Desktops: MACS VS THE PC
Wicked. Jobs: 1 Gates: 0
by meisinscotland - 1/18/07 4:25 PM In reply to: No by robertmroMakes a change though
anyway thanks for the insight/correction of my knowledge. I thought it was a bit too simple just to buy an OS X disk and stick it in a PC and dada it works but thats what some people seem to think around here - at least I have been corrected by better knowledge now thanks!
hmmmm
by coolzoe - 1/12/07 10:18 PM In reply to: Shortcomings of the Mac by gunsosan1940the only problem with this theory, is that u assume that no matter how old, the computer should run new stuff like the day you took it out of the box. Of course it wont. Of course technology is going to move on with out you, no matter what kind of computer you have. I have used both macs and pcs, as many of the other posters here have, and i can say that i have been much happier running the mac os than XP.
The major topic here is which platform is better for a photographer. My advice for getting a Mac remains.
1. App management: the mac OS is designed to multitask amazingly well. OSX does a great job of handling the systems resources so the performance is much better
2. Best of both world: With the use of Intel chips, u can run both the Mac OS and XP on the same machine, so u dont loose any functionality by switching.
3. Reliability: I have used a lot of macs over the years, the oldest of which was a Macintosh SE (1989) and i only recently got rid of it. However, until they day i took it in to be recycled, it worked beautifully, without a problem. still booted (and in about 20 sec.) and ran all the software it came with beautifully.
4. Bundles: The mac comes with EVERYTHING you need to get going out of the box. iLife is amazing, especially for creative people and it is all so intuitive.
5. Hardware/Software: Because Apple manufactures both the HW and the SW, you loose all the problems of drivers failing, and other such problems that can pop up when the people that make the products are different. Apple is able to provide a seamless work environment, and for a fraction more (or in many cases, less)
6. DUH!: Macs are HOT! come on, even every PC enthusiast i know will admit to that. They look amazing, and why shouldn’t that matter? For some people, a computer is just a tool, just some Swiss army knife. But for so many more people (including me) their computer becomes an extension of themselves.
6.
by meisinscotland - 1/17/07 12:12 AM In reply to: hmmmm by coolzoeAn extension of your life! Eeeh... That's how I used to sound, but I changed a lot. If my computer does my games, my MSN and keeps me in contact with people, and helps me with my College course, who cares. Sure, I'd love to triple boot Windows 2000, XP Pro and Mac OS X, but I'd rather have a life out there!
(No offence)
Repair
by freighterman_1999 - 1/12/07 11:08 PM In reply to: Shortcomings of the Mac by gunsosan1940"And although Macs are very reliable, they sometimes go wrong, and finding a repairer at short notice can be a real nightmare. Perhaps these considerations help to explain why Macs have a world market share of only 5.8 percent".
Bought my imac at Best Buy. They have a section of mac only stuff and they are an authorized repair point...no need find a mac store.
I suspect the intel based macs will increase Apple's market share
More software for the PC...like, for instance?
by grtgrfx - 1/13/07 1:49 PM In reply to: Shortcomings of the Mac by gunsosan1940I've always laughed when online posters noted a much larger availability of PC software compared to Mac-native. And I always wondered one thing...which software are they talking about, and why do most people need them? Now I know that demanding games like Far Cry and F.E.A.R. aren't available native for the Macs (although I play F.E.A.R. on my Mac Pro running in Windows XP at full 1920x1200 and it's amazing), but exactly which must-have business and home productivity apps are missing from the AVERAGE Mac user's life? MS Office? Nope. Photoshop Elements? No. Quicken? Got it. MS Exchange Server connectivity (geeky, but had to throw that in)? Certainly. Heck, Doom 3? Available from the start. And the number-one video game on the planet, World Of Warcraft, with over 6 MILLION users...native on Macs, enhanced for Intel chips, looks and runs beautifully.
What are Mac users missing that makes compatibility such a bear? I don't know. For most "typical user" folks -- the college student, the office worker, the 75-year old grand-dad -- nothing is available on a PC that isn't equally available on a Mac. And of course, Apple's included apps are often as good or better (Mail, Safari, iChat, iPhoto, iTunes, GarageBand, etc.) than competing PC products, and completely free.
So stop it, PC enthusiasts, unless you can tell us what is truly going to make Mac buyers regret their purchase. There's no paucity of great Mac applications out there, and plenty of Mac faithful to help users find the best them. For anyone buying a new Mac today, there's no longer any excuse not to enjoy the Mac's benefits and stop worrying about past shortcomings.
I agree, sort of
by meisinscotland - 1/17/07 12:16 AM In reply to: More software for the PC...like, for instance? by grtgrfxAnd I think the Mac is easier to use. With a variety of tweaks, I made my computer look like a Mac, have Mac icons and even a Finder bar!! Took about 2 hours, and I was chuffed because it actually makes my work easier to do.
