after the debacle that was getting my girlfriend a Mac Mini, and returning it 2 days later, i still think i want an iMac, but as of now, what are the major obstacles with switching from a PC? what cant a mac do that a pc can?
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What CANT you do with an iMac?
- Thread starter JosephEsquivel
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Get viruses? Spyware?
Ok, seriously. You'd be hard pressed to find something a PC can do that a Mac can't. Maybe a better question would be, after assessing what you want to be able to do with your computer, whether or not a Mac can do everything you would need it to do. Give us an idea of what you would be using your computer for and then we can give you a better idea of whether or not a Mac will suit your needs.
Ok, seriously. You'd be hard pressed to find something a PC can do that a Mac can't. Maybe a better question would be, after assessing what you want to be able to do with your computer, whether or not a Mac can do everything you would need it to do. Give us an idea of what you would be using your computer for and then we can give you a better idea of whether or not a Mac will suit your needs.
well I plan on getting a camcorder and i need to know it will work with iMovie without having to download plugins, or but addons for quicktime, like i would of had to to read .mod files from my girl's JVC Everio
Well a friend of mine built a super-gaming PC s few months ago with liquid cooling, a 2.4 Core 2 Duo Extreme 2 GB of RAM and 640MB VRAM with 2 250GB SATA II Hard Drives. He spent $2,200 at new egg on a pretty tricked out machine. Windows Vista made his new rig actually run slower than the three year old machine he replaced running XP.
So I guess a Mac can't run a newer updated long awaited OS on significantly faster hardware with poorer results than its three year predecessor running a five year old OS.
So I guess a Mac can't run a newer updated long awaited OS on significantly faster hardware with poorer results than its three year predecessor running a five year old OS.
Are you not purposefully trying not to make that above sentence not opposites? That's one of the most confusing sentences I've ever read.
I think what you're trying to say is, 'run the latest OS at a useable speed on 10 year old hardware' (as I do).
OP: Honestly, you will NOT have a problem switching. The most likely issue your girlfriend encountered was inability to accept that things are going to be very different to PCs. (that sounds offensive, but it's meant in a completely friendly way).
This is IMO why loads of people hate Macs, they're used to PCs and don't like the idea that something they're so used to could be so completely different, but it's different for the better once you get used to things.
I think what you're trying to say is, 'run the latest OS at a useable speed on 10 year old hardware' (as I do).
OP: Honestly, you will NOT have a problem switching. The most likely issue your girlfriend encountered was inability to accept that things are going to be very different to PCs. (that sounds offensive, but it's meant in a completely friendly way).
This is IMO why loads of people hate Macs, they're used to PCs and don't like the idea that something they're so used to could be so completely different, but it's different for the better once you get used to things.
Play the coolest computer games that use 3D?
Use 3DS Max?
Well, maybe you could do either of the above, after you pony up for Windows. To be sure you'll have Boot Camp available, you better budget the price of Leopard OSX 10.5 into your plans, just in case that's the only way it'll keep working when the beta expires.
Good luck choosing which version to buy.
No what I am saying is that with a Mac you can get a new Mac that will run Leopard faster than an older Mac ran Tiger or Panther. Not even trying to run Leopard on the older Mac. Whereas a new PC running Vista is actually slower than an older PC running XP. Why, because with each iteration of the OS X system, it actually runs more effeciently in spite of the fact that it is encumbered by more stuff to running within it. Whereas Vista is a resource hog that can bog down even the newest systems and really isn't a good idea for anything older. OS X as you were saying will actually work from release to release on older hardware, and to a certain point better than the previous version. Panther and Tiger ran better on my G4 450 than Jaguar did though you might expect them not to. But while every release of every OS takes more RAM to load and run, it also shouldn't bog down the machine.
As long as it is a MiniDV camera and not a MiniDVD video camera it will work fine with it. I believe iMovie does still not support MiniDVD cameras but maybe anyone else has some current information?
MiniDV is the way to go anyway. IMO
MiniDV is the way to go anyway. IMO
the HDD camcorder is just so much better it think, you dont need tapes, an you can delete clips as you go
Just remember to factor in the learning curve.
