If this article was really directed at potential switchers from Windows to Mac, it should have mentioned that Pages/Keynote/Numbers can read and write Word/Powerpoint/Excel files, though not all advanced MS features are supported.
Pivot tables are pretty important. Yes, they can open them, but *basic* Excel features aren't supported.
I'd be much more interested in a description of the reverse switch since I just bought a used Dell workstation for video and photo editing. I maxed it out with components I'd not even be able to put in a Mac, with the exception of an outdated Mac Pro. This is after 25 years of exclusive Mac usage. Back in the day the Mac was a serious offer for people like me. Nowadays I'd pay a multitude for an inferior Apple machine. It's probably my mistake to expect a smart phone company to deliver powerful stationary computers for creative professionals like I
This is the AppleInsider forum. So I doubt they'll ever tell you how to switch from a Mac to Windows. As far as you being a Mac user for 25 years, well Apple was a very different company back then. The bulk of their users now are mainstream. As far as you paying more for a Mac than a similar Windows machine, that's an ancient myth. Try speccing a similar windows laptop for example, with SSD onto PCIe with same amount of memory etc. And you'll find out that Macs are very well priced. Tried it also with MS surfacebook and found it to be more expensive than a similar MBP. You seem to be looking for a new Mac Pro. I understand your frustration but in the end you got to go with the tools that are available to you now.
Reverse-switching? A fair enough point.
Ditto too about how Apple has transitioned to be more mainstream (lightweight).
But unfortunately, the article loses credibility when it claimed "Photos is a great cataloging tool for images", considering just how much worse Photos is (even today) versus Apple EOL'ed Aperture and iPhoto for DAM (Digital Asset Management).
Which brings us to tools such as Adobe Lightroom as a viable alternative to Photos ...
First off, Lightroom is an OS-Agnostic App, so it is not a motivation source for a {Win -> OSX} switcher.
Second, with the demise of the likes of the Mac Pro (both the 6,1 and the older 5,1), there's not a motivation to switch for better hardware either.
What it really comes down to is that Apple's historical strength (and justification to "pay more") was the elegance and integration of the overall Ecosystem, and because of the directions that Apple has chosen to go, this justification is now dead for many higher-end ("Pro") uses cases.
As an aside, contemplate also how OS X's "Mail" app is grossly inferior for productivity vs MS-Outlook.
As such, some of us really are looking to disentangle ourselves from a couple of decades of being a Mac customer, and that need will be serviced somehow. If not by the Mac community, then by someone else.
...and on a personal observation standpoint, my impression is that Apple's productivity apps are fine when there's only a hundred or two records to manage, but they increasingly show their shortcomings when you get to thousands & tens of thousands of records - - their DAM simply doesn't scale well.
-hh
@hh (2017) I see that you quoted me but I can not see where you disagree with me. Reverse-switching? Please elaborate.
As far as Photos go, it is a great app for many people but never have I tried comparing it to Lightroom or Aperture.
I agree that the Mac Pro has been left unattended for the last 3 going on 4 years now. In fact I did mention it (see post #18 of this thread).
You did mention and I'll quote you here, Apple's historical strength (and justification to "pay more") was the elegance and integration of the overall Ecosystem. Well that eco-system is still very strong but I think you meant to say Mac's integrated tools. Because Apple's ecosystem is the strongest IMO. This includes, iPhone, iPad, Apple watch, Mac, AppleTV, AirPods and how they all blend together.
Your comment on Mail I agree with. In fact I myself am an Office 365 subscriber and do use the tools for work. And I have them installed on all three of my devices (MBP, iPhone and iPad). However I do know a great many people who also prefer to use Apple's built in mail app which they hook up to their corporate Exchange servers. Furthermore their corporate IT does support iPhone and iPad. In the end it comes down to what one's needs are. But MS Office is the de facto standard for that type of apps.
You may want to disentangle yourself from the Apple ecosystem, I myself am very happy with it and haven't seen any compelling reason to ever go back to a Windows PC, even though some of my clients are Windows only (SQL Server) and their VPN server side is configured to accept only Windows or Internet Explorer type connections. In that case I just logon to a corporate virtual desktop and work from there.
