Always had pc's with microsoft windows, word, excel and so on…..
Need to get a new laptop and am considering changing to macintosh computers…..
Does excel still work….? Word…..? will I be able to open all my old pdf. files, excel files, word and works documents….??

Sorry for being a muppet and knowing nothing about it…. that's why I am asking you lot!

Hammer.

You'll need to acquire mac versions of the software but everything will work fine. I work in a mixed PC/Mac office and Office 2003 PC and Mac works together happy as can be.

I've been on Macs for the last year now, it was forced upon me, I didn't believe the hype, wasn't really keen but now I'm converted. It's just really lovely, well thought-out hardware running with a pleasant and productive OS…

Macbooks are very nice but the Mac version of Office is terrible

deft – Member
Macbooks are very nice but the Mac version of Office is terrible

I have 2008 and it seems fine.

get one, they are ace.

The New MacBook is supposed to be the nuts.

the only issue is Macros, if your excel workbooks use extensive (any!!!!) vba you will have to stick to Windows versions of Excel.

The only problem I have with Microsoft stuff on Macs is the ufcking time it takes to open the programmes – Word opens in seconds on my slower laptop but takes weeks on my almost new Mac with much more processing power.

It is quite the opposite with Adobe stuff.

The only problems I get on my macs are when we are using MS software (Office).
We now mostly use pages & numbers instead not as complex as Excel/Word which suits our work fine.

In some ways Numbers better than Excel, particularly if using droop downs IMO for what it's worth.

The only time that we ever use MS software is when we have too, namely Access/Oracle which we run thro VMware fusion partition, all works really well.

SO go on then just do it , you know you want to

If you're really unsure, and have the install discs for the MS apps, then get Parallels or VMWare, and install Windows on the Mac, then you can have both OS open at the same time, and work between them, one of the benefits of the Mac. My PowerBook is now six years old, and still running fine. Only now do I have to think about a replacement because all future OS releases from Snow Leopard are Intel specific. Snow Leopard, OS 10.6 saves around 3Gb of disc space compared to the previous OS, 10.5 Leopard, because all the old PowerPC legacy bloatware has been removed.

In answer to your question – yes.
Ok – they are more expensive up front, and yes software does cost more – however they are incredibly intelligent and just are all round splendid! There are options for MS software – i have office 2008 – works fine – never had a problem – you can use parallels or similar to run windows on your mac and they seem to work fine. However where a mac outshines PCs is with the extras – all the extra software that is already on it – iphoto, imovie, idvd etc and there are many others! All your files will open fine.

try a friends mac – get them to show you round it – thats the best way to learn about them!

Get one you won't regret it. Gary lake's post pretty much sums it up. Same for me, had one bought for me by work this year, and I was very doubtful about having to change all my software, now I only wish I had got one before!

I am a 100% convert

i'm getting a new one this month to replace the 5 year old one i'm typing on now…still works brilliantly mind but i have the cash for a new one