Are you tired of struggling with PC problems and are thinking of switching to a Mac?  That was my thought, and I am writing this guide to assist you in making the transition.  Once you have decided that you are going through with it, you have some decisions to make. 

One of the most important things to me was not having to replace all of my existing hardware.  So first I evaluated my current PC peripherals to determine if they were compatible with a Mac.  I was surprised (and pleased) to learn that almost all of them (monitor, printer, router, keyboard) were Mac-compatible and only one (PS/2 mouse) wasn't.  With that in mind, I set out to determine which Mac would be best for me.

Since I wanted to keep my existing hardware, I avoided the all-in-one iMacs and looked at the other Mac offerings.  I wanted a computer which would completely replace my existing Compaq desktop computer with something that was both powerful and stable.   I didn't want to spend an excessive amount of money on a system that I possibly wouldn't like, since I had never owned a Mac before.  So I limited the amount I was willing to spend less than $1000.   

Using the above criteria, I determined that the most current Mac, the Mac Pro, was just too expensive at this moment in time (fall 2008).   So this left me with essentially one best choice - a Power Mac G5.  The G5s come in several different configurations.  Suffice to say that the best G5 to get is one of the newer and more powerful dual-CPU models, in particular the 2.3Ghz or 2.7GHz models manufactured late in 2005.  So I set about purchasing one of these off eBay.  Ultimately, I was high bidder on a 2Ghz model (third most powerful of the G5s) which seemed to be in excellent condition.

The seller shipped the computer lightning-fast and it showed up on my doorstep.  It was in excellent condition, and came with the operating system discs (OS X Tiger), a white Mac keyboard, and white single button Mac mouse (more on these later).  The operating system software had been freshly reloaded by the seller.  I disconnected my old PC from the peripherals and connected the Mac and fired it up.  The G5 promptly recognized my monitor but didn't correctly identify my printer.  I downloaded Mac-specific software from the printer manufacturer's website, installed it, and that cleared the problem right up.  The Mac also recognized my Linksys router without any difficulty.  I prefer the firefox browser, so I downloaded the Mac version and installed it.  In no time I was up and running.

What are my observations so far?   First, the Mac operating system is VERY stable.  I went from constant crashes running Firefox to no crashes whatsoever on the Mac.  Reboots are almost never required with the Mac.  The Mac also works more smoothly with an iPod than the PC.  Switching operating systems does require an adjustment period, getting used to the Mac terminology vs. the PC, etc, but nothing that is extraordinarily difficult.  It is like going from a right-handed to a left-handed computer, but you adapt pretty quickly.  Software is somewhat more difficult to obtain for the Mac, but it comes preloaded with a lot of very useful software (iLife) in the operating system, and other software is generally obtainable if you look around.  On the whole, I am very satisfied with my experience so far.

What things to I NOT like about the Mac?  I have had difficulty setting up a home network using the G5 with Linksys wireless router - the router broadcasts a Wifi signal but setting up the actual network between computers has been difficult.  The one-button mouse is annoying, and I had to learn some keyboard commands to assist in this area.  I recommend ditching the Mac mouse and going to a two-or-more-button-with-scroll-wheel USB mouse.  A basic and inexpensive, two-button with scroll wheel, corded USB mouse is a perfectly good choice for the typical user and should work just fine with the G5.   I am not really fond of the white Mac keyboard either, although it gets the job done.  I recommend switching to a corded USB keyboard with two-port USB Hub for connecting the mouse through the keyboard, in order to preserve the precious and relatively few (unless you purchase a separate USB hub) USB ports on the Mac G5. 

Insofar as peripherals (monitor, printer, keyboards, mice, etc) in general, pretty much anything USB should be compatible with the Mac, although I would recommend staying with name-brand products.  But I would recommend this with a PC also, so it really isn't any different.

Here is one area where the PC crowd differs from the Mac crowd - color.  Apple fans seem to see the white Apple hardware and colorful iMacs as "beautiful" and "elegant" whereas I see them as "tacky".  I don't wear white shoes and belts, or drive yellow or red cars.  I am a black or silver kind of guy, and I feel the same way about computers.  I suspect that most PC users feel the same way.  This was a bonus when selecting the Power Mac G5 - it comes in an silver (aluminum) casing that is classicly styled and pleasant to look at without being loud or tacky.  My NEC monitor is black, so when I replaced the annoying Mac keyboard and mouse, I went with an IBM Lenovo Thinkplus corded USB keyboard with two-port USB hub and a corded black and silver Dell USB two-button with scroll wheel mouse.  These components are USB-compatible with the Mac and are both reliable and inexpensive.  Choosing these particular components has allowed me to have a black-and-silver color scheme throughout my computer system, with the exception of my blue-and-gray HP printer/scanner copier, which is just too darn reliable to replace right now.

Summary - While not 100% perfect, Macs are very stable and perform nearly seamlessly with most compatible hardware and software.  It is possible to switch to Mac stability while retaining more conservative PC styling, without replacing all of your hardware in the process or joining a cult.  Currently, the Power Mac G5 (the newer the G5, the better) may be the best choice for PC users looking to switch.  Apple should consider producing a Mac Pro in the $1000 price range to better attract PC users looking to switch, but right now they don't.  In the future, the price of used Mac Pros should decline to this price point, replacing the G5 as the best platform selection in the $1000 price range.

I know my observations and opinions won't please everyone, but I hope this guide helps those who might be considering the switch to Mac...