For the first week or two, you'll probably not be able to fly around OS X as nimbly as you did with your old Windows box. It's like moving to a new house. It'll just take you a bit to feel at home.
You're also likely to have a few "how the hell do I do this in OS X?!" moments, which can be frustrating, especially if you're trying to do something that you know how to do in Windows like the back of your hand. Give it a chance. The community here is very awesome at helping out.
I'm a little worried about your upcoming iMac experience after seeing how frustrating your girlfriends mini situation turned out to be. It may take more than 2 days before you start to really get a feel for how OS X works and see why most of us here really love it!
To side-step such issues as much as possible I recommend reading this book through it before you even purchase a Mac.
Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition
Well, I had the Panther book years ago and it was just called "The Missing Manual." Now it seems there are 2 versions.
Mac OS X Tiger: Missing Manual
This (either) book will help you enormously in getting acquainted with the OS. After I read the book and my laptop arrived I was up an running. Felt like I already knew how to use it.
i have to concur with this post. please, do not buy a mac. you have little to no idea what you are doing. it sounds like you need to go to your local apple store, even if it is 12 hours away by car/rail/plane, and get someone to sit down with you and show you the product. although based on your posting style, i would have to say that you seem rather impatient about this whole process and therefore would never take the time to sit still and be educated.
Some posters here are a little harsh. But I digress ...
As for camcorders and Macs, I would contend that miniDV camcorders are better than HDD and DVD camcorders. Yes, tapes are a little inconvenient, but they are cheap, durable, and easily available.
But the biggest reason to go with miniDV over other camcorders is video quality. DV footage is recorded at 25 mbps, while HDD/DVD footage is recorded at about 6 to 9 mbps (mpeg-2). Also, editing DV footage is much easier than mpeg-2 on both Macs and PCs. With the JVC, you'll need to convert the footage from mpeg-2 to DV (or MPEG-4) using something like VisualHub, before editing with iMovie.
Another advantage of miniDV is what I call "in-the-field-flexibility". If you run out of tape in the field, you pop out the used tape, and put in a blank one. 15 seconds, tops. With DVD camcorders, this step takes much longer. I'm not exactly sure how long, but it's certainly longer than 15 seconds. With HDD camcorder, you're screwed.
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I won't convince you to chose mac over pc. I don't care enough to bother.
I will say that iMacs are amazing and very resilient machines. I took one (via baggage check) from Seattle to Florida and then to London, England. It made it unscathed in the midst of "the throwers".
Another iMac (my husband's) got knocked ass end up right onto the floor. It made it through unscathed.
I found those things pretty impressive.
I will say that iMacs are amazing and very resilient machines. I took one (via baggage check) from Seattle to Florida and then to London, England. It made it unscathed in the midst of "the throwers".
Another iMac (my husband's) got knocked ass end up right onto the floor. It made it through unscathed.
I found those things pretty impressive.
Games written for PC will not work on a Mac, just as games written for a Mac will not work on a PC. However the advantage to owning a Mac (at least the Intel variety) is that, if you have a PC game that you REALLY want to play you can just load Windows onto your Mac and play your PC games that way.
There's also a chance that she might like some of the widget games you can download and put in the Dashboard...
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/
But if she's dead set that Pogo.com games are going to have to work, there's no getting around that...
I think you're wasting your time (and the time of the people you are buying the Mac from). Stay with a PC unless you want to change AND you are willing to make more than 2 days effort adapting to that change.
The major obstacle, as you have clearly shown, is you and your girl friend...
it was more that Mac makes it seem like switching is the easiest thing you can do, and for her it wasn't. It was one hassle after another.
Although, after talkign with the mac people when she took it back, there may have been some issues with the hardware that made things run slower than they whould have.
Although, after talkign with the mac people when she took it back, there may have been some issues with the hardware that made things run slower than they whould have.
and Im still planning on getting an iMac, im just waiting till november (when i have the money saved up). I have a lot more patience than my girl with computers.
I agree with you on this statement. Of course, it is always easier for someone to switch if they want to switch.