Hi. I need a new laptop and think about switching back from Mac to Windows after some years. But Scrivener is the most important Software for me (all other stuff like browsing or music I think I can handle on both platforms). I just read the topic “differences between windows an mac version”. A lot of the stuff missing in Windowsversion I think I could get away with. But did I get it right that there is no syncing option at all? That would mean a no-go for me. Is it possible to use the projects created on my Mac with a Windows version? And will Scrivener for iOS work with Scrivener for Windows?
If these questions answer with “no” I will have to go into debt and buy me a new MacBook pro with Retinadisplay. Hm… Please say no.
There is no automatic synchronisation features in the Windows version yet. However there are the standard File/Export/Files… tools, so it is not impossible to take some files with you on the go and update your project when you get back home.
Yes, so long as you’ve been using the 2.x version for the Mac. If you never upgraded, you will want to download the 2.x trial and update your project files to the new cross-platform compatible format, before switching platforms for good.
That is the plan, yes.
I can think of cheaper ways to keep yourself in the Mac game. The MacBook Air computers are very good, and much cheaper. If all you primarily do with your computer is write, browse and listen to tunes they will be fine. Right now the “Retina” technology is still a bit prototype. Half of the software you use may very well look grainy and blurry.
Ok, so I could just export, like, 10 documents that need to be edited on to my iPad, edit them and reimport them? That would be ok for some time. In the future this will be done with Scrivener for iOS anyway, right?
Is there other stuff I might have missed on the table, that is important to consider when switching to windows?
I actually dont need the performance power of the macbook pros. But I need a large HD. I have a lot of pictures and music and already I am using and external HD right now (having 200 gb on my old MBP). But I want to get rid of the external disc, once I buy a new Notebook. Ok, I could go without the retina display. And yes, MBA would be cool. Also for writing mobile. Maybe I need an Streaming HD and an MBA. And an external CD-drive. Ah, its hard.
And the new Mac mini is under $600. Add a keyboard and your choice of display, and you’ve got a great machine for Scrivening, on which you may also run Windows software.
PS: I’m buying a Chromebook for $249 and will figure out soon enough how to use it as a surfing, note-taking, and drafting machine for export to Scrivener. I think Evernote and Google Docs will be the way to go.
It’s hard to say what, because we all have our individual things that are important. I myself for instance would not have thought to highlight the lack of synchronisation as something major, if you had asked me blind what the major differences are. I probably would have talked about how the compile engine doesn’t get you quite as close to the finish line as the Mac’s does, so post-compile touch up will be longer and more necessary (but not nearly as much as the original Scrivener 1.x for Mac, it’s somewhere in between, and close to 2.x than 1.x). I probably would have mentioned that all notes are inline right now, though that will probably be changing sooner than later. There are many little things scattered all around that constitute refinements that you’ll miss. You might for instance, rely heavily upon assigning a goal to a folder and tracking “Total Progress” in the outliner, but you’ll find only “Progress” bars on Windows right now. Little stuff like that.
If you have Parallels, give the demo a shot! It’s great software, we have scores of happy Windows users, but it definitely is still a 1.x product for now. The good news is that Lee and company are ever striving to bridge that gap. Just in this past year since its official release it has added many things that were missing completely.
On the MBA, perhaps that may not be the best choice if you wish to give up peripherals. I would still want peripherals, at least for Time Machine. Incidentally you would need an external optical drive with the MBP Retina, too. That machine is almost not worthy of being called a “Pro” in my book. It has no optical drive, no expansion bay, limited I/O ports and no battery bay. It’s a nice computer, I own one myself and use it a lot. It’s very fast—that part of it feels “pro” but if you think of “Desktop in a Laptop” as the Pro line, you may be disappointed. Sadly, those days at Apple may be numbered. They may continue to push their laptop line further into the satellite category, which the MBA is almost a pure expression of, and phase out the power laptop entirely, leaving desktop machines or simple ultra-small laptops.
Thank you for your replies. It seems like the windows version would be possible for me if necessary but only then. Well, no document notes are actually hard to accept.
I will have to think. Yes, Mac mini is another option, since I am doing most mobile stuff on the iPad by now anyway. It just bothers me to have an destop computer without optical drive. I did not know the new MBPs dont have one either. This really puts them put of the game for me. Hearing this the MBA gets more interesting again. I heard very good things about windows 8, thats the only reason I even considered to switch back.
Sorry, let me clarify that, when I said no inspector notes that was vague. I meant no inspector footnotes or comments. The inline footnote and annotation system is what you have to use instead, exclusively. Document Notes is very much there, as is access to Project Notes from that same pane.
I was going to ask if your need for synchronisation involved the usage of an iPad on the go. If so then a static station at home really does make a lot of sense. Why pour money into expensive laptop technology if it’s just going to sit around at home.
I’ve got the beta running in one of my Parallel VMs and it’s probably best described as an acquired taste that might never acquire. I really don’t like how the standard desktop interface is tucked away and never comes up by default. You have this garish “Tile” interface that is foisted upon you no matter, and in my opinion it is no replacement for the Start Menu’s functions, yet there is no more Start menu, so it is trying to be one.
I put it this way, imagine if your Mac booted up in Lion’s Launch Pad, and the only way to get out of it was to click one of the icons, and whenever you wanted to use the main menu bar at the top of the screen for system access functions, you’d have to go back to Launch Pad and in fact not being in Launch Pad would feel like a temporary measure most of the time, with 99%of the stuff you click on going to simplistic Dashboard style widgets. It’s not quite that bad because the Metro layer is a bit more functional than Launch Pad (which doesn’t even have the same level of utility as the minimalistic iPad launch interface), but that’s roughly what it’s like.
Who knows, maybe that is what everyone is craving, but I have a feeling Win 8 is going to be a lost version, much like Vista was. The thing everyone waits to skip over when Win 9 comes out, and like Win 7 did, restore the desktop to what it should be.
Thank you for your help. I just ordered a refurbished MacBook Air. I found out that it works fine to have the music on external drive via airport extreme. So hd space is not the issue anymore. I did most mobile work on the ipad recently. But I decided not to shorten my possibilities by going for a desktop computer, for example concerning longer trips. And I just have to stick with Mac. Especially after taking a look at other notebooks out there…
Can I move my scrivener preferences without restoring the whole system from the old mac?
Congrats on the new ultrabook! If you’re anything like me, I think you’ll find the MBA to be a suitable replacement for the portability of the iPad, and with a high quality full-sized keyboard, an excellent writing machine. The 13" might be a bit more “laptop”-ish to carry around, but the 11" is only about an inch longer than the iPad and otherwise about the same in weight and size.
Yes, just use the Manage... drop-down menu on the Preferences screen to export your settings to a file. You can then use that same menu on the new Mac to import the settings. There is probably more you want to copy over as well. I’d go through this article, which covers everything you need to do to migrate to a new machine.
Please say no.