Mac user? Why?

since a windows virus is by definition a virus that affect windows, it's not going to affect your mac files even if it gets access to them.

to rip DVDs i use RipIt and then DVD2one on the rare occasions i want to burn them to disc. generally i just leave them on a hard drive in uncompressed .dvdmedia format, then play them back via an appleTV or Mac mini attached to the TV.

handbrake does this as well for free, but RipIt such a fast and simple program, i use it in preference, even if i did have to buy it.

alternatively, consider converting them to the increasingly popular .mkv format with MakeMKV (free) or handbrake. you won't be able to play them back on a DVD player though. well, not most of them anyway.

cookie said:

since a windows virus is by definition a virus that affect windows, it's not going to affect your mac files even if it gets access to them.

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dont be so lax.

Macs now run on intel hardware, and run propitary version of Linux, whilst you are correct that whilst virus specificaly written to run on the Windows OS are probably not a problem there are virus out there that will run on any Intel platform hardware and are not OS specific, in addition the feckers that write them are now writing virus that can attack both linux and the MAC OS version of it, also Iphone and Ipad, they are not yet common but they are out there dont make the assumption that it is safe just because its a mac as that is not the case.

as far as i am aware there is NO virus currently in the wild that affects macs.

the worst that can happen is that you can transfer a windows virus via a mac to a pc, over email say.

there have been 2 trojans recently (within the last 2 years or so) that will affect macs, but they are something entirely different.
they were not widespread and you had to purposely install them, entering your system password.

cookie said:

as far as i am aware there is NO virus currently in the wild that affects macs.

the worst that can happen is that you can transfer a windows virus via a mac to a pc, over email say.

there have been 2 trojans recently (within the last 2 years or so) that will affect macs, but they are something entirely different.
they were not widespread and you had to purposely install them, entering your system password.

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I understand that this includes malware etc but Sophos would disagree

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/201...000-active-users-and-plenty-of-malware-found/

well i looked up a random 3 of those on sophos list and they only infect windows.

i know the sophos mac product is free (at the moment), but they make their money selling AV

aup you two hold on its like pc club! All i asked was help re mac (lol)
i just hope i am safer this time next year unlike the last two Novembersits been pay out! coz of some HD attacks....
I am still not sure i want to use windows but my Garmin will need routes.. and i do like downloading films and burning dvds so i check out the advice i have had here so far
thanks...
OK back to the virus debates! )

Big D

you should be able to do most of what you need without sullying your mac with windows at all, so any virus debate is mostly hypothetical. i don't believe many mac users have AV running constantly in the way windows users do. i certainly don't, but have very occasionally run clam-x over suspect files. never found anything.

certainly adding routes to your garmin with basecamp or road trip, and dealing with films is really simple. the only thing i miss about my pc is having twin DVD burners.

sage won't run on windows, but not to worry, once into macs, you won't have any money left to keep track of

Think about whether you need VMWare - you can install windows on a mac without it and choose which OS to use at boot time.

sage won't run on windows, but not to worry, once into macs, you won't have any money left to keep track of

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The one shortcoming of the Mac environment is the lack of a serious accounts package.

cookie said:

since a windows virus is by definition a virus that affect windows, it's not going to affect your mac files even if it gets access to them.

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Bollocks.

If the Windows OS has write access to a folder or folders a virus could therefore destroy the files.

Windows running on VMWare on Mac will only have read and/or write access to folders as set up by a Mac user configuring VMWare.

I must be missing something

I've moved across to a Mac because it's better than Windows

Don't wanna go back

So why should I want to put Windows on my Mac ??

It's a new life with my iMac ... what I can't do with it I'll gladly learn to do without

But maybe continue with my Samsung NC10 laptop, with Windows, for on the hoof touring, routes, downloading piccies 'on the go' Mapsource etc.

Micky said:

I must be missing something

I've moved across to a Mac because it's better than Windows

Don't wanna go back

So why should I want to put Windows on my Mac ??

It's a new life with my iMac ... what I can't do with it I'll gladly learn to do without

But maybe continue with my Samsung NC10 laptop, with Windows, for on the hoof touring, routes, downloading piccies 'on the go' Mapsource etc.

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Simple. Because some applications do not run on Mac (e.g Roadtrip), and the Mac equivalent is shite. MS Office is a far better product on Windows than a Mac. Sage Accounting runs on Windows only and there is nothing close on the Mac. Bear in mind that I am both a Mac user and a Windows user (Windows on Mac), and have no reason to fly the Windows flag.

