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Help! I’m a Mac! (A Tech Nerd’s Plea – and Mini Rant)

By Jennifer Lal

Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Valley Realty

January 31, 2009 12:04 PM

Oh My…..I’m a tech geek and I love it!

I also LOVE my Mac.

Apple IMAC

It’s compact, fast, ultra modern looking, and best of all DOES NOT CRASH.

I have owned………get ready for it………….THREE PC Windows-based computers in the last year alone. THREE!!!

On the flip side, I have owned my Mac for 3 years with absolutely no problems whatsoever – no “blue screen of death” crashes, no slowdowns, no ridiculous virus scans. I don’t even think that I have antivirus software running on my Mac!

Two of my PC’s had major meltdowns and do not function anymore. One was so badly damaged by a virus that the motherboard is now corrupt! The only PC I have left is a laptop which is currently trying to start up (20 minutes and counting…….poor windows flag just floating in the black abyss…..).

All of my Windows-based computers always ran the latest versions of Norton Antivirus or AVG antivirus and various meltdowns STILL happened.

Thank goodness all of my photos are backed up on my Mac:

Above: Priceless "backed up" photo of my gorgeous son being silly when he was only six years old!

When I became a realtor it puzzled me why our Real Estate board did not have compatible listing search programs for my computer. Sure, I can look at a listing on http://www.realtor.ca but so can every other internet user out there…….

If I want to look up Realtor versions of the listing info I MUST use Internet Explorer. Not even Firefox! I MUST switch to an inferior platform (IMO – wow that sounded harsh!) in order to receive information.

Because of this I have had to run a version of Windows on my Mac using a “parallels” program (in turn, opening it up to all the internet threats that plagued my last 3 computers….ugh).

I shouldn’t have to fork over thousands of dollars every year just so that I have a device that works with my Real Estate Board’s MLXCHANGE software.

I know that having a PC is just a “cost of business” but why should it be? I can run Firefox on my Mac just fine……..there’s got to be other "dual platform” programs out there that my Board can look into. I’m really not a Mac-snob….really….

/END OF JADED MAC-RANT………lol

Any other “dual” Mac and PC owners out there? Have you run across any great programs that your Real Estate Board has implemented?

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James Iodice

Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel - Waterford, MI

Associate Broker, Selling Homes and Offices

Jennifer,

I am a PC person, but know many who are Mac. Mostly in the graphics business or photo industry. I agree with you that people should not have a platform shoved down their throat. I see many MLS systems acting like the Big 3 when they flew to DC for money, they just assume that they are the biggest and the only and they do not try to cater to ALL the consumers.

Jan 31, 2009 12:49 PM

real estate real estate

Providence, RI

I am so sick of the MLS system that totally relys on microsoft all across north america. I own a few macs and I love them. But I have to come back to my windows machine for mls.

Jan 31, 2009 02:14 PM

Liz Moras Migic

Chilliwack, BC

Chilliwack, British Columbia - Realtor

Wow girl you RANT with the BEST of them! Having never had a MAC I don't have the same affinity.......but I'm tempted.......I so agree with all your pain i the *&^^ issues with the PC - good jump..........I feel a release just reading it! :-)....You might want to post this to the MAC and RANT groups.........Good for you Jen - I know this has been stewing for a while! :-)APPLE/MAC iUser Group

That pic would make a perfect addition to the Speechless Sunday Group _ you can post it there anytime after 10 pm out time on Saturday!

Jan 31, 2009 02:25 PM

Ron Parise

LocateHomes.com - Cape Coral, FL

I own three vintage macs. and one thats fairly new,

My first mac was purchased in 1996, a performa 6200 cd. Often referred to as a "road apple" it was one of the worst designs that Apple ever brought to market, but it beats the heck out of any pc Ive ever owned. Just for fun I bought a se/30 (pictured above)(built in 1989) and a power mac 9600 (built in 1996). All three of these machines still work and can connect to the internet using my cable connection. Try and do that with a 1989 pc. I think its kind of cool that the se/30 can connect to the internet in light of the fact that he first internet service provider didnt begin operatons until 1991. It says something that the inside of the se/30's case is embossed with the signatures of the development team, including Steve Jobs. They were artists (still are) and proud of their work; so they signed it

Well...that was a little off the subject, sorry.

The Mac I use now is an imac G5 (pre intel chip) and to answer your question: Our Board uses Rapitoni as our mls software provider and with a software download, it works on the Mac. I still use a pc because my office provides us with and insists we use TopProducer. It dosent work on the Mac. As soon as we move away from TopPrducer (and that day is coming), Ill retire my pc

my question....is anyone using rapitoni on an I-Phone or Blackberry?

Jan 31, 2009 06:22 PM

Katie Van Nes

Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley, & Fraser Valley - Abbotsford, BC

Local Real Estate eXpert | eXp Realty

Jen you learn something new everyday, I didn't know Top Producer didn't work on a Mac, I know I cannot view our boards listings and that is unfortunate.... love the Mac :)

Feb 03, 2009 06:36 PM

Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate

Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL

Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

We invite you back to ActiveRain!

    Much has changed since your last visit to ActiveRain. I encourage you to take another look at the website.

    Surf some blogs, leave some comments. Better yet, post a Blog.

    Best to you!

Dec 26, 2015 12:54 PM

Help! I’m a Mac! (A Tech Nerd’s Plea – and Mini Rant)

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