[Barry]

Guys
Any tech savvy F Lifers here? I'm thinking of jumping ship from the laptop/Windows's world and getting a Mac Air. Saw a nice little 11" one today.

Anyone got one? Is it gonna take me years to adjust to the Mac way of life?

[550JM]

Originally Posted by Barry

Guys
Any tech savvy F Lifers here? I'm thinking of jumping ship from the laptop/Windows's world and getting a Mac Air. Saw a nice little 11" one today.

Anyone got one? Is it gonna take me years to adjust to the Mac way of life?

Hi Barry,

Nothing but Mac's in my company and house....
It starts with determining what you would use the device for most. Watching movies, internet etc.
Mac Air is quite a nice laptop, however, is doesn't have a CD/DVD drive. That means you will have to install everything through the app store and you can't use it for watching movies etc. without downloading or going online. However iCloud could help out. It's a new service that enables you to store all your content on a remote server so you will be able to access your content anywhere in the world and let's you synchronize all Apple devices. It will upload pics, doc's, movies, agenda's and so on to all your other devices. It does need some study.....You could also check out a MacBook which has some more features and will prove more user friendly, IMHO, when this is your first Apple device. MacBooks have a bit bigger screens, I believe starting @15'
Whatever you choose to do, once used to Mac, you'll never go back to windows...
Hope this helps!

[Barry]

Originally Posted by 550JM

Hi Barry,

Nothing but Mac's in my company and house....
It starts with determining what you would use the device for most. Watching movies, internet etc.
Mac Air is quite a nice laptop, however, is doesn't have a CD/DVD drive. That means you will have to install everything through the app store and you can't use it for watching movies etc. without downloading or going online. However iCloud could help out. It's a new service that enables you to store all your content on a remote server so you will be able to access your content anywhere in the world and let's you synchronize all Apple devices. It will upload pics, doc's, movies, agenda's and so on to all your other devices. It does need some study.....You could also check out a MacBook which has some more features and will prove more user friendly, IMHO, when this is your first Apple device. MacBooks have a bit bigger screens, I believe starting @15'
Whatever you choose to do, once used to Mac, you'll never go back to windows...
Hope this helps!

Jeroen
thanks for the advice. To answer your Q I'll use it for (in this order); e-mail, internet browsing, MS office software and not a lot else. Don't need a CD/DVD drive, have never used the one I have on the current laptop.

Size is important - smaller the better. All my city meetings are arrived at by bike and this year I am determined to use the Ducati more which means everthing has to travel by back pack - no panniers! I'm not too worried about a small screen as in my office (70-80% of its use) I'll hook up to a full size monitor and keyboard/mouse.

So I'm thinking a Mac Air, 11" screen, 4GB ram, 256Gb hard drive. Looks nice.

Only concern I have is that it only has 2 USB ports, and I need to plug in a monitor (via VGA - so I'm thinking a VGA/USB adapter), Cat 5 cable (so via Ethernet/USB adapter) and printer and keyboard via USB. That means I need 4 USB ports and there's only 2. This is where my lack of IT knowledge gets me. But I think you can get a "double adapter" for a USB to turn 2 into 4??

Did all that make sense to anyone out there?

[koolaid117]

Barry, is there any chance of setting a wireless network in your office, thus freeing up the USB ports?

[Barry]

Originally Posted by koolaid117

Barry, is there any chance of setting a wireless network in your office, thus freeing up the USB ports?

Well Jim, you're talking to the IT Manager now. (and the HR, Marketing, Facilities, Finance, Strategic Planning..... )

The answer is probably yes, technically, but we deal in patient care, so lots of sensitive information on a network so reluctant to switch to wireless from (perceived?) lack of security perspective.

[koolaid117]

Originally Posted by Barry

Well Jim, you're talking to the IT Manager now. (and the HR, Marketing, Facilities, Finance, Strategic Planning..... )

The answer is probably yes, technically, but we deal in patient care, so lots of sensitive information on a network so reluctant to switch to wireless from (perceived?) lack of security perspective.

WOW! You are a busy man! But, I'd bet someone with your obvious skill level might know someone that could help. I'm not IT savy.
My wife set up the wireless network in the house. I mean, I could've done it, I, uh, let her do it so she could see how it was done. Yea, that's right.

[maurodev]

Originally Posted by Barry

Well Jim, you're talking to the IT Manager now. (and the HR, Marketing, Facilities, Finance, Strategic Planning..... )

The answer is probably yes, technically, but we deal in patient care, so lots of sensitive information on a network so reluctant to switch to wireless from (perceived?) lack of security perspective.

Hi Barry, if you handle sensitive data, I would forget about wireless.

