Apple Mac's

[Rob Fisher]

Are there any apple mac boffins out there? I'm seriously considering getting an iMac27 and dumping my Windows PC but there are questions I really need answered...

Some of the questions to start with...
How easy is it to have dual screens? Can I use my current screens as my 2nd screen?
How much is Office including Outlook for the Mac?
How big a HD does the iMac 27 come with and can you add say a 3TB drive into it as well?
Does a Mac live happily on a home Ethernet windows network and can I copy between networked Windows and Apple PC's?
I have a Media player (med8er) on the Ethernet network that I copy movies and series to… will this work?

This is for starters.

 

[Yiannaki]

@Rob Fisher

1. The iMac can easily use a second screen. You'll need to purchase a mini display port attachment. The display port you choose will be dependant on what the input connection of your monitor is (hdmi, dvi or vga)

The mini adaptors look similar to this

This video explains how to connect it to the second screen


2. I have no clue about the cost of this software but I'm sure the incredible connection website might have some more info. I'll see what I can find out.

3. The HDD you get will be dependant on the spec of the model you buy.

This one comes with a 1tb HDD
http://www.incredible.co.za/mobi/products/?sku=86211

I'm not sure about other retailers but I know the istores will offer you the option to upgrade the storage capacity.

4. We have a few macs on the network at work and they live in perfect harmony with the other pc's on the network. moving files between shouldn't be a problem.

5. I'm not sure about this media player. When you say will it work, do you mean will you be able to write files to it and access files from it? If so, I don't see why it shouldn't. I could be mistaken though.

Hope this helps

 

[MurderDoll]

Go for it.

Get VMware fusion as well. Then you can run windows on it as well for certain programmes if need be.

That way you can still use stuff like Microsoft office without having to purchase it again.

If you like, we can chat via WhatsApp and I can give you all the details?

But yes. Get a Mac. Best move I made.

 

[Rob Fisher]

Thanks boys! It looks more and more like this is a good move!

 

[johan]

IMO any move away from Windoze is a good move, sorry cant advise I'm using Linux exclusively since 2004.

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[Rob Fisher]

Damn they are expensive!

 

[johan]

Damn they are expensive!

Rob you can always use your existing hardware and just buy the Apple OS or are you after the Apple hardware.

 

[Riddle]

Go for it.

Get VMware fusion as well. Then you can run windows on it as well for certain programmes if need be.

That way you can still use stuff like Microsoft office without having to purchase it again.

If you like, we can chat via WhatsApp and I can give you all the details?

But yes. Get a Mac. Best move I made.

Is what you referring to not called parallels??

Which allows you to run Windows in a different form while on mac os still

 

[johan]

@Riddle VMware is actually software to setup Virtual Machines whereby you can for instance have Linux / Windoze / iOS as your main OS and at the same time run any other OS (Linux / Windoze / iOS) in a virtual environment on the same pc.

 

[Silver]

Rob, i have considered this myself, but i couldnt justify the price at the time. Am watching this thread with much interest

 

[Riddle]

@Riddle VMware is actually software to setup Virtual Machines whereby you can for instance have Linux / Windoze / iOS as your main OS and at the same time run any other OS (Linux / Windoze / iOS) in a virtual environment on the same pc.

I do understand VMWARE. But I also do know that mac has a software called parallels which does the same. Else one can use boot camp on the mac to completely switch between mac and windows upon startup

 

[Rob Fisher]

Rob you can always use your existing hardware and just buy the Apple OS or are you after the Apple hardware.

Wow I did not know that!

I actually want the whole Apple experience... everyone that has changed has been really happy... I toyed with the idea for a long time but am now seriously considering it.

 

[Rob Fisher]

Rob, i have considered this myself, but i couldnt justify the price at the time. Am watching this thread with much interest

Yip this is what I'm trying to work out now... R27,000 for an iMac... is it worth more than twice as much as a high Windows PC?

 

[johan]

I do understand VMWARE. But I also do know that mac has a software called parallels which does the same. Else one can use boot camp on the mac to completely switch between mac and windows upon startup

I don't know much about parallels and boot camp though, VMware not for dual boot, needs to be executed within your main OS.

 

[Riddle]

The price is a lot. But if you have the money it's a very good buy. Haven't seen anyone who went for it and regretted it thereafter.

 

[MurderDoll]

Is what you referring to not called parallels??