WindyChuffer said:

Simple. Because some applications do not run on Mac (e.g Roadtrip), and the Mac equivalent is shite.

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RoadTrip is not that different from Mapsource. Admittedly both are poor, and each is poor in its own way.

MS Office is a far better product on Windows than a Mac.

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So use OpenOffice which is at least as good as Office and has the benefit of being free.

Sage Accounting runs on Windows only and there is nothing close on the Mac.

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True, and that's a great pity.

Last time I used Roadtrip, the search functions were shite - for example you could not do a postcode search which severely limited route planning. There were many other limitations too. Mapsource is a far more mature product as it has been written for Windows since the first release. Also, you can only do a firmware update on your Garmin using a PC, not a Mac. Again, last time I checked which was about year ago. I'll eat my hat if Roadtrip is materially better now.

OpenOffice, MS Office - Whatever floats your boat. I have been using MS Office since 1992 and know it inside out, keyboard shortcuts etc. MS Office on Mac just does not have the same keyboard short cuts and those that it does have are a subset of those available on the PC. They are very different products. Besides, MS Office is free if you know where to get it from…

I bought a new phone last week - HTC Desire HD - the synchronisation software only works on PC. You can get 3rd party sync software for this phone on Mac but you have to pay for it and its shite.

Pinnacle video editing software is only available for Mac. And so on...

Go figure.

What you have to bear in mind is that for years, PC's have made up >95% of the personal computers in use. Admittedly the Mac % is growing as Apple have done such a fekkin good job over the last 2-3 years. If you are a software house, you are of course going to invest your R&D effort into where you can make the most $$ from and today that is still Windows and Mac remains niche. This is also why a lot of web sites still do not work properly on Safari as they are not tested against it, as it's niche. I do wonder how much longer for though.

VMWare costs fek all. Windows costs fek all, and most of us have a license anyway. You don't necessarily need AV and you won't fek up your mac either. Windows exists as a binary file which is used by VMWare. So if you don't want it any more, select the file, hit delete and your world will be rid of satanic pollution. Simples.

WindyChuffer said:

Simple. Because some applications do not run on Mac (e.g Roadtrip), and the Mac equivalent is shite. MS Office is a far better product on Windows than a Mac. Sage Accounting runs on Windows only and there is nothing close on the Mac. Bear in mind that I am both a Mac user and a Windows user (Windows on Mac), and have no reason to fly the Windows flag.

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Well I rest mi case then

I dun't need Sage ... and I've been a Windows user too tha knows lad, and I dun't need to fly any flag at all

Re

I would also like some more information regarding this.

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WindyChuffer said:

Bollocks.

If the Windows OS has write access to a folder or folders a virus could therefore destroy the files.

Windows running on VMWare on Mac will only have read and/or write access to folders as set up by a Mac user configuring VMWare.

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yes, i suppose a virus could write to Mac/VM shared folders, but it will do zilch to the main OS-X install.


BTW you can do gps unit firmware updates on a mac now.

Simple. Because some applications do not run on Mac (e.g Roadtrip), and the Mac equivalent is shite. MS Office is a far better product on Windows than a Mac. Sage Accounting runs on Windows only and there is nothing close on the Mac. Bear in mind that I am both a Mac user and a Windows user (Windows on Mac), and have no reason to fly the Windows flag.

Click to expand...

I bought my first Mac about a year back and have since bought a Macbook Pro and an Ipad. My wife has also given up with windows and bought a MacBook. I was initially worried about losing old faithful software and installed Parallels to run Win7. I can't now remember the last time I opened Windows - but why bother. Apart from some specialist business software Mac does everything I want and once over the differences the Mac does most things better.

Road Trip on Mac. Yes you can but Garmin have not updated it for ages because they have Basecamp for mac which is much better. As noted already postcode search is not included but have planned routes over 12 countries I have never needed it anyway. How many times do you know a postcode for something like Transfagarasan Highway or Stelvio Pass for example.

The new MS Office for Mac is superb. Now with Outlook support as as well but I guess most people would never get to the limits of Pages which will open and save doc files so no compatibility problems and is half the price of Word. Although Outlook is great the free included Mac programs, Address Book, Calendar and Mail do just about everything you need. I have to produce regular Mail Shots. On Word it was a learning curve using a separate database. On the Mac its a no brainer to add Address Book entires to a Pages letter. Try printing an envelope on Windows. On my Mac I just select the items in address book and select Print>Envelopes. Job done.

