Attention Mac Users-help

[Lionheart]

I'm ready to plunk down some green on a Macbook Pro (the one with the intel core duo), and I want to purchase Office 2004 Pro for Mac. I'm hearing several sides about this software. One side says it won't run virtual pc on intel based macs, some say it won't run virtual pc period. Others say it works wonderfully. What's the scoop? Virtual Pc might be nice until I can splurge on a Mac version of Adobe Creative Suite. I'm thinking I could get office and a way to run my PC version of Adobe CS on a new Mac too.
Should I just get Office for teachers and students (we qualify-we homeschool through the local homeschooling association) and buy the Mac version of Adobe CS?
Any input greatly appreciated. This laptop is going to be my wife's birthday present, but I'll be testing it out extensively myself with the goal of eventually getting myself a loaded G5 system if I find that Macs really are better for me than WinBlows XP machines. I'm planning on ordering tomorrow or early Friday the 14th to get it by the end of next week (in time for my wife's birthday).
Thanks in advance
Leon

[Capt. Jon]

Hi Lionheart.

I'm a bit of a Mac fanatic myself so would thoroughly reccomend one over a Windows based machine, and i would dearly love a MacBook Pro. If i understand you right you want to get Office for the Mac and some way of running Adobe CS on it...? As i understand it Office 2004 should run OK using the Rosetta - but have you considered using an open source version? Open Office is basically the same as Microsoft Office, but free! The other alternative is to use Bootcamp and install XP on the MacBook too, this way there is the possibility of running all your current Windows software on the new Mac - altho Bootcamp only at the beta stage at the moment.

You might want to check out some Mac forums for more details advice.

[Spec A!]

Hi- as mentioned before in another post I work for Apple.

-Virtual PC will NOT run on an Intel chipped Mac. Period.

-Bootcamp will allow you to install and run your XP on it, and any program you want under XP. Recent benchmark tests between HP, Dell, and Macs all running XP and various programs put the MacBook Pro at the top of the machines- all Core Duo processors. (see Macworld.com for more details).

-Pshop runs well even under Rosetta on a MacBook Pro. Only when you are working with large files do you see slow down from the translation. It may even still be a speed bump for you anyways depending on what machine you're using, ect.. If I were you I'd probably run it under XP if that's your copy, and wait for the CS3 release to run it under the Mac's OS (10.5 by the time it's released). Or you could get CS2 for the Mac and only pay the upgrade fee. Either way you'll probably be happy no matter what way you run it.

Email me if you have any more questions!
specialanthony@yahoo.com

[Spec A!]

Forgot to mention- Office 2004 for Mac works and runs no different/slower on an Intel chipped Mac. The only difference between Student/Teacher and Standard edition is the Student Teacher can't be upgraded in the future- Standard can. That and the price!
Anyways- You'll be fine running that as well.

[Lionheart]

Thank you all for your input. I'm not planning on running winblows on a Mac :-) I've got 4 of those at home and 41 at the office. I really like the Mac OS interface and how seamlessly everything is integrated compared to xp, but I need the ability to continue using all my docs from all these years, hence the need for Office on a Mac. I also plan to do all my photoshop on a Mac, just too stingy to spend a bundle on Adobe CS for a new platform. Well, here goes my money. I'm on the Apple site clicking the purchase button....OUCH! I could have bought two Windblows laptops for the price of this one, but...it's probably worth it.

[Spec A!]

FYI- Applecare is totally worth it. I know it's another $350, but 3 years of worldwide coverage just may come in handy. Typical repairs are in the $600's and up- screen replacments are around $1500. It won't cover accidental/physical/water damage tho (but your homeowners will!).

LMK if you have any questions on it!

[mwfanelli]

Hi- as mentioned before in another post I work for Apple.

-Virtual PC will NOT run on an Intel chipped Mac. Period.

-Bootcamp will allow you to install and run your XP on it, and any program you want under XP. Recent benchmark tests between HP, Dell, and Macs all running XP and various programs put the MacBook Pro at the top of the machines- all Core Duo processors. (see Macworld.com for more details).

FWIW, Boot Camp is beta software. There is a major problem, blocking OS X from ever booting again. When you run beta software, understand what that really means.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,125393,00.asp

[fotomatt]

I'm not ready to switch anytime soon. I run a dual 2.5 G5 for my image processing and a Powerbook for my business.

Because my accountant will only work with PC based Quickbooks files, I run Virtual PC 5.x on the powerbook. A bit slow, but then so am I at getting around to doing my books!

It works just fine, thankyou!

In all my years of photography - it's my colleagues who jump on the latest, greatest bandwagon that are most frustrated and disappointed with their photographic lives. This is true A HUNDRED TIMES OVER since the digital bandwagon came to town!

:mad2: :mad2: :mad2: :mad2: :mad2: