Switch From Windows To Apple - One Year Later

Philistine · « **on:** 25 Nov 2010, 03:59 pm »

Just over a year ago I had a decision to make: Windows 7 or Mac, I went down the Mac path and posting my experience one year later for those contemplating going down the Mac path.

I started with DOS 3 and the various DOS and Windows upgrades, finishing with Windows Vista. When it was time to replace or get a new machine I looked at Mac's and always walked away as the equivalent spec Mac's were twice the price as equivalent Windows devices.

Last November I spent 7 hours having to reinstall the operating system, apps and data on my business partners system and then bought a Windows 7 multi-pack upgrade. It sat around for a few days while I reflected on how much time I'd wasted over the years with Microsoft, and I was contemplating giving them more money - it wasn't a smart decision, so the Windows 7 upgrade went back unused. I convinced my partner to go to the local Apple store for a business consultation, we walked out with MacBook Pro's, Time Capsules, MobileMe and One To One. We've since bought iPads for the business, I replaced a family Dell with an iMac, bought an Airport Express and AppleTV.

Our objective was to spend less time handling PC issues in the business and increase our efficiency, at the same time Microsoft had succeeded in making computing a pain and taken away what fun remained. After one year I can say that the switch to Mac/Apple has exceeded our expectations.We have had zero incidents, crashes when using the Macs in both the business and home environments - we've become more efficient. The cost premium we paid to go down the Mac path has been paid back many times over by the time saved having by not to deal with Windows fixes. We are more efficient. Having the one year One To One training was a good investment, the ability to have one hour a week face to face personal training helped us quickly deal with the shift from our Windows paradigm to the Apple way. The training also helped with projects for home: photos, movies and web design for example. Apple succeeded in bringing the fun back.

I've become an Apple convert, we had a higher upfront cost but a lower long term cost of ownership, it's drama free, intuitive and fun again. One thing to take into consideration is that Mac's come loaded with applications, which needs to be factored in when looking at the initial cost. I had a Windows 7 laptop recently for a month and found it clunky, always upgrading for security fixes and just not user friendly or intuitive. All our various Apple devices are fully integrated in the house, we have automatic back ups with the Time Capsule and offline back ups and sharing with MobileMe. Reducing the security and back up risk, I no longer have to worry about a hard drive crash or accidentally deleting a file. We still have 4 other Windows machines in the house, when these die they will all be replaced with iMacs or MacBooks.

I'm not interested in debating Windows 7 vs OSX, I just want to share my experience with those in a similar situation. My recommendation would be to book a one hour personal shop at the local Apple store and see for yourself, there's no obligation. Apple isn't perfect, they do many thinks wrong, but for me they're significantly more right than Microsoft. I'm no longer a computer nerd and have become a web designer, video maker and photo album archiver - which is what its all about.

I can now see why many IT professionals don't like Apple, most of you guys would be out of a job, nothing to do!

flintstone · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 04:17 pm »

Linux for me, it's free, stable, and fast

Dave

mchuckp · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 04:21 pm »

Very nice write up. I don't use Apple for business. Wish I could but not my choice. I converted to macs years ago. I'd struggled with 3 generations of PCs before finally deciding to go the mac route. Didn't take me long to realize it was the best move I'd ever made in technology. I used to get the argument from people that macs are too limited and don't support enough software. To each there own, but for everything I need to do, it does it.

I won't lie and say that I haven't had a little glitch here and there. But honestly, that is it, little glitches. I love that my MacBook boots in no time and wakes up in no time. I LOVE not dealing with viruses and random crashes. It just 'works'. I gotta be honest in saying that I have never owned a PC that didn't have troubles be it for home or work. Maybe some how I'm to blame, I don't know. I just know that PCs have caused me too many headaches in my life.

Again, nice write up.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 04:31 pm »

My wife of 5 years used to disparage me being an all-Mac guy. Then her daughter got one to run a small business and she had to cut back on the griping. When she-who-shall-be-obeyed had her PC crap out for the 20th time, I said if she wanted to get a PC she would have to buy it, or I could buy her a Mac.

