I made the "Switch"

[McGuffin]

Well, today I went and picked up a new Macbook, white 2GHz. It's great. This is a multi-pronged question...

1) Does anyone have any useful apps they can recommend?

2) Does anyone have a link to a walkthrough of file-sharing with a Windows PC? I want to grab my music from my old PC, and tried going through Apple help, but to no avail.

[Butters]

The way I share files is using an FTP app, I use SmartFTP.

I have a wireless router so I just type in the IP of my laptop into SmartFTP on the PC and it just connects and I can explore the laptop and transfer files etc...

If you go into System Preferences and click on..urm..Network I think, it tells you an address that you can use to connect to the MacBook. You can even go Start>Run and type it in there and it connects...

Probably an easier way to do it, but that's how i'v always done it :P

[Frazer1]

Well done Mc Guffin!

Give us an idea of which apps you need. There are loads. That question is way too open ended.

I can't really help you with getting files off your PC, because I haven't gone near a PC since I made the switch in 1999. However if you have both machines on a network, and you share the files on your PC, your Mac should see your PC as part of the network and you should be able to connect to it pretty easily.

[hl]

Use Camino and TextWrangler :) That's for sure.

[McGuffin]

Well done Mc Guffin!

Give us an idea of which apps you need. There are loads. That question is way too open ended.

I can't really help you with getting files off your PC, because I haven't gone near a PC since I made the switch in 1999. However if you have both machines on a network, and you share the files on your PC, your Mac should see your PC as part of the network and you should be able to connect to it pretty easily.

Just general usability apps. I understand it's a very open-ended questions, but there are some apps I've heard about like Quiksilver and the like that nearly everyone uses and loves. I particularly like freeware, like everyone :D

I'll need an FTP app, for sure. I'm also in the hunt for an app like iProcrastinate (http://www.craigotis.com/) but with a little more power, perhaps even note-taking. I never throught of an app like that for school, but when I saw iPro. on Digg, I loved the idea. I've actually been surprised at how little I've had to download or do as far as getting up and running for normal use. I got an IRC client, MSN Messenger, and Flip4Mac.

As for connecting through the network, that's what's really weird. I had my Windows PC and the Macbook hooked up to the same network, and I tried to hack together some Windows filesharing on my PC, but the Macbook never recognized the computer through its IP address (Finder > Go > Connect to Server... smp://IPAddress/share name) or displayed it in my Finder > Go > Network. Weeeeeeird. I'm definitely doing something wrong here, I was hoping someone on the internet was having the same troubles as I was and wrote a write up about it. I've tried Google, but it turned up a bunch of junk.

[Butters]

Make sure Windows File Sharing is turned on.

Go System Preferences > Sharing, theres a checkbox that you should tick to enable it.

[Frazer1]

For ftp, look no further than Cyberduck. You can download it at http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/14426

I'm not too familiar with iProcrastinate, but I do all my scheduling and notes and general life admin in Entourage. Even though it's made by Microsoft, it's really good, which is surprising. :shifty:

As far as burning software goes, you can get by with the OS stuff, but for a proper app, you'd have to get Roxio toast. It's not freeware, but it's highly recommended.

Also have a look at Chronosync http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/13652 for backup and syncing your drives. Very sweet syncing software.

At some stage, you'll probably have to download Stuffit.

Infact, why not just check out Versiontracker at http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/ for loads, and loads of good stuff. Don't forget that there are also loads of great little widgets at Apple http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/ I love widgets!!!

As far as the networking thing goes, I'd love to help you, but it's really not my area of expertise. If you're still having problems on Monday, I'll arrange for one of my friends to have a chat with you. He's a Mac technician, so he should know.

If you have any questions regarding your shiny new Macbook, I'll try and help you out.

Apple will take over the world, one switch at a time!!! :bad:

[McGuffin]

Figured it out. Turns out it's a TON easier to connect through the router instead of direct connecting the computers. Oh well, live and learn, right?

As well, it's startling the difference between the Mac OS X Help system and the Windows XP Help system. Apple has really done a ton better providing good support and UI for their Help program, while Microsoft's documentation sucked a big one, IMO. Search for a term and you get a few help files, not nothing in-depth and nothing close to a step-by-step of setting things up the right way.

What a pain, at least I know I made the right decision. Now, Operation Transfer iTunes Library is under way... this, my friends, should be interesting. I found a pretty good writeup for those looking to port their iTunes libraries without losing data here (http://hifiblog.com/past/2006/05/11/howto-move-your-itunes-music-while-preserving-library-data-when-you-dont-let-itunes-manage-your-music-library/).

