Common Myths About Mac

Myth: Windows and Linux applications don’t run on a Mac.

Fact: You can run most anything on Macs, no matter what the platform.

Boot Camp from Apple, you can dual-boot your system into either Mac OS X or Windows XP. Alternatively, using virtualization software such as Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMWare, you can run Windows XP, Linux, or any other operating system simultaneously with Mac OS X.

Myth: Macs can’t run Microsoft Office.

Fact: Macs can run Microsoft Office, and the files you create on Mac are fully compatible with Windows.

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac OS X gives you full-featured Word, Powerpoint, and Excel with the same familiar interfaces. And for any Microsoft application that’s not yet available for Mac — like Microsoft Access or Project — you can run them on Intel-based Macs using Boot Camp or virtualization software like Parallels or VMWare.

Myth: Macs won’t fit into my network.

Fact: Mac OS X can talk to every major file server protocol on every major server platform on the market today.

Mac OS X includes the major networking protocols for accessing every major server platform, including Windows, Linux, and UNIX. Mac OS X is the most compatible operating system available today.

Myth: Macs are expensive.

Fact: Apple hardware and software offer tremendous value.

Owning a Mac offers the scientist a cost-effective solution and great return on investment. The Mac is designed for optimal productivity with exceptional price/performance and minimal investment for the most innovative computing features offered on any platform.

Myth: Macs are proprietary.

Fact: Mac OS X is an open architecture, based on industry standards.

It’s based on an open source variant of FreeBSD UNIX and developed entirely with openness and interoperability in mind. Mac OS X incorporates the major open standards for directory services, programming and scripting languages, interprocess communications and arithmetic libraries.

Myth: New Mac users and IT staff face a steep learning curve.

Fact: The Mac — it just works.

Mac users are up and running quickly thanks to the well-designed, intuitive user interface of Mac OS X. On the IT side, the Mac makes system administration so easy you can expand your existing compute infrastructure without increasing your IT staff.

Myth: The Mac OS X operating system isn’t stable.

Fact: Mac OS X is based on UNIX, a platform renowned for its stability.

Beneath the surface of Mac OS X lies an industrial-strength UNIX foundation integrating a Mach 3.0 microkernel and state-of-the-art FreeBSD 5 variant.

Myth: You can’t develop cross-platform applications on a Mac.

Fact: Cross-platform development is one of the many strengths of Mac OS X.

Mac OS X is a superior development platform that includes a robust set of developer tools allowing you to develop and test cross-platform applications.

Myth: Apple only makes iPods.

Fact: Apple makes serious computers for serious science.

In addition to making iPods, Apple develops the technology to tackle the most demanding computational and visualization problems facing scientists today. In the MacBook Pro notebook, Mac Pro scientific workstation, and Xserve server, you’ll find the high-performance 64-bit computing, advanced graphics, and scalable memory and storage capacity needed to handle your big data requirements.

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