Is it Hard to Switch from Windows?

Hello,

As someone who came from the PC industry, and had a lot of years invested into learning Microsoft's ways (I worked in the computer production, support, and service fields), I can tell you I was surprised by how easy the transition was.

Everything that I did on the PC was pretty easy to accomplish on the Mac. You can almost stumble onto the correct solution with the Mac. So, the learning curve is pretty low.

But, if you have needs and questions as you are adjusting, feel free to ask here. There's a lot of helpful people here who can help you adjust as needed.

If you have specific ideas about what you want to do, I would highly suggest going to a dealer who has a demo machine set-up and requesting them to permit you to test your projects on that demo machine. That way you will know for sure if you are pleased with the way it handles your tasks.

I hope this helps.

Let us know if you have other questions.


P.S., if you'd like, go ahead and click the "Helpful" or "Solved" buttons on any of the posts / replies above if you feel they were helpful or adequately answered your question.

Mega

I am also a longtime windows user but about a mounth ago I bought a 20" Imac..I can't get enough of this thing..I made a vow that I wouldn't use any windows apps just to see how things would be ..I have to say I will never buy a windows based machine again..You shouldn't have a problem with audio projects ..The person that got me interested in a mac is big into mixing and recording and makes some really good stuff ...GO FOR IT you will not regret it...

I found it hard to get used to a no-right click world. I realize that lifelong Mac people scoff at right click, and insist that pushing Alt-Apple-Shift-4 is SOOOO much easier than right clicking... but really, its not. Just... no. Seriously. I hate shortcuts. That would be the one thing I would have Mac change is to to get a real mouse with real mouse functions. Its one of the few things that Windows machines do right.

Yes... you can right click with a Windows mouse... but still nobody really advertises that.

But other than right click, it is fairly easy to get used to the Mac. The biggest challange is learning the difference in some programs. I am a audio person myself, and I had to unlean Cool Edit Pro and Adobe Audition and learn Soundtrack Pro. But I admit... now I love Soundtrack.

I used Mac's in high school up until 1993 and then only PC's right up until I bought my iMac. So basically I had used PC's exclusively from 1993 to 2006 and was used to Windows.

When I bought my iMac I had NO problem navigating the O/S and learning how to use the computer for my "normal" functions (web browsing, e-mail, digital pics, etc.). I haven't even looked at the more advanced features of the Mac and the O/S as I haven't needed to. I know they are there though. I don't expect it would take a great deal of learning to get the hang of those either.

I guess the bottom line is that if you can get around in a Windows environment, you should have no problem getting around in an Apple environment. It really is an easy computer to use effectively.

Good luck!

Hello Dodge This,

There is a right-click with the new Mighty Mouse. All the Macs that have shipped this year with a USB mouse include that mouse. This is the mouse with the scroll-ball.

You press on the right-half of the mouse, and it registers as a right-click. Press on the left-half, and it registers as a left-click.

The older mouse that was sold until last year was a single button.

And, if you purchased a blue-tooth mouse, then that was also a single-button until around a month or so ago.

But, all the USB mice that have sold this year with a NEW Mac have been capable of right-clicking just like any other 2 or 3 button mouse. Note that the Mighty Mouse works like a 4-button mouse with a scroll-wheel.

I do agree that the old single-button mouse was a pain to work with though.

I hope this helps.

Dodge This, did you know that you can configure your Mighty Mouse to have a right click function?

If you go into System Preferences, then Keyboard and Mouse, you can designate the right side of the Mighty Mouse as a secondary button. This effectively acts as a right click and you will find loads of functions possible when right clicking stuff . . . many will look very similar to right clicking in a Windows environment 🙂

I'm just wondering, would the switch be difficult,
and take a long time to get used to? Or is it not
that difficult.

MegaMustaine, if you buy a Mac you'll realize that that is the dumbest question you have ever asked. I asked the same thing one year ago. I had never owned, borrowed, used, touched or even seen a Mac. I had used windows for EVERYTHING. Now I do video editing, graphic design AND audio mixing with absolutely no training on a Mac. You'll have so much more free time because you won't have to worry about error messages that you wont want to quit! Believe me, you wont turn back. Oh, and you don't have to worry about "spyware" or "viruses." (I owned five windows machines before, and one crashed from that junk EVEN WITH protection.) Mac OS is one of the simplest in the world. (My grandma could use it)
Can't think of any cons...
Hope this helps!

MM,

I've recently switched to mac and love it. My recommendation (if you have the budget) is to use all the mac ports of the windows versions you were using.

Adobe, for example will allow you to upgrade to the mac version of Photoshop CS2, even if your previous version of Photoshop is the Windows (Photoshop CS) platform.

If your still set on using Windows on your Mac, you have three choices:

1) Bootcamp. This allows you to boot into either Mac or Windows OS. You must have a valid Windows XP disc With SP2 already on it.

2) Parallels: The nice thing about this setup is that Windows will run while your in MacOS. The main attraction for this is that you don't have to re-boot to choose Windows as you do with Bootcamp. It actually runs in a seperate window on your desktop or you can go fullscreen. As of yet, Parallels does not directly (or can't at all) access the 3D acceleration aspect of the processor-but they are working on it.

3)Crossover: I just tried this out yesterday. Crossover allows you to run certain Windows programs without installing the Windows OS. It worked great with Quake 3 Arena, but not so well with Flash MX. Codeweavers has a list of supported and unsupported titles.


If you go with Mac, I think you be pleasantly pleased-and the people here are more than happy to give you some pointers along the way...

Enjoy!
-D

I have used windows for over 10 years and with ease and comfort switched to make last month and have 0 regrets.

Hi MegaMustaine

I've advised loads of Windows users to switch. The only ones that have any difficulty are those that expect a Mac to behave exactly like Windows and get frustrated when it doesn't. Even those people thought it was a joy once persuaded to let go. Like others have said here, go into it with an open mind and in a few days you will be kicking yourself that you hadn't switched sooner.

Enjoy!

I'm just wondering, would the switch be difficult,
and take a long time to get used to? Or is it not
that difficult.

The switch is not difficult, it's very easy and you will not regret it.
I did the switch last christmas when I bought a Mac Mini on my trip to Dubai. back home the first thing I did was to power it up - and wow it was just very easy and the OSX is just a beauty. I did some test, did find much better programs tha thos I used on my WindowsXP.
I'm a Windows supporter so I need to have a Windows PC at home, but now it's sold, and I have bought a 20" iMac C2D. So if it comes over me, I can boot it into WindowsXP. My wife is now using the Mac Mini (she loves it) and my daughter has bought a used iMac G5. So my hole family have done the switch.
Remember: You are allways happy in front of a Mac. 🙂

Hello,

Sounds like a good choice 🙂

As for new models, you are always only a few months away from a new model's introduction. So, you'll be waiting forever if your desire is to avoid being behind by a few revisions.

There will not be any change as big as moving from the G5 to the Intel processors any time in the near future. So, at most, you might find that the next model has a slightly different Intel processor. But, you won't be surprised by a switch back to PowerPC processors or anything like that.

I hope this helps.

Hey all, I have windows XP PC's at the moment but I am saving for an iMac. One of my family has an iMac G3 and I love using it and find it really to use XP and Mac OS X (although OS X is far better). All new Macs come with iLife, which has garageband on it for audio work, so maybe you could give that a try.