How many Windows to Mac Switchers?

Does anyone know an actual figure (even a marketing figure) from Apple that shows how many people are switching from Windows to a Mac? Maybe Parallels sales figures would be a better indicator... I'm thinking about writing some utilities to help move data from Windows to Mac because the current tools out there are lousy... but I want to know if there's a "market".

Cliff
www.smbtalk.com

 

im mainly a os x user. at the odd time i will pull my windows notebook out for some windows only games, and to use my scanner (b/c hp doesn't offer os x drivers for download)

 

The current utilities are bad?
How so? There are numerous easy options to transfer data from a windows drive (even NTFS) to the mac.
A) Put the drive in an external enclosure with FW or USB 2
B) setup a FTP server on either machine and use a FTP client to transfer data. Fastest if you have a gigabit network
C) setup a network share (though, I've not tried this, but should work)
D) burn data to disc and transfer it (okay, not very effective...)
E) use a cat5 cable to connect the two computers.

But I'm a long term windows users (since 3.1) and a first time mac user. I love OS X, but still need windows for some things.

 

Thanks for the feedback... physically copying data is not a problem... I'm talking about (for example) moving your Outlook email from Windows to Mac iMail... can't do it unless you use a program called outlook 2 mac....now if that program works for you then you don't have the same level of email requirements... but, I'm willing to bet that there are power users out there with tens of thousands of emails, attachments, contacts, etc... that's just one example. I'm not bashing the Mac or the apple software it's great... I actually got a kick out of it when I talked to an Apple sales representative and he said that writing your spreadsheets on the Mac was more "entertaining" than on the PC... LMAO... but, that's just the way of the Mac... I'm just wondering if I can make it worth my time to write software that will ease peoples transition from Windows to Mac...

Cliff.

 

The prospect of not right clicking scares me, so I won't switch. (*laughs*)

 

uhh.. you can right click. Eitehr with the built in trackpad/mouse on the MB/MBP or with... a mouse.

 

yeah, i actualy prefer to work with office apps in OS X. Most of the time. I don't like that apple-tab doesn't bring you to all teh different open windows. Using Apple-~ works okay, but I'm just not as used to it.

Hrm, well, I don't know much other data besides mail contacts that can be moved. The harder part is finding where that data is stored, or exporting it (I think it's built into outlook). Then it's simply a matter of copying that data over and using the import command through mail. It seems pretty simple, but I've never tried that.

 

The only reason I go back to Windows is to use things that I can't get on Mac. Which is basically only games.

 

It bothers me as well, but I am aware it is because I am somewhat used to it. I should try using Spotlight + arrows or TAB.

 

for some reason i like to work on windows better... i only go to mac when my windows is on "maintanance". i use my mac mainly for internet browsing.

 

I stopped using Windows for anything but games over 5 years ago, I've used Linux as my main operating system ever since - though for the past year I'm leaning clearly in the OS X direction for general use, Linux for server use, and Windows for gaming. The best of all worlds. Once I finally get a MBP that is where I will be, but for now I only use macs at work.

Would be nice to be able to drop Windows entirely, but gaming still needs a lot of push for OS X. Hoping for a breakthrough soon.

 

Apple claimed in the first half of the year that 50% of new Mac sales were first time Mac users.

That is not the fault of Mail. Microsoft uses a non-standard format for you email/contacts. Thanks to that it is difficult to move Outlook contacts and mail to any program. The good news is that just about every other mail app uses a standard format.

I switched about 5 months ago and now use my Windows machine as a glorified gaming console. OS X does everything I need.

 

Hopefully in May 07, I will be a switcher. I am looking forward to it.

 

Well, if the poll results can be trusted, it would seem that 82% of Macintosh users/switchers still need Windows to either play games or work... seems like a lot of opportunity for software developers here...

 

Somehow I feel embarrassed about the fact that I just purchased a MBP and I'm a diehard Windows user.

I actually develop desktop applications and have been doing so for over 22 years. I could never abandon Windows completely, even if I wanted to unless I retire.

I use Visual Foxpro and MS does not have a MAC version any more. I know there are other database apps available on the MAC, but with over 40,000 users, even if I switched and could convert my app to a MAC app, I'm sure I couldn't convince all of them to switch.