I first dabbled in Apple's productivity apps (iWork) when I got my first Mac (2008) but found them insufficient. Other users tell me that they've greatly improved since and may take the time to look at them again. However all my clients deal with Word or Excel.
The purpose of this article appeared to be around serving the needs of Mac newbies coming over from the Windows world. Unfortunately, a nice little article aimed at novices, switchers, and those who've been fortunate enough to liberate themselves from the hot mess that is Windows, got hijacked by the small but apparently very vocal minority of existing/veteran users who still aren't very happy about Apple's progress on the highest-end products, i.e., the "Pros."
That's too bad, because AI puts out a Welcome mat for newbies and some of the elite residents in the Apple family decide to set the welcome mat on fire because they're still steaming from their internal disappointments inside the house of Apple. I'm sure this will be viewed as something less than a warm and inviting hug for the newbies who happen to read the comments section.
Welcome to the Apple community Mac newbies! We are glad you're here with us. Don't let the discord of the elites scare you away, it's still better than the constant Windows Update burden, never ending malware threat, DIY hardware-software integration, and need to have GeekSquad or a Windows guru on speed dial. Welcome to a computing platform that you can, for the most part, just use for the things that matter to you without you having to think too much about how it all works. Oh yeah, Apple's office productivity suite may not be everything you need to meet the needs of a big 4 accounting firm or wall street analyst but the price is amazing compared to Microsoft Office, it's easy to use, it gets regular updates, and it's not a subscription, i.e., it's not a never-ending tax like your cable bill. But if paying for cable is something you cherish, you can always subscribe to Microsoft Office for the Mac.
I switched from Windows to Mac 4 years ago and use my Macbook pro primarily with the Apple 27" display
There are three things that still drive me around the bend on a daily basis, the first two of which could / should be easy to fix:
The refusal to provide an option to sort folders before files in finder Poor usability with network drive mappings (disconnects, inability to save documents to network drives consistently etc.) The insistence on splitting menu options between the application window and the task / menu bar at the top of the screen, as if computers still universally use 12" screens.
I've found some workarounds, but even after four years they remain my biggest aggravations.
I'd be much more interested in a description of the reverse switch since I just bought a used Dell workstation for video and photo editing. I maxed it out with components I'd not even be able to put in a Mac, with the exception of an outdated Mac Pro. This is after 25 years of exclusive Mac usage. Back in the day the Mac was a serious offer for people like me. Nowadays I'd pay a multitude for an inferior Apple machine. It's probably my mistake to expect a smart phone company to deliver powerful stationary computers for creative professionals like I
That was my first thought.
I GUARANTEE that we aren't running any "Switching to Windows?" articles.
That's too bad. Not sure why that is considered such a hostile request. I was thinking the same thing as some of the others. After 30+ years, this is the year we start transitioning over to the dark side (windows) and such an article would really help out some long time Mac users. Does anyone know of a good site that is similar to Appleinsider but on the PC side of things?
Some of the comments on here are beyond ridiculous. Guess what people, "Pro's" do different things. Just because you are able to do your Pro things on a 1997 iMac does not mean every pro can. Get over yourself as being the centre of the universe. Others claiming that PC workstations cost the same or are more as a Mac is just plain wrong. You can easily configure a 30+ core HP or Dell with modern graphics and faster DDR4 Ram for less than what you would pay for the antiquated 12 core MacPro.
There are a lot of good reasons to use Macs but making stuff up or insisting that nobody needs anything greater than an old iMac is not one of them.
What an utter delusional version of what has been said here. Troll nonsense.
My point was very clear -- even a loaded 2011 iMac is a good machine for me as a software engineer professional, so those that roll out the troll-trope that "Macs aren't good for pros!" is 100%, pure bunk. Nonsense. Despite your delusional claims, I never claimed my uses were your uses, or that nobody needs anything faster. Please quote me if you feel otherwise. I'll wait. Rather, I pointed out that it's BS to claim that Macs aren't for pros, because there are a shit-ton of us doing our pro work just fine here. I use a 2011 iMac and a 2014 rMBP and do enterprise professional software dev without issue.
