No Mac experience, but thinking of new quad core i7

I currently have an older Dell desktop running XP. I have periferals like Wacom, Huey Pro and printers. I run CS3, Lightroom 2.x, Photomatrix and use Word and Excel some (not heavy), use Quicken and of course use the net. I also have 2.5 TB of back-up photos and music on 3 external WD drives.

Now the question - If I move to Mac, do I have to 'start over' on peripherals and software? Can I transfer the Adobe product licenses? Do upper end Mac's come with basic office suite type products of quality equal to Word, Excel, PowerPoint?

I know much of this has been asked 50 times, but things change fast in the computer world, so I am not sure which of the past answers are still valid.

The info in the recent replies to this subject hasn't really changed.

1. For your peripherals - most include drivers for both platforms in their packaging or on their websites.

2. Adobe will not crossgrade CS3 - You must have the most recent version (CS4). Apple's Pages, Numbers, and Keynote is $79 (IIRC). Obviously there is Open Office or Neo Office. Other software vendors you would have to check with individually.

3. Macs can read NTFS disks and read/write to FAT32 disks.

You would have to run the numbers yourself, but I think you would be better served with an upgrade to CS4 and a desktop with an i7 quad core processor and a video card that PS CS4 takes advantage of.

unless you really dislike windows, you can probably build a similar specc'd machine cheaper

Huey Pro works great on both platforms. I have it and it works well on my PC and my Mac.

Call Adobe and ask if you can transfer it. You might be able to get away with just an upgrade fee to CS4 (well worth it) and they may let you transfer it over.

External drives will work fine. Cant speak for the rest.

How is your current monitor? Are you thinking of a Mac Pro or an iMac? If you need a monitor upgrade, the 27" iMacs are a good deal (rare to say that about a Mac but it is true).

Are your external drives eSata or Firewire? Mac Pros and 17" MacBooks are the only ones that can run eSata (unless you fancy drilling a hole in your iMac and letting out the Sata).

With Word and Excel, are you working on your own documents or bringing things in from other people on the Windows versions? If you're sticking to your own docs mostly you'll be fine but bringing in Windows versions is best done in Office/Mac or OpenOffice.

cory1848 wrote in post #8946293
Call Adobe and ask if you can transfer it. You might be able to get away with just an upgrade fee to CS4 (well worth it) and they may let you transfer it over.

That is what they want -- that you upgrade to CS4. In my case they sent me a full retail box version of the Mac CS4 Extended and required me to sign a note saying that I destroyed my Windows copy of CS3.

OK, this is a question as much as an answer, I have a family member wanting to do the same thing as the OP. Is it possible to run the Mac in dual boot mode during a transition period? Using the programs he already has until he replaces them with Mac programs?

You can boot Macs in Win XP SP2, Vista, or Win 7. You can virtualize in just about anything Intel-compatible using Fusion or Parallels.

I love this forum. Thanks for quick feedback.

A couple of clarifying comments to the above points:

I know that in the short term I could probably get a Dell i7 at Best Buy more cheaply, but I am into photography for the long haul and it seems many pro's use Mac, plus I have never really heard of many heavy tool Mac users switching to PC, plus it is my understanding I will have less potential virus/worm/malware stress. I am really not anti-PC at all, but feel it is prudent to consider a switch.

- I currently have a new Dell u2410 IPS monitor I love. I also run an older 20" Sony. With my single graphics card, the huey will only let me profile one independently, so I only profile the 24". I ususally work with Lightroom open on the 20" unit and CS3 on the primary screen. I have the basic tools (histogram, history, actions, etc. also pulled over to the 20" so I can maiximize workspace.

- My externals are actually on USB as my older computer didn't have any eSATA or firewire connections. As I recall Apple loves firewire. Can I connect the USB to Mac? I hope so as Huey and WACOM are also USB

- I 'retired' last Feb., so most of my documents and spreadsheets are fairly low priorty work, but folks do send me .doc and .xls files I want to view. I know there si software I could buy and that Google has tools but was hoping the basic productivity suite that came with a Mac would get me by.

I hope this added info allows you to guide me more specifically.

No real point on the mac if you don't have experience or an existing one. Get yourself a nice i7 system (studio XPS line from dell is good, same i5 or i7 processor, up to three internal drives, a better graphics card, and even with dual 24" monitors (u2410+something else for secondary), it'll be the same price or less.

> it seems many pro's use Mac, plus I have never really heard of many heavy tool Mac users switching to PC, plus it is my understanding I will have less potential virus/worm/malware stress.

Taken individually, none of these are really good reasons to switch. The trojan/malware issue is up in the air. It may be as Macs become more popular, the issues increase. Basically right now you have to purposefully install or allow a trojan to be installed but they do exist and that situation might change.

If you're happy with your monitor, it doesn't make sense to go with an iMac. And Mac Pro is probably overkill. Any interest in portability like a Macbook Pro? They'll have a new chipset soon (quad core). Otherwise, you'll probably end up spec'ing a Mac Pro and being shocked at the sticker.

BTW, I made 'the switch' after 20+ years but I wanted the awesomeness of their laptops. I'm still not sure if I'd shell out the extra for a Mac Pro. They make sense for video editing or people that process thousands of images per day but otherwise...

I just switched form PC to Mac Pro and I upgraded to CS4 from CS2 on PC. I had to go through Adobe to get the license change. Had to fill out out a from and pay the upgrade.I have a Mac Pro and LOVE IT. I have one regret I didn't do it years sooner. I have Vista and Parallels. It all works fine.

The OS user experience is worth the switch IMO.

Like Hoff I also made the switch after 20 years in the computer industry from DOS to Unix programming in Cobalt and have not regretted it for one second while I know there is some specific windows software that isn't made for mac's I have yet to run in to any situation were I was wanting for an application that I could not find a mac app to do the same thing. The availability of more software does not mean the availability of better software. Open office is a great alternative to MS Office I know several businesses and college students who use it in place of MS Office due to costs. If you live anywhere near an Apple Store I think you will find them a great resource and more than willing to help if you stop by with a question or problem.

Apples customer service is OUTSTANDING.

Damian75 wrote in post #8946888
...Unix programming in Cobalt...

You mean COBOL?