i just got a macbook

[aaron]

seriously this is amazing. that's all. definitely preferred over windows thus far. not really concerned with gaming with this thing so that's probably why. any tips from any fellow mac users?

[t0yrobo]

When I got my MBP I went through a 2 step process.
1: Realize how much the software selection for macs sucks, especially freeware and games
2: Install Windows, get mac drive for windows, and ntfs 3g for osx. Then you can switch between the two and still be able to use all your files.
Personally I use windows all the time because there's a ton of programs that I use that are windows only and not everything runs that great in virtualbox. But if I just need it to start up fast so I can do something quick I use os x.

[vash23n]

im a macbook user also and it kicks ass. the speed is way better and i like how things are all in one place... like if you want to find something or uninstall a program you just go to applications and drag the program name to the trash rather than having to uninstall the program and then use the search function to find and delete everything related to the program. also, with spyware and adware the worst its ever been, i like how anytime a site tries to upload something to my computer, even applications, the computer asks me if i want to do it... my parents have vista and i dont know how they screwed this function up by making it ask you for permission to do EVERYTHING! on a pc if you accidentally install something you would have to uninstall it and find all the folders and drivers related to it and delete them one by one, hoping you dont delete anything important by accident... with the mac, even if you accidentally install something, which is very hard, you just go to applications and delete it. awesome... i used to have to do a system restore like once every 6 months on my old computer that had windows xe... i have not done a restore yet on mac and its been years!

my only advice is to watch how much info you put on the thing... if you have the desktop its not such a problem, but these things can fill up fast... i have wwwaaayyy too much music on mine and it has slowed it down considerably!

[vash23n]

When I got my MBP I went through a 2 step process.
1: Realize how much the software selection for macs sucks, especially freeware and games
2: Install Windows, get mac drive for windows, and ntfs 3g for osx. Then you can switch between the two and still be able to use all your files.
Personally I use windows all the time because there's a ton of programs that I use that are windows only and not everything runs that great in virtualbox. But if I just need it to start up fast so I can do something quick I use os x.

and i have never had a problem with finding software for mac... i have gotten most of mine from apple.com. i dont do much pc gaming though... my brother-in-law, however, does do pc gaming and he found and downloaded one program (i cant remember the name) that lets him play all pc games on his mac... without having to resort to having multiple operating systems on your computer and switching between the two... windows is a mess with thousands of folders for god knows what spread EVERYWHERE! most of your resources are taken up by folders that have problem been added secretly by webpages or programs that come with "free demos." most have names that arent even recognizable...

but before i get too far, this is one of those debates like sega vs. nintendo! so no matter what, someone will always have a counter argument (including me)... just use what works best for you

[t0yrobo]

When I got my MBP I went through a 2 step process.
1: Realize how much the software selection for macs sucks, especially freeware and games
2: Install Windows, get mac drive for windows, and ntfs 3g for osx. Then you can switch between the two and still be able to use all your files.
Personally I use windows all the time because there's a ton of programs that I use that are windows only and not everything runs that great in virtualbox. But if I just need it to start up fast so I can do something quick I use os x.

and i have never had a problem with finding software for mac... i have gotten most of mine from apple.com. i dont do much pc gaming though... my brother-in-law, however, does do pc gaming and he found and downloaded one program (i cant remember the name) that lets him play all pc games on his mac... without having to resort to having multiple operating systems on your computer and switching between the two... windows is a mess with thousands of folders for god knows what spread EVERYWHERE! most of your resources are taken up by folders that have problem been added secretly by webpages or programs that come with "free demos." most have names that arent even recognizable...

but before i get too far, this is one of those debates like sega vs. nintendo! so no matter what, someone will always have a counter argument (including me)... just use what works best for you

I'm not even that concerned about games, that's just a given when dealing with a mac. But for things for example music players and ftp clients the software available for macs is just plain anemic. There is literally one decent free ftp client for macs, ONE. And besides itunes there's nothing all that great for music, songbird is a pretty good itunes clone, and cog is alright too, but the fact is itunes format support sucks and there's no really good alternative.
As for windows, if you have a clue it's not that bad to use at all. It's a total myth that os x is THAT much more stable than windows, they both crash. i go to a school that's 99% macs and i see them acting up as often as windows machines. In fact i actually get less pop ups in windows than I do in osx.
But it largely comes down to what you need to do. there's a bunch of stuff I use on a consistent basis that just isn't there in good form in os x, so I use windows. But that's not the case for everyone.

[MrPopo]

I had this epiphany today at work. This applies for people who use their computer for basic tasks. You know, internet, email, movies, music, etc. Anything that's platform agnostic.

Apple is the Abercrombie & Fitch of the computer world. You're overpaying for the privilage of having a specific brand name. And they try and sell you on this slick and cool image.

[RCBH928]

macs are 100% better except in two areas:
1-gaming
2-There are some software that are windows only, this usually effects businesses and big companies.

Around the only problem I had with mac software wise is that I couldn't find a program to turn real player files into mp3. It existed but I couldn't figure out how to make it work.

Everything on the mac is easier and better.
Windows is just so much of a hustle.

The only reason not to buy a mac is:
1-gaming
2-cheap not to pay the few extra bucks
3-you love to fiddle with computers and its actually an enjoyment to you hunting viruses, uninstalling, installing, checking a ton of software.

People who think that macs have less software , here is the truth:
For example, you want ftp software. For the mac there are 3 apps only.
For the windows there are 1001 ftp apps.
But there are only 3 out of the 1001 apps for the windows that are even worth checking out.
In the end you will find the 3 apps for the mac are equal to the useful apps for windows, and sometimes better.
I am talking out of experience, and I owned like 4 wintel machines and just 1 mac.

[andythebadass]

i work for apple retail. so i am not going to go into the whole mac vs pc and what they can or cant do.... but i will offer some support any any advice possible.

for download and free things check out versiontracker.com

always use the store for any help, learning, or just advice.

macs have some emulators that run on them like ones for the snes and nes.

thats all for now i guess... pm me if u have any mac questions.
-andy

[aaron]

i mainly just bought this for school. i plan on using cs4 a lot this year and i wanted to use a mac rather than a big ol clunky desktop.

i dunno. i like it. and i have a 360 for my pc gaming needs, hah.

[Hatta]

Make sure you install Fink, so you can take advantage of the vast repository of open source UNIX software.