• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

iPhone is great! iPad is great! Now I want an iMac.

sportage

sportage

Lifer
As a hard core microsoft person, since I got into computers back in the 1980's, I realize the apple products seem far superior. So much so, that I want to totally cross over to the apple side by getting an iMac. Probably the MC413LL/A 21" iMac system. I don't do gaming. My pc has a BR/DVD player, but I never use it. Looks like the iMac Im looking at runs around $1500 (or less).
I like the all-in-one design too.
I do a fair amount of video editing for youtube and making dvds. Other than that, just the usual web surfing.
How difficult was it for other pc folks to cross over to the world of apple iMac?
I just wanted to know if it was simple and enjoyable to change over, or a nightmare?
 
You will be fine, and will learn as you go. The experience of OSX is a great one - like the ads say, stuff just works. I have 5 PC's at home, and last summer I ditched the Dell laptop and picked up a 13.3 inch MacBook Pro for work. I couldn't be more pleased with the performance and design.
 
Mac OS X is much more intuitive than Windows.

With Microsoft, I often have to stop, think, and look around to try and figure out how to do anything.

You can probably find most of what you want to know on the internet, at Apple's website, or in a book such as http://www.amazon.com/Mac-OS-Snow-Le...5832600&sr=8-1

Flip4Mac is a simple plug in is an useful add on that allows you to view Windows Media in Mac OS X, and if you still need certain Windows programs, you can either Boot Camp it, and / or use VMWare Fusion to access certain programs directly from within OS X.
 
I just switched over a few weeks ago and its been a pretty smooth transition. I use Fusion for one thing only and thats Quicken since the MAC version is horrible.
 
sportage said:
How difficult was it for other pc folks to cross over to the world of apple iMac?
I just wanted to know if it was simple and enjoyable to change over, or a nightmare?
Click to expand...

Its hard at first, but since you know how to use a computer it should be easier.

Most things are the same as windows, however there are some major annoyances. Some things require 3 key press instead of 1 or 2. Some stuff you can download fixes, like for the home end keys. IF you just point and click everything then maybe you wont notice so much.

I dont think its more intuitive than windows. Actually less, but i guess thats opinion. Not really though...

Its enjoyable, not simple but once you get over the newness of it all it can become a nightmare lol.
 
mshan said:
With Microsoft, I often have to stop, think, and look around to try and figure out how to do anything.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you might be dangerously retarded.

But continuing on, Apple makes a great product. You can do anything you want with it. Including run windows for the stuff you can't do in OSX, which really isn't much.
 
THanks for the input.
I pretty much can make a clean break from windows apps, and go with whatever the imac os offers. The one thing i have always read about is how the mac does video much better than anything ms related. Guess I'll find out. About the only video editing software for pc is pinnacle studio, and that loves to crash...constantly.
Its just seems everything apple looks and performs so "slick". I've seen my share of blue screens for a lifetime. Its time to move on...
 
sportage said:
THanks for the input.
I pretty much can make a clean break from windows apps, and go with whatever the imac os offers. The one thing i have always read about is how the mac does video much better than anything ms related. Guess I'll find out. About the only video editing software for pc is pinnacle studio, and that loves to crash...constantly.
Its just seems everything apple looks and performs so "slick". I've seen my share of blue screens for a lifetime. Its time to move on...
Click to expand...

iMovie will come with your new iMac, and is a very decent beginner piece of software. Pefect for home movies and Youtube clips. If you want to move up to something more "prosumer", check out Final Cut Express ($199)
 
sportage said:
THanks for the input.
I pretty much can make a clean break from windows apps, and go with whatever the imac os offers. The one thing i have always read about is how the mac does video much better than anything ms related. Guess I'll find out. About the only video editing software for pc is pinnacle studio, and that loves to crash...constantly.
Its just seems everything apple looks and performs so "slick". I've seen my share of blue screens for a lifetime. Its time to move on...
Click to expand...

"About the only video editing software for pc is pinnacle studio"

Pinnacle Studio is not just about the only video editing software for windows. That statement is ridiculous. Either you didn't bother to check around for anything different or you didn't know where to look. Your statement is not based on anything factual.
 
