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Author Topic: Window to Mac  (Read 5391 times)

matt4626

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Window to Mac
« on: March 29, 2012, 03:55:01 pm »

I'm in the market for a new computer...what issues will I face if I switch from WindowXP to an iMac?
I use CS5 can I move it to the new platform?
Will old hardrives work?
Will Photoshop files open?
Etc??
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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2012, 04:08:20 am »

I can't be definitive about CS5, although as I understand it you may be able to de-register your Windows version and hence acquire a licence for your Mac.

The old hard drives should work fine as long as the physical connectors are compatible (USB, Firewire), but you might find that copying the stuff off them, reformatting them as Mac drives and restoring the content makes them faster.

AFAIK, PS files shouldn't pose a problem.

Your main "difficulty" in the first few weeks will be getting comfortable with a new way of getting things done. I think it's a better way; others prefer Windows. There are many, many posts here from the zealots on either side. I think you'll only experience serious problems if you are used to software which isn't available on the Mac, such as QImage (but of course you can continue to use that stuff under Parallels or Fusion).

If you post a specific problem here, I'm sure someone will help you to solve it.

Jeremy

PS: get a large external HD and enable Time Machine as soon as possible. It provides hassle-free, automatic backup. It has one or two issues with open files (such as Lightroom libraries) but it can be a real life-saver.
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matt4626

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2012, 10:57:37 am »

Thanks
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John Nollendorfs

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2012, 01:58:00 pm »

If you haven't tried Windows 7 first, I would do that before switching to a MAC. If you shop carefully, or have a friend who can build you one, you can get a lot more bang for the buck from Windows. Not knocking the MAC OS, but once you have gotten used to windows, it can be a lot simpler to stay that way. BTW, I was a MAC evangelist before my last MAC had a mother board die a premature death. I got a "cheap" windows box for $300 less than what it would have cost to replace the mother board. But I would highly recommend you get a box with a good power supply and cooling. Most of the Dell & HP units skimp on that stuff unlike Apple.
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Rhossydd

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2012, 04:36:51 am »

what issues will I face if I switch from WindowXP to an iMac?
I use CS5 can I move it to the new platform?
Will old hardrives work?
Will Photoshop files open?
Adobe are very helpful with respect to changing OS, but you will need a new serial number, so there's some deactivation and form filling involved, but it doesn't take long and you can get on with working using a trial version whilst the tedious admin gets completed. If you plan to upgrade to CS6, I think Adobe plan to make the serial numbers cross platform from that release on, so it should be easier soon.
External hard drives on USB should be no problem, but I'm not sure how well the standard PC trick on moving physical drives into a new case as extra drives will work on a Mac Pro.
Files should open without problems.

The two more serious issues are;
1. Support for older specific hardware, scanners, printers, spectros etc. Best to do some searching to check anything important will work as expected.
2. Getting to used to a different way of working. There's so little difference between the two OSs in day to day use it's no big deal to switch, but there is a different philosophy behind the way everything is managed. You may find that a refreshing change or really annoying.

I've got both, but much prefer Windows 7 and think it offers better value for money for me.

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David Hufford

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2012, 05:55:55 am »

I switched about 3 years ago and it brought me a number of problems---most to do with software. (Some software I had and used often was Windows only, perhaps less of a problem now.) I had been using Capture 1 but was unable to get a free switch to Mac since I had already used one free upgrade, so I switched to Lightroom. I had used Windows Office software (required to do anything with my company's files) which was about $300 (Japan price) for the Mac version, and the Mac version had some differences with the Windows version. My external HDs worked with with the Mac, but one I had to reformat. I can't recall the reason exactly, but I think it was Mac won't work with FAT32. (I am sure someone will correct that if my memory is faulty.)

