need to buy Mac yet!

[lori5060]

just joined this forum.

I have been Microsoft user many many years and so my habits are well engrained in my head.

I have been toying with idea of switching to Mac for about a year now for several reasons.

Am very intrigued with the many good things I hear about MAC and yet a little fearful of all the NEW stuff I will have to learn and re train this old brain.

My first concern with Mac was how can I use all my many Word,Excel and PP files without having to buy a lot of software. And can I still do some of my favourite things on Mac and I did on MS PC. I did use a lot of non MS products and have discovered that many of them have MAC versions. So there I am in luck.
After a lot of research, I see that with a little bit of bending here and there, it will be of no big concern.

Recently from library book on dummies...switching to mac...I am even more confused with the basic keyboard functions and how to work with Mac. Connecting printers and scanners, getting drivers and all that techy stuff which I am not too familiar with.

I have put that book aside for now until I let my brain rest.

I plan to pop in and get some feedback as I find out more and more.
I plan to buy a Macbook Air.

 

[Saymop]

Like I say, if you're willing to do it.
Then do it.

I was pretty much in the same boat as you, I've been watching tutorial videos and reading some nice threads on this site.

Still waiting for my Macbook Pro in the mail though. Haha.


Oh and I've heard that the keyboard just kinda grows on ya.

 

[pigoo3]

Sounds to me that you don't have a lot of experience with Macintosh computers and the Mac OS. I would suggest you get more "hands on" time with the Mac and OS before spending some big bucks!

- Nick

 

[Exodist]

Sounds to me that you don't have a lot of experience with Macintosh computers and the Mac OS. I would suggest you get more "hands on" time with the Mac and OS before spending some big bucks!

- Nick

I agree, if you have a Apple reseller or Apple Store near by I would suggest stopping and letting one of the tech introduce you to the systems and then play around with it yourself.

You will find only there is a difference, but OSX is very intuitive and most everyone catches onto the basics fairly quickly..

 

[lori5060]

Thanks for all your input and tips. I do have iphone and ipad so am getting a bit of a feel of apple product.

 

[lori5060]

My PC (microsoft) is giving me problems. may be my HD had the biscuit. mayb tis a light bulb sign for me to take bull by horns and buy Macbook Air.

Have read that Macbook Air does not have HD but flash storage also no DVD drive...tho that is not an issue.

I am not quite getting this flash storage concept. Is there a component inside called a flash drive which is lighter and smaller than HD in a Mac desktop? is this where all files are stored?

I am getting braver and braver with each bit of research I am finding. Getting closer and closer to ordering one. Am now looking into whether I should upgrade RAM and/or processor speed.
I basically do a lot of word and some excel work. Email and researching on net. I have in past worked with editing pictures, video and audio files tho won't attempt any of that for now.

 

[pigoo3]

Have read that Macbook Air does not have HD but flash storage also no DVD drive...tho that is not an issue.

Most of Apple laptop/notebook computers have had flash storage for 2-3 years now...and no optical drive (CD/DVD drive).

I am not quite getting this flash storage concept. Is there a component inside called a flash drive which is lighter and smaller than HD in a Mac desktop? is this where all files are stored?

Yes to all questions (flash drive or flash storage).

- Nick

 

[lori5060]

Thanks. I shall look into possibility of getting additional storage and probably speed.

 

[banesto]

My sister just purchased an iMac, and loves that!
she has an iPhone and iPad
all of her Windows apps migrated using bootcamp.
she just got used to using apple within 2 weeks.
if that helps
I have a macbook air and love the laptop!
we seem informative here if anything goes wrong or you need help.

 

[lori5060]

Thankyou for positive comments about your sis success with her mac

 

[docx]

When I got my first mac i found the video tutorials that are available from the App store very helpful.

