Need Computer Buying Advice!!!

[canny]

I'm in the market for a new computer. My family is really wanting me to get a Mac, I've always used windows. My option for the mac is the macbook pro 13". As far as windows based, the one I have narrowed it down to is the Lenovo Z560. I have never used a lenovo, but it is about 400.00 cheaper than the Mac, with the similar processor and memory.

My big question is compatibility. I run a windows at school, so if I am working on a powerpoint, excel spreadsheet, or word document will the Mac allow me to continue my work at home, and vise versa? Also I've heard that the Macs are more resistant to viruses is this true?

For those that have switched from a PC to a Mac what can you tell me about the change that could help me make my decision.

[Bud's Darlin']

I would always recommend getting a Mac! I can almost promise you that once you get a Mac you won't want to go back.....smile.

http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/

[RdRdrFan]

Go with the Mac and forget about it. You won't regret it. Easy transition.

[Bowtech32]

if you go with a PC, go to the Dell outlet web site. Great deals for refurbed PC, you can't tell that they are refurbed. You would think that they are brand new and about half the price.

[berto]

I would always recommend getting a Mac! I can almost promise you that once you get a Mac you won't want to go back.....smile.

http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/

why buy a mac if your going to run windows programs? Never understood that..


Mac vs PC.. its like Toyata vs Lexus IMO... The toyata is a good car, but do you want to tell your friends you drive a Lexus... Both are good.

[Jon-Paul]

why buy a mac if your going to run windows programs? Never understood that..

There are some programs that will not run on a Mac...

I would recommend a Mac

[canny]

Just placed an order for a Macbook Pro 13" with upgrade to 500g hard drive and iWorks pre-installed. I got a discount for being a student so the upgrade and iWorks only cost an extra 15.00. Should be here towards the end of the week.

[cricman]

I have a Mac Mini and it is the bomb! You can get Microsoft Office for Mac, so creating, editing, and sharing files with a PC is no big deal. The other free option is to download the Open Office Suite by Sun Microsystems. You can create, edit, and share Excel (.xls), Word (.doc), Powerpoint (.ppt), and I believe Access (.acc) files without a problem. The Open Office Word Processor and Spreadsheet look and act nearly the same as Word and Excel.

cricman

[Rakkasan2187]

I have a mac book pro 13 and love it. I also have parallel on it with windows 7. Its just about flawless.

[4wheels]

You get a mac to run windows so you can give up your fear of not being able to windows stuff. Parallels is a great virtual machine and virtual box from oracle is a great FREE virtual machine. I started with a mac mini to check it out and see if it would work for me. I was one of the people that got sold when I could not find the drivers for my camera. Plugged the camera into the mac and kapoof - it worked. No issue. I have since moved all my work to macs and run virtual machines when I need something on winders. (C# for example).
I currently run a 8 core mac pro w/8 gigs of ram and 2.5 tb of hard disk space. This is used to run multiple vitural machines. (Solaris, Linux fedora, windows server 2003, windows 7) I store all of my movies on this machine as well and stream them to my home theater when I want to watch something on my surround sound.

I work on windows all day and when I get home I just don't want to fix a computer. I run my quicken software for my home banking and store all my e-mail on yahoo, gmail. I am also using google docs for my homework and notetaking in class. (I also got a macbook air for school that i bought from e-bay)

Google docs has spreadsheets, powerpoint stuff, ms word stuff and such. Enjoy your mac. You will get your money's worth. I have been runnin macs now for about 4 years and have never gotten a virus. I don't use any virus protection.

Hope this helps.

[clffrdfdge]

I have a Mac Mini and it is the bomb! You can get Microsoft Office for Mac, so creating, editing, and sharing files with a PC is no big deal. The other free option is to download the Open Office Suite by Sun Microsystems. You can create, edit, and share Excel (.xls), Word (.doc), Powerpoint (.ppt), and I believe Access (.acc) files without a problem. The Open Office Word Processor and Spreadsheet look and act nearly the same as Word and Excel.

cricman

Yep I use Open Office when I need Word, Excel, Power Point.

[Ol Thumper]

Im a computer idiot but my next one will be a Mac.

[clffrdfdge]

Hind sight is twenty twenty, but I wish I had bought Apple stock 15 to 20 years ago, stocks then was like $40 dollars a share and today it is $353 who would thunk it.

[BU_pigslayer]

You won't be disappointed. I bought my 13 inch Macbook 3.5 years ago and I can honestly say it is still as fast as the day I got it. PC's always seem to slow down. I will say that working on Office 2008 (especially Excel) is a beat down. I'm an excel wiz on a pc but when I try to do things in Excel 2008 I feel like a 'tard. Office 2011 may be better but I don't use it enough on the Mac to care. Congrats on being a Mac owner. Oh and I bought Apple stock 5 years ago at $60 per share. My friends told me to sell it at 90, 100, 200, and 300. An analyst just raised his forecast to $600 after Q1 earnings the other day. I'm a long term investor and I think I'm just going to ride it for a while longer.

[clffrdfdge]

They are definitely doing some things right these days. Congrats on the stocks. I've been working on Macs for over 20 years.