I’m starting a new job in a couple of weeks. I have the choice to use a PC or a Mac. I’ve always used a PC, I would consider myself a Windows power user and I have extensive experience with Fedora and Ubuntu.
I’ve used Macs a few times without much trouble, but not for sustained periods of work.
I’d like to use a Mac at work because I’d like the power of a unix command line and the benefits of being able to install web servers etc.
My question to you all is this: If I opt for a Mac in my new job will it be totally impossible to quickly get up to speed? Will it make me look inexperienced? I’m thinking keyboard shortcuts will be the biggest hurdle.
Any tips? Or should I just stick with what I know?
You should be able to go with the Mac. As far as keyboard shortcuts, those are indicated in the menus. The first thing will be to become familiar with the shortcut conventions, ie using keys like the “command key”. If you want to go with the Mac, besides the built in help, you might want to check out a book like Mac OS X: The Missing Manual to help you take advantage of the Mac the best you can.
Depends on what the culture is at the new work place. If they are mostly a mac shop you’ll do them a favour fitting in with whatever they use.
However, I’d say that the moment when you walk into a new job, when you’ll have enough on your plate as it is, is not a good time to be stumbling around awkwardly on your desktop because you’ve decided now is the time to start from scratch and learn something new, while on the employers coin.
Either buy a mac tomorrow and at least get a few weeks basic familiarity under your belt, or accept you might look like the weak link to your new workmates if you press ahead anyway.
Yes, me too a Windows user but at my job place I am working on Mac Machine. There is no much difference as the time progresses the you will get familiar too it.
Congratulations on the new job.
Isn’t the employer providing you a ‘workplace’ machine to use? I think THAT would make your decision.
Although it is very important to have experience with both types of machines. A ‘prejudice’ is fun for TV commercials but limits your marketability in the workforce.
I have been a Windows user for many, many years and just [switched?] to Mac recently.
Like you, I have played with *nix (including REAL Unix) and had no particluar opinion pro or con for Mac or PC.
But, I must say, the Mac “feels” easier to use. The command line is more comfortable and I have never felt apprehensive that the machine might not work when I turn it on. Of course, that is what you pay for (Macs are quite a bit more expensive than PCs).
Likewise, I have never been disappointed with a coffee from Starbucks. I pay more and expect more.
I had the choice of machine. As it happened the company already had a 27" imac so I went with that, even though they were happy to buy a new PC if I wanted it. I’m glad I did - it’s a beautiful machine and I expect I’ll be getting one to replace my ageing home desktop before too long.
It didn’t really have any trouble adapting to the different OS. If you’ve used Windows and some variant of *nix before it’s all fairly straightforward. It helps that I’m a massive geek.