Where are you storing those data ? Has your PC access to them (or is storing them) ? If yes, I would be very careful of having nothing less than solid rock antivirus and firewalls (kept constantly up to date) on your local network before connecting to internet. Do not forget the EU directive regarding data privacy (you surely have a local law based on it) !

I would be very careful of customers' database based on servers outside your control or the control of trusted suppliers with solid NDAs and contractual obligations to safeguard those info.

ciao
Mauro

[champagne612]

Originally Posted by Barry

Guys
Any tech savvy F Lifers here? I'm thinking of jumping ship from the laptop/Windows's world and getting a Mac Air. Saw a nice little 11" one today.

Anyone got one? Is it gonna take me years to adjust to the Mac way of life?

Barry suggest you do both - most programs should work.

We use both at our offices - the Mac people never go down vs the others cringing once a week.

Try a mac personally and become familiar with the operating system then integrate slowwwllyy.

For fun check out the magic cube / touch fire / skin put ... but wait til you see windows 8 !!!!

All the above are laser keyboards but the windows 8 is mind blowing.

FWIW - wireless can be secure as hard wire just depends on the $$$$ you want to invest.

[Sandy Eggo]

I have the 13" MacBook Air and love it - will never go back.

1) CD/DVD drive. I don't miss it at all. The maybe 2 times I needed one, the solution is very simple - the Mac can share a CD/DVD drive from another computer on your network.

2) Monitor. You can get a mini-DV to VGA port dongle. I think it's less than $50. That way you don't soak up a USB port.

3) USB ports. There are countless USB hub options and they are all super cheap.

I solved both 2 and 3 by buying a Thunderbolt display. The display has another set of 3 USB ports, Firewire, etc. Of course it's a little spendy but if you are ready to upgrade your monitor anyway - you will be thrilled.

Good luck!

[Shane]

Hello Barry,

We are all Mac at our house as well.....we both have MacBooks ....IPad......IPhones and the big desk top Mac in the home office. once you switch over I doubt you will ever look back ( sorry PC folks....I still use one at work ). You need to come to the USA and purchase tons as that little store on Dawson left some to be desired.....

Good luck!


Shane

[Jack Russell Racing]

I would *never* go back to PC's now that I'm a fanboy. Love my 27" iMac.

[Barry]

MacAir bought. Off with my IT guy to get VPN and stuff installed on it. Should have it tomorrow. Let's see if it's as good as the Apple lovers say it is...

[champagne612]

Originally Posted by Barry

MacAir bought. Off with my IT guy to get VPN and stuff installed on it. Should have it tomorrow. Let's see if it's as good as the Apple lovers say it is...

Ohh are you going to be frustrated for a bit - hang in there.

[Barry]

Originally Posted by champagne612

Ohh are you going to be frustrated for a bit - hang in there.

... Enough about that, what about my new Mac?

[champagne612]

Originally Posted by Barry

... Enough about that, what about my new Mac?

LOL

Well go watch some free porn - a virus has no chance!

See you in a few weeks

[Barry]

Originally Posted by champagne612

LOL

Well go watch some free porn - a virus has no chance!

See you in a few weeks

Actually on a more serious note, the sales guy today was trying to convince me that a Mac can't get a virus, infected, etc and that I don't need anti virus software. I'd already made my mind up to buy it by then so had largely tuned out and started looking across the showroom to the flat screen TVs... Any truth in that though?

[champagne612]

Originally Posted by Barry

Actually on a more serious note, the sales guy today was trying to convince me that a Mac can't get a virus, infected, etc and that I don't need anti virus software. I'd already made my mind up to buy it by then so had largely tuned out and started looking across the showroom to the flat screen TVs... Any truth in that though?

Never had a virus on any Mac - 15 years plus.

[maurodev]

Originally Posted by Barry

Actually on a more serious note, the sales guy today was trying to convince me that a Mac can't get a virus, infected, etc and that I don't need anti virus software. I'd already made my mind up to buy it by then so had largely tuned out and started looking across the showroom to the flat screen TVs... Any truth in that though?

Hi Barry, that Macs are virus immune is an urban legend. It is true that so far they have been less subjected to attacks, but only for they relatively scarce diffusion compared to PCs (around 5% of the market worldwide, probably 10% in the US). However, things are changing and the specialized site Zdnet, last May, said that virus and malware are coming for the Mac too. A test performed by Sophos on 150000 Macs revealed that over 10% were infected.
Ciao
Mauro

[maurodev]

Originally Posted by champagne612

Never had a virus on any Mac - 15 years plus.

Hi Doug, do you have an antivirus on your Macs?

Ciao
Mauro

[550JM]

Originally Posted by champagne612

Never had a virus on any Mac - 15 years plus.

+1 knock on wood