Your best tips for switching from Mac to PC

[James Falconer]

Hey folks. Hoping to get some solid advice from the great community here!

Full disclosure, I'm a longtime Mac user (no booing please!) lol, but I've also been a fan of Windows for a long time. I still remember rocking Windows 3.1 back in the day, and for me Windows 95 was magic.

Long story short, I've always used Microsoft/Windows products through the years, and the other day picked up a new Dell XPS 13. Was wondering if anyone out there could lend a hand in terms of getting me setup. The big thing on my side is making sure my key apps and services are in place. I generally use:

- Skype
- Slack
- FTP of some sort (as long as it's solid)
- Photoshop
- Gmail
- Some solid text editor (for coding - I use Coda on Mac)
- Trello

Any feedback is appreciated. Looking forward to making Windows a more regular part of my day. And you'll see a lot more of me in here

Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[HeyCori]

Boooooooo!

*ahem* with that out of the way...

My first tip is to not let yourself get caught flat-footed by a forced restart. I don't know how much control the XPS 13 gives you over Windows' update schedule, but don't become of one "those people" that ignores the restart to update message until it's too late.

Next, spend a month or two with Cortana. You might really grow to like her.

And finally, read Windows Central religiously. I hear they have some great tips and articles about Windows 10 on there. :grin:

 

[evelynpepper]

Long story cut short, id suggest stick to MAC.

 

[piccoro]

My Tip? Go back to Mac if you don't really need a windows machine....I'm stuck on this windows machine for work & my research. Wish they had the 17inch macbook pro I'd sell a leg for it.

Edit: ON a serious note, your apps are not much different in windows machines perhaps photoshop is. You should have no problems doing the switch.

 

[Drael646464]

Well gmail can be a part of the mail app. Or not.

Photoshop should be the same. Same with skype and everything else.

I can't recommend a text editor for coding, as I don't code. There's got to be loads though, as windows is a common coding platform.

It's things like managing the settings that will take you time to get used to. With the creators update you can for example manage when updates occur. Usually they just slip in when you restart your device. If you have the pro version you get more options there. But you can set the hours you'd like it to happen. If you enable hibernate as a power option, on a tablet or laptop you can use that instead of a shutdown, which speeds up both shutdown and startup and leaves everything where you were - BUT, it skips updates. So I use that on my tablet, but I manually trigger updates and consciously do restarts every now and again.

There is A LOT of software for windows, so that's another thing that will take time.

Few basic cool tips - right click on the start menu - brings up quick shortcuts to commandlines, settings, device manage and a host of power settings stuff. You won't get that on a mac.

IDK, how stable osx is these days, but it's worth doing the odd backup of a windows machine. Things rarely go wrong but if they do, its nice to just throw in a boot disk and fix it without hassle.

Most windows devices can do miracast if they have intergrated intel graphics. Not sure if your lappy does or doesn't. but if it does, it can both send and receive. Need fast wifi for that though. Find that stuff under connect on the action menu bottom right.

You can also change whats in that menu, under settings.

I reckon UWP apps are worth checking out. They are lightweight, and dedicated, and some people enjoy them. They are basically like mobile apps. Personally I like how fluid and quick they are. For somethings like social networking, I'd rather not have the clutter of a browser.

Edge is totally worth checking out. It's not fancy, but its lightweight, and has a pretty nice UI - bookmarks, history, downloads all in one place. Plus now you can save all your tabs under sessions, which is handy for coders, right? (I know my mate often has like twenty open at once)

If you start typing in Cortana or the startmenu, it'll search for whatever you type. Whether that's an app, setting, file, whatever. That's a really handy function.

If you want to use shortcuts instead of tiles, you can drag uwp app stuff to the desktop to make a shortcut now. You could probably even get a mac-like launcher to launch everything, just for familiarity.

 

[Internaut]

For FTP, I think WinSCP will do the trick. Windows also has a built in ftp client that works from the command prompt. Dunno what Slack and Trello are, so can't comment. Everything else should be fine.

In general... Switch or not; it's no biggie. I use use both. I prefer the Mac. However, unless you're wedded to something Mac only, Windows is more than good enough and often cheaper for the same oomph.

 

[HeyCori]

I'm a long time window user here but early this year I purchased an iMac. The features are pretty nice. However, I dont know how to feel between windows and mac's OS. I feel that windows is still easier to use but I maybe wrong too because it is maybe because that I am long time window user too. Lol.

My job is pro Mac. I use one everyday at work. Depending on what I'm working on, I bounce between an iMac and MacBook Air. Sometimes I use an iPad but not so much anymore. And despite using OSX for about 8 years now, I still don't see the appeal.