Which allows you to run Windows in a different form while on mac os still

Yes. Its basically a virtual machine you install on the Mac to allow it to launch windows within the Mac OS.

So you can still run Mac like normal and launch windows within it.

Awesome software!

 

[MurderDoll]

I do understand VMWARE. But I also do know that mac has a software called parallels which does the same. Else one can use boot camp on the mac to completely switch between mac and windows upon startup

Problem with boot camp is that you can only launch one or the other at a time. VM Ware allows you to do both at once.

 

[Riddle]

Parallels is basically VMware made by Apple for Apple.

Bootcamp is if you want that dual boot. And completely switch between mac os and windows. Nice to have for the windows mad people. But to me that is defeating the purpose of MAC

 

[MurderDoll]

The equipment we use at work only run on windows, so I need seamless switching between windows and Mac.

VM Ware works fantastic in this regard for me. I can do all my work without having to schlep two laptops around.

 

[Danny]

LOL this thread just made me laugh. In terms you have to be able to understand. Mac is like the REO of computing....

But jokes aside I cant answer all the questions but I can say I have a macbook that lasted 9 years and still today works like it did out of the box. The hubby who refused to go mac 9 years ago has 8 laptops that don't work anymore and finally I have forced him to go mac.

 

[Riddle]

LOL this thread just made me laugh. In terms you have to be able to understand. Mac is like the REO of computing....

But jokes aside I cant answer all the questions but I can say I have a macbook that lasted 9 years and still today works like it did out of the box. The hubby who refused to go mac 9 years ago has 8 laptops that don't work anymore and finally I have forced him to go mac.

Macs are really good quality. It's great value for money.

 

[Genosmate]

Are there any apple mac boffins out there? I'm seriously considering getting an iMac27 and dumping my Windows PC but there are questions I really need answered...

Some of the questions to start with...
How easy is it to have dual screens? Can I use my current screens as my 2nd screen?
How much is Office including Outlook for the Mac?
How big a HD does the iMac 27 come with and can you add say a 3TB drive into it as well?
Does a Mac live happily on a home Ethernet windows network and can I copy between networked Windows and Apple PC's?
I have a Media player (med8er) on the Ethernet network that I copy movies and series to… will this work?

This is for starters.

Hi Rob
I've been using macs since around 1993 and I've had a few.Don't believe that they are ultra reliable because they do go wrong and sometimes Apple don't own up to their problems,most expensive laptop available at one point was purchased by me and had a screen issue (turns out it was a worldwide issue) Apple wouldn't recognise the problem and indeed locked all posts on their forums,whilst if my memory is correct Dell laptop owners who had screens manufactured at the same premises also had an issue and Dell replaced them all,no arguments!
That said do I enjoy using windows based machines......sorry its a big no!
Dual screens should be no problem.
MO about R1100/1200.For me this is the best option,not the parallel's or some such,why would you want to run anything other than office on the mac? I assume the fundamental reason to switch is the OS.
I'd rather use some sort of external drive to store 3TB of stuff and the mac will probably run faster.
No experience with the windows network but I don't think there should be any issues.
Mede8er should be ok because its only a media player of some sort isn't it?
Lastly why not look at the mac mini (in it's fastest/top spec) you could then hook it up to a big tv screen provided you choose carefully (not a big monitor) and you'd be a long,long way off 27k,just a thought as its what I do,but I have got an imac as well.
Good luck with the decision,oh and I use iphones,ipads etc etc,everything just works most of the time.

 

[Rob Fisher]

Thanks John... appreciate the advice and especially the idea of the mini etc!

 

[RATZ]

@Genosmate is absolutely correct with his suggestions. As a dedicated Linux user myself, I have certain philosophical issues with Apple but must agree that the user experience is at least a bazillion time better than windows.
Price is a matter of how deep your pockets are. For the price you can get much better hardware, buy the OS separately and get someone to install it for you. Or just take the package deal and plug it in.

Networking with a windows PC is solid, but can be tricky as it uses a protocol called Samba. People who only know M$ environments might find it hard. You are welcome to PM me If you have any issues with that. Making data flow is what I do.
@johan will also be familiar with it as Osx and Linux share a common ancestry in the Unix Kernel

 

[Rob Fisher]

Many thanks @RATZ ! I also have a fundamental issue with Apple because back in the early days they dropped us in SA during the sanctions period and it was traumatic... but it is now 30 years later and I'm getting over the trauma and compared to all the other phones I've played with I do love my iPhone and iPad.