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Question for any PC Converts

R

redwolfe3

Weaksauce
Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Messages
81
Hey All-
I know this has been asked before, but I'm looking for some feedback from you guys. Is there anyone out there who are PC converts who now work with Macs. I'm primarily looking for anyone who does software development etc.

Background:
I'm a tried and true PC guy. Its not so much that I didn't ever want a Mac, so much as I couldn't rationalize the cost for performance, and the fact that, in the past, a lot of software only came in PC form. I've worked on PCs for 15 years+. With that said, I've delved into Windows, Linux, Unix, etc. so I'm not necessarily a die hard Windows Guy.

I'm going to be starting work at a new company where they primarily use Apple products (MBP's specifically) for their business peeps. Because I am going to be the prime person doing software development, I have been given the go ahead to get a PC if its what I want, but I have also always wanted to try out the Macs, and with someone else footing the bill, part of me thinks why not. The other part of me says I won't be as productive on a Mac since I'm not used to it.

My Concerns:
My primary concerns so far are the following:

1. Lack of any sort of Home / End / Delete keys on the MBP keyboard. It sounds like there are alternatives to these, but I'm wondering if others have had an issue "training" themselves to do this instead.

2. Spacing and tactile feel of the MBP keyboarrd. I think this is something I will have to learn on any new laptop to some level, but it felt to me in the Apple store like the key spacing and texturing was different. Just enough that I felt like a n00b typing on the thing.

3. Only a single external Monitor. I prefer to operate with (2) 20" to 24" widescreen monitors for day to day operations. From looking at the MBP, it appears that there is no way to drive two monitors without an expensive converter box, or USB to DVI dongles. This MIGHT work for me, but I'm wondering what the performance characteristics of the USB to DVI dongles might be (for those who have used them).


I'm not really interested in getting into a PC to Mac debate or flame war. I think they both have plusses and minusses... and I'm really just trying to determine if I can overcome my lack of experience with in a reasonable amount of time without it affecting my job.

Thanks for any feedback.
 
1. I've dealt with the lack of the home/end/delete keys just fine. Took a little getting used to, but you'll find that on the Mac, pressing the Up key will do the same thing that the Home key does, and the Down key will do the same thing the End key does. As for the delete key, usually just hold the Shift key and the Down key to highlight the word, then hit the backspace key (which is, funny enough, named 'delete').

2. I have a MBP from the generation before the Unibodies, so I don't have the same Chiclet-style keys, however, I use the very slim Apple Keyboard which has a similar style. Again, it takes a tiny-bit getting used to, however, I think any new keyboard takes a little getting used to. You'll leard to work with it.

3. I don't know much about dual monitor solutions for the MBP, but I do know there are adapters out there. Couldn't you just use the MBP itself as a second monitor? Get a raised stand...

mStand_back_white500.jpg


and raise it up next to the monitor. There is also a great solution for these situations called Spaces, that's included with Mac OS X 10.5 and above (Leopard and Snow Leopard) that is meant for situations like that. Learn more about Spaces here and see it in action here.
 
CKMorpheus-
Thanks for the quick feedback.

On the notebook stand thing, I hadn't thought about that. I'm not sure it would work because in my case, I will be going with a 15", and while its great at laptop distance, having it set further back on a stand, I'm not sure it would really be a reasonable replacement to a 20"+ LCD monitor, but it is an option none the less.

I have seen spaces before as well, the issue I have there is that often I need to be looking at 4 to 5 windows at the same time. Copying and pasting stuff out of one window to another, looking and monitoring statuses in real time, etc. So it really is more of an issue of screen real estate (pixels) more than anything.

I have thought about going to a 27" or 30" single monitor as well, but for me, I seem to find that too much vertical doesn't help me much, I prefer two to three 20" to 24" wide screens. It seems less stressful on the eyes and neck. Since I sit and stare at my computers for 10 to 14 hours a day, comfort is a big concern.
 
Using the laptop as the second screen just isn't as good. Its smaller, possibly not as bright, and the resolutions may not be the same.

I'm sure you would survive with just a larger monitor like a 27-30", but I prefer dual screens and for a work laptop I got to have a dock. Its just so much nicer to drop in the laptop and have my monitors, ethernet, and usb devices connected.
 
Most of the differences are quickly grasped, so don't sweat that too much.

