PC user in Decision!

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
I'm a simple PC user considering a new computer purchase ... and looking at an Apple iMac. My primary software needs are all Microsoft ... Money, Projects & Office. I really have not explored computer usage beyond this boring list ... but may find photo's and music enjoyable if I bought a computer less problem plagued than my current 99 model Dell! Question: Can I purchase an iMac and run the programs I need ... some of which require windows ... without additional problems ... or would it be best to stick with another PC?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    dave k.dave k. Posts: 1,306member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AndyRu View Post


    I'm a simple PC user considering a new computer purchase ... and looking at an Apple iMac. My primary software needs are all Microsoft ... Money, Projects & Office. I really have not explored computer usage beyond this boring list ... but may find photo's and music enjoyable if I bought a computer less problem plagued than my current 99 model Dell! Question: Can I purchase an iMac and run the programs I need ... some of which require windows ... without additional problems ... or would it be best to stick with another PC?



    If your primary software products are Microsoft products and will continue to be, use them under a Microsoft operating system. Office is significantly better for Windows than Mac OS X. Microsoft doesn't offer Project nor Money for Mac OS X.



    Vista's photo management tool isn't that bad (plus there is the free download Picasso by Google) and you can use iTunes under Windows.



    Love to see you on a Mac, but I am not sure you will like it enough. Running Boot Camp or Parallels for an application or two is fine.



    Dave
  • Reply 2 of 8
    andyruandyru Posts: 8member
    Thanks for your comments Dave. I would be willing to convert from MS Money to Quicken provided I could import my current files. MS Projects is something I could use exclusively on my PC at work. Using your advice, Office would be the only program I would need to continue to run in the Windows environment ... but then again ... I have not tried iWork. May decide I don't need MS Office either. Thanks again for your time!
  • Reply 3 of 8
    daibachdaibach Posts: 18member
    Hi Andy,



    I was in the exact same situation as you 2 years ago - a life long Windows user looking at getting a new computer and wondering whether or not to buy a Mac. I even had a Dell laptop! The applications I used at the time were mainly for work and mainly Microsoft - Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Project.



    All I can say is that I don't regret the purchase one bit! I can still do all the things I used to on my PC, but I can also do a whole lot more thanks to the wonderful Mac applications such as Apple's iLife and iWork and all the third party applications.



    Microsoft Office for the Mac works perfectly. Okay, so it's not a universal application, but it runs fast enough that I don't really notice - it's certainly as fast as on my old Dell.



    Most of the time I've managed to find a Mac application to replace my PC one. Keynote is far superior to Powerpoint. Pages is great for knocking up simple 'Word' documents. I use iBank instead of Money and OminPlan instead of Project.



    I do occassionally use Boot Camp to run Windows - mainly for work stuff, but always boot back into OSX as soon as I can!



    If you have a friend with a Mac, get them to give you a demo. Or, visit your local Apple supplier and play around - you'll amazed at how better the whole computer experience is.



    Computers aren't just for work - something I found out when I switched to Mac.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    andyruandyru Posts: 8member
    Daibach,



    Thanks for your encouragement. The Mac sounds better all the time!
  • Reply 5 of 8
    lfe2211lfe2211 Posts: 507member
    I use both platforms every day. There is no comparison. With windows I have to constantly worry about viruses, spy programs, malware, constant windows security updates, disk defragging,convoluted App installs & uninstalls, and App updates that seem to tie up my computer forever. With OS X, I just compute. I enjoy my computer instead of doing battle with it daily. While MS makes some fine Apps, e.g. Office 2007, you can find equivalent and sometimes better apps on the Mac to do what you want to do. Office 2008 for the Mac (to be released later this year) will also use the ribbon interface which makes Office 2007 so great. Get a Mac and don't look back.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    imacfpimacfp Posts: 750member
    Running your windows program wouldn't be a problem if you use Boot Camp or Parallels, but you need to decide if the iMac has what you need in terms of hardware and even more important that OS X and the apps that Apple ships are the right fit too. Don't get a Mac if you want to make it into a PC, but if you want to run iLife and enjoy working in OS X and then by all means get it. I'd go to an Apple store and play around with the iMac.
  • Reply 7 of 8
    andyruandyru Posts: 8member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lfe2211 View Post


    I use both platforms every day. There is no comparison. With windows I have to constantly worry about viruses, spy programs, malware, constant windows security updates, disk defragging,convoluted App installs & uninstalls, and App updates that seem to tie up my computer forever. With OS X, I just compute. I enjoy my computer instead of doing battle with it daily.



    Amen to that! That is exactly why I have been considering a Mac. I'm sick of working on my PC, and studying on better ways to work on my PC! Everybody works on their PC. Now that I think about it, there are entire industries built around working on the PC. It's like I'm looking over the fence at a brave new World of computer users ... and everyone is saying ... "Come on over, it's nice here!"
  • Reply 8 of 8
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AndyRu View Post


    Amen to that! That is exactly why I have been considering a Mac. I'm sick of working on my PC, and studying on better ways to work on my PC! Everybody works on their PC. Now that I think about it, there are entire industries built around working on the PC. It's like I'm looking over the fence at a brave new World of computer users ... and everyone is saying ... "Come on over, it's nice here!"



    My PC is dreadfully slow and clogged. I'm so glad I have a mac.
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