There have been plenty of articles showing how equipping Dells to mimic Macs costs more.
So no, nobody is "making things up" -- that's just your troll hater narrative showing its true colors.
As for expecting a mac enthusiast site to produce for you a guide to switching to Windows -- just more evidence of trolling this site. Nobody in their right mind would ask or expect such a thing. Go find a Windows site, there are plenty and if you can't find one then it doesn't speak well for your abilities.
As for me trolling the site. I never knew we were stuck in the 90's where its Apple or die. Computers are just tools. Some tools are better suited for certain tasks than others. Do you get this way when someone wants to try out a different screw driver. Is it not possible to live in a world where you can be an Apple enthusiast and use windows too. God forbid that I can use some help on how to introduce some windows machines into our company from a Mac perspective. I see nothing wrong with that request.
May I ask what specific help you're seeking? "Moving" to another OS is not difficult, most destination folders have an equivalent name. It's just a bit time consuming since there is no official software from Microsoft, I believe.
If you google migrate from Mac to Windows you should get Microsoft's official support page to help your transition. They make it seem more complicated than it is. That introduces them quite well. Check the "migrate to surface" page, a bit incomplete but more visually helpful and straightforward. Seems they took a hint from Apple.
From my experience, Windows works alot better than it used to. Pretty stable actually. You may still have to dig a bit into the hardware configurations to get great performance. Plus, there is no more need for classic maintenance. As of 10, Windows takes care of itself as OSX does, though there are still some minor annoyances popping occasionally that need your attention. Like, Defender (built in A.V.) always putting you on the edge of your seat , just telling you it really didn't find anything. Would rather it tell me only when it did. Minor annoyances.
If you pretty much center around your specific software needs, I would have no fear in stability. It's just the OS navigation that might get ya.
Thanks Sujeito. I'm not really interested in a full migrating to windows (at this time). I'm more interested of the problems and solutions that may be encountered by introducing a windows machine to an all Mac environment. How well will it play with OSX server?, Will networking be a challenge or is it just plug and play?, Do fonts play nice? I know windows is a virus haven, Is there anything I should do that can help protect the mac server if a window virus happens?, we like to use iMessage for communication on our office macs, is there any cross platform alternatives?. I know this may sound like some basic stuff to most people but when you've been using all macs all the time, these are just things you don't know. That is why I wouldn't mind a feature article on introducing a windows machine into a Mac environment from Mac experts point of view rather than from Windows experts.
Its really disappointing that some feel that asking for this type of info as being a troll or an elite resident. I guess some people are just so insecure with the word "windows". They feel like some sort a war is raging on and its impossible to talk about both platforms. You either only like and talk about Macs or get out of here. grow up already. If its anybody that's scaring away noobs from this discussion its them. Talk about being an embarrassing elitist.
I switched from Windows to Mac 4 years ago and use my Macbook pro primarily with the Apple 27" display
There are three things that still drive me around the bend on a daily basis, the first two of which could / should be easy to fix:
The refusal to provide an option to sort folders before files in finder Poor usability with network drive mappings (disconnects, inability to save documents to network drives consistently etc.) The insistence on splitting menu options between the application window and the task / menu bar at the top of the screen, as if computers still universally use 12" screens.
I've found some workarounds, but even after four years they remain my biggest aggravations.
HTTP404, on some apps the X button closes only windows, others close the app entirely. it's supposed to be logical given the type of apps but sometimes it isn't.
What about maximizing windows? I've been using macs for 10 years, still gets to me. Windows and Ubuntu handle it much better , as they do split windows. Easy fixable with 3rd party app, but it seems they just were trying to hard to think to different-ly.
Maybe you should re-read my posts. You'd be able to read that I am specified "editing videos and photos". For photos a Mac would be okay, for video editing I would be bound to fcpx. I tried that and dislike the program for various reasons. I tried Premiere CC which is geared towards Nvidia GPUs with CUDA, hence current Macs are not the best choice. Disliking Premiere for other reasons than fcpx I ended up with Davinci Resolve which I like. No current Mac is fit to run Resolve without hitting a ceiling due to underpowered GPUs.
