switching to a mac?
I am finally going to do it. I am switching to a Mac. I am sick of the problems I have had with all my other computers — both at my office and at home. I am naively hopeful that both the Apple OS and computer will make all my technology dreams come true, just as the iPhone has. I want faster data processing, a more aesthetically pleasing computer experience, and simply, less problems. I don’t want to have to call the university’s tech people as frequently, I’d prefer never talking to them (nice as they are, though one encounter did result in a significant loss of data). I want simplicity.If you’ve recently made the switch and regret it, let me know. The order is going in tomorrow — I am just waiting for that Tuesday Apple announcement to see what to order.
orgtheory.net 
Here’s something that might be of use at the beginning. Also this category on TUAW. There is, of course, a whole lot more, depending on your interests and needs. You should keep an eye on Gruber, too.
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Kieran
February 26, 2008 at 4:46 am
Thanks, very helpful. There are switching costs, of course. In the end, I am hoping to spend less time watching my computer “think” and more time analyzing and writing.
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tf
February 26, 2008 at 4:48 am
Can you re-link the second link? – it led nowhere. Thanks.
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tf
February 26, 2008 at 4:54 am
Sure. Link. Once you’ve begun to get into the swing of things (past the initial desire to make stuff work like in Windows), let me know if there are any specific things you feel you need. There are lots of cool apps out there, and most of the initial headaches you might have (e.g., making the mouse or trackpad act like it has two buttons, or what have you) are easily sorted out.
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Kieran
February 26, 2008 at 4:58 am
Treat your switching to the Mac as a learning experiment and gather as much data as you can, beware of halo effects and don’t look back.
There will be a lot less ‘computer’ standing in the way between you and what you want done. And, as with using any device, it will be a matter of replacing one set of habits for another.
In addition to Kieran’s links to The Unnofficial Apple Weblog and the OS X Help, I would also suggest Switching to the Mac at and . For applications visit .
Here’s to a smooth switching experience from your previously revealed preferences!
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Mauro Mello Jr.
February 26, 2008 at 6:41 am
I switched to a Mac after finishing my PhD (in industrial management). Never looked back. Never was happier with a computer. Sure, there were a few snags (such as having to replace a harddrive once), but after having fought with PCs for years (I was actually quite good at it, acting as an informal IT-guy for the department) I decided I wanted more time to write and less time to fiddle with my computer. My productivity skyrocketed. Take the plunge. Ja sama suomeksi, mutta koska noi muut tuskin hiffaa kirjoitin englanniksi.
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Alf Rehn
February 26, 2008 at 8:21 am
(Moi! Toivottavasti Maciin vaihto johtaa minullekin samoihin tuloksiin; oon viettänyt turhaan aikaa tietokone-vaikeuksien kanssa.) Thanks, Alf, for coming by.
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tf
February 26, 2008 at 8:58 am
Thanks for posting (and thank you, Kieran, for the helpful links). I’m in the exact spot as you, Teppo. I got the iPhone, and had an opportunity to test-drive a friend’s iMac last week, and now I must have a Mac. I’ve been eyeing them for awhile, anyway. Some of the best programs for writing efficiency appear to be Mac-only. I have another friend who recently switched (he writes for a living but isn’t an academic), and he’s over the moon.
I may marry my iPhone, and this is remarkable since I never used my old cell phone. It was useless trying to phone me on it, as it would be lifeless at the bottom of my bag. I was always one who was skeptical of Apple gushers, and yet, here I am.
I’ll probably still have to keep the PC around for some of my analysis tools, but writing is so central to our work that I need to move to a program and environment that are more hospitable to managing large writing projects.
Plus, them Apples shore are purty.
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ktel
February 26, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I am writing this from a mac–my first one. My experience has been that the Mac did not improve my productivity one single bit. I also have my doubts as to whether it really is any more reliable than the better PC brands (e.g. Lenovo/IBM). If you want faster data processing and fewer problems, I would set you expectations at 0.
The aesthetic experience, however, is head and shoulders above what you are getting with a PC. For me, this has made the whole thing worth it.
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bobvis
February 26, 2008 at 2:39 pm
And of course you were right to wait till today. MacBooks and MBP’s both got bumped this morning.
