trickyricky wrote:I was actually going to start a thread about mac the other day. Im considering buying a new (and my first ever) macbook for my next computer in about a month and had a few questions. Like... is it easy to use, like a pc? Will I still be able to use the same wireless internet connection as the computer I am using now? And if someone sends me a file from a windows office program, and I have the apple mac version of the program, will I still be able to read it? These probably seem like stupid questions before but I wanted to make sure before I go and spend my cash!
In order:
1. is it easy to use, like a pc?
Easy? Not only easy, but slick, friendly and much more pleasurable. Consistent uniform interface across applications, consistency in menus... this is the GUI that the world should use. PC users rarely look back after using a mac.
2. Will I still be able to use the same wireless internet connection as the computer I am using now?
Yep. Only much easier. Turn the Mac on, it will hunt the network down and prompt you to connect. Job done.
3. And if someone sends me a file from a windows office program, and I have the apple mac version of the program, will I still be able to read it?
Well, Apples' iWork costs about £60, and will open any† Microsoft office document.
Failing that, there's NeoOffice, which is free, and rocks.
Both iWork and NeoOffice compared to MS Office are like comparing the Space Shuttle with a paper aeroplane... †
†I won't slate MS Office too much... it's great for pro's who are so stuck in their ways thinking that Productivity = Microsoft and Graphics = Mac. They'll never wake up and smell the coffee.
Almost any OFFICE Windows format opens on a Mac. Except Proprietary formats, for specific 3rd pary apps.
However, the new Macs quite happily run Windows as a parallel OS. So, you have one machine running the best of both worlds. Enjoy!