to Mac or not

Orangezorki

Roland_Sausage wrote: »

You do realise that pretty much all printers are Mac compatible? I don't think you've been able to get Apple branded printers for years.

And as for software, you can install Windows or Linux on a Mac should you wish. In fact OS X even comes with a wizard (Boot Camp) that pretty much steps you through a Windows installation and installs all the drivers for you.

Absolutely - Apple haven't branded a printer since the mid 90s and most USB devices work perfectly. It's only internal expansion where you have a problem with Apple products.

marleyboy

Ok, how many different brands of internal Hard Drives can I buy for the Imac mini? Which external driver should I go for..The WD passport Ultra, or the Samsung D3 Station....?

How is it with Android, will it still interact with my phone, My music? My Chromecast? Am I safe in the knowledge, that I can still choose the cheaper alternative hardware to Apple branded?

marleyboy

Orangezorki wrote: »

Absolutely - Apple haven't branded a printer since the mid 90s and most USB devices work perfectly. It's only internal expansion where you have a problem with Apple products.

Yep , thats about as long ago as its been for me on Apple

Roland_Sausage

The Mac Mini is a small form factor machine so is not really intended for the user to upgrade the HDD. However it can be done and I can't see why any standard SATA drive wouldn't be just fine.

Same with external drives. You can use anything with a USB or Thunderbolt connection, it doesn't matter the brand.

My Mac works just fine with my Android phone. And also pretty much any peripherals. A cheapo USB keyboard or mouse will also be fine. Any wireless router will be fine, bluetooth stuff will be just fine, etc

Just because Apple sell certain peripherals, it doesn't mean that others won't work just fine.

securityguy

"I have the choice of Lynux, Ubunto and not forgetting the good old DOS"

An argument that would be more convincing if you could spell the operating systems in question.

"Which external driver should I go for."

One with a USB port on it.

tavernman

The op has an old PC that has served her well, the real answer she needs not whether or not the various platforms are upgradeable , but is it worth her spending extra for apple products, or stick with intel/windows or intel/linux. Given the lifespan of her current PC which would be the most effective use of her cash. If I knew that answer I would be in the death insurance business(nobody believes that insurance companies sell life insurance do they?), but hey guys start a thread of your own to argue the toss about Apple vs Windows or Linux.

JackieO how many viruses have you encountered ? how much grief has your PC caused you over its lifetime? , how often have you thought about upgrading its hardware? ignore the apples vs windows arguments you won't get a sensible answer, it's down to how you feel. Try a windows 8.1 pc in a store and try out a Mac mini/bigger see how you think you could get on with one or the other. If you go for Windows then come back and ask for advice the best pound for pound value, if Mac then the best value will be a narrower market.

barak

prowla wrote: »

.....If things don't run native on my Mac, then I can install a VM; I have:

• A Linux VM on my Mac, which can be quite handy.
• A Windows 7 VM, running some legacy stuff.
• A Windows XP VM, supporting a couple of devices (eg. a scanner) which is no longer supported on Windows.
• A Windows 10 VM, to have a look at.

So I would suggest that Macs are not very restrictive at all.

And the Mac mini is very competitively priced (though the current models lack of upgradability is an issue).

That's encouraging! I'm not having any of OP's problems running XP on my 10yr old Dell Dimension 3000, but have in mind a change - for Windows 10 perhaps - or I may be tempted by a Mac Mini.

I've also still been running a Windows 95 machine with a scanner - which I don't need any more - but a superb Minolta-QMS Pagepro 1200W mono laser printer which I would hate to throw out! Perhaps I could install a W95 partition? I never got round to seeing if I could run it on XP!

My other problem might be how to run Lotus123 for my many spreadsheets. I've tried others but much prefer it.

stuart07970

I wonder what the old-biddy who posed the original question is thinking of all this?

shortchanged_2

stuart07970 wrote: »

I wonder what the old-biddy who posed the original question is thinking of all this?

Not too impressed being called an old-biddy I would imagine.

securityguy

barak wrote: »

I've also still been running a Windows 95 machine with a scanner.

VMWare runs Windows 95 quite happily as a virtual machine, although you might have some entertainment getting a parallel port rigged to your modern host system.