[Solved] Apple MAC Compatability

[BattleMoose]

Hi

So, some guys from work are huge Apple Mac fans, the only issue I have with Macs are potentially compatibility issues with software that I want to use (And that I know will work on my pc).

So they are telling me that I can install WinXP on an Mac and run that to run all my goodness and that I won't run into any compatibility issues, ever. Does anyone know anything about this, is it true?

[Darkmag]

As far as I know it is possible, but then your not using a MAC anymore, which kinda defeats the point of using a MAC. Although I not sure if it will work on all Apple Mac computers.

http://www.quickonlinetips.com/archives/2006/04/bootcamp-installs-windows-xp-on-apple-mac-computers/

[Azimuth]

What Darkmag said. That way, you're really just running an outrageously overpriced, branded PC.

[Cleric]

Thing is, unless you're into heavy design work I don't see the point of paying such exorbitant prices for a Mac. The only friends of mine that use macs are in marketing/advertising/technical design.

[onona]

As a Mac lover and user, I can wholly recommend the Mac experience. However, if you're going to install and run Windows on it (indeed all new Macs can run Bootcamp and therefore Windows), then it kinda defeats the purpose. The whole point of a Mac is the Mac OS, and if you're not going to use that at all, then you are, essentially, buying a PC with a very high price tag.

@Cleric, the whole "Mac is for graphics" thing is largely a fallacy. It's an outdated notion from the 80's when Photoshop only ran on a Mac, and doesn't apply anymore (although some hardcore Mac fanboys will go blue in the face arguing over this one; they're wrong).

[Azraphael]

The thing is, you do not necessarily have to put Windows onto it. Office is available on Mac and you would be surprised at the number of games that are available on Mac (most recent Blizzard titles as well as COD 4 to name a few). The biggest issue though with Mac in this country is the support. It can be outright atrocious at times, and because not everyone understands them, the retailers that supply them (no names mentioned *cough* Project 3 *cough* DigiCape *cough) will treat you like an absolute imbecile. Another issue is that all Apple products only carry a 1 year guarantee so it is always advisable to take the extended Apple Care warranty. You'd be surprised at how many Macs I have had to repair 2 weeks after the initial warranty has expired.

I work on both Mac and PC and have found that, while Macs are very pretty, the price isn't justified if you are gonna work in a Windows environment through either Boot Camp or Parrallels. Having said that though I certainly wouldn't say no to a new iMac or G5.

[Cloud_Ratha]

Cant you get a dual booted operating system. As in you can interchange between the mac OS and windows? Im sure I've seen that before. Then if you had problems with compatabilty you could just switch over.

[Miktar]

You can dual-boot between MacOs and any Windows. You can also run Windows inside MacOS.

Macs are expensive (in South Africa, they're marked up far higher than they should, but that's Core, the same people who mark up the Wii as if it's a luxury product). In the U. S., the Mac brand isn't all that much more expensive.


The whole point of a Mac is the Mac OS.

This. Very much this.

[01DT!m3r]

Just found this , i dont know how on topic it is . http://www.raneri.it/blog/eng/index.php/2006/08/24/installing-mac-os-x-on-a-normal-pc/

[Wesley]

For those of you still wondering:

A Macbook or iMac can run Windows in a separate partition on the hard drive, running it through a virtual machine (Parallels} or through Bootcamp. Parallels is the better option, seeing as Windows doesn't gel very well with the magic trackpad at all. Microsoft also now offers Office for Mac which is much better than their previous efforts (there's also Office 365), so there's less reason today to use Windows on a Mac, unless its for a specific program that requires it.