So I'm going to give a MBP chance to win me over. I'll probably have to run Parallels to continue my Windows development and I'll probably have to keep a Windows laptop (probably my T60) just so I can test any hardware issues that arise. I don't think my users would trust my sincerity if I said, "Well, it works on my MBP." Most of them probably don't even know what Parallels is.

I can justify the (let's call it experimentation) because it may open up some new markets to us if I can advertise that my application works on a MBP with Parallels and/or Bootcamp.

Nevertheless, it feels funny buying a MBP when the only laptops I've ever used have been PC's. I'm buying it primarily to get up close and personal with OS X and evaluate the reliability of the MBP and Apple's service. I hope they don't disappoint.

The #1 reason I have stayed with Thinkpads is because their service it top notch and their reliability is excellent.

 

I went the opposite direction, from Mac to Windows but didn't really make a full switch since I still have and use a Mac.

 

mach_zero,

Why did you switched, partially, to Windows? And why do you still use your Mac? Just curiouse.

Thanks for any reply.

 

I gave up on Windows since I got my MacBook. I only use XP at work but home use is now strictly Mac OS X.

 

Im about to switch in the next week....buying a nice new mb!
Switching 'cause I use OSX for work, and thus to fit in at work I am upgrading my old asus laptop to a new mb. I will still have XP at home for media center stuff and games, but if the switch goes well then I may switch the rest of my gear over in due course.
a

 

I switched out my old desktop for a Mac Mini a few months ago, and I've been pretty happy with OS X. Only annoyance I have is really that Finder could be a bit more efficient when it comes to managing files/etc, I tend to use my Windows laptop w. Explorer for that.

But that's about to change, selling my ASUS S96J tomorrow, have a 15.4" MacBook Pro coming in next week.

Overall I'm quite pleased with my switch from Windows, with a few annoyances (Photoshop + Rosetta = Makes me cry)

 

When will rosetta go away and have a faster efficiency so it doesn't have to go through it.

 

When the PowerPC is completely dropped. Probably by 10.8 maybe sooner, maybe later.

But if you mean when will Photo Shop not have to use Rosetta, then whenever Adobe releases Universal apps.

 

When I talked to Adobe last month, I was told Creative Suite CS3 will be universal. YAY!!

 

Most of the programs that most people use are already Universal. The major programs left are MS Office and the entire Adobe lineup. Good news is that both will be universal within 6-9 months. Rosetta will still be kept up for some time for those who don't want to upgrade to the Universal apps right away.

 

I'd like to find a seamless way to transfer all my stored AOL emails to the Mac email program.

 

Just got myself a macbook - first time experience with Apple and I must say I like what I see so far! I still use a Windows notebook for office work though.

 

I really dig OS X. It's fast and reliable, and that genie effect when I minimize / maximize windows is just so freaking cool! I also love all the gizmos that OS X comes with - Garageband, Photobooth, etc.

 

My Macbook just arrived today and I'm looking forward to getting home and trying it out. I already have Linux on my desktop and once I start using my Mac, hopefully I won't have to ever go back to Windows, at least on a regular basis.

 

I'll be converting to Mac from Windows. Not sure if I'll stay cause I haven't had the chance to use it for more than an hour.

 

Here's a funny story... My wife wanted a mac because she thought they were "cute" and told me I should go buy one. After doing my research and found out that I could run both OS's and I bought a Dual Core because I thought I might use Windows if it was there. I installed it and never used it. I would say that if you're pretty comfortable with computers get a Mac. The switch wasn't hard at all. Maybe to get new programs such as torrent clients, etc. But for that do a google search for whatever you're looking for + for mac. I would also suggest getting a copy of OSX Unleashed by SAMS it'll give you the basics and then get more in depth as you get more comfortable. I've also installed Office for Mac and now I will never go back to a windows machine. Needless to say we own two Macs now and I bought a MacPro for my Christmas Gift!