Thanks everyone, especially you Frazer. That post was extremely helpful :)

[Theros]

True, but I bet there are soo many more Windows FAQs online though C:-)

[Vexir]

We'll miss you!! :) *waves*

[Jeff Wheeler]

Transmit (http://panic.com/transmit) is the greatest application ever for FTP. It is so awesomely great that I would never consider touching anything else. It's just so beautiful. (Plus, I have a shirt from the company reading “i make macintosh software.” :P)

Textmate (http://macromates.com) is by far the greatest editor ever. Again, as I said in the other thread, it's awesomeness is incomprehensible. At first, it seems like a featureless load 'o crap. After using it for a week, you begin to fully understand it's power… and you won't ever be able to use anything else. It's so incredibly awesome that… well… I love it. I use it for everything. (I love my light-colors on a dark-blue background them!) Anyways, this is a must. I can't imagine editing in anything else.

As for a browser, I quite like Omniweb (beta (http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omniweb/download/beta/)). In fact, it's really neat, although expensive. The latest beta of Shiira (http://hmdt-web.net/shiira/en) is even better, but it crashes a ton (like, every ten minutes; you really can't use it for any regular browsing).

[McGuffin]

As far as browsers are concerned, I think I'm fine with Safari for now. I really like that it can read feeds... not that the other browsers linked to can't do that, but it's kinda a novelty coming from FF PC days :)

[Jeff Wheeler]

NetNewsWire (http://www.newsgator.com/NGOLProduct.aspx?ProdID=NetNewsWire) is an incredibly popular RSS feed aggregator. In fact, it's so popular, that it's the most popular aggregator for both Mac and Windows, and it's only available on Mac… :lol:

There's also a free version of it available, NetNewsWire Lite. It's quite excellent, as well.

[McGuffin]

Question, Nokrev, because I know you've been using the last.fm site a bit: have you been having problems with their downloadable GUI? I'm hesitant to download the old iTunes plugin when I know there's something better out there from the same people, but it won't start up. The icon is there, stays for one bounce, then goes away and throws an error out. I've been hearing talk that this isn't an isolated issue... weirdness?

[Jeff Wheeler]

I haven't gotten it to work, and I'm not using last.fm currently. In the past, I used the iTunes plugin, but got rid of it, as it annoyed me.

[Anogar]

Apple makes great notebooks. I use Apple notebooks and I build my own PC desktops.

[hl]

As far as browsers are concerned, I think I'm fine with Safari for now. I really like that it can read feeds... not that the other browsers linked to can't do that, but it's kinda a novelty coming from FF PC days :)
*sigh* It's called SAGE! The best RSS reader for Windows + Firefox ever :P

[Jeff Wheeler]

But NetNewsWire is still better… ;)

[evildrummer]

the ONE thing that puts me off buying a mac is loosing the ability to play all my games, and people say Boot Camp is toog litchy for games.

How fast is photoshop on the emulator?

[Jeff Wheeler]

Who said Boot Camp is glitchy? It's completely native; I've never heard that from any source.

[evildrummer]

Someone I know said it slowed his game down by quite a bit and that everynow and then it would just stop for a couple of seconds and then strt again, but this might have been corrected as he tested it from the day it was realeased as a beta.

[Jeff Wheeler]

I haven't heard that from anywhere. I've heard games run spectacularly in Boot Camp (probably less so in Parallels, though).

[McGuffin]

I haven't heard that from anywhere. I've heard games run spectacularly in Boot Camp (probably less so in Parallels, though).

I haven't heard this either. Windows on Mac through Boot Camp works as well as Windows on any other PC, all of the proper drivers are there, etc. Parallels doesn't have the proper 3D graphics acceleration for games yet, but the head of the company that makes it said it's on the way.

[Theros]

So then, are people playing WoW and CS:S on macs? How come I haven't seen any yet?

[McGuffin]

So then, are people playing WoW and CS:S on macs? How come I haven't seen any yet?

Again, there's no difference between people running Windows on Apple hardware or normal PC hardware. 2 situations, therefore, arise: either Mac people are playing PC games and you can't tell the difference, or Mac people are not interested in playing PC games and don't. I suspect for many Mac users it's the latter, they wouldn't have Macs if they felt playing PC games was important. The point being that the functionality is there and working if they did want to use it.