I can't afford an iMac, but I <3 my Hackintosh. I've been on computers since TRS-80 and used every version of Windows with the exception of ME extensively. I installed OSX in December, and it did take me a week to adjust. But today things just make more sense in OSX to me. Something as simple as what I've known as a backspace forever is now delete? Yep, but now I use it as delete, I honestly really find it more fitting for what the button does. I still like Win 7, but Snow Leopard is really sweet.
 
QueBert said:
I can't afford an iMac, but I <3 my Hackintosh. I've been on computers since TRS-80 and used every version of Windows with the exception of ME extensively. I installed OSX in December, and it did take me a week to adjust. But today things just make more sense in OSX to me. Something as simple as what I've known as a backspace forever is now delete? Yep, but now I use it as delete, I honestly really find it more fitting for what the button does. I still like Win 7, but Snow Leopard is really sweet.
Click to expand...

I guess your talking about how you have to do apple backspace to delete? I use path finder where delete actually works. As does enter, instead of apple-o to open stuff.
 
About the only thing you'll have a problem with is learning the modifier keys. Macs use Command (looks like a shamrock) for most things, and it's in the place where the Alt key is on a PC. So in terms of key positioning, it's like Alt-C to copy, Alt-V to paste, Alt-Q to quit (Apple says "Quit" instead of "Exit"). Cmd-Tab does the same thing as Alt-Tab, so that's one you won't have to re-learn.
 
osx is bsd with a pretty interface. mostly the same as the ipad/iphone/etc.

sounds like you want a *nix box since you run pretty much the same apps.

everything else gets done in win7 🙂
 
Just a few more questions...
On the Apple iMac MC413LL/A, is the screen res 1080p?
How's the battery life on wireless KB & mouse?
Does any software come with it, close or equal to excel and word? Or would that be 3rd party?
I keep reading how it "can" run pc apps, is this function supported in the os itself,
or are those people dual booting windows?
 
sportage said:
Just a few more questions...
On the Apple iMac MC413LL/A, is the screen res 1080p?
How's the battery life on wireless KB & mouse?
Does any software come with it, close or equal to excel and word? Or would that be 3rd party?
I keep reading how it "can" run pc apps, is this function supported in the os itself,
or are those people dual booting windows?
Click to expand...

1. 21.5" is 1080p .. 27" is 2560x1440.

2. I've heard they're good, but haven't used them personally.

3. You can always get Open Office (Free), which works well enough for my needs. Or you can either grab iWork ($79) or Office ($149 Student) as well. I'd hold off on Office since 2011 will be coming out this Winter. It's quite a significant upgrade.

4. Bootcamp is built in, which means you can natively boot into a Windows partition that you can make. However, you'll either need the Open Source VirtualBox (Free), or a paid license to VMWare Fusion or Parallels, to run Windows side by side in OS X.
 
Last edited:
I started on Macs in 1985 and they've always been superior to PC's. If it was not for games and I remember the game too, Diablo, I would have never switched. Today, with consoles, with open source explosion, etc there is no reason to use MS OS. copy copy copy is all they do.. one step behind at all times whether it's Zune or MS stores or everything about OS. PC makers industrial design sux compared to apple. But I'm still a 'roll my own' type of guy and trapped by legacy.

You will love your imac with high quality IPS display, silent and sleek and have no problem xing over.
 
Just to add a bit to Kmax's answer...

I have also heard very good things about the battery life of the wireless keyboard and mouse. Like, that they easily last the better part of a year. Of course YMMV but I have never heard anyone complain about it.

iWork is a good Word/Excel/PowerPoint replacement for Mac. It is compatible with the MS formats, but if you are used to MS Office then it will take some getting used to. A lot of people prefer Pages to Word, as the design philosophy is definitely a bit different (Pages tries to reach into the Desktop Publishing arena a little more than Word does). But if you rely on 100% pixel-perfect compatibility and interchangability with somewhat-complicated Word docs, you will probably have to just buy Office. My job uses tables extensively in Word, and all my co-workers use PC's and MS Office so I can't get what I need out of Pages. Personally, I have always found OpenOffice to be inferior and would probably prefer Google Docs over OpenOffice. Of course, I was raised on WordPerfect and wish that it would catch back on....

