Maybe a Mac in the future???

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

My husband and I were talking last night and he wants me to get a new computer. This way he could use mine and I can get a new one.
I have a 4 yr old IBM laptop that works perfectly fine, I have to say, one of the best machines I have ever bought. It has XP on it, along with various production apps and still runs great.

After almost 20 years working on Windows, I'm thinking about a Mac. I know price is not their best feature and you could get a little more on a Windows based machine for far cheaper, especially finding a great sale.

Now that Office is Mac compatible and the other apps I have grown to love have same or similiar products; I'm really considering a switch.

I wouldn't have to worry about viruses, at least not yet!
Their price for iWORKS, for an example is $79.99 as opposed to Microsoft office for a few hundred.

I can send things PDF through email which, to me, is a absolutely great!

What I would like to know is if someone sends me a word or excel document, can I open it and read it? Or vice versa?

Also, for those who have used both formats; what are the pros and cons of each?

[hulakaren Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hulakaren]

Go Macs!

I've had Macs for 9 years and I am very happy with them.

While the price of Macs are a bit higher, you do get something for it. All Macs come with the iLife suite of software (some of which, granted I never use). I use iPhoto all the time and it is a great way to organize your photos. Also Time Machine will automatically back up your Mac to an external hard drive.

Office has been available for Mac since I bought my first one. I have also used iWork and it will open Excel and Word files. It is very similar, but just a little different, so there may be an adjustment period. Well worth the $80.

You can also choose to run Windows on the Mac, but you have to restart the computer when you want to switch over and it will open the Windows side of your hard drive to viruses. As long as you don't use that side for email or web surfing though, no worries. I never use Windows on my Macs.

Of course the Mac is not perfect. I do have apps suddenly close on occasion.

Are you thinking of getting a laptop?

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

yes, definitely a laptop, I really don't want a desktop anymore, too much room and not enough portability.

Is it necessary to buy the Mac compatible version of office in order to read and/or edit?

How does there mail program compare to Outlook. I watched the video on it and it seems to have some really great features that are user friendly.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Once you go Mac, you'll never go back

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

Open Office

You don't need Office for Mac. You can use Open Office, www: OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite . It is a freeware program which can read and write/save Word/Office files. It will work just fine on a MAC and allow you to exchange files with your PC friends.

You can also use Firefox for MAC if you want, or the "native" browser, which is Safari.

I don't use a MAC, but I live with a MAC user Jerry does professional video editing for television, and he finds the MAC much easier to use than the PC. Also, MAC support is much superior. Our Apple Store has a "Genius Bar." You can make an appointment, bring your machine in, and if they can find the problem within 15 minutes there is no charge. They also offer one on one classes. You pay $100. and can have a class a week for a year.

Fern

[mishugana Member Find all posts View Profile Close mishugana]

Last time i tried to log in on a mac the special sauce ruined my modem cables

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

You don't need Office for Mac. You can use Open Office, www: OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite . It is a freeware program which can read and write/save Word/Office files. It will work just fine on a MAC and allow you to exchange files with your PC friends.

You can also use Firefox for MAC if you want, or the "native" browser, which is Safari.

I don't use a MAC, but I live with a MAC user Jerry does professional video editing for television, and he finds the MAC much easier to use than the PC. Also, MAC support is much superior. Our Apple Store has a "Genius Bar." You can make an appointment, bring your machine in, and if they can find the problem within 15 minutes there is no charge. They also offer one on one classes. You pay $100. and can have a class a week for a year.

Fern

Fern..
That's great info...I checked out the openoffice.org, looks like it will take care of my concern.

I read about the genius bar, but didn't know about the classes. It will be nice to have support close by and not have to call half way around the world.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I'm on the other side. I think if you're used to a PC, there's no particular advantage to switching to a Mac.

I work in an industry where most of the big players use Macs, and I used them in offices for many years and I still do...but I use a PC in my home office. I like the PC better. I think there's a "we're the cool kids" thing about Macs and if you really look at what you need a computer for, a PC is better for more people.

