Windows to Mac
Teddy
We have had some demand recently for a Mac version and think we will move
into this. However we are Mac illiterate. We know that with a few minor
adjustments the app will run on a Mac, but of course we will need to buy a
Mac with CD burner to get organised.
Our question is ...
What is the minimum (ie cheapest) Mac configuration/OS/model we could use to
convert our FM5.5 files and run FM5.5 developer?
Thanks
Ted
Bill Burkholder
A new machine such as the $800 class iMac G3 is plenty sufficient to run
FileMaker. You could even find a decent used machine (G3 or better) on eBay or
another auction site. You'll want to run OS X10.x and OS 9.2.2 in Classic Mode
so you can test your solution on both platforms. Not everyone uses OS X yet...
Of course, a really cool setup would be a G4 500 or better (any model) with
Virtual PC. Then you could do cross platform development on the same machine.
That is what I do with a PowerBook G3 Pismo... It's slightly slow in PC mode,
but I manage to hold my nose and do all my business with VPC and Win98. And if
you need to test on multiple operating systems, you can run multiple PCs
simultaneously with Virtual PC!
RAM is important. I dedicate 256MB to the PC, and I have 640 total MB...
However, FileMaker doesn't really need more than about 48MB to play in. Under
OS 9.x, you need to manually set the RAM partition... see your manual for
details.
Bill Burkholder
Tim Booth
According to FileMaker itself (http://www.filemaker.com/ )
For Mac OS
Hardware Requirements:
Power Macintosh computer or later
32MB of RAM required
CD-ROM and Hard disk drive
Software Requirements:
Supports Mac OS version 8.1 through Mac OS 9.2. [Mac OS 8.6 through 9.2
required for Web Companion and ODBC features.]
If you want it to run on Mac OS X computers, then you'll need
at least a G3. So, either get an entry level Mac X box, or
go to Ebay for a second hand G3.
Cheers
Webko
Roel Wijmans
Emac. The cheapest model. You can have a look on the apple web site.
If you check the minimum requirements of FileMaker developer on the
filemaker site you can simply look for something second hand based on those
requirements
Roel
On 2/7/02 3:17 PM, in article
rHaU8.382991$o66.1...@news-server.bigpond.net.au, "Teddy"
Paul Bruneau
need a CD burner on your Mac. You can use ISO 9660 format and Macs read
it just fine. You can have 2 folders on your cd, one Mac, one PC.
Of course, if you did get a burner on the Mac, you can create a hybrid
CD which only will show the correct version of the bound files. Maybe
that is what you are looking for.
PB
Redwing
convert our FM5.5 files and run FM5.5 developer? >>
As noted, VirtualPC (and SoftWindows before it) has been around on the Mac side
for years, and it quite excellent for cheaply configuring FMP for xplat
deployment. I'm sure by now you ought to be able to pick up a copy of
VirtualMac to use on the freakin' dark side to cheaply go the other direction.
Oooops, maybe NOT!
Once you go Mac, you'll never go back.
Luis Melgoza
As you are looking for the cheapest soution, I'd suggest:
PowerMacintosh 6100 CD -> less than $100.00 including keyboard and mouse
on the open market (I would look for one with MacOS 8.6 installed).
VGA monitor adapter (you can swap your existing PC monitor temporarily
to use the Mac) -> less tha $20.00
Assume an additional $200.00 for S&H and, perhaps, extra RAM (the 6100
came in 8 and 16 MB RAM configurations) and a larger HD than the
original 160 or 250 MB shipped in the initial configurations).
As mentioned before by someone else, you can burn the CD on your
existing equipment and Macs will be able to read it; or, as also
mentioned before, you may get a SCSI CD-RW for the Mac.
By current standards, the PowerMac 6100 will appear ectremely slow;
however, just to be able to run FM developer (you'll need a license too,
of course), this will definitely work.
In lieu of the monitor swapping scheme above, you may get two copies of
Timbuktu and run the Mac in headless mode, to operate it from within one
of your PCs, and to transfer files both ways.
Finally, download a free copy of Stuffit Lite from www.aladdinsys.com to
be able to compress your files and transfer them Mac <=> PC via floppy
if necessary.
Granted, this is not the most elegant solution; but, it is the cheapest.
Unless you have Windows specific steps in your scripts, you should not
need any tweaking of your solution at all, other than creating a Mac
runtime version with FM Developer.
Hope this helps.
Luis.
In article <rHaU8.382991$o66.1...@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
"Teddy" <te...@removethis.educator.com> wrote:
--
lumel AT ardi DOT net
Paul Bruneau
non-standard monitor port (requiring two stacked adapters to get to
vga), a non standard ethernet port that requires an adapter (yuck), and
it won't drive a CDR very fast because it is painfully slow.
If you go the used Mac route, which is a very good route, then look on
ebay for a 7300 or 7500 or 7600. They are barely more $$ and much
stronger machines.
Tom Fitch
OS X right away, you'll need a G3 when the time comes, that's the
minimum requirement. Think of G3 like a Pentium III, G4 like Pentium IV
-- a gross oversimplification, but you get the idea. G3 Macs come in
many flavors, including the original beige, blue and white, iMac or
iBook. Older Macs with G3 processor upgrades probably won't run OS X.
Another problem with many older (i.e. non-G3) Macs is they need a
special adapter ($20) to hook up ethernet; more recent Macs have it
built in. (You'll be amazed how simple networking is on a Mac.)
Take a look on ebay, you can find something pretty decent for $300,
maybe even $200.
Apples on ebay:
http://listings.ebay.com/aw/plistings/list/all/category4599/index.html
Mac specs:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/by_processor/powerpc750.html
http://www.info.apple.com/support/applespec.html
Tom Fitch
Fitch & Fitch
Portland, Oregon