[DarthCarto]

Hello all! I have been a very hardcore PC gamer and Win user for about ten years, formerly a Mac user in the late '80's early '90's. I don't really game anymore (a recent event) and have grown weary of WinXP and it maintainance (I'm a PC tech support guy, so I really don't like having to come home and put out fires on my home system anymore). I am migrating my current PC to Linux over the next 2 weeks, but come late spring or summer, I plan to get a Mac Mini for my primary system. Some questions about switching.

1. As a compliment to this forum, what other forums do you recommend?

2. For digital photography, what software is recommended, and how will it run on the Mini? I currently use Adobe PS Elements (can't afford PS CS, and I'd rather by a digital SLR for that kind of cash!).

3. What is the guesstimated timeframe fo the release of Tiger? First half or second half of the year? I assume it'll run OK on the Mini.

4. System config: Base model or the faster processor (I plan to upgrade the HDD to the Hitachi 7200rpm in either case)? Does the processor make much of a difference with the Mini? RAM amount: 512 or 1 gig?

5. Is there a good spreadsheet program recommended other than MS Excel? How about an MS Access type progam for databases?

Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Russ (Former PC fanboy)

[macmad]

1. dunno
2. PS elements
3. first-half (probably near the end of it)
4. Processor difference is not that great, 512Mb Ram is really min, 1Gb RAM is sweet.
5. OpenOffice or NeoOfficeJ. MySQL.

Your making the right move

[Simon]

Originally posted by DarthCarto:
2. For digital photography, what software is recommended, and how will it run on the Mini? I currently use Adobe PS Elements (can't afford PS CS, and I'd rather by a digital SLR for that kind of cash!).

Try iPhoto; it will be delivered for free with the mini. If that's not enough, try Gimp. It's very common in the Linux world, works fine on the Mac, and best of all, it's free.

3. What is the guesstimated timeframe fo the release of Tiger? First half or second half of the year? I assume it'll run OK on the Mini.

Tiger will run just fine on the mini. In the Apple world, newer OS versions tend to run better on existing hardware, not slower or worse. This isn't Windows where each OS update requires the purchase of an entirely new setup. Panther runs fine on a mini - Tiger will run at least as good. Tiger will be released in the first half of 2005. Steve just said so (again) at MWSF.

4. System config: Base model or the faster processor (I plan to upgrade the HDD to the Hitachi 7200rpm in either case)? Does the processor make much of a difference with the Mini? RAM amount: 512 or 1 gig?

Get the 1.42 - the upgrade is cheap and faster is always nicer. Get 1GB RAM. You could save some money if you get 3rd party RAM and install it yourself. Apple's RAM is always more expensive.

5. Is there a good spreadsheet program recommended other than MS Excel? How about an MS Access type progam for databases?

If you want to replace Access, there is only one way: FileMaker Pro. It completely smokes Access. If the replacement has to be free and the task is not very demanding you could try AppleWork's database module which will be included with the mini.

Russ (Former PC fanboy)

And hopefully future Mac fanboy.

Welcome to Macintosh.

[larkost]

1. It all depends on what you are looking for. OmniGroup has some nice email lists, but that is a bit more developer oriented. For beginner info this forum and MacOS X Hints are a good combination.

2. I am going to also recommend PS Elements. There are others. Gimp: an X11 program, and not really a Mac experience, GraphicConverter: great for transferring between an insane number of formats, but the editing part is a bit lacking. There is even some graphic manipulation built into AppleScript (resizing, and some adjustments), and more to come in 10.4. But I would still recommend Elements. There is a chance that you can cross-grade from Adobe for free (talk to them).

3. I will also say end of first half. Probably either announced or shipped at WWDC (June or so).

4. The mini is the low end computer no matter how you look at it. The bump will be nice, but... And on the memory front, I would look at 512 as a minimum. Make your decisions on that.

5. At this point Excel is still the dominant spreadsheet. There are a number of competitors that can be found over at MacUpdate. Some of them very good.

On the database front. I will also recommend FileMaker Pro. As a self-contained Database Solution maker it is head-and-shoulders above Access. With the advent of 10.4 look to see a number of smaller database creating programs, but nothing to quite match FileMaker.

[Eug Wanker]

1) Ars Technica's Mac Ach
2) Photoshop Elements and iPhoto '05
3) Summer
4) 1 GB and 1.42 GHz. By the way, if you're lucky it might come with a 5400 rpm drive.
5) Stick with Excel for the spreadsheet. Filemaker Pro for the database.

[GORDYmac]

2.) I'll just add that the Mac version of Photoshop Elements may be on the CD with your Windows version, so, you don't have to buy that.

[DarthCarto]

One other question: How often does Mac software (OS and apps) and hardware update ? Not too concerned, knowing Macs have a really long lifespan, I just have a bit of upgrade addiction (caused, no doubt, by the constant PC changes).

Thanks for the advice. I've been considering the switch for a while, and the Mini finally cemented that idea. These were my main questions, but had been a little leery in asking them, just from some people's negative reactions to PC folk (I know it's just as bad with PC folks towards Mac), and I thank you for your polite help. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I get closer to the purchase, and of course after, but I'll definately be watching this forum and the others.

Thanks again!

Russ

[larkost]

As to hardware, there is a nice guide up at MacRumors that gives an overview of that sort of information (but could have more details). On the OS side, it has been yearly for a while, but Apple has said they intend to slow that down some, possibly to an every-other-year pace. Security updates have been about monthly, but there is no schedule for that, it is done as needed.

Updates to Apple software is a really unpredictable thing. iLife has become a yearly thing, The Pro apps have been more like a year-and-a-half, and FileMakerPro has been more like 2 years or more between major versions.

[DarthCarto]

Cool. Good info to have.

Thanks.

[igglue]

I would highly recommend you head over to an apple store and spend a good hour just trying out different apps on macs and see if you like it. Also, you will soon find that macs don't have nearly as many games.

Guys at the Apple Store near Boston loaded the mac mini with tons of software. The only thing they short changes was the memory, so bunch of applications failed to load. I'd just scoot over to an e-mac and see how it behaves as it's supposedly running on same mobo.

Take your time and seriously consider what you want. I still use my sup'ed up Dell for my games. But as I'm getting older, my interests are changing and gaming days are fading slowly but surely. If you love games and have a budget, I'd recommend keeping a single system and spending the extra cash on a fast graphics cards for <$300.

Good Luck!

Iggy