If you’re like most people thinking of switching from your PC to a Mac, you’ve got lots of questions. Here are the answers to the 10 most frequently asked questions.

1. Can i run Microsoft Office?
Yes. Microsoft Office v.X for Mac OS X gives you Word, PowerPoint and Excel, all with the same familiar interfaces. And thanks to exclusive features, the Mac versions actually improve on their Windows counterparts in several areas. Office documents are all fully compatible between Mac and Windows, so you can share everything from spreadsheets to presentations, and they’ll open painlessly at each end.

2. How will i get and send E-Mail?
Mac OS X includes Apple’s email program, called Mail, which offers rich text, easy setup and filters, as well as an Address Book. You can also use Eudora, Netscape Communicator or the Microsoft Entourage program included with Microsoft Office v.X. Webmail systems such as Hotmail, AOL Mail and Yahoo! Mail functions as expected on a Mac, too. And because modern programs exchange information via the Internet standard MIME, mail passes smoothly from Mac to PC and back again.

3. How do i chat with my friends?
When you own a Mac, you don’t have to give up your online buddies. AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and ICQ all have Mac versions. You can use the same screen name on your Mac as the one you use on your PC at work. What’s more, Apple has introduced iChat, an AIM-compatible client that will be included with the next major release of Mac OS X.

4. Can i run my applications?
You’ll find thousands of applications for Macintosh from many of the same vendors you already know on the PC. There’s nothing we don’t let you do — from CAD to databases to finance. To name a few: Quicken Deluxe 2002, AOL, Microsoft Internet Explorer (included), Eudora, Adobe Photoshop. Not to mention games like The Sims, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault and Warcraft III (coming this summer).

5. How do i share files?
Most popular applications use the exact same file formats, making it trivial to exchange documents with PC users or to migrate existing files (documents, pictures, music, etc.) from a PC to the Mac. Not only are the files compatible with the Mac, it’s really simple to share them as well.

6. Can i run a Mac on a PC network?
Macs have been doing this for years, connecting to PC networks via modem, Ethernet and (more recently) industry-standard 802.11b-based AirPort wireless networking. The only difference is that now it’s a lot faster and easier with Mac OS X. UNIX-based and built with the networking technologies that do the heavy lifting on the Internet, Mac OS X lets you connect to PC networks and share files and printers with Windows-based PCs on those networks.

7. How do i get on-line with my ISP?
You can connect to the Internet with almost every Internet Service Provider (ISP), including America Online and EarthLink. Mac OS X includes the Internet Connect utility, which lets you dial your ISP, establish a PPP connection over Ethernet, connect to an AirPort network or have your AirPort Base Station connect to the Internet.

8. Can i use a 2 button mouse?
Mac OS X offers built-in support for USB mice and keyboards. With a two-button or scroll wheel mouse, you can take advantage of convenient features of the operating system without needing to touch the keyboard. If you prefer a split ergonomic keyboard, just plug it in. You don’t need to install any additional software or configure drivers.

9. Can i use my printer?
Mac OS X ships with drivers for today’s most popular USB inkjet printers. Mac OS X version 10.1 also includes Printer Description files for more than 200 PostScript printers, delivering a full LaserWriter feature set that brings comprehensive support for the advanced features of professional-grade output devices. No configuration necessary.

10. Can i use my digital camera?
With built-in ability to automatically recognize your USB or FireWire camera, Mac OS X and iPhoto let you easily manage your digital images. iPhoto automatically imports all of the pictures from your camera and lets you organize and share them, online and on paper. You can even create a beautiful linen bound book.