Google Account Managed by Organization on a Mac?

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

Hello, I am new to this Forum and would like to switch from my PC to a MacBook Air.

I work primarily in MS Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat DC, and it’s my understanding I could do that from a Mac.

My question is this: One of my nonprofit clients has Google Account managed by the organization.
For ease for both of us, I use a Gmail address from that account for organization business, as well as access to the organization’s staff Calendar, shared documents on the Drive, Google Meet, etc.

On a Mac, would it be as simple as signing into that Google Account?

Thank you for listening!

 

[hobowankenobi]

Short answer: YES.

You can use the web interface and log in with your favorite browser. Or use native apps (both Apple defaults and third-party apps) for the core stuff: email, calendar, contacts, etc. Even MS Outlook for Mac works nicely with Gmail accounts.

Google Drive has a native app, and other sync tools can be used too.

Once you have a Mac handy, you can easily check out the app store, which will have most of what folks need. Beyond the app store, there are third-party and open-source download sources, including MacUpdate.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

@hobowankenobi: Than you very much.

Much obliged for your time and expertise!

 

[hobowankenobi]

No worries. Google is very platform-neutral overall. MS is much more neutral than ever before.

All the old-timers (like me) are used to the bad old days of platform wars, particularly between Apple and MS....but nearly all of that is gone. Google and MS have both (wisely) realized that the best way to make the most money is to work well on most popular platforms.

While every platform still has pros/cons and specialty strengths, the vast majority of that legacy has gone away. You will find very few hurdles on Mac these days, outside of some platform-specific software which continues to diminish over time.

The biggest challenge in changing platforms is usually familiarity...menus, layout, design, and platform-specific differences (including settings and preferences). Mostly comes down to learning the differenecs. The good news is there is a wealth of info and experience out there.

 

[imaccooper]

To echo what was already said, yes that is possible. I am on a mac with an organization account. The easiest way to do it is to download the chrome browser and log in to that account. You can keep yourself separate by using an additional account for your other work, or by using safari or another web browser.

Plenty of options, but absolutely it is possible.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

Thank you both. I’m sloppily pecking into an iPad just now around my writing work, and I have a learning curve ahead of me, but I am looking forward to making the switch with resources like these.

I have been a lurker here for a few years, and I am ready to get rid of Windows. I am not afraid of learning. I am also an “old timer” but with at least another decade of work ahead of me.

Thank you for being generous with your thoughts and time.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

So I stepped into an Apple store this weekend and settled on the MacBook Pro 14 inch base model, not the MacBook Air. I was glad to see them in person. This “old timer“ needs a larger screen for full days of writing. I may even consider the 16” base model if I can stretch my budget that far. I don’t have enough desk real estate for an iMac.

I may wait until my workload eases up a bit, and possibly even as long as until the end of the year, to completely switch over. The agency that works off Google shuts down between Christmas and New Years, making it the ideal time for me to be offline.

Meanwhile, I will continue to read and learn. I may take an online intro to Mac session through Today at Apple to learn some of the key basics and differences in layout, menus, etc. Of course, learning will be better once I have my own MacBook.

Thanks for reading!

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

@ hobowankenobi and @ imaccooper:

Greetings once again! If you could be patient with me, I have one additional question re: Memory for a 14" MacBook with the M1 Pro chip. Will 16 GB be enough, or should I upgrade to 32 GB?

This would be the max of what I would run:

The organization Google Account with:​

Gmail​

Google Drive with 3-4 tabs open​

Google Calendar​

Google search with 3 to 4 tabs open​

Dashlane Password Manager​

Microsoft Word with 3-4 tabs open​

Excel with 1-2 tabs open​

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC with 3-4 tabs open​

A second browser -- Safari or Edge with 3 to 4 tabs​

​

Before visiting Apple, I tried to push my 16 GB RAM PC with all of this, and it told me I was using 11.0 GB. (The PC has an Intel Core i7 8th generation chip.)

I also use PowerPoint and Outlook occasionally. I do Google Meets, Zooms, and Microsoft Teams meetings, but I generally close down most tabs for those.

The Microsoft 365 Software I will need requires 4 GB, and Adobe requires 2 GB.

The Apple rep I met with in store thought the base memory of 16 GB would be enough. I am usually inclined to get more memory than I need; however, I am unfamiliar with the Mac's M1 chip and unified memory.

Other thoughts? Much obliged and thank you!

 

[Bodhitree]

16 GB should be plenty, looking at the apps you have quoted. Its the kind of workload where you might even get by with 8 GB to be honest, but better to be safe than sorry and take more.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

Thank you, Bodhitree!

 

[hobowankenobi]

To add some context...the new ARM platform is using less RAM than the X86 machines did. Lots written about this if you want to dive in, but don't feel that it is required reading.

