macOS Do I need a PC for this kind of work?

[Soulstorm]

Hello. I think that I have a very serious prob, and I would like to ask some questions.

I am a Mac user from my 8 years. I also know very well to work onto a pc, but the fact is that I don't have one. I am now 19 years old and I am going to start my University class which involves programming. We will be programming in C, objective-C, C++ and stuff like that.

Now what's the problem?

The problem is that I live in Greece, and Mac support here is simply non-existent. When I go to my university, all programs they will give us to do will be based into PC applications!

Do I need to get a PC in order to be able to write these applications that they ask us to do? Or at least, will I need Virtual PC? I am now trying to figure out XCode by apple (i have downloaded version 1.5), but is that enough?

XCode involves so much code that really gives me the creeps when I think about how can I write simple applications that will also work in windows...

Any recommendations?

 

[Nermal]

Will your C programming be Windows programming (ie. with a GUI etc) or just console programming? Xcode should be fine when it comes to console programming, it's really only the GUI code which is different between platforms.

 

[Soulstorm]

Will your C programming be Windows programming (ie. with a GUI etc) or just console programming? Xcode should be fine when it comes to console programming, it's really only the GUI code which is different between platforms.

I think that it's concole programming but I cannot be sure... If its with GUI will a Virtual PC with some programs work?

 

[cluthz]

Dont worry yet. The first year you probably only need to use a text editor (like Text Edit, Subethaedit, emacs..). You probably dont need a IDE like XCode.

Here (Norway) the universitys have a policy that that students can use what OS they want (win/linux/mac/bsd/etc..), our labs have 50/50 with winxp/linux but im not sure if that applies to Greece.

 

[Soulstorm]

Dont worry yet. The first year you probably only need to use a text editor (like Text Edit, Subethaedit, emacs..). You probably dont need a IDE like XCode.

Here (Norway) the universitys have a policy that that students can use what OS they want (win/linux/mac/bsd/etc..), our labs have 50/50 with winxp/linux but im not sure if that applies to Greece.

Hahahaha, that was a good joke, I know a couple of these too! Sorry, but in greece there isn't any support for Mac OS. Only some retailers are here, but as far as universities, are concerned, they won't even care about how am I going to do my work here with a Mac. They know what Mac is, but they don't support it, nor they care. They will tell me "If you can afford a mac, then you can surely can afford a low-spec PC, so, buy one!". But I don't want to!

Anyway what you say about the first year is true... But I don't know how things will be afterwards.

I ask you: Virtual PC will work for me decently for this work?

 

[JupiterTwo]

I'd think VPC would work fine for this on your dual-G5. It won't be super-fast, but certainly enough to compete with a low spec PC.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

There is no problems using your Mac for most C/C++ programming (unless the university makes you use Visual Studio .Net to make winapps), havn't tried obj-C.

If you want to try cross platform C++ programming you should give Qt from Trolltech a try. Very easy to use GUI programming for Mac/Linux/Windows/etc. They are normally very generous with free edu licenses...

PS! I used to run Borland 6 through Virtual PC on a Pismo (G3@400 MHz) because one of the teachers insisted that we should use it. It wasn't very quick, but still better than most of the (rather poor) wintel boxes at the school labs.

 

[Platform]

Here (Norway) the universitys have a policy that that students can use what OS they want (win/linux/mac/bsd/etc..), our labs have 50/50 with winxp/linux but im not sure if that applies to Greece.

In your uni there is 50/50 winxp/linux but no mac's And what is the uni called
And how is the programming differnet on the mac compared to the wintel world ?

 

[takao]

In your uni there is 50/50 winxp/linux but no mac's And what is the uni called
And how is the programming differnet on the mac compared to the wintel world ?

offtopic: it's the same here
x86 dual boot (win xp pro/fedora) in all tech labs
on the other faculties they have more windows only pcs but
so far i have spotted 2 powermacs g4 (compared to hundred others) which are collecting dust(literally) in the 'special equipment' department together with exotic printers/plotters/special sound equipment etc.

our guidelines for programming are similar: use what you want at home but it has to run in the labs on either win xp pro or linux
for small console based stuff it shouldn't be a problem ... if you will be programming guis etc. virtual pc 'might' be usefull for small apps etc.

 

[Soulstorm]

ur guidelines for programming are similar: use what you want at home but it has to run in the labs on either win xp pro or linux
for small console based stuff it shouldn't be a problem ... if you will be programming guis etc. virtual pc 'might' be usefull for small apps etc.

That's the answer I was looking for. Thanks a lot... I think I will need a virtual PC either way... Because even if I write the code, I will need a PC compiler to make the program.

 

[cluthz]

In your uni there is 50/50 winxp/linux but no mac's And what is the uni called
And how is the programming differnet on the mac compared to the wintel world ?

Its the Univerity of Bergen.

Linux and mac is almost 100% compatible, if you have to run a linux app on your mac, compile it and run it in x11, fast and free...

Programming is very similar, but the GUI frontends cam make a big problem.
Java is crossplatform (we use java) but apple is veeeeery slow with updating java on hte mac platform..

 

[rickvanr]

They know what Mac is, but they don't support it, nor they care. They will tell me "If you can afford a mac, then you can surely can afford a low-spec PC, so, buy one!"

If thats the case, tell them you just bought a mac mini, or tell them you have no more money because of tuition.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Its the Univerity of Bergen.

Linux and mac is almost 100% compatible, if you have to run a linux app on your mac, compile it and run it in x11, fast and free...

Programming is very similar, but the GUI frontends cam make a big problem.
Java is crossplatform (we use java) but apple is veeeeery slow with updating java on hte mac platform..

Lots of Macs at UiB... it's just down at the dept. of informatics that the Macs has been ignored for a long time... this might change now, that a large portion of the engineers has gotten PowerBooks...