I like the Mac (iMac) but it was a frustrating process to learn it. Coming from Windows, there are enough differences that you will have to relearn a lot of things. It isn't intuitive as is often claimed. (kikashi sums it up well above) Had I to do it over again, I would have stayed with Windows as I simply  traded one set of problems for another. I also would not go back to Windows for the same reason. I will say that not having to deal with anti-virus software is a huge benefit, perhaps the biggest benefit of a Mac.
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Rhossydd

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2012, 06:42:22 am »

I will say that not having to deal with anti-virus software is a huge benefit, perhaps the biggest benefit of a Mac.
I find this a complete non-issue.
I've been using PCs since DOS3 and have never had a virus infest a machine of mine. Yes, I've received some virus infected files via spam that AV software has warned me of, but I would never have opened them anyway. Good working practice avoids this issue pretty much entirely.
I still run free AV software as a precaution, but I've never found it to adversely effect the running of any machine. This is especially so with modern multi-cored CPUs which spend most of their time not being fully used.
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John S C

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2012, 10:35:02 am »

Made the switch about 3 years ago, and it was relatively painless.

The User Interface is a bit different, but it didn't take me long to figure out. It did help that I had some Mac experience a few years ago, but my son made the switch  from Windows 7  to Mac this year and it took him about an hour to get really comfortable with it.

I had  little trouble converting from Windows Photoshop to Mac. Contact Adobe customer services and they'll give you the details. It's a one time only switch so you can't go back to widows without buying the a new edition. Adobe will only upgrade to the current version, so you should be OK, provided you do it before CS6 comes out. Mine was one version back so I had to purchase an upgrade, but I received the Full version.

Running NTFS formatted disks isn't a problem.Mac's should read NTFS formatted disks but not write to them. I used a copy of NTFS for Mac OSX, which cost me about £30 from the Apple store, or you can download it from the software company Paragon who wrote it.



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PeterAit

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2012, 05:22:20 pm »

WHY? Are you a masochist? Macs are perfectly fine computers, but the idea that they offer any objective advantages over PCs is a relic of the history dustbin. Oh wait, there is the "advantage" of significantly higher cost. Also, the "advantage" of no right mouse button.

BTW, "Windows XP" is not a computer, it is an operating system, and a sadly outdated one at that.
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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2012, 05:40:52 pm »

WHY? Are you a masochist? Macs are perfectly fine computers, but the idea that they offer any objective advantages over PCs is a relic of the history dustbin. Oh wait, there is the "advantage" of significantly higher cost. Also, the "advantage" of no right mouse button.

Why don't you just read the original post? He wasn't seeking to rekindle a war containing this kind of ridiculous drivel. He just asked what difficulties he might encounter when he does what he's planning to do.

If you can't say something relevant and useful, shutting up is an awfully good idea.

Jeremy
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BernardLanguillier

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2012, 09:18:49 am »

As a mac user writing this from an ipad, I am not sure migrating to Mac now still makes sense.

win 7 is very good, the direction Mac OSX is heading to is having many serious users concerned and the future of the Mac Pro line is to say the least uncertain.

Today I do not see any sign showing Apple still cares about performance users like photographers. Their focus is the house and the delivery of the highest possible value through Apple centric smart integration.

I really hope that somebody at Apple is reading this and will understand the concern of tens of thousands of creators who regretefully are now in a position where a time consuming migration back to Windows might be he only realistic option.

Still, if you decide that OSX is the way to go it should be  fairly problem free migration. there are even a few key applications like Raw Developper that only exist on Mac.

cheers,
Bernard

BJL

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2012, 10:02:31 am »

... Also, the "advantage" of no right mouse button.

BTW, "Windows XP" ... is an operating system, and a sadly outdated one at that.
Agreed on the latter --- and the idea that Mac OS has no right mouse button is even more sadly outdated than Windows XP. I have been using multi-button mice on Macs for many years, and more recently the "virtual two-button" mode on Apple's buttonless mice and laptop trackpads. (Some Windows laptops also use that same approach of a trackpad with no physical buttons, so I am not claiming it as an advantage either way.)