So it might seem weird for those used to X86 specs (Mac or Windows), but 8GB is OK on M1 Macs for basic user stuff, and 16GB will handle a pretty good workload.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

Thank you again, hobowankenobi! I appreciate your help.

Yes, as a newbie, I really just need the bottom line on some stuff from a knowledgeable source.

My longer plan is to learn the basics of Lightroom for photography, but that likely will not be for at least another 10 years (if, at this rate, I can afford to retire at all.) Still blown away by the generosity of this community.

Looking forward to making the switch.

 

[hobowankenobi]

FWIW, there are dozens of M1 iMacs where I work with 16GB that sing right along with zero load issues with moderate to heavy use of all the Adobe CC apps, especially Photoshop and Lightroom Classic, as well as Illustrator and InDesign. Zero issues, zero complaints about performance.

16GB on the Apple Silicon is certainly not equivalent to double the RAM on an X86...but it might be similar performance of about 24 GB or so.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

That’s good to know!

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

@hobowankenobi @Bodhitree:
Well, I pulled the trigger this weekend. My MacBook arrives tomorrow. M1 Pro (2021) base model.

I purchased from the Apple Store online so that I can test drive it for 14 days And return it if the switch from Windows doesn’t take. 😬

In your opinion, should I install Malwarebytes? I don’t stray very far on the Web for my grant writing work but I do exchange files with others and I’m not sure where their computers have been.

Thank you in advance!

 

[hobowankenobi]

Good deal! Enjoy the ride.

My take: Malware Bytes is handy, but mostly only needed for folks that are all over the web. Most Mac users don't run it, and don't need it. OTOH, the free version is very lightweight (no automatic scanning, just run it if you suspect an issue), so no real harm that I have ever experienced.

Tons of threads around here about AV and security, no single consensus. Generally, most Mac users don't need AV and dont't use it.

To be clear, Apple has built-in security (Gatekeeper), so you are not "naked" even with no third-party security installed. Also included in the latest OSes are SIP, XProtect, and other invisible layers that make traditional threats very difficult to execute. The APFS file system adds a locked system volume as well.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

@ hobowankenobi: This post, like your others, was very helpful. I will report back before the return window is up! Fingers crossed!

 

[Bodhitree]

Good deal! Enjoy the ride.

My take: Malware Bytes is handy, but mostly only needed for folks that are all over the web. Most Mac users don't run it, and don't need it. OTOH, the free version is very lightweight (no automatic scanning, just run it if you suspect an issue), so no real harm that I have ever experienced.

Tons of threads around here about AV and security, no single consensus. Generally, most Mac users don't need AV and dont't use it.

To be clear, Apple has built-in security (Gatekeeper), so you are not "naked" even with no third-party security installed. Also included in the latest OSes are SIP, XProtect, and other invisible layers that make traditional threats very difficult to execute. The APFS file system adds a locked system volume as well.

Agreed. Malwarebytes is lightweight and not bad, but not perfect. The one time I’ve seen a virus infection on a Mac was when the user was tricked into installing a malicious software package, and there Malwarebytes removed the basic infection but left a number of other alterations to the system untouched, so they had to be rolled back by hand.

Good luck with your new machine! Enjoy the ‘new computer’ smell!

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

Thank you, Bodhitree.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

@hobowankenobi and @Bodhitree:
Of course I kept it! Thank you both again for all your advice and help. I was amazed at how smoothly Migration Assistant worked and how quickly I could set my new Mac up to my HP printer. While I was still within the return window, I gave the Mac a real work out. It could do everything I needed to do for work, including working on the org Google Drive.
Thank you again for your expertise in time!

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

FWIW (I’m glad you‘re happy with the size), I issue base model M1 airs at work for more intensive use than this, and they run amazingly.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

@Mr_Brightside_@ Thank you! Since I will primarily use this as a desktop, weight was not an issue and when I saw the Air, 14”, and 16” side by each at the Apple Store, I realized that my aging eyes really preferred the large screen. The PC I had previously had a 16.5” screen.

 

[NewEnglandNeighbor]

@Mr_Brightside_@ @Bodhitree @hobowankenobi @imaccooper
I‘ve been wanting to post this update for some time now. I’ve been exclusively using my Mac for my grant writing work since January 2023 and have interfaced seamlessly with my client’s organization Google platform, the original subject of my post.
Moreover, I’ve been loving every minute with my Mac.
It’s certainly been one of those “why didn’t I do this sooner?“ events!
Thank you again so very much for sharing your time, expertise, and advice!

 

[Bodhitree]

My pleasure, NewEnglandNeighbour. Glad to hear that you’re getting on well with your MacBook Pro.