Mac user? Why?

[mearnshowe]

Buy a Mac

You will find the Mac a relatively steep learning curve to start with if you have used PC's in the past. Most software comes already installed on the Mac with iLife 09. If you require word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software you will need to purchase iWorks 09 for around £50. Have been using Mac's for 5 years now and no regrets, no antivirus etc needed. Great for video/photo's as all the software you need is built in to iLife. Take the plunge, you'll not regret it.

 

[digga]

I went to the Mac shop today...... blown away

Sell me a imac.... so he shows me all the cool things it can do with pictures etc, god knows how many 'windows' open, different views, calenders, face recognition GPS stuff if you have a fancy camera!! the basic editing / manipulating of pics...... layout of 'flyers' type doc's , inserting new pics without opening another programme to re-size adjust etc..

Then we moved onto AppleTV (anyone got that?) .... yea -yea -yea but i can't play stuff from iplayer on there can I? .... No Sir, you need a Mac Mini to do that sort of stuff!! OMG.

Too many choices .....

 

[digga]

Q .... if my 'mate' has Ilife '09 - can i borrow his disc and install on my machine? same answer i would imagine for al the mac software NO.?

 

[skyenet]

Q .... if my 'mate' has Ilife '09 - can i borrow his disc and install on my machine? same answer i would imagine for al the mac software NO.?

Wrong actually, the answer is YES you could install it and it would work fine, but just like Windows software, it would be illegal.

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

I'd consider a mac next...but i'm happy with Linux mint for free.

obviously, the way the iphone has become mainstream and showed the seamless-ness of it and its working with itunes, then joe public is thinking he's fed up with his pc's not working as seamlessly.

Macs are mainstream enough nowadays to be acceptable

Linux isn't yet

 

[digga]

I'd consider a mac next...but i'm happy with Linux mint for free.

obviously, the way the iphone has become mainstream and showed the seamless-ness of it and its working with itunes, then joe public is thinking he's fed up with his pc's not working as seamlessly.

Macs are mainstream enough nowadays to be acceptable

Linux isn't yet

and i think that is a very good way of putting the Apple 'thing'

 

[Rabbitson]

I still think these macs are really overpriced.

Ok, linux is free but I don't know anyone who (honestly) only runs a linux/unix desktop that doesn't occasionally need to boot into another os to cover some compatbility problem.

For all it's sins, windows for me is still the best solution

David

 

[Gipsy]

Running 2 macs and 5 pc's. There is nothing the mac does that the pc can't do, and vice versa, barring specialised software which might not be available for the mac. The main advantage of macs as far as I'm concerned is that on the whole I find it easier to get the most out of the machines, and have to spend less time fettling the them. I'm prepared to pay the premium necessary for the convenience and performance they provide.

 

[Norm]

I personally think that the monitor on the mac is far superior to the typical PC monitor.

The display, Pictures, photo's, video etc are just so much better.

Worth the extra to me..

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

you can buy mac peripherals and run them on PC's

 

[richie]

I still think these macs are really overpriced.

Ok, linux is free but I don't know anyone who (honestly) only runs a linux/unix desktop that doesn't occasionally need to boot into another os to cover some compatbility problem.

For all it's sins, windows for me is still the best solution

David

agreed, I have a Mac too, it is totally overpriced and a huge pita for file management. but hey most people don't manage files anymore so it"s great. Have linux on another machine and AFAIKS it"s as good as Mac...

 

[skyenet]

huge pita for file management.
.

Don't understand that one at all. Personally I have no problem at all with file management on a MAC and find it great for sorting out all my data and retrieving it. Love the way Apple programs such as Keynote and Pages link all your media so that you don't even have to leave the program to hunt for stuff. Maybe I have used Macs for so long that I take some file management stuff for granted that others might not be aware of.

