PC to Mac as painlessly as possible

PC to Mac as painlessly as possible

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So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

221 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all

We've just moved the business over to iPhones and found them better than the previous Windows Phones.

At the risk of making too big a leap of faith, I am assuming that moving to Apple notebooks is going to be an equally successful swap (stop me someone if I am wrong).

We need to replace a Windows HP machine immediately. Is this going to be a good call? https://www.johnlewis.com/2017-apple-macbook-12-in...

Also, is there an easy way of transferring the Office files from the PC to the Mac and for them to work? Mosty Word, Powerpoint and Jpegs.

I am sure all this advice is available online, but I am time strapped and PHers are typically great at down to earth advice on such matters.

Thanks in advance.

bitchstewie

50,818 posts

209 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
It depends what systems you need to use.

Printers, applications, anything that only comes as a Windows version etc.

Usually there's nothing truly insurmountable but you haven't really asked anything beyond can you open Office documents on a Mac to which the short answer is yes as Microsoft do Office for Mac (365 is probably the most viable way to get there).

Worst case you can dual boot (Bootcamp) or use a Windows VM (Virtual Box, Parallels, Fusion) for Windows stuff.

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

221 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
It depends what systems you need to use.

Printers, applications, anything that only comes as a Windows version etc.

Usually there's nothing truly insurmountable but you haven't really asked anything beyond can you open Office documents on a Mac to which the short answer is yes as Microsoft do Office for Mac (365 is probably the most viable way to get there).

Worst case you can dual boot (Bootcamp) or use a Windows VM (Virtual Box, Parallels, Fusion) for Windows stuff.
Yes, basically I am asking how we can use the Word files on the PC on a Mac.

So my question, refined, is: Is that Mac in my link any good, and how do we get fiies from the PC to the Mac and have them work immediately?

gumshoe

824 posts

204 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
So said:
Yes, basically I am asking how we can use the Word files on the PC on a Mac.

So my question, refined, is: Is that Mac in my link any good, and how do we get fiies from the PC to the Mac and have them work immediately?
Just use a USB stick and transfer the files over to the new machine.

Beware though as business machines Macs have some serious shortfalls. For a start, there is no MS Access for Mac.

In my experience there just is not enough business spectrum software available on Mac to make them viable as business machines.

craigjm

17,912 posts

199 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
gumshoe said:
So said:
Yes, basically I am asking how we can use the Word files on the PC on a Mac.

So my question, refined, is: Is that Mac in my link any good, and how do we get fiies from the PC to the Mac and have them work immediately?
Just use a USB stick and transfer the files over to the new machine.

Beware though as business machines Macs have some serious shortfalls. For a start, there is no MS Access for Mac.

In my experience there just is not enough business spectrum software available on Mac to make them viable as business machines.
Visio isn’t available either. The ability to run a Mac as a business machine very much depends on your business

seyre1972

2,610 posts

142 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
I’d suggest booking a visit with Apple business at your local Apple store to discuss your requirements/solution etc.

Office 365 is likely the best for cross platform compatability ( while you are in the process of transitioning)

Likewise moving documents into the 365 cloud/or use Apple services to transfer what you need across from the old machine (may be a charge for this). Or use your local IT consultant (probably a free consultation and maybe a days charge for setting you up)

Maybe list what other devices you have (printers/scanners/storage) and check their compatabilty (sure you don’t want to have to buy a new Printer/scanner just because you’re changing platform)


deckster

9,630 posts

254 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
craigjm said:
Visio isn’t available either. The ability to run a Mac as a business machine very much depends on your business
More than that, it depends on your people. If they are used to Windows, then moving them wholesale to Macs is going to cause a whole load of pain.

Neither MacOS nor Windows are better, they are just different. If you have a compelling reason to move over then great, do it. But if you don't, then - well, don't.

What exactly are you hoping to gain from the switch?

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

221 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
seyre1972 said:
I’d suggest booking a visit with Apple business at your local Apple store to discuss your requirements/solution etc.

Office 365 is likely the best for cross platform compatability ( while you are in the process of transitioning)

Likewise moving documents into the 365 cloud/or use Apple services to transfer what you need across from the old machine (may be a charge for this). Or use your local IT consultant (probably a free consultation and maybe a days charge for setting you up)

Maybe list what other devices you have (printers/scanners/storage) and check their compatabilty (sure you don’t want to have to buy a new Printer/scanner just because you’re changing platform)
Well, we need to change the network printer anyway because we've just bough a Dell and its crap.

The business has very basic IT requirements. We don't use Visio or Acess.

craigjm

17,912 posts

199 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
deckster said:
More than that, it depends on your people. If they are used to Windows, then moving them wholesale to Macs is going to cause a whole load of pain.

Neither MacOS nor Windows are better, they are just different. If you have a compelling reason to move over then great, do it. But if you don't, then - well, don't.

What exactly are you hoping to gain from the switch?
I don’t disagree. I got the impression from the OP that the business is very small although I might be wrong. I am not convinced that Mac OS is as ahead as it used to be either and I’m actually considering going back to windows personally after 10 years I’d OS X

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

221 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
deckster said:
craigjm said:
Visio isn’t available either. The ability to run a Mac as a business machine very much depends on your business
More than that, it depends on your people. If they are used to Windows, then moving them wholesale to Macs is going to cause a whole load of pain.

