rtbiscuit Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 This may all seem a little geeky, but i've been contemplating leaving the MS windows family to something else. my wife is an apple convert and although its good i don't want to go that route or buy an apple mac etc. so i've been exploring other options. and the only thing i've seen so far that i like the look of is ubuntu. is anyone else running it, are there any issues or short falls i should be aware of, will all my current software run on it like MS office and photoshop etc. or could i run both? if so how do i do that and swap between windows and ubuntu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narcotix Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I'm running Windows 7 on all my machines ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I would love to leave windows but most of my work stuff is not compatible or would take a shed load of my time to convert etc etc. I have Linux on a spare desktop which has a lot of cool stuff for free but you need to learn the install stuff to install extra software, having said that it's sweet as a spare machine to surf and do office stuff on if I leave my lappy at the office. Totally depends on what you need day to day IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 thats what i currently run, lets just say when i bought the computer it came with an unofficial version on and i get lots of messages and it kills my background back to black etc. so i'm contemplating change to something more official it all works etc but if i was to get a fully paid version i'd wait till windows 8 comes out later this year. and as my system is a 32 bit system i'm wondering if windows is not the best option for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragus Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I was always a Windows man - but took the dive in at a Macbook Pro on OS X and I would never go back! More robust, more efficient and more user friendly although they are more expensive. Initial outlay is recouped though as they tend to last longer.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 I would love to leave windows but most of my work stuff is not compatible or would take a shed load of my time to convert etc etc. I have Linux on a spare desktop which has a lot of cool stuff for free but you need to learn the install stuff to install extra software, having said that it's sweet as a spare machine to surf and do office stuff on if I leave my lappy at the office. Totally depends on what you need day to day IMO. Currently my software use includes web browsing MS office software photoshop CS5 software for my Vinyl cutter software for other peripherals like printer camera satnav and phone. this is why i'm wondering if i should run both on the same machine. keep ubuntu for the day to day web browsing etc and windows for the specialist stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I am in the process of dumping Windows for iMac. Any prewarning of pitfalls would be appreciated. Alex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 I was always a Windows man - but took the dive in at a Macbook Pro on OS X and I would never go back! More robust, more efficient and more user friendly although they are more expensive. Initial outlay is recouped though as they tend to last longer.... see i've been contemplating waiting for windows 8 to come out, as i'm an Xbox man, and i use android, i have been tempted to move to a windows based phone, but heard they are crap so will probably stick with android. the reason i mention this is i like how apple is all integrated. if you run all theri stuff it just works together. and with windows 8 coming soon i was hoping it might do the same with my xbox and possibly phone etc. i don't like the apple phones had one was good but prefer the versatility of the android. seen my wifes mac, its lovely etc but i reckon i might have the same issues with it long term as i did with the phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoogyRev Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Having just spent a week with people who write linux OS's to run on mobile phone chips ..... I got to have a tinker with ubuntu Its very fast, you will have to convert to google docs or other open source "office" applications. Another plus point it your battery will last much longer if you run it on a laptop. I quite like the feel of the OS The downside.......... by the look of them tapping aways, something as simple as updating drivers may need to be done on the command line so unless you know command line then you may struggle. If you have an old PC lying about then download and install it and see how you go. Persoanlly I am an OSX user, converted a year or so ago....... never going back to windows..... well not for the foreseeable future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I'm between Mac at home and Windows at work ... Mac just runs without input ... Windows is more controllable cos I know the ins and outs better ... get a Mac and run Parallels for Windows applications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gudzy Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Have a search for "dual boot" on google which is having 2 operating systems and you then choose which one to use on startup. At uni we had windows, mac osx and fedora as a tri boot but I tended to just use windows. My lecturer had never used windows and was a big mac fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragus Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Have a search for "dual boot" on google which is having 2 operating systems and you then choose which one to use on startup. At uni we had windows, mac osx and fedora as a tri boot but I tended to just use windows. My lecturer had never used windows and was a big mac fan. Yeah go for a decent macbook pro with dual boot. ....or just get a macbook - what compatibility issues do you think you will have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 see i'm toying with upgrading my computer, my current one is having BIOS issues and keeps crashing occasionally on startup and i get blue screened. its about 3 years old but i look at the cost of apple even with a teachers discount and they are still bloody expensive. Apple cheapest is £999 (£939 as a teacher) http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/imac/select where as even the top spec alienware X51 setup comes in less money than the mac http://www.dell.com/uk/p/alienware-x51/fs and i wouldn't need that much power as the only thing these days that i do graphics based is photoshop. although the new starwars game is due out soon so might tempt me to play desktop based games again. (i have my Xbox for most of my gaming needs) at most i'd by the 2nd or 3rd option, and i have a great monitor already so loathed to throw it/sell it in order to go mac based. