[selecta]

Sorry if some of these questions have been answered on here before, but im completely new to Apple macs.

I've been given the opportunity to take home an Apple Mac G5 1.8GHz dual c/w 1.28gb RAM, 128mb Nvidia Geforce, DVD rewriter, A huge widescreen monitor and loads of software.

I used the Apple to today (first time) and got myself completely ready to bin Windows and switch due to how much I loved it. At home I already have a Pentium 4 2.8ghz c/w, 1.5gb ram, 128mb Nvidia Geforce, DVD, EMU proffessional soundcard etc.

A few questions before I make my mind up:

1) Based on the specs I'd assume my PC was faster, but is it?
2) Can I strip components out of my own PC eg my EMU soundcard and harddrive and fit them to the apple?
3)What of my PC software, and all the music and graphic design projects I have done. Will I have to purchase all the software again??? I own about £4000 worth of music software which I use day to day.... will my saved files be compatible??
4) can I install the pc software under an emulation program?? or will there be major glitches especially with complicated, memory eating programs like cubase sx?
5) Can I run another operating system on the Apple? (eg. Windows)
6) If any of these cant be solved easily (and cheaply), can I install the Apple OS on my home pc? if so will it work as well as the dedicated Apple machine?


Thanks

[lothar56]

I'll make a feeble attempt to answer some of your questions, but don't take my word for any of this.
1. The PC and the G5 will most likely excel at different things depending on the program and how it was optimized and for what processor, etc. I doubt you'll see much of a difference in day-to-day use though.
2. I'm not exactly sure what type of HD you have or what type the G5 uses, but in the past I haven't had trouble puttin HD's from windows boxes into my mac. And if I'm not mistaken Tiger is capable of reading the Windows file system, so you could pull files directly off of it that way.
3. As far as software, pretty much nothing's going to work on both systems. If your software publisher is good, though, your saved projects should work fine in the Mac version of the same software, assuming it exists.
4. Virtual PC will let you run all your PC programs under Mac OS X. But like you said, you'll see quite a performance drop under the emulation.
5. You can't run Windows, but Linux is a possibility, and it's fairly easy to install and get running if you know what you're doing.
6. Sorry, as far as I know you can't put OS X on a PC. Although my PC-using roommate was wondering if the new intel-compatible OS X would work on his computer, I couldn't really figure out a good reason why it would or wouldn't, but I know someone here will know.
So please correct me if I'm messed up any of the answers, hope I could help you.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by selecta

1) Based on the specs I'd assume my PC was faster, but is it?

2) Can I strip components out of my own PC eg my EMU soundcard and harddrive and fit them to the apple?

3)What of my PC software, and all the music and graphic design projects I have done. Will I have to purchase all the software again??? I own about £4000 worth of music software which I use day to day.... will my saved files be compatible??

4) can I install the pc software under an emulation program?? or will there be major glitches especially with complicated, memory eating programs like cubase sx?

5) Can I run another operating system on the Apple? (eg. Windows)

6) If any of these cant be solved easily (and cheaply), can I install the Apple OS on my home pc? if so will it work as well as the dedicated Apple machine?

1) The PC may be faster or slower than the Mac; it really depends what you do, and what hardware you have (not all 128MB graphics cards are equals).

2) The hard drive will work if it's SATA, the sound card probably one.

3) Very little to none of it will work, you'll have to buy the Mac version of the same software or different software entirely. You can probably buy a program for the Mac that your files are compatible with.

4) Yes, but it's horrificly slow and incompatible with some apps.

5) Linux is the only other viable OS on a Mac; Windows will not run.

6) No.