 

I love my new MBP it is so quite and so, erm, sexy. I still use windows for games and downloading stuff, so I'm not really a switcher. I like Macs because everything is so, well, sexy and smooth and easy to use. lol

 

I personally have a macbook pro but my sister and mom is still stuck in window$land. Well at least until they see what my macbook pro can do. Then I'm sure my mom's going to want a macbook or something.

 

I will be switching over once MWSF passes.

I have been an AGING lurker and cashmonee and bandaidx and more have been quite helpful. In order to help and encourage switchers it would be great if we could get a sticky with step by step things a windows user should do.

There was a thread awhile back wrt what one should do as soon as they get their mac. Any nuances would be great.

Additionally a sticky on best practices for running bootcamp would be awesome as well.

Reason I am waiting till MWSF is I would looove a mbp just in a smaller footprint then the current 15" model.

If nothing is announced - I will be picking one up this week (well ordering one at least.)

I'll keep you all posted.

Regards,
dolo

 

Completely switched and soo happy. Although the CD drive on my macbook pro does make quite a bit of noise when it's taking in CDs, but since I rarely use it, it's no inconvenience. And Mac OS X also unscrambled some of my songs that were scrambled up because the CD was too damaged. OS X never fails to impress.

 

Yeah the drive is a bit scary. It sucks up your disc and goes all crazy reading it. Its like eating you disc.

 

I recently bought a MacBook to be my "work" machine (I'm a grad student), and I'm loving it so far. I still use my windows machine for games, media (it's a desktop with a nice Klipsch sound setup, and a very nice big ViewSonic monitor) and storage, but I've moved all of my office-type tasks to the mac, and, other than the pain of migrating settings from outlook (ugh, never again will I save that much data in such a proprietary format), it's working great.

One thing that really impresses me is the quality of freely available apps for OSX. Yeah, there are ton of free apps for windows and, don't get me wrong, some of them are really good, but a lot of them are garbage. In contrast, I have yet to find a free mac app that isn't at least pretty good (and some are just amazing, like quicksilver ). Oh, and the programs that come with OSX aren't half bad either.

 

As a long time Windows user (since Windows 286), and an occasional Mac user (to see how the other side lived periodically), I bought my latet Mac (Black MacBook C2D 2ghz, 2gb Ram, 120gb HD) about a month ago, and have completely switched for real work.

Actually my one use for Windows at this point is torturing Windows users by showing them how much faster it boots and seems to run (under Parallels) on my Mac ;-)

 

I'll eventually get an Apple notebook with OSX. Probably just a used iBook G4, just to get used to the new (to me) OS before getting something more expensive that I really don't need at the moment. It may not be far awhile now, I'm short on cash. I'm experimenting with Linux, and I'll probably jump into Linux also. I will never abandon Windows, even if I like OS X and Linux better, there's too many apps I use on Windows to want to abandon it (Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum is a great vid editor, but only for Windows).

 

Here's one Happy switcher! Sure it's difficult to use my Macbook for other than light tasks on my lap, but other than that she's just perfect. I'm actually developing an allergy to the system I've been using for over 15 years. Anyways, I couldn't have switched at a better time since Vista seems down the drain and Leopard is 'round the corner. Here's to a bright future to Apple laptops!

 

LOL i tried a mac. the **** thing bricked in a week.
back to windows.

 

Bricked because...it's a G4. It's so outdated compared to the C2D Macs now which run perfectly.

 

I love Mac... I just wish gaming would have the same performance. DirectX should be binary.

 

I have been using my brother's 12" PowerBook G4 for ~3months now. I just can't give the comments like "OSX is great, better than Windows yada yada yada"

I'm not leaning towards any OS actually. Seriously I think both OS works the same. Just my personal experience.

 

Looks like we're gonna need a "neutral" position on this poll.

 

I am getting a mac book, because I have heard they are good reliable computers. I will never get rid of my windows based pc's though.

 

Brand new MacBook owner here. I still have several windows based machines and I still work in a windows environment, but I am looking forward to using the mac during my leisure time and maybe sneak some work in there from time to time.

I'm not a gamer, but I dabble with a little music production. I picked up logic express to use with the MacBook - I already have Reason and a number of cross platform softsynths to work with. Looking forward to playing with this stuff too.

cycloptic