Author Topic: Switchng from Windows to Mac (Read 22978 times)

PaulieWalnuts · « **on:** November 20, 2013, 22:50 »

Time to see if the grass is greener.

I'm trying to plan for changes I'll need to make. For people who have switched what are some lessons learned?

I've already found a few things. External drives will need to be reformatted. I'll need to get a new backup NAS server. New MS Office. What else related to photography or in general?

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2013, 00:57 »

You won't need to reformat your external drives. Paragon's NTFS for Mac lets you write to as well as read from NTFS disks. Parallels desktop will let you run Windows in a window so you can run any apps you can't get on the Mac. It'll help during the transition, but I don't use it any more.

I switched in 2008 and it was very easy. I had used Macs from 1984 through 1990 or so, then Windows through to 2008. We do have several Windows PCs at home so I have access to them if I need them, but generally it's just being tech support for the kids or testing out web sites to be sure all's well on the other platform.

Adobe's perpetual licenses can't be used on a different platform - unlike Corel Painter, for example, where you have a license and can use it on whichever platform you wish. If you're using CC versions, I don't know whether they've changed.

I used Microsoft Office and Outlook for a long time after the transition, but now don't use Outlook any more and have Excel for my earnings spreadsheet and Word gets a very occasional outing.

It's a pretty easy transition, but there's always an unsettled feeling during a transition while you get used to the new environment and get up to speed with it. If you love IE for a browser, Parallels Desktop will get more use than if you're already using Chrome or Firefox

Beppe Grillo · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2013, 02:27 »

As says Jo Ann you don't need to reformat your drives, Mac Os will see them with Paragon's NTFS http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/
But consider that for Mac it is always better to use drives formatted in Extended Mac Os (journaled).
So I think it is worth to be done.
But it is a format that you cannot read under Windows unless you use HFS+ for Windows http://www.paragon-software.com/home/hfs-windows/

Personally I use Mac from 1984 (and Apple ][ some years before)
I have rarely used a PC under Windows, but I have Windows 7 virtualized with VMware Fusion that I prefer to Parallels Desktop.
At the Level of system I prefer (a lot) Mac, but it is a question of habit I think.
Using the programs doesn't make a lot of difference, as once launched they work in the same way on both systems, and most of the "modern" software will generate files readable under both systems.

I hate the fonts management on Mac (but I have seen that under Windows it can be worse…)
If you use a lot of fonts you'd better use some good fonts manager as Suitcase or Font Explorer (I prefer the second).

You can continue to use windows, with some virtualization software (Parallels, VMware, etc), in this way you will have the possibility to use both the system at the same time.
You can also boot under Windows with Bootcamp https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1461, and you Mac will be a perfect Windows machine (I have read somewhere that the Mac is the best machine to run windows

)

_______
You can find useful infos here:
https://www.apple.com/support/macbasics/

_______
A personal consideration.
If you are not absolutely sure that you want to spend money in an iMac or a MacBook Pro you can take a Mac Mini. In this way you will have the possibility to continue to use your monitor, your keyboard, your mouse.
A Mac Mini with 8 or 16 GB RAM will run Lightroom and Photoshop without problem.
If you take a Mac Mini buy it with the minimum of RAM (4 GB) and buy the extra RAM to some site as Crucial or OWC (Apple branded RAM cost a lot of more… for nothing more)

stockphotoeurope · « **Reply #3 on:** November 21, 2013, 02:39 »

NAS usually use a Linux based o.s. internally, and are completely independent from your pc or mac, and easily accessible from all major o.s.

Lightroom's DVD comes with setup files for both Windows and Mac, which is great.

You won't be able to use any recent version of the CorelDraw suite, which is not an issue for most people but would be a major issue for me.

Your mouse will miss a button.

All those animations / transparent toolbars / glossy buttons and similar useless bells and whistles are as irritating as their recent Windows counterpart but in Windows at least are easily removed to go back to a more sober interface. Hope it's the same for Mac.

Beppe Grillo · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2013, 02:57 »

Quote from: stockphotoeurope on November 21, 2013, 02:39

Your mouse will miss a button.

All those animations / transparent toolbars / glossy buttons and similar useless bells and whistles are as irritating as their recent Windows counterpart but in Windows at least are easily removed to go back to a more sober interface. Hope it's the same for Mac.

You will not miss a button. You will just not see it…
But you don't look at your mouse when you use it, so it will not make any difference.
And I you don't like the Mac mouse you can use almost any other mouse you like (as I did)

Yes you can remove the sounds on Mac (they are not a lot btw)

oxman · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2013, 03:45 »

The best thing is no more virus issues!!. Some programs like Quickbooks are more robust on PC but overall, not many issues. I love the MAC world and have used both for many years.

