Comments on: Together in harmony: Mac and PC

Rafe Needleman loves his Mac but can't give up his PC. Here's how he stays productive using two different operating systems at the same time.

[myles taylor]

Hey Rafe,

I used to work in an environment where we mainly supported Windows and so often had Windows running in VMWare at work. The thing is, I use an external keyboard that is Logitech. You reprogram the Mac keyboard settings in system preferences and then use the Windows ones the way you are used to. It worked for me anyway.

[gregorytga]

At work, I disassembled my PC and stuck the HD from it into an external case, and migrated to using Windows strictly through Parallels and created VMs of Vista and Windows 7 for testing. My work iMac 24 isn't the performance monster that my home Mac Pro is but means ability to drag and drop between environments. Plus I use VNC to control our work Mac Pro that functions as our file server among other things.

These days it seems strange to run Windows of any flavor in a non-VM. If it weren't for your desire for a laptop and the high cost of a Mac Pro, I'd suggest just going Mac Pro. These days both Parallels and VMware have multiple core support. Just assign 4 cores to favorite VM software and have at it with the Mac Pro.

[rshah29]

Rafe:

I'm in the exact same boat as you. I just bought a Mac Mini after 20 years as a PC power user who rarely uses the mouse. I use a PC for business (laptop) and a Mac at home (video creation, photos, etc.).

I live and die by keyboard shortcuts, which I need to relearn on the Mac. Don't get me wrong: I'm loving my Mac.

Here are the main problems I'm witnessing. If any Mac users have feedback on these, please pitch in:

1. Nightmare with font size issues in MS Office for Mac. I've explained it here in painstaking detail: http://www.officeformac.com/.59b6a7e4/0

2. Tab switching for applications that are minimized. Witch doesn't seem to let you ALT-TAB to an app that's minimized. It just works for apps that are open on your desktop.

Any thoughts?

[b_baggins]

The font issue is a technology difference between the Mac and Windows platforms. Apple's philosophy is to present the font on the screen as close as possible to how it would look when printed. Microsoft's philosophy is to present the font on screen to maximize readability without caring how close your screen display matches your printed display.

Can't help you with tab switching. I switch using the mouse and the dock; but my workflow is mouse-heavy.

[Renegade Knight]

Interesting that you commented on the keys. That's my main issue. There are just too many missing keys on the MacBook keyboard. Keys that may have a combination that duplicates the function but which are missing none the less. After using a Thinkpad which has a reasonable keyboard for a laptop insofar as Layout I find most all other laptops including the MacBook horrid. Thus far comparing Vista to OS X. They are both about the same. I don't see a clear winner until you hit applications. For now it's Vista. However DRM, Online authentication and other things are removing applications from the pool of what's productive vs. what I have to wrestle with to use. That puts them on a much more level playing field.

[RealMaxPug]

There is only one thing really miss from my PC days after switching to a make is gaming. PC's have more games...

[cronican]

I was frustrated with all the viruses (yes, in spite of firewalls and anti-virus software) so when my H.P. XP Media Center died I got an iMAC. I love the graphics on WOW and less spam and virus concerns but I miss a lot about my old p.c. Turns out my p.c. just needed a new power thingee (I'm not a techie, lol, I just love computers!) Is there a Windows/Apple friendly way to having them both on one DSL cable networking together? I was told no but thought you all would know. I do a lot of writing and would like to use the Windows Word instead of the one for Mac and have them both connected to the internet at the same time. Thanks.
A computer geek wannabee. :)

[OlsonBW]

I'm a computer systems analyst for an organization of over 10,000 people. I started with mainframes in the early 80s and moved to PCs and PC networks by 1983 doing pretty much everything from maintaining to programming to doing all the setup and support for servers along with the people I worked with. I loved being able to everything. Now I work at a big org and we have to specialize. :(

I've been through lots of OSs from Atari 400 OS (whatever the name was) to Amiga's to DOS, Windows 3.x, 95, 98, NT, 2k, XP, OS2 (now eComStation), Linux (several distros with too many to remember), BeOS (Haiku is a clone of this). GeoOS (spelling?) Lots of different mice and keyboards, lots of office suites.

