Comments for My Mac Switch http://www.mymacswitch.com Help from a lifelong PC user who switched to Mac Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:59:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 Comment on A Lifelong PC and Windows User Switches To Apple Mac and OS X Leopard by Val http://www.mymacswitch.com/a-lifelong-pc-and-windows-user-switches-to-apple-mac-and-os-x-leopard/#comment-356 Val Wed, 05 May 2010 15:39:34 +0000 http://www.mymacswitch.com/?p=3#comment-356 Many thanks Steve for your quick reply. I take it that as you have not mentioned about Windows Office files being stored on an external hard drive only, means that that would be a good way to keep files until they are needed? With regard to opening the files themselves, you have given me a lot more confidence than I had about this area of the change over. Another question that comes to mind re: your comments about setting up a network to transfer photos, my husband has a Windows Vista laptop, could that be connected to an iMac via the network if necessary? All this technology gets more and more interesting!!! Val. Many thanks Steve for your quick reply.

I take it that as you have not mentioned about Windows Office files being stored on an external hard drive only, means that that would be a good way to keep files until they are needed?

With regard to opening the files themselves, you have given me a lot more confidence than I had about this area of the change over.

Another question that comes to mind re: your comments about setting up a network to transfer photos, my husband has a Windows Vista laptop, could that be connected to an iMac via the network if necessary? All this technology gets more and more interesting!!!

Val.

]]> Comment on A Lifelong PC and Windows User Switches To Apple Mac and OS X Leopard by Steve http://www.mymacswitch.com/a-lifelong-pc-and-windows-user-switches-to-apple-mac-and-os-x-leopard/#comment-353 Steve Mon, 03 May 2010 20:48:28 +0000 http://www.mymacswitch.com/?p=3#comment-353 I will answer the question about the photographs first. The way that I transferred my photographs to my Mac was to transfer them over my network. If you do not have a network at home, it is easy enough to create one with the Mac, connect the PC directly to the mac with a network cable, and transfer the photographs. If you have iWork installed on your computer, you can open all of your Microsoft Office documents on your Mac. You can edit them and work with them. To open them, simply double click on the Microsoft Office file and it will open, that is it. I have had an issue with some Excel files where there is some extra information that I had to get rid of after saving it as a Numbers (Apple's spreadsheet program). The extra information is in the form of something like 10000 empty cells and is easy enough to delete. I have not had this issue with most Excel files, but it has happened. I have never had any problems opening any Word files or Powerpoint files. I have heard that Powerpoint files with embedded video do not display the video properly when opened in Keynote, but I have never had to open one with video. I will answer the question about the photographs first. The way that I transferred my photographs to my Mac was to transfer them over my network. If you do not have a network at home, it is easy enough to create one with the Mac, connect the PC directly to the mac with a network cable, and transfer the photographs.

If you have iWork installed on your computer, you can open all of your Microsoft Office documents on your Mac. You can edit them and work with them. To open them, simply double click on the Microsoft Office file and it will open, that is it. I have had an issue with some Excel files where there is some extra information that I had to get rid of after saving it as a Numbers (Apple’s spreadsheet program). The extra information is in the form of something like 10000 empty cells and is easy enough to delete. I have not had this issue with most Excel files, but it has happened.

I have never had any problems opening any Word files or Powerpoint files. I have heard that Powerpoint files with embedded video do not display the video properly when opened in Keynote, but I have never had to open one with video.

