Once you go mac you never go back!

[virgali]

I know this is going to be a stupid question but I'm bored and annoyed and I gotta get this out of my system!
Can mac users also use custom created content for TS2 and its EPs? I figured there's no much use getting the game for mac if it's not possible...

Also are the boosterpacks or whatever they're called also available for mac then?

Greets and such,
Ali

[moniquinin]

Of course we can!  We can use them but not do much with them since Simpe doesn't come for macs.  There's no clean installer either and that's a pain.  Booster packs are a no though.

[virgali]

Ah, darnit! Yeah it sucks about that Simpe, totally forgot about that, I'll also check if the cepfiles thing is available for mac... 
Thank you for the reply tho! 

Greets,
Ali

[dizzy]

You can also use "dizziness" with the Mac (I think), but you'd have set up Xcode and install GTK through Darwinports (i.e. not something a Mac user would normally have to do because we are talking about compiling everything from source code).

[SaraMK]

Do Mac people still have that nasty wallpaper problem, where any custom wallpaper that has a slightly different-sized texture will not work?

[Marhis]

Macs are now intel-based, so you can install Windows also, and have both systems on the same machine. This means that you can use SimPE and everything as well.

I'm not sure about the wallpapers problem, though, but it should be related to video card and supported chipset; I'm not sure about this because I have a Mac G5, not Intel, and I can't test it with newer chipsets.

CEP and Scriptorium etc. are ok for Mac too.

There are some differences about the use of BodyShop, but they imply only some tune-up of config files.
Another difference may be the loading time of game: on Macs the game seems to take more time to load; but it's due to different memory management on Win and Unix systems. Unix (Macs) loads everything it can in RAM, and use swap files only if physical memory is not enough, hence the longer time.

[Paperbladder]

Mac Versions of the Sims can use custom content.  Like others had said before, SimPE can't be used with it since it's coded in Microsoft Devil Language.  As for expansions, you can get all of them except for those donation packs.

<microsoftdevillanguage>
There's a framework called Mono which allows for C# code to be executed on Unix machines, but even Visual Basic programs don't work with Mono.  In my opinion, SimPE should have been coded in Java instead since their speeds are similar and unlike C#, Java is cross-platform and recently became open source.  If speed was an issue, they should have coded it in C/C++ instead of a bastardized Microsoft language.
</microsoftdevillanguage>

[jfade]

<microsoftdevillanguage>
There's a framework called Mono which allows for C# code to be executed on Unix machines, but even Visual Basic programs don't work with Mono.  In my opinion, SimPE should have been coded in Java instead since their speeds are similar and unlike C#, Java is cross-platform and recently became open source.  If speed was an issue, they should have coded it in C/C++ instead of a bastardized Microsoft language.
</microsoftdevillanguage>

Not anymore. One of the recent versions of mono has VB support.

One of the big problems though is the fact that the Windows.Forms isn't completely supported yet, so things are a still bit buggy.

And, so far as I know, .NET 2.0 is only partially supported for C# and not supported at all that I know of for VB.

So all in all, mono is not fully complete and will likely not work for many programs. I've had one of my programs tested on the mac with Mono, and even after a lot of changes to try to make it work, it still doesn't work, and so far I've not found a solution for it yet, so I've kinda given up on Mono for now. Hopefully some time in the future though, it'll work. *Shrugs*

[notveryawesome]

I use an iMac with a Windows partition. I chose to do this because I already had a bunch of games for Windows PCs, and I didn't want to bother replacing all of them with the Mac-compatible versions. I really enjoy the WinMac, because I can do my gaming in Windoze, and my regular design work on the Mac. If I ever get a virus or have problems with Windows, I can just delete the partition and the Mac is unharmed. It is the best of both worlds, IMO. The best thing about owning a Mac is that, when you boot the thing up for the first time, it immediately recognises that there is a wireless connection and actually *gasp* connects to it. If you decide to do the WinMac thing, just make sure you have all of the current Mac drivers for Windows (available from apple.com), otherwise the keyboard, etc won't work properly.

Edited to correct typo.

[virgali]

Oh, thanx for all the great info you guys, didn't even know that a winmac combo is possible! It's too bad we lack the finance to do that atm...

*gasps at dizzy*

Is that cheesy old hippie dizzy?! The one acclaimed to be found dead dizzy?!
?!?!?!

[dizzy]

I only took a brief vacation. 

