[mla1169]

I’ve never worked on a Mac. No specific reason just never came up for me (and I went to school in the old days when we still took typing classes on typewriters!)

Interviewing for a job Tuesday that would involve going from PC to Mac and from quickbooks to MYOB. Any thoughts on similarities or major differences that I should spend the next few days thinking about?

This is my dream job (have a job that I love currently but still passively looking for the job that matches my long wish list-this one has ALL the points on my wish list) so I intend to knock it out of the park and the Mac/PC issue may trip me up.

Thanks in advance!

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[M.O.D.]

Find a friend or library with a Mac and use it for a few hours.

Or heck even buy one for yourself.

I too have used a PC all of my life but can adjust to a Mac in few minutes if need be.

I borrowed an Apple laptop for a week and was a pro with it in short time.

They are better computers, better software. They are designed to be easy to use by beginners. So you need not worry.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[scarecrow]

https://www.apple.com/support/macbasics/pctomac/

This might be a good start. I use Mac at home, and PC at work.

317 CLUB

[RedSoxFan77]

I bought an airbook two years ago to prepare for the cpa exam, my 10-year-old Dell laptop was pretty much useless at that point and I needed a new computer anyway. It was really easy to adjust and I found the OS more user friendly than the PC. A great function is the ability to convert Pages to Word and vice versa so you can make updates in both environments. I haven't used Numbers on the Mac though so I can't comment on its comparability to Excel.

You should go to the Apple store, there's tons of computers you could play around with and the employees are usually really friendly and helpful if you have questions.

Sounds like a great opportunity for you.

FAR 75
AUD 74, 82
REG 58, 74, 83
BEC 68, 75
Licensed 7.1.14!!!

[mla1169]

thank you all for the feedback-scarecrow that was a very helpful link!

If I went to the apple store, they'd have to file a missing persons report on me, LOVE that place. In fact when we go to Foxwoods resort, I go play with ipads while hubby plays the slots. I get the better end of that deal!

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[missjones513]

I may have to look into getting an apple laptop. I keep getting the blue screen of death on the HP I have now.

REG - 5/29/12 (64), 10/1/12 (74), 5/20/13 (75, expires 12/31/14)
FAR - 8/14/12 (64), 8/5/14 (75)
BEC - 11/19/12 (70), 2/25/13 (72), 11/21/13 (73), 1/21/14 (73), 8/30/14 (72), 11/24/14 (75)
AUD - 4/22/13 (65), 10/12/13 (79)

I'm done!!!

Ethics - Pass

[Monkey Wrench]

really nothing different, everything is just a little backwards.

FYI, they are not better computers, nor better software.

I went from PC to mac (during college) back to PC (laptop, and build a desktop for home)

All I can say about quality is you will find Mac to be very good compared to most computers people go for, but at the same time a Mac will cost you 1000+ where as most non mac computers people go for are 500-700. If you step up and pay the same for a non mac as a mac you get 10x the performance.

[taxman89]

excel on a mac is a steaming pile of dog $hit. i hate it. I am pretty good with excel and i loathe using excel on a mac

” If you step up and pay the same for a non mac as a mac you get 10x the performance.”

try telling that to any mac-ite and you get blank stares. They always try to compare their 1500 mac to my $300 windows. “its last longer” it needs to last 5x longer or its not worth it….and it doesnt.

anyway doesnt really answer OPs Q. Since i hate Mac's so much i would only use one if the rest of the job was 100% what i wanted, which it sounds like it is for you, so i would try to find a library with macs and start messing around on the stupid thing….esp excel….cause it blows (did i mention that? :D) but i definitely wouldnt let it keep you from taking the job

AUD - 75
BEC - 77
FAR - 78
REG - 82

AUD: 61-67-75 (Thanks ninja aud)
BEC: 77
FAR: 78
REG:69-73-70-82

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[Monkey Wrench]

^^lol i agree, i went on a little rant too, i don't hate macs, i just recognize they arn't really worth what they cost. They cost the same as top of the line gaming laptops but don't have half the performance.

I also agree, I don't know if microsoft can't figure out how to make excel on mac the same as pc (prob not just want to keep the better product away from mac) but the mac excel is quite unuseful. or was when I was using it a year or so ago. (2013 version might be better)

[Monkey Wrench]

Phantom double post

[Matt]

I've been using Excel 2011 on a four-year-old MacBook Pro nearly every day for the past three years, and I've had absolutely zero problems with it. Couldn't ask for better performance. I have thousands of columns and lines of data spanning hundreds of spreadsheets constituting nearly two hundred different .xlsx files to attest to its reliability. As for the computer itself, it still functions like it's brand new.

Everyone needs something to hate. For some, it's a particular ethnicity or religion. For others, it's a computer brand.

AUD: 88
BEC: 79
REG: 81
FAR: 72 » 74 » 88

Study method: 100% watching videos, including solving problems covered therein; no books, paper, or pencils

[RedSoxFan77]

I have no complaints regarding my Airbook. No efficiency problems but I'm also not using it to its full extent, just internet browsing, videos, and Pages. I love that it's light, the keypad lights up, and it only takes seconds to power on.

I'm actually curious as to why mla is spending all her casino time at the store and not at the blackjack table doubling down.

FAR 75
AUD 74, 82
REG 58, 74, 83
BEC 68, 75
Licensed 7.1.14!!!

[M.O.D.]

My son told me that at 9 out of 10 Berkeley students are buying Macs instead of PCs.

Something is going on…

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[thechapman]

(Total Accountant Move) Excel shortcuts on a Mac are annoying.

Passed - 2014

[Anonymous]

Having used both, I prefer PC for several reasons.

– I spent ~$1600 on a custom built (was a really fun project) pc with sli'd video cards, overclocking, an awesome psu, etc… to get even close to that performance wise, it would have been 4k at Apple (and it STILL wouldn't perform as well)

– Every non-film/music business I've ever been in, uses PC, and I don't see that trend changing

– I'm sick of the Apple fanboy's thinking Apple is perfect and can do no wrong (PC has problems too, but I won't deny that)

@MOD It's probably because they're all hipsters and it's the cool thing to do.

[Anonymous]

I owned a Mac once. Bought it from the college, they did a complete fresh wipe and install right before sale. Within 4 hours of owning it, it blue screened. Yes, a Mac got the blue screen of death. The lead tech guy at the college (whom I knew pretty well) said he'd never seen a Mac blue-screen in his whole career. After messing with it for awhile, he did another fresh install, and I didn't touch it again – sold it to my brother who had it work beautifully for many years.

So, I stay away from Apple products lest I blue screen more of them. 😉

However, they're not that hard to pick up and figure out. I used the Mac laptops in the school library sometimes and had no problems. Playing around with it a bit in advance is good, but you'll be able to pick it up without a problem. Just don't make jokes about Macs only having 1 button – Mac users get upset if you push that too far.

I'll warn you, though, that files from Numbers saved as Excel files do not completely transfer over correctly. I have a couple contractors that send me their Numbers files saved to Excel and you can always tell as soon as you open them that they're converted….and these are just simple files with the most complicated aspect being a “SUM” formula. It's mostly the formatting etc. that gets changed. (We sent them Excel templates; they edit in Numbers; it comes back looking non-Excel…and this is with all the Numbers contractors, not just one or two, so not sure how/why but it happens.)

[Author]

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