Should I Change Brands?

My Mac Pro has been with me for 5 years now and I've been using it for work. Lately, though, my job is not 'Mac-friendly' as there are buttons and commands that are difficult to perform compared to using other brands. I've also been planning to purchase a new unit. Should I buy a new brand or should I just learn how to use it for my current job?

 

That doesn't really tell us anything. It depends what applications you need to use and whether they run just on Mac or just on Windows. You need to post much more clearly about the Operating System you need to do your work. 'Brand' doesn't actually mean anything.

 

Who's paying for it?
You say "difficult to perform". But are they impossible or do they take an unacceptable amount of extra time to perform?

As Max noted, is not really about "brand". Though we here all know what you mean, an inexperienced sales person may not. A HP Windows based notebook performs the same tasks using the same programs in the same way as a Dell Windows based notebook, thus arriving at the same results in the same way.

An Apple Mac does things differently enough, often with different software such that the end result may not be exactly the same - at least in appearance. In many cases, proprietary software my only run on Windows and a "Wintel" computer and not a Mac.

 

There are "cross-platform" programs but, they will work differently (different keyboard shortcuts, etc.), depending on OS. However, the resultant output should be editable in the same program on either OS.

Since your company, apparently, decided to use Windows based PCs, you're going to have to "bite the bullet" and learn the "new" commands. Eventually, you'll find that things aren't so different afterall.

 

Yes, but there are many proprietary programs custom developed for a specific company that only work with a specific OS. This is one reason some companies are still clinging to XP and even earlier versions of Windows; they either refuse to invest or don't have the necessary resources to invest updated programs that may also require a large investment in new hardware and personnel training.

But we don't know if this particular company is using "off-the-shelf" programs or custom developed proprietary programs so we cannot really be of any help here.

 

@Digerati,

Apparently the OP's company changed "platforms" from Mac to Windows (or possibly Linux) judging from the initial Post.

The OP asked if he should just learn to work in the new platform for his current job. I believe (and I'm sure you concur) that he should.

I don't think the company is going to revert because things are now "more difficult" for him.

Once he's learned the new platform, he'll become proficient at his work. The "learning curve" is something we all have gone through.

 

Until the OP actually returns to answer specific questions all this is speculation.

 

Yes, but we don't know what that really means in terms of the products produced by the company computers, or the company's requirements of their employees.

If the product (computer output) can only be produced by Windows based systems, then he has no choice. But if he can do the exact same thing with a Mac, then there is no real need to change if his current Mac Pro is still working fine and meeting his and his job's needs.

I think you are making assumptions/conclusions I am not willing to make - yet. Max is right, this is all speculation on our part.

Now IF his Mac Pro is showing signs of age (crashing or cannot meet today's performance needs) and IF a new Mac is incompatible with the company's products or IF the company is footing the bill for the new computer, then I see no choice.

But IF ownthree can satisfactorily meet all the company's requirements with his current or a new Mac, and IF he wants to keep using a Mac (for whatever reason), then I see no reason to force the change.

Sure, once a learning curve is conquered, proficiency returns. But if no learning curve is in need of conquering, no time wasted during the resulting loss of productivity needs to occur at all.

So because there are so many big IFs we don't know about, until the OP comes back, answers asked questions and provides more information, we are just spinning our wheels here.