Somebody stop me!

[Skysurfer]

I've reached a crossroads. I've used Thinpads for ten years all the time knowing and preaching them as THE best. I do intensive financial modeling work for venture capital, and I build fairly robust Excel files. And my trusty Thinkpads made it so much easier and fun.

But now I am reaching the breaking point with Windows. I've actually had fantasies of throwing my computer through the window (shhhh...don't let my Thinkpad hear that). And my frustration is beginning to hear the voice (the marketing spin) that the Mac is the Promised Land.

Plain and simple: for the hard core Excel work that I do (and all those windows shortcuts and CEOs I consult on how to use Windows/Excel), is there ANY advantage to switching to a Mac? Is Windows enough of a reason to convert from Thinkpad to Mac? Can the latest greatest Thinkpad beat Windows into submission?

Anybody. Somebody. What is the real deal with the Mac? Is it in any way my salvation from Windows?

Lawrence

[tylerwylie]

I've reached a crossroads. I've used Thinpads for ten years all the time knowing and preaching them as THE best. I do intensive financial modeling work for venture capital, and I build fairly robust Excel files. And my trusty Thinkpads made it so much easier and fun.

But now I am reaching the breaking point with Windows. I've actually had fantasies of throwing my computer through the window (shhhh...don't let my Thinkpad hear that). And my frustration is beginning to hear the voice (the marketing spin) that the Mac is the Promised Land.

Plain and simple: for the hard core Excel work that I do (and all those windows shortcuts and CEOs I consult on how to use Windows/Excel), is there ANY advantage to switching to a Mac? Is Windows enough of a reason to convert from Thinkpad to Mac? Can the latest greatest Thinkpad beat Windows into submission?

Anybody. Somebody. What is the real deal with the Mac? Is it in any way my salvation from Windows?

Lawrence

There's always the third choice

[milstein]

What kind of modelling do you usually run?
What kind of financial modelling software package do you use?

[visionviper]

What is the real deal with the Mac? Is it in any way my salvation from Windows?

You could always install OSX on you Thinkpad.

[ryengineer]

snip....Plain and simple: for the hard core Excel work that I do (and all those windows shortcuts and CEOs I consult on how to use Windows/Excel), is there ANY advantage to switching to a Mac? Is Windows enough of a reason to convert from Thinkpad to Mac? Can the latest greatest Thinkpad beat Windows into submission?....snip

Switching to Mac merely for Excel work seems like a big step in my opinion. You also don't mention the problems you had with Windows while using Excel or other programs on your thinkpad. Anyways, latest thinkpads run all Microsoft Windows quite smoothly, so did most prior models, if not all versions. A well optimized Windows would almost never encounter any problem(s).

As far as Mac OS X is concerned, it's a superior operating system than Windows, again this is my opinion which I have come up with after using Mac on my wife's Macbook but too bad it's still a closed system. Although you would be able to install it on a thinkpad also but many functions won't work, so you can either have thinkpad with Windows or Mac OS X with Macbook.

I'm absolutely contented with Windows (XP) performance on my thinkpad and if I were to switch to another brand of machine just because of Windows then I would've explored my other options of running another compatible OS like linux on my thinkpad first because I consider thinkpad's build quality and hardware to be more consistent than an equally structured Macbook.

[whizkid]

If your issues with Windows go beyond Excel, you could install Linux or Mac OSX as a host OS, and run Windows inside it for those times you really need Excel. It's a bit easier than dual booting.

Actually, yet another option is to put virtual machines of Windows on Windows, and keep the base system very clean. Use virtual machines for you work and restore them from backups when/if they get flaky.

[pianowizard]

Skysurfer, if you're having issues with Excel, sometimes installing the latest Office updates (e.g. a new service pack) fixes them.

[gator]

Using MS office on a mac is NOT intuitive ... I have tried using them on occasion at the macs we have at school here and I kept smacking my head ... MS Office and Windows XP/vista go hand in hand, and in my opinion, changing to OSX (however good it is) just for excel is a bad move.

Just my $0.02 ...

[Mr Blek]

Why do people think OS X is intuitive? To me, the OS is a throwback to the days when only one app at a time could be run, hence the single mouse button and menu bar.