[Theros]

Right.... But you could? And if you could why don't I see people saying I'm playing D&D online on my mac then? Actually, sorry I WoW is made for Macs already... I meant to say something to the degree of like something other then Blizzard made :)

[grimdeath]

The most usefull app you can have on your Mac :lol:

http://www.appzapper.com/

Its funny everyone claims Apples OS is superior yet they don't have a decent uninstaller on their OS :lol:

Fogot to mention aMSN much better than MSN Messenger and it supports iCAM video chat :thumb:

http://amsn.sourceforge.net/

[Jeff Wheeler]

I have AppZapper, but it's really not necessary. All it does is clean out old cache files… normally, you can uninstall an app by deleting the .app file. :thumb2:

aMSN is horrible in comparison with Adium, other than the fact that is has support for a/v chat (uh, wtf is “iCAM”? Do you mean “iSight”?), which iChat does much better.

[McGuffin]

I just checked out aMSN and Adium and I gotta say, Adium seems to be leaps and bounds better than aMSN. Works great, compresses 2 programs (MSN and AIM) down to one, and it looks fantastic, IMO of course.

Thanks for the links guys, I think I'm finally close to up and running. I ordered 2 GB of RAM today :)

[Frazer1]

The most usefull app you can have on your Mac :lol:

http://www.appzapper.com/

Its funny everyone claims Apples OS is superior yet they don't have a decent uninstaller on their OS :lol:


Yeah, and what's even more amusing is that Mac haters can only cling to silly little "inadquecies" like uninstallers. Dude, I have never, ever needed to unisntall any software, and if I did have to, it would be the easiest thing in the world to do, and I wouldn't need an app to do it either.:asleep: Uninstaller - :lol:

[Theros]

oh boy... here we go again

[McGuffin]

I've gotta say though: I spent 2 hours last night uninstalling 3 years worth of apps using the Add/Remove Programs panel in Windows XP. It drove me nuts. You need to babysit the whole process, to make sure there isn't some shared file that, shockingly, is no longer in use and it needs to know whether to delete it or not. You check "Always use this answer" but the next whirl around, lo-and-behold and freaking asks the same question again. Some programs I would try to remove and it would say "Successfully removed <whatever>" and then it would still be in the list.


UGGGGGHHHHHH!

[grimdeath]

Yeah, and what's even more amusing is that Mac haters can only cling to silly little "inadquecies" like uninstallers. Dude, I have never, ever needed to unisntall any software, and if I did have to, it would be the easiest thing in the world to do, and I wouldn't need an app to do it either.:asleep: Uninstaller - :lol:

So you keep every version of software you have installed even when you upgrade? :lol:

Anyways deleting the app files doesn't delete the reciepts and preferences some apps have you have to do a manual search.

Actually I don't know why you calling me a Mac hater when I am totally :love: my MacBookPro with OSX and WinXP even more :love:

I will try that audium nokky and yeah the iCam is the iSight camera thingy i just used iCam cause everything with makes must start with a I :lol:

Oh nokky iChat is not compatible with MSN so it's useless to me since all my contacts are on MSN :-/

[Frazer1]

So you keep every version of software you have installed even when you upgrade? :lol:

Actually, most software upgrades over the previous version, so there's no need to uninstall everything. Actually, the only software that I've installed lately that installed separate systems was Adobe CS2, and I deleted all the files associated with it in about 2 minutes, so I see absolutely no need for an uninstaller.


Anyways deleting the app files doesn't delete the reciepts and preferences some apps have you have to do a manual search.

Well, I've been using a Mac since 1999, so if I didn't already know that, I would probably be in another line of work by now - one that didn't involve computers at all


Actually I don't know why you calling me a Mac hater when I am totally :love: my MacBookPro with OSX and WinXP even more :love:

Umm, Ok. Let's just say I find it strange that anyone would attempt to trash an OS that they supposedly :love: . Anyway, since I made the switch in '99, I haven't felt any desire whatsoever to even look at Windows again. - but hey, that's just me.
Just say no to Windows man, you know you can! :nerd:

[grimdeath]

Actually i can't :lol: what i can do is use both OSes and thats whats its all about, its not about which is best or prettier its about options right now I could triple boot and that is what makes Mac better for me now no restrictions i could do whatever I please without MS, Apple or anyone else restricting me as to what I can or can't do with my precious MacBookPro :love:

People WOW when they see me take out my 17" shiny silver MacBookPro along with my matching silver MS Notebook Laser 6000 Mouse damn couldn't they make a shorter name for it sheesh

