Windows to MAC

I am looking to buy a new laptop and thinking about going MAC. I have few questions, Why MAC laptops are so expensive. MACs i see on best buy have intel processors and and 2 gb of RAM, while windows based laptops have faster processors and larger RAMs and cheaper.

For using Photoshop and converting raw images to JPEGS what specs i should look for.

What would be a good place to buy, does APPle have their own stores.

What kind of specs should i look for desktops as well.

I have USB external Hard drives, ia ssume that i can plug them to MAC as well

Bye the way i am thinking about this change because of system stability on MACs.
TIA
aghauri

aghauri said:

I am looking to buy a new laptop and thinking about going MAC. I have
few questions, Why MAC laptops are so expensive. MACs i see on best
buy have intel processors and and 2 gb of RAM, while windows based
laptops have faster processors and larger RAMs and cheaper.

Click to expand...

Do you have a specific example? For the same specs, they're generally comparable in price.

aghauri said:

For using Photoshop and converting raw images to JPEGS what specs i
should look for.

Click to expand...

As much memory as you can afford. Photoshop CS4 will take advantage of a GPU, so a MacBook Pro would be a better choice than a MacBook.

aghauri said:

What would be a good place to buy, does APPle have their own stores.

Click to expand...

http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/

aghauri said:

What kind of specs should i look for desktops as well.

Click to expand...

Depends what you want to do with it. For Photoshop, you want lots of memory, fast hard drives and a supported GPU if you are going to run CS4.

aghauri said:

I have USB external Hard drives, ia ssume that i can plug them to MAC
as well

Click to expand...

Of course, however, a FireWire interface preferable.

aghauri said:

Bye the way i am thinking about this change because of system
stability on MACs.

Click to expand...

Not to nitpick, but it's Mac, not MAC.

Once you go Mac, you never go back. If you get a chance, look inside a Mac Pro. Wow!! Apple just knows how to make computers. And the operating system.

gaussian blur said:

aghauri said:

I am looking to buy a new laptop and thinking about going MAC. I have
few questions, Why MAC laptops are so expensive. MACs i see on best
buy have intel processors and and 2 gb of RAM, while windows based
laptops have faster processors and larger RAMs and cheaper.

Click to expand...

Do you have a specific example? For the same specs, they're
generally comparable in price.

Click to expand...

Couple of links from best buy about specs and prices,

gaussian blur said:

gaussian blur said:

Bye the way i am thinking about this change because of system
stability on MACs.

Click to expand...

Not to nitpick, but it's Mac, not MAC.

Click to expand...

Thanks, it does tell you how knowledgeabl i am in this dept.

i tried to cut and paste bb links but links disappeared.

At first glance it would appear you could save a bunch by sticking with a low to mid level pc notebook but you really do need to look much deeper. I am typing on a blackberry so not going to get into it but you might try a true search to see what others and I mean.

Also, I am running XP via parallels on my Mac pro and macbook pro with the same performance as my wifes pc plus I get more options to integrate both operating systems or run separately. Have Mac os opened on one monitor and XP on the other or just have XP or Mac os running. This is all done without having to reboot into another os. One more thing, even though the costs equal out, it is about the operating system more than anything else. I work on, build and still use pc's at work and sometimes home, but having switched back to Mac almost a year ago, I will never go back.

aghauri said:

gaussian blur said:

aghauri said:

I am looking to buy a new laptop and thinking about going MAC. I have
few questions, Why MAC laptops are so expensive. MACs i see on best
buy have intel processors and and 2 gb of RAM, while windows based
laptops have faster processors and larger RAMs and cheaper.

Click to expand...

Do you have a specific example? For the same specs, they're
generally comparable in price.

Click to expand...

Couple of links from best buy about specs and prices,

aghauri said:

aghauri said:

Bye the way i am thinking about this change because of system
stability on MACs.

Click to expand...

Not to nitpick, but it's Mac, not MAC.

Click to expand...

Thanks, it does tell you how knowledgeabl i am in this dept.

i tried to cut and paste bb links but links disappeared.

Click to expand...

By using windows ion a Mac machine, does your risk of getting viruses becomes hgher and what about system crashes

Jim Rucker said:

Once you go Mac, you never go back.

Click to expand...

As long as I spend even more for VM and Microsoft OS licensing so I can run the many business programs needed for my work life.

aghauri said:

By using windows ion a Mac machine, does your risk of getting viruses
becomes hgher and what about system crashes

Click to expand...

I run the same Windows VM on a few hosts and I have no problems with viruses nor do I have problems with Mac, Windows or Linux crashes. Basically a junk show is a junk show and a bad software load and bad hardware is the same with several platforms.

I do not like dual boot and I use VMware because I work with the VMware enterprise products so I can't speak for Parallels but believe that it's a fine and stable app. I have tried Parallels in demo lic. form.

Otherwise I agree with you that Macs are expensive, but first tier systems from Dell and HP would probably not be considered bargains by most. There are supposed to be new Apple laptops soon and that might fix the what looks like lower specs and high prices in some cases.

Good luck.

I hate spending money on software and use open source stuff whenever possible. I pay for proprietary stuff only grudgingly.

But VMWare Fusion is 80 bucks I just never begrudged, especially with the new version update.

