Newbie wants to go from MS to Mac

james boatwrightjames boatwright
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Folks,

I am using a Win98SE PC, with MS Internet Explore E6, and MS Outlook Express 6, a SCSI Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 6p printer, a HP ScanJet 3c/4c scanner, a Canon BCI-610 Color Printer, a SCSI Plextor CD burner, a SCSI Pioneer CD reader, 2 SCSI CD jukeboxes, one BellSouth 2Wire Ethernet Modem, 2 USB webcams, the Picture Window photo processor, WordPerfect 9, WinFax fax send/receive, and various other applets that I can't think of.



I wish to save/move over as much of the above to a large fast OS X Mac.



I want a FAST CD/DVD burner.



I wish to get in contact with any/every one who has a mind to help me.



I cannot see to read or type very well.

I programmed about 5 different mainframes for Western Electric and BellSouth ("The Phone Company") from 1956 thru 1991, so I may not know what to DO in any given situation , but I sure know a lot of things NOT to do.

I dislike having to be run 'round and 'round Robin Hood's Barn on a WebSite, finding nothing, and finally ending back where I began or before.



I an retired and have to be very parsimonious (cheap).

And at a computer-frustrated 69 years old, with one heart-attact already, I don't want another.

I DO WANT TO GET AWAY FROM BILL GATES, MICROSOFT, WINDOWS AND ITS PATCHES!!!!!!

-----------------------------------------------------



Please tell me where and how to post the above.





Thank You,



James

[email protected]

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    scottscott Posts: 7,431member
    Hummm? I'm not up on the latest but I would guess all that SCSI stuff is lost for you. Sounds like you wont need most of it though. Some SCSI expert will clear things up.



    USB web cams? I don't think those will work either. Last I heard, a long time ago, Apple doesn't support video over USB in OS X. I don't know why or if it's been fixed.





    Uhhh lets see. Software. Looks like you'll have to make a clean break and start over with that. Apple has an okay set of software on their entry level computers.



    Mainframes huh? I'm guessing UNIX? That's what OS X is built on these days. Not that you need to touch any of that to use it.





    Here's the best advice. Find an Apple Store near you. Go in there with your laundry list of needs and wants and have them figure it out for you. Do be prepared to make a clean break with some of that stuff.



    Good Luck and Microsoft Sux!
  • Reply 2 of 5
    jobjob Posts: 420member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by James Boatwright

    I an retired and have to be very parsimonious (cheap).



    There is one very simple question you need to ask yourself before you purchase your Mac:



    How much are you willing to spend?



    If you are looking for a CD/DVD burner, the cheapest one in Apple's lineup is the top-end eMac. The eMac line is ripe for a major update though, so I'd hold off for a while. You can get the top-end eMac with Superdrive for around $1299. You also may be able to find refurbed eMacs going for around $1000.



    I'm assuming that you want to burn DVD's, correct?



    Most of the SCSI stuff will have to be left behind, unless you buy a tower, at which point, a simple SCSI card will work just fine. However, to custom build the low-end tower ($1499) with a Superdrive (DVD/CD burner) the price goes up to $1699. One of the main choices you will probably have to make is whether or not all of you old SCSI equipment will be worth saving. If you get an eMac, it will be highly difficult, if not impossible, to use most of you SCSI stuff. (Unless of course there is an external converter than I am currently unaware of. Any AI forum people want to prove me wrong?)



    Good luck with whatever you purchase.



    And welcome to the world of Mac.
  • Reply 3 of 5
    jcjc Posts: 342member
    Ummm, for the use you specify speed is not an issue in machine choice. any mac with a superdrive will do. I have a PB 17 and though it is the top of the line Powerbook the DVD superdrive is slower than the desktop models.



    Macs do not install superdrives on systems that are too slow to use them. so just figure out what you want to spend.



    For what it has on it, and what you can do with it, 3250 for the powerbook 17 is not that bad.



    you can also order a superdrive on the 12" PB. For desktop i would normally recommend the eMac, though i would look at the iMac as it has been recently upgraded.



    Go to an Apple store and try and figure out what you like in regards to what you want to spend.



    and welcome to macintosh
  • Reply 4 of 5
    jaynyjayny Posts: 15member
    There are SCSI to USB adabters which you can buy from speciality computer stores. Do a search in Yahoo shopping they seem to run around 50 dollars. Although I feel you may have problems with Drivers for the devices and you may need to just start over on those.



    http://shopping.yahoo.com/



    I would reccommed the emac for a price conscious consumer, the $1299 if you Want to burn DVD's otherwise the $999 will work.





    But again If you are near an Apple store go in with your questions and play around a little.
  • Reply 5 of 5
    james boatwrightjames boatwright Posts: 2member
    All these are good ideas.

    I think I will will go local with a relative.

    All the local stores want to do is SELL, SELL, SELL!!



    And for some reason, I have to re-logon each time I try to reply to this forum --- I wish it would hold my info --- ay 69, I forgit things too much.

    And weren't we just talking about planting peas?

    Thank you all very much!!!

    I started programming computers with the LGP-30 in 1956 and ended in 1991, then continued with Windows 3.0 thru WIN98SE and that's as far as I care to go with ol' Microsoft!!



    James
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