buffie Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Not rain mac's but imac's We've just taken the big step of waving goodbye to Mr Gates and getting an imac. I've had endless problems with vista and lost so much time yet again this week so here's to a new way of working. I am going to attempt to use iworks and not the mac version of word and I have given myself this week to get my head around using it. Any mac users on the forum with some handy hints BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I went over to the 'Macside' about 2 years ago and love it! Top tip = get a friend who is good with Macs!! I still haven't learnt how to use it properly, but it is so fast and the graphics are Will sit down and learn soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 We have had our eMac for about 4 years now, our other PC kept crashing ALL the time. We have appleworks on this one, I have no experience of iworks. I am a bit of a computer numpty ( well, a lot really), but my experience is that apart from being really cool to look at ( like an eglu!) a Mac is dead easy to use. Much more compact too than a PC, as there's no boxy bit, & the wires all plug in neatly along one side. There are hardly any viruses out to get Macs, but we still keep our software up-to-date. When we got this Mac it was the best we could afford, it's just seems to be getting a tad slower nowadays. Hubby wants to get something to store all our many photographs on to see if that speeds things up a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 My PC finally died just before xmas and I decided after 3 years of owning a Mac but only really using it for my ipods and internet to swap over fully to Mac :D Best thing I ever did computer wise I bought the new MacBook a few weeks ago and I love it Wouldn't swap back for anything......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I have been using Macs for about 7 years now. I don't have any Mac owning friends, so I am self taught I think they are great and am so glad to be free of Mr. Gates and all his evil works The Apple Mac Support site is HUGE and very very helpful, you just type in any query you have and either it will come up with answers already given or somebody will answer your query. There is also an alternative help site called MactheRipper which is populated by Mac geeks who will personally answer your questions. I find iworks easy to use and I am a techonumpty Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Jules - I noticed on another thread you had problems with the course page crashing and was about to ask you if you used a Mac.............. My old Mac that i was using up until a few weeks ago suddenly decided it would no longer load the course page - I had to borrow one of the children's computers to view the courses I also discovered that my Mac wouldn't load google maps and came to the conclusion that as the course page has a google map in it, the 2 things were linked. Possibly guessing a googlemap software update that was incompatible with old macs Anyway my new MacBook has no problems and is super quick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Top tip = get a friend who is good with Macs!! Hello friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I've been using macs every day for work for the past 16 years, so any questions feel free to ask - I'll try to help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I'd love a mac but my company did a scheme that allowed us to buy PCs very cheaply. The first one went badly wrong and I got vouchers to replace it with but again, couldn't use them for a mac. I'm hoping that we'll get a mac next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lailapet Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I have used many Macs and PCs in my time - I did desktop publishing for a translation company for 10 years - and I definitely prefer Macs!!! They are easy to use and all the PC drag and drop stuff was borrowed from Macs, they only tell you when things are wrong ie don't keep on asking you "do you really want to click yes here" and there is only one button on the mouse. The only reason I use a PC laptop thingy right now is because I simply could not afford to buy the Mac I really wanted 3 years ago when I moved back to Denmark. I KNOW that my next computer will be some sort of Mac!!! Laila Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 (edited) Macs are soo easy to use, they are like windows, only easier You can get mice with 2 buttons on them (like I am using right now-on my lovely new Black Macbook ) If a program does crash(which is very rare), there is none of that control alt delete rubbish, it just quits and starts up again (the progam, not the whole computer!) Go for it, you wont look back! Another great thing is that you get to have your own airport Edited April 13, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy&cake Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Im getting a new mac soon. they are fabulous! Pc's are extremely shocking, awful awful! [we actually have 4 mac laptops and 2 mac computer in this house!] Ross is a graphic designer, [like Joojoo] and hes used to for years! Macs are virus free too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Macs - is that as in Betamax? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 A beta what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Macs - is that as in Betamax? Someone is showing their age You too Fred! Don't have a Mac but returned new PC that was loaded with the very useless Vista recently.