While a lot of stuff is pretty straightforward, I often look at Apple's videos and hints/tips when they release new software and updates such as Snow Leopard. Its amazing how many new and handy ways of using my Mac that I learn from 5 to 10 minutes exploring their site, and there are sure to be quite a few I don't know. Mind you used to do the same when I used WIndows machines and hence why I ended up training folk on how to use Microsoft Products, Thanks Bill G for making Windows pretty easy, but not quite easy enough for the masses

Mind you its not all perfect in Apple world. MY built in SD Card reader has recently stopped working. A quick search reveals that this may be due to the latest update of Snow Leopard. Ah well back to the USB card reader for now

 

[Deleted account LB]

Got an imac, ipad, and now a macbook pro - used pc's at work for 20 odd years but on ly have macs at home

The thing that stands out for me is the "turn it on and it works" I set up a home network today in 4 minutes flat, just plug the air things in the wall and theyt sorted themselves out including a netwrk printer that any machine can print on via wireless. If I was doing that with pc's then a big bill from my tech to sort it for me. The other big difference is the lack of programmes I have added to the basic package because macs do 99% of what i want out of the box.

There is only one down side - the mapsource software for mac is shite for running my garmin 660 compared to the pc software buty thats it

 

[Decster]

....
There is only one down side - the mapsource software for mac is shite for running my garmin 660 compared to the pc software buty thats it

that's mapsource's/garmin's fault and not Mac.

 

[sparkplug]

Mac running Windows in a VM* - covers every eventuality.

You Linux heads can also install CentOS.



*VM = virtual machine. Common ones on the Mac are Parallels and VMware Fusion

 

[Micky]

There is only one down side - the mapsource software for mac is shite for running my garmin 660 compared to the pc software buty thats it

That's why I keep all my Mapscource etc on my likkle Samsung NC10 and use that for anything GPS related.

I take the NC10 with me ... like f'rinstance next week off down to the Black Forest for a few days. I can plan the next day to wherever, if I want to, the evening before, map and bier in hand

 

[Micky]

On another note ....

Now I'm a complete numpty with computers

I can change a tyre in the desert, break the bead with mi teeth. I can strip a gearbox down with mi Swiss Army Knife ... but computers are a black art

Until I got an iMac

My big bruvver up on Fairisle created and maintains my website Adventure.GS but he's a busy guy and so, having bought the Mac, I've experimented

Here's the web site I've created with my own novice fingertips... on the Mac. It wants a bit of fettling but I will soon be pointing the domain name at it.

Let me know what you think .... any suggestions

http://web.me.com/mick_wheeler/Adventure.GS/Welcome.html

I couldn't have done anything like this BM (Before Mac)

 

[thauma]

If garmin software for the mac is .... questionable!

has anyone tried running Windows in a VM, installing Mapsource and updating a quest?

Or alternately running bootcamp and then using mapsource to update a quest.

I'm thinking about buying a Mac, and this is my biggest concern. Apple and Garmin can't confirm or deny the compatibility - so I thought I'd ask if there's any experience here?

 

[WindyChuffer]

Mapsource for the Mac (Roadtrip?) is indeed shite. Last I checked, you could not update the firmware of a Garmin GPS on a Mac, but that was a while ago. I have it installed but never use it.

See my post earlier (#28 in this thread). I run windows on VMWare and Mapsource for Windows works perfectly for me. However I cannot speak for updating a Quest as I have never seen one let alone played with one. I have never used Bootcamp as I prefer to have Mac and Windows running at the same time.

M.

 

[thauma]

Mapsource for the Mac (Roadtrip?) is indeed shite. Last I checked, you could not update the firmware of a Garmin GPS on a Mac, but that was a while ago. I have it installed but never use it.

See my post earlier (#28 in this thread). I run windows on VMWare and Mapsource for Windows works perfectly for me. However I cannot speak for updating a Quest as I have never seen one let alone played with one. I have never used Bootcamp as I prefer to have Mac and Windows running at the same time.

M.

not too worried about updating the firmware, but would like to load maps, routes & waypoints from Mac to Quest. I'd heard that they (garmin) did something with the USB side of things, so wasn't sure whether it would support the device through a virtual machine.

VMware I use at work, and so am happy with the concepts, just wanted some real 'evidence' that it works.

Cheers

Dave#...