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I want to convert!

G

gechman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 15, 2009
5
0
Newbie here so be gentle!

I'm a windows and occasional Vista user but want to be introduced to the world of the mac!

I want to know that i'll get along with it so don't wanna spend too much so i have two options
1. Get an old G4 powermac
2. Buy a couple of damaged iMacs and build them up

I have quite a lot of experience building windows PCs but know NOTHING about Macs! How difficult would it be to but an iMac with a damaged screen but ok board etc and buy one with a screen that worked and combine them to make a working machine?

ANY help is very much appreciated!:D
 
My approach was similar to what the OP suggests.

Decided to get my skills and smarts built up before I buy a brand new iMac; the best one I could afford.

So what I did was pick up an old 'decommissioned' iMac G4 from work and took it home. It's still quite usable, I've updated memory in it, learned some of the features of OS X and it's been a great experience. Plus, when I finally get my ultra super fast iMac - I'll appreciate it more. ;)
 
Yep, this is being typed on an old G4 Quicksilver tower with Tiger.

You might get better value and performance out of an old G4 studio tower and just use an existing screen.

I am only a little familiar with Windows XP but find it counter intuitive and frustrating as hell. IMO long term users just don't understand the crap they are using every day.

Indeed, if most of the business world is using this ****, it's no wonder we've now got a global recession/depression.
 
Wow, I'm surprised no one has suggested a mini. They're great to get your feet wet with, get an older one to just fiddle with. That way, if you for whatever reason don't want to switch, you didn't sink over $1000USD in it, and you can sell it for money towards a better iMac later
 
I was just about to say the same thing, but a refurbished Mac Mini, and get accustomed to using macs and such, then you can either keep it and work with it, or sell it and buy a higher end computer (macbook pro, or iMac)
 
As already suggested, the refurb store is a great place to visit first. If still too expensive, then a good cheap deal on ebay or craigslist should set your sights.

If you're looking at switching, then its best to try and get a grasp of OS X before you slash out as already mentioned.

Personally, I'd suggest looking to find a iMac G4 for a good price as these are perfectly capable of internet and moderate use. Perfect in many ways and AMAZING to look at
 
rgarjr said:
no need to build things. Just save some dough and get youserlf a new iMac.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I say make your first experience with OS X the best it can by using current hardware. Worst case scenario: you hate it, and you sell your Mac for a very small loss (Macs have terrific resale value).

P.S. you won't hate it. ;)
 
Harmless Abuse said:
Wow, I'm surprised no one has suggested a mini. They're great to get your feet wet with, get an older one to just fiddle with. That way, if you for whatever reason don't want to switch, you didn't sink over $1000USD in it, and you can sell it for money towards a better iMac later
Click to expand...

+1 - if you're going to buy a monitor anyway, look into a Mini. I wouldn't go too old if you're looking at used, not more than a year or so old if it were me.

Or, save up some money and look into a refurb iMac.

Either way, welcome to Mac :D:D:D
 
gechman said:
Newbie here so be gentle!

I'm a windows and occasional Vista user but want to be introduced to the world of the mac!

I want to know that i'll get along with it so don't wanna spend too much so i have two options
1. Get an old G4 powermac
2. Buy a couple of damaged iMacs and build them up

I have quite a lot of experience building windows PCs but know NOTHING about Macs! How difficult would it be to but an iMac with a damaged screen but ok board etc and buy one with a screen that worked and combine them to make a working machine?

ANY help is very much appreciated!:D
Click to expand...

One of my first jobs after computer technician school was working as an Apple, Dell, and Compaq tech so it was easy to get any Apple parts. But without the license, it's hard to just have Apple parts shipped to you in 24 hours. I don't know how easy it would be. We all know that getting PC parts is far easier overall.

What you are attempting is more advanced and not as easy as working with your typical PC tower and easily interchangeable parts. It's not impossible, but not easy. Take time to research your project.
 
I was a PC guy until 4 months ago. I never touched a Mac until 5 Months ago. I've worked on every windows operating system since 2000. In other words I knew nothing but PC! I worked on a a neighbors Mac Pro and I wasn't so sure of it. But when my Toshiba laptop crashed (3 times in 24 days and all were different laptops). I decided to return it and check out the apple store. Well I was skeptical but I bought a 17 in Mac Pro. I now would not trade it for anything. It is soooooooo easy. Especially if you know your way around any computer. Everything about it is so much better. I haven't had any issues with it at all. I would recommend saving up and buy a mac. You will not be disappointed. They are more expensive but as the saying goes "You always get what you pay for" and "If you do it, do it right the first time". From my experience they just have a better quality computer all around. If you ever have problems with it, you can take it in and they will go over everything right in front of you. I hate dealing with Geek Squad and Fire Dogs (Circuit City went out of business). They think they know everything and most of them don't know their a-- from a hole in the ground. Apple's guys were very knowledgeable.

You'll be thanking me later if you do go with a MAC.

Just a thought.... How many computer repair businesses do you see advertising for fixing a Mac?



Buy your Mac new and buy what you can afford. By new I mean refurbished with a warranty or new but I recommend new.
 
I also want to convert the other way around. How to overcome withdrawal symptoms switching from Mac to Windows?
 
mstam said:
I also want to convert the other way around. How to overcome withdrawal symptoms switching from Mac to Windows?
Click to expand...

