The switch to WHAT is complete?
Switching to low fat ? sugar free ? Low alcohol (hardly) ?
No. It’s the switch from long used Mac to Windows.
So what would possess a die hard Apple Fan-boy to go over to the dark side and embrace Microsoft ?
Time for the confessional. Forgive me, Mr. Jobs, but I have sinned. I have been having thoughts of another OS. It started a month or so ago, when, whilst rummaging through a box of old computer parts, I rediscovered my Microsoft Surface.
The Surface range of PCs are essentially tablets running a full version of Windows (originally Windows 10) but with the option of an add-on keyboard, trackpad and pen, making them rather versatile.
I must have bought this around 2016 as an alternative to Apple’s iPads. The screen is lovely with a resolution of
2736 × 1824 pixels.
For a while I used this at work connected to an external monitor but that was before I swapped to an Apple Mac Pro (the cheese grater) and the Surface was consigned to oblivion.
Until recently when I rediscovered it and started playing. I upgraded to Windows 11 and then started poking around on eBay for any extras. I did find a slightly better specified machine (larger SSD) and upgraded to that. Now that I’d bought (quite literally) into the Surface, I swapped out the tired keyboard for an as-new one. In effect, I now have two Surface Pro 4s with keyboards.
On a recent break to Cornwall, the Surface was my duty machine which I used to web stuff, media streaming and photo editing using Lightroom. I got to quite enjoy the experience.
Back home, I installed Windows 11 in a virtual machine on my stalwart Mac Mini M1 and it ran a treat.
The next stage was inevitable (for me) and I bought a dedicated PC in the form (and a very small form) of an Intel NUC. This diminutive box (120mm x 120mm x 50mm) houses the motherboard, a 512GB NVMe SSD and a 1TB hard disk. I also sports a number of USB3 outlets; a USB-C (which can be used to drive two monitors); Card Reader and an HDMI socket.
It came pre-loaded with Windows 11 and Office, both of which were activated.
I installed the same (or equivalent) apps from my old Mac to the NUC and was impressed with the performance so much that it is now the duty machine with the Mac Mini retired (I need to wipe it and then I’ll try and flog it on eBay for more than the NUC has cost me).
I have, even, tidied up the office (work in progress) to accommodate the new setup.
I’m just waiting for a new keyboard and a camera with Infra Red that can be used for facial recognition – then the switch will be complete.