]]> Comment on A Lifelong PC and Windows User Switches To Apple Mac and OS X Leopard by Val http://www.mymacswitch.com/a-lifelong-pc-and-windows-user-switches-to-apple-mac-and-os-x-leopard/#comment-351 Val Mon, 03 May 2010 09:40:20 +0000 http://www.mymacswitch.com/?p=3#comment-351 I have been an MS Dos and Windows PC user for more years than I care to remember, for both office and home. With prompting from my son, who is over the moon with his first Apple laptop and a new Apple note book, he recommends that I change from my 'beginning to creak' HP Desktop PC to an Apple iMac. Your article above has been the most useful piece of information/help/comfort that I have read so far in my quest to decide should or shouldn't I change to an iMac. I think the biggest problem I have is with documents, Excel files, and thousands of photographs that I have on my PC. I really don't want to install Windows on the Mac, but will from time to time need to use Office files. I read that the iMac can open Windows files, but how easy is it really to do? Once used the file would be saved to the iMac and stay there. I was thinking that I could use an external drive to store all of my Windows stuff on once I finish with the PC. Have sourced an external drive that is both PC and Mac compatible. Regarding photographs, the iMac seems to me to be a very good option to manipulate, make slide shows etc. etc. so I would probably want to transfer all of my photos across to the iMac. How easy/difficult is that to do, and what is the best method of doing this before dumping my PC? If you can answer any of these questions I would be most grateful. Thank you in advance. I have been an MS Dos and Windows PC user for more years than I care to remember, for both office and home. With prompting from my son, who is over the moon with his first Apple laptop and a new Apple note book, he recommends that I change from my ‘beginning to creak’ HP Desktop PC to an Apple iMac. Your article above has been the most useful piece of information/help/comfort that I have read so far in my quest to decide should or shouldn’t I change to an iMac. I think the biggest problem I have is with documents, Excel files, and thousands of photographs that I have on my PC. I really don’t want to install Windows on the Mac, but will from time to time need to use Office files. I read that the iMac can open Windows files, but how easy is it really to do? Once used the file would be saved to the iMac and stay there. I was thinking that I could use an external drive to store all of my Windows stuff on once I finish with the PC. Have sourced an external drive that is both PC and Mac compatible.

Regarding photographs, the iMac seems to me to be a very good option to manipulate, make slide shows etc. etc. so I would probably want to transfer all of my photos across to the iMac. How easy/difficult is that to do, and what is the best method of doing this before dumping my PC?

If you can answer any of these questions I would be most grateful.

Thank you in advance.

]]> Comment on How Do I Right Click on My Mac? by Steve http://www.mymacswitch.com/how-do-i-right-click-on-my-mac/#comment-5 Steve Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:23:51 +0000 http://www.mymacswitch.com/?p=18#comment-5 It is very true that you may use a two button USB mouse from a PC to "right click" on a Mac. I do not use a mouse with my Macbook though, when I am sitting on the sofa a mouse is a little inconvenient. I use the touchpad. I know that Apple has a "Mighty Mouse" but It is only a single button, I believe. Thank you for the comment. I guess I should have listed a two button USB mouse would work. It is very true that you may use a two button USB mouse from a PC to “right click” on a Mac. I do not use a mouse with my Macbook though, when I am sitting on the sofa a mouse is a little inconvenient. I use the touchpad. I know that Apple has a “Mighty Mouse” but It is only a single button, I believe.

Thank you for the comment. I guess I should have listed a two button USB mouse would work.

]]> Comment on How Do I Right Click on My Mac? by Elise http://www.mymacswitch.com/how-do-i-right-click-on-my-mac/#comment-4 Elise Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:36:26 +0000 http://www.mymacswitch.com/?p=18#comment-4 If you have had a windows computer, use the mouse that is wireless and plug the USB side into the mac. Then it should work. If you don't have one you can go to Best Buy and look for laptop mouses that have right click buttons. SOLVED If you have had a windows computer, use the mouse that is wireless and plug the USB side into the mac. Then it should work. If you don’t have one you can go to Best Buy and look for laptop mouses that have right click buttons. SOLVED

]]> Comment on How Can I Control a Windows Computer From My Mac? by Ryo Koyama http://www.mymacswitch.com/how-can-i-control-a-windows-computer-from-my-mac/#comment-3 Ryo Koyama Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:43:02 +0000 http://www.mymacswitch.com/?p=34#comment-3 An easy way to deal with the IP address port-forwarding challenges for remote desktop of the Windows machine via the Mac (or vice versa for that matter) you could use Yoics (http://yoics.com). Both the Windows and Mac versions come built in with VNC, but you can also use it as a ultra simple VPN for MSFT remote desktop as well. Best Ryo An easy way to deal with the IP address port-forwarding challenges for remote desktop of the Windows machine via the Mac (or vice versa for that matter) you could use Yoics (http://yoics.com). Both the Windows and Mac versions come built in with VNC, but you can also use it as a ultra simple VPN for MSFT remote desktop as well.

Best

Ryo

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