Migrating PC to Mac

12 years ago

Hi,

I was sure there would be loads of questions and information on this subject but I found very little when I searched, so please forgive me if I missed something - or feel free to direct me elsewhere.

I'm in need of a new computer and, based on my love affair with my other Apple toys, I'd like to get an iMac this time around. The problem is I'm having a devil of a time figuring out how best to approach the migration from my PC to the Mac. The applications I use most often are Quicken, MS Office and Adobe Photoshop. From everything I've read, there won't be too much of a problem getting well-functioning Mac versions of everything except Quicken. I understand there is a Mac version of Quicken but I also understand it is a pretty poor substitute for the PC version.

Alternatively, I understand I can use Parallels or Fusion to run Windows on my iMac but then I have to stop and ask myself, why am I buying a Mac in the first place if I'm going to continue working in Windows? Also, if I run Windows on my iMac will I also need to run an anti-virus for Windows?

Any suggestions or insight will be appreciated.

Thanks!

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Comments (5)

azinoh
12 years ago
I'm not sure I understand how "my love affair with my other Apple toys" is important enough to justify making the switch to a different OS. There is going to be an upside and a downside to any choice you make. Make the move if something about Windows doesn't work for you. Make the move if you want experience with a new OS. Don't make the move if you're going to end up with less than what you had before.
zep516
12 years ago
Or,

These days, buying a Mac doesnÃ¢ÂÂt mean you have to leave Windows behind. In 2005, Apple started building Macs with Intel processors. Among the other benefits of that switch: You can run MicrosoftÃ¢ÂÂs operating system on AppleÃ¢ÂÂs hardware.

http://www.macworld.com/article/143517/2009/11/switchers_guide_windows_mac.html
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mike_kaiser_gw
12 years ago
There has always been a smaller selection of software available for Macs (and Linux) than Windows. It's simply a function of market share. With that said, only you can decide how tied to those pieces of software you are and if you are willing to invest in a second copy and/or find a work-a-round.

Open Office works quite well and is free but if you're dependent (say for work) on 100% compatibility with Microsoft Office, then you're going to need a copy of Office.

You'll obviously need a second copy of Photoshop if you want to run it under OS X.

I don't use Quicken but have heard the same things, although I want to say that they're working on correcting that.

There's a number of options available if you want to run Windows on a Mac. You do raise the obvious question - why bother to buy a Mac, only to run Windows.

I can tell you that I find OS X not so much better than Windows but rather different in terms of "use". OS X seems, from my experience, to be more stable and obviously much less susceptible to malware. Not to mention there isn't the endless updates as with Windows.
asolo
12 years ago
I switched to iMac seven years ago after decades of grief with PC/windows. However, if I was NOT having grief with PC/windows, I never would have switched. If YOU are not having any grief with windows, I would suggest that your "love affair" with other Apple products may not deserve the power of motivation you've given it.

At this point, I'm a dug-in iMac guy. It's quite wonderful. Never breaks. Just sits here and runs. But I never wanted to change.....and would not have except for the apparently insurmountable and ongoing problems I was having with PC/windows. There is a learning-curve and financial cost to switching. That cost was worth it to me and I'm very satisfied. I suggest you be confident that it's worth it to you.
asolo
12 years ago
Said "I suggest you be confident...." which kind of sounds like I'm saying the switch would be right for you like it was for me....which is not what I meant.

What I meant is that I suggest you become confident that the "costs" to be borne would be worthwhile in your own case before moving ahead with the switch.