For example, I'm purdy darned fond of Firefox! And maybe, some other stuff - countless other pieces of software, too numerous to mention. Will they *all* run on a Mac? (And while we're at it, what's the difference between "Apple" and "Mac"? Is "Apple" the company and "Mac" the computer?)
2007-03-03 10:28:33 · 11 answers · asked by fjpoblam 7 in Computers & Internet ➔ Software
Probably not *everything*. But it is possible to run most 'windows' programs on a MAC.
Firefox is available in a Mac version.
With the right emulator you can run pretty much any program on any machine.
For the MAC, if you wanted to run windows programs there is VirtualPC, CrossOver Mac (based off of WINE), Parallels, Bochs is an open source (free) cross-platform ia-32 emulator, and the open source WINE has been ported to macs as Darwine.
http://www.apple.com/macosx/applications/virtualpc/
http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/
http://www.parallels.com/
http://bochs.sourceforge.net/
http://darwine.opendarwin.org/
Though many of the best open source software like OpenOffice (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenOffice.org or http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/ for details)
and the DAW, Ardour, is also available in Mac versions.
2007-03-03 11:27:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Apple is the company and Mac is the product.
Now the software:
Quick answer: No.
Pre 2006 macs used different cpu architecture so you could not run PC programs on Mac hardware unless the software company released a second version of the same software specifically written for Mac. For example Microsoft had a version of Office that ran on Mac OS. Overall there was (and still is) much more variety in PC software than Mac because more than 90% of the computers in the world are PC so it's a much greater market. On the same note, Mac software is also more expensive in many cases than the same software for PC.
After Apple switched to PC compatible hardware (Intel CPUs) in 2006, it became possible to install windows on a Mac computer so if you have a newer Mac (i.e. Macbook, Macbook Pro, new iMac) you can install Windows on it and use it like a regular PC. If you use Mac OS (Apple's operating system) instead of Windows you still need Mac compatible software.
2007-03-03 18:39:30 · answer #2 · answered by spacemann_spiffff 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Apple make MACs (MACintosh apple). Some software works on MACs and Windows. MS Office apps can work on a MAC. PC software is just so much more available than MAC apps. Some programs use emulation to work on a MAC. The apps on the MAC think they are working on a PC (Windows).
2007-03-03 18:34:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Apple is the company. Mac short for Macintosh is the name Apple used to name their series of computers.
Like someone else said, Macs use different kind of OS and usually ran on different kind of architecture but now Macs use the Intels. But software written for Windows OS cannot run on Mac OS. Only software written specifically for Mac OS will work. You can run Windows programs using Virtual PC or like on the Mac running Mac OS.
For the Macs running on Intel chips, you can run Windows OS so you can run all your current programs if you wish.
2007-03-03 18:37:55 · answer #4 · answered by SlyMcFly 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hello fjpoblam,
There are files on your Windows machine that can be read on a Macintosh, as well as Unix or Linux. However, Windows executables do not work on Macintosh computers. That's one reason that all of these Windows viruses don't work on the Mac.
There are Macintosh versions of software that is popular on Windows. You may need to shop around. Check out your favorites on VersionTracker:
http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/
You may need to check out some switcher sites to see the Macintosh way of doing things.
http://www.apple.com/support/switch101/
http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/
http://the.taoofmac.com/space/HOWTO/Switch%20To%20The%20Mac
http://digg.com/apple/The_Big_Switch_from_Windows_to_Mac_OS_X
Best of luck to you.
--Rick
2007-03-03 20:39:06 · answer #5 · answered by rickrudge 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the short answer is no, firefox will run on mac, however most games will not. if u do not play games, mac is perfect for you. apple is the company name, mac is the brand name for their computers
2007-03-03 18:31:38 · answer #6 · answered by MoooMoo 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No. Quite a few popular "every day windows tools" have mac
versions. But I'm pretty sure you have one or two that won't
have a 1:1 mac version.
2007-03-03 18:34:46 · answer #7 · answered by Alex S 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
none of them will work. mac uses a differnet system with different software.
2007-03-03 18:30:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
LOL! Your funny! Read requirements on the software boxes!
2007-03-03 18:31:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
some things will and some things wont. check on the package.but firefox will work on both.
2007-03-03 18:39:07 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