Computer Idiot - Help me w/ buying a new Mac

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Ok, I figure since my dad is the only person on the planet that knows less about technology than I do, someone here can help me. There are no Mac Stores close or that could prob help me too.

Wifey and I have decided we are switching to a Mac notebook, because I don't care what we get and thats what she wants...so, here is what I need it to do:

Word
Excel
Access
Some kind of Photoshop thing for the wifes scrapbookin
AT&T Internet card compatable

http://www.macmall.com/n/macNavLinks-303?q=7949684

This is one I have been looking at.....do I need to upgrade to the Parallels/Windows $205 upgrade to do what I want?

What is Iwork? Word and excel or Macs version of them?

If I get the Microsoft Office for Mac, when someone sends me a document from a PC and I open and try to change, are there issues there?

Do I need security? Macs are virus proof right?

Any of these other options I need?

Thanks for any and all advice!
 
All the microsoft software for mac will open windows documents. I've used a Mac for ever and have yet to get a virus. They aren't virus proof but with common sense precautions you shouldn't have any problems. iphoto should be plenty of photo crunching power for scrapbooking.
Also, brace yourself for a bunch of Mac haters trying to talk you out of it.Check out http://www.apple.com/ for more info.
 
iwork is a lower level word/excel/powerpoint program (actually the presentation package is pretty good). What do you use excel for (basic spreadsheets or scientific data analysis using vba addins) as the mac version does not support vba (it will in the next version I believe). Access does not exist in the mac world, so you will need parallels/windows and the pc office licence to run it. office for mac will open most (no vba etc.) documents just fine.
 
So Buffalo, If I could do without Access, the Office for Mac would be sufficient? I do fairly high end excel spreadsheets and they need to be shared w PC users, so it sounds like the Iwork wouldn't work.

Do you guys think a low end Symantec would be ok for virus protection?

Thanks!
 
Before you buy a Word Mac package, check out http://www.openoffice.org/

It is available for free on most OS platforms and will work with Microsoft documents and spreadsheets.

Do you currently own an older laptop that would be available for experimentation? If so look into Ubuntu. I am about to add Ubuntu to my laptop as a second operating system. Ubuntu is free and there are a ton of applications and programs to get external equipment working. Research it for awhile as it can get a little overwhelming. This would allow you to decide if you would like to work with an operating system besides Windows.
 
I run Neo Office on my macbook at home. Its the same as Open Office, just for mac. Works great so far. I don't run any complicated excel data though.
 
If it were me, I would get a mac, and then use either Boot Camp or Parallels/VMWare Fusion to run the office products.

Although when you say "high end spreadsheets" I am not exactly sure what that entails. In my mind, that means you're doing VBA stuff in Excel, which isn't really supported on the mac (at least in Excel 2008).
 
There's no reason to spend almost $1000 for what your listed needs are. You could get a great Windows laptop for $500 that would handle anything you want to do online and all the Microsoft software you've listed.

Macs are hyped up. For the average computer user, Windows will handle everything you'll need and you don't have to pay the extra bucks for a "trendy" computer. If you're really concerned with the minor issues with Windows you need to switch to Linux because Macs have many of the same problems.
 
itsme6582 said:
Macs are hyped up. For the average computer user, Windows will handle everything you'll need and you don't have to pay the extra bucks for a "trendy" computer. If you're really concerned with the minor issues with Windows you need to switch to Linux because Macs have many of the same problems.
Click to expand...

I love my "hyped up" & "trendy" Mac and will not go back to a PC.
Look at VMWare Fusion to run "Winders". You can also run Ubuntu with this as well. I prefer VMWare Fusion over Parrells and it is cheaper. Also check out google docs for your office software. It is free. Best Buy carries Macs as well. Get the Mac. You will not be disappointed.
 
K-

I saw that option but like the idea of not having to reboot (VMWare) every time I want to switch. Did I read that correctly?

Thanks
 
I made the exact same switch you are talking about last February. I got the MacBook Pro and added MS Office for mac. It does everything I need it to do including spreadsheets, but you'll need to read the Office for Mac tech specs to make sure that the specific excel tools you need are supported. I haven't found one yet that I have needed that wasn't supported. This meets my needs with no need to have two different operating systems loaded on my computer and I've had no trouble sharing files and information with PC users.

