Mac versus Windows for Investing

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mucho dinero
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Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by mucho dinero »

Folks,

I currently am using a windows operating system by Microsoft. My software is Windows 7. I am considering upgrading my desktop PC to an Apple product. I use my current desktop for both general and financial applications. For the financial and insurance type transactions I want to have the maximum protection against hackers and viruses.
Up until recently I had heard that the Mac operating system was not susceptible to viruses and hackers, however I have recently been informed that now even Mac products are being targeted by hackers. Also I understand that with the Mac the selection of software programs is not as great.

Could any of you tell me the advantages of Mac versus Windows in doing applications relative to investing and would migrating to a Mac system enchance my protection against viruses, malware and hackers.


Thanks in advance.
sscritic
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by sscritic »

I am sure others will be able to point you to several of the many threads on this forum with respect to Mac vs Windows. You didn't mention price. If price is no object, say so now. That should cut the length of this thread in half.

Maybe I should take that back. Even if you say that price is no object there will be posters who will tell you "why pay $XX when you can pay $X?" (I am not sure if $X is half of $XX or if $X is the square root of $XX, but it is definitely smaller.*)

* assuming $X is greater than 1 in the case of square root.
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CaliJim
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by CaliJim »

It is more about how you use the machine than which machine is best.
All machines are subject to malware.
YOU are the weakest link.
Most computer breakins involve some sort of social engineering.
Use good passwords (longer than you think necessary) and a unique password for each account. And perhaps - have a machine (pc, mac, linux, tablet, kindle fire, ...) that you use only for financial transactions. Then have another machine for general browsing.
A computer security marketing type recently recommended having several / many different email accounts, and to use a unique email account for each financial institution. That way if someone hacks your everyday email, they can't do a password-recovery-via-email thing to get into your bank and brokerage account.
Also - contact your financial institutions and ask if they offer any optional levels of additional security - challenge response tokens, telephone passphrases, etc.
Use something like keepass (http://keepass.info/) on a USB drive to store your passwords. And eject the USB when not needed.
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Topic Author
mucho dinero
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by mucho dinero »

Per sscritic's question on costs the Apple computer costs $1500 and the office softwre goes for $200. :dollar
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nisiprius
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by nisiprius »

It ultimately comes down to personal taste and you are that person and it is your taste, so the most important thing is to figure out how to get enough hands-on time on a Mac to see how you like it.

Do not believe anyone who says there is a huge difference in usability, power, or price between the two systems. Apple, Microsoft, and the Linux community all know what's going on and steal ideas from each other, and there is a rough equilibrium. Both Apple and Microsoft are in an uncomfortable period trying to decide what to do about desktops versus touchscreens and both are making awkward compromises, not brilliant syntheses; Windows users are complaining about Windows 8, Mac users are complaining about Mountain Lion.

Viruses are more of a problem in the Windows world, and part of using Windows is to have enough savvy to find, install, and use Microsoft Security Essentials. It is not clear how things are unfolding in the Mac world. From time to time I download and install free virus checkers, particularly when there's a scare, but a) Apple includes some defenses in OS updates, and b) to date the only viruses I've ever detected under Mac OS X have been in mail attachments.

Software selection in the Mac world is a problem, particularly if you need to have access to big-ticket, big-name software products (e.g. Autocad). However, all of Apple's own bundled and iLife software is very smooth and nicely done.

When a company claims to offer both Mac and Windows versions of something, sometimes they will be pretty much on a par with each other (Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements), sometimes they are not; when they are not, it usually the Mac version that's the sucky one. Compatibility with digital cameras and "media" is good in the Mac world. You will find more complaints about printers and scanners not working properly with Macs or not being updated in a timely fashion.

You said "investing," not "business." For investing, I don't think there's a problem. For business, if you go to a Mac you will experience constant small compatibility hassles. For example, when Microsoft introduced .docx format, there was an awkward period of time before they introduced a Mac version of Word that supported it. (And their free .docx-to-.doc converter had a tendency to grind away for minutes at a time on any substantial document--and then crash). And if you work at a corporation that has standardized on Windows, you will experience constant hassles with IT, with corporate software that won't run on Macs, etc.

Apple treats you like a customer. They have more respect for the end-user than Microsoft does. They control both the hardware and software and, and if you sign your pact with the Apple devil, they keep their end of the bargain by giving you a smoother experience than in the Windows world. Apple's customer support is pretty good, they always come out well in Consumer Reports' ratings. The Apple Stores are a small plus, but a plus, if there is one convenient to you. How the Microsoft Stores develop remains to be seen.

