In late 2009 I purchased my first smartphone, an iPhone. I was sufficiently impressed with the quality of the device that I began to question switching from my aging Windows XP computer. At the time I was engaged in a few specific tasks, so I decided to learn if my needs would be met on the new platform. I began by reviewing and listing all the application software I was using in Windows in a spreadsheet, then seeking equivalents in the Mac OS X realm. Many of the applications I had accumulated over the years were Open Source programs, and had either existing ports to OS X or there were equivalents. Open Source applications such as Open Office, FileZilla, Audacity, GnuCash were available on both platforms, and the data was transparently migrated between the two. Other proprietary applications were available on both platforms: Adobe Reader, Skype, Dropbox, and Google Earth are readily available on both platforms. For other applications I need to find equivalents: Adium replaced MSN Messenger, PaintFX replaced Paint, and TaxTron replaced the variety of IncomeTax submission programs I had previously used.
In the spring of 2011, I made my decision. Apple had released a new 13" Macbook Pro, and I wanted one! I stopped by the Apple store while in Calgary, plunked down my credit card, and was introduced to the world of OS X. I'm still using the photo taken during the setup of my MacBook Pro as my Contacts image.
I ran both computers in tandem for a while, but by the time I added a monitor for the Macbook Pro, I had pretty much relegated the XP computer to the dust bunnies. I was having trouble with printing of one document in Open Office on OS X, and once that was resolved, I used the MacBook exclusively. The old computer now resides in the basement.