There are fewer people using Resolve as a NLE than using FCPX professionally. Grading yes. As a NLE is still in the early adopter state despite being "free".
While the R700 is a bit old Resolve doesn't hit a ceiling until you are doing 4.6K+. Then 6GB is limiting. But for a 4K UHD workflow it's fine. We don't do DCI but I think that's fine too.
As a NLE you can use HD proxies for 4K+ even with fairly meager resources.
For grading you don't NEED real time playback so you can still support a 4K+ workflow with even an 4GB VRAM iMac or MBP.
I really like Pages and Keynote is actually head-and-shoulders above PowerPoint but as a decades-long spreadsheet user, Numbers is all but unusable. If it's your first spreadsheet then maybe that strange paradigm will grow on you, but anyone that has ever used any other spreadsheet will find Numbers quixotic at best and inscrutable at worst. I've tried, but I've never quite managed to figure out what problem Numbers was designed to solve. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I use both Numbers and Excel -- Numbers is useful due to its availability on an IPhone (without needing an additional license). But I find Excel far more powerful.... And, if MS would return to its old menu system, it would be easier to use.... Searching through a bunch of icons and pictures to find a function is a pain.
This article was useful for me because it proved something to me that I have long suspected: There is little or no reason to pay the premium that Apple demands for its Mac line products. -- The hardware is off the shelf components available to anyone. -- The OS is just a vehicle for running programs and apps available on both WIndows and Mac OS's.
For me, the real advantage of the Mac line is Apple's infrastructure, security and support. And those are very real advantages.
But weirdly, one of the things that could really take advantage of that are financial apps. But Apple has ignored them. There are simply no high quality financial apps that run on a MacOS. Yes, there are some that are 3rd party cloud based. But there is no way that I am putting my personal financial information on somebody else's computer. Ain't gonna happen!
Apple needs a quality financial app that runs on MacOS and IOS.
This article was useful for me because it proved something to me that I have long suspected: There is little or no reason to pay the premium that Apple demands for its Mac line products. -- The hardware is off the shelf components available to anyone. -- The OS is just a vehicle for running programs and apps available on both WIndows and Mac OS's.
For me, the real advantage of the Mac line is Apple's infrastructure, security and support. And those are very real advantages.
But weirdly, one of the things that could really take advantage of that are financial apps. But Apple has ignored them. There are simply no high quality financial apps that run on a MacOS. Yes, there are some that are 3rd party cloud based. But there is no way that I am putting my personal financial information on somebody else's computer. Ain't gonna happen!
Apple needs a quality financial app that runs on MacOS and IOS.
You'll have to define high quality as quickbooks 2016 runs on the Mac.
This article was useful for me because it proved something to me that I have long suspected: There is little or no reason to pay the premium that Apple demands for its Mac line products. -- The hardware is off the shelf components available to anyone. -- The OS is just a vehicle for running programs and apps available on both WIndows and Mac OS's.
For me, the real advantage of the Mac line is Apple's infrastructure, security and support. And those are very real advantages.
But weirdly, one of the things that could really take advantage of that are financial apps. But Apple has ignored them. There are simply no high quality financial apps that run on a MacOS. Yes, there are some that are 3rd party cloud based. But there is no way that I am putting my personal financial information on somebody else's computer. Ain't gonna happen!
Apple needs a quality financial app that runs on MacOS and IOS.
Oh come on. That makes no sense and adds no value to the conversation. The article proves nothing of the sort. Its just your own interpretation confirming your own views.
I'd be much more interested in a description of the reverse switch since I just bought a used Dell workstation for video and photo editing. I maxed it out with components I'd not even be able to put in a Mac, with the exception of an outdated Mac Pro. This is after 25 years of exclusive Mac usage. Back in the day the Mac was a serious offer for people like me. Nowadays I'd pay a multitude for an inferior Apple machine. It's probably my mistake to expect a smart phone company to deliver powerful stationary computers for creative professionals like I
That was my first thought.