This isn't to show who can pee the farthest. It just shows that I've been around the block.

Out of all of them I like, LOVE OS/2 the most by far. Not even close. Amiga was great too even for business use. Mac OS X comes in third with Windows a distant 11th since it is aesthetically far behind everything else.

With every OS you have to learn new stuff. Especially new keyboard shortcuts and tricks. Instead of hating that, embrace it. You learn a lot more about Windows or any OS by getting deep into other ones.

I have two work Windows XP computers along with my personal G4 Mac Powerbook. I use the latter to compose most of my work and also remoting into Windows computers to fix them. It's pretty funny remoting from a Mac to fix a Windows computer.

Most of the time I remote into my work XP computers and don't physically touch their keyboards or look at their monitors. Mainly it's to pop in and look to see how to get to a certain feature in Office 2007. It's no big deal switching back and forth for me.

As for MS Office for Mac. I've seen it and I've had the chance to buy it for $20 but turned it down. I'm more than fine with Open Office 3 and iWork apps for my Mac.

[michaelf2]

Synergy! You are hereby redeemed, Rafe. You may now retrieve your geek card from storage ;)

[slatrat]

Excellent excellent excellent column. My computing env. is a Macbook Air on which I also run VMFusion/XP - primarily for Outlook. Rafe is right about Entourage: it truly sucks. This column is full of all sort of useful hints and analysis. Good job!

[james_foxmarks]

(I work at Foxmarks)
Rafe: a quick note to let you know that Foxmarks is now available for Safari and Internet Explorer, as well as Firefox. Could help you get your MacBook and PC even more 'in sync' by syncing your bookmarks across platforms and browsers.

[rafe]

Let me know when I can have it for Chrome!

[caffemacchiato]

Hi Rafe,

Like you, I have been using windows for slightly over 20 years, but I am a little younger than you. OK, I started my Windows habits early [laughter]. I've switched to a mac recently, and my encounters, considerations, annoyances are similar to yours. But not nearly, as research and engineering requires many unique and expensive simulations tool, available only to windows. I agree with most of the things you have mentioned.

Office for Mac: sucks [replace it with your own mac compatible adjective] big time.
Delete button: Where? I don't mean the cute but silly looking back space. I don't like to press another Fn key. That's one of the reasons why people pay more for a REAL SLR instead of some entry level slr with complicated button action?if any.

My Windows to Mac solution is simply Mac + VMWare. No messing around with the other ad hoc solutions. Dual boot with badly written drivers is a bad option.

Yes, I too suffering from the complication of switching between linux, mac, and windows operating environment. Every time I press a command+c to copy in Vista, I looked around to make sure that no one has witness my mac-habits [palm over eyes moment]. The same goes to Win-E, M, D, R, etc. on Mac. I happened to listen to your shortcut pod cast, thats a good one. Tom could loosen his definition of 'short-cuts' [smirk].

Having said that, there is one thing that I had disagree with you. How could you tolerate that cheap IBM M-type keyboard on your work desk? Yucks. Are the apple wired keyboard and Macbook keyboard treating your badly? Typing is more like operating an musical instrument than hammering a nail. I believe you are not old enough for the type writer era. Admittedly, it is an ugly sight to see 'professional' typing using 6 fingers, 3 on each hand. There are a lot of them out there that has stopped learning.

Also, despite having the same graphics card, the screen of the 13" macbook is very different when compared that to the 15" macbook pro. I blame it on the screen of my old IBM x60s for setting such low standard.

I don't know, I might switch to another fancy/cool looking OS if Steve is not around anymore.

