[HyperM3]

So I was at Best Buy yesterday and was just amazed at how sexy the iMacs were. 24" screen? Come on, thats just hot.

My hesitancy is that I havent used an Apple since my first computer was a IIe(for those old enough to remember).

I want to make the switch but will it be hard to learn how to use the new OS compared to the windows Ive known for the past 15 yrs? Will it be hard to have everything work on it that I have working on my PC now? Will it be a long while before Im comfortable using it properly?

Thanks in advance.

[spesrf25]

I bought my first Mac in April (MacBook Pro), and haven't looked back. The only issue I have had is compatability with some software, and a learning curve.
Oh, and the Apple Protection Plan is well worth it.

Not at all dude. I own like 6 windows in my house and 4 macs. 3 Macbook pros and one iMac, as you said with the big 24" glossy screen. The keyboards are sick and thin, right?!

Anyways, those new machines come with 'intel' based chips, so if worse comes to worse.. just load up bootcamp and run windows on it. It runs it smoother then a windows computer lol... imo, unless you have it decked out.

Everything is pretty basic, but you just lack gaming that isn't out for mac... (such as steam, counter-strike, tf2, cod(ithink), etc)

If you want a smoother more elgant look, go with mac, I have a windows laptop in my room, cuz I torrent and need a few programs to burn stuff and i like the windows torrent program....... but everything is so cluttered with shyt and i miss my nice little imac setup........

but thats just me.......flame suit on

mac>windows imo protection wise.

[linus]

Always been a windows/PC user. This summer purchased my first mac - macbook pro 15" intel core 2 duo. Loved it so much we bought a 24" imac for the family. Recently, bought a third - macbook. Make sure that you get at least 2gb of ram. As gameovr said, can use windows on these new machines if you really want to. I generally don't. New version of microsoft office being released in two weeks for mac (office 2008). Will pick up the student and teacher edition which can be installed on 3 macs.

Now, there are many many benefits to the mac. You'll notice after you've lived with one for a while. I've found the way it handles digital media to be superb. The new OS is fantastic - apart from initial bugs. Beautiful computers these are!!!!!!!

[HyperM3]

Thanks for your input guys. I dont do ANY gaming so Im not worried about losing my PC in that regard. The things I do most of is music and photo storage. I think the mac will help in that regard.

Im just tired of bringing my PC tower in for service every 6 months or trying to diagnose why its bugging out even after virus scan cant find anything.

[MikeCCrutchfield]

Buy a mac, use bootcamp and you can run both Windows and OSX

[NaTuReB0Y]

I switched from a Mac to PC a couple of years ago.......and I can easily say MAC

[NPDAN]

Dont be skurred.... the Mac is your friend... Once you go Mac you never go back...

[HyperM3]

The big setback I see right now is the fact that you have to decide on monitor size right from the getgo and your stuck with it for as long as you own it. Unlike a pc, you can swap monitors whenever you want. So is the 20" adequate or is the 24" too big. Will I get size envy if I get the smaller one or get pissed that the 24" is too large when Im sitting only 2 feet from it.

Since Im not watching movies or tv on it(hell, my LCD in my bedroom is only 26") do I need one that big or is it just get it to say I have it?

[OC Guy]

I would get the 23" Apple Cinema Display now but the thing is a bit dated. It is due for an update and I expect one in the next couple of months or so.

Edit: oops, sorry I didn't read IMAC. 20" is fine, 24 might be a bit big.

[e92phreak]

If you REALLY needed to go back to the Windows world, you could install Windows on your Mac as well, using either Bootcamp or Parallels.

[Nyulak]

Depending on your storage and graphics needs, you could purchase a Mac Mini and then add whatever keyboard, mouse, and monitor combination you wish. The storage is easily expanded with external hard drives, which should probably be purchased for back up anyway.

I have the original 15" MBP from last year's MacWorld (ordered it at work while constantly refreshing the internet for up to date Jobness). A couple of months back I purchased a new Alu iMac with the 24" monitor. If you are hesitant with monitor size, just get the larger size and enjoy its picture goodness. There is an additional monitor output if you want to add another display, but it uses a different type of connection - a mini-DVI port.