 

[joema]

...I have been Microsoft user many many years and so my habits are well engrained in my head....been toying with idea of switching to Mac for about a year now for several reasons...yet a little fearful of all the NEW stuff I will have to learn and re train this old brain....how can I use all my many Word,Excel and PP files without having to buy a lot of software...

If you are still on Windows 7 IMO going to Windows 8 is a bigger change than going to Mac OS X. Arguably OS X is more familiar and "Windows like" than Windows 8 is.

Regarding existing Word/Excel/PP files, your options are import them into apps like OpenOffice, LibreOffice, NeoOffice, or Google Drive, else purchase the Mac version of MS Office.

However -- since Macs use the Intel x86 CPU, you can also run Windows on your Mac either via BootCamp (booting into Windows) or use Parallels or VMWare to run your Windows apps within OS X. So there are several valid solutions to accessing existing Windows documents and apps on a Mac.

The MacBook Air is probably the best laptop ever made, which is why so many other manufacturers try to copy it. However if you don't really need that portability you might be better satisfied with an iMac.

 

[Exodist]

If you don't mind a cloud based solution to Microsoft Office, they have www.Office.com and is free. Just set up a MS account at no cost and also had cloud storage.. It also lets you save to desktop. But it runs in a web browser.. I however rather have client side application and got Office 2011 for Mac.. I like it sorta, but liked older versions better.

 

[lori5060]

I am still using win7 as I do not like win 8 very much.

I may try open office tho hear it can be quite a system hog. Comments??
I will check into others you suggested. I understand that I can play with open office on my old PC which wuld give me better insight to that program's capabilities.

I prefer NOT to try to keep using win via bootcamp. If I am converting, I am going all the way, without a crutch!
I will work around any new/different versions of software as needed. As long as I can access my files i will be fine... I am sure.

MacBook Air is exactly what I plan on getting! For dvd works etc I can always use old desktop with win7

many thanks for your input!

 

[lori5060]

If you don't mind a cloud based solution to Microsoft Office, they have www.Office.com and is free. Just set up a MS account at no cost and also had cloud storage.. It also lets you save to desktop. But it runs in a web browser.. I however rather have client side application and got Office 2011 for Mac.. I like it sorta, but liked older versions better.

Not sure about this option but will look into it. Having my personal files on "cloud" is a bit un nervibg for me. Privacy and all that!

In the end tho as I stated previously, if I am going mac, I will go all the way learning and experimenting on my way!

 

[joema]

...I may try open office tho hear it can be quite a system hog. Comments??...I prefer NOT to try to keep using win via bootcamp. If I am converting, I am going all the way, without a crutch!...

My limited experience with the OpenOffice spreadsheet on OS X is it tends to crash a lot. However you'll have to make your own evaluation. There are many options.

Re BootCamp, remember that is not your only option. You can run OS X and use Parallels to run Windows within that and run Windows apps, intermixed on your desktop with OS X apps. Lots of people do that.

The MacBook Air is a great computer -- I have two of them and two iMacs. I have used various Windows clones of it such as the Asus UX303LA. They look like the MBA but it's like they copied the pattern of a fine garment but made it out of burlap instead of silk.

 

[pigoo3]

They look like the MBA but it's like they copied the pattern of a fine garment but made it out of burlap instead of silk.

Nice!

- Nick

 

[lori5060]

Bit of nerd in this respect.......
on win7 and all past OS I have used, have made it a point to learn WHERE all program files and other types (even the hidden ones) were located and how to access them via viewing win explorer.
Also with various non ms programs, liked to change the default folder for saved docs.
Not sure if same option on mac is available or not!
OR ----- mayb just mayb it is time to let go of that logic!

 

[lori5060]

Thanks, good info bout open office excel!
Lots to learn yet bout my options.

 

[chas_m]

The Mac does come with a bit of a change of thinking. It's very "zen" whereas Windows is, I find, very "engineer" in terms of its "philosophy of operating,"

To put this another way: if a PC is an Agatha Christie mystery, the Mac is more like The Big Lebowski!