No Offense
by robertmro - 1/17/07 7:37 AM In reply to: I agree, sort of by meisinscotlandYou can put a pig in a dress, but its still a pig.
Don't get me wrong, Windows great and if you're happy, there is no overwhelming reason to change.
The bottom line is that most home computer users are not as knowledgeable as your are and don't want to be. Besides why go to the trouble to make Windows look like OS X if your happy with it?
If you really want OS X buy an real Mac.
personal choices
by meisinscotland - 1/18/07 4:22 PM In reply to: No Offense by robertmrobeing a student I would much prefer spend my money on things like... Clothes, material for college etc. I was once really bothered about exactly how my computer ran and looked (when i did this tweak!!) but now I don't care as long as it works, gives me MSN, my e-mail, internet and games etc etc
But thanks anyway for your reply
bang for your buck
by clsgis - 1/13/07 10:41 PM In reply to: Shortcomings of the Mac by gunsosan1940"you still get much more bang for your bucks if you buy a PC."
Sure, if you blow away that MSFT junk it comes with and install something reliable and secure instead. I like Linspire or Ubuntu for first timers. Both based on Debian, best distro ever.
Hey, does MS-Windoze have a live CD yet? Or do you still have to install it to try it? Those guys are so bringing up the rear all the time.
Mac or PC? horse or camel? Diesel or petrol?
by tim5165 - 1/12/07 3:13 AM In reply to: MACS VS THE PC by Krissa3I switched to an iMac G5 over a year ago. It cost more, but it's just much nicer. The only way to decide is to find a Mac user and use their machine. Possibly macs might be more friendly for people with dyslexia and older people who have yet to use a computer?
There is one work application where I will soon have to buy a Pc, and I am dreading it. There is no exact analogy, because MS works sort of ok, and the hardware components are identical. It's a similar choice between hamburger or steak. But if you buy a Mac, get the extended warranty.
Mac vs PC
by ElectricMayhem - 1/12/07 3:19 AM In reply to: MACS VS THE PC by Krissa3So we are back to this old chestnut again. Well, here's my 10 pennyworth.
In the early 80's I installed one of the very first Mac networks in the uk connecting 5 offices in a large house/country estate all sited some distance from each other....3 in the house 2 in the grounds. After initial teething, the system worked perfectly and was so intuitive that even my bosses kids (under 10yrs old in the days when computers were 'new fangled'!) could handle it...yes there were issues but hardly suprising given that it was so innovative.....I then moved on and my work took me to PC land where i became immersed in the culture, even to the point of hating working on a friend's Mac....PC was king for me for the next 20+ years....then I was lent a PowerBook G4 to do some work at home....boy did I struggle...well for approx 5 days before I realised that it was my prejudice that was stopping me...so I started to play with it and lo and behold...it was simple straightforward fast and efficient and in short an utter delight. I run multiple programs between iTunes, photoshop, illustrator and word and beyond and this little baby handles them all with ease. yes she sometimes crashes but instantly i'm back where I went out with just a simple restart. My maintainance is just a question of emptying the caches and running a simple program that looks over the 'neural network' to rejoin broken links, gets rid of junk stuff and only takes 5 mins. i have a tough little firewall that protects me and that's it. Loading new stuff is a doddle..in fact it makes me laugh...drag and drop is pure bliss....
Yes, it may be expensive, yes it may not work with all programs out there, but hey, those I can do without anyway. But I'll tell you this....it's faster, cleaner, more intuitive...looks great and I DO NOT HAVE TO SPEND HOURS EACH MONTH SORTING IT OUT. No viruses, no hijacks, just computing as we dreamed of. I still have a ways to go to fully understand the workings but as it happens, I'm not sure i'll bother. I only learnt how to with PC's because I had to to keep the wretched things working....why bother with the Mac...and if i do have a problem, I have a 'wee man' who knows it inside out and sorts it in a jiffy. I dread going to friend's houses who own PC's 'cause I have to spend hours sorting out their clogged mess, resetting firewalls, downloading updates on anti-virus progs, sweeping out trojans, viruses, bugs and stuff...and if they have kids....!!! and if they have Norton....don't talk to me for days...that must be the most harmful 'helpful' program I know....I must have removed that program from 30 computers over the last few years....even been known to throw out the hard drive and start again....yuck.....(sorry, was I ranting...I'll get me coat....)
So in short, in answer to your question....go buy a Mac...the biggest and fastest you can afford and enjoy life again. And if you really must have a PC as well, buy a little laptop to run those programs that Mac won't....but beware....it will gather dust in a corner somewhere!!!
Mac vs. PC
by sleepyhelper - 1/12/07 3:44 AM In reply to: MACS VS THE PC by Krissa3We have a tech department to support our PC's and their problems. We have no techs to support our Mac's since nothing goes wrong with them!
I asm newly converted to a Mac and have been on PC's since 1985. My next home computer will be a Mac.
I have a Mac PowerBook Pro. Yes, it might be more expensive than a PC BUT the onyl software I had to buy was Office. It came with everything else, including a built-in iSight camera and wonderful software. the joke is that you buy the Mac to get their software, iLife '06 is great!
