Well, I decided to make the Mac plunge.   Overall, I like, but I'm having some troubles and issues:

1.  I've already had about 200 mb of updates in a week.  I thought this wasn't like windows?  

2.  I've already had it lock up a couple times and have to do a forced reboot.    I thought this wasn't like windows?  

3.  The programs are working unpredictably.  At one point, I can't get the superdrive to even recognize there's a disk in it.  I reboot, then it works.    I thought this wasn't like windows?  

4.  I can't get the bluetooth to work with a printer.  Software won't install.  Just pulls an error, and that's that.  Research on the web indicates nobody can make it work.  

5.  I can't get Iphoto to import correctly.   Whether I drag and drop, move folders individually, or use the import, they all end up stuffing ALL of my pictures into a single directory - DESPITE Apples claims it won't do that.    I NEED the directory structure - 4,000 plus photos.

6.  I can't even print a photo - since there seems to be no way make the software fill a 4x6 piece of photopaper.  It wants to do a minipic only taking up a little of the card.

OSX is nice, but they do have their share of quirks.

I would reccomend Picasa over Iphoto, much much much better program in my opinion, and it is OSX compatible.  Not a big fan of Iphoto.

Check Picasa out, you might like it.  Of course, on the PC side there are much better alternatives for photos, but with OSX,  you are much more limited.  You could also try photoshop CS2, I think it has a directory browser now (my PC version of it does anyways, havent gotten around to downloading the program for my powerbook yet).

Picasa

What version of OS X ? What is your hardware configuration?

Quoted: What version of OS X ? What is your hardware configuration?

Brand new Powerbook G4


Mac OS X
version 10.4.2



I forgot to mention.   Itunes took about 8 tries to get all my files.   It would only take a few hundred at a time, despite claiming to get them all usually.  


and to top it all off?  a $350 fucking AppleCare plan that can't be registered because they don't recognize the fucking serial number off the box.


Windows XP is looking better all the time.

I'm not a Mac expert (having owned a new OS X one for only 2 weeks), but I'll take a whack.

Quoted: Well, I decided to make the Mac plunge.   Overall, I like, but I'm having some troubles and issues: 1.  I've already had about 200 mb of updates in a week.  I thought this wasn't like windows?

200MB's!  Wow, is it OS 10.3 or 10.4?  I just got a new iBook (OS 10.4) last week and had 60MB of updates to install, then nothing since.  What hardware are you using?

2.  I've already had it lock up a couple times and have to do a forced reboot.    I thought this wasn't like windows?

Mine's been utterly stable.  Yeah, I know, don't rub yer nose in it.  Have you tried unplugging everything but the mouse and keyboard to see if the stability problems go away?  Often it's a problem with a USB peripheral and you can narrow it down to a specific component.  

Restart and immediately use Disk Utility to repair permissions.  

Make sure you don't have duplicate fonts in the fonts folder.  Some apps install fonts themselves without bothering to check to see if they already exist on the box.

3.  The programs are working predictable.  At one point, I can't get the superdrive to even recognize there's a disk in it.  I reboot, then it works.    I thought this wasn't like windows?

Do you have any antivirus processes (like McAffee or Virex) running in the background?  Sometimes these to wierd things to the system, especially with regard to removable storage.  Does it intermittently fail to recognize every disk you've tried, or just certain ones?  Just DVD's or just CD's or just music CD's?  Any pattern to the failures?

4.  I can't get the bluetooth to work with a printer.  Software won't install.  Just pulls an error, and that's that.  Research on the web indicates nobody can make it work.

Don't know a thing about Bluetooth but I've been told to make sure that any peripheral I consider has a history of working with my hardware.  Still a lot of hit and miss with BT, apparently.  I'd try good ol' USB with that printer and use BT for a keyboard/mouse.

5.  I can't get Iphoto to import correctly.   Whether I drag and drop, move folders individually, or use the import, they all end up stuffing ALL of my pictures into a single directory - DESPITE Apples claims it won't do that.    I NEED the directory structure - 4,000 plus photos.   6.  I can't even print a photo - since there seems to be no way make the software fill a 4x6 piece of photopaper.  It wants to do a minipic only taking up a little of the card.

iPhoto.  Yeah, I don't know anything about iPhoto, either.  Maybe in a few weeks after I've had some time to fight with it on my own.  I think that iPhoto is like iTunes in that all photos/tunes appear to be lumped together even when they are in separate folders.  I do know that the latest iPhoto incarnation will do what you need, including printing, but don't yet have any experience with it.

Alpine

Abandon all hope ye who enter there.

This is actually the 2nd computer.


I spend about 6 hours configuring the 1st one, just to try and do a backup and find out we didn't get the superdrive we asked for.


SO...... I had to restore the whole system, drive 70 miles back to the store and get the right computer.


Both have had similar issues.

Apple frequently issues software and security updates.

I use this shareware for all my photo needs. I've never liked iPhoto.

GraphicConverter

For problems with stability.

Try Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.
Select your boot volume and Repair Disk Permissions.

BTW, there is a pretty killer piece of software out there called Photo Mechanic that I'm trying out.  Much better than iPhoto (which is why I know nothing about iPhoto )  I can load up a weekend's take and then sort them all out, discard the duds, caption the keepers and burn off CD's rapidly.  Kinda pricey, though.

I see above you have a new Powerbook and the latest OS X.  Try disabling anything that runs automatically at startup.  Sort of strip things down to the bare minumum and see if the problems disappear.  If they do, start enabling stuff bit by bit until something breaks.  You might also try creating a new, plain vanilla account and logging into that one to see if the problems persist regarding the system freezes and optical disk issues.  

Alpine

Apple Support - Discussion

Apple Support - PowerBook

Also MacFixIt is a good place to look for troubleshooting ideas.

Alpine

I am stripped down.   New computer, I've only activated the wireless, a blue tooth mouse, installed an HP printer package and MS Office.  

That's it, nuttin else but updates & upgrades.


I figured out a tedious work around for getting the photos on the computer involving transfering single directories and manually recreating folders  & subfolders.    Real easy transition, just like the website says.  NOT.


What's with organizing pics by date?  WTF cares when a pic was taken - I care what it's about.    I think thats why I can't get them imported correctly, it keeps scrambling them by date.   4,000 pics would take forever to sort out correctly.  

Quoted: I am stripped down.   New computer, I've only activated the wireless, a blue tooth mouse, installed an HP printer package and MS Office.   That's it, nuttin else but updates & upgrades. I figured out a tedious work around for getting the photos on the computer involving transfering single directories and manually recreating folders  & subfolders.    Real easy transition, just like the website says.  NOT.

Well, that sucks.  Sounds like iPhoto just ain't so super.    There have to be better alternatives if it's that bad.

Um, how's it run without the HP software or MS Office?  Not to sound trite, but neither of those two are known for software robustness.  I say that as a person who has learned the hard way.

Be sure to check the sites listed above.  Lots of info there on troubelshooting.  I know, you shouldn't have to do that for a brand new computer, but...

Alpine

I run OSX on my dual 867mhz G4.  Never had a problem besides the occasional force-quit and the very rare re-boot.  I use all the standard Mac apps, even though I think iPhoto is a little clunky at times, I still use it and it's not all that bad.  

Well, HP took the easy way out - they claim the bluetooth only works with THEIR bluetooth module


Well, that's interesting, but the software won't even install.  So, I'll buy their module and see what's what