[b_baggins]

All full-size Mac keyboards have a true delete key. If you don't like fn-delete, get double-command and remap the keys.

[caffemacchiato]

Hi Rafe,

Like you, I have been using windows for slightly over 20 years, but I am a little younger than you. OK, I started my Windows habits early [laughter]. I've switched to a mac recently, and my encounters, considerations, annoyances are similar to yours. But not nearly, as research and engineering requires many unique and expensive simulations tool, available only to windows. I agree with most of the things you have mentioned.

Office for Mac: sucks [replace it with your own mac compatible adjective] big time.
Delete button: Where? I don't mean the cute but silly looking back space. I don't like to press another Fn key. That's one of the reasons why people pay more for a REAL SLR instead of some entry level slr with complicated button action?if any.

My Windows to Mac solution is simply Mac + VMWare. No messing around with the other ad hoc solutions. Dual boot with badly written drivers is a bad option.

Yes, I too suffering from the complication of switching between linux, mac, and windows operating environment. Every time I press a command+c to copy in Vista, I looked around to make sure that no one has witness my mac-habits [palm over eyes moment]. The same goes to Win-E, M, D, R, etc. on Mac. I happened to listen to your shortcut pod cast, thats a good one. Tom could loosen his definition of 'short-cuts' [smirk].

Having said that, there is one thing that I had disagree with you. How could you tolerate that cheap IBM M-type keyboard on your work desk? Yucks. Are the apple wired keyboard and Macbook keyboard treating your badly? Typing is more like operating an musical instrument than hammering a nail. I believe you are not old enough for the type writer era. Admittedly, it is an ugly sight to see 'professional' typing using 6 fingers, 3 on each hand. There are a lot of them out there that has stopped learning.

Also, despite having the same graphics card, the screen of the 13" macbook is very different when compared that to the 15" macbook pro. I blame it on the screen of my old IBM x60s for setting such low standard.

I don't know, I might switch to another fancy/cool looking OS if Steve is not around anymore.

Windows is not perfect but it has huge support. Even apple supports it. If you have patience and willing to do some work you can get huge returns. For example my dell xps1730 ( over a year old) is still lot quicker than any mac book pro. Mac still does not have blue ray, no raid 0, no sli, no wireless usb, no integrated mobile broadband, no real docking station, cannot upgrade cpus, etc. I did not get everything from dell. I setup my own raid, my own memory upgrade, my own wireless usb. Everything was simple after i read online service manual. No such thing is exist in apple world. Apples are great for video but they do not support blueray, sli and raid. Windows had blueray support in 2006. Will apple support it in 2010? We will find out

[caffemacchiato]

The truth has been uttered too many times.

Everyone knows that Windows is for work, and Mac is--not even for fun--but style (life?).

[b_baggins]

Translation: If you like to build your own cars, get Windows and a PC. If you like to drive a car, get a Mac.

[caffemacchiato]

My 'question' is, out of so many PC/laptop companies out there. Why are they not making quality and decent looking laptop, such as the macbook pro?

To be honest, take a look at those Dell laptops. I find it hard to call it 'nice'.

[pithenumber]

decent looking? I call most of the MSI gaming laptops decent looking, they are much faster, too bad I can't get turbo mode to work in Hackintosh. The notebooks are of decent quality too.

[budd707]

I ventured into the joint MAC PC world and found a happy medium. I prefer the Mac for easy and joy of use, but the limitations I found were with regard to traditional software programs for design professionals and the legal profession were wedded to the PC.

The result is that I use Both. I use the PC to address billing and accounting functions, and to review digital Cadd files. I also have both MSWORD and COREL WORDPERFECT on the PC so that I can open either application that a client may send my way.

I tried the Fusion virtual machine route. The problem there is that it eats too much memory to run the MAC that way. First one must understand you are running 2 operating system software programs, and the fusion program just to get to the files on the virtual pc. SLOW.... So I use boot camp for the billing system.

