Thinking of changing to Mac

timberflake

I've been looking at various options for buying a new computer for a while now and am considering a iMac. I currently have a PC, will the Mac be able to read all my music files, pics, docs ok? I understand I'll have to get a copy of office for Mac, but once I have that it should read all my word/excel files ok?

gonzo127

it should do, as ever there might be the odd exception but in the whole they should all be able to be read since they are (usually) normal/standard file types for the above types of things which will have a equivelent program on a mac to read them

Mr_Toad

timberflake wrote: »

I've been looking at various options for buying a new computer for a while now and am considering a iMac. I currently have a PC, will the Mac be able to read all my music files, pics, docs ok? I understand I'll have to get a copy of office for Mac, but once I have that it should read all my word/excel files ok?

A Mac will be able to read all your files, music, pictures, video everything.

A Mac isn't some sort of alien beast, it's just a PC with a different operating system. If you want to you can install Windows on it, Apple even provide a program called Boot Camp to do this. Then when you turn it on you can decide if you want to boot into Windows or Mac OS X.

I have Office 2011 for Mac but it isn't a necessity, I get it under the Microsoft Home use program.

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/home-use-program.aspx

Apple do their own version of Office called iWork which can read and write documents and spreadsheets in office format.

There's also the excellent and completely free Open Office and Libre Office, both of which, like iWork, is capable of reading and writing MS Office compatible documents.

Millionaire

masonn wrote: »

A Mac will be able to read all your files, music, pictures, video everything.

Not necessarily running just Mac OS, A windows installation might be required on the Mac dependant on what software the OP uses or might use.

As mentioned, Boot camp can be used but this means you have to purchase a copy of Windows OS, which is extra cost.

almillar

Millionaire, what music , video, picture, Word, Excel files ('everything' is a bit vague) does a Windows computer read that a Mac doesn't?
OP if you're using iTunes on your PC, you can literally copy your iTunes folder from My Music on the PC to Music on the Mac and pick up your library where you left off, artwork, play counts and all.
If you do buy Microsoft Office, and not LibreOffice (free), make sure it's the 2011 version as it runs much better on the Intel processors than the old ones.

scottishblondie

Millionaire wrote: »

Not necessarily running just Mac OS, A windows installation might be required on the Mac dependant on what software the OP uses or might use.

As mentioned, Boot camp can be used but this means you have to purchase a copy of Windows OS, which is extra cost.

Only Windows specific software won't work - based on what the OP said, I don't think they really have anything that will be an issue.

edgex

masonn wrote: »

There's also the excellent and completely free Open Office and Libre Office, both of which, like iWork, is capable of reading and writing MS Office compatible documents.

OpenOffice is a dead end
the version still being worked on is LibreOffice

Mr_Toad

edgex wrote: »

OpenOffice is a dead end
the version still being worked on is LibreOffice

Who told you that?

When Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems they announced that they would no longer develop Open Office, however, they subsequently announced that they were passing Open Office to the Apache Software Foundation.

Version 3.4 is in development and there is a planned feature list for 4.0.

Development has been slowed/delayed by the changes but it's certainly no dead end.

You are perfectly correct that Libre Office is still being worked on.

Millionaire

almillar wrote: »

Millionaire, what music , video, picture, Word, Excel files ('everything' is a bit vague) does a Windows computer read that a Mac doesn't?

I was referring to the 'everything' will work.

Main problem being Windows only compatibility for some software but not much these days that isn't compatible, however I have had some instances where people have either had to get Windows for their Mac or borrow someone's Windows machine to use something.

This is from experience of buying numerous Mac's on behalf of family and friends and I used to have a iMac/Macbook myself and some paid software I had was Windows only and I had to get a copy of Windows for my Mac.

C_Mababejive

Dont do it.

Keep your PC but install ubuntu linux on it.

candtalan

masonn wrote: »

Who told you that?

it was widely publicised at the time that most of the developers upped and left the Open Office project (not long after Oracle bought themselves into the scene), and set up The Document Foundation (DF). The open licence allowed them to take the code, just as it had allowed Oracle earlier to copy ALL of Red Hat's code for Oracle to sell their own almost identical product! The DF is very actively improving and cleaning out the codebase, unlike the OO team who are basically just housekeeping.
This will give some background
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/248580/10_things_to_look_forward_to_in_libreoffice_35.html