There are a lot of wonderful free programs for the Mac as well as the PC. I've had it since July and never had a program or the laptop jam up. No blue screens, no programs that stopped running. And yes, I am a heavy user of the laptop.
When I go it, I just plugged it in to the network and it found the wireless, found all the printers, no tech needed! If I couldn't find a netwoork printer, I just typed in the IP address of it, and voila! There is was. No tech needed. In fact, our techs don't support the Mac's at all and they don't have to.
When I bought my Mac, our Apple rep was right here to help and advise me in person. Our last purchase of 54 Dell's...was the Dell rep here??? Heck no! I have an Apple rep who gets back to me immediately. She is wonderful and knows both platforms inside and out. She also has several Novell certs.
Phenomenal machine!
Mac VC The PC
by Reelrob - 1/12/07 3:54 AM In reply to: MACS VS THE PC by Krissa3I used to be sold on Macs! I started with a MacPlus, and then I bought a PowerMac 7200?? I can't be sure of the model number.
Soon after I invested alot of money into this new Mac, I had the hardest time finding any software for it. It was a nice white box, but it didn't do much. I haven't seen much change over the years.
Maybe it's because I don't look for Mac software anymore, but I rarely see any out there. I am getting ready to build my first computer, and I am going with Intel/Asus/ATI/Sony!
It depends on your needs....
by Cythrawl - 1/12/07 6:18 AM In reply to: Mac VC The PC by ReelrobThere is room in this world for both platforms (regardless what the Mac adverts try to tell you that owning a PC is dumb)
You have to weigh up what you are going to use it for..
If you want a computer to just totter around on and browse the Internet and is cheap, then the bottom end Dell's will serve you just fine and are way cheaper than the Mac.
If you want to do professinal artwork and not play any cutting edge games then Mac is for you. Also right now they have a "cool factor" which looks good if you are showing off your artwork portfolio on your Apple notebook (powerbook, whatever)
If you are a gamer the PC is your best choice (or a console).
However if , like me you are a gamer, and an artist and like to dabble in technical stuff then nothing beats a high end custom built PC. I like the fact that I can upgrade my computer with standard parts and not have to pay "Apple premium prices" for the same thing that works on a Mac. If I want to play Unreal 2007 all I need to do is to get a 8800 Video card and it will run perfectly. I seriously doubt that will be the case with the current mac using BootCamp. The video hardware is way underpowered and is not upgradable. But that is my opinion.
Like I said it depends on WHAT you are going to use it for. You cant go wrong with either platform, just make sure you get what is right for YOU and what you are going to do with your computer, and not what the PC/Mac Geeks THINK is right for you.
Get a Mac and have both (longwinded)
by Rob10 - 1/12/07 6:31 AM In reply to: MACS VS THE PC by Krissa3I bought my first computer 6 years ago, a Dell PC. After spending quite a bit of time teaching myself the way around (with help from forums like Delltalk and Cnet) I feel decently competent in windows.
I stuggled with many lockups, crashes and reboots using Windows ME, for about 4 years. I couldn't stand it anymore, and have since switched to XP, which is much more stable. I have only rebooted once in 9 months, and it was probably due to having too many apps running on a 933mhz PIII. BTW, viruses have been of little consequence. I've had 4 or 5 but my AV caught them before much damage was done. I also run Adaware 5 or so times a week.
OK, to the point...During my self teaching of Windows, I have concluded that while Windows is a very powerful OS and appeals to the technical side of my brain that wants to fiddle with things, Windows can be very counter-intuitive and burdensome. It takes more steps to acomplish things than it seems are necessary and I still find myself banging my head against the wall on occasion.
August of 2006 I decided to think about trying a Mac. It was right before they released the Core 2Duo iMacs and I've been patiently sitting on the sidelines to see how things developed. Since then, I've seen the 24" released (glad I waited for that!) and Boot Camp and Parallels become a real way to run Windows on a Mac, which I guess is my main point-If you get a Mac, you can always run Windows fairly well alongside the MacOSX.
The downsides? With an iMac you cannot add cards to or be upgrade beyond adding RAM and having them (Apple) swap out a new HD. You can't change monitors. You can't add a second HD or DVD drive unless you want a stack of externals cluttering things up. Or, you can get a Mac Pro, but they are, I think, a bit expensive vs building a PC and for me a bit overkill for my needs. Also, be advised that Photoshop has not been retooled for any Intel based Macs and will run slower than on a PC (they are due for a fix sometime in '07).
Apple is a bit of a closed system with fewer (and sometimes more expensive) choices. However, what choices they do give you seem to work very well. At this point I'm no longer afraid of not finding a Mac version of software I need (and if so I'll install Windows). I think the real selling point for me is I'm tired of Windows and want a fresh way of doing things. Now that you can also install Windows too, I feel that the leap I take will be one with a net.
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