Apple - Some advice please

[irneb]

No, I have an apple pad mini and an I phone 5, therefore are an apple fan at the mo and the mac air 13inch is a very nice machine that is super thin.

Well, in that case it's probably a better idea to go fully Apple. Chances are that your other devices would work more easily in collaboration with it - though you'er going to have to also become an iTunes junkie . Cost-wise it's up to you: if you deem the ease of use between the devices is worth the extra cost for similar equipment, then cost is not to come into the equation.

Thus the only thing you need to ask yourself and try to find out: Software? Is it available or at least acceptable similar clone? Will it work with the files I already have? Will it work with others I have to collaborate with? This goes for all the software you use: word processor, spreadsheet, database, email, web, graphics (raster & vector), games (if any), and other specialist stuff like accounting packages as an example.

This last question is why I cannot get rid of Windows completely.

[HR Solutions]

My question is : Why have they come out with a crap system like Windows 8 ??
Why should I have to "change" systems because of this. I have spoken to a number of people who all hate it - from young to older people - and why should I have to wait till next year when I believe they are going to"revert" back to the old system and improve on that ? And seen as it is time to upgrade the ole laptop - I am going to go the apple way which a lot of people have gone.

No more viruses - no more "just wait your computer is downloading the latest software" - I trust and hope that apple also downloads the latest software, but if it like the ipad it is a whole lot quicker !!

[irneb]

My question is : Why have they come out with a crap system like Windows 8 ??

I'm fully with you on that score: http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/wh...pening-windows

Actually I was fully on that point of view since they moved off XP. I was having issues with Mickeysoft since after DOS. IMO they started causing problems when they started doing too much to their OS ... they simply didn't (and still don't) know how to make something which "just works".

No more viruses - no more "just wait your computer is downloading the latest software"

Don't fall for that hype. http://www.theatlantic.com/technolog...s-free/258902/

No OS is "virus free". At best you can use an OS which is not mainstream, which means the bad guys don't target it as much ... until they do of course. I'd grant that Apple hasn't been riddled with as many viruses as Windows has, but they've also had many a security update (as has all Linuxes and Unixes and BSD's). Some aspects of other OS's I find makes them less prone to viruses, e.g. you have to enter the admin password every time you want to make some system changes (like installing new software) on a Linux - less chance of a web page simply installing some cr@pware. I hope Apple does something similar, though from my tests previously it was quite happy to run/install without asking too many questions.

[irneb]

No more viruses

No OS is "virus free".

Actually just seen this: http://betanews.com/2014/02/12/2013s...eater-threats/

I knew it would only be a matter of time before the malware thieves started targeting Linux in full earnest. Microsoft's been in their scope since the 80s, and Apple since the early to mid 2000's (Android also). But Linux was still not that much used, it seems the 1% to 2% these days means it's catching interest from these criminals.

[twinscythe12332]

I recently picked up a macbook pro through this fnb device deals where you pay monthly for 2 years.
a couple of points that may be relevant in your choices:
it carries a heft premium. if bang for buck is a concern for you (and your line of business doesn't require photo touching or video making) then I'd say you're better off with an equally well crafted windows machine. you can still find windows 7 downgrades here and there if windows 8.1 doesn't tickle your fancy.
a lot of the open developers and big names do get apps going on mac. if you have an obscure app that you love on windows though, it may not be available for mac.
no dvd drive, only wireless (you can get an ethernet adapter though).
bootcamp can be a bit of a pain when partitioning. sometimes not the most user friendly of experiences.
app store doesn't have much useful free stuff. you're going to he scouring the web as per usual for a lot of apps, most of which aren't signed like the app.store is.
some of the good stuff you will already know, but I'll go over it for posterity:
useable os overall.
the trackpad is amazing. multigesture support is a dream. I kid you not when I say this feature sold me.
full screen apps allow you to flick through open apps in an exciting way that windows just hasn't managed to get right.
your devices will talk to eachother. I've noticed that iphones in particular make it their mission in life to be as snobbish as possible when connecting to other phones and comps.
it's a system you're used to. that always counts as a big plus.

[irneb]

I'd grant that Apple hasn't been riddled with as many viruses as Windows has, but they've also had many a security update (as has all Linuxes and Unixes and BSD's).

Just saw this: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/ap...pert-1.2549294

So iOS has a bug which allows a site to fake its identity through the "supposedly secure" SSL connection (this basically ensure the identity of the site). That means you'd have no way to know if your bank's website is not perhaps a look-alike based in Nigeria. At least they "fixed" it last Friday, but this shows that no OS is "secure" - even the mythical secure Apple doesn't exist (go figure).

They're still only humans making these things, they make mistakes, they forget to think of every single atom which might just brush past their software. Chances are that every single OS out there still has a whole set of such flaws which even the crackers haven't (yet) become wise to.

My advise: forget about security as some measure of what OS / brand of PC you want. Or at worst turn it into a very minor comparison point. But if you do, then I'd actually prefer an OS which updates more regularly - again, most of them are about on-par here (between daily and monthly).

[irneb]

Here's another weird thing: The new OSX's Boot Camp will not allow a windows older than Win8. So if you want the Apple, but also want to run windows programs in native mode (i.e. not through Parallels / VMWare / VirtualBox) you'll have to live with the latest idiocy from MS.

http://www.infoworld.com/d/consumeri...n-apple-238557

Several possible reasons why Apple did this listed in there.

[HR Solutions]

Thanks inerb ................. I still haven't got a new laptop. In fact I bought a new laptop for one of the girls down in Cape Town and got a Samsung - I then got it "downgraded" to Windows 7.

A lot of what you say makes sense, but I also look at it and think how long do I want to keep it before upgrading it again ? It seems like we are a nation that likes new things like getting a new cellphone every 22 months on a contract. And sometimes it is also better to get new than repair because of costs etc. ....... I will get around to getting a new one still. I'm looking at a motor bike at the mo, so cant have it all , so have to way it up

[Neville Bailey]

When my current Windows laptop comes to the end of its lifetime, I think that I may migrate to Mac. They are beautifully engineered machines that "just work". My only problem will be that Pastel only runs on Windows. But then I can simply use Parallels on the Mac and install a virtual copy of Windows on that, with Pastel installed there.

Well, I pulled the trigger last week and got myself the MacBook Pro 13" and I am a happy chappy.

It is fantastic for processing my photographs on Photoshop and Lightroom and I have Pastel running happily on Windows 7 in virtual mode (using Parallels).

The machine is so portable, slim and beautifully engineered - quite sexy!

[HR Solutions]

How do you find the 13" Neville - is the screen big enough ?