LAPTOP!!!!

My dad just gave me a laptop!
It's a Compaq that my autn was going to throw away, but she gave it to him, he had it fixed, and now I get it for school! Plus, it has a DVD drive, and I can probably put my iTunes on it from our Mac Desktop! I'm so happy about it, except it doesn't have Publisher or Word, which I've been getting good at using. Personally, I like Mac best, but still, it's pretty sweet!
Any advice for a Mac person new to Windows? I'm not a virgin to it, but still, there's a lot I still don't get. Help is appreciated. Thanks!

there's only one thing i can say: lucky ****!

seriously, though, i have no experience in what you seek, but I thought i'd drop a line on how lucky i feel you are. my dad would NEVER give me a laptop.

It's older, and my dad trusts me. It is pretty sweet though. I'd never get a brand new one though.

Laptops (ok all computers) are virus magnets. One of the first things I'd recomend you to do is to download and install the following: "Ad-Aware SE Personal", "Spybot Search & Destroy", and "Norton Anti-virus". Those three things combined can stand up for a lot of viruses out there. So the most important thing I'd have to say is: Protect your Laptop; internally(software) and externally(hardware). I'd highly recommend you do a scan of all three programs at least once every two weeks. If you do that (what I'd like to call a "check-up") then you won't have any/many problems for your comp.

-BGS

yeah that is good, i have spy bot, adaware screwed up and it wasnt working (it got to the deleting part and half way throught the deletion it just stopped, so i got rid of it).

i use windows, and it is pretty good. you should just see if a friend has got publisher and Office and just install on your computer. i ont like laptops that much. Windows is really easy to use, and you should get use to it pretty fast.

Ya, I have windows too. It is sorta like mac, but a little different. Have fun with your laptop!

I use a G4 Powerbook. Made by Apple. The best computer company evercreated.

Sage of Ice: Enjoy being spoiled. I remember when I got my first own computer when I was 15, it's a great feeling. Now I'm on a laptop as well, but this one I had to buy myself.

Anyways, like BGS said, you had better install some counter-measures to all the threats out there, and he made some great suggestions. I also suggest that you stay far, far away from Internet Explorer if you want to keep it spyware free.

Yes, I found when I had my laptop, it attracted spyware like crazy.... to the point where I had to reinstall Windows XP three times before I decided to just sell mine on eBay.

You are lucky you got the laptop, and I hope you enjoy it though!

Well I personally like Mac better, but if you are using windows you will be able to play many more computer games *wink wink* I wish i was just given a laptop one day for no apparent reason. Oh well.

Originally Posted by Sage of Ice

Any advice for a Mac person new to Windows?

When using a Windows PC, you aren't really "using" it. You're sort of along for the ride, and it decides what you can and can't do. Unless you perform virus and spyware checks on a daily basis, get ready for random program crashes, sluggishness and overall horribleness.

I'd just soup it up, sell it, and invest in a Mac laptop.

Anyways...

For programs to load on it, MAKE SURE you have iTunes and QuickTime loaded on it. (QT comes with iTunes) Download the Windows version here.

You'll also want the Mozilla Firefox browser. It's nearly identical to Safari, except for a different skin and some other small differences. Download.

Limewire is cool too, if you're looking for, erm, free, although pirated, software.

You are so effin lucky dude! I've been wanting a laptop for the past 14 years! Wait... hold on... no. That would be impossible, seeing how i'm only 13. Meh whatever. Let's just say a long time, shall we? Any way, that's really cool. I have to save up for mine if I want one, instead of getting one. I don't have much experience w/ computers however, although i can work it to do what i want, which i guess is enough. But for the rest of the stuff, there's my dad.

That's great that you got a labtop Sage Of Ice.
It sounds very cool. Have fun with it.
I'm not jealous of you in any way, I'm very lucky myself and unlike these other people I don't really want a labtop.

Damn I had to buy my own computer, and I'm only 14. I iz lyk3 s00 j3al0us!!@!1!one!! Okay I don't find windows too hard to use, rigght clicking is your new friend!

Originally Posted by Mirror_Image

Damn I had to buy my own computer, and I'm only 14. I iz lyk3 s00 j3al0us!!@!1!one!! Okay I don't find windows too hard to use, rigght clicking is your new friend!

Macs use right-clicking too, if you invest in a 2-button mouse, which many smart Mac users tend to do.

Meh I don't know much about macs I just remember the couple of ones they had at my old school had no right click button.