This is my official notice of a major shift in my technology use habits. After nearly 20 years of being a PC user I am switching teams…to Apple.
First, why a new laptop? Work is getting more strict about non-company files and software on laptops. It is time to separate the two worlds wherever possible. Not to mention the growing collection of media files surrounding my daughter which demands a larger and cleaner storage space away from the work environment. Add to this that I am about 16-18 months from concluding my dissertation and it will be time to be free of my current technology confines ready to embrace a new world as Dr. Berta, so having my own technology and not things on loan from work makes good sense. Plus, I am trying to be a good employee free of potential policy hassles.
Second, why not a PC? I’ve been exposed to the world of Vista and the Vista suite of software and I am not impressed. In fact, I am confounded by Microsoft’s relentless pushing of an OS and suite of software that frustrates and confuses the marketplace. Having worked in the world of end-user computer training I understand upgrades, new versioning, and the ingrained confusion associated with that. However, this is beyond the reasonable level expected. I chose not to be frustrated. Conversations of the weekend with two trusted people, my Dad and step-mom, helped clinch the deal. One is thinking of switching to Apple and the other might just go back to Windows 3.11 ( 
joking) but is thinking about what version to run in the office.
Third, why a Mac? On the surface it would seem MacBooks are more expensive than PC-based laptops. Digging into the matter, though, I would need to upgrade all my software with a new Vista laptop which would cost a lot more money. So cost-wise, a MacBook makes more sense. The MacBook is also a slicker deisgn housing a solid OS and still affords me the MS Office suite I need for school and home projects.
Call me a bandwagoner if you would like but this is a decision I reflected on for quite a while. It makes sense for where my work, education, family, and future is headed.
How will I manage 2 laptops? This is something I considered too. I do a majority of travel for work. I am not going to take 2 laptops along with me. As it is, I have 2 cell phones (1 for work and 1 for home). Using the MS Office Suite on both gives me transferability. I own an iPod and use it for an external hard drive. Which gives me transportability. When I travel for personal life or school life, I can use web-based eMail for work and there shouldn’t be a problem communicating when I am gone. If I must take 2 laptops, I’ll manage, but it is unlikely.
I would like to add that there are other people making the switch. If you made the switch, are thinking about it, or have any advice on this matter, offer it up. Keep in mind, I pressed submit order, there is no going back now.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 3:08 PM
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June 2nd, 2008 at 6:35 PM
Mike,
You’re going to be my guinea pig on this, as I’ve been thinking about making the same change for my next laptop. Please keep us posted on your thoughts/feelings during the transition.
I’ve played with the MacBook at Best Buy, and I’ve had some trouble not being able to work the track pad like I’m used to…but I’m hoping there are tweaks to get it to be more like what I want (e.g. tapping to click).
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June 2nd, 2008 at 8:20 PM
Joel,
Well, I am glad to help in anyway I can. I will be sure to keep people posted on the PC to Mac saga as it unfolds.
The trackpad thing concerned me too. I hate to click the button. My brother, Josh, is a long time Mac user and he assured me that it is simply an option to select in the OS. There are other things I like and don’t want to give up, but OSX seems to do a lot of different things I like, workspaces, stacks, etc. A trade off? Perhaps. There might be things we just don’t see until we play with the machine.
I am planning to attend the free classes at the Apple store once my MacBook arrives. I think it will help with the mindset conversion and to effectively brainwash me into the world of Apple.
I’ll keep you posted.
Mike
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June 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 AM
Guys,
You can do loads of stuff with the trackpad – inc. tapping to click.
You need to go to System Preferences > Mouse.
You can also use 2-fingers to scroll a page (v. useful), enable 2-finger tap to be the same as a right-click.
AND…
On the new MacBook Pro’s you can do all the multi-touch stuff from the iPhone and more…
Check http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/features.html
Sure to be on the MacBook’s soon
Switch to Mac year’s ago and have never regretted… I’m a Management Consultant who works in IT. I still have a work XP laptop but easily work across both.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 10:52 AM
The trackpad on a MacBook is the best trackpad in the world. Not only can you just tap the trackpad instead of clicking the button (standard procedure), you can two finger tap for a right click. You can slide two fingers for scrolling in 360 degrees. Rest assured, no other trackpad has come close to a Mac’s trackpad.
Also, know that anything you do in Windows, can be done ten times better in OS X. So there are not “trade-off’s”. If you need help, lemme know
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June 3rd, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Luke & Goobi,
Thanks for coming by the Doc Blog. I am glad to have folks that have made the switch offer advice. It would seem that computers have evened out in my of the services aspects of the machines. I am eager to get trying the new things.
Joel, it looks like we’ve got some good advice coming.
Mike
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June 3rd, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Mike – you are going to be very happy with this decision. I bought myself a MacBook in spring of 2006 to dip my toe in the Mac pond, then went back a year later for a MacBook Pro (gave the wife the original MacBook), we’ve since added an iMac as our “home office” computer and the repository of our increasingly digital lives. Best move we ever made. I wrote about our conversion experience here:
http://www.ithinkthisworldisperfect.com/2007/11/closing-window.html
And I went back again and detailed how much we were enjoying it (and a few recent discoveries) here:
http://www.ithinkthisworldisperfect.com/2008/02/on-continuing-to-peel-back-beautiful.html
Enjoy your Mac!
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June 3rd, 2008 at 11:21 PM
Btw, I hope you realise your post has made it to Myapplemenu.com
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December 2nd, 2008 at 8:18 PM
[...] I switched to my MacBook for school and personal work, leaving behind my PC for just the paying job, I was hesitant about [...]
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