I GUARANTEE that we aren't running any "Switching to Windows?" articles.
That's too bad. Not sure why that is considered such a hostile request. I was thinking the same thing as some of the others. After 30+ years, this is the year we start transitioning over to the dark side (windows) and such an article would really help out some long time Mac users. Does anyone know of a good site that is similar to Appleinsider but on the PC side of things?
Some of the comments on here are beyond ridiculous. Guess what people, "Pro's" do different things. Just because you are able to do your Pro things on a 1997 iMac does not mean every pro can. Get over yourself as being the centre of the universe. Others claiming that PC workstations cost the same or are more as a Mac is just plain wrong. You can easily configure a 30+ core HP or Dell with modern graphics and faster DDR4 Ram for less than what you would pay for the antiquated 12 core MacPro.
There are a lot of good reasons to use Macs but making stuff up or insisting that nobody needs anything greater than an old iMac is not one of them.
What an utter delusional version of what has been said here. Troll nonsense.
My point was very clear -- even a loaded 2011 iMac is a good machine for me as a software engineer professional, so those that roll out the troll-trope that "Macs aren't good for pros!" is 100%, pure bunk. Nonsense. Despite your delusional claims, I never claimed my uses were your uses, or that nobody needs anything faster. Please quote me if you feel otherwise. I'll wait. Rather, I pointed out that it's BS to claim that Macs aren't for pros, because there are a shit-ton of us doing our pro work just fine here. I use a 2011 iMac and a 2014 rMBP and do enterprise professional software dev without issue.
There have been plenty of articles showing how equipping Dells to mimic Macs costs more.
So no, nobody is "making things up" -- that's just your troll hater narrative showing its true colors.
As for expecting a mac enthusiast site to produce for you a guide to switching to Windows -- just more evidence of trolling this site. Nobody in their right mind would ask or expect such a thing. Go find a Windows site, there are plenty and if you can't find one then it doesn't speak well for your abilities.
As for me trolling the site. I never knew we were stuck in the 90's where its Apple or die. Computers are just tools. Some tools are better suited for certain tasks than others. Do you get this way when someone wants to try out a different screw driver. Is it not possible to live in a world where you can be an Apple enthusiast and use windows too. God forbid that I can use some help on how to introduce some windows machines into our company from a Mac perspective. I see nothing wrong with that request.
May I ask what specific help you're seeking? "Moving" to another OS is not difficult, most destination folders have an equivalent name. It's just a bit time consuming since there is no official software from Microsoft, I believe.
If you google migrate from Mac to Windows you should get Microsoft's official support page to help your transition. They make it seem more complicated than it is. That introduces them quite well. Check the "migrate to surface" page, a bit incomplete but more visually helpful and straightforward. Seems they took a hint from Apple.
From my experience, Windows works alot better than it used to. Pretty stable actually. You may still have to dig a bit into the hardware configurations to get great performance. Plus, there is no more need for classic maintenance. As of 10, Windows takes care of itself as OSX does, though there are still some minor annoyances popping occasionally that need your attention. Like, Defender (built in A.V.) always putting you on the edge of your seat , just telling you it really didn't find anything. Would rather it tell me only when it did. Minor annoyances.
If you pretty much center around your specific software needs, I would have no fear in stability. It's just the OS navigation that might get ya.
Thanks Sujeito. I'm not really interested in a full migrating to windows (at this time). I'm more interested of the problems and solutions that may be encountered by introducing a windows machine to an all Mac environment. How well will it play with OSX server?, Will networking be a challenge or is it just plug and play?, Do fonts play nice? I know windows is a virus haven, Is there anything I should do that can help protect the mac server if a window virus happens?, we like to use iMessage for communication on our office macs, is there any cross platform alternatives?. I know this may sound like some basic stuff to most people but when you've been using all macs all the time, these are just things you don't know. That is why I wouldn't mind a feature article on introducing a windows machine into a Mac environment from Mac experts point of view rather than from Windows experts.