P. S. I use Macs for a non-mainsteam reason: it is UNIX under the hood, and I like to use some free UNIX stuff without Windows/GNU-Linux switching.
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Craig Lamson

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2012, 08:09:21 pm »

I switched about a year ago, and it does take some time to unlearn some windows muscle memory.  All in all I like the Mac and it is my daily platform.

I do still have a windows drive on my Hackintosh and windows vm's on my MBP's.  I'm down to using windows 7 on those machines just to run Quickbooks.

I still take W7 laptops on location to shoot tethered.  I've had better luck with my tethering setup on W7  than OSX plus I work in dirty factories and and  700 buck laptop just feels better there than a 2k one. :)

I'm happy with the move.  But both platforms are very powerful and mostly trouble free.
« Last Edit: April 03, 2012, 10:02:09 pm by Craig Lamson »
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PeterAit

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #13 on: April 03, 2012, 09:02:19 pm »

I find this a complete non-issue.
I've been using PCs since DOS3 and have never had a virus infest a machine of mine. Yes, I've received some virus infected files via spam that AV software has warned me of, but I would never have opened them anyway. Good working practice avoids this issue pretty much entirely.
I still run free AV software as a precaution, but I've never found it to adversely effect the running of any machine. This is especially so with modern multi-cored CPUs which spend most of their time not being fully used.


Precisely. The virus "issue" is a red herring that Mac-heads use as a (non) argument. I've run 3 Windows systems for years (1 work, 1 photography, 1 video) and am on the web all the time. Not a single virus in all that time. Or, for that matter, a single crash.
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John.Murray

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #14 on: April 03, 2012, 09:35:08 pm »

I also run both platforms - I would let your choice of applications drive your choice of O/S. Although you can switch your Photoshop license between platforms during an upgrade (I went from CS4 Windows, to CS5 OS X, then ended up purchasing an additional Windows license), I'm not sure you can do that without some form of purchase - check with Adobe Licensing.
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David S

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #15 on: April 04, 2012, 11:29:51 am »

Virus infections do exist as to various malicious programs - on both platforms.

But I must note that over the years my PC using friends have had numerous infections on their machines while I have had none on my Macs. I also have been involved with one friend's Mac that did get infected years ago.

This proves nothing except that nasty programs exist.

Choose your operating system based on programs and your style of use.

Enjoy.

Dave S
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rcloud

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #16 on: April 06, 2012, 07:35:43 pm »

You need to get adobe to do a platform change for you to work with the mac, its pretty easy.  I am of the opinion that the iMac 27 @ 1600 is one of the better values in computers today so you aren't really paying the mac tax.  Probably you should wait a bit until the ivy bridge CPUs come out.  otherwise you are good.

side note, there is a little known file format that works with both windows and os x. its name is extended FAT which you can format your drives to on your mac. 

best wishes

jjj

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Re: Window to Mac
« Reply #17 on: April 06, 2012, 08:57:03 pm »

Unless there is a specific reason to swap platforms, why not stay with the one you are used to?
Both OSs are very capable and have some really good point and sadly, both still have some crappy aspects.

Another thing to bear in mind is that Apple seem to be giving up on the creative professionals market. They are now a phone company, who also make some computers on the side. I'm wondering if maybe W8 will be my next OS, as Lion, Final Cut X and the lack of Apple pro kit is making me wonder about whether to invest any further in their computer kit. Their target customer is now the ordinary consumer as they are far more profitable and way more numerous than the more demanding professional customers. Which makes good business sense, for Apple.

As for the main Windows/Apple myths... PC viruses are a non-issue and my MacPro OSX10.6.8 completely locked up several times this week [needing a hard restart] and yet I cannot even remember when my 8 year old PC laptop running XP last crashed - and that Sony is never turned off either, as I just close lid when done and reopen lid to wake it up. Though battery has died so it needs to stay plugged in to mains, which is fine as I use my MacBook Pro for travelling.
 
« Last Edit: April 06, 2012, 08:59:50 pm by jjj »
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