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I am in the process of dumping Windows for iMac. Any prewarning of pitfalls would be appreciated. Alex. Accountancy software tends to fail unless web browser orientated. Most tend to be windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragus Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I am in the process of dumping Windows for iMac. Any prewarning of pitfalls would be appreciated. Alex. I will give you lessons old yin You won't look back Alex - honest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 I am in the process of dumping Windows for iMac. Any prewarning of pitfalls would be appreciated. Alex. my wife uses it she has everything apple, and i can't fault it, its flawless, she never has any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I've got to pipe up and agree. Once you go Mac, there's no going back. We've got Mini's, MBPs, iPhone, iPad and iPods a plenty. All work together - every one is happy. Such a difference from PC hell 6 years ago - lol. Yeah its expensive, but because it all works, you kind of get over it - like Zed owning vs shed - to add a bit of context. One caveat though is the iPhone 3GS - never was the greatest at being a phone (great as an iPod) - but that's the next upgrade in the pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnH Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Personally I'd advise anyone who isn't a tecchie to try a mac over windows any day, mac has the advantages of a UNIX/Linux/BSD type OS over windows without the hassle of knowing UNIX/Linux. Personally I run Linux because I know UNIX really well, I can do anything that people on a mac can do about 10 times faster* so probably 50 times faster than Windows users. Even my window manager of choice hasn't really changed code wise in 15+ years so imagine how the extra computer BHP we've gained since then has improved things for me rather than just being able to cope with the latest version of ? OS. *excluding the OSX users that know the command line well I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 An incredible mixture actually. Most of my machines run XP SP2 32 bit, I've got Vista on 2 of my Laptops and a cut down version of Windows 7 on my Netbook. Some of the now obsolete machines in my loft have a mixture of Windows 98, ME and 2000. I've not updated from XP as I'm not really impressed with either Vista or 7 and in any case it'd cost me a fortune. I was lucky enough to buy a corporate version of Windows XP from a computer shop that went broke for a very reasonable price . Tried Linux out for a while but couldn't really live with it, too techy for me. MSDos was where I cut my teeth though As far as Mac's go, my experience is limited to a one day course several years ago...don't know why they sent me as our department only used PC's and mainframe computers Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmgthatsme Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I like my home appliances to just work, bit like my toaster or microwave or vacuum cleaner and I don't want to have to have specialist knowlege to achieve that level of service. We used to use Windows stuff at home up to several years ago when I got fed up with the endless issues (probably more my incompetence than the system's fault?), switched the whole family to Macs and it has been plain sailing ever since. It just works so seamlessly, even for stuff like home networking, printer sharing etc. which even a luddite like myself has been able to manage very easily. Would a mac mini serve your purposes? Would allow you to use your peripherals like your nice monitor, keyboard etc. and the new version running Lion is pretty decent. Just bought one a month ago and find it's great. Being able to boot into Windows or run Parallels is also a great feature. Our kids also use Macs at school so this is a plus. Do you have the Apple certified 2nd hand programmes available in the UK? You can get some very nice kit with a warranty at good prices that way too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Rich you can download Ubuntu for free and legal and put it on disc or usb stick and make it bootable so your windows set up is intact and you can try it out. Ubuntu is fantastic, super quick but can be a pain to get older hardware going, but newer hardware is a breeze. For instance to get my wireless epsom printer working in windows i had to install drivers, connect via usb etc etc... In Ubuntu i just clicked print and it worked, simple. Give it a try if you dont like it you havent lost anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zugara Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I am in the process of dumping Windows for iMac. Any prewarning of pitfalls would be appreciated. Alex. Don't do it! I made the change as you want to do and after 8 months went back to windows.best thing I ever did was binning the mac. Very restrictive usage, very frustrating to use and above all, software is hard to find. That being said, if you want to use it for business use, music production, the it's fine. For home entertainment, games etc, it's next to useless. Yes, other will disagree, but this in my opinion from my experience with a mac. If you have used windows for a while and your comfortable with it, a mac will drive you bonkers. Just closing a window is a pain. I hated it with a passion. My new windows laptop is actually faster on boot up than the mac. Tread with caution, borrow one if you can to see if you can get on with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Ultrabook with Windows 8 is where I'll be going. Some specialist software I need just doesnt work on Mac, and I CBA to install boot camp/dual boot etc when all I need will work on Windows. Windows 7 is so much better than any previous version its just crazy. I can see if you just use the Mac for browsing and basic office stuff, or hardcore music/video production, they are amazing, but for anything between it becomes a pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrh Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Rich you can download Ubuntu for free and legal and put it on disc or usb stick and make it bootable so your windows set up is intact and you can try it out. +1. Linux has improved considerablly in the last few years thanks to Ubuntu. Runs fast on a 5 year old machine even booting off a USB stick (http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/). Also installs in 10 minutes rather than the 2 hours that Windows 7 takes. Most hardware works out of the box, although the odd sound/wi-fi card and webcam might require tinkering or not work at all. Perfect for a web browsing machine (no more spyware or viruses) but commercial software is lacking (Office, Photoshop, etc) and free alternatives are still pretty rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Also installs in 10 minutes rather than the 2 hours that Windows 7 takes. Win7 took me 20mins to install (having it on USB stick makes it soooo much quicker) *nix variants are great if you like to dabble in things or want something very simple for web browsing, but dont think they are yet up there with Windows in terms of plug and play are they? Havent played with them for years, might download some live CDs (or whatever the USB stick term is for them now) and have a play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.