[OC Guy]

Originally Posted by e92phreak

If you REALLY needed to go back to the Windows world, you could install Windows on your Mac as well, using either Bootcamp or Parallels.

For further clarification, Bootcamp is to dual boot. Parallels or my preferred alternative, VMWare allows virtualization. Where you can be in OSX and emulate most Windows apps without rebooting and getting out of OSX. Unless you have a Windows specific app or a game, IMO it's not really necessary. I rarely boot to Windows anymore.

[magmd]

I used to have a mac....back in the PerformaPC days

Then I switched to PC and have been with it for years now.

I am going to go back to Mac....when the new MacBook Pro are announced. I am holding out for that superslim they have been been talking about now forever. I can't wait for MacWorld to happen so I can see if its time

[e92phreak]

Originally Posted by OC 335i

For further clarification, Bootcamp is to dual boot. Parallels or my preferred alternative, VMWare allows virtualization. Where you can be in OSX and emulate most Windows apps without rebooting and getting out of OSX. Unless you have a Windows specific app or a game, IMO it's not really necessary. I rarely boot to Windows anymore.

J...
Thanks for the further clarification. I had to run cuz we were headed to the valley to eat at Pho 999.

I still have to go into Windows because my NAS drive is NTFS *sigh*...

[OC Guy]

Originally Posted by e92phreak

J...
Thanks for the further clarification. I had to run cuz we were headed to the valley to eat at Pho 999.

I still have to go into Windows because my NAS drive is NTFS *sigh*...

Np, I figured you knew, just wanted to help the guy out.

Another good point, make sure u format Fat32.

You can communicate to your NAS drive via SMB though can't you?

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

So I was at Best Buy yesterday and was just amazed at how sexy the iMacs were. 24" screen? Come on, thats just hot.

My hesitancy is that I havent used an Apple since my first computer was a IIe(for those old enough to remember).

I want to make the switch but will it be hard to learn how to use the new OS compared to the windows Ive known for the past 15 yrs? Will it be hard to have everything work on it that I have working on my PC now? Will it be a long while before Im comfortable using it properly?

Thanks in advance.

im a microsoft developer, i do everything on microsoft, i just have to have it.

but i made that step of buying a MacBook Pro this year. OS is easy for regular operations (word, excel, photo editing, web surfing, etc.)
but im missing my keyboard shortcuts that i learned (cant use mouse due to wrist injury)

do it man

[penny31]

100% get it.. ill never get anything but a mac ever again.

[Gripster]

Once you go Mac, you'll never go back....

I'm a self-confessed nerd/geek and one of my hobbies was always tinkering with PC's and Windows boxes. Then a few years ago, I got a Mac to use as a digital jukebox for the living room (an iLamp G4), because the machine had a unique style compared to PCs of the time.

What i found was that OS X and the iLife apps were very well designed. The machine didn't need rebooting (I just use the sleep function) and just worked. Over time it became my main computer and when my PC died, I replaced it with a Mac.

Thing is OS X is just so stable. It doesn't bog down after 6 months requiring a reinstall in the way that XP does. Vista is an improvement (I use it for work) but it runs slowly and the sleep function is still hit and miss. Contrary to popular belief, the Mac apps themselves do crash a lot, but the OS only goes down when there is a hardware issue. The laptop I am writing this on was last rebooted in November and here we are in January!

With virtualization technology, the new Macs can run Windows. I always kept a Windows box around for gaming and the occassional app with no Mac alternative. Now I use my Xbox for gaming, the Mac for computing and Virtualization for that Windows app which doesn't have a Mac equivalent. Oh, and it's nice not to have to reinstall the OS twice a year!

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by OC 335i

I would get the 23" Apple Cinema Display now but the thing is a bit dated. It is due for an update and I expect one in the next couple of months or so.

Edit: oops, sorry I didn't read IMAC. 20" is fine, 24 might be a bit big.

stop making people spend money man

[HyperM3]

I picked up a 900+ page book "the missing manual" by David Pogue to learn how to use it. Its kinda tough to learn things without the computer in front of me but Im sure it will become like second nature soon enough.

[!Xoible]

btw when you buy it online, go thru the student discount. They will never verify, i picked CSUF (cal state uni fullerton), they took me to CSUF website, then took me back to Mac's website and got 200 off