[pxa270]

I really depends on the person. I know some very enthusiastic Mac users, but I also know two recent switchers who aren't all that happy after about a month of use. One is now using XP most of the time on her Macbook, and the other recently asked for my help in installing XP on the iMac

Anyway, perhaps you could be a bit more specific about you exact problems with Windows?

[Thomcat]

"If your issues with Windows go beyond Excel, you could install Linux or Mac OSX as a host OS, and run Windows inside it for those times you really need Excel. It's a bit easier than dual booting."

I think this may be a good choice. If your issues have to do with overall Windows stability, you can:

1. Reinstall Windows (and all needed programs)

OR

2. Install another OS (Linux or FreeBSD are stable choices) and install a Virtual Client that runs Windows and your needed Windows productivity tools.

Try the latter. I suggest http://www.virtualbox.org/

[cj3209]

Switching to a mac won't help you because the program that you need to use is made by...microsoft.

You either need to update your excel program, reinstall it, or upgrade it.

And using excel on a mac isn't that easy. I went through a 'I need a mac' phase a few years ago and started using my work's 15" AL Powerbook. I just couldn't get used to the trackpad and OS X always felt sluggish to me. It was fun using it though; just couldn't get any work done...

Now, of course, the newer intel Macs might be better...

My two cents...

CJ

[lightweight]

Plain and simple: for the hard core Excel work that I do (and all those windows shortcuts and CEOs I consult on how to use Windows/Excel), is there ANY advantage to switching to a Mac?

If your issues with Windows go beyond Excel, you could install Linux or Mac OSX as a host OS, and run Windows inside it for those times you really need Excel. It's a bit easier than dual booting.

Or use openoffice.org to save as .xls. Anything "hardcore" I've ever had to do in Excel (mostly regressions) was better done in another program, fwiw, including the combination of Open Office Calc and Math. You can map shortcuts to whatever you want. Anyone familiar with spreadsheets can pretty much look at any spreadsheet gui and know what's going on, but OO.o Calc looks and functions almost exactly like Excel by default.

[tylerwylie]

Plain and simple: for the hard core Excel work that I do (and all those windows shortcuts and CEOs I consult on how to use Windows/Excel), is there ANY advantage to switching to a Mac?

If your issues with Windows go beyond Excel, you could install Linux or Mac OSX as a host OS, and run Windows inside it for those times you really need Excel. It's a bit easier than dual booting.

Or use openoffice.org to save as .xls. Anything "hardcore" I've ever had to do in Excel (mostly regressions) was better done in another program, fwiw, including the combination of Open Office Calc and Math. You can map shortcuts to whatever you want. Anyone familiar with spreadsheets can pretty much look at any spreadsheet gui and know what's going on, but OO.o Calc looks and functions almost exactly like Excel by default.

Agreed. FOSS is catching up in a lot of different areas of software. Why someone would buy an Office suite for anything besides Outlook is beyond me. Hell most Microsoft Exchange environments support IMAP with filters anyways. There's even calender support in some other programs now as well.

Go FOSS!

*Edit* And the rest of the OpenOffice suite rocks as well. It makes me happy to see more and more people dumping programs like Microsoft Office and Trillian and Windows for FOSS alternatives. I got to setup my computer at work the way I want to, just as long as I can do my job it doesn't really matter to them.

[2cdneh]

I've used OS X, Linux, Windows. I need the operating system to:

1. Launch applications
2. Switch between applications
3. Find and open files

Currently I'm using an T60P with Windows XP. What I need from my laptop is:

1. A good screen
2. A great keyboard and pointing device
3. Good battery life
4. Reasonable travel weight
5. Good quality
6. Good service

My Thinkpad meets all these requirements. I use Launchy (www.launchy.net) to run programs - everything I use I can start with a couple of keystrokes, no mousing. I use X1 (www.x1.com) to find files. Alt Tab switches between applications. I really don't use the OS for anything else, I really don't care what it is as long as it doesn't get in my way. I don't know why people get so worked up over this OS vs some other OS.

Thinkpads are well built, have good service, a great keyboard, and a personally think the pointing stick is the best pointing device ever - I use an UltraNav keyboard when docked! That said, I use keyboard shortcuts a lot.

You need to run Office, so you are stuck with it. What is it about Windows that bothers you so much? XP doesn't get in my way and doesn't crash (much). I must say though that Vista does seem more annoying in the short time I spent with it.