Switching to the Mac

I switched, from a Windows PC to a Macintosh, and might never go back.

I had three reasons to buy a Mac: the small size (6" x 6") of the Mac mini model; the Mac mini's competitive price, especially compared to small form factor PCs; and the compatibility of Macs with PCs. For instance, the Microsoft Office applications Word, Excel, and PowerPoint use the same file format in both Windows and Mac, so that documents are interchangeable.

The Mac interface, however, wasn't obvious to me, and I needed a book to get started. On the way home with my new Mac, I stopped at a bookstore and bought Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, by David Pogue and Adam Goldstein (Pogue Press / O'Reilly; frequently updated editions), which is written specifically for PC users. Although the bulk of the book is about using your new Mac, it has a useful introduction on how/why to switch. Also, a glossary ("The 'Where'd It Go?' Dictionary") lets you look up PC terminology to locate Mac equivalents.

Here's what else I learned:

• Almost all new peripherals (monitors, mice, printers, etc.) work with either a PC or Mac.
• The Mac both reads and creates PDF files.
• The Mac was designed for stability: no crashes; no lock-ups.
• The Mac has true multi-tasking--which astounded me when I saw it for myself.
• There are virtually no viruses, worms, or spyware that affect Macs. The Mac operating system was designed to be less attackable. For example, it will not install software without asking you first.

If there are PC programs you can't live without, Virtual PC software emulates a PC on a Mac; the new Parallels Desktop software runs Windows on a Mac; and Apple plans to include the ability to run Windows in its next operating system release.

(Warning: Macs have oddities, just as PCs do. If you use a mouse left-handed, need voice recognition software, or do anything out of the norm, be sure to investigate what extra equipment, RAM, or whatever else you might need.)

As Switching to the Mac points out, it is not irrational to have both a Mac and a PC (as I now do); I simply kept my old PC for what it does uniquely. In fact, you can network together a Mac and a PC and have them share a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

I swore I'd never become a Mac cultist, but I know a good deal when I see one!

Addendum: Recently when I argued with a friend about her upcoming PC purchase, I had to admit to myself that I had indeed become a Mac cultist. Would you like some Kool-Aid?

by Heidi Boudro

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