Thinking of making the switch?
Switching from a Windows to a Mac requires careful consideration. Above all else, users should strive to choose an operating system that is most conducive to their work needs. Below are some of the factors to consider before making the switch.
Comparison of Features
A summary of the key reasons for choosing a Mac or PC is included below.
| Item | Choose a Mac | Choose a PC |
I mostly use Windows-based programs (Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Access and Visio; ArcGIS, SAS, or Sigmaplot; Matlab) |  | |
I mostly use Mac-based programs (Adobe Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver; Mac Mail) | | |
| I'm newer to using desktop computers | | |
| I plan on doing a large amount of project work or document collaboration with colleagues who use Windows machines | | |
| I want easy synchronization with my other Apple devices (iPod, iPad, iPhone) | | |
| I want the Forestry Helpdesk to provide warranty repairs for my machine | |
Dual-booting and Virtual Machines
It is possible to have both Mac and Windows operating systems on the same Mac computer. The Windows partition can then be accessed either by booting to it directly (using Bootcamp), or by purchasing software to run Windows as a virtual machine (VMWare Fusion, Parallels).
A dual-booted system has many disadvatages, which should be considered carefully beforehand:
- A Windows Virtual machine cannot take full advantage of the hardware on the computer, so resource-intensive programs like ArcGIS will not run as effectively.
- Likewise, having two operating systems on the same computer adds an additional layer of complexity to daily work.
- Finally, dual-booting users need to take responsibility for updating and maintaining both operating systems.