I prefer Macs keynote, numbers pages and to the MAC Office Suite, but use and am comfortable with both depending on the application.

Presently, I am using Outlook Calendar, but am flirting with the potential of iCal in that there is a new software that purports to permit cross use between pc and Mac. I also understand that it will talk to my Storm. Yes, I am clearly working both sides of the isle.

Though initially a challenge, I am slowly getting what I want by way of compatibility and functionality. I have also learned that more software is available for the MAC so I can address CADD files.

Because I take my MACBook Pro with me where ever I go, I also employ "logmein" to connect to my desktop when out of the office. So yes it works, and is getting better by the day. I do not feel I am slowed by the process, in fact I can run multiple applications using both, without anticipation of a freeze or crash. Moreover when in the office I share files between the two and it works fine.

[Orion Blastar]

Your out to try Ami

[phybrr]

It is amusing to read the conversations amongst PC and MAC users discussing the good and bad points of Vista, XP, Leopard, software, etc.
As one who has experienced the evolution of computers from Kaypro to the present, I can truly say that we have traded the simple efficiency of the device for a mass of complicated gizmo's that are infrequently used and frequently cause problems.
The best computer? A 486 with Wonder+ management. It would boot up in a few seconds ready to go to work. Wonder+ gave user friendly file management, etc.
The initial office program for text and spreadsheets worked just fine although small improvements could be applied. Sure, it could not multitask but I rarely found that to be a problem. Ideally, two 486's on my desk would cover 99.9% of my needs. If I did have to wait a few seconds during my work, I used that time to relax and collect my thoughts. Few of us had anxiety attacks and mental problems.

The complexity of today's computers and other devices are unwelcome to me.
I long for a simple straight six auto with all manual devices. I could change my own oil and do my own tuneups. With today's manufacturing quality it would last forever.

Remember, sometime more is less.

[qprize]

I sense a little(?) resistance to surrendering to OS X. It's interesting that you use the Mac on the road - I think that's your intellectual side overriding your emotional. Coming from The Land of Steady Habits (aka Connecticut) I can sympathize. But as a 10-year veteran of running an IT department, I can say that once I switched to Mac I don't ever want to return to a PC. And I mean the hardware, too.

You should be able to set up a simple remap of your keyboard in your Windows startup (do they still have config.sys and autoexec.bat?) that takes care of the keyboard. Maybe a couple of labels on the keyboard will help. You may be overlooking a big advantage of the Mac - native multiple monitors for a single desktop. You can have Mac on one and Fusion/Parallels on the other, switch back and forth moving the mouse, cut and paste to your hearts content, and share every file.

To really blow your mind, since you appear to use WIndows primarily at work, have IT install a remote desktop client (I actually like MS RDC). I connect my creaking PowerBook with RDC to a Windows server and I'm faster than most Windows PCs on the network. It almost made using Windows a pleasure; certainly compared to using it native on a PC.

I know you could get fired from cnet just for thinking it, but it's time to give up the ghost. You know that with every release, both OS X and Windows, it keeps falling further behind. Unless MS can come up with a new, ground-up OS, Windows may be destined to be client-based for legacy apps. Honestly.

[llll3488]

i hate vista but win xp is not safe enough.what about win 7?

[pithenumber]

win7 is awesome, the new taskbar is definitely more functional than the dock, it looks like a copy of KDE though

[scarface74]

I still don't understand why he needs a separate Windows based PC. What type of productivity enhancements is he gaining above when he just uses VMWare.

On another note, why would Apple license OS X? Apple as is every other corporation is in business to maximize profit. Dell, Lenova, Acer, etc. sells more computers than Apple but is nowhere near is profitable.

Licensing OS X makes about as much sense as licensing the iPhone OS. There was just an article published this week that said for MS to be as profitable as Apple selling Mobile Phones that MS would have to sell 300 Million licenses just to equal the profit of 6.9 Million iPhones.