Macs also come with decent usable software where windows computers come with crap and require spending loads of dosh to get something decent. For example windows comes with Paint which is bloody awful and has not really changed since Win 3.1. Macs come with iPhoto which is all most photographers will ever need plus Preview will open just about any file format for Windows or mac.

I can't really see why there is a long debate about viruses and malware. It's a fact of life that Macs are less prone but rather than adopt the holier than thou Mac user attitude I run Sophos anyway. It makes no difference that I can see to the speed of the computer and costs nothing. I don't expect the house to be flooded as I live on a hill but I still have house insurance so why turn down Mac insurance that comes for free.

WindyChuffer said:

Last time I used Roadtrip, the search functions were shite - for example you could not do a postcode search which severely limited route planning.

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Search functions on all garmin apps are shite. there's any number of threads on here about unfindable towns.

Its true, postcode search is not available on RoadTrip at the moment - a disadvantage for the UK, but postcode searches are not that useful elsewhere anyway.

There were many other limitations too.

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I've used/use both and I don't find many differences. Neither has a good interface, probably because RoadTrip seems to be a kludged port of MapSource which is itself a woefully inadequate program.

Mapsource is a far more mature product as it has been written for Windows since the first release

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Still rubbish though.

Also, you can only do a firmware update on your Garmin using a PC, not a Mac. Again, last time I checked which was about year ago.

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Check again - firmware update now available and RoadTrip is a much better program overll than a year ago.

I'll eat my hat if Roadtrip is materially better now.

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Do you want fries with that?

OpenOffice, MS Office - Whatever floats your boat. I have been using MS Office since 1992 and know it inside out, keyboard shortcuts etc. MS Office on Mac just does not have the same keyboard short cuts and those that it does have are a subset of those available on the PC. They are very different products. Besides, MS Office is free if you know where to get it from…

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Whereas OpenOffice is legally free and, in my opinion as a professional writer, a better word processor, certainly on the Mac there is no comparison.

I bought a new phone last week - HTC Desire HD - the synchronisation software only works on PC. You can get 3rd party sync software for this phone on Mac but you have to pay for it and its shite.

Click to expand...

And iPhone sync is crap on a PC, what does that prove?

Pinnacle video editing software is only available for Mac. And so on..

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Plenty of mac Programs not available on PC, again, what does that prove?

What you have to bear in mind is that for years, PC's have made up >95% of the personal computers in use. Admittedly the Mac % is growing as Apple have done such a fekkin good job over the last 2-3 years. If you are a software house, you are of course going to invest your R&D effort into where you can make the most $$ from and today that is still Windows and Mac remains niche. This is also why a lot of web sites still do not work properly on Safari as they are not tested against it, as it's niche. I do wonder how much longer for though.

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True, but you'd be astonished at the excellent software you can get for a mac (and only a mac) and often at low cost.

Windows exists as a binary file which is used by VMWare. So if you don't want it any more, select the file, hit delete and your world will be rid of satanic pollution. Simples.

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Now you're talking!

Edit: Er sorry, when I said RoadTrip, obviously I meant BaseCamp

Stolzy - What you appear to be missing is that if you are used to software, it is difficult to change. If you are a power user, its even harder. As a power user you know the keyboard shortcuts, the workarounds etc. Video editing software is very powerful and a good example. If you are Pinnacle expert, switching to something else is a reet pain and sometimes not possible if your peers are working and sharing Pinnacle specific files.

Open Office is a good product and I'm not going to get into a debate about whether its better than MS OFfice or not as that is so subjective. Corporates use MS Office - they are entrenched. Docs written in MS Office do not always work 100% in Open Office or MS Office for Mac. This is why I have to use MS Office. As I choose to use a Mac, I have to use MS Office on Windows as MS Office on Mac is the poor relation and still has useability and compatibility issues. Admittedly, compatibility on Office 2011 for Mac is better than the previous version but its still far from 100%.

Office on Windows is awash with keyboard shortcuts. Learn these and you can use the product at warp factor 9. Novices are amazed with the speed at which I do things as I know the shortcuts. It is such a shame that Microsoft didnt replicate the shortcuts on Office for the Mac. So for me, its not fit for purpose.

As usual there is never a one size fits all. If you are a general user then switching from PC to Mac or vice vera is relatively easy. If you are power user its a fekkin pain in the ass.

Change is always hard. Harder for some than others. To ease the pain of change, you have the option of running Windows on Mac OS. Like I said, an option.

I'm ducking out of this thread now.

Re

Can any one post a few more info regarding this.

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