And changed my avatar. http://www.unearthedfilms.com/rockandrule.htm

[Paperbladder]

The best thing about owning a Mac is that, when you boot the thing up for the first time, it immediately recognises that there is a wireless connection and actually *gasp* connects to it.

*gasp* Windows XP does this too.  If you're talking about connecting immediately without user intervention then you've probably got an unsecure network prone to leechers(Assuming you don't have MAC addresses registered or some other scheme that doesn't require a WEP or WPA key).

I haven't heard anything that a Mac can do that a PC can't that justifies the increased costs.  Maybe the Macbook series, but the others just seem overpriced(Mac Mini, Mac Pro) or look like children's toys(iMac).

[jrd]

Macs look nice. I am considering getting an Intel Mac, and putting Vista on it. Once Vista supports more than two sound channels.

[J. M. Pescado]

Conversely, there's supposedly the sadistic option of installing MacOS on an ordinary PC, since they're both Intel hardware.

[jrd]

True, but I don't much like MacOS. I know a couple of Apple bigots though, who will no doubt recoil in horror at the idea of a Mac being exclusively used to run Windows.

Recently I've been using Rockbox firmware on my iPod, which has already earned me the wrath of a virgin (eternal Apple nerd).

[J. M. Pescado]

True, but I don't much like MacOS. I know a couple of Apple bigots though, who will no doubt recoil in horror at the idea of a Mac being exclusively used to run Windows.

That's not as horrific and perverse as taking a standard PC, forcing MacOS to run on it, and then making the MacOS run Windoze. That's just perverse, like getting a Linux box to run Wine so you can run a Windoze Linux emulator.

[witch]

...or look like children's toys(iMac).

I have never understood why computers have historically only been beige, white, grey or black. Colour up the world, I reckon. Bloody engineers.

[virgali]

I only took a brief vacation.  :p

Well I'm ever so glad you're alive and well  I can start renaming google to "the dizzy" again! Next time leave note, hm?

*kicks Pescado for making up stories*

Greets,
Ali

[Paperbladder]

I've heard that OSx86 is pretty much dead, so there probably won't be a Leopard release.  I never got the thing to work on my computer without wanting me to reformat the entire drive anyway, not to mention torrents for it are a lot less common than ones of Linux.  I wonder if Boot Camp works...

It's a shame that I never got it to install, it'd probably freak people out seeing Mac OS X on a HP Laptop.

[amjoie]

I'm not Mac-rabid, but I do have a new 24" iMac, and it is truly incredible. No way I would ever be without my Mac.

That being said, I also have a Dell XPS, my second one in about four years. I use both the Mac and PC everyday. But there is no way I would ever download email on the PC. And I do all my browsing and googling on the Mac. I only visit the known Sims 2 websites that I actually trust, on the PC.

Despite being almost paranoid about computer safety (and being armed to the teeth with industry standard antispyware stuff), I have still managed to get spyware problems on the PC. But I've never had a whisper of virus or other such problems on the Mac, and I've had Macs since 1984.

I haven't tried Vista, and I'm not inclined to do so for at least a year or two. I've got XP finally working well, and I intend to keep it that way, for now. I do hate the PC OS, though, and constantly get upset with the endless clicking necessary just to navigate the stupid thing. No wonder people get carpel tunnel. The PC OS gives my wrist at least four times the aggravation, just because it pops up so many silly windows asking me if I really intended to do what I just told it to do, or informing me for the gazillionth time that the action I just took does something I already was well aware it was doing. I feel like the PC OS treats me like a very young and extremely retarded child.

I also do a lot more saves and redundant backups on the PC, because I am never sure when some program may glitch or quit, or just freeze indefinitely. And I don't even want to talk about WinRot ...

The Mac OS, on the other hand, assumes I actually know what I am doing. It doesn't annoy me. It just works ....

Right now, I wouldn't give up either my Mac or my Dell XPS. I need and enjoy them both, for different reasons. I prefer to play the Sims 2 on the PC, and use it for other virtual life games. I work in Photoshop on both computers, although the Mac program is much better, so I only use the PC version for Sims 2 stuff that I don't want to port from one computer to the other. Music is much better on the Mac, so although I have iTunes on the PC, I rely on my Mac and iPod for my listening pleasure. I do email, browsing, and personal stuff on the Mac. The iLife suite is simply brilliant, and can't be matched by the PC.