Neither MacOS nor Windows are better, they are just different. If you have a compelling reason to move over then great, do it. But if you don't, then - well, don't.

What exactly are you hoping to gain from the switch?
The reason is that iPhone hardware seems to work, whereas thee Windows stuff didn't.

I hate the later itterations of Windows. I have 8 on this machine and I run Classic Shell to make it vaguely usable. I also get continuous pop-ups wanting me to update to 8.1. It all seems a bit low rent. We've got 10 on one machine and I cannot make head nor tail of it.

I only have the phones to compare, but the Apple stuff seems to work whereas Windows generally doesn't amymore.

craigjm

17,912 posts

199 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
Apple stuff doesn’t “just work” as well as it used to

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

221 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
craigjm said:
Apple stuff doesn’t “just work” as well as it used to
Maybe I am heading the wrong way, then. But the most recent HP noteebook with W10 we have is utter rubbsh.

grumbledoak

31,505 posts

232 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
Windows Phone is, sadly, dead. You've made your decision.

But your extrapolation to the other hardware is dubious. If you are just doing this because you don't like Win10 you should think again. You will have more upheaval moving to Mac than just learning Win10.

Sonie

238 posts

107 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
You can install Microsoft Office, so everything works the same.
Do you run a server or save files elsewhere

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
gumshoe said:
So said:
Yes, basically I am asking how we can use the Word files on the PC on a Mac.

So my question, refined, is: Is that Mac in my link any good, and how do we get fiies from the PC to the Mac and have them work immediately?
Just use a USB stick and transfer the files over to the new machine.

Beware though as business machines Macs have some serious shortfalls. For a start, there is no MS Access for Mac.

In my experience there just is not enough business spectrum software available on Mac to make them viable as business machines.
Seriously rofl

100% suitable for business use. Loads of people use them. And as for Access, does anyone really use it anymore? Must be 100 alternatives depending on what you using it for.

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

221 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
It was about half the price of the Mac we're considering.

I have been finding Windows software increasingly buggy and non-intuitive. I've been using MS since the early 90s, it used to be quite user friendly and reliable. It doesn't seem to be anymore.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
So said:
We've just moved the business over to iPhones and found them better than the previous Windows Phones.

At the risk of making too big a leap of faith, I am assuming that moving to Apple notebooks is going to be an equally successful swap (stop me someone if I am wrong).

We need to replace a Windows HP machine immediately. Is this going to be a good call? https://www.johnlewis.com/2017-apple-macbook-12-in...

Also, is there an easy way of transferring the Office files from the PC to the Mac and for them to work? Mosty Word, Powerpoint and Jpegs.

I am sure all this advice is available online, but I am time strapped and PHers are typically great at down to earth advice on such matters.

Thanks in advance.
Copying files over is easy. Either over a network share, USB dongle, email or store in something like Dropbox and access them from any machine.

Apple Pages and Numbers will open and save MS office files. Although they will default to an Apple file format when you save unless you specifically want to stick with the MS file type.

These apps are normally pre installed on a Mac and if not are then usually free as a download from the App Store.

As a rule Apple is more tolerant of MS file types. Windows is usually the problem going the other way.

If you want you can buy MS Office for a Mac too and will work and look largely the same as on a Windows machine.

In summary it should not really be any bother.

craigjm

17,912 posts

199 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
Pages and numbers are rubbish though especially compared to word and excel. Get office 365 and sorted

alorotom

11,911 posts

186 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
Seriously rofl

100% suitable for business use. Loads of people use them. And as for Access, does anyone really use it anymore? Must be 100 alternatives depending on what you using it for.
Completely agree with this - for the vast majority of people in SMEs in ‘normal’ roles in terms of applications and usage a MAC is way more easy to use and with less problems that a windows system. We have a mix of Apple and Windows users in our organisation and there are endless windows issues where the macs do tend to “just work” and much more seamlessly with our iPhones and iPads

The only minor niggle is I prefer Keynote to PowerPoint but the built in converter doesn’t work the greatest - not a deal breaker though by any means!


klootzak

622 posts

215 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
quotequote all
So said:
Yes, basically I am asking how we can use the Word files on the PC on a Mac.

So my question, refined, is: Is that Mac in my link any good, and how do we get fiies from the PC to the Mac and have them work immediately?
Re the Mac in your link – yes it's a good machine if a bit expensive. I'm using one right now and it works perfectly well for the work things I need to do (mostly create and edit Word and Powerpoint documents). It's pitifully slow for photo retouching or video editing, but it will do it. Cloud-based apps (our accounting and workflow systems for example) are exactly the same as any other laptop. Email is email and Apple's instant messaging/TXT thing integrates across your phone, MacBook and iPad.

Re transferring files – depends where they are at the moment. Easiest way would be to back up to a USB stick and copy them over (but you will need an adaptor for the UBS stick as the 12" MacBook only has a USB-C connector). If you use a server, shared disk or cloud storage service (like Dropbox), just log the Mac onto it as you do with your current PC. It should work just fine.

As has already been pointed out, Apple stuff doesn't "just work" nearly as well as it used to. That said, it does mostly, and you may find it's a whole load easier than mucking around with Windows. I know I do, but I'm not especially technical.

As for it's usefulness as a business device – our whole business (an ad agency) runs on Macs. Even the server is a Mac. We do have a Windows and Linus laptop in the office, but only for testing stuff and everybody hates using them.

k