Solved I don't know Jack about MAC but need help with a question

[linnemeyerhere]

My brother in Oregon is going to let me build him a banging new computer if applicable but he also has a 5 year old Mac all in one system that he wants to bring files over and either convert or be able to open. He tells me that new Mac owners will forward things that his old Mac can't open it's that old. (like an old version of word that has to be converted before opening)

1) Is this a dual boot OS applicable situation with Mac & Windows? Mac doesn't sell their OS do they?

2) What would be the best way to grab and convert his Mac files to MS Office and the like?

3) Or is the best solution a Mac with Snow Leopard or what ever it's called now to open PC files.

4) He has music, video and data files like we all have and I just can't wrap my head around how I can help a Mac user......is there help for them? lol funny the Mac user will say the same thing about the PC user, hence the commercials.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

 

[MvdB]

What MAC OS version does he have?

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Just got off the line and he has OSX 10.4 and then an older version of Photoshop for the Mac is all he has.

 

[MvdB]

Just got off the line and he has OSX 10.4 and then an older version of Photoshop for the Mac is all he has.

OK, I'll check with an expert and get back to you...

 

[linnemeyerhere]

I instant chatted with an Apple rep and she said the Mac can run PC programs but the PC can't run the Mac programs which I kind of suspected. Once people with Mac's have a lot of Mac files it's kind of hard to get them to PC is my guess?

 

[Maxwell]

Well 10.4 is extremely old.. OS X (Macintosh) Can only be installed on macs.. Unless you would like to Hackintosh. Hackintoshing is installing Mac OS X on a windows PC. Its not a straightforward process, and is truely just a pain in the ass. I wouldn't recommend it at all for a non geek. The problem he is having is nothing for 10.4 is supported anymore, and most applications will not even run on it. You can convert all of his stuff depending on what programs he is using. Everything he has for iWork (equivalent to office, but made by apple) is basically a lost case. I'm not positive but I think that you could import it into Google Docs (can somebody confirm this?). Everything else will be pretty easy. The hardest transition will be him coming from a Mac to a PC. The transition is easy when its PC going to Mac, but not the other way around.

If hes using a computer with 10.4, just get him a Mac Mini.. They are awesome computers and there wouldn't be any problems for him transitioning.

 

[MvdB]

I instant chatted with an Apple rep and she said the Mac can run PC programs but the PC can't run the Mac programs which I kind of suspected. Once people with Mac's have a lot of Mac files it's kind of hard to get them to PC is my guess?

True, but if memory serves me... From a certain OS version onwards, the mac could place files on an external HDD that had a filesystem config such that both Mac and pc can read/write.... Would that help you?

 

[Maxwell]

I instant chatted with an Apple rep and she said the Mac can run PC programs but the PC can't run the Mac programs which I kind of suspected. Once people with Mac's have a lot of Mac files it's kind of hard to get them to PC is my guess?

True, but if memory serves me... From a certain OS version onwards, the mac could place files on an external HDD that had a filesystem config such that both Mac and pc can read/write.... Would that help you?

Mac OS can read NFTS, but it cannot write to it. HFS+ Is the mac filesystem and you cannot read it on a PC without a separate program.

 

[MvdB]

I instant chatted with an Apple rep and she said the Mac can run PC programs but the PC can't run the Mac programs which I kind of suspected. Once people with Mac's have a lot of Mac files it's kind of hard to get them to PC is my guess?

True, but if memory serves me... From a certain OS version onwards, the mac could place files on an external HDD that had a filesystem config such that both Mac and pc can read/write.... Would that help you?

Mac OS can read NFTS, but it cannot write to it. HFS+ Is the mac filesystem and you cannot read it on a PC without a separate program.

What is that seperate program? Strange, i exchange files with my son who is on a very modern mac and I am not aware that i use any special program for that. I'll have to check with him what he does....

 

[Maxwell]

True, but if memory serves me... From a certain OS version onwards, the mac could place files on an external HDD that had a filesystem config such that both Mac and pc can read/write.... Would that help you?

Mac OS can read NFTS, but it cannot write to it. HFS+ Is the mac filesystem and you cannot read it on a PC without a separate program.

What is that seperate program? Strange, i exchange files with my son who is on a very modern mac and I am not aware that i use any special program for that. I'll have to check with him what he does....

There are some that will let you read the HFS+ Format. Not write to it though i'm not positive what its called.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Hey on a slightly different issue but related, why does the Mac tout that it doesn't get viruses like PC's do? I see that Mac recommends AV programs but then also says to not run to get one as there's just no hurry like the risk just isn't the same..........how does that happen in this day and age of bored hackers......they (the hackers) can't all be on PC's?

 

[johnwillyums]

Funnily enough a friend of mine, a Window's man from a way back and someone with a greater technical knowledge than me and someone who used a much greater variety of software than myself, has just bought himself an 27" iMac.
He is absolutely bowled over by it and has become a fanboi overnight.
As for viruses, I've always heard that because it it a Unix system like Linux, it was inherently less prone to virus attacks.
There is also the notion that, up until recently, Mac OSX was a tiny fraction of the market. As such it was supposedly not as worthwhile to write viruses for Mac systems. Always had my doubts about this theory however

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Excellent conjectural John. It just sounds like my brother may be getting another Mac. I'm so disappointed ! Maybe one of each?

 

[MvdB]

I agree.... it was a case of being only a tiny fraction of the market. However, by now we have the first incidents of malware on iPhones and I'm afraid it won't take long for standard MAC OS's to have similar vulnerability attacks as Windows has...

BTW, I'm still checking which is the oldest version MAC OS that can do this but am now sure that my son and I transfer loads of files (Data, music and movies) by using an external NTFS HDD formatted by my PC...
We have no special software for that.

Even got something for 10.4: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh1161.html