When the Mac arrived she disappeared into her office and things were very, very quiet for maybe 20 minutes. Then she came out with a stunned look on her face and said "I don't get it! It just WORKS! You don't have to do anything, just hook it up and everything WORKS!"

I doubt she'll ever go back.

Remember, Windows 2000 is Mac '84.

Audioclyde · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 04:55 pm »

Have to admit I used to be like Thunderbrick's wife; my wife was a long time Mac user, while I had always used PC's at work (and still have to).

We had to replace our laptops after a fire, and she convinced me to try a Macbook Pro. Well, in the past 4 years I've now bought Macbooks and or Macbook Pro's for all the kids, have 2 Mac mini's (for music servers), and I don't see myself ever going back to PC for personal use.

Like mentioned above, I might run into small glitches from time to time, but they ALWAYS seem to be easy fixes (and are usually resulting from operator error/misunderstanding), and Macs just work the way they are supposed to!!

chrisby · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 08:46 pm »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 25 Nov 2010, 04:31 pm

My wife of 5 years used to disparage me being an all-Mac guy. Then her daughter got one to run a small business and she had to cut back on the griping. When she-who-shall-be-obeyed had her PC crap out for the 20th time, I said if she wanted to get a PC she would have to buy it, or I could buy her a Mac.

When the Mac arrived she disappeared into her office and things were very, very quiet for maybe 20 minutes. Then she came out with a stunned look on her face and said "I don't get it! It just WORKS! You don't have to do anything, just hook it up and everything WORKS!"

I doubt she'll ever go back.

Remember, Windows 2000 is Mac '84.

pretty much the same reaction from my wife: "honey, next to you, the best decision I've ever made - this thing is just so freakin cool."

well, actually I flatter myself about the priority

Pez · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 02:15 am »

I think my stance on this is pretty well known here. I am a Mac Zealot. And damn proud of it. Between my wife and I we have or have owned an iMac, 2 macbook pros, 5 iPhones and of course my current favorite the iPad. I will say unequivocally that Apple makes the best software and the best hardware by such a wide margin it's almost like they are 5 years ahead of any other pc vendor. Every time I go to a computer store and look at HPs or Sony or whatever I always think "Wow that looks just as shitty as the computers I used to buy in college back in 2000" It's like all other vendors have their heads up their asses about design. Then I start screwing around with the stamp sized trackpad or garbage mouse and I vomit all over myself.

I do use Windows 7 through boot camp on my Mac only because I have to in some cases. Never once have I had a "Wow" moment on 7. I installed 4.2 iOS on my iPad and I have been saying nothing but "OMFG WOW!!!! THAT IS AMAZING!!!" for a week. My wife just laughs at me and my effusive nature. Any way yes Apple all the way, their products literally have changed my life for the better and I use them all day every day.

written on my iPad using my wireless keyboard.

groovybassist · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 03:01 am »

Another Mac zealot here. I have a Windows 7 laptop, but only because it supports a function I need that Mac doesn't. If it wasn't for this, I'd never consider a Windows machine again - ever.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 03:14 am »

Quote from: groovybassist on 27 Nov 2010, 03:01 am

Another Mac zealot here. I have a Windows 7 laptop, but only because it supports a function I need that Mac doesn't. If it wasn't for this, I'd never consider a Windows machine again - ever.

Why don't you simply run Windoze on the Mac rather than running a separate machine?

Crimson · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 03:19 am »

Quote from: Pez on 27 Nov 2010, 02:15 am

I think my stance on this is pretty well known here. I am a Mac Zealot. And damn proud of it. Between my wife and I we have or have owned an iMac, 2 macbook pros, 5 iPhones and of course my current favorite the iPad. I will say unequivocally that Apple makes the best software and the best hardware by such a wide margin it's almost like they are 5 years ahead of any other pc vendor. Every time I go to a computer store and look at HPs or Sony or whatever I always think "Wow that looks just as shitty as the computers I used to buy in college back in 2000" It's like all other vendors have their heads up their asses about design. Then I start screwing around with the stamp sized trackpad or garbage mouse and I vomit all over myself.