I was able to install XP from OEM disks from an old computer without hassle, so I was spared that expense. My main use of Windows is for my personal accounting software, a Scrabble game I like, plus some DOS stuff to do with a programming hobby of mine that I just can't get to work in DOSBox. Save that, I just don't spend much time in Windows anymore--I use the free OpenOffice or NeoOffice as my office suite, and all of my photo stuff is Mac now.

shrinkie1964 said:

I was able to install XP from OEM disks from an old computer without
hassle,

Click to expand...

...even though its against the EULA

Well i am very close to going Mac, Actually there is an apple store nearby, i will start visiting it and see if i get a better deal tehre instead of local Frys

richiebee said:

shrinkie1964 said:

I was able to install XP from OEM disks from an old computer without
hassle,

Click to expand...

...even though its against the EULA

Click to expand...

No it's not. I owned the computer, thus the software. The old computer was retired. I had to speak to a real human at Microsoft to complete the activation, but once I explained what I was doing they were more than happy to validate the copy on new hardware. All they seemed to care about was that I had only one activated copy. They didn't care where I was running it, even though I spelled out my situation very clearly. They did not see the least concerned that this was an OEM disk version from a dead PC, even though I made it very clear that was exactly what I wanted to do. That was over a year ago and my Windows VM continues to functions perfectly normally as genuine, fully activated copy.

If it makes you feel any better I have an even older retail copy of XP, but I didn't install it because it was only SP1 and bringing that copy up to speed always takes more work.

Virtualization does make the OS more portable in a way I think MS never contemplated. Put bluntly, I have been able to move the VM with the same activated copy of Windows back and forth between different Macs and can run it in each case without having to reactivate or revalidate windows in any way. At one point, when I was feeling naughty, I had copies of the same VM on two computers, but I ended up deleting one--not out of any sort of remorse, but to recover some drive space my wife wanted for music and pictures. It was her Mac after all.

I sleep the sleep of the innocent, for some reason. If piracy police worm into my computer and question the legality of my Windows installation, I need only emphasize that is was Microsoft themselves that helped me set it up.

I bought an iMac last december and recently a Mac book pro. I would never go back to the other brands even though they were cheaper. I have speed, no freeze ups, no viruses and very quick boot up. I have over 6000 pics on my iMac and I can print in seconds. I think there is a better performance with Macs; if you can spend the money then go for it. John
--
HOOAH!

I think I know what you are saying, but the "even though's" in the following paragraph seem misleading. That "even though" you explained to them what you were doing, they didn't care. Seems more appropriate that they didn't care "because" you explained everything to them, or "after" you explained everything to them.

shrinkie1964 said:

They
didn't care where I was running it, even though I spelled out my
situation very clearly. They did not seem the least concerned that
this was an OEM disk version from a dead PC, even though I made it
very clear that was exactly what I wanted to do.

Click to expand...

shrinkie1964 said:

richiebee said:

...even though its against the EULA

Click to expand...

No it's not. I owned the computer, thus the software.

Click to expand...

You don't OWN software. You own a license to use it under the conditions of the EULA.

shrinkie1964 said:

I sleep the sleep of the innocent, for some reason. If piracy police
worm into my computer and question the legality of my Windows
installation, I need only emphasize that is was Microsoft themselves
that helped me set it up.

Click to expand...

Got any evidence? The EULA (of which you'll find a copy on your computer) is evidence that you cannot transfer it to another machine. Or maybe not. Maybe you're the only person to have a really special OEM EULA that lets you put it on any machine.

richiebee said:

Got any evidence? The EULA (of which you'll find a copy on your
computer) is evidence that you cannot transfer it to another machine.
Or maybe not. Maybe you're the only person to have a really special
OEM EULA that lets you put it on any machine.

Click to expand...

If Microsoft helps you to activate that copy on another computer, they defacto wave the restrictions imposed by the original EULA. If the counter-party agrees to it, this supersedes earlier agreed contracts with them.

aghauri said:

I am looking to buy a new laptop and thinking about going MAC. I have
few questions, Why MAC laptops are so expensive. MACs i see on best
buy have intel processors and and 2 gb of RAM, while windows based
laptops have faster processors and larger RAMs and cheaper.

For using Photoshop and converting raw images to JPEGS what specs i
should look for.

What would be a good place to buy, does APPle have their own stores.

What kind of specs should i look for desktops as well.

I have USB external Hard drives, ia ssume that i can plug them to MAC
as well

Bye the way i am thinking about this change because of system
stability on MACs.
TIA
aghauri

Click to expand...

Just for the Os X...Everyone make the change. Years ahead.

noirdesir said:

noirdesir said:

Got any evidence? The EULA (of which you'll find a copy on your
computer) is evidence that you cannot transfer it to another machine.
Or maybe not. Maybe you're the only person to have a really special
OEM EULA that lets you put it on any machine.

Click to expand...

If Microsoft helps you to activate that copy on another computer,
they defacto wave the restrictions imposed by the original EULA. If
the counter-party agrees to it, this supersedes earlier agreed
contracts with them.

Click to expand...

I'm sure Microsoft really doesn't care what you do with Windows XP. They've pretty much moved on. Doesn't change the fact that its against the EULA to activate on a second machine. OEM lives and dies on the same machine. If it came to it, I wouldn't like to be the one in court against Microsoft. Their evidence is stronger than yours. Also, you could for some reason have a need to re-activate and get someone who isn't so lax in their job as the last call centre person obviously was.

I care even less than Microsoft what you do with your Windows CD.

top notch designed hardware.

Straight comparison of GBs and MHz is useless. You have to run them on a system to make them useful ....