Its really disappointing that some feel that asking for this type of info as being a troll or an elite resident. I guess some people are just so insecure with the word "windows". They feel like some sort a war is raging on and its impossible to talk about both platforms. You either only like and talk about Macs or get out of here. grow up already. If its anybody that's scaring away noobs from this discussion its them. Talk about being an embarrassing elitist.
Quite an interesting scenario. If you're currently mac centric you'll hit a few bumps.
Windows virus shouldn't be a problem on the mac. They do not work on macs but they get passive, meaning they will be passed around. It's always good practice to have a mac anti virus , even if it is to clean windows specific virus from being spread to other machines. Even more so in this case.
As for iMessage, you'd have to get everyone on whatsapp or hangouts. The are cross platform and can interact from the desktop machine throught online web service.
As for the network it should be okay but you should just hire somebody to set your windows machine. Save yourself the headache.
It's a lot of work, time wasted setting up, troubleshooting and changing working habbits, just to do the same thing with some mildly better specs and arguably with more confusion in the mix. Not worth it.
And yet, Davinci Resolve has some features that are Mac OS-only, correct? I guess those must not matter to you?
Support for the silly touch bar on the new MBPs, yes. But that's an irrelevant feature for someone used to hot key combinations.
Hot key combinations? That's really silly and irrelevant when compared to the Touchbar.
Just because your specific needs are not addressed, doesn't mean other pros' needs aren't. Good luck with your Dell but stop trolling by asking for an article to port from Apple to Windows.
It's also the dumbest argument against the Touch Bar since you can make a single tap or slide usable with a single tap instead of having to use multiple keys at once that weirdly include PF keys in your hot key combination.
Who is doing the writing for you as you seem unable to read? My point was that I can use hot key combinations without looking at the keyboard. The same cannot be done with the touch bar because it has no physical feedback for where on that bar one's touching. How hard is it to understand this point? For people who never learned to properly type on a keyboard this might not make any difference. To reflect your point: Who can be too dumb to learn how to type blindly with 10 fingers?
And yet, Davinci Resolve has some features that are Mac OS-only, correct? I guess those must not matter to you?
Support for the silly touch bar on the new MBPs, yes. But that's an irrelevant feature for someone used to hot key combinations.
Hot key combinations? That's really silly and irrelevant when compared to the Touchbar.
Just because your specific needs are not addressed, doesn't mean other pros' needs aren't. Good luck with your Dell but stop trolling by asking for an article to port from Apple to Windows.
I was responding to the claim that Apple still is the great innovator in the field of PCs.
I think it's not trolling if I as an always apple user am interested in how to transitioning part of my work to a Windows PC that is better suited for my personal needs. Those who don't have the same needs should just stay out of this discussion since it obviously does not address them.
This article was useful for me because it proved something to me that I have long suspected: There is little or no reason to pay the premium that Apple demands for its Mac line products. -- The hardware is off the shelf components available to anyone. -- The OS is just a vehicle for running programs and apps available on both WIndows and Mac OS's.
For me, the real advantage of the Mac line is Apple's infrastructure, security and support. And those are very real advantages.
But weirdly, one of the things that could really take advantage of that are financial apps. But Apple has ignored them. There are simply no high quality financial apps that run on a MacOS. Yes, there are some that are 3rd party cloud based. But there is no way that I am putting my personal financial information on somebody else's computer. Ain't gonna happen!
Apple needs a quality financial app that runs on MacOS and IOS.
You'll have to define high quality as quickbooks 2016 runs on the Mac.
That's good to know -- although Quickbooks is accounting software, not consumer financial. But, it's a step in the right direction.
But, I discount Intuit's Mac based software on two grounds: 1) Their software is trash. It may be the best available in its class -- but that says more about it's competition than it does about Intuit software. 2) They have a very poor track record supporting Mac based software.
I think, it will probably take Apple to develop a quality product. One on the level of ApplePay -- where it can take full advantage of their security and infrastructure while delivering a high quality functionality and user experience.
