Do most Mac users use a browser other than safari?

I prefer to use Firefox, too.

@RayTheRealtor said:

"They obviously don't realize that most of Microsoft's development team uses Macs.

Can you provide a reference for that?

When I started shopping for a replacement for my high end Dell XPS development laptop about 18 months ago I got a Macbook Pro partly based on hearing that many web developers and IT security folk had switched. This also included many SQL Server and .NET developers (my primary focus at that time) but I haven't seen anything about internal MS people.

No reason not to believe this is true especially with VMWare Fusion but I just haven't seen anything about it.

Malcolm Waring, REALTOR®, e-PRO
Pocono Real Estate

Regarding the Citrix posts above, note that the example is strictly for Rappattoni users from specific MLS's. I see that our neighbors (Lehigh Valley, PA) are not on the list most likely because it costs big bucks to license Citrix and they probably don't have the demand.

If you look at Eric's screen shot you see a Windows XP desktop (running IE) in an OSX Mac window.

Rappattoni has to purchase/lease enough servers, Windows Server licences, Windows licenses and Citrix licenses to handle everyone that wants to log in at the same time. Every single person is running an individual Windows desktop.

Malcolm Waring, REALTOR®, e-PRO
Pocono Real Estate

@Randy said:

"Doesn't it defeat the purpose of getting a Mac for the internet safety if we don't use Safari?"

No, it's more about the operating system being safer.

But it's really more about that fact that since there are so many more Windows users the malware writers get more bang for their buck by targeting Windows. Macs are vulnerable too.

For obvious reasons Microsoft guards the fact that they develop most of their software on Macs. I have known developers from both Apple and Microsoft which is where my info comes from.

My son showed me in a gaming magazine that Microsoft uses Macs for ALL their games and only converts to Windows if they have to. The X-Box is all Mac.

The only time I recall where Microsoft publically admitted to using Macs is after they released Mocrosoft Office 6.0 for Mac and Office '95 for Windows. Seems the sales were in the toilet as the programs were bloated and ran agonizingly slow on both platforms. There were also many issues.

At that time, Microsoft admitted that this was the first time they designed on Windows and adapted to Macs.... it was a disaster and MS lost millions. They worked diligently on a replacement assuring people that they would correct their development system. (Insiders said that MS went back to developing on the Mac again. Following the Apple software rules provides faster and better software.

Naturally MS does not brag about this, but is seems to be a quite well known fact which has been confirmed to be several times.

Don't forget that MS started as a software development company for Mac. Interestingly, after Windows came out. MS Word was still for Macs and Word Perfect became the word processing program for Windows.

It's been interesting growing up in this age. My first Mac was a Mac Plus with its 9" black and white screen!

RaytheRealtor

I have a Mac and I use Firefox most of the time, but I also use Safari too.

evvy

What would be the best laptop to purchase for the real estate professional at this time? And where would you go to purchase? thx

I would go to an Apple store in your local area if there is one. Talk to the salesperson and tell them what you need and how you use a computer. Try the programs that you use daily and see how they work. I prefer local run businesses to the internet.

I did that before buying and was shocked to see that almost everything I used was accessable to the mac.

I just got the simplest laptop, a MacBook, and it woks great.

If you cannot buy local then go to MacMall. I bought two from them years ago when no local stores were available where I lived. They were absolutely fabulous with putting together what I wanted.

I would buy a MacBook. Unless you do heavy graphics and gaming, you don't need the MacBook Pro. Buy the most RAM for the MacBook (maybe even after market and put in yourself).

I had a Chief Technology Officer recommend buying a refurbished MacBook directly from Apple's website and use the savings to purchase the Apple Care Protection Plan. The plan is so comprehensive, that if your refurbished machine has problems towards the end of the plan (3 years), you are likely to get a new laptop as a replacement.

I have been able to wean myself off of the Windows environment (I don't like to use my Parallels as it is a CPU hog), and really don't need to anymore, now that most sites are at least optimized for Firefox if not Safari.

Also, an alternative to Microsoft Office for Macs is Google Documents.

Todd

I've bought several MacBooks for me and my family members online via apple.com. Right now, they're running a back-to-school special: buy a Mac and get a $99 rebate on a printer and a rebate on an iTouch! So you get those for free! Also, our local school system has amazing discounts on Microsoft Office software, so see if you can order software that way. If you have a student in the house, you may be able to get $50 or more off your MacBook purchase online. Then you can load Microsoft Office for Mac and you're ready to roll! I did have to buy Windows XP and download Apple's free BootCamp software to run it, because there are a few things on my real estate company's web site that I can only access with windows, but that was only $189 from MacMall. Hope that helps!