My wife is a scrapbooker too. She uses iPhoto 99% of the time and loves it. There was a definite learning curve and some frustration in the switch, but a year later she claims she'll never go back to PC. We also bought Adobe Photoshop Elements (~$75) for some of the higher end photo manipulations she wanted to do.

Yes, it is more expensive than PC. But unlike the past 15 years of using PCs, Apple customer service is phenomenal, I have never bought anti-virus software and never felt like I needed it, and once I got used to the differences in the operating system and interface I've found that when I do use PCs I'm often wondering why they aren't set up more like a Mac. If you really feel like you need to use anti-virus software there are plenty of free options out there that work as well or better than Norton.

People like to bash Macs for being trendy and expensive. If you ever saw me you would quickly realize I am neither trendy nor rich. I don't hang out in coffee shops with my Mac, I don't put stupid little apple stickers on my car so everybody knows I own a Mac, and I don't start spouting off to PC users about how they should switch to Mac whenever they mention computer troubles. But from the experiences I have had, whenever someone asks about a Mac I tell them the same thing: I love mine and when it dies I'll buy another.
 
DurangoHBM,

Yes, VMWare or Parallels both allow you to run a full Windows operating system with its programs without rebooting. Aside from the VBA stuff in Excel and the lack of Access, MS Office for Mac will give you everything you need without having to worry about issues exchanging files with Windows-bound coworkers. If you need Access or heavy VBA, then you will need to run Excel/Access in Parallels or VMWare.
 
Lol, I love the PC vs Mac. I came to this realization when I was looking for a new laptop. People who complain about PCs are usually the ones who buy bottom dollar hardware platforms (Acer, e machines, house brand) and want to blame the OS because the computer is horribly slow. Had they taken the same amount of money they would spend on a mac and bought a reputable PC they would get more computer for their money. I was a hair away from buying a Macbook pro 15" and then decided to get a Dell 16" Studio XPS with some choice upgrades for$200 less than the mac book.

For example compare this studio 15 (1555) to the macbook.
http://www.dell.com/us/en/home/note...19&~oid=us~en~29~laptops_great_deals_anav_4~~

with exception to the graphics controller it meets or exceeds the mac book specs.
Comes with MS Office home, (no access, is this something you really use?)

for $100 you can get the 1080p led back lit display (worth the money of you ask me, BEAUTIFUL display). If you are going to do any graphics work then I would highly recommend it. Compare the color gamut tests to any other display, you'll see. and there is a video card upgrade option available too if you think you need it.

If SWMBO really has her heart set on a Mac then you're probably on the hook for one. Or, if you really want one go for it. After all of my research I decided that if you bought computers of similar price points the only reason to buy a Mac is so you can say F^&* Microsoft. Windows 7 is a terrific OS too, don't let the Vista stigma bug you. (I never had problems with vista either btw...)
 
I do IT security for a living and it is absolutely not true that Macs are "virus proof", its simply a matter of numbers. There are many more systems out there that run Windows, which means greater visibility, and in the end, more potential targets. In my opinion, OSX is slightly more hardened than any given modern Microsoft OS out of the box, but vulnerabilities exist for any OS, always have, and always will. Also, keep in mind that as Macs increase in popularity, so will the viruses that will be written for them. No matter what OS you choose, please install some kind of antivirus and keep the virus definitions UPDATED! For what you and your wife want to do, the Mac will be fine, and if you don't mind paying the price then go for it.

Good Luck!
 
DurangoHomeBrewMafia said:
K-

I saw that option but like the idea of not having to reboot (VMWare) every time I want to switch. Did I read that correctly?

Thanks
Click to expand...

With VMWare, you do not have to reboot. You are running a virtual machine in tandem with the Mac OS. You are thinking of bootcamp. With Bootcamp, youa partition your hard drive and have a dual boot machine.
 
itsme6582 said:
There's no reason to spend almost $1000 for what your listed needs are. You could get a great Windows laptop for $500 that would handle anything you want to do online and all the Microsoft software you've listed.

Macs are hyped up. For the average computer user, Windows will handle everything you'll need and you don't have to pay the extra bucks for a "trendy" computer. If you're really concerned with the minor issues with Windows you need to switch to Linux because Macs have many of the same problems.
Click to expand...