On the flip side, Quicken's sale in December to HIG Capital may harbor good things for the software. They say they will hirer additional (and hopefully better) programmers and also that they are committed to improving their Mac based product. ... One can hope.
And yet, Davinci Resolve has some features that are Mac OS-only, correct? I guess those must not matter to you?
Support for the silly touch bar on the new MBPs, yes. But that's an irrelevant feature for someone used to hot key combinations.
Hot key combinations? That's really silly and irrelevant when compared to the Touchbar.
Just because your specific needs are not addressed, doesn't mean other pros' needs aren't. Good luck with your Dell but stop trolling by asking for an article to port from Apple to Windows.
It's also the dumbest argument against the Touch Bar since you can make a single tap or slide usable with a single tap instead of having to use multiple keys at once that weirdly include PF keys in your hot key combination.
Who is doing the writing for you as you seem unable to read? My point was that I can use hot key combinations without looking at the keyboard. The same cannot be done with the touch bar because it has no physical feedback for where on that bar one's touching. How hard is it to understand this point? For people who never learned to properly type on a keyboard this might not make any difference. To reflect your point: Who can be too dumb to learn how to type blindly with 10 fingers?
Uhh, most? I am so thankful that, despite its association with secretarial work, I took a typing class back in 60's. Today, they should be mandatory. Unfortunately I doubt that they are even offered.
As an anecdote, after graduating college I got a job as an accountant at a Fortune 100 manufacturer. Somewhere in the first week of my job my boss observed me pecking away at the adding machine and told me: "If you want to keep your job, you'll learn how to use all your fingers without looking". It was better than a typing course!
Comments
@hh (2017)
I see that you quoted me but I can not see where you disagree with me. Reverse-switching? Please elaborate.
As far as Photos go, it is a great app for many people but never have I tried comparing it to Lightroom or Aperture.
I agree that the Mac Pro has been left unattended for the last 3 going on 4 years now. In fact I did mention it (see post #18 of this thread).
You did mention and I'll quote you here, Apple's historical strength (and justification to "pay more") was the elegance and integration of the overall Ecosystem.
Well that eco-system is still very strong but I think you meant to say Mac's integrated tools. Because Apple's ecosystem is the strongest IMO. This includes, iPhone, iPad, Apple watch, Mac, AppleTV, AirPods and how they all blend together.
Your comment on Mail I agree with. In fact I myself am an Office 365 subscriber and do use the tools for work. And I have them installed on all three of my devices (MBP, iPhone and iPad). However I do know a great many people who also prefer to use Apple's built in mail app which they hook up to their corporate Exchange servers. Furthermore their corporate IT does support iPhone and iPad. In the end it comes down to what one's needs are. But MS Office is the de facto standard for that type of apps.
You may want to disentangle yourself from the Apple ecosystem, I myself am very happy with it and haven't seen any compelling reason to ever go back to a Windows PC, even though some of my clients are Windows only (SQL Server) and their VPN server side is configured to accept only Windows or Internet Explorer type connections. In that case I just logon to a corporate virtual desktop and work from there.
I first dabbled in Apple's productivity apps (iWork) when I got my first Mac (2008) but found them insufficient. Other users tell me that they've greatly improved since and may take the time to look at them again. However all my clients deal with Word or Excel.
That's too bad, because AI puts out a Welcome mat for newbies and some of the elite residents in the Apple family decide to set the welcome mat on fire because they're still steaming from their internal disappointments inside the house of Apple. I'm sure this will be viewed as something less than a warm and inviting hug for the newbies who happen to read the comments section.
Welcome to the Apple community Mac newbies! We are glad you're here with us. Don't let the discord of the elites scare you away, it's still better than the constant Windows Update burden, never ending malware threat, DIY hardware-software integration, and need to have GeekSquad or a Windows guru on speed dial. Welcome to a computing platform that you can, for the most part, just use for the things that matter to you without you having to think too much about how it all works. Oh yeah, Apple's office productivity suite may not be everything you need to meet the needs of a big 4 accounting firm or wall street analyst but the price is amazing compared to Microsoft Office, it's easy to use, it gets regular updates, and it's not a subscription, i.e., it's not a never-ending tax like your cable bill. But if paying for cable is something you cherish, you can always subscribe to Microsoft Office for the Mac.