I usually want both computers up and running at the same time, so for now it is more convenient to use the Dell XPS than using Bootcamp.  But once Leopard is out, that may change. I already have Parallels on the Mac, so non-game PC stuff can already be easily and seamlessly run in a window on the Mac. Very convenient.

Leopard is going to be one incredible OS. I've seen all the previews on the Apple site. All I can say is WOW. It beats Vista all to little bits -- especially since I've read reviews that tell me Vista is now popping up even *more* of its ubiqitous "information" windows that require a click to go away, and leave me alone.

Note: As far as cost, don't let the PC hype fool you. In order to get iMac functionality on the PC, it actually costs me *more* to buy a PC. I just looked into it, because I was thinking of updating my PC in the next few months. I realise if I built my own PC instead of buying a ready made box, I could do better. But I'm not into building hardware or financing my own repair and replacement costs. So for someone who wants a ready built box with a reasonable warrenty, and if you wish to duplicate function for function, the Mac is actually cheaper (as well as being all-around more elegantly designed and executed). Depending on how Leopard runs Bootcamp, and how the Sims 2 runs on it, I may just "upgrade" to a Mac for my PC use.

[blubug]

amjoie, I bought a macbook almost week ago, and I was thinking the exact same things! (Well, not the same, I haven't been using mac since 1984, and stuff like that).

I wanted a laptop for work and school, and got carried away trying to find one that could play the sims2 better than my desktop pc, that was pretty stupid, considering that I was aiming for a small model. How is that going to be fun, I need a large screen for my Sims! I realised that I would be paying the same money for a laptop that would be more expensive than my self-built desktop PC and have almost the same specs (actually, lower), so I dissed the HP Pavillion I was considering, and started researching macs.

I was pretty informed about what I should expect, but it is sooo much better! It seems (I'm no computer pro) MacOS X is a very straightforward operating system. Unlike windows, it doesn't do things on its own or when installing a program. Everything is easy to find, and easy enough to remove without creating a total mess of your system. I just can't stop reading stuff about it, trying to figure it out more. And I love the beautiful design. I admit, I'm sold. I cannot look at any PC the same way ever again. *sigh

[Paperbladder]

The PC OS gives my wrist at least four times the aggravation, just because it pops up so many silly windows asking me if I really intended to do what I just told it to do, or informing me for the gazillionth time that the action I just took does something I already was well aware it was doing. I feel like the PC OS treats me like a very young and extremely retarded child.

They've made it even worse in Vista with something they call User Account Controls, or UAC for short.  This time, they darken the screen and it pops up with a "Are you sure you want to do this?" dialog even when you're copying files to say your Program Files directory.  COPYING.  EVEN NOT OVERWRITING.  Luckily, you can turn this thing off but then there goes the "security" that Vista was supposed to give you.  This idea was just as retarded as hiding the Program Files and Windows folders to make you safer.

Sure, Linux has this sort of thing going on with sudo but there you require a password so you're aware what you're doing has some importance(Well, assuming you didn't put your password in 5 seconds before, then it won't ask you).  Whenever I used Vista RC1, I wasn't asked for my password by UAC to edit settings.  I believe Mac OS X does this too, but only for installing certain software (from my experiences with OS X, I was able to install browsers but I needed the admin password for Photoshop).

Given the choice of dancing pigs and security, users will choose dancing pigs, every single time. Given the choice between pictures of naked people frolicking on the beach and security, roughly half the population will choose naked people frolicking on the beach. Couple that with the fact that users do not understand our security dialogs and we have a disaster. If a dialog asking the user to make a security decision is the only thing standing between the user and the naked people frolicking on the beach, security does not stand a chance.

[dizzy]

That's not as horrific and perverse as taking a standard PC, forcing MacOS to run on it, and then making the MacOS run Windoze. That's just perverse, like getting a Linux box to run Wine so you can run a Windoze Linux emulator.

Running Linux in Windows in Linux is all the rage for developers. It's perfect for developing Linux solutions for Windows users. 

[witch]

Running Linux in Windows in Linux...

My ex did that one time. I asked him why. 'Because I can' he said.
Ran like a dog of course.

[Paperbladder]

Is there a hard limit to how many VMs you can have running inside each other at once?  I'm guessing the one I'm using now can handle 6 nested XP's but I'm not bored enough to try it.

I'm confused on why you'd seriously want to nest them unless you wanted to see if a Virtual Machine would work in a Virtualized environment or something.  Either that or you're paranoid and want to have many layers of OSes protecting your host OS(I don't even know if this is possible).