[Frazer1]

Actually i can't :lol: what i can do is use both OSes and thats whats its all about, its not about which is best or prettier its about options right now I could triple boot and that is what makes Mac better for me now no restrictions i could do whatever I please without MS, Apple or anyone else restricting me as to what I can or can't do with my precious MacBookPro :love:

OK, what ever works for you, Golem :ne:


People WOW when they see me take out my 17" shiny silver MacBookPro along with my matching silver MS Notebook Laser 6000 Mouse damn couldn't they make a shorter name for it sheesh

I know the feeling, I have to clean the drool off my screens when my clients leave...:beam:

I guess not everyone can call their Mouse the "Mighty Mouse"... :cool:

[grimdeath]

I guess not everyone can call their Mouse the "Mighty Mouse"... :cool:

:lol: ya but the one I have matches my laptop and is much more sexeh ;)

[Frazer1]

Fair enough. I must admit, I've gone through a few MS mouses - actually only changed my mouse when the Mighty was released a couple? (can't remember) of years ago. I don't think the Mighty is all that mighty actually. The scroller ball just stops scrolling down whenever it feels like it. It's actually quite infuriating. You're better off with the one you have probably... :td:

[McGuffin]

DING DING DING!

First round is over, to your corners gentlemen!

[Frazer1]

Hey McGuffin - How's the switch going?

[McGuffin]

Hey McGuffin - How's the switch going?

Great :) I've found a lot of good alternative software to the stuff I normally used. For example, MSN on Mac sucks. Adium X? It rocks. The IRC client Ircle sucked. Snak? It rocks. Overall, I'm really liking OS X. There are a couple things that are annoying me (no freaking fullscreen button?! COME ON!) but otherwise everything is going great. I mean, given the magnitude that I hate Windows XP, at least there is an OS that I can like.

[BS]

Get Gaim it will do MSN and Aol in one on the mac and Pc i think:hugegrin:

[Ordinathorreur]

Here are some apps you'll love, I didn't read the whole thread, but I'm sure most of them have been mentioned before, if not, well today's your lucky day!

- Virtue Desktop, improved my productivity tenfold!
- Skype for Mac is a winner because of the video
- MacSaber, c'mon this is essential stuff we're talking about here.
- Flip4mac WMV player
- Stuffit expander
- Google Earth, hell yeah!
- Cocoa mySQL, if you plan on doing any of that kind of stuff...
- Parallels (but to be honest I haven't used it much yet)

[JoshuaJonah]

Macam - allows you to use third party webcams with iChat;)

[McGuffin]

Here are some apps you'll love, I didn't read the whole thread, but I'm sure most of them have been mentioned before, if not, well today's your lucky day!

- Virtue Desktop, improved my productivity tenfold!
- Skype for Mac is a winner because of the video
- MacSaber, c'mon this is essential stuff we're talking about here.
- Flip4mac WMV player
- Stuffit expander
- Google Earth, hell yeah!
- Cocoa mySQL, if you plan on doing any of that kind of stuff...
- Parallels (but to be honest I haven't used it much yet)

VirtueDesktop - got it, it's awesome
Skype - no use for it
MacSaver - :lol:
Flip4Mac - got it, great.
Stuffit - yep
Google Earth - nahhhh
Cocoa MySQL - was looking at MAMP seeing as how I had WAMP installed in my Windows machine
Parallels - waiting on this. I'd rather not have to deal with Windows, so I'm avoiding it for now (forcing myself to find alternatives).

[JoshuaJonah]

MAMP works great mcGuf, I use it as the test server on all my macs.

The majorly nice part is that you can install multiple different versions at once and just run the one you want.

For example i have the oldschooler(apache1,PHP4), average(apache2.0,php4), and latest(apache2.0,PHP5,pretty much the latest of everything). And they can all have different httpd.conf and php.ini settings.

[McGuffin]

Oh, that's awesome :) Thanks for the info

[McGuffin]

Just a little follow up on the TextMate/Smultron discussion, I've been using Smultron quite a bit for my Actionscripting (Flash runs so slow) and I'm actually quite taken by it. When my 30 days runs out with TextMate, I probably won't buy it. I only wish Smultron had better syntax coloring for AS, but alas you can't have everything :)

[grimdeath]

I'm still looking for a msn compatible audio/video instant messenger this blows no sound on aMSN and the others I have tried (Adium, MSN) don't have audio/video support :angry: