New to a forum, completely non-rabbit related

[Gordon]

I registered on MacRumors.com, yesterday, because I am looking for a reason to buy a new iMac, lol.

My 1st post on that site, has generated about a hundred views, but no replies.

I know how clicquey things are on websites, and that's why I tried to keep my questions basic.

This was my first post:

I am probably finally going to buy a new iMac, sometime in the next three months, and I have a few questions about how my old machine's stuff will/or won't transfer over.

My Mac is a Summer 2000 model iMac, running OS 9. I use Outlook Express 5.0.6, and I'm concerned about the way in which I can move all of my old email(nearly 2 Gigs worth), including the address book, over to the new Mac's mail program. Can it be done? What's the process involved?

I have documents saved in Appleworks. Can I move those into whatever the current word processor program is, that comes with new Macs?

Will my old Microtek scanner work in a plug and play way, or will I need to download new drivers?

What's a good printer to buy? I've looked at Apple's website, and they apparently don't make printers anymore?

Will my Motorola DSL modem connect troublefree to the new Mac?

Can I connect my old iMac with the new one, and just drag and drop it's hard drive over? --That would be too good to be true, but I'm sure I can, anyway; the more important question is, will the old programs work?

I am not a whiz at computers, but I'm intuitive and skilled enough, that I consider myself relatively literate and handy, and I have the time to do it myself.

This old Mac is just really tired. At ten hours a day for nearly ten years, I can't blame it!

It's time for a new Mac.

Thanks in advance for your answers and help.

Gordon

 

 

[kirbyultra]

I know nothing about macs but just wanted to reply and say good luck?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Hmmm... Could be that the views are being generated by newbies, who don't have any answers to give ya.

You've probably already done this, but have you checked the FAQs or done a search within the forum? I'm also wondering if the companies whose products you have listed have any troubleshooting teams to assist.
I think your question is very specific, so is hard for most people to answer... if you still don't have a response in a few days, maybe try & post an individual segment of your question. They might just be feeling a bit overwhelmed.

I hear ya though... lots of views and no replies is a bummer .

 

[Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears]

Gordon wrote:

Can I connect my old iMac with the new one, and just drag and drop it's hard drive over? --That would be too good to be true, but I'm sure I can, anyway; the more important question is, will the old programs work?

I don't know mac's but for this can you network the 2 computers so they see each other? Then all you had to do was open the folders on the new computer and pull what you needed off?

 

[mardigraskisses]

Good luck getting people on a tech forum to reply to you. :grumpy: They're jerks unless you ask a super complicated question. Especially Mac users.

 

[Gordon]

Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears wrote:

I don't know mac's but for this can you network the 2 computers so they see each other?  Then all you had to do was open the folders on the new computer and pull what you needed off?

Possibly. I am wondering about ethernetting the two together. The new one would probably laugh it's motherboard off at my old one, though.

 

[Gordon]

mardigraskisses wrote:

Good luck getting people on a tech forum to reply to you. :grumpy: They're jerks unless you ask a super complicated question. Especially Mac users.

Indeed. I did finally get two replies today, however, and neither one were sarcastic or condescending. The most helpful one suggested I go to the Apple store's "Genius Bar", which is a free hands-on area, where you can take your old machine and they will assist you doing the things I want to do.

I'm about ready to go ahead and bite the bullet and do it. The price of a new Mac is more than double that of a good Windows machine, but I'm caught in the cult.

I just feel like I need to get a haircut and new clothes before I go in one of their stores.

 

[Violet23]

And that is why Im a dedicated Windows peon... Im a poor college student,lol. And a gamer as well, thats the main reason, the greater selection of games. I do like Macs, but they're a bit pricey for my blood

 

[Gordon]

Violet23 wrote:

And that is why Im a dedicated Windows peon... Im a poor college student,lol. And a gamer as well, thats the main reason, the greater selection of games. I do like Macs, but they're a bit pricey for my blood

I'm not a gamer, and Apple apparently doesn't cater to that market. I don't know why.

I'm going to visit my local Apple store, on Friday. This is a picture of my local store...

 

[NorthernAutumn]

That is the strangest, most futuristic storefront ever... looks like the set of an Oral-B commercial

 

[Gordon]

NorthernAutumn wrote:

That is the strangest, most futuristic storefront ever... looks like the set of an Oral-B commercial

lol, Yeah, that's why I said I feel like I need to get dressed up to go in.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

I think they might give an antimicrobial dust bath, with little jets of air as tawdry Joe Average trots through the door

Y'know, so as not to taint the awesomeness that is APPLE!

 

[Gordon]

NorthernAutumn wrote:

I think they might give an antimicrobial dust bath, with little jets of air as tawdry Joe Average trots through the door

Y'know, so as not to taint the awesomeness that is APPLE!