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Vista - what a load of rubbish that was. Why microsoft insist on releasing these operating platforms before they've ironed out the bugs is beyond me. Suppose it saves paying people to test it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Macs - is that as in Betamax? Someone is showing their age You too Fred! I know what Betamax is....Just trying to show how old those thing are! Betamax lost over VHS I think.... VHS is old....So Betamax must be really really old (so must the person who remembers them - only kidding ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwichick Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Another mac user here. Been using one for the last two years and I could not go back to a PC ever again. But..... I have Microsoft Office for Mac loaded on it so I can continue to use Word and Excel. They are way more stable on the mac than on a PC which is laughable since thats what they were originally written for. VHS is old. My kids don't even know what VHS is. Anytime now they are going to forget what a DVD is 'cos we watch movies on our Mac too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 I have had a mac for the past five years (powerbook G4), it is fantastic I have word, excel etc. I will never own a pc again. I love you avatar kiwichick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana's flock Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Congratulations on your new mac! I've been using macs since 1990 and they're great, really easy to use, intuitive, friendly and as cool looking as an eglu! However, they've got their down side too, and it's not their fault, but the software developers. I had to get a PC laptop as SAGE (accounting software) doesn't run on macs... So in my role as a designer and document producer I wouldn't touch anything other than a mac, but when it comes to the boring accounts I've got to switch to the PC. The good thing is that banks and on-line stores are now designing their sites to be mac-compatible so I can now bank and shop on line from the mac too! I'm not a 'techy' but if you need any hints please post them here and we can help each other. Enjoy your new Mac! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted April 14, 2008 Author Share Posted April 14, 2008 Hi What a lot of you replied, thanks We'll keep this bumped up then and talk mac talk I've got both set up now, the PC will retire on friday and very pleased to see the back of it too:lol: They are lovely to look at and the keyboard is fantastic to use. It's been an expensive mistake buying Vista but I've drawn a line under it I need to do something more than play on the mac now but pleased so many of you think I've done the right thing BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 It basically comes down to personal preference, what you are used to using and what you intend to use it for. Generally speaking, PC's are more compatible and there is more help available because there are far more users around the world. PC's are much better in terms of flexibility and you can do much more tasks with them. They can also come in many shapes and sizes and can be almost tailor made to your individual requirements. There is more freedom of choice in terms of who makes a PC and this makes the market competitive in terms of cost and performance which means better value for money for the consumer. And they can also be fully upgraded at a later time or bit by bit as you get the money or new devices become available. Apple mac's however are usually prettier than a standard PC, but you do pay a premium for this. They are also "foolproof", they are effectively PC's dumbed down with fewer configuration options available to the user and therefore they are the easiest to use for a beginner or those lacking confidence/knowledge. There is also a fairly limited range of software available for the Mac (although this list is growing). So basically if you only intend on doing a few basic tasks and want to pay more for the privilege of good looks then a Mac is probably your best bet. If you want to be able to play the latest 3D games, watch and record live digital TV, import and edit home movies, use your tv as a media centre, view and record cctv footage around your home, listen to an internet radio and chat to your friends while all this is going on and much more, then a PC is probably the sensible option. It's a bit like cars. Do you go for the sexy convertible or the practical estate/suv/4x4? Well if you can only afford 1 car then the practical side has to win, but if you have more money than sense, you can afford to live life in the fast lane! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 (edited) I play 3-d games, edit movies, IM my friends etc etc all at the same time, and it has been a much more easier experience than using a PC. But I do agree on the costs, a bit pricey, but well worth it Also on a Mac, hardly any viruses, spyware etc etc no antivirus slowing down you system.... Edited April 14, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Yes Fred, I'm a computer engineer. I support and repair Mac's, PC's, laptops and servers within the company I work for. And I have to say even though we have far less Mac's than PC's, we seem to get just as many issues with them as we do with our PC fleet, so they aren't even a more reliable option just more restrictive in terms of upgrading and hardware compatibility. There are of course pro's and cons for both. My point is if you can only afford 1, then a PC is probably the best option. I'm not by any means anti Mac, but anything that you can do on a Mac can be done on a PC which costs far less and offers more choice. Plus as software is more widely available and it's more upgradeable, it's just the icing on the cake for PC's! It's only my opinion of course... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
