Windows To OS X - The Conversion Part IV
Alright, so I’ve now had my MacBook Pro for about a week, and I’ve gotten so much done to/on it that I’m just flat out impressed. I’ve got a lot of thoughts that I’d like to put down, but I’ll try to keep things simple.
iTunes
Moving my iTunes library without reimporting. I could have copied over all my MP3 files over to the new MacBook from my home PC, and then just did a discovery with the iTunes application to find all the music again, but I wanted to keep all my ratings, play counts, and other data that is kept by iTunes.
Amazingly enough…I copied over the iTunes folder from my PC to my Mac, and when I started iTunes…EVERYTHING was there. AND …. it all worked. I’m kind of amazed at this, but I’m very happy that this just worked like that.
Adobe Acrobat Reader and CutePDF
I can read PDF files with the Preview application included on OS X. I didn’t need (yet…) to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader. I also can print to a PDF file from any application. SWEET! I used to do this on my PC’s with an application call CutePDF…now its just right there on OS X.
Ahead Nero and MagicISO
I can use Disk Utility, but I think its kinda of lacking in ease of use to burn CD’s and DVD’s. I picked up FireStarter FX, which is Donation-Ware. Pretty good software, and easy to use. I can make CD’s and DVD’s with no problem, AND they are still readable from my PC. I can also make ISO files (or bin/cue if you want) right out of this application. (I’m still looking for an easy way to make ISO’s right from a CD-ROM/DVD though…some of this discs are bootable, and copying the data just won’t work). So I’m planning on throwing these guys a few bucks because I’m real happy with this software.
Daemon Tools
This was some freeware I use to install on my Windows PC’s. It created a ‘virtual CD-ROM’ drive, that could point to ISO files, and present them to the Windows OS as a real CD-ROM. This saved me a lot of headache, because I no longer needed to carry around all of my CD’s…I could just keep a file on my laptop/desktop and get to the data with a click or two. Well….if you double click an ISO in OS X, you can access it right in your Finder (the equivilent to Windows Explorer).
Gadwin Printscreen
I used to use this Freeware on Windows to help me with screenshots. I do a lot of this when writing my documentation, so I like something that can just make it easier than hitting Print Screen, (or now ctrl+shift+F3). I found a lovely Widget that I’ll be trying out called ScreenShot Plus. puts the files where I want them, uses the format that I select, and has different options for whole screen, active window, drag a window, or use a timer (unique….I like this one…).
InterVideo WinDVD
Came with my PC, and eh…it worked, but I never really used it. Playing DVD’s is supported right in OS X, so no new software was needed.
Logitech Harmony Remote
I’ve got an Xbox 360, and was looking for a universal remote, and ended up with this one. Personally, I’ve used a few of these universal remotes, and this is BY FAR the easiest one I’ve ever had to set up (including ‘learning’ commands). Currently, this software does not work with Intel based Macs, but IF I need to change the setting on it before they fix the software, I can always just connect this remote to a Parallels VM if I need to.
Macromedia DreamWeaver MX
I used this a bit on the PC, and figured I’d try to use iWeb on the Mac. Well, I don’t think it will work out, and I may need to shell out the cash for a copy of DreamWeaver on the Mac. We’ll see….
Microsoft Office
So I’ve used MS office for YEARS now. I’m definitely NOT an expert at using all of the many features that were included with the suite. I mean, ok, I know many people use the entire Office Suite together, but I’m not one of those. I figure the most work I do is using Excel for my timesheets and expense reports, Word for keeping track of all my day to day activities in a log, and used Outlook for the calander/contacts/e-mail management. It’s worked well for a while, but I mean….I just don’t use all the features.
OK, so I ended up using Apple Mail, iCal, and the Address Book that are built into OS X to replace my Outlook use. I ended up using some software from a company Little Machines http://www.littlemachines.com/ call Outlook 2 Mac. It cost me $10 US, but worth every penny. I tried doing it for free using freeware, but I just kept missing a couple of things. Using Outlook 2 Mac, I got all my 1-GB of e-mail migrated, all 500 or so contacts, and kept my calender for the last 5 years of appointments (not because I really needed them, but because I could).
For Word and Excel replacements, I use OpenOffice 2. It’s free, and it does the job for me.
OK, now I do use a Parallels Virtual Machine (until VMware releases their VMware Workstation for OS X) to run a VERY limited number of Windows applications for my office, so….I’ve got Word and Excel there as a backup (you know…just in case). Not planning on using it, but IF I have a document from a client that has some kind of issue, at least I’ll be able to get things done in a pinch.
Microsoft RDP
Here’s a usefull utility to get a ‘remote’ display of some other Windows Server (XP, 2000 can also support RDP). No loss here…The software is available native for OS X, so I can go on using it.
Microsoft Visio
Well, I use Visio for documentation of datacenters, networks, servers, some project flow, and I only use it at work. Since there is no equivalent for OS X that I know of…I have to run this application in the Parallels VM.
Firefox
I’ve stopped using Internet Explorer a while ago…I’m not really sure how long I’ve been a Firefox user, but I tried to use Safari. A couple of things I liked better about Firefox, so I just downloaded and installed it. Easy switch. Just imported all my bookmarks from my old PC.
PuTTY
In Windows XP, there is no native utilities to make SSH connections to remote devices (servers, switches, routers, SAN arrays, etc), so I use to download this utility and use it all the time. It is freeware for Windows. BUT since OS X is native *nix under the covers, the functionality I needed is right in OS X from the beginning. I did end up missing a couple of features that you just can’t get from the command-line (saved sessions so you don’t have to keep typing your connection information all the time), so I found iTerm and can get most of what I need through that.
Quicktime
I only use QuickTime once in a while, but I consider it worth $30 US. I did have to get a new key to work on the Mac, but that was pretty painless.
Symantec Antivirus
well, for now…don’t really need it on a Mac, but that may change someday….
VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client
A Windows only application that I use on a daily basis. This software manages VMware ESX Servers in the datacenter, and is required application.
VMware Workstation and Parallels
Both companies make great Virtualization software. Right now, I’m using Parallels, as VMware hasn’t released their Workstation for OS X just yet. I’m biased to VMware (as I have been using this for quite a few years), so I’m being up front. I use Parallels right now so that I can use my Windows specific software for work (but as you can see, that list is VERY small right now).
Windows Media Connect
Once again, I use an Xbox 360. I use to stream my my MP3 collection, photos, and such from my WIndows XP desktop at home. I found some lovely software called Connect 360 that plugs into iTunes and streams all my MP3s, photos, and video (the video has the same limitations for formats as Windows Media Connect on Windows XP). $20, and worth it.
WinSCP
Here’s some software I used to use on Windows XP so I could securely copy files over to *nix based systems in bulk. It’s freeware, so I used it extensively. I can do this natively from the command line in OS X, but I may end up trying out Fugu.
Winzip
We’ve all used this in Windows to open archives, but now Windows can open these natively. I use to use this to make Zip files every so often with the Eval copy. Now, the ability to create and extract Zip files is native to OS X, so no problem there.
My Companies Custom Applications
Since these are specifically written for Windows XP, I must use the Parallels VM to use these applications. Can’t work around it.
Now that’s a lot of reading already, so I’ll chime in again later with my general praises of OS X at another time.
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