I know one successful graphic designer who had to switch from a Mac centered graphics center to a PC graphics center equipped with beige towers and Windows 2000. It simply cost less so that was the take from the owner.

Luckily, she had her Macs at home.
 
Get a cheap used Mac mini from eBay, then if you like it you can upgrade to the new mini without having to change your screen/keyboard/mouse. You'll be able to sell the older mini back on eBay for the same as you paid for it!
 
gechman said:
Newbie here so be gentle!

I'm a windows and occasional Vista user but want to be introduced to the world of the mac!

I want to know that i'll get along with it so don't wanna spend too much so i have two options
1. Get an old G4 powermac
2. Buy a couple of damaged iMacs and build them up

I have quite a lot of experience building windows PCs but know NOTHING about Macs! How difficult would it be to but an iMac with a damaged screen but ok board etc and buy one with a screen that worked and combine them to make a working machine?

ANY help is very much appreciated!:D
Click to expand...



You're welcome to make the switch.
 
mstam said:
I also want to convert the other way around. How to overcome withdrawal symptoms switching from Mac to Windows?
Click to expand...



Is parallels an option. That is definitely something I would check out. For around $80 you can run Windows on a Mac. I do it with no issues. I use it for the programs that I already bought for my PC. This was a crutch for me until I bought CS4 for my Mac.
 
Dry Rot said:
I am only a little familiar with Windows XP but find it counter intuitive and frustrating as hell.
Click to expand...

Well as a long term XP user recently switched to Mac I can say I find the opposite experience :D
Its partly a matter of what you are used to, but I'd say objectively that some things are easier on XP, two examples, almost anywhere you can right click on an object and change it directly, which is rare on Mac, and the finder has less options to let your organise files than Windows Explorer - maybe I dont know how (in which case its a OSX useability issue :) but can you organise the Finder view so all the folders come first or last? Or the most recently accessed files are first?

Dry Rot said:
IMO long term users just don't understand the crap they are using every day.
Click to expand...


I marginally prefer Mac, but choose not to take the everything on Windoze is cr*p attitude that many mindlessly(IMO) seem to.
 
gechman said:
Newbie here so be gentle!

I'm a windows and occasional Vista user but want to be introduced to the world of the mac!

I want to know that i'll get along with it so don't wanna spend too much so i have two options
1. Get an old G4 powermac
2. Buy a couple of damaged iMacs and build them up

I have quite a lot of experience building windows PCs but know NOTHING about Macs! How difficult would it be to but an iMac with a damaged screen but ok board etc and buy one with a screen that worked and combine them to make a working machine?

ANY help is very much appreciated!:D
Click to expand...

Even getting the oldest intel Mac Mini will be faster than a G4... so that is the best route to go... seeing as a lot of things are looking like they are going to be intel only from now on!!

J
 
If you want to do it, then do it. I switched to using an iMac about a month ago - I still have my Windows XP machine sat beneath my desk in case I've forgotten to grab anything from it but have only booted it about twice since getting the Mac.

I use both Windows and Linux at work and have used PCs at home for around twenty years, no axe to grind over any HW/OS.

Sit down with a pen and piece of paper - draw a line down the page and on one side list all the programs/applications that you use/need on the PC. Now do a bit of web searching and see if there is an equivalent on the Mac. In most cases there will be a Mac version (Firefox for instance is available on Windows, Mac and Linux OSs). I used just one app that wasn't available on the Mac but it wasn't critical to what I do so no big deal.

Mac hardware isn't perfect - there'd be no " my xxx isn't working" threads on here if it were. It does have the advantage of there being fewer different components being used so the chances of conflicts arising are fewer, just check how many motherboard, graphics card, etc combinations that Windows has to deal with and it's a wonder it can work at all.

It takes a little getting used to doing things in the "Mac way" especially since I still have to use Windows so can't "unlearn" those keystrokes and general way of doing things. The keyboard is perhaps the most awkward thing to get used to - it's American layout rather than UK even though it's sold as "British".

HTH
 
Thanks for the replies and all the detail guys! Starting to feel more confident about my 'move'.

Still thinking that my way in will be to use two (or more) broken iMacs to make one. I've look at the advice you've given - I just wonder if anyone out there has had any specific experience of doing what I'm thinking of?

Thanks again
 
I think the hard bit will be finding two broken iMacs together will all of the bits you need for less than buying an iMac. Even broken ones hold their values well. Also each revision is likely to have a slightly different motherboard so you will need to be careful as to which bits you can transfer across.

If you really want to try Mac OS then get a mini or a 2nd hand (but working) iMac, if you want to play with broken computers then do your Plan A, but don't think you are getting the best deal by doing so...
 
MacAndy74 said:
My approach was similar to what the OP suggests.

Decided to get my skills and smarts built up before I buy a brand new iMac; the best one I could afford.

So what I did was pick up an old 'decommissioned' iMac G4 from work and took it home. It's still quite usable, I've updated memory in it, learned some of the features of OS X and it's been a great experience. Plus, when I finally get my ultra super fast iMac - I'll appreciate it more. ;)
Click to expand...

How difficult did you find this?
 
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