Boot Camp users - Question for you:

[Damn Dirty Ape]

Thinking about a macbook and curious as to what those using Boot Camp for XP/Vista think about it on the mac versus pc... Shortcomings? Gotchas, or smooth sailing?

 

[Oil]

Its the exact same thing as on a PC. All you do is restart the computer and select if you want to boot into OS X or Windows

 

[Damn Dirty Ape]

Originally posted by: OSx86
Its the exact same thing as on a PC. All you do is restart the computer and select if you want to boot into OS X or Windows

One thing - how do they emulate a 2button mouse?

 

[loup garou]

I don't even have OSX on my MacBook anymore, it runs Vista great.
Only thing I don't like is that Apple's touchpad driver sucks, you can't tap to click or double finger tap to right click. 2 finger scrolling is janky as well.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape

Originally posted by: OSx86
Its the exact same thing as on a PC. All you do is restart the computer and select if you want to boot into OS X or Windows

One thing - how do they emulate a 2button mouse?

Place 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

 

[Damn Dirty Ape]

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape

Originally posted by: OSx86
Its the exact same thing as on a PC. All you do is restart the computer and select if you want to boot into OS X or Windows

One thing - how do they emulate a 2button mouse?

Place 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

I presume though one could plug in a mini usb mouse?

 

[Kmax82]

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape

Originally posted by: OSx86
Its the exact same thing as on a PC. All you do is restart the computer and select if you want to boot into OS X or Windows

One thing - how do they emulate a 2button mouse?

Place 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

I presume though one could plug in a mini usb mouse?

Yes, you can, but the touchpad works just as well as any other Dell laptop running XP/Vista that I have used.

On a side note, I don't understand why people buy Macs to run Windows on. If you're going to run Windows, get a Dell/HP/Toshiba. They're cheaper and they will run the system that you want exclusively. This is just pointed to the above commenter who said he doesn't even run OS X anymore. If you're going to dual boot, then more power to ya, but if you're solely running Windows, what's the point?

 

[Damn Dirty Ape]

For me, my FIL has gotten me curious about the macbook and leopard. I probably would not use the mac os as much as I would the windows part. Just want something different for a change too.

Originally posted by: Kmax82

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape

Originally posted by: OSx86
Its the exact same thing as on a PC. All you do is restart the computer and select if you want to boot into OS X or Windows

One thing - how do they emulate a 2button mouse?

Place 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

I presume though one could plug in a mini usb mouse?

Yes, you can, but the touchpad works just as well as any other Dell laptop running XP/Vista that I have used.

On a side note, I don't understand why people buy Macs to run Windows on. If you're going to run Windows, get a Dell/HP/Toshiba. They're cheaper and they will run the system that you want exclusively. This is just pointed to the above commenter who said he doesn't even run OS X anymore. If you're going to dual boot, then more power to ya, but if you're solely running Windows, what's the point?

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape
For me, my FIL has gotten me curious about the macbook and leopard. I probably would not use the mac os as much as I would the windows part. Just want something different for a change too.

Originally posted by: Kmax82

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: Damn Dirty Ape

Originally posted by: OSx86
Its the exact same thing as on a PC. All you do is restart the computer and select if you want to boot into OS X or Windows

One thing - how do they emulate a 2button mouse?

Place 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

I presume though one could plug in a mini usb mouse?

Yes, you can, but the touchpad works just as well as any other Dell laptop running XP/Vista that I have used.

On a side note, I don't understand why people buy Macs to run Windows on. If you're going to run Windows, get a Dell/HP/Toshiba. They're cheaper and they will run the system that you want exclusively. This is just pointed to the above commenter who said he doesn't even run OS X anymore. If you're going to dual boot, then more power to ya, but if you're solely running Windows, what's the point?

If you have to run Windows apps, check out Parallels or Fusion (I prefer Fusion) to run Windows in. With the exception of 3D stuff, it is almost as fast as native, and you don't have to reboot.

If you don't think you will use Leopard, then as Kmax said, get a dell. The appeal of Macs is that the OS runs so well on them since that is what it is designed to run on.

 

[ubercaffeinated]

once you start using os x, there is no going back. the experience is just that much better. i only boot camp windows xp for gaming.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Kmax82
Yes, you can, but the touchpad works just as well as any other Dell laptop running XP/Vista that I have used.

Not being able to tap to click is "just as well" as native Windows machines?

On a side note, I don't understand why people buy Macs to run Windows on. If you're going to run Windows, get a Dell/HP/Toshiba. They're cheaper and they will run the system that you want exclusively. This is just pointed to the above commenter who said he doesn't even run OS X anymore. If you're going to dual boot, then more power to ya, but if you're solely running Windows, what's the point?

Because my MacBook cost all of a couple hundred dollars (BlackBook with dead logic board = free, new logic board on eBay, couple hundred bucks)? Or maybe because I like the design of the hardware? But mostly because I know it cheeses off fanboys. I'm thinking about getting a cheap Mac Mini from geeks.com to replace the dell box I've been using with Media Center in my living room too. It won't have OS X on it either.

The only thing I really miss from OS X was XMeeting for participating in Polycom video conferences. Otherwise, it made my job more difficult.

