Junk for Code : shifting from Microsoft to Apple

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October 20, 2009

The computer shop has informed me that the hard drive on my Windows XP desktop PC at Victor Harbor died. It is decision time. Should I dump the Windows PC and Microsoft and move over to an Apple desktop, as so many others are doing?

I have no desire to upgrade to Windows 7 after my experiences with Vista on a Toshiba laptop. Windows XP, though an old operating system, is perfectly adequate for the mechanics of making email, word processing and web surfing. I decided to get a new hard disc and stay with the PC and Microsoft, rather than buy a new Windows-based PC.

The simple reason for staying with the old is that old tedious issue — the incompatibility of the Mac with the Windows PC for text based documents. That's a big problem for income orientated policy work, even if I find Windows Mobile so cumbersome to use.

flying into Melbourne, originally uploaded by poodly.

I was a Mac user in the late 80s when at university, then I switched over to the PC for the policy work. I starting the process of making the transition top Apple with the MacBook (I acquired the first modern Intel Mac in 2008) The decision is to keep the old PC/Windows computer going while I save the money to continue the transition to Apple for my photography.

When the Windows based PC dies I will replace it with a Dell, hoping that Microsoft's Windows 7 works smoothly. Microsoft may have a vision about computing in a digital age, but its implementation is shoddy and second rate. So my next step is acquiring a desktop for my photography-- for scanning film negatives and post production in Adelaide.

This will probably be the updated iMac, rather than the bigger and more expensive Mac Pro. That will come latter.

| Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at 11:54 PM | Permalink

| Comments (5)

Comments

Word compatibility is an absolute NON issue these days there are many many work-arounds, from a paid version of Microsoft for Mac to free open source software apps, Apple itself has 2 applications that will, save word documents and 1 application each for powerpoint and excel. Your mac comes with a free app that can be used to save in 'word' format & will read word, [some formatting losses may occur here], but the document will be legible. In a perfect world everyone would use the RTF format anyway, call me a dreamer, I know.

Posted by: s2art | October 21, 2009 10:06 AM

s2art,
point taken about the compatibility issue. Basically I need to keep the old PC desktop going after the toshiba lap top died, as I've so much invested in Windows PC---eg.,dual screens, Lacie Big Disc backups, wireless mice, PDA, phone etc --- from my policy wonk days in Canberra.

The shift to Apple at Encounter Studios will cost a lot of dough and I can only afford to do it slowly. I've limited finances these days, and some of it needs to be spent on camera equipment for the studio at Victor Harbor.

Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson | October 21, 2009 7:12 PM

Vista was bug-ridden and poorly received.It was a disaster and that was why many businesses and consumers preferred to remain with XP than to upgrade. What we can say about Win 7 is that it isn't as terrible as Vista. Its Vista R2 with the bugs ironed out. So Windows users have have a relatively responsive and stable operating system again. Big deal.

Posted by: Sue | October 22, 2009 10:22 AM

Windows 7 will certainly kill off Windows Vista. I doubt it will be missed in the work place. Microsoft appear to have got their act together this time, and many will upgrade from Windows XP when they buy a new PC or laptop.

This will be necessary because XP will no longer be sold or supported and everyone will be forced to upgrade to Windows 7.That means buying a new computer because of the system requirements.

It is really Microsoft that needs Windows 7; much more so than consumers do. It needs to be needs to be a success or Microsoft are pretty much on a downward path.However, the Microsoft product has a history of failing to live up to the hype at the launch.

Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson | October 22, 2009 7:32 PM

Yipes. The most basic version of the Windows 7 software will cost $199 to upgrade here in Australia compared with $US119 ($129) in the US. At the top end of the range, Australian customers must pay $429 to upgrade to the Ultimate version, almost double the $US219.99 ($238) price tag.

The $A dollar is almost at parity. Freight doesn't cost that much. Nor can you download it from Microsoft. They block it. And Microsoft only allow a one-user license in Australia. That's double if you have two PCs! Why not a family pack for multi-user households?

It's a lot of money to replace Vista--a damaged product. Another reason to delay until you biy a new PC.

Posted by: Sue | October 23, 2009 10:44 AM