New iMac arrives tomorrow ([email protected], 27',1TB), moving from Win 7 what is the essential stuff in need

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Hi All,

Had the iPhone, then the iPad, and have now converted over to OSx and have bought an iMac from the Apple refurb store that arrives tomorrow.

As an OSX virgin, I was wondering about the essential, can't run my Mac without them type of applications.

My first list was

Parallels - So I can run some non OSX software that I need
Boot camp - For games
iTunes - Obviously


From there I'm stuck.

Cheers for any tips, pointers.

Taff
 
Transmission is an essential for me
SMC fan control, dunno if needed on iMac though
Paragon OSX, use NTFS partitions
And some kind of de-compression software, i only need to undo .rar's so I have Unrarx that is free.
Perian - enable .avi on quicktime (use vlc alternatively)
Hazel - cleans up uninstallation and does small maintenance tasks
 
Try and find Mac alternatives for the Windows software you're installing Parallels for. Obviously there *are* Windows programs people absolutely need with no alternative available, but if there is one, give it a go.

If you're unsure, list the programs in here and if there's a good alternative someone who frequents here will likely know it :)
 
As above! Most of the windoze apps have perfectly adequate counterparts in MacOs, and they look a darn sign prettier too!

Delicious Library 2 is awesome...
Clam XAV is a brilliant piece of software too
If you've not got the money to be stonking out for Office for mac, you can try open office, although its a bit cumbersome.
Make use of time machine.. it really is clever..

My 2p
 
Cheers guys

Am currently working through the list and seeing what is useful.

I now have the iMac and I'm typing this post on it.

Have to say I'm finding it quite strange at the moment.

So far have installed
iLife 11 (part of the pack)
Office 2011 (thanks to cheap price at software4students)
Logmein
Chrome

Questions if someone can help me?
1) Time machine back up. Is it possible to use my Windows Home server to back up to?
2) I store all my photos on my home server that I can see on the network. Is it possible for iPhoto to access them from there, as it seems to want to import them onto the iMac


Cheers

Taff
 
I think if you hold down alt before opening iphoto you get a window asking which library to use, you may need to point it to the network and import from there maybe?
 
1) Yes that's possible, be aware though by doing it this way restoring from the Snow Leopard disk is more complicated as it won't automatically see the Time Machine 'partition' like it would if it was a USB HDD.

This is the guide I followed at the time - http://www.multimedia-pcs.com/update-time-machine-backup-to-windows-home-server/ I used it for about 6months however one day I found that OSX had corrupted it during a cancelled backup and I couldn't get back in to it so went back to a spare USB HDD for reliability. I know WHS v2 is going to support this properly not sure if it's the same hack or some kind of patch.

2) Don't think you can do that, I don't use iPhoto but I think it's the same as Aperture in that it will create a single database file.
 
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