Migrating from Mac to Windows

[Guest]

hi

I'm planning on migrating to Windows XP after using Mac OS X for the last
couple of years. I'm not a Windows expert so i'd like to ask for your help on
how some of my higher priority use cases are handled on Windows.

I've made a list of features that are very important for me on Mac OS X but
i couldn't find in XP (SP2). The list also includes the Mac OS X
feature/software name in parentheses for reference. I'm not including the eye
candy or usability features, just the ones that i feel are important for
getting the job done but hints on how to improve the UI appearance and
usability are also welcome.

I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to use XP's features, other MS or
third party software to resolve these missing features:

- File content search for different file formats such as MS Office, PDF,
text etc. Should also retrieve email messages (Spotlight).
- Secure password storage that can be used to transparently store web
browser, email, WLAN etc. passwords or keys. (Keychain)
- UNIX command line tools such as find, grep, sed, awk, perl etc. (core OS)
- Calendar that can be synchronized with phone over Bluetooth (Calendar +
iSync).
- Address book that is integrated with email program and can be synchronized
with phone over Bluetooth (Address book + iSync).
- Create PDF files from text and other documents.
- Transparently encrypt user's documents. Different users encrypted disk
volumes are separate (FileVault).
- Email software with good built-in spam filtering (Mail).

 

[Jon]

hi

I'm planning on migrating to Windows XP after using Mac OS X for the last
couple of years. I'm not a Windows expert so i'd like to ask for your help
on
how some of my higher priority use cases are handled on Windows.

I've made a list of features that are very important for me on Mac OS X
but
i couldn't find in XP (SP2). The list also includes the Mac OS X
feature/software name in parentheses for reference. I'm not including the
eye
candy or usability features, just the ones that i feel are important for
getting the job done but hints on how to improve the UI appearance and
usability are also welcome.

I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to use XP's features, other MS or
third party software to resolve these missing features:

- File content search for different file formats such as MS Office, PDF,
text etc. Should also retrieve email messages (Spotlight).
- Secure password storage that can be used to transparently store web
browser, email, WLAN etc. passwords or keys. (Keychain)
- UNIX command line tools such as find, grep, sed, awk, perl etc. (core
OS)
- Calendar that can be synchronized with phone over Bluetooth (Calendar +
iSync).
- Address book that is integrated with email program and can be
synchronized
with phone over Bluetooth (Address book + iSync).
- Create PDF files from text and other documents.
- Transparently encrypt user's documents. Different users encrypted disk
volumes are separate (FileVault).
- Email software with good built-in spam filtering (Mail).

Alot of questions there. I'll answer a few of them.

- UNIX command line tools such as find, grep, sed, awk, perl etc. (core OS)
Unix command line tools
http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/
Perl (ActivePerl)....
http://www.activestate.com/Products/ActivePerl/?psbx=1


- Create PDF files from text and other documents.
There are number of products offering this including
http://www.visagesoft.com/products/expertpdf/

- Email software with good built-in spam filtering (Mail).
Outlook Express with a few basic rules set up is perfectly adequate, but
there are alot of others to choose from.

 

[GHalleck]

hi

I'm planning on migrating to Windows XP after using Mac OS X for the last
couple of years. I'm not a Windows expert so i'd like to ask for your help on
how some of my higher priority use cases are handled on Windows.

I've made a list of features that are very important for me on Mac OS X but
i couldn't find in XP (SP2). The list also includes the Mac OS X
feature/software name in parentheses for reference. I'm not including the eye
candy or usability features, just the ones that i feel are important for
getting the job done but hints on how to improve the UI appearance and
usability are also welcome.

I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to use XP's features, other MS or
third party software to resolve these missing features:

- File content search for different file formats such as MS Office, PDF,
text etc. Should also retrieve email messages (Spotlight).
- Secure password storage that can be used to transparently store web
browser, email, WLAN etc. passwords or keys. (Keychain)
- UNIX command line tools such as find, grep, sed, awk, perl etc. (core OS)
- Calendar that can be synchronized with phone over Bluetooth (Calendar +
iSync).
- Address book that is integrated with email program and can be synchronized
with phone over Bluetooth (Address book + iSync).
- Create PDF files from text and other documents.
- Transparently encrypt user's documents. Different users encrypted disk
volumes are separate (FileVault).
- Email software with good built-in spam filtering (Mail).

Based on the questions, regret to write that your temperament
is not suited for the Windows environment. Stick with the Mac
and OS X. Its integration is far simpler than that required by
the user to do the same in Windows.

 

[HeyBub]

hi

I'm planning on migrating to Windows XP after using Mac OS X for the
last couple of years. I'm not a Windows expert so i'd like to ask for
your help on how some of my higher priority use cases are handled on
Windows.

I've made a list of features that are very important for me on Mac OS
X but i couldn't find in XP (SP2). The list also includes the Mac OS X
feature/software name in parentheses for reference. I'm not including
the eye candy or usability features, just the ones that i feel are
important for getting the job done but hints on how to improve the UI
appearance and usability are also welcome.