You can find amazing deals on ebay now for Mac Pro towers loaded since many early adopters are dumping their systems for the new Mac Pro coming out in December. Lots of mixed reviews on that one. I think Ivy and Cook have gone off-leash and ruined the Mac Pro concept with lame iMac mentality.

Yesterday I bought a Apple Mac Pro 2.66GHz 12-Core 32GB/512GB SSD/4TB HDD/Radeon HD 6870 for under $3416 shipped. It cost $8000 six months ago!

cathyslife · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2013, 05:58 »

Regarding adobe software, you used to be able to call support and switch the license from pc to mac, but it was a few years ago that i did it, so not sure about it now. Maybe worth a call before buying anything new?

Welcome to mac. Once you get over the initial shock and find your way around, i think you will find many plusses.

gillian vann · « **Reply #7 on:** November 21, 2013, 06:22 »

oh there are many things you'll dislike for a while: going to the "wrong" side to close windows. Hitting that "x" that just closes but not quits a program. The DEL key if you don't have a full keyboard. i still use a 2button mouse and have all the right-click functions.

You'll love: the simplicity and clean look. Finder is wonderful.

You may hate: Outlook and Mail. I hated them both, switched between them both for a few months, yelling at them both. Settled into Mail eventually.

I never liked Windows but used it for a number of years before switching back to Mac, and it took me 4 months to fully get used to it. I can't stand using Windows now, and am totally lost. be patient and know that it will be worth it.

sharpshot · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2013, 07:09 »

I'd dump windows and mac and go with linux

Mantis · « **Reply #9 on:** November 21, 2013, 08:42 »

I have been a windows user since day one, but purchased an I mac last weekend. One of the things that is different is keyboard short cuts. For example, even though I loaded MS office MAC I no longer hit F2 to edit a cell. It's ctl U now. I have no way to credte DVD/CD's without purchasing another external drive to do so, and if you have any software to load that requires a disc you need to buy an external CD/DVD drive. I ended up switching over because I am slowly getting into video and needed a system that delivers excellent results, so I also got Final Cut Pro. The learning curve is not too bad, their help icon is very useful and so far I have been able to find what I need on a simple Google search if I couldn't find it in the software. Also, terminology between Windows and Mac is different in some cases but not to hard to figure out.

Once more thing. Make sure to authorize your I Mac for Itunes or you won't be able to download much

Yesterday I realized that Apple's hook strategy is working. I have two Ipads, and Iphone, an Itouch, an Ipod and now and I Mac. Holy cow.

Ron · « **Reply #10 on:** November 21, 2013, 08:59 »

Quote from: Mantis on November 21, 2013, 08:42

Yesterday I realized that Apple's hook strategy is working. I have two Ipads, and Iphone, an Itouch, an Ipod and now and I Mac. Holy cow.

Thats the exact reason I am not touching Apple products

luissantos84 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:00 »

Quote from: Mantis on November 21, 2013, 08:42

Yesterday I realized that Apple's hook strategy is working. I have two Ipads, and Iphone, an Itouch, an Ipod and now and I Mac. Holy cow.

you just don't know what to do with all the money

gigidread · « **Reply #12 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:16 »

Quote from: sharpshot on November 21, 2013, 07:09

I'd dump windows and mac and go with linux

Yeah!

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #13 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:50 »

Great information! Thanks for all of the detailed responses. Doesn't sound like as big of a jump as I thought.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #14 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:51 »

Quote from: sharpshot on November 21, 2013, 07:09

I'd dump windows and mac and go with linux

I like Linux. Great for techies which I actually am one. But I'm trying to get away from wasting time fiddling with technology and technology problems and spend more time on creative production.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #15 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:57 »

Quote from: Mantis on November 21, 2013, 08:42

Yesterday I realized that Apple's hook strategy is working. I have two Ipads, and Iphone, an Itouch, an Ipod and now and I Mac. Holy cow.

Yep. I've been a Microsoftie for a long time. I got my first Apple product, an Iphone5, a year ago. Awesome product, excellent support, zero aggravation. Looks like the hooks are in. A Macbook Pro and AppleTV are next on the shopping list.

Shelma1 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:59 »

Welcome to the cult of Apple. You're going to be very happy here.