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Kieran
February 26, 2008 at 3:18 pm
1. The links I posted seem to be missing, so here they are again: The Tao of Mac, VersionTracker and Boot Camp.
2. ktel (David Bowie?): Throw your (Windows) PC away! With Apple’s Boot Camp, you can install Windows on your (new) Mac and have both OSes on a single machine. There are other third-party solutions as well (VMWare and Parallels). And the fastest machine for running Windows Vista, according to PC World, is a Mac: PC World. As for programs, you will be amazed at the quality and options (not only for writing, by the way. Check VersionTracker for them.).
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Mauro Mello Jr.
February 26, 2008 at 5:23 pm
ktel: yes, the iPhone got me interested, its brilliant (I use it constantly, while I never used my phones or PDA/Palms previously), and testdriving a mac made me pull the trigger.
bobvis: aesthetic experience alone should translate into productivity.
Kieran: that’s indeed what I was waiting for.
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tf
February 26, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Kieran, what are these programs for writing efficiency that you speak off?
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Aleen
February 26, 2008 at 5:24 pm
OK. The order is in. I’ll be back clicking on the above links once the computer comes…hopefully soon!
(Hmm, don’t know the last time I’ve been this giddy about a computer — I am not really a techy, just want my computer to work — perhaps I was this excited when I got my Commadore 64 in the early/mid 80s.)
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tf
February 26, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Kieran, what are these programs for writing efficiency that you speak off?
Ktel’s comment mentioned those, not mine.
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Kieran
February 27, 2008 at 3:07 am
Aleen: Not sure if I’m linking this correctly, but here is a link to an article by Virginia Heffernan that got me started down this path. I’m somewhat nostalgic for things like Space Invaders, so I was intrigued by Writeroom, but there are other programs that allow for better management of large projects, such as books.
Here is my attempt to link:
Heffernan
Mauro, thank you for the tips. I read some stuff on Parallels, but then worried about junking up my spanky new machine with the offending OS. However, I definitely need to use some programs that work only with XP. (Vista is suspicious and I am keeping it at arm’s length for the moment, until it sorts itself out.)
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ktel
February 27, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Boot Camp has been one of those clever little nuggets for Apple–as I understand it, most people try it out and realize that they didn’t need it. The compatibility across platforms has presented very few problems, esp. in using MS Office, EndNote, and Adobe apps.
For productivity, take a pass through the applications folder when you get the computer. There are a lot of useful tools in there that Apple doesn’t push. There’s one called OmniOutliner that I use very frequently for outlining, drafting, and linking and storing early research snippets to go back to later. And it’s free.
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J.Lo
February 28, 2008 at 11:29 am
All of this talk almost persuades me to be a Mac-user. Maybe I’ll make the change during my move to Northwestern.
Is there anything that could go wrong by jumping into the Mac world?
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brayden
February 28, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Is there anything that could go wrong by jumping into the Mac world?
I suppose there is a danger that you will dress better, sparkle in conversation and become more attractive to women and the envy of other men.
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Kieran
February 28, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Brayden, it wouldn’t be a bad choice. A friend in the arms control world (very PC-centric) made the jump after leaving Harvard to return to DC think tank life. He claims his happiness far exceeds what he expected.
Caveats: back up anything you’re transferring, give yourself time to adjust, and trust your local Mac store gurus with any questions. It’s a very supportive community.
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J.Lo
February 28, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Heh. Org. theorists. Closet mac fanbois, all of them. By the way, I second Kieran at 4.33 – but what do I know, my first mac was a LC and my latest is an Air, in transit between Taiwan and Lund. Teppo, Alf is right, you are not going to regret this. No chance.
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Dan Karreman
February 28, 2008 at 10:45 pm
[…] of my naive hopes with my switch to a mac is increased productivity. (This review alone suggests that I won’t be waiting as long on […]
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April 2, 2008 at 3:36 am
Mauro, voce por acaso eh de Curitiba? Trabalhei com um rapaz com o mesmo nome,por curiosidade gostaria de saber se eh a mesma pessoa.
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April 4, 2008 at 10:22 am
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