Now the cool Mac people will come and beat me up.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I agree with Wacky and I used to really like the Mac but now I prefer the PC for my email and the forums or surfing the net. It wasn't hard to switch from XP to Vista either as I had read so many negative comments about it.

The Mac is great for graphics but the PC programs are quite similar now. Editing movies may be easier with the Mac but I have never done that yet.

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

Wacky...
Thanks for your input.
Some of the utilities, from what I saw on the video, were so different, that I think I may like to use it for awhile. My old PC will still be around, so I won't be too far out of my comfort zone.
Whatever I buy, it will be the first time since my son and daughter moved out, which was a few years ago, that there will be 2 computers in the house.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I'm on the other side. I think if you're used to a PC, there's no particular advantage to switching to a Mac.

I work in an industry where most of the big players use Macs, and I used them in offices for many years and I still do...but I use a PC in my home office. I like the PC better. I think there's a "we're the cool kids" thing about Macs and if you really look at what you need a computer for, a PC is better for more people.

Now the cool Mac people will come and beat me up.

Wacky, I used to agree with you. I had the last PC standing in my house, and I was very happy with it. And I hate trying new things (at least when it comes to office systems). But then I got a Mac

[gophish Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close gophish]

I won't argue the case about Mac or PC being better, as I kind of agree that Mac does have some things over the PC. But, I still feel that I will for now pretty much stay with PC and usually recommend that to others also. One of the big reasons for me is that because of the installed base you can usually find 10 ways to do things on a PC vrs 1 way on a Mac for most things. Also if you are trying to get info on how to do something, or some software, or pretty much any help etc. you can find many more forums on PC info than you can on Mac info just because of the installed base. But like I said if someone likes the Mac better I won't say they shouldn't.

[hulakaren Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hulakaren]

I must say though, when I have friends tell me what they have to do with viruses and spyware and such, I look at them like they're crazy to put up with that!
If I have any questions, I usually go to the Apple support web site and look at the forums there. I can usually find whatever answer I'm looking for there.
As for getting a laptop, do get the Apple care extended warranty. I got it for mine and it has paid for itself already. My hard drive went out on me (after 1.5 years) and I took it to the genius bar where they exchanged it out right there and upgraded it from a 60G to an 80 no charge. Of course that was because they no longer carried the 60, but whatever! I'll take it! And with time machine, no worries about anything being lost.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I must say though, when I have friends tell me what they have to do with viruses and spyware and such, I look at them like they're crazy to put up with that!
If I have any questions, I usually go to the Apple support web site and look at the forums there. I can usually find whatever answer I'm looking for there.
As for getting a laptop, do get the Apple care extended warranty. I got it for mine and it has paid for itself already. My hard drive went out on me (after 1.5 years) and I took it to the genius bar where they exchanged it out right there and upgraded it from a 60G to an 80 no charge. Of course that was because they no longer carried the 60, but whatever! I'll take it! And with time machine, no worries about anything being lost.

So true and certainly with a notebook. In the beginning, Apple used to give so much free help and information online but now they won't give you one extra day if your policy happens to expire the week it goes out. I have to give more credit to HP for much better service when we needed it once. I didn't expect the help.

We bought an extended policy on our Toshiba notebook and used it three times over the years (over heating twice). One repair was so expensive that I would have retired the laptop immediately if I had to pay for it but now I still have it after six years or so. I love it but it is slow for today's standards.

Let us know how you like the Mac notebook.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I have a Powerbook that is over 4 years old. I did fry the hard drive and the motherboard a while ago before I learned that they are really supposed to be "desktops" and not "laptops." But even without an extended care policy and long out of warranty, the max that Apple charged to rebuild the whole machine was $340, no matter what it needed. Now I am more careful about not leaving lying on the bed without turning it upside down so the fans aren't blocked, etc... I do replace the battery every 18 months or so.

I really would like to get something lighter, am waiting on the next version of the Air, but the truth is my old Powerbook is just fine and doesn't need replacing...