Perry · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2013, 11:02 »

Quote from: Ron on November 21, 2013, 08:59

Quote from: Mantis on November 21, 2013, 08:42

Yesterday I realized that Apple's hook strategy is working. I have two Ipads, and Iphone, an Itouch, an Ipod and now and I Mac. Holy cow.
Thats the exact reason I am not touching Apple products

But they sync so well together (I have a Mac Mini, iMac, Macbook, iPad and iPhone

bunhill · « **Reply #18 on:** November 21, 2013, 11:15 »

Quote from: sharpshot on November 21, 2013, 07:09

go with linux

For Photographers today the software is more important than the computer. Most photographers are going to either be running Lightroom or Aperture. Probably also some version of Photoshop - although the day when I eliminate that from my setup is definitely drawing closer. And then it's down to the plugins and extensions - VSCO, Nik etc.

None of that stuff runs on Linux in any sort of sensible way. And good luck calibrating your monitor.

Android is Linux. I can see a day when the choice for many photographers will be between IOS and Android. But not quite yet.

Lucadp · « **Reply #19 on:** November 21, 2013, 12:39 »

Quote from: sharpshot on November 21, 2013, 07:09

I'd dump windows and mac and go with linux

another linux (debian) user here, but i'm a 3d guy, not a photographer, and i don't need adobe products for my work, so the switch was easy

I've used osx for a couple of year (2010/2012), great os, stable and reliable, you can't go wrong.

heywoody · « **Reply #20 on:** November 21, 2013, 17:44 »

Quote from: Lucadp on November 21, 2013, 12:39

Quote from: sharpshot on November 21, 2013, 07:09
I'd dump windows and mac and go with linux

another linux (debian) user here, but i'm a 3d guy, not a photographer, and i don't need adobe products for my work, so the switch was easy
I've used osx for a couple of year (2010/2012), great os, stable and reliable, you can't go wrong.

I must be unique - never had the slightest problem with windows and have never seen the point in paying well over the odds for a badge.

sharpshot · « **Reply #21 on:** November 21, 2013, 18:26 »

Quote from: bhr on November 21, 2013, 11:15

Quote from: sharpshot on November 21, 2013, 07:09
go with linux

For Photographers today the software is more important than the computer. Most photographers are going to either be running Lightroom or Aperture. Probably also some version of Photoshop - although the day when I eliminate that from my setup is definitely drawing closer. And then it's down to the plugins and extensions - VSCO, Nik etc.

None of that stuff runs on Linux in any sort of sensible way. And good luck calibrating your monitor.

Android is Linux. I can see a day when the choice for many photographers will be between IOS and Android. But not quite yet.

I had no problems with Photoshop Elements using wine but I dumped it, as the GIMP does all I need. Monitor calibration is easy. I use ColorHug, cheap and easy to use to get a profile. I use dispcalGUI to load it.

cathyslife · « **Reply #22 on:** November 21, 2013, 20:49 »

I just got a new imac at work last week. It came with mountain lion installed and i should have stayed there awhile. I upgraded to mavericks and now i cant use one of my two extra monitors (usb). The display link software has gone as far as it can go, they are saying, and the fix now has to come from apple. So if you get something loaded with mt lion, you might consider staying there for awhile if using multiple monitors. I am still using cs5 and everything seems ok for the most part but i have gotten a couple hangs and had to reboot.

Sulio · « **Reply #23 on:** November 21, 2013, 21:19 »

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on November 20, 2013, 22:50

New MS Office.

You dont need the MS office, with Mac OS you get TextEdit application which reads and writes MS Word text file formats. Also with Mac you get iWork package, Mac version of other office applications eg. Exel = Numbers, Power Point = Keynote etc etc...
Other way Open source application Open Office can be efficient replacement for MS office too.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #24 on:** November 21, 2013, 22:04 »

Quote from: cathyslife stockphotos.com on November 21, 2013, 20:49

I just got a new imac at work last week. It came with mountain lion installed and i should have stayed there awhile. I upgraded to mavericks and now i cant use one of my two extra monitors (usb). The display link software has gone as far as it can go, they are saying, and the fix now has to come from apple. So if you get something loaded with mt lion, you might consider staying there for awhile if using multiple monitors. I am still using cs5 and everything seems ok for the most part but i have gotten a couple hangs and had to reboot.

Good to know thanks.

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Author Topic: Switchng from Windows to Mac (Read 22978 times)

PaulieWalnuts

Jo Ann Snover

Beppe Grillo

stockphotoeurope

Beppe Grillo

oxman

cathyslife

gillian vann

sharpshot

Mantis

Ron

luissantos84

gigidread

PaulieWalnuts

PaulieWalnuts

PaulieWalnuts

Shelma1

Perry

bunhill

Lucadp

heywoody

sharpshot

cathyslife

Sulio

PaulieWalnuts

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