I do use Windows 7 through boot camp on my Mac only because I have to in some cases. Never once have I had a "Wow" moment on 7. I installed 4.2 iOS on my iPad and I have been saying nothing but "OMFG WOW!!!! THAT IS AMAZING!!!" for a week. My wife just laughs at me and my effusive nature. Any way yes Apple all the way, their products literally have changed my life for the better and I use them all day every day.

written on my iPad using my wireless keyboard.

But how do you really feel? Don't hold back.

(Added via an iDevice).

groovybassist · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 05:43 am »

dB Cooper:

I initially got the Windows laptop as I was working with a broker/dealer that required digital certificates to sign on to their systems, and they only supported them on a Windows platform. In addition, they had a host of security requirements for the PC that I didn't want to impose on my Mac.

Since then, I've left that job, but now have an Excel spreadsheet that uses the DDE function to get real-time quote data from an options broker. DDE isn't supported by Apple. If anyone knows how to get real-time quote data into an Excel for Mac spreadsheet, I'm all ears. I know I can run Windows on a Mac, but I'm a bit lazy to figure it out since I have the WIndows machine anyway.

Toka · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 06:44 am »

Similar story for me. Made the switch about 3 years ago (after MANY years of swearing up and down that I would never join the "trendy cult"

). I will just say that is had been a far more enjoyable experience using my iMac than I would have expected...I cannot fathom going back to a Windows (or anything else) environment.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 07:21 am »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 25 Nov 2010, 04:31 pm

My wife of 5 years used to disparage me being an all-Mac guy. Then her daughter got one to run a small business and she had to cut back on the griping. When she-who-shall-be-obeyed had her PC crap out for the 20th time, I said if she wanted to get a PC she would have to buy it, or I could buy her a Mac.

When the Mac arrived she disappeared into her office and things were very, very quiet for maybe 20 minutes. Then she came out with a stunned look on her face and said "I don't get it! It just WORKS! You don't have to do anything, just hook it up and everything WORKS!"

I doubt she'll ever go back.

Remember, Windows 2000 is Mac '84.

Update: I bought her an iMac originally, and forgot to mention that now I have to bring my MacBook Pro home from work every day, because she has pretty much claimed my personal MacBook Pro as well. I have to ask nice to use my own laptop. I think I have created a monster.

planet10 · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 08:18 am »

I was a Mac guy from the 1st.

I'm a testament to how long a Mac remains useful. I've been dirt poor for the last 10 years, so no new Macs for me (althou the lust is high)... my last new Mac was a G4 Dual 867, now relegated to speaker measurement duties. Main machine is a Dual 2.5 PowerMac G6 with 8 GB RAM (swapped for doing a couple small web sites), and a 20" iSight G5 iMac (free except for RAM upgrade), my easy chair office has a 17" PowerBook ($300), a 20" iMac G5 as music server (free but for RAM, Disk upgrade & a set of new caps). Wife bought herself a MacBook -- she'll be getting a 20" iMac G5 for her gallery (we'll likely have to buy RAM for it). The godson has a 15" iMac (luxoLamp) running 9.2.2 & OS X (so he can run all the free hand me down ed software). Web Server is a souped up G4 PowerMac running OS 9.2.2 (unhackable & VERY low maintenance). Latest aquisition was a 3g iPhone (a tip from a client, and so far used for Remote)

dave

funkmonkey · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 06:07 pm »

Great story Phil. Thanks for posting that.

My wife is still on a windows machine (HP) and though it is a tank (outlasted my previous iMac) random crashes, freezes and general frustration are all present and accounted for. She is ready to make the move, I'm thinking a Macbook (maybe MacBook-Pro) would make a nice birthday present for her in a couple of months.

-Greg

mcgsxr · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 06:25 pm »

It is interesting to hear these stories, as a mostly Windows user.

The main PC in the house is a 7 year old Dell. I have upgraded the RAM, and have reinstalled the OS 2x over that timeline. It remains much cheaper than the Mac options were at the time, including TCO in my books.

My music PC is a similarly aged Dell, though a small form factor one. It has been running with a fresh XP Pro SP3 install for closing on 2 years now, issue free.

I used a Mac back in the late 80's, early 90's when a roomy of mine in University had one.

I am not a portable music device user, and I use a work BB so I am generally insulated from the manner in which many are converted. My older brother recently bought into Macs hardcore, and loves them.

