac, but you can run windows on the Mac and run whatever programs you currently use that way.
2. No idea.
3. There are 'sticky' threads that are like 'must reads' at the top of each forums. The ones that are at the top of the switcher hangout are all good reads for new Mac people. The one that helped me the most was 'sage advice for new Mac switcher'.
4. My iTunes database was stored on an external. I hooked that up and drag and dropped to the 'Automatically add to iTunes' under the 'iTunes Media' folder. (found via finder).

hope that helped (a little at least)
 

BrianLachoreVPI


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I know that Win7 can be installed somehow on a Mac. Either Dual Booting or in a virtual machine type setting. And this brings us to my questions.

1. What will be the optimum way to go about this?


Thanks in advanced, and man is it going to be a LONG week.

This thread http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/running-windows-anything-else-your-mac/114239-running-windows-mac-switchers-guide.html as well as the forum from which it came should help with number 1.

Congrats on the new machine :)
 

Slydude

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Some software makers do allow you to transfer licenses from PC to Mac or the other way around. Check their websites for additional information. This option is typically called a "crossgrade". You may need to contact them directly. Many of these companies apparently don't like to advertise that option.
 

chscag

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Two companies that I know allow it: Adobe, Logos. (Both publishers sell very expensive software.)
 
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chas_m

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1. What will be the optimum way to go about this?

It sounds like you'll be doing a lot of video editing, so I'll join with the recommendation to use Boot Camp to set up a separate Windows partition. Yes, rebooting to go back and forth between the OSes will be a little bit of a pain, but it doesn't take long and will give you extra performance.

On a side note, your license for CS4 should easily transfer to the Mac, just a quick phone call to Adobe should be all it takes (there might be a fee involved to ship you new disks, however).

Of course Vegas won't transfer which is why you want to install Windows in the first place, but I predict over time you'll see the light of the excellent range of Mac video editing programs ...

3. Are there any other nuisances when it comes to swapping over I will need to make note of so I can hit the ground running?

Not sure how to answer this: there's the "pain" of unlearning (letting go of) some of the bad Windows practices and paranoias, and the usual short period of confusion you would have with any new operating system, but beyond that, I don't think so. You might be quite surprised to see how well Windows can operate on a Mac!

4. When it comes to iTunes, where is the personal library data stored so I can just copy my library and app files over without having to go back through and reset up 8 years of customization?

Users/(your user name)/Music/iTunes
 
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Deckyon
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Of course Vegas won't transfer which is why you want to install Windows in the first place, but I predict over time you'll see the light of the excellent range of Mac video editing programs ...
It will take a while before this would happen at all. This is software bought and paid for and with free upgrades based on my license. I can't see paying another $1k for another video editing suite at this time, especially after dropping $3.4k on the MBP. Yes, I am one of those rare Windows users who pays for software. Haven't even jailbroken my iPad.

Not sure how to answer this: there's the "pain" of unlearning (letting go of) some of the bad Windows practices and paranoias, and the usual short period of confusion you would have with any new operating system, but beyond that, I don't think so. You might be quite surprised to see how well Windows can operate on a Mac!
This is not a huge issue for me. I work on 3 different OS's at work, so adding a 4th (which is based on unix, which I know anyway) would not be a stretch. My first job in IT was with SGI Irix with a need to interface with a mainframe. I was just kinda hoping to see what opinions others had when they switched from Windows to OSX. As far as Virus Scanning goes, I knew everywhere I went on my PC and in the last 5 years, only one virus tried to get in, and that was caught by the built-in Windows Defender software. 99% of my email and surfing happens on my iPad anyway now (well, since September of last year).

I appreciate the comments so far. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting for the new MBP. I can only use my machine now for about an hour at a time before it shuts off. Fan went out (4 years old and heavily used).

Another quick question - There are a couple other pieces of software I use on Windows on a daily basis. One is UltraEdit (text editor that allows for direct server editing via FTP) and DVDFab Premium (allows me to rip DVDs down for my iPad). Before a whole bunch of legality issues come up, I am doing this for the DVDs I have created in the past and have lost the masters to. What I want to know is if it would be feasible to install a WINE-like install of Windows on the OSX partition or use a Virtual Machine, or to just keep them on the Windows partition and boot between?

Or, what would be the MAC equivalents?
 

chscag

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Another quick question - There are a couple other pieces of software I use on Windows on a daily basis. One is UltraEdit (text editor that allows for direct server editing via FTP) and DVDFab Premium (allows me to rip DVDs down for my iPad). Before a whole bunch of legality issues come up, I am doing this for the DVDs I have created in the past and have lost the masters to. What I want to know is if it would be feasible to install a WINE-like install of Windows on the OSX partition or use a Virtual Machine, or to just keep them on the Windows partition and boot between?

A good solution to running those programs you mention above would be to run them from a virtual machine. Setting up VM software is very easy (mostly automated). You would need a copy of Windows of course and the VM software. Both Fusion and Parallels offer trial versions you can download and try out. (I use and prefer Fusion)

There's also a free version called VirtualBox which can be downloaded from Oracle.

As long as you don't intend to run graphic intensive programs (3D acceleration), running Windows from a virtual machine works very well. There's no rebooting required, and no separate requirement for Windows backup software. The VM gets backed up along with everything else when using Time Machine.
 

RavingMac

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Two companies that I know allow it: Adobe, Logos. (Both publishers sell very expensive software.)

In the case of Logos, the software is actually free. What you purchase is your Library (and as you say can be quite expensive).
 

chscag

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Yeah, tell me about it.... :) However, when Logos released the first engine for the Mac, it was not free; even to us long time license holders. The latest Logos for Mac (version 4.X) engine is free but as you say, the library can be very expensive. Great program though.

I have to add a funny anecdote about Logos. Several months ago they advertised some free downloads. One was a Greek Bible. Being naive about it, I downloaded it and added it to our library. Several weeks later when I finally decided to open it, it was all in Greek! I thought I was getting a transliterated version of the original language. ;P
 

RavingMac

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I have to add a funny anecdote about Logos. Several months ago they advertised some free downloads. One was a Greek Bible. Being naive about it, I downloaded it and added it to our library. Several weeks later when I finally decided to open it, it was all in Greek! I thought I was getting a transliterated version of the original language. ;P

;) As they say, "it's all Greek to me"

Agree, great program. Especially like being able to access library from iPad.

BTW: OP, sorry for the hijack
 
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chas_m

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As far as Virus Scanning goes

There aren't any Mac viruses, and you're far too savvy a user to fall for any mischiefware, so in short this is one area of thinking you can leave behind. Of course you'll still need protection for your Windows setup.

Another quick question - There are a couple other pieces of software I use on Windows on a daily basis. One is UltraEdit (text editor that allows for direct server editing via FTP) and DVDFab Premium (allows me to rip DVDs down for my iPad).

There are a number of options to replace both of these for the Mac.

For UltraEdit, just off the top of my head there's BBEdit, SubEthaEdit, Coda, Transmit and probably a half-dozen more I can't think of.

For DVDFab Premium, there's Handbrake (and others, but Handbrake should be all you need).
 
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Thanks for the pointers and don't worry about the hijack. Sorry for what seems like overly noobish questions. I am just trying to get all this extra software research done so I can plug in my drive and install all this stuff and be up and running. Been looking at and downloading some of this software all day.

Man, it is gonna be a long week until it gets here.
 

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