I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to use XP's features, other MS
or third party software to resolve these missing features:

- File content search for different file formats such as MS Office,
PDF, text etc. Should also retrieve email messages (Spotlight).

There's a very slow "search" function, but it's indifferent to the creating
software.

- Secure password storage that can be used to transparently store web
browser, email, WLAN etc. passwords or keys. (Keychain)

Third party.

- UNIX command line tools such as find, grep, sed, awk, perl etc.
(core OS)

Well, XP has a command interpreter with SOME of the UNIX command
equivalents. Again, your best bet is a 3rd party tool.

- Calendar that can be synchronized with phone over Bluetooth
(Calendar + iSync).

Nah. Again, 3rd party tool.

- Address book that is integrated with email program and can be
synchronized with phone over Bluetooth (Address book + iSync).

Nope. See above.

- Create PDF files from text and other documents.

Nope. See above.

- Transparently encrypt user's documents. Different users encrypted
disk volumes are separate (FileVault).

Yes. With NTFS.

- Email software with good built-in spam filtering (Mail).

No. Use a 3rd party tool.

Excepting the spam filtering - which is a very personal thing, I do not know
anyone who uses any of the features important to you. Now I know why Macs
have about 4% of the market.

 

[paulmd]

hi

I'm planning on migrating to Windows XP after using Mac OS X for the last
couple of years. I'm not a Windows expert so i'd like to ask for your help on
how some of my higher priority use cases are handled on Windows.

I've made a list of features that are very important for me on Mac OS X but
i couldn't find in XP (SP2). The list also includes the Mac OS X
feature/software name in parentheses for reference. I'm not including the eye
candy or usability features, just the ones that i feel are important for
getting the job done but hints on how to improve the UI appearance and
usability are also welcome.

I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to use XP's features, other MS or
third party software to resolve these missing features:

- File content search for different file formats such as MS Office, PDF,
text etc. Should also retrieve email messages (Spotlight).

Thunderbird is a good, free email app. Windows Find does include file
content search, as far as Office docs go. Third party apps for PDF
content searching.

Outloox Express is included in windows.

- Secure password storage that can be used to transparently store web
browser, email, WLAN etc. passwords or keys. (Keychain)

IE6, thunderbird, and Opera have password managers as far as Web
browsing is concerned. Not a universal app like Keychain. Though there
may well be a third party app for it.

- UNIX command line tools such as find, grep, sed, awk, perl etc. (core OS)
- Calendar that can be synchronized with phone over Bluetooth (Calendar +
iSync).

No windows equivlent of iSync. Sometimes various cell phone makers
provide software to do similar things. Nothing universal.

- Address book that is integrated with email program and can be synchronized
with phone over Bluetooth (Address book + iSync).
- Create PDF files from text and other documents.

You *can* do that, Openoffice includes a PDF maker, so does
WordPerfect, photoshop does, as well.

- Transparently encrypt user's documents. Different users encrypted disk
volumes are separate (FileVault).

Built in.

- Email software with good built-in spam filtering (Mail).

Thunderbird.

 

[Guest]

Based on the questions, regret to write that your temperament
is not suited for the Windows environment. Stick with the Mac
and OS X. Its integration is far simpler than that required by
the user to do the same in Windows.

this decision is not up to me (i've switched jobs and my new employer uses
Dell laptops exclusively).

 

[paulmd]

this decision is not up to me (i've switched jobs and my new employer uses
Dell laptops exclusively).

Just perfect. You can still run os X.

http://www.osx86project.org/

 

[GHalleck]

this decision is not up to me (i've switched jobs and my new employer uses
Dell laptops exclusively).

Unless you are the new IT manager or the new employer is very
lax in allowing its employees to install applications on to the
computers it owns, you will just have to follow the curve and
learn to use whatever comes with the laptop.

 

[Guest]

Unless you are the new IT manager or the new employer is very
lax in allowing its employees to install applications on to the
computers it owns, you will just have to follow the curve and
learn to use whatever comes with the laptop.

i've checked this with IT support and users are allowed to install
applications.

 

[Guest]

...
Excepting the spam filtering - which is a very personal thing, I do not know
anyone who uses any of the features important to you. Now I know why Macs
have about 4% of the market.

given the resources that Microsoft, Google and Yahoo among others are
putting into developing content search applications (desktop search) i'd say
it's not just for the 4% minority.

it would seem rather counterintuitive if in a world where laptops are
replacing desktop computers and laptop theft is not uncommon that secure data
and password storage would not matter to business users.

there may be cultural differences but here a huge number of business people
are using smart phones to manage their contacts and appointments. it's very
common that they synchronize this information with their laptops.

i do agree that Unix tools and PDF printing are probably important for only
a small group of people.

thanks for the NTFS encryption tip. i checked how NTFS encryption works and
it seems like an adequate solution for me.