Dual booting Windows is easy and mostly built-in. It is possible to run Windows apps natively within OSX, using VMWare or Parallels virtual machine software. Both are relatively inexpensive (I think they are both usually less than $80). If you want to go this route, then I would recommend that you wait for one of MacUpdate's promo deals where you usually get Parallels and like 10 other apps (normally in the $10-$40 range, per app) for $50 all bundled together. Seems like those deals happen maybe once or a couple of times a year. E.g. see here

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=295694
 
I once liked ms word, then ms changed the layout and now it&#8217;s a mess to figure out.
They did this to their paint in W7. So iWork can't be any worse to get use to.
As to pinnacle studio.. I've tried tons of video editing and they all suck on a pc,
unless I guess if you're willing to go into the $500+ range for video editing.
Studio is popular and reasonable priced, but tons of bugs and that freezing
issue still haunting studio from the very first release.
For example... the current release of studio has one major bug. In that if you're
making a video using just photos and fade/pan/zoom, random photos jerk or jump as the timeline enters playing that photo. It&#8217;s like some temp res change in the middle of the displayed photo, then jerks back to original res.
Pinnacle knows about the issue, but thats about it.
I had to revert back to studio 12. And like I said, studio is one of the more popular editing programs for pc. Others? You run into video/voice sync issues A LOT !!!
But... again... that&#8217;s the not-so-fun part of using a pc.
Very much looking forward to a mac.
And I say that by experience with the iPad and iPhone. Never had to reboot one once.
Never froze up. No blue screens. No viruses. So if apple reliability is as consistent in their iMac, as with their other apple devices, we all should give apple a try for home computing. Im just trying to nail down what I need as far as memory and processor speed. The 21" screen is just the right size in my opinion. I&#8217;d like to go to a quad core but looks like that only comes with the 27" iMac system.
Im probably getting too way picky as to performance and speed issues in researching the iMac(s).
But that too is another pc user syndrome I have to overcome.
 
Just thought I'd toss my 2cents in, im an MCSE, who runs a Windows only network with 100 or so PC's (XP/Vista/7) and 5 windows servers, and I love OS/X.

Also, the screens on the iMacs are freaking amazing. If I didnt already have a Mac Pro, and a 24" dell, I'd be all over the 27" (the all-in-one is a little annoying too, just incase i get the urge to upgrade at some point).
 
I'd get the 27" with $200 processor upgrade, you'll appreciate with video editing... $2200 with free shipping seems high until I checked newegg and it's less than a similar equipped PC I was comparing with same specs.



DVD LG 22X DVD Burner - $25.99
Case LIAN LI ARMORSUIT PC-P50 Black Aluminum $149.99
Monitor NEC Display Solutions LCD2690WUXI2-BK Black 25.5" 8ms(GTG)$939.99
Video card HIS H485Q1GH Radeon HD 4850 1GB $119.99
Keyboard and mouse -Logitech MX 5500 Revolution Black Bluetooth Cordless $149.99
OS Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders $174.99
CPU Combo kit-
Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor
ASUS SABERTOOTH 55i LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s - $615.99

Subtotal: $2,176.93 + Shipping
 
Zebo said:
I'd get the 27" with $200 processor upgrade, you'll appreciate with video editing... $2200 with free shipping seems high until I checked newegg and it's less than a similar equipped PC I was comparing with same specs.



DVD LG 22X DVD Burner - $25.99
Case LIAN LI ARMORSUIT PC-P50 Black Aluminum $149.99
Monitor NEC Display Solutions LCD2690WUXI2-BK Black 25.5" 8ms(GTG)$939.99
Video card HIS H485Q1GH Radeon HD 4850 1GB $119.99
Keyboard and mouse -Logitech MX 5500 Revolution Black Bluetooth Cordless $149.99
OS Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders $174.99
CPU Combo kit-
Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor
ASUS SABERTOOTH 55i LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s - $615.99

Subtotal: $2,176.93 + Shipping
Click to expand...

why using 7 ultimate?

why does your last gen harddrive cost 600 dollars?

there are cheaper (and similar quality) IPS panels.

why buy a 150 dollar keyboard and mouse combo?
 
I finally ditched MS for good back in February and haven't looked back.

OP - have you considered Mac Mini instead of iMac?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top