Technology Question for Mac users

[ConscBK]

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Before starting medical school in the fall I want to buy a MacPro laptop but Im worried that Mac computers wont be compatible with software I will need in medical school i.e. Board reviews, additional classroom items, etc. Am I wrong with this concern and will the new MacPro's with the Intel chip help alleviate this concern?

 

[jebus]

If you want to run windows programs (which I suspect you are getting at but I'm not quite sure) you will need to either install windows on another partition on your hard drive or an external drive (so far no one has been able to install XP on these intel macs because they don't support a BIOS, eventually it will happen but who knows when. Hopefully it will happen before the fall. Vista doesn't need a BIOS so this shouldn't be an issue when Vista is released) or you will need to use an emulator like WINE - theoretically this will allow you to run windows apps on your mac. If you're a casual computer user I imagine these will be sort of a pain to set up but after that it shouldn't be a problem.
If the software is web-based then buying a mac shouldn't be a problem. If you're referring to word/excel/powerpoint/pdf documents then you won't have a problem, either. MS makes Office for macs and it is fully compatible with office for PCs. Alternatively, if you need windows software you could go to the computer lab and use it there, or if you're feeling sort of bored, buy a cheap desktop (<$500) and use that at home or set up a remote desktop connection to use it from your mac when you're not at home.
I've never had a problem finding a way to use windows software since I got a mac (non intel) and you shouldn't either.

 

[ConscBK]

Thanks for the info!

 

[masterMood]

wait 6 months, it will be hacked byt then

 

[mustangsally65]

From what I was told by someone working in an Apple store, once the next version of Windows comes out it will run natively on the new Intel Macs. So you will be able to run any windows program once the new version of Windows comes out.

I went through my entire undergraduate career without buying Microsoft Office, and I had an iMac initially, then an iBook and eventually a Powerbook which I'm typing this post on right now. I've never had a problem with compatibility as far as what I had to do for undergrad, as long as I put the proper extension on the end of the file (.doc, .rtf etc.). I'm not in med school so I don't know what kind of programs you will need to use, but I do know that my laptop works with any kind of Windows wi-fi.

You should post in the Technology forum, because southerndoc (a mod in that forum) always gets the latest Mac rumors way before us regular peeps, so he usually knows what's going on way before the general public does.

Viva la Mac!

 

[ND2005]

While there is obviously a greater possibility of using windows on a mac now that they use the same chips, this is still something apple will try to resist. I would be surprised if it as ever as easy as simply sticking a windows installation CD in and loading it up. While it will be possible for advanced computer users willing to muck around, I doubt it will be widely accessible to the casual user.

 

[scotttennis]

I have one of the "old" G4 Powerbooks (not one of the new MacBook Pros), but I feel very confident that med school programs will run just fine. (I know for sure that they will run better than if I had stuck with Linux on my old Toshiba notebook...WINE just wouldn't cut, I think.) Also, Michigan has converted a lot of their pathology slides into super high res files (.5"x.5" slide scanned into about a 6GB file) viewable with a special program on the computer. It functions like a computer microscope and allows you to save your own annotations or load the professor's for later study. This vital program is available for both PC and Mac. And with Macs increasing in popularity, I'm certain that more programs will be made for both systems. Too bad I'm on the waitlist at Michigan because the microscope program/online practice patient diagnosis looked pretty nice.

 

[Dominion]

Could use virtualPC for your windows programs.

 

[jbar]

Before starting medical school in the fall I want to buy a MacPro laptop but Im worried that Mac computers wont be compatible with software I will need in medical school i.e. Board reviews, additional classroom items, etc. Am I wrong with this concern and will the new MacPro's with the Intel chip help alleviate this concern?

I am a Mac user so have been asking med schools about this. Some schools like CU told me not to buy a new computer, that they will sell the me right one. A lot of others told me that it doesn't matter which comp you have, you are just going to use it for word processing, powerpoint etc and you can use the ones in the library on the off chance that you have to run some random program.

If I were you I would hold off on buying a new computer until you know where you are going and then you can just call and ask them.

jbar

 

[pseudoknot]

While there is obviously a greater possibility of using windows on a mac now that they use the same chips, this is still something apple will try to resist.

Apple has stated that they will be using off the shelf Intel chipsets and that they will not do anything to restrict Windows from being run on the new Macs. As soon as Vista comes out, and perhaps sooner, it should indeed be just as easy as putting in the install DVDs and loading it onto the Mac.

 

[etf]

Some schools like CU told me not to buy a new computer, that they will sell the me right one.
jbar

that's grounds for a pre-secondary rejection from me...there's no way I'm giving up my powerbook, except in march when i get my macbook pro...