 

[Rock]

thanks for the NTFS encryption tip. i checked how NTFS encryption works
and
it seems like an adequate solution for me.

Be careful with EFS (Encrypting File System). There are some hidden
pitfalls which have earned it the moniker, delayed recycle bin. And once
you fall into one of these, there is no recovering the data. It's not
uncommon to see a post in here where someone is begging for help they can't
get because they lost access to the encrypted files. There are other 3rd
party solutions. Here are some links about EFS. If you've seen this then
sorry for the repeat.

Encrypting File System in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/cryptfs.mspx

Best practices for the Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=223316

How to back up the recovery agent Encrypting File System (EFS) private key
in Windows Server 2003, in Windows 2000, and in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=241201

How to add an EFS recovery agent in Windows XP Professional
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=887414

HOW TO: Share Access to an Encrypted File in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308991

How To Encrypt a File in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=307877

How To Encrypt a Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308989

How To Remove File Encryption in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308993

 

[Donald L McDaniel]

Alot of questions there. I'll answer a few of them.

- UNIX command line tools such as find, grep, sed, awk, perl etc. (core OS)
Unix command line tools
http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/
Perl (ActivePerl)....
http://www.activestate.com/Products/ActivePerl/?psbx=1

These are included in Windows Vista as an optional component.
Or, one may download or purchase any number of such add-ins for
Windows.

- Create PDF files from text and other documents.
There are number of products offering this including
http://www.visagesoft.com/products/expertpdf/

While there are many third-party tools for this, Adobe is probably the
best (and, of course, the owner and developer of the PDF format).

NOTE: Adobe's free Reader will not create such files, only open them.

- Email software with good built-in spam filtering (Mail).
Outlook Express with a few basic rules set up is perfectly adequate, but
there are alot of others to choose from.

Or, Outlook Express with a third-party spam filter.
Or, Kaspersky Internet Security, Symantec Internet Security, etc.
Microsoft Office for Windows offers quite good spam filtering built
in.

Many Internet Security packages include spam filtering which will
integrate into your email program (what ever it is).

You will absolutely need a good Security package, so purchase one
which offers decent spam filtering.

Here are a few suggestions:
Kaspersky Internet Security 2006 (my favorite, since it's Antivirus
module is probably the best.)

McAfee Internet Security 2006


Or a third-party spam filter.

NOTE: You will find that in Windows, as a general rule, all your
desires may be met with third-party software, since Microsoft's
general philosophy is to put out an OS which is easy to add to
(modularity), and leaves it to third-parties to add these modules
(programs/applications), while in OS X, Apple attempts to supply the
basic tools in its OS.


==

Donald L McDaniel
Please reply to the original thread,
so that it may not become broken.
===================================================

 

[Donald L McDaniel]

As a general rule, Windows handles such functions via third-party
software, unlike OS X. However, Microsoft is beginning to add
integrated features much like you want. But they have to add them
carefully, to avoid being accused of anti-competitive practices. Apple
doesn't have this problem, since it holds such a small market share.

As you come across them, let us know, and we will be happy to help you
out.

There's a very slow "search" function, but it's indifferent to the creating
software.

Actually, the Indexed Search function of Vista is extremely fast and
very configurable.. However, it really takes a long time (and a lot
of resources) to initially index the files. The Initial indexing
really slows down (I mean REALLY) OS operation until the index is
completed.

Third party.

Or a simple Excel spread-sheet (which may be protected or encrypted,
if one chooses)..

Well, XP has a command interpreter with SOME of the UNIX command
equivalents. Again, your best bet is a 3rd party tool.

And Vista has almost all Unix command-line tools as part of its
optional Unix tools.

Nah. Again, 3rd party tool.

The Microsoft Outlook calendar may be synchronized over the Net. Since
I don't use synchronization, I do not know if it will synchronize via
Bluetooth, though I suspect it will.

Nope. See above.

Bub, you surely don't use much Microsoft software, do you? Microsoft
Outlook will do this out of the box.

Nope. See above.

Since Adobe owns the PDF format and is its developer, unless these
products are licensed by Adobe, they are using the format illegally.
Avoid such products if you want to stay legal.

Yes. With NTFS.


No. Use a 3rd party tool.

Sorry, Bub, but have you ever heard of Microsoft Outlook? It has
built-in extremely good spam filtering out-of-the-box.

In addition, Windows Mail, part of Vista, includes out-of-the-box spam
filtering equal to Microsoft Office's.

Excepting the spam filtering - which is a very personal thing, I do not know
anyone who uses any of the features important to you. Now I know why Macs
have about 4% of the market.

This person is full of horse hockey, aspa. Or he simply has a small
sample of the market in his acquaintances.

Almost all Windows users use such features on a daily basis. All the
features you've mentioned are standard business tools. I am sure that
most of the Microsoft market share are "business" users. Obviously,
Apple certainly has no monopoly on "business users".

==

Donald L McDaniel
Please reply to the original thread,
so that it may not become broken.
===================================================