{"id":173,"date":"2009-08-17T20:48:44","date_gmt":"2009-08-18T00:48:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gad.net\/Blog\/?p=173"},"modified":"2012-05-25T19:36:47","modified_gmt":"2012-05-25T23:36:47","slug":"migrating-from-xp-to-osx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gad.net\/Blog\/2009\/08\/17\/migrating-from-xp-to-osx\/","title":{"rendered":"Migrating from XP to OSX"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having recently bought a Mac Powerbook Pro, I had to come to grips with using a new operating system. I have used Windows XP since it was a beta in 2001. This being the end of summer in 2009, you could say that I’m a tad set in my ways when it comes to my computing tasks.<\/p>\n

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The original Macintosh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Mac Powerbook Pro was so enticing a piece of hardware though, that I was willing to look at Mac OSX. I was no stranger to Macs having used them since my roommate bought an original Macintosh back before time began. Though at the time I liked my Tandy 1000 better, the Mac was pretty darn cool too.<\/p>\n

Still, having one around and using one as my primary mobile computing platform were two different issues. I’m a working consultant, so I need my laptop to work – period. I also need to not be trying to figure out how to use my computer while charging my client by the hour. That’s just bad form.<\/p>\n

My first issue was the fact that I have many XP-only pieces of software. The thumbnailer program <\/a>that I use for my photos is Windows-only, and I like it so much that I will forever keep a windows machine around to use it. Luckily with the Mac, there’s a better way.<\/p>\n

In the apple store, one of the salespeople showed me Apple Parallels, which allows Windows XP (or most other operating systems) to run in a virtual instance at the same time as OSX. Think VM-Ware if you know what that is. In fact VM-Ware has a similar product called Fusion that many people prefer.<\/p>\n

While Parallels looked cool, I wondered about moving files back and forth between OSX and XP. I was then shown how files can be dragged between OSX and XP windows and my jaw hit the floor. I told them to wrap it up. Fusion is also capable of this type of integration.<\/p>\n

Once I had the safety net of being able to run XP within my OSX environment, I knew that I could install my normal XP software and just boot XP when and if I needed it. There was no no danger of needing to figure something out at a client site.<\/p>\n

I then moved onto trying to get myself to a point where I wouldn’t need XP. Sure certain things like thumbnailer needed XP, but I only use that stuff when I’m on big trips. I usually do all my \"Windows_XP_Logo\"<\/a>photography processing on my big home machine.<\/p>\n

My biggest needs on a portable computer are:<\/p>\n