Originally posted by: makoto00
once you start using os x, there is no going back. the experience is just that much better. i only boot camp windows xp for gaming.

Certainly not in my case.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: Kmax82
Yes, you can, but the touchpad works just as well as any other Dell laptop running XP/Vista that I have used.

Not being able to tap to click is "just as well" as native Windows machines?

Well, seeing as how the trackpads on almost every non-Apple laptop that I have ever used was crappy in one way or another (too small, too sensitive, would jump if a second finger grazed it, ineffectual scroll zones, etc.) then the Apple trackpad having the inability to tap-click is working just as well as any other.

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: Kmax82
On a side note, I don't understand why people buy Macs to run Windows on. If you're going to run Windows, get a Dell/HP/Toshiba. They're cheaper and they will run the system that you want exclusively. This is just pointed to the above commenter who said he doesn't even run OS X anymore. If you're going to dual boot, then more power to ya, but if you're solely running Windows, what's the point?

Because my MacBook cost all of a couple hundred dollars (BlackBook with dead logic board = free, new logic board on eBay, couple hundred bucks)? Or maybe because I like the design of the hardware? But mostly because I know it cheeses off fanboys. I'm thinking about getting a cheap Mac Mini from geeks.com to replace the dell box I've been using with Media Center in my living room too. It won't have OS X on it either.

The only thing I really miss from OS X was XMeeting for participating in Polycom video conferences. Otherwise, it made my job more difficult.

Well, then you got lucky with your purchase, especially if you were able to score that logic board for just a couple hundred (I read that as $200-300) since they usually go for more. However, the point is still valid, it does not make sense to buy an Apple system just to run Windows on it.

Originally posted by: Loup Garou

Originally posted by: makoto00
once you start using os x, there is no going back. the experience is just that much better. i only boot camp windows xp for gaming.

Certainly not in my case.

What do you mean, not in your case? Please elaborate.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: TheStu
Well, seeing as how the trackpads on almost every non-Apple laptop that I have ever used was crappy in one way or another (too small, too sensitive, would jump if a second finger grazed it, ineffectual scroll zones, etc.) then the Apple trackpad having the inability to tap-click is working just as well as any other.

I agree that other trackpads stink in a lot of ways, but there is no reason the basic functionality of should be limited in Windows when it works fine in OS X.

Well, then you got lucky with your purchase, especially if you were able to score that logic board for just a couple hundred (I read that as $200-300) since they usually go for more.

You can find Core Duo logic boards on eBay for $200-250 any day of the week. I got lucky with the rest of the system, yes. So what.

However, the point is still valid, it does not make sense to buy an Apple system just to run Windows on it.

lol, this cracks me up. Fanboys spend countless hours on forums trying to convince people that Macs are truly affordable and that the "all Macs are expensive" popular thinking just isn't true. Then, all of a sudden, I want to run Windows on it, it's the opposite.

The MacBook is a cleanly designed, well priced 13" notebook with a generous featureset and good battery life, regardless of the OS it runs. I'd love a Dell m1330, and honestly would've bought one if this machine hadn't fell in my lap, but I'll definitely consider another MacBook once this guy kicks the bucket.

The Mini is another perfect example, there just aren't any other PCs with that sort of form factor and price. Perfect with a USB tuner card and NAS for HTPC. iMac as well, there just aren't many other all in ones that look as nice and/or come in at the price.

Of course you need to add the cost of a Windows license -- no big deal for me, I have them coming out the wazoo. I have plenty of clients with Minis and iMacs running nothing but Windows as well, most of them had volume licenses anyways.

What do you mean, not in your case? Please elaborate.

When I got the MacBook, I thought I'd go with OS X for a while with Vista in a VM. OS X was fine for basic web browsing, listening to music, managing photos, whatever. However, I found myself living in my Windows VM when I wanted to get work done -- OWA sucks in any browser other than IE, RWW isn't supported in any browser other than IE, my Sprint EVDO modem was incredibly flaky in OS X, I hated that OS X didn't really have a hibernate feature. Then, I got a good deal on a Zune, had to run that software in Windows. I know none of these are the fault of OS X (most are MS's fault), but these are the things I use everyday...so I attempted to go back to Boot Camp for Vista. Ran into this problem. Had to wipe and reinstall everything. Fine for a couple of weeks. Then, last week my HD died. I certainly didn't feel like installing 2 OSes again, went with just Vista and am very happy. I can't think of a single thing I miss from OS X aside from, as mentioned the freeware app XMeeting.

 

[MrTransistorm]

Originally posted by: Kmax82If you're going to dual boot, then more power to ya, but if you're solely running Windows, what's the point?

I think it's worth it to not have all the adware and useless utilities that come with other PC laptops. Also the hardware is solid, and Apple's service is very good.

Originally posted by: makoto00
once you start using os x, there is no going back. the experience is just that much better. i only boot camp windows xp for gaming.

No kidding. I've messed around in Tiger off and on (on my friend's MBP) for a while. Now that I have my own MBP with Leopard, I'm blown away. Exposé and multitouch rip! If I could leave XP behind I would. Unfortunately I have several expensive Windows-only programs.