It's not a bad OS. There are features that I wish Windows had (CMD+Q forever!!!). And there are certainly aspects that make OSX a superior OS for those that aren't computer savvy. For example, ejecting a flash drive, uninstalling an app, or preventing programs from loading at startup. But in the end, I still give the nod to Windows.

I know people have their own preferences, but IMO, the taskbar is far more convenient than the dock. I also have an easier time managing files/folders, and I prefer the flexibility and control I have over Windows.

And that's to say nothing of the various hardware configurations I have to choose from. Right now I'm using a Yoga Book and it works great in tablet mode or outputting to a second display. However, no such thing like that exists for OSX. I can do in one device what Apple wants me to do in two (Mac/iPad).

So despite Windows' shortcomings, the positives still outweigh the negatives, IMO.

 

[Muessig]

I have to use a Mac every day at work too, and I still much prefer Windows, contrary to everyone else that works with me who just can't understand Windows or get along with it. Only thing I wish Windows had was the spacebar preview on a file!

 

[pseudoware]

Thanks to Santa, I'm coming back to daily Windows use after two years on my MacBook Pro (which I enjoyed).

My advice would be to keep your Windows system clean. I know that means different things to different people, and you can get plenty of advice here, but whether it's Disk Cleanup, CCleaner, Malwarebytes, a combination of things, whatever, make it a habit. Don't go months doing nothing and then wonder why it takes 10 minutes to boot up and another five to open a web page.

Another suggestion if anyone is still picking a computer, get as much RAM, SSD space (just say no to HDD), and the fastest or "best" processor possible.

Lastly, look at a few "x things to do with your new Windows computer" blogs. You don't have to do it all, just pick out what works for you. I always learn something new from those.

 

[coreycains]

To be honest, most of the apps you've mentioned are easily available on Windows. Moreover, there are plenty of alternatives available for Windows that Mac OS lacks or are available as paid apps.

 

[win95wasgood]

I use both Mac and PC. The operating systems and workflows are so similar these days, I really have no trouble switching between the two within the same day. My Chrome even syncs browser bookmarks and addons between the two.

There's 2 main differences.
1. The Mac trackpad is much better than the one on my PC. But I usually don't use either, as I use the mouse.
2. Microsoft Excel works better on the PC. Once I got used to the shortcuts, and the control/alt are all in the right places.

Good luck with the switch!

 

[Akshay M]

By becoming an expert user of both systems. That way you can point out all the advantages Windows has over Mac. Plus you have to find the hardware that overclasses the Apple hardware. I currently have a MacBook (OSX), a desktop which runs Windows 10, and virtualize Ubuntu with VirtualBox. All OS have their plus and minuses—but the main motivation for using Windows was that they have GPUs which support VR and AR development.

Here is the first change that you will experience while using windows after MAC

A virtual assistant. If you like talking to Siri on your Mac for some reason, you can talk to Cortana in much the same way on Windows computers, and on many, you can choose to wake her up without pressing any keys.

 

[Peter Szajda]

Its call Quicktool and Young Gunde ut in Windows store

 

[Pistle123]

Both operating systems have their advocates and their detractors, but the truth is that there are advantages and disadvantages on either side. Use these tips, and you’ll see more of the former and less of the latter.
Use Ninite to Get Up and Running- Ninite compiles a host of basic software into one easy-to-use installer. Everything it offers comes highly recommended, and you won’t be targeted by any toolbars or other hassle as you install it on your system.

Make Full Use of Shortcuts- One of the biggest challenges for anyone making the transition from Mac to Windows or vice versa is getting accustomed with keyboard shortcuts. Swapping out the Apple Key for the Control Key will ease you into the basics, but some system-specific functionality will take a little longer to really get used to.

Take Security More Seriously- The myth of Macs somehow being immune to viruses and security exploits shouldn’t be given much credence, but Windows users have more risks to be aware of. With more PCs out there than Macs, unscrupulous software has a broader reach if it targets Windows users.

Conserve the Data From Your Old System- Moving from a Mac to a PC is enough of an upheaval, so don’t think everything on your old computer is being thrown out. Think of it like moving house—the building might change, but you still get to keep your stuff.

Enjoy PC Gaming to the Full- You don’t necessarily need a high-spec computer to enjoy the latest indie titles, but if you have the horsepower, ports of popular console titles have never been more readily available than they are today. Plus, many genres are simply better suited to a PC interface than they are to dedicated gaming consoles, like FPSes, RTSes and MMOs.