The one thing I still haven't been able to get used to is the mouse acceleration. I've installed all the standard "fixit" programs (USB OverDrive, MouseZoom, IntelliMouse, etc.) and the way the cursor "slows down" when making precise movements in a small area drives me nuts.
 
You get used to it for the most part, but I would say you will always be slower on Mac osx. When I switched, no matter what, I was always slower when getting things done, I hated that there was no maximize button, I think that is my biggest pet peeve. I still want another Mac, but those are some of my thoughts.
 
You can get one of the Matrox DualHead devices to hook up two monitors to the one port. Also you could get a USB to DVI adaptor.
 
As for the keyboards:

I picked up my first Mac (mini) about 2 years ago after having custom built machines for a number of years. I've found that the Mac keyboard can take some getting used to (about 24 hrs really) and I find I'm happier with it than with the standard windows/logitech/etc keyboards I've used in the past, I also find they're much quieter.

The mouse hasn't been much of an issue. I've never been overly found of touchpads (though the multitouch isn't so bad on the macbooks) so I tend to run a logitech trackman marble as my mouse on almost all my machines for years now (I have an RSI in my right hand that stops me from using a normal mouse).
 
If those keys are really required, I would say get a full size keyboard to plug in (the full size apple keyboard has them). I've just kind of gotten used to not having them, don't really notice it anymore.

I have the same issue with any new keyboard, or mouse for that matter. They all take me a day or two to get comfortable with.

At work I use a PC and have 2 19" monitors. When i work from home though I'm on my 27" iMac and vpn into my work machine, and have plenty of room to spare (these screens are really big!).

If you're going to be doing development for OSX based machines I'd say get an apple. If it's for something else I'd say get a PC. What and How your developing would probably dictate more what to use I would think. Personally my work is generally MS based, but I'm on a mac probably 75% of the time doing it (RDP is a godsend heh).
 
Well, most of the development is going to be web apps, or things like embedded C, so the core operating system doesn't really matter. I also plan to run Parallels and / or VMWare fusion if needed for development for some reason, so that's not a big concern of mine.

I was kind of curious as well on the external keyboards. Do Macs map Windows Keyboard keys to the associated windows keys? I currently have a very nice keyboard but its a Windows keyboard, I'd like to be able to keep using it, but if it won't work with the Mac, that's fine, just trying to figure out things.
 
Personally, I had no real issues past just "getting used to it", which took me maybe 1 month in total. During this month I was maybe 5-10% slower then normal at coding, but I was pretty quickly a heckuvalot faster at many things.

By the end of the month I was as fast, or faster, then I was on a PC. Mainly due to multitouch and that I live on a laptop keyboard nowadays (Even my PC at home is a Logitech DiNovo Edge, a.k.a. a laptop keyboard).

My next upgrade is going to be a matrox DualHead2Go, because I really prefer/am used to a three screen setup when sitting at my desk. The laptop + 2 additionally 20's gives me plenty of room to work, sooo.
 
redwolfe3 said:
Well, most of the development is going to be web apps, or things like embedded C, so the core operating system doesn't really matter. I also plan to run Parallels and / or VMWare fusion if needed for development for some reason, so that's not a big concern of mine.

I was kind of curious as well on the external keyboards. Do Macs map Windows Keyboard keys to the associated windows keys? I currently have a very nice keyboard but its a Windows keyboard, I'd like to be able to keep using it, but if it won't work with the Mac, that's fine, just trying to figure out things.
Click to expand...

The Windows key maps to the Command (Apple) key... The only major difference is the key placement. (Windows is Ctrl-Win-Alt, on Mac it's Ctrl-Alt-Apple)

Oh yeah Mac people call alt "option"
 
Thanks for all the information guys. I think I have what I need to make my decision.
 
for your reference:

delete on mac = backspace
fn + delete = delete
up arrow OR command +left arrow = home
down arrow OR command + right arrow = end

In general you will find that the mac may have less buttons, but it was a million more shortcuts. My personal favorite is command+shift+4, which turns your cursor into a selection tool that saves a screenshot of whatever you select on the desktop. genius.
 
I used to do my web development on a PC, but I've since converted to a MBP since most of the industry is on the Mac platform. It was a little difficult at first, but it wasn't long before I got used to it.

It can be quite challenging to switch back and forth, especially with the home and end key situation that you described.

The HDD is a bit slow for me, but I'm upgrading to an SSD soon. All in all, it's been great.
 
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