Considering switching to a Mac

Hi


My 2006 Dell has almost had it so it’s time for a new Desktop.


After 20 years I am considering switching from Windows to an iMac for two reasons, (1) everyone tells me Mac's are great and (2) I’ve got Windows 8 on my new Notebook and I hate it.


My concerns are that my main usage of the computer (for work) are Excel and Outlook.


On Excel I make extensive use of keyboard shortcuts, such as F4 (repeat key) and old remembered ALT combinations (such as ALT, I, C inserts a column, that sort of thing).


These shortcuts, ingrained in my brain over 20 years are considerably faster than mouse equivalents, so I worry about losing those.


I also make a lot of use of both the Windows Delete and Backspace keys, and the numerical keypad, and I currently have a cool Logitech illuminated keyboard that helps me work in low light. (doesn’t seem to be an exact equivalent for Mac and Logitech won’t guarantee my Windows keyboard work would on a Mac).


I’ve heard you can run the Windows version of Excel using ‘Parallels’ on the Mac but I wonder will it be exactly the same as in Windows? Will all the features and shortcuts come across just like I was on a Window machine?


I'd be interested in any feedback please.


I need some convincing. :-)


Thankyou.

Originally Posted by Richard Buttrey

For what it's worth whilst I'm a devotee of the Apple Mac platform and use it for many things, Excel is not one of them and I try and steer well clear.

You've highlighted some of the differences. There are no Fx keys although there may be equivalents which I've never found. The shortcut keys are different in the sense that you've got an 'Apple' Cmd key and a Ctrl Key although even now after several years I've never really got used to them.

I write Excel applications for various companies and dread the time someone says we've moved to a Mac and now it won't work. Or worse, "we want the application to be portable on either platform".

The VBA (macro) syntax is different in many areas and the VBE editor is nowhere near as efficient as the Windows version and seriously compromises the speed of development.

I've never used Parallels but I've had one company tell me that there are quirks with it, but to be honest I've never enquired too far for fear of what I'd let myself in for.

There are no Activex forms controls.

I'm also wary of Microsoft dropping VBA support in new releases as they did with Excel for Mac 2008. That really did screw things up if anyone had macros and upgraded to 2008. They reinstated VBA in Excel for Mac 2011 but having dropped it once I'm very wary.

Hope this helps.

Thankyou for your advice. With much trepidation I switched to an iMac, installed Parallels, Windows 8.1 and my trusty Office 2010.

The first week has been like trying to learn an entire new language whilst working full time at the same time.

Slowly I'm settling into it after much googling of "How do I now do this .....?"

An app called KeyRemap4MacBook saved my sanity by putting my CTRL, ALT and WIN keys back where they should be, and by making the arrow keys, HOME and END keys do what they are supposed to do (speaking as a 20 years Windows user of course). :-)

XTRAFINDER restores some Windows Explorer functionality (and common sense) into Mac's Finder (yes, pressing ENTER really can open a file!).

Now I just hope it works out in the long run.

Seems a bit silly to buy a mac and then mess around trying to make it into a windows machine

Stick with the mac set-up and you will pick it up eventually.

For what it's worth, I'm a mac user for everything except MS office, which I have a windows machine for.