My parents wanted to avoid the extra bucks as well. So they picked up a Windows something or other. By the time they had paid for the warranty, they paid as much as for a Mac. AppleCare comes with it, and in my experience is far superior to any other warranty out there.
 
As someone who uses a lot of excel, works on a PC at work, and owns a macbook pro at home (wife's computer), I can tell you you will curse the gods about that piece of crap they call excel for the mac. It blows. Straight up. Impossible to work in and the function system is total crap.

I love the Mac and always recommend it for regular computer users. But for business applications, I would stick with a good PC.

I am interested to try W7.

IME, the Mac IS a better platform and runs much more efficiently. I love that computer.
 
CodeRage said:
People who complain about PCs are usually the ones who buy bottom dollar hardware platforms (Acer, e machines, house brand) and want to blame the OS because the computer is horribly slow. Had they taken the same amount of money they would spend on a mac and bought a reputable PC they would get more computer for their money.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure it's so much bottom dollar hardware that generates complaints about reliability and whatnot. I think the perceived Mac Reliability vs PC Unreliability has more to do with the Mac being a very closed system compared to a Windows PC. Apple makes the hardware. Apple makes the software. Apple doesn't have to worry about their OS running on 5000 different PC models from 100 different manufacturers plus a wild array of homebuilt machines. And I can't even fathom the difference in the number of peripherals supported by the PC vs those supported on the Mac, and the hundred's of thousands of drivers that 3rd party manufacturers write for the PC. All that adds up to a far greater potential for problems on the PC side than exists in the tightly controlled world of Apple. Macs are terrific if you want the experience that Apple wants you to have. And are willing to pay for it.

But if Apple ever licensed their OS for 3rd party hardware vendors to load like Microsoft does and OSx had to run on a bazillion different hardware configurations like Windows does then you'd see the Apple aura vanish like a fart in the wind.
 
I was a PC user my entire life until recently. I had had enough of viruses, noisy fans running, that damn paperclip helper, the blue screen of death, reformatting my machine every year or so, all the stupid crap running in the background eating up all my RAM, my machine taking minutes to fully recover from hibernation, updating all the drivers, always having to run weekly time consuming virus scans, and that damn paperclip helper. Now my machine is totally quiet, when I open the lid the computer is ready to use in 3 seconds, I'm on the internet before my old machine would have even yawned coming out of it's hibernation. So far it's error free, nothing bad happens, it never makes you close out of something because of an unknown error. I love it and I don't think I'm going back....Apple makes the best laptops, the best phones, and the best MP3 players. PC you suck as bad as Leno......
 
StunnedMonkey said:
Odd, I never seem to have any of those issues. It was probably a PEBKAC.

;)
Click to expand...

When I worked in a helpdesk we used to close tickets with an ID 10T code... worked great till a manager actually looked at a ticket and figured it out. She thought it was funny the first time, then she searched for that code....... :(
 
The OP asked for help with a Mac, not for a PC/Mac debate. Let's try and do a little better in helping him out.

I've used both Open Office and the Mac iWork/iLife suites. Open Office has great compatibility, and the interface is very similar to its Microsoft counterpart. I highly suggest trying it out. Skip Parallels until you find that you can't live without it. You can always install it later. No computer is virus proof, but Macs tend to be somewhat less susceptible to true viruses and A LOT less affected by spyware/malware/adware (for the moment).
 
Yuri_Rage said:
The OP asked for help with a Mac, not for a PC/Mac debate. Let's try and do a little better in helping him out.
Click to expand...

He is also a self confessed 'Computer idiot' so he may not understand what the real difference is between PC and Mac, how much of it is hype and how much they play on the on the anti-microsoft mentality with their passive aggressive advertising. So I was filling in the gaps for him. You're right though, it's been covered so we should let that dog lay.

I've used both Open Office and the Mac iWork/iLife suites. Open Office has great compatibility, and the interface is very similar to its Microsoft counterpart. I highly suggest trying it out.
Click to expand...

I think you've been standing too close to that microwave brother! :cross: OO has been nick named Open Orifice at our plant, mainly because that what you feel like it has left you with after destroying a large and important document that a customer wants post haste. If it was use open office or a make I would gladly pay for the Mac!
 
