To Mac or Not to Mac

stoldie · May 8, 2007

Hello everybody, I am new to this forum and this is my first post....
I needed to get this out...

for the past however many years (since windows 3.1) I have been a PC user. I went to university got an honours degree and am now in my sixth year of working in the software development industry.
At first - All these things I could do with a PC were brilliant, endless in fact and the world was my oyster. Now, let's fastforward to the present day - having worked with windows every single day just about for 6 years... my sheer frustration and most of the time... disbelief is at breaking point.
I know, I know .... you've heard this all a million times about people finally discovering the world of MAC. MAC and OSX didn't find me.. I went looking for it! Forced into making myself think.... surely I dont have to put up with this for the rest of my days... there must be something else!!
I cannot believe I have just accepted it for so long, and I cannot believe that everyone else just accepts it too! the doom that is windows.
Granted... I will still have to use a PC in my current profession as a .NET developer, but for personal use... Never again will I buy a windows based PC.

I am shortly about to take a year out of work (to go travelling) so there is no point in purchasing my first MAC just yet.... but I cannot wait until I return so I can go straight out and buy a 24" imac - to start enjoying working with computers again.... heck.. I may even re-train so as to work with macs for a living.

I am gonna switch, after a well deserved holiday.

Surely I'm doing the right thing?

RiDE · May 8, 2007

Welcome! If I were you I would buy a macbook for your travels.

Don't change careers... with fixing windows problems, you'll have TONS of work for ever.

A Mac repair person and the Maytag Man are the two loneliest jobs on earth

<please pass me some more KoolAid> ;D

andrebnu · May 8, 2007

RIDE said:
Don't change careers... with fixing windows problems, you'll have TONS of work for ever.

A Mac repair person and the Maytag Man are the two loneliest jobs on earth

LOL!!!

Anyway....have you heard about Bootcamp/Parallels already??

You can use your mac and still work with windows-based applications.

I have a friend that works for 5 different Companies (I mean BIG, Multinational Companies..), all of them with windows based servers, networks, etc.

He works flawless with his macbook pro everywhere, even connecting at this companies citryx metaframe.

stoldie · May 8, 2007

Thanks for the reply guys,

I have only used Tiger a couple of times but it has been a joy. It looks to me as though it is a perfect platform from which to generate and manage multi-media...
Is it really that good an operating system - or have i been polluted with working with windows so long?

I've done some research and Leopard looks awesome!! this will surely 'seal the deal for many potential switchers??

as for boot camp - I've read about it - would i really want to tarnish a new machine with it though??
Do you think the iMacs are best for those new to macs? the iMac screen seems like it will just put the icing on the cake... whereas the macbook screens look small.... do you not loose the magic with these?

thanks,

RiDE · May 8, 2007

If you do not need portability... The iMac is certainly the way to go... My thought was to pick-up a macbook for use on your vacation... I mean, if you can afford a 1 year vacation... the cost of a macbook is a mere "drop in the bucket".. and IMO would greatly add to your vacation... emailing pics from around the world, webcam with family, web search for restaurants, maps, etc..

andrebnu · May 8, 2007

choosing a computer is extremely personal, and it depends on your needs.

Would you like/need mobility?

Do you want a huge desktop-like machine?

You definitely "do not loose the magic" with a macbook. All right, 12" is quite small for ones, but ir's perfect for others.

For professional use, I would go for 15.4".

That's what I have, although I still don't use it profissionaly. (I have a notebook from my company, and I'm only allowed to use this one).

When I did the switch, I wanted both mobility and desktop-like experience.

So I've bought a MBP, and a 20" LCD monitor.

About installing bootcamp....well...so far I don't have any reason to do that.

I just missed Money 2007, so I'm running it through Parallels. And I'm not ashamed about it, because I've tried a lot of financial software for mac, none of them gave me the money experience.

flilow06 · May 8, 2007

Read my sig! It goes with your thread title... =)

I know it's cheesy...