 

[Dominion]

I've been wondering about schools that 'provide the model to buy'. I know it's so it will be easier on them, programs being compatible, IT dept has less to deal with, etc. But what about students who know what their doing? I've been working with computers for most my life and I can get most anything to work. I know it's not feasible for a school to 'punish' you for having the wrong laptop 😛

 

[jebus]

Could use virtualPC for your windows programs.

Virtual PC sucks more than a hooker when the rent's late.
Also, it's incompatible with the Intel Chips.
Also, it's redundant. You can just INSTALL A FULL FREAKIN VERSION OF WINDOWS! Virtual PC is an emulator. They made it to "emulate" an intel chip because the G4s and G5s aren't intel chips. The way they made it is actually emulates everything - the CPU, the Graphics card, everything - because it has to emulate a whole computer it is slow, very slow. Windows only runs on intel architecture (AMDs are extremely similar). If you have an intel chip you can run windows - you don't need an emulator.
[/rant]

 

[volans]

wait 6 months, it will be hacked byt then

you don't "hack" (crack is now the official term) macs - that's why you don't see many viruses etc. on macs. its pretty much open source 🙂

 

[jebus]

you don't "hack" (crack is now the official term) macs - that's why you don't see many viruses etc. on macs. its pretty much open source 🙂

That's not why OS X is safe. OS X is safe because it has a small market share (1337 h4xxorz won't waste their time without a big prize) and because the root user is disabled by default, the end-user needs to enter their password to ok any major file change, etc. OS X is riddled with old security flaws: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/securi...OS_X_vulnerable_/0,2000061744,39234678,00.htm
Apple is not the darling of the open source movement, either. They make a number of upgrades to the source code and will not release it to the open-source community. Apple took the best of the open-source movement and bastardized it for commercial gain. I applaud those magnificent bastards.
I'm pretty sure the poster you quoted was referring to the inevitability that h4xxors will install OS X on a PC (a sony or a dell or something). I agree, give it 6 months and you'll be able to install OS X on anything that supports EFI.

 

[nekrogg]

While there is obviously a greater possibility of using windows on a mac now that they use the same chips, this is still something apple will try to resist. I would be surprised if it as ever as easy as simply sticking a windows installation CD in and loading it up. While it will be possible for advanced computer users willing to muck around, I doubt it will be widely accessible to the casual user.

nope, steve jobs himself said he would not stop an apple user from using windows on a mac. the issue arises from what desiredusername said above, the bios issue. but win vista (the OS to replace XP) will not have this issue and thus will allow mac users to dual boot.

 

[Dominion]

Virtual PC sucks more than a hooker when the rent's late.
Also, it's incompatible with the Intel Chips.
Also, it's redundant. You can just INSTALL A FULL FREAKIN VERSION OF WINDOWS! Virtual PC is an emulator. They made it to "emulate" an intel chip because the G4s and G5s aren't intel chips. The way they made it is actually emulates everything - the CPU, the Graphics card, everything - because it has to emulate a whole computer it is slow, very slow. Windows only runs on intel architecture (AMDs are extremely similar). If you have an intel chip you can run windows - you don't need an emulator.
[/rant]

You install windows XP on a macbook (not vista, XP) and until I see vista successfully installed and supported on a macbook, it's not going to be worth it to 70% of the people who use the damn thing. The same issue with people who are running OSX on custom boxes, it's great but there is very little hardware that is 100% supported. Factor in your average OSX user doesn't want to mess with something that's not supported by the company itself and they all purchased the macbook in the first place for OSX, if I wanted windows I'd buy a windows notebook. Hell don't even have to say avg OSX user, the avg pc user (the majority atleast) want something that they don't have to think about. Set it up and forget it.

The slow issue, I don't know what your talking about, my g4 ibook runs vpc just fine with server 03. As far as running VPC on the macbooks, I can't vouch for that because I don't have one.

 

[C.P. Jones]

i don't understand, but what is the point of getting a mac to run windows on it? this is really not making any sense to me.....how is a mac w/ an intel chip and i guess "in the future maybe" windows different from a PC?

this is a serious question that i don't understand and want an answer to since i've never owned a mac and have only used them a few times

 

[volans]

I'm pretty sure the poster you quoted was referring to the inevitability that h4xxors will install OS X on a PC (a sony or a dell or something). I agree, give it 6 months and you'll be able to install OS X on anything that supports EFI.

If that was the poster's intent, I agree with you, that makes sense (i also agree with your points about the open source issue). otherwise, you can't hack/crack/whatever hardware (you do that to software, unless i'm grossly mistaken) so getting an intel chip in a mac to install windows is something apple will have to resolve.