Umm, I use Open Office ON a Mac. It seems to work better when converting docs than the Apple software. I've yet to have the "pleasure" of a corrupt/destroyed document.
 
RiverCityBrewer said:
I do IT security for a living and it is absolutely not true that Macs are "virus proof", its simply a matter of numbers. There are many more systems out there that run Windows, which means greater visibility, and in the end, more potential targets.

Good Luck!
Click to expand...

I hear this argument a lot. To me (ME), it seems that if I wanted to attack computers for bragging rights (like hackers do) why not hack a Mac?
 
Yuri_Rage said:
Umm, I use Open Office ON a Mac. It seems to work better when converting docs than the Apple software. I've yet to have the "pleasure" of a corrupt/destroyed document.
Click to expand...
:off: Lucky you. The most common offender would be formatting mangling. You wouldn't notice it till some one opened it with Ms. Any how, maybe it's a Mac/PC JVM thing.
 
Yambor44 said:
I hear this argument a lot. To me (ME), it seems that if I wanted to attack computers for bragging rights (like hackers do) why not hack a Mac?
Click to expand...

In the well publicized Pwn to Own contest at the CanSecWest security conference in 2008, the Mac was the very first system hacked. There's nothing particularly bulletproof about Mac's other than they're not worth the trouble when 90% of the market consistes of non-Mac's. Security through obscurity.

http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/gone-in-2-minutes-mac-gets-hacked-first-in-contest-676
 
StunnedMonkey said:
In the well publicized Pwn to Own contest at the CanSecWest security conference in 2008, the Mac was the very first system hacked. There's nothing particularly bulletproof about Mac's other than they're not worth the trouble when 90% of the market consistes of non-Mac's. Security through obscurity.

http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/gone-in-2-minutes-mac-gets-hacked-first-in-contest-676
Click to expand...

Wow. So then because there are so few compared to windows OS, its better to own a Mac as far as Virus' are concerned?
 
Yambor44 said:
Wow. So then because there are so few compared to windows OS, its better to own a Mac as far as Virus' are concerned?
Click to expand...

Personally, I'd never choose a platform based on something like the prevalence of viruses in the wild, simply because they're easy to avoid with decent software and smart usage. I bought my first PC in 1985 and have owned too many to count since then (there are 5 PC's, 2 servers, 3 laptops, and 1 netbook in my house right this minute) and I've never had any significant virus issue resulting in data loss or system instability. I consider it a non-issue.

But yeah, there's no question that Mac's and OSx are simply not prone to malware issues the way Windows PC's are. But it's not that they're technically superior in that regard, they're just not worthwhile targets today. I think Apple makes elegant hardware and OSx is beautiful. I have an iPhone and love the hell out of it, AT&T notwithstanding. If a Mac could do all I wanted it to do in the way I wanted to do it, then I'd be all over a Mac. I just find the platform as a whole too limiting with regards to hardware and software options. But then I'm probably not your average user.
 
Stunned,

I hear ya. I switched to a Macbook Pro about 2 years ago. There was a learning curve for me, but now that I (somewhat) understand it I prefer it. There are times of frustration when certain sites I need to use for work won't work from the Mac, but I have never had a single hiccup in 2 years with it. I have a Acer notebook that is less than a year old that I don't even use due to the slow speed and the same with a E-machine (I know) that I bought not 6 months ago for those aforementioned web pages that don't work on the Mac. If I understood Mac's any better I am sure there would be no need for any other platform in my life. Heck I can't even get it to hook up with my wireless printer at the house!

If I could get the same flawless usage out of a PC that I get from a Mac, I'd probably use it more simply because I understand it better and as you said, the world is geared more towards windows, which means more software.
 
DurangoHomeBrewMafia said:
Ok, I figure since my dad is the only person on the planet that knows less about technology than I do, someone here can help me. There are no Mac Stores close or that could prob help me too.

Wifey and I have decided we are switching to a Mac notebook, because I don't care what we get and thats what she wants...so, here is what I need it to do:

Word
Excel
Access
Some kind of Photoshop thing for the wifes scrapbookin
AT&T Internet card compatable

http://www.macmall.com/n/macNavLinks-303?q=7949684

This is one I have been looking at.....do I need to upgrade to the Parallels/Windows $205 upgrade to do what I want?

