Tedious, WOW! Very good links as well, for sure! Perhaps the one from PimpMySafari I think I am going to skip it for the time being as I already got my selection of my default Web browser(s), but more on that later … I knew as well about VersionTracker since I am getting the daily updates for the Windows software, but didn’t realise about there being a Mac version of it. Cool stuff! Thanks for the tips!

Ton, as you would be able to see from the comments I shared above for Andrew, naquada, I am afraid that things over here are not as simple. In fact, I will not be able to upgrade from the Web link you sent out since they will not ship it to The Canaries. Funny, eh? And the price is the full price, even though I got the MacBook Pro just a couple of weeks back. I am trying to get something sorted out with the local Apple store over here, but apparently that would have to wait till mid-September. We shall see…

Neil, you can say that twice! The experience is getting better and better by the day and I am just starting to think why it took me so long before I made the final move. I should have done it a long while ago and I am surely glad that is happening now.

And on top of this all, perhaps the thing that I am really enjoying the most is the Mac community and how helpful everyone has been all along to make that experience a lot easier and enjoyable. And it has surely helped. I was not expecting and it surely makes you feel like you are at home enjoying the Mac experience with friends, which, in the end, is what really matters, I guess. So a special thanks to everyone out there who has been able to help out a bit providing insightful comments and some really great links! It is greatly appreciated!

Appreciated all of the help and support provided thus far. I am already starting to notice some of you have just said when you mentioned that Mac software tends to be a much smoother experience than the Windows one. In fact, I am already starting the hang of it and certainly enjoy the new way of working through the different applications. And as I move more and move of my work apps. into the Mac I am starting to notice the productivity boost, which is good.

I knew about ecto for quite some time now and to be honest I wasn’t very keen on having to pay for another offline blogging client. So for a number of months I have been using Qumana and it worked like a charm in Windows. I am hoping that would be the same experience on the Mac, too. At least, I would not have to worry about it since it works pretty all right with the Mac (Massive thumbs up for those apps. that are OS independent. They rock!)

Still not sure what to do about the Office suite, so will have to postpone commenting on that one. However, what I can say is that the upgrade for the iLife08 is not going to be as easy as I thought. Apparently, the Apple Store online does not allow you to order the upgrades for The Canaries, which means that I would need to go local. I have been on the phone with the local Applie store over here and I have been told they can help me upgrade to iLife08, but it will not be happening till September because they haven’t received the disks yet. Go figure. We are, after all, in the middle of the ocean. Anyway, very shortly I am going to be travelling again, so I may actually go ahead and upgrade to it while on the road. The thing is that the upgrade is going to cost the nearly 80€ I was told at the beginning. No chance for anything else.

So far I am not complaining about the price for some of the Mac software, what I am a bit weary about though is to actually buy the license for software I will use for a week or two and then realise it has not met my needs and therefore will not use it any longer. I know that is what trials are made for, but then again, it is not the same experience, as I have found out with endo, for instance.

For IM, I think I am going to be ok with Skype and anxiously awaiting for when Sametime 7.5.1, deployed internally, can work through the Gateway and connect to other popular IM clients. No longer a need to have multiple software installed.

I am surely glad to hear you will be joining us in trying to make the move of the work apps. into the Mac environment. That is surely going to be fun and I am almost ready to get some serious testing going on. But more on that later…

“But the real point has to be this – would you go back? I wouldn’t and I’m saying that after 24 years of Wintel.”

Wow! Now that’s an endorsing testament!

The iLife ’08 upgrade program is available at your local Apple Store, though it’s very hard to find. You’ll find it here:

http://www.apple.com/es/ilife/uptodate/

You may need to contact your store by phone and ask them for the program if you bought your MBP a bit earlier.

Three links I recommend ALL Mac users follow.

It’s good to hear your Mac experience is positive. Here’s an excellent website listing opensource software for Mac OS.

http://www.opensourcemac.org/

Cheers.

others have already pointed you to some alternatives to some of the software, I’d also concur that the mac software tends to be alot better in quality than the pc stuff, namely free applications and open source seem to be better supported (without spyware).

Yes some applications like ecto, need to be paid for, but the mac version of ecto is far better than any blogging client I’ve found on the pc, openoffice as andy says is a possible alternative for ‘real’ office.. iLife 08 may be within your period for upgrade for $10 to the iLife 08, failing that, iLife 08 is not as expensive as you think..

even the price of the paid apps on the mac seem to be reasonable, only the ‘pro’ apps like CS3 (photoshop, illustrator etc), lightroom, final cut etc fall into the higher price range..

if you looking for IM and chat applications AdiumX rules the roost (and is free!)..

downsides yes, ilife always needs to be brought again at the new version.. but.. at a maximum of £55, it’s cheaper than many single apps on the PC..

if you need any help, please just ping me… I went mac many years ago, and haven’t looked back.. I’m even seriously considering dumping windows completely at work in favour of the IBM openclient, or a macbook with parallels for windows apps and the mac versions of notes etc.. (now I know mac’s are allowed on the internal network!!)

I will have a look and as time goes by I will let you know how my experiences go on this particular subject. I may be able to create a blog post or two on it as time goes by.

Thanks again for dropping by and for the kind comments as well!

I am inclined, indeed, to go for Parallels as I feel it is perhaps one of the most powerful options and I am not too much into VMWare, since I am not planning on reusing the images for Linux or whatever else than Windows.

Really appreciated as well the tips on MacUpdate and MacZot. I have now subscribed to them and I must say that I think I am going to enjoying them quite a bit! Although they are not as good as Giveaway of the Day, a super handy Web site I follow quite regularly as well to find some really good looking licensed Windows software for free.

But, still, thanks again for the superb feedback comments! (And good luck whenever you get your hands on your next Mac!)