There are three things that still drive me around the bend on a daily basis, the first two of which could / should be easy to fix:
The refusal to provide an option to sort folders before files in finder
Poor usability with network drive mappings (disconnects, inability to save documents to network drives consistently etc.)
The insistence on splitting menu options between the application window and the task / menu bar at the top of the screen, as if computers still universally use 12" screens.
I've found some workarounds, but even after four years they remain my biggest aggravations.
Its really disappointing that some feel that asking for this type of info as being a troll or an elite resident. I guess some people are just so insecure with the word "windows". They feel like some sort a war is raging on and its impossible to talk about both platforms. You either only like and talk about Macs or get out of here. grow up already. If its anybody that's scaring away noobs from this discussion its them. Talk about being an embarrassing elitist.
What about maximizing windows? I've been using macs for 10 years, still gets to me. Windows and Ubuntu handle it much better , as they do split windows. Easy fixable with 3rd party app, but it seems they just were trying to hard to think to different-ly.
While the R700 is a bit old Resolve doesn't hit a ceiling until you are doing 4.6K+. Then 6GB is limiting. But for a 4K UHD workflow it's fine. We don't do DCI but I think that's fine too.
As a NLE you can use HD proxies for 4K+ even with fairly meager resources.
For grading you don't NEED real time playback so you can still support a 4K+ workflow with even an 4GB VRAM iMac or MBP.
-- The hardware is off the shelf components available to anyone.
-- The OS is just a vehicle for running programs and apps available on both WIndows and Mac OS's.
For me, the real advantage of the Mac line is Apple's infrastructure, security and support. And those are very real advantages.
But weirdly, one of the things that could really take advantage of that are financial apps. But Apple has ignored them. There are simply no high quality financial apps that run on a MacOS. Yes, there are some that are 3rd party cloud based. But there is no way that I am putting my personal financial information on somebody else's computer. Ain't gonna happen!
Apple needs a quality financial app that runs on MacOS and IOS.
https://quickbooks.intuit.com/mac/compare/
Windows virus shouldn't be a problem on the mac. They do not work on macs but they get passive, meaning they will be passed around. It's always good practice to have a mac anti virus , even if it is to clean windows specific virus from being spread to other machines. Even more so in this case.
As for iMessage, you'd have to get everyone on whatsapp or hangouts. The are cross platform and can interact from the desktop machine throught online web service.
As for the network it should be okay but you should just hire somebody to set your windows machine. Save yourself the headache.
It's a lot of work, time wasted setting up, troubleshooting and changing working habbits, just to do the same thing with some mildly better specs and arguably with more confusion in the mix. Not worth it.
I was responding to the claim that Apple still is the great innovator in the field of PCs.
I think it's not trolling if I as an always apple user am interested in how to transitioning part of my work to a Windows PC that is better suited for my personal needs. Those who don't have the same needs should just stay out of this discussion since it obviously does not address them.
But, I discount Intuit's Mac based software on two grounds:
1) Their software is trash. It may be the best available in its class -- but that says more about it's competition than it does about Intuit software.
2) They have a very poor track record supporting Mac based software.
I think, it will probably take Apple to develop a quality product. One on the level of ApplePay -- where it can take full advantage of their security and infrastructure while delivering a high quality functionality and user experience.
On the flip side, Quicken's sale in December to HIG Capital may harbor good things for the software. They say they will hirer additional (and hopefully better) programmers and also that they are committed to improving their Mac based product.
... One can hope.
I am so thankful that, despite its association with secretarial work, I took a typing class back in 60's. Today, they should be mandatory. Unfortunately I doubt that they are even offered.
As an anecdote, after graduating college I got a job as an accountant at a Fortune 100 manufacturer. Somewhere in the first week of my job my boss observed me pecking away at the adding machine and told me: "If you want to keep your job, you'll learn how to use all your fingers without looking". It was better than a typing course!