Off Topic - Switcher Guide - from OS X to the dark side

[zoomer]

I lately spend a lot of time time examining Mac Rumor's Forum about Apples Potential Road Map.

I have to come to the conclusion that there may be no more fast desktop pro machines in the near

future. Beside the iMac which is a bit week for my rendering purposes.

 

After 10 wonderful years on Mac I sadly start to prepare myself for a possible switch,

back to the dark side.

 

My 3 Main Apps are all cross platform, that wouldn't be an issue. I'm sure one can work on Windows

like I did until a decade ago. I have Win7 and Windows 10 VM's that I play with from time to time.

Windows 10 looks much more appealing meanwhile. There may be lots of new possibilities, like finally

being able to build my own hardware again, better support of GPU's and GPU Rendering and much more

freedom of CAD and 3D Apps.

 

As I read a lot of (still) Mac fans already did switch partly or completely.

 

For those of VW users who already did, what I want to know is,

for all the little things in OS X that made life easier and save, that I take for self-evident after the years,

will I find adequate workflows and replacements ?

 

 

For things like :

 

- no need to care about the OS itself ?

- possible to renounce of extra virus or firewall software ?

- CarbonCopyCloner, that easily mirrors bootable (?) 1:1 backup copies of system disks ?

(Windows license issues and such ? Can I replace a dying disk in an easy and fast way ?)

- Time Machine ?

- easy access to program resource and settings files ?

- iCloud, managing to sync user settings over all machines (including browser passwords and auto fill) ?

- easy software installation

(Can I ignore the Registry System as a user)

- some rest of private and professional privacy ?

 

 

[J. Wallace]

I'll be following this thread as I'm looking to switch as well. I am trying to get the most out of my current machine with an upcoming video card upgrade (https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sapphire/100352MAC2/). I moved away from Windows about 8 years ago due to the constant headaches I had with Windows XP. It's sad to see Apple change the Macpro line as I don't see it as a change for the better, at least for my application. I hope to read glowing reports from windows users.

[PVA - Admin]

I use both Windows and Mac on a daily basis (With a bit of Linux tossed in now and then) I had only used Windows until 2005 but I generally prefer macOS personally if money were no object, but that preference is averaging out as the two environments develop. I use only Windows machines at home because of the cost of Apple hardware. 

 

I will attempt to answer any transitional questions I can however:

 

- no need to care about the OS itself ?

Apologies, I do not understand this question.

 

- possible to renounce of extra virus or firewall software ?

You can use Microsoft's Security Essentials these days and be perfectly fine. Some offices mandate a aprticular 3rd party brand like Norton or Avast but I find Microsoft's current built-in solution to be just fine in all but extreme cases.

 

- CarbonCopyCloner, that easily mirrors bootable (?) 1:1 backup copies of system disks ? (Windows license issues and such ? Can I replace a dying disk in an easy and fast way ?)

There are multiple utilities for this on Windows now and I haven't had a problem using any for the last few years, where prior to that I would hit Windows licensing issues as you mentioned. The one I use most recently is Samsung's Data Migration utility, for cloning HDDs onto new SSDs. I also have had good luck with EaseUS ToDo.

 

- Time Machine ?

In my experience there are few if any backup solutions as reliable and robust as Time Machine.

 

- easy access to program resource and settings files ?

Apologies, I do not understand this question. However if you mean get at the internal workings of an application, it's generally easier to do on Windows than Mac.

 

- iCloud, managing to sync user settings over all machines (including browser passwords and auto fill) ?

This is not as easy on Windows as it is on Mac but it can be done. Windows 10 lets you do it for Windows itself via your Microsoft account and for the browser I simply use Chrome or Firefox, which sync all browser related content across any OS I use them on. I prefer Chrome personally.

 

- easy software installation (Can I ignore the Registry System as a user?)

This generally isn't a problem anymore. Even for Vectorworks where we didn't have an uninstaller for the longest time, you can now double click to install or uninstall and not have to go digging in regedit.

 

- some rest of private and professional privacy ?

I do not know of a fundamental difference between Apple and Microsoft for this now, both are equally private or not private depending on your point of view of "Privacy".

[zoomer]

It is not urgent as my current nMac Pro is a pretty good VW 3D machine for some coming years.

Just the Visualisation and Render part that gets limited more and more on Mac.

(If I use VRAY on Mac/AMD, I get only half of it, no GPU Renderer and such)

One day the rendering power may no more sit on my desk but be an online service, but I will still

need to OpenGL my models and Preview Material settings.

The next iMac may be as fast as my nMac Pro but the goal is to get more power.

 

(I could throw in an old 10 core Xeon ($2600) to increase my Cinebench from 960 to 1440 (= 150%) or

I could build a PC with 10 core i7 Extreme ($1800) to get a Cinebench of 2400 (= 250%)

 

1 hour ago, JimW said:

- no need to care about the OS itself ?

Apologies, I do not understand this question.

 

When I was a Windows user I did a lot of OS care like updating drivers, regclean.exe, watch the antivirus for updates,

syncing, organizing manual backups and such.

 

 

Quote

- possible to renounce of extra virus or firewall software ?

You can use Microsoft's Security Essentials these days and be perfectly fine. Some offices mandate a aprticular 3rd party brand like Norton or Avast but I find Microsoft's current built-in solution to be just fine in all but extreme cases.

 

Thanks, that is what I wanted to be confirmed.

 

 

Quote

 

- CarbonCopyCloner, that easily mirrors bootable (?) 1:1 backup copies of system disks ? (Windows license issues and such ? Can I replace a dying disk in an easy and fast way ?)