Perhaps in time, but moreso I am intrigued by the tiny Linux devices people are using to run their SB3's off.

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 06:53 pm »

First Mac encounter, at a computer lab in my undergrad... a Mac Classic, with something like a 9.5" screen, mono VGA...2mb ram.

I loved it, really figured out how to use it within 5-15 minutes. It even had a somewhat decent sound. This was back in 1990.

Bought a 386-16SX chip with a whopping 2 MB ram and 40 GB HD the year after. What a junk. I did use it for approximately 3 more years when I trade it with a roomie for a Mac Classic Color.... with 4 MB Ram and 40 GB HD.

In grad school, I used the Mac Classic and then, through a bookstore buy purchased my first laptop, a Mac 190. It served me well until maybe 1997-1998 when I sold it off through an add in the internet.

From 1998-2005 I purchased 3 Pcs...Two Pentium types and the last one, a Dell tower that I paid something like $1500 back in 2003, not an inconsiderable sum of money. When XP pack 1 came out, I upgraded and lost all communication between my digital camera, laser printer and even a lowly universal USB dock that came with the first Apple Shuffle. WTF!

Within 6 months, the first Mac Mini was released...I jumped on that....and kept the Dark Dell tower thinking that I would use the Mini just for music and pictures.... but I wound up using it for about 99% of all things. I still own it but I do not use it as often. In the Fall of 2005, I also bought a Powerbook G4 12"...which has been through hell and back, dented like a battle tank.... It has NEVER failed...never had to reboot or clean installed. I still use it to teach daily.

But, my most commonly used computer now is a 2.66 MacBook Pro Mid 2009. It has been undeniably reliable....but I really give Apple the kudos to the G4 series laptops with the older Tiger OSX. They were and still are amazing.

BTW, I bought a Velocity Micro gaming computer back in December of 2008...with a I7 core chip and 3 GB of 1600mhz DDR3 triple channel ram....With Vista, all waiting for the release of StarCraft 2 but just to wait for close to 1 and 1/2 year until its release this past Summer....which I am able to play in my MB Pro. Bummer!

Windows Vista is a very very clunky OS.... Non intuitive in many ways and difficult to navigate. I briefly played with Windows 7 on a coworker's laptop..... Almost the same template base as Windows Vista...does not feel good.

I say burry me with my Apple computers, I just cannot rely in spending my afterlife with Windows stuff.

Steven Stone · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 07:07 pm »

I came into this Mac thing late- my first one was a Performa 6400.

I bought a portable PC a couple of years back, mainly to load firmware upgrades. I used it for a couple of business trips, hated it every time, but for two or three trips a year it was bearable, but after being evacuated due to the Fourmile Fire I broke down and bought a Mac book pro 13", added a 120 SS drive, 8 G ram, and set it up to do on-location recording, and my wife has taken it over to write her next book.

Maybe I could get by with an iPad for CES? I'm not sure...

Doublej · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 09:39 pm »

I wonder if AC would be better if it ran on a Mac!

cujobob · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 Nov 2010, 09:53 pm »

I love Macs...at first, I thought they'd be too limited and expensive to be worth the switch...but I was glad when I did it. I've had a Macbook Pro G4, two Macbooks, and an Imac. Currently, I'm using two Windows 7 machines...one I built myself and the other is a netbook. I switched to these because I wanted a machine for gaming and the other for extreme battery life and low price (can be swapped out every year or so at the netbook prices). I have to say, Windows 7 is far far far better than anything from the past from Microsoft. I've had no issues with viruses, spyware or anything in the year+ using it. They do still have some of the typical Windows annoyances...bootup, background processes, etc. Still though...I think both Windows and Mac are good options currently.

The biggest reason to shy away from Windows-based machines currently is that there's just a lot of junk being made. HP, Compaq, Toshiba and some others...put out garbage, at least for lower-end stuff. Even with Netbooks, only a few are any good (I only buy Asus myself). Apple controls their own quality...and that approach means you know what you're getting. When it comes to something you're using every single day, that's important.

It's a lot of money but it's safe money...and I hope everyone at least tries one once.