What is Iwork? Word and excel or Macs version of them?

If I get the Microsoft Office for Mac, when someone sends me a document from a PC and I open and try to change, are there issues there?

Do I need security? Macs are virus proof right?

Any of these other options I need?

Thanks for any and all advice!
Click to expand...

As others have said in this thread, Open Office is a great choice as an alternative to Microsoft Office. Not to mention that it's free. Neo Office will do the same thing as well.

You don't really need Parallels due to the fact that Mac's can dual boot with Windows. If there is something that must be done with Windows, it's not an issue.

Mac's aren't virus proof, but they are much more secure than a Windows PC when it comes to viruses. You can download ClamXAV for free just in case.

Also for photos, you can download Gimp for OS X for free. Photoshop is much better in my opinion, but Gimp is still very powerful and best of all it's free. So long story short you can get these programs for free on your Mac and it'll address everything in your post:

- Open Office
- ClamXAV
- Gimp
- Boot Camp (comes with the operating system)

Personally, I own 2 mac's, a PC and a Linux box and I like my PC the most. But I believe that Apple make's the best laptops overall. It's all about what you want to get out of your machine.
 
This is one I have been looking at.....do I need to upgrade to the Parallels/Windows $205 upgrade to do what I want?

No everything you want to do can be done on the mac side, Microsoft offers the office suite for Mac's

What is Iwork? Word and excel or Macs version of them?

Yes iWorks is the Mac version of office although not many people use it, although if you choose to purchase it (because it is cheaper than office) it will save your documents as Word files so you can email them to office users and open word documents if office users send them to you.

If I get the Microsoft Office for Mac, when someone sends me a document from a PC and I open and try to change, are there issues there?

No issues as far as the two softwares on different platforms reading eachother, it is more Microsoft's fault, earlier in 2008 Microsoft introduced a .docx format for Word and what that created was a problem of opening a document for people using older versions of office or word.

Do I need security? Macs are virus proof right?

No, you do not need security. Norton Anti Virus for mac is a scam much like the whole company even for windows. I have always found it amazing that anytime someone installs norton they get viruses. This could be because they create the illusion of viruses on your computer until you pay them to stop annoying you.

Any of these other options I need?

I have three macs in my house and two Pc's which I use for server computers. I have never had an issue from a mac that has prevented me from working. I am a visual effects artist and love they way they work. For you as far as photoshop with your choice of notebook, photoshop might lag, in fact my wife has the same notebook and has noticed some lag when using photoshop..mainly for the lack of ram. If you are concerned about that you can move up to a 13in macbook pro $200 or if you have a student or teacher in the family you can get a discount of $200 off any computer from Apple.

Hope this helped and I was not to late for the advise
Cheers
 
Get a PC, save $1000. Spend that $1000 on beer.

Stop looking at porn and you'll stop getting viruses. Stop opening emails from people you don't know, and you'll stop getting viruses. You'll end up paying a grand more for a Mac that does the same exact thing as a PC, but has serious compatibility issues.

If you really have an extra $1000 to blow, buy me a kegging system.
 
Yambor44 said:
I hear this argument a lot. To me (ME), it seems that if I wanted to attack computers for bragging rights (like hackers do) why not hack a Mac?
Click to expand...
:off: kind of..

This has not always been true in the past, but in my experience, the nastiest viruses/worms that are being developed today are not being made by some kid in his mom's basement for bragging rights... believe it or not, virus writing is big business and organized crime pays well for a well written and delivered product. What I mean by well written is that the virus will steal as much of your company (or personal) information as possible, infect other vulnerable machines, and either stay dormant awaiting further instructions, or destroy itself and take your computer with it to cover its tracks. Who has all the money, big businesses, and what do those businesses run, not Macs. So what this boils down to is that other than bragging rights, there is no money to be had writing a virus for a Mac at this time, it is simply not profitable for those writing and paying for those viruses. I would feel "safe" with a Mac right now, but wait until a few fortune 500 companies switch over to Macs and I would wager that it'll be a whole new game yet again. Thats why I say no matter how useless you think AV might be for Macs, you should put in on there anyway.
 

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