ANYWAYS, CPjones, I agree with you also. If you're going to put an emulator on a mac, why buy one? the only reason you would do that is for running games or other more obscure programs not available on macs. there are many more sweet programs (widgets!) available for macs anyways. soo.... if it really comes down to it and you need to run some special medschool program on a mac, you can do it with an emulator. but otherwise, get a mac because you like the platform and usability. most everything you need to run, you will be able to on a mac. i actually like microsoft office for macs BETTER than for windows, esp. powerpoint.

 

[scotttennis]

i don't understand, but what is the point of getting a mac to run windows on it? this is really not making any sense to me.....how is a mac w/ an intel chip and i guess "in the future maybe" windows different from a PC?

this is a serious question that i don't understand and want an answer to since i've never owned a mac and have only used them a few times

I know that some people will want to buy the new Intel Macs just for the hardware or its "look."

 

[deleted87716]

Before starting medical school in the fall I want to buy a MacPro laptop but Im worried that Mac computers wont be compatible with software I will need in medical school i.e. Board reviews, additional classroom items, etc. Am I wrong with this concern and will the new MacPro's with the Intel chip help alleviate this concern?

OK, here's the deal...

1) If you really like the Mac, just buy a Mac. You'll likely be able to use it for 95% of the things you'll need a computer for in medical school. If there's some Windows-only app that you absolutely, positively have to use, you can either use somebody else's computer for that, or just buy a really cheap, used WinTel box for that, and use the Mac for everything else.

2) The MacBook Pro, although it uses an Intel processor, will not (yet) run Windows. Apple uses something called EFI rather than BIOS, preventing any of the current Windows versions from booting. The forthcoming Windows Vista version will use EFI, so it will probably boot on an Intel-equipped Mac. Apple has said publicly that they're not going to do anything to prevent users from running Windows on their Macs; whether Microsoft will do anything to prevent it is unknown.

3) The current version of Virtual PC will not run on Intel-equipped Macs, since it's designed for the PowerPC. Microsoft will need to develop an Intel version of the program. No announcements have been made regarding this so far (AFAIK). In theory, Virtual PC should be able to run much faster on an Intel-based Mac, since there is no need for emulation.

4) The Mac OS is extremely secure. Any installation of Windows is a sieve by comparison. There are no known OS X viruses in existence at this point in time. The "security through obscurity" myth is illogical. The first person to successfully hack OS X or propagate a virus or worm for OS X will get quite a bit of recognition in the hacker community. Don't think people haven't tried.

Hope this helps,
Kent

 

[Sessamoid]

The Crossover Office guys will have a easy to install version of WINE that'll run most of the Windows programs you're likely to need soon. BTW, Wine Is Not an Emulator.

 

[jebus]

OK, here's the deal...

4) The Mac OS is extremely secure. Any installation of Windows is a sieve by comparison. There are no known OS X viruses in existence at this point in time. The "security through obscurity" myth is illogical. The first person to successfully hack OS X or propagate a virus or worm for OS X will get quite a bit of recognition in the hacker community. Don't think people haven't tried.

Windows is much less secure than OS X. Hopefully Vista will change that. Improved Windows security helps everyone, including us mac folk. There aren't any OS X viruses, yet. And yes, any h4XXor who writes an OS X virus will be decreed as a pimp among dorks. But there's the problem with what you're saying.
Macs are obscure, how is a virus supposed to propagate? As soon as it hits a windows machine it stops propagating. Same with a Linux machine. Spreading a mac virus is - in theory - hard to do. What's the point for someone to even bother doing that if 95% of the time a virus hits another consumer it will hit a Windows box?

 

[southerndoc]

Windows is much less secure than OS X. Hopefully Vista will change that. Improved Windows security helps everyone, including us mac folk. There aren't any OS X viruses, yet. And yes, any h4XXor who writes an OS X virus will be decreed as a pimp among dorks. But there's the problem with what you're saying.
Macs are obscure, how is a virus supposed to propagate? As soon as it hits a windows machine it stops propagating. Same with a Linux machine. Spreading a mac virus is - in theory - hard to do. What's the point for someone to even bother doing that if 95% of the time a virus hits another consumer it will hit a Windows box?

I agree. It will be difficult for a Mac virus to propagate, and likely will not become a problem until Macs reach a 10% market share.

Although Mac users tend to know other Mac users, it is unlikely that a Mac virus will reach mass propagation because of the Windows "void."

Unlikely doesn't mean impossible, so we should always be aware of files we are opening.