Difference between revisions of "Mac Users:Remembering Windows"

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People who consider switching from the PC to the Mac are often concerned about losing access to their favorite, or most important, applications. In this page, we briefly describe a range of options that are available to you. This is more geared towards Intel Mac users.
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People who consider switching from the PC to the Mac are often concerned about losing access to their favorites, or most important, applications. In this page, we briefly describe a range of options that are available to you. This is more geared towards Intel Macs.
  
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<br><b>Moving your data over</b><br>
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Apple has a [http://www.apple.com/macosx/switch/ How to Move To Mac] page that is useful. Generally, if you buy a Mac from the Apple Store, they will move your data for you. You can also try [http://www.detto.com/mac-file-transfer.html Move2Mac] software.
  
'''Use the same software on the Mac'''
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<br><b>Use the same software on the Mac</b><br>
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A lot of software, especially Microsoft software, is available in a Mac version. For example, Office is all available in a Mac version. Files created in Mac Office are compatible with PC versions of Office, and vice versa.
  
A lot of software, especially Microsoft software, is available in a Mac version. For example, Office is all available in a Mac version. Files created in Mac Office are compatible with PC versions of Office, and vice versa. You can find out more about Microsoft's Mac offerings at [http://www.mactopia.com MacTopia]. Note that if you want to play Windows Media Player files, you can try [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/wmcomponents.mspx Flip4Mac].  
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<br><b>Use functionally equivalent, but different software on the Mac</b><br>
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Instead of using the same application on the Mac, you could look at getting the same job done using native Mac software. As a bonus, many of these applications are free and open source. Check [[Suggested Applications]].
  
In general, you want to stay from Virtual PC and Internet Explorer as Microsoft no longer supports them. MSN Messenger and MS Remote Desktop are mostly supported but they run very slowly on Intel machines.  
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<br><b>Run the software you need remotely via RDC</b><br>
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You can remotely connect into any of the [http://www.cs.washington.edu/lab/sw/uwcsehydra.html terminal servers] on campus. Check [[Suggested Applications]].
  
Many of the other big companies (Adobe, Mathworks, Wolfram, etc) have Mac versions of their software, and will offer you a reasonable upgrade path.
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<br><b>Run the software you need on a "PC"</b><br>
 
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Newer Intel macs can run most X86 software through a variety of techniques. Check [[Suggested Applications]].
 
 
 
 
'''Use functionally equivalent, but different software on the Mac'''
 
 
 
Instead of using the same application on the Mac, you could look at getting the same job done using native Mac software. As a bonus, many of these applications are free and open sourced.
 
For example
 
* Office: [http://www.neooffice.org/ NeoOffice], [http://www.openoffice.org/ OpenOffice]
 
* Browsing: [http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/safari/ Safari], [http://www.firefox.com/ Firefox], [http://www.caminobrowser.org Camino]
 
* Chat: [http://www.adiumx.com Adium]
 
* Mail: [http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/mail/ Mail], [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/ Thunderbird]
 
* Music: [http://www.apple.com/itunes/ iTunes])
 
* Video: [http://perian.org/ Perian], [http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ VLC], or [http://mplayerosx.sourceforge.net/ MPlayer]
 
 
 
Other offerings are covered in [[Mac software]].
 
 
 
You may also check with [http://www.macupdate.com MacUpdate] and [http://www.versiontracker.com VersionTracker].
 
 
 
 
 
'''Run the software you need remotely via RDC'''
 
If there is a PC somewhere in your midst that runs the application you need, RDC is a good solution.
 
PowerPC users should try [http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx?pid=download&location=/mac/download/misc/rdc_update_103.xml&secid=80&ssid=10&flgnosysreq=True Microsoft RDC]. Intel Users should try [http://cord.sourceforge.net CoRD].
 
 
 
If you want to brave, you can also install [http://developer.apple.com/tools/download/ Xcode], [http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/x11/ X11], [http://darwinports.opendarwin.org/ Darwinports] in that order. You can then compile and install [http://rdesktop.darwinports.com/ rdesktop].
 

Latest revision as of 06:25, 17 December 2006

People who consider switching from the PC to the Mac are often concerned about losing access to their favorites, or most important, applications. In this page, we briefly describe a range of options that are available to you. This is more geared towards Intel Macs.


Moving your data over
Apple has a How to Move To Mac page that is useful. Generally, if you buy a Mac from the Apple Store, they will move your data for you. You can also try Move2Mac software.


Use the same software on the Mac
A lot of software, especially Microsoft software, is available in a Mac version. For example, Office is all available in a Mac version. Files created in Mac Office are compatible with PC versions of Office, and vice versa.


Use functionally equivalent, but different software on the Mac
Instead of using the same application on the Mac, you could look at getting the same job done using native Mac software. As a bonus, many of these applications are free and open source. Check Suggested Applications.


Run the software you need remotely via RDC
You can remotely connect into any of the terminal servers on campus. Check Suggested Applications.


Run the software you need on a "PC"
Newer Intel macs can run most X86 software through a variety of techniques. Check Suggested Applications.