Wierd thing is, my scanner's the opposite. It's an old USB1.1 Canonscan, no support at all under windows after Vista. Plugged it into a Mint machine. Opened the menu, typed "scan", it gives me a choice of two preinstalled programs to scan with, pick one and the scanner's there straight away.

I'm trying Mint on an old laptop, in fact I'm typing this on that laptop. I've done a couple of things for work and that seems to operate ok too. I can't seem to find a decent mail program that handles Exchange (Evolution apparently does, but I can't get it to work) so I'm using Office 365 on the web to do email currently.

 

So far, so good but I still think I want a Mac!

If you're going to go Mac be prepared to go the whole way to get the most out of it.

 

If you buy in totally with an iMac, iPad, iPhone they all work together beautifully. And I say that as a Mac hater.

 

I don't have any particular problems with Win10, I quite like it but I do have 20yr of experience of beating MS systems into submission.

 

Linux is great but can be challenging. If you like to have things open to run and configure exactly how YOU want then it's perfect. But it can be a steep learning curve. If you do run into problems it can require a fair investment of your time to fix. But I find Linux curiously enjoyable to setup and configure. Mint is a good option, for the most part it will set itself up and run out the box.

 

I started out using linux with Slackware back in 2002ish. I built an internet filter for a school for nowt when there was no money to do it. The thing ran for years without a problem and would only fall over when the logs filled the disk.

Edited 17 February, 201610 yr by Aspman

I'm trying Mint on an old laptop, in fact I'm typing this on that laptop. I've done a couple of things for work and that seems to operate ok too. I can't seem to find a decent mail program that handles Exchange (Evolution apparently does, but I can't get it to work) so I'm using Office 365 on the web to do email currently.

 

So far, so good but I still think I want a Mac!

 

Evolution can, but the evolution-ews package isn't installed in Mint by default. You can do IMAP out of the box, but that'll only get you email, the EWS plugin will get you calendaring, tasks, meeting requests etc, much closer to the "real" Exchange experience. It's still a little bit clunky, I don't know how much is "published EWS specs" and how much is "developer has reverse-engineered EWS over time" so there's a few edge cases, but it's pretty usable.

I'm a windows user and have always built my own desktops since I was at school. I liked the flexibility of being able to upgrade the hardware and such when required for gaming.

 

However, my partner has a mac book air for uni and its an excellent piece of kit, and because your stuck with the same hardware there are no incompatibility issues and it really does run flawlessly and doesn't clog up and require a fresh install every now and then like windows does.

 

If I didn't want the option to play games I think I would have a nice mac desktop and finally take the plunge. (yes I know you can get high end macs that play games but they cost a hell of a lot of money)

 

If I wanted a nice laptop however it would more than likely be a mac. If VCDS was mac compatible that may even give me and excuse to own one

I'm thinking about going for a second hand macbook pro...2011 models are going on eBay from £400+ crazy money...but they look so smart.

I'm thinking about going for a second hand macbook pro...2011 models are going on eBay from £400+ crazy money...but they look so smart.

 

Hold their money well dont they! 

 

I got mine at a good price (but brand new off Apple) this year... Looking on ebay, i could actually sell it for nearly as much as i bought it for. 

 

Not bad considering its now used is it  

I managed to borrow a 2008 iMac. It was running Yosemite and I've upgraded it to El Capitan. It's running really nicely and I've put Office 2016 on it, and I can do all my work stuff on it too.

In short, it's great! In fact the only problem I had was with a crappy Microsoft installer for Office.

I bought a 2011 macbook pro with upgraded 256gb ssd. Arrived this morning and I love it. It's just sexy to look at. Boots in seconds too! Looking forward to exploring the world of Mac now.

I bought a 2011 macbook pro with upgraded 256gb ssd. Arrived this morning and I love it. It's just sexy to look at. Boots in seconds too! Looking forward to exploring the world of Mac now.

Nice one. Mac is ace.

My daughter has a notebook ohhhh dear....took me (us) 15 minutes to find the equiv of Explorer. And when we did its not for me.

 

Windows XP is great.

I am a bit of a technomuppet, but have always been on Window and Hp equipment. My wife decided she wanted us to upgrade and as her sister has an iMac and said they were good, she bought one. The machine looks smart, sounds excellent with good display (retinal?), but I hate it. It now transpires my Sis in Law only use hers for shopping and Facebook. Every thing I try and do with it, it assumes that my phone is Apple, my tablet is Apple, and so all I have to do is let them talk to each other, my android kit doesn't. It doesn't have a DVD drive so I had to have a separate one. Did I say I 'kin hate Apple but my wife has a beautiful and expensive web browser, using Chrome because she doesn't like Safari!!!!

I am a bit of a technomuppet, but have always been on Window and Hp equipment. My wife decided she wanted us to upgrade and as her sister has an iMac and said they were good, she bought one. The machine looks smart, sounds excellent with good display (retinal?), but I hate it. It now transpires my Sis in Law only use hers for shopping and Facebook. Every thing I try and do with it, it assumes that my phone is Apple, my tablet is Apple, and so all I have to do is let them talk to each other, my android kit doesn't. It doesn't have a DVD drive so I had to have a separate one. Did I say I 'kin hate Apple but my wife has a beautiful and expensive web browser, using Chrome because she doesn't like Safari!!!!

My pro hasnt got the built in disc drive either. Its a good idea actually as it makes the entire laptop so much slimmer.

The external disc drive is £65. So not the end of the world.

I bought a 2011 macbook pro with upgraded 256gb ssd. Arrived this morning and I love it. It's just sexy to look at. Boots in seconds too! Looking forward to exploring the world of Mac now.

Good arent they!

No messin about like windows. Everything just seems so much better thought out

Enjoy (:

I am a bit of a technomuppet, but have always been on Window and Hp equipment. My wife decided she wanted us to upgrade and as her sister has an iMac and said they were good, she bought one. The machine looks smart, sounds excellent with good display (retinal?), but I hate it. It now transpires my Sis in Law only use hers for shopping and Facebook. Every thing I try and do with it, it assumes that my phone is Apple, my tablet is Apple, and so all I have to do is let them talk to each other, my android kit doesn't. It doesn't have a DVD drive so I had to have a separate one. Did I say I 'kin hate Apple but my wife has a beautiful and expensive web browser, using Chrome because she doesn't like Safari!!!!

 

Much like Android tablet they're made to be consumer devices and not to be tinkered with.

 

If you've always had Windows devices then you'll almost always find them the easiest. Except MS has done it's level best to alienate you by making everything Adroindish or Maclike.

 

Computers are tools to me, a means to an end. I don't really care what it looks like as long as it does what it's ****ing told to do.