[WinMac] Re: Which is less trouble: Mac+Win or Win+Mac?

Bill A. Stetar(ptg[at]internetMCI.com)
Mon, 27 Jul 1998 14:46:45 -0500

>Subject: Which is less trouble: Mac+Win or Win+Mac?
>From: John Nurick <j.nurick@dial.pipex.com>
>Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1998 05:29:36 +0100
>
<SNIP>
>
>So far, it looks as if a Mac network with a couple of Windows workstations
>will have lower support costs than a Wintel network with a couple of Macs,
>and will let people spend more time doing billable work and less time on
>housekeeping and troubleshooting. But this doesn't allow for any problems
>and complications in exchanging documents and data with other people.
>
John:
My office has 9 Macs/2 PC's. All the Macs are PowerPC, running Mac OS8.1.
The PC's are Pentiums configured to boot from either Windows 3.1, Win95,
NT 3.5, or NT 4.0. We've been running a mixed environment of Mac/PC's for
more than a decade.

Presently, we're using a Mac server (a stock PPC 7600/132/48 RAM) running
AppleShare IP 5.x (we had been running AS 3.5 up until a month ago with
no problems!). We use Miramar Systems PCMacLan on the PC's. The server
also runs Retrospect to do backups to DAT, Zip, and Jaz media.

IMHO, the Mac server (Mac+Win) is the way to go. Appleshare IP is easy to
set up, easy to maintain, and highly reliable.
Note: Can't say that for the 2 PC's; although I have NT4.0 server, after
examining the set up requirements and studying the documentation, I
quickly dismissed any notion of using NT server. Just too complicated
when a simpler and just as effective alternative (and better) exists.

As for file sharing on the PC's, I like PC MacLan, but others like/use
DAVE. I don't know what DAVE can do, but PC MacLan allows me to set the
PC drives to be shared, similar to file sharing on Mac. This feature
allows Retrospect to mount the volumes during backup and for the Mac
stations to see the PC files. PC MacLan also allows the PC's to mount the
server and other Mac workstations. (It tries to be more Mac-like than
PC-like.) You can also edit server-folder privileges and it supports long
file names.

You won't have trouble sharing / reading / opening Excel, Word, and
PowerPoint files if you are using compatible versions of MSOffice on both
platforms (Office 98 on the Mac, Office 97 for Windows). Just save the
files in their native file format; no special "save as" required. I'm not
sure about MSProject.

We store all files (including PC) on the server. Applications (except for
some muliuser databases we employ) reside on the respective workstation.
Thus all files are saved to and launched from the server. With the size
network you indicated, Appleshare will be plenty robust. You might want
to use a G3 server. (That's my next purchase.)

There's also Timbuktu, which actually allows you to control a PC from a
Mac over the network. I haven't used Timbuktu lately (MacLan meets our
needs), but I used to use it sometimes to "run" one of the PCs over the
network. I certainly would not advise that as a turnkey solution, but it
was a low-tech way (and interesting) to check the behavior or a specific
program problem on Windows while viewing it on the Mac.

Last but not least, you should consider backup strategy. The presence of
Retrospect should be a clincher for a Mac+Win solution. It's easy to use,
fast and powerful and supports Windows workstation clients.

If I had my druthers (Southern USA slang, I am from Nashville), I would
get rid of the PC's and use Macs only. Now this is anecdotal, but the
support to keep our two PC's running--just running--has consumed approx.
90% of the total support time spent on all computers. However, since so
much of the world--andmost of my customer base--is Windows crazy, I need
the two PC's to test operating system anomalies like DLL conflicts,
printer set ups, and just plain technical support for a vertical market
application we offer.

HTH:
Bill Stetar

   

Bill Stetar, President voice: 615.244.2022
Performance Technology Group, Inc. fax: 615.244.2023
Nashville TN USA ptg@internetMCI.com
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