There are multiple utilities for this on Windows now and I haven't had a problem using any for the last few years, where prior to that I would hit Windows licensing issues as you mentioned. The one I use most recently is Samsung's Data Migration utility, for cloning HDDs onto new SSDs. I also have had good luck with EaseUS ToDo.

 

Thanks, good to know.

 

 

Quote

 

- Time Machine ?

In my experience there are few if any backup solutions as reliable and robust as Time Machine.

 

Didn't know that Time Machine is robust 

But could surround that by App Auto Backups and some more concentrated manual versioning and such.

 

 

Quote

 

- easy access to program resource and settings files ?

Apologies, I do not understand this question. However if you mean get at the internal workings of an application, it's generally easier to do on Windows than Mac.

 

Things like going into Library/AppSupport/VW or into the App Package to hack some things.

As since Win7 I was not able to access my settings for my Microstation again in the previous way

as Windows locked me out. Maybe because it is to old and no more organized for Win7 App Management.

First I do no more know if and where I can give me these rights and what I risk and second I am not

interested at all in caring about all those things.

 

 

Quote

 

- iCloud, managing to sync user settings over all machines (including browser passwords and auto fill) ?

This is not as easy on Windows as it is on Mac but it can be done. Windows 10 lets you do it for Windows itself via your Microsoft account and for the browser I simply use Chrome or Firefox, which sync all browser related content across any OS I use them on. I prefer Chrome personally.

 

Good to know.

 

 

Quote

 

- easy software installation (Can I ignore the Registry System as a user?)

This generally isn't a problem anymore. Even for Vectorworks where we didn't have an uninstaller for the longest time, you can now double click to install or uninstall and not have to go digging in regedit.

 

OK, so it depends on the quality of the App and Driver uninstallers.

Not so much different on OS X where I use an Uninstall Software and am able find most crap manually.

In OS X I was used to even upgrade 3-6 OS iterations over the same installation.

In former Windows I had to create new installations from scratch every 1,5 years or so for itself,

because of testing software packeges from time to time.

Also, as space was limited and because there was no real bootable copy option, to divide HDD in

C: for OS, D: for Apps, ....

 

 

Quote

 

- some rest of private and professional privacy ?

I do not know of a fundamental difference between Apple and Microsoft for this now, both are equally private or not private depending on your point of view of "Privacy".

 

It may not be save to put data on Apple Servers too and there is no end to end encryption of data,

but spreading user data is not part of their business model and they at least have a culture and

conception of privacy. I don't see that anywhere else.

Edited January 4, 2017 by zoomer

[zoomer]

1 hour ago, JimW said:

(With a bit of Linux tossed in now and then)

 

That would be an Alternative.

Modo, Blender and Bricscad do already Linux. C4D seems to follow as it looks from polls and

i am sure someone in Maryland is also playing with a VW 2008 derivate on Linux  

VW my not come soon if at all but if already doing the tedious cross platform thingy, it

suggests itself.

 

My problem is that since I have Virtual Machines since OS X I tried a Linux from time to time.

But as I have no clue at all what happens in there I was able to corrupt each of my installation

attempts in at least 20 minutes so far.

And no ideas of rescue as I would have for OS X or even Windows.

Edited January 4, 2017 by zoomer

[zoomer]

On 4.1.2017 at 3:33 PM, JimW said:

- iCloud, managing to sync user settings over all machines (including browser passwords and auto fill) ?

This is not as easy on Windows as it is on Mac but it can be done. Windows 10 lets you do it for Windows itself via your Microsoft account and for the browser I simply use Chrome or Firefox, which sync all browser related content across any OS I use them on. I prefer Chrome personally.

 

 

Does Chrome/Firefox allow for large surface + small surface device :

- website links I have already seen on OS X also are marked gray on my iOS devices

- cockies that will sign me in to login required sites + autofill.

[zoomer]

On 4.1.2017 at 1:10 AM, zoomer said:

- some rest of private and professional privacy ?

 

After looking closer, I'm quite shocked how they act.

No thanks, no OS option for me.

I would spend too much time to keep the OS in its borders.

Pity for all those interesting Hardware, Touch and Pen things.

 

Have to stay and die with Apple.

I can workaround with a Windows Machine used as closed Render Slave only. That will work with all my

3D Apps. I could even use Linux for Modo. For VW itself my Mac Pro will be adequate or any future

semi Pro Machines coming from Apple.

[PVA - Admin]

6 minutes ago, zoomer said:

I can workaround with a Windows Machine used as closed Render Slave only.

 

This is how I think we can best approach the issue going forward. Creating a system that allows users to designate hardware to render on that can work on either Mac or Windows regardless of the OS of the machine the user is actively modeling on would end run around any future hardware deficiencies on either side's market.

[zoomer]

It already does work for CPU Rendering, for File Rendering AND Preview Rendering,

even when connected over the slow LAN.

If machines low computing power offerings will start to bottleneck your Modeling Experience

or GPU Rendering it will need other solutions to directly accelerate your working machine.

Like Thunderbolt >3.0 over USB-C.

I think it is realistic to expect future devices from Apple, as well for Windows, to at least offer that

option together with some compatibility in the future. That covers the external GPU option, which

is more important than CPU's.

 

Current Windows hardware I am fascinated of does lack that flexibility for now. I think it will need

more than another year over there. (Like Surface Studio and all other touch and pen)

2016 MackBook Pro is already there. Another year to adapt the rest of the program line and the

periphery vendors.