Indeed.

A friend of mine at work, told me the place is a little intimidating, and I should prepare myself.

I have questions, and the employees there are called "geniuses", so surely they can help me.

I just can't see myself making such a large purchase online, and you don't get discounts that way, anyway. Apple price-fixes it's computers. The only way you'd get a discount from anywhere, would be on a refurb, and those small savings are not significant enough to be worth it, imo.

 

[killertheturtle]

Have you tried the discussion board on the apple website?
I used that once when I had a question. They were quick, polite, and knowledgeable. My question was really simple and they even helped me figure out how to get them the more complicated, specific details.

Good luck.

 

[JadeIcing]

Violet23 wrote:

And a gamer as well, thats the main reason, the greater selection of games. I do like Macs, but they're a bit pricey for my blood

Ditto!

 

[Gordon]

killertheturtle wrote:

Have you tried the discussion board on the apple website?
I used that once when I had a question. They were quick, polite, and knowledgeable. My question was really simple and they even helped me figure out how to get them the more complicated, specific details.

Good luck.

I actually have not tried Apple's discussion board. I'm a little skeptical of it, just because it's their own forum, if you know what I mean. On the other hand, I do want direct answers, so I should try that.

 

[kirbyultra]

The Apple Store in Soho NYC (I think it was the first one in the city before they built their flagship store) gave me a migraine that lasted 2 days. There are SO many white light sources in the place that I could no longer see straight.... One of the reasons I avoid Apple stores like the plague. One time I was driving by one at 11:30pm. And I saw so many BODIES in there walking around... I thought, who goes to the apple store at 11:30 at night?

When I lost my iPhone and was pretty much forced to buy a new one, I went pretty late in the night. Turns out there are more "geniuses" staffed at the store than there were customers at that hour. I feel like I'm paying a huge premium on their products for the one-to-one customer service in all the Apple stores.

Acutally was more like 4 to 1! One greeted me and directed me to someone else. That person directed me to a person 10 feet away who was guarding "The Iphone Line" where all us sad suckers stand and wait our turn to fork over hundreds of dollars for a phone . That person basically makes sure you're standing in the right line and you're not in the store for some other purpose.Then at the front of the line, a person asks me what I'm interested in (which phone I want, what I qualify for in terms of replacement, advises me on price) and a 4th person actually took down my order and set up my phone. Granted, they were all nice and I would have felt otherwise totally lost in such a shiny store, but did I really need 4 people?

 

[Gordon]

kirbyultra wrote:

There are SO many white light sources in the place that I could no longer see straight....

When I lost my iPhone and was pretty much forced to buy a new one, I went pretty late in the night. Turns out there are more "geniuses" staffed at the store than there were customers at that hour. I feel like I'm paying a huge premium on their products for the one-to-one customer service in all the Apple stores.

Acutally was more like 4 to 1! One greeted me and directed me to someone else. That person directed me to a person 10 feet away who was guarding "The Iphone Line" where all us sad suckers stand and wait our turn to fork over hundreds of dollars for a phone . That person basically makes sure you're standing in  the right line and you're not in the store for some other purpose. Then at the front of the line, a person asks me what I'm interested in (which phone I want, what I qualify for in terms of replacement, advises me on price) and a 4th person actually took down my order and set up my phone. Granted, they were all nice and I would have felt otherwise totally lost in such a shiny store, but did I really need 4 people?

Your whole post made me laugh, and believe me, I needed it. Someone I work with mentioned to me, that the store here was very bright with white light, and now you tell me about your experience. That's just funny to me. LOL

I generally avoid customer service in many situations, but The Apple store is a place where I do want help, and it sounds like they cater to that.

I told a friend of mine what the employees at the Apple store are called(geniuses), and he laughed his Windows head off.

 

[BethM]

LOL!
I am thinking about getting an iphone, in 2 weeks when I qualify for an upgrade. I'm happy that I can just get one at the ATT store, and don't have to go to the Apple store for it. Whew!
I went into an Apple store once, but it felt more like a weird museum than a store. Don't care to go back.

 

[Gordon]

BethM wrote:

LOL!
I am thinking about getting an iphone, in 2 weeks when I qualify for an upgrade.  I'm happy that I can just get one at the ATT store, and don't have to go to the Apple store for it.  Whew!
I went into an Apple store once, but it felt more like a weird museum than a store.  Don't care to go back.

AT & T called me the other day to offer a discounted bundle for my services, since my land line and internet DSL is through them. If I switch to AT & T for my cell phone, I'll save around $30 a month. I rarely use my cell phone, anyway; it's just for emergencies.