Anyone using both PC and Mac?

sync · Member Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 55

I'm a long time PC user. I just got my first Mac - a Mini of course.

Now that I'm used to how good OS X looks I'm wondering what I will actually use the Mac for. I haven't used any apps yet that make me feel like I want to use them instead of what is available on the PC.

So for those of you who use both, I'm interested in hearing what you run on each platform and why.

Aquafire · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject:

Hey Sync.

Yep...

I have a bevy of Pc's and Mac machines.

(actually last count was something like 5 Pc's and 4 Macs)

Mostly, I use PC's to evaluate and compare files and images and to see how they appear between systems. As you will soon realize (in comparing Mac machines to PC's), each has its own color bias etc. I also want to make sure that whatever I send to clients by way of images and text is compatable with whatever system they are using. Because I am involved in Photography and Painting, this becomes important enough for me to want to run a bunch of computers.

Last but not least, I also like to run different OS's such as Windows and Linux/Unix along with OS-X.

In fact, at this moment I am running Granular Linux, FreeBSD and G-OS..

So in the end, its also a bit about being relaxed around different OS's and whatever machines are available as well as being cheap and useful.

That way, if I ever get stuck with being forced to use a non Mac machine; i'll be relatively familiar with the layout and functionalites..

Cheers

Aquafire

PS...can one ever really have too many machines... Wink

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ghostdawg · Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:48 am Post subject:

Since I work as a PC Technician, I also keep PCs around with Linux as my main OS and Win XP for work purposes. I just like to try new & different things so that is part of the reason I bought my first mini in '05.

Most programs for the mini I use are opensource and OS X apps, though I do have MS Office, not the latest version, installed.
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fhall1 · Member Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 128 Location: Upstate NY

I used a PC since the beginning of DOS...and bought a Mac Mini last October...I find I have to turn the PC on for less and less stuff.

I did have to load Vista in a VMware Fusion session for two things I've found so far. No Microsoft Money for the Mac, and I haven't found a Mac equivalent that will read Money format files (so if anyone knows of any?). Second is my ancient Visioneer flatbed scanner. Obviously, I can solve that one by buying a Mac-compatible scanner, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

The one "con" I've found so far is I can't run dual monitors on the Mini...so I maxed it out with a 24" Soyo...a compromise I can (so far) live with.

So far I've been able to do everything else on the Mac Mini...and it's way quieter and takes up less desk space than my PC

Dragonfly · Junior Member Joined: 03 Feb 2008 Posts: 27

I'm an OpSys geek, so I had to add OS X to the mix (plus I wanted to run Final Cut). I've got a big investment in Win software, so my Vista box is my primary work machine. Other than that, I'm Operating System neutral for the most part.

My setup allows me to run Vista in dual screen or OS X on the left and Vista on the right on my dual Samsung 206BWs....
http://img184.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=95073_whycantwealljustgetalong2_122_510lo.jpg
both controlled by a single keyboard and mouse with Synergy. The Vista side also runs UltraMon, so I can spread it across both monitors if I wish (the left monitor has my Mac mini on the vga plug and my PC on the DVI plug - changeable via the "source" button on the Samsung).
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Dino1956 · Veteran Member Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 1194

Since I got my Mac 2 weeks ago I only turn my PC on out of necessity. I have programs like DVD Shrink & DVD Decrypter and a DVD burner on my PC. Eventually I will probably get an external Sony DVD Burner for my Mini but I have yet to find any DVD ripping free software for ripping DVD's on the Mac. I'm sure they are out there, but I have not even been looking as of yet.
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Aquafire · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:46 pm Post subject:

Dino1956 · Veteran Member Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 1194

Thanks Aquafire. I figured there had to be a ton of these for Mac. I bookmarked the page for future reference. Thanks again !
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Pleiades · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:49 am Post subject:

I still keep Windows around for a few purposes.
• Testing websites in IE
• Ripping DVDs that MTR can't handle well
• A few games
• Custom tuner software for my car's computer

But beyond that, I do darn near everything else on OS X.
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Cypher · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:00 pm Post subject:

I rarely turn my PC on these days. Almost all of the programs I need I now have on the Mac. My main reason for turning the PC on is usually just to use the second monitor to watch a movie or something, whilst I stay working on the iMac.

I also have a laptop which runs winXP and use that for uni work but I could do everything on the iMac if I had to. I am hoping to buy a MBP in the coming weeks and then I will probably move all my uni work over to the MBP.

My main use for the PC is probably as network storage now, just utilising its HDD as I have around 1TB of old IDE disks. I have already purchased a 500GB firewire drive so I could now actually do without my PC. The kids also still have PC's on the network so I could add the storage capacity into their machines if I really needed it.

So my required PC use is very minimal

{edit} just thought of 2 things I do still need a PC for.
My printer drivers on the MAC are pretty naff and I can't align the print head correctly. On the PC I can so things print better on the PC.

My Digital Voice recorder isn't supported on the MAC so I need a PC to save the audio files off the recorder.
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trustory · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject:

I have VMWare Fusion with Windows XP installed only for the application Solidworks which I need to use for my degree.
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sync · Member Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 55

I'm liking the Mac more and more. But I can't find a video player I like so I will have to continue using Windows for that. That will significantly limit how much time I can spend on the Mac.

dungeon92 · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:44 pm Post subject: yes

Windows is great for gaming and very little else fan boy). I also use Visual C++ in Windows since I use it at school for Computer Math. Now using a PC for Linux is just a fantastic idea, and it has gotten easier to learn how to use Linux with distros like Ubuntu or gOS.
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Fox · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:39 am Post subject:

... but you can run almost any flavour of Linux seamlessly on your Mac using Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion, and I have tried three of them with good success. I run WinXP on my Mac, but use it only for statistical applications that I can no longer get for the Mac. Two that I use, Statistica and Systat, haven't been updated for the Mac for more than 10 years and the old versions only run in Classic mode, which doesn't run on Leopard.
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sync · Member Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 55

I will probably get Fusion. But decoding HD video can be fairly demanding and I doubt I'll get good results for that in Fusion.


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