Do not believe that Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are an adequate substitute for Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Budget for the latter.

Do not believe that any way of running Windows on a Mac is very satisfactory. I've used, let me see: two different software emulators, an add-in card with built-in processor in the pre-Intel days, Parallels, and Bootcamp. They were all royal PITAs in various ways. None were ever very satisfactory--they'd look great but then you'd discover they wouldn't print properly, or wouldn't talk properly to external USB devices, or whatever. They also all have very short shelve lives--they'd work, then Apple would rev the OS, they'd break, it would take them eight months to release a version supporting the new OS and then they'd charge you a bundle because since it was for a new OS it was an upgrade, not an update--that sort of thing.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by TomatoTomahto »

I have considered what you're also contemplating. If I do get an Apple laptop or desktop (the family already has 3 Apple computers, and they're mostly happy with them), I will keep my Windows desktop for financial software. I enjoy using Excel with VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), which I don't think runs on Apple.

If I wind up making the transition, the Windows PC will have Office, Quicken, and probably Photoshop. I will continue to pay for McAfee and also limit internet access to only financial institutions (banks, Vanguard, ESPlanner, etc.).

Anyway, that's the plan.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
rj49
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by rj49 »

Another option is to get a desktop Mac and install Windows through a program called Bootcamp, which allows you to boot into Windows or Mac environments, or a program called Parallels, which uses WIndows within the Mac environment.
I use Bootcamp on my imac, since I'm taking MS Office classes that require Windows software. I don't do web surfing on the Windows portion, so the likelihood of malware is drastically reduced, and I run Windows Defender on it occasionally just to make sure. I've been using a Mac for over 30 years without using any anti-virus software and have had no issues, but then I use common sense with email and websites, such as not clicking on things I don't recognize or trust. The Chrome and Safari browsers for Mac also do a decent job of warning about sites that are suspected of installing malware, and the Mail application for Mac does a good job of screening out suspected spam mail that could harbor viruses.

I enjoy having the simple setup of the imac, but if you want to save some money, a Mac mini is a very small, quiet option that you could just hook up with an HDMI cable to the monitor of your choice, including your tv. The new imac is probably the most amazing-looking desktop computer I've seen, though, and I know that online stores like Macmall.com (besides being tax-free for most states) will install Windows and the Parallel software for you before shipping. Be careful, though, because Apple computers are like gateway drugs to the ipad--I hooked up my sister and parents with Mac minis, and then they got ipads and spend endless hours surfing and playing on them, including my 83-year-old dad.
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tat2ng
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by tat2ng »

nisiprius wrote: Do not believe that Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are an adequate substitute for Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Budget for the latter.
I would agree that Pages, Numbers and Keynote don't work well as a substitute. But I would encourage you to try Open Office, or NeoOffice - both free (or very cheap, maybe a donation asked for?). http://www.neooffice.org/neojava/en/index.php

I've been using NeoOffice for several years... it's not EXACTLY the same as Word and Excel, but it is pretty close and does most everything I need it to do for home use.

cheers,
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The Wizard
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by The Wizard »

This was arguably a more legitimate question 20 years ago.
By now, the dust has settled and either Mac or Windows platform should be fine, assuming you keep antivirus s/w updated.

You really should be asking how suitable an Android tablet would be for your intended use...
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pochax
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by pochax »

i think u can choose an Apple or PC for your main computer for almost all functions except online financial site access and get a chromebook for logging onto financial websites - chrome OS has very good security features, minimal targeting by hackers due to low uptake of users, and automatic updating of security so need for antivirus software. good luck!
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PaddyMac
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by PaddyMac »

Re iWork products: While Numbers is missing the XIRR formula, for everything else I so much prefer it to Excel. I have cash flow, estimated taxes, vacation budget, mortgage schedule, net worth, and more, all designed as attractive colorful spreadsheets. I never mind opening one to update it! Excel looks like office software - plain and boring and uninspiring.

What I like about Numbers is that you can create multiple tables that can be sized to fit the data, and rearranged around the page (so I can build a table for each tax form when creating my tax return spreadsheet). That makes more sense than having one big grid covering the entire page. You can import Excel spreadsheets into Numbers if they are the same basic formulas.
Last edited by PaddyMac on Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:30 am, edited 2 times in total.
buckstar
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Re: Mac versus Windows for Investing

Post by buckstar »

I would say that much depends on the software you use. If you use Quicken, there is really no equivalent for the Mac platform short of using virtualization software (which I use, and works fine enough but kills my laptop battery life). The latest version of Excel for Mac does support VBA, and I haven't had any problems using my scripts cross-platform.
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