[Canis Vulpes]

Switching a computer can be daunting enough especially when its how the operator wants it but switching to a completely unknown computer platform with possible incompatibly with hardware and software is a big step, almost a leap!

The journey to completely switch from PC to Mac took six weeks with some trouble along the way. Initially everything was fine, started new Mac a few questions about myself and the system was running. No reboots, no driver installation just software to install, namely Nikon Capture NX and Adobe Photoshop. Nikon Capture was a breeze with the same product key working for the Mac as PC, Photoshop took a while to download the 800MB 30day trail but when it was complete all was good but needed to transfer licence to Mac which is done under a licence transfer scheme by Adobe. I initiated the transfer of Photoshop by e-mailling Adobe which was ignored so I telephone some days later who asked for another e-mail proving original receipt for photoshop and of not photographic evidence of ownership such as boxes and CD's etc.

Photographic evidence was sent as no original receipt but Photoshop was genuine and purchased through Amazon U.K.. some days later a response from Adobe along the lines of no transfer without original receipt, so I checked all e-mails and paper receipts to no avail even telephoned Amazon who were most helpful but could not find my original purchase. I was stuck – new computer ideal for speedy image processing but no photoshop even though being legal. Photoshop was fast running out of its 30 day trial period and I had a brain wave – I purchased Photoshop using my card but my lady's account from Amazon. I called Amazon again who found details of original purchase and agreed to send paper receipt in the post. When arrived I sent to Adobe who processed things – very slowly. I was made to feel like a criminal and even though I had all documentation Adobe asked for it was apparently down to 'acceptance' of the transfer order before I could receive a licence transfer. A week passed (now five weeks into processing) and I put the pressure on and that day someone called me back to take my credit card details for an upgrade to take me from CS2 (windows) to CS3 (Mac) although a full copy of CS3 arrived. The whole saga took six weeks!

The third essential piece of software every photographer needs is Neatimage. I tried my licence number to download for Mac which failed, After e-mailling Neatimage mac support I received advice in minutes – yes minutes, suggesting a licence transfer would cost $10 (£5) and I ordered immediately then minutes later a new mac licence agreement number was available and I simple downloaded and installed. The process took less than one hour.

All previous hardware is compatible with Mac such as CF card readers, printers, cameras but an aged scanner would not work which was hardly used. A Linksys router was not down to be Mac OS X compatible but does work fine both wired and wireless. Sometime hardware is Mac compatible but the manufacturer does not state it. When plugging my also aged printer nothing happened – absolutely nothing – no new hardware found message. I only new it worked when I went to print and there it was in the dialogue box!

All photos and e-mails can be transferred as Mac OS X can read Microsoft's NTFS drive format but cannot write to a NTFS drive, no problem as all drives were IDE now SATA so simply copied from one to another and the IDE drives now used a backup devices in a USB IDE external case.

Its not been easy but we are there now!