Community Newsletter: Q&A: Is the Mac right for me?
- 4/5/07 11:48 AM
Interesting thread responses
by nevido - 4/2/07 8:56 AM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
People are contradicting each other throughout, regarding prices, crashability and performance. Watzman claims that PC's and Mac's are basically the same hardware since Apple's switch to Intel, but if that were true wouldn't the Mac OS run on all windows machines?
Micaman implies Macs have viruses but try to find a reputable report of one actually spreading to Macs- the security updates are merely prevention, not cure.
I would have thought the myth of Macs being more expensive would have been dispelled by now, unless people are comparing Macs to, as Watzman puts it, "A kit of haphazardly matched surplus last-generation ultra-parts obtained for $89 (after two dozen rebates) from JungleAnimalDirect and assembled by a high school student who is doing this for the second time and thinks he now knows it all"
or to put it another way Apples to lemons, comparable PCs are comparably expensive.
Crashablity seems to be an issue for some. I thought that was yesterday's news as well. I use a 7 year old Mac with only 1.25Gigs RAM, Apple's newest OS and Photoshop CS3 and crash maybe once a year doing something like cutting & pasting an 800meg photoshop layer while streaming a HD movie off the web, sending an email with twenty attachments and I accidentally hit command q (for quit) instead of command tab to switch apps. The machine does what you tell it to do and it is possible to be confusing enough for it not to understand but you have to really try!
I work from home so I need a machine that runs without an IT department. I am self employed so I need a machine that doesn't require me to spend a lot of time on upkeep. I'm creative so I need a machine that doesn't force me to stay within the boxes and it doesn't hurt that it's good looking on the outside and in its interface.
And in regards to the amount of software available for the Mac... unquestionably there is more for the PC. But as to whether that excess (beyond what is professional, useful and in demand) is worth giving up Mac's ease of use and reliablity, well that is questionable.
Excellent post
by cameroncole - 4/2/07 10:10 AM In reply to: Interesting thread responses by nevidonevido,
I definatly agree with you on all points, but want to make mention of the hardware point. Mac's use a much more advance BIOS than the typical Windows box, and therefore, have an added advantage on the BIOS processing level. OS X WON'T run on a built for Windows box for this very reason.
The only reason I make mention of the crashes in my post, is because I wouldn't want the misconception of the Mac to be a Perfect computer. When I bought my first Mac years ago, I was led to believe that there woulnd't be ANY crashes. The first day it crashed (because I was doing something similar to what you described), I was thinking I had bought a lemon. Of course after using it for a few hours I was convinced otherwise.
Excellent post nevido!
multi tasking a way of life.
by PhotoMan - 4/5/07 1:36 AM In reply to: Interesting thread responses by nevidoI couldn't agree with you more about the need for reliability when you work for yourself out of the home. Just taking a bit of a break, reading a few threads here while I'm working on a 250MB vector / bitmap file in Corel Draw and Corel Paint and Photoshop CS2..all side by side on the screen, up'n running in the background while watching Spiderman on the other screen. Without reliability, a home business which feeds my family would not be possible. Love reliability, Mac's are great..but so is my PC.
Probably
by mivi - 4/2/07 7:12 PM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've gone back and forth between MAC and Windows-based PCs for years (since 1988, to be exact). I have always enjoyed the MAC interface far more than Windows and for that reason keep coming back after periods of switching to PCs. I would switch not because I didn't like my MACs but becasue for many years it was just too frustrating to be a MAC user in a PC World. But I was always very frutrated with the crashes and freezes and increasing "weirdnesses" of using a PC. I'm fairly certain that an experienced PC user would not have had the problems I did (my geeky brother certainly doesn't have the problems I had!), however, I want to spend my time USING my computer, not performing maintenance, updating virus software or defragmenting it.
Most recently I bought my first MAC laptop after owning a PC for about 6 years (first two Dell desktops, then a Fujitsu laptop). I bought it because for three years I worked on a MAC desktop on a MAC network at work while owning a PC laptop. It was just too difficult to work with their network. So I bought a MAC again and have been just thrilled - despite about 1 month ago moving to a new job where everyone is on a PC and the whole network is PC-based!! My boss even bought me a DELL, which I was thrilled to tell him I didn't need because my MAC integrates SEAMLESSLY with their network (not to mention that several of my colleagues are somewhat jealous because my computer never has any problems and they are forever complaining about freezes, crashes and slowness.)
My point is that even a few years ago it was probably necessary to be on a PC in order to be able to interact with the rest of the world, I certainly did. These days? Not at all. With the undisputed dominance of Windows-based PCs for so many years, MACs were at a real disadvantage and I believe that they had to become very innovative and agressive in order to get along -- while PCs certainly didn't need to.
I think the fruits of those years of hard work and investment in their products and their strategy has paid off. MACs are now ultra-compatible with PCs - and please note that I don't even run those "parallel systems" or anything. All my files open just fine: pdfs, word, excel, jpegs, tiffs, mpegs, etc...
I think you'll find the switch to MAC effortless and even fun. There's nothing like a MAC.
Those commercials, while certainly a little simplistic, really do tell the truth about MACs - right out of the box they are easy to use, stable and just plain cool. And these days, it is rare that I cannot find a program that I need just because I use a MAC.
Best of luck to you, I hope that whatever you decide, your career takes off!!
Michelle
Mac too restrictive
by kalofton - 4/2/07 8:30 PM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Posted this the other day, but somehow it wasn't where I wanted it. So, here it is again.
----------------------------
I know most of this thread is about using a Mac for photography, but since we just bought a new Mac, I thought I'd put in my two cents.
At first, I thought the switch was the right decision, but after using the Mac for a week now, I have found that it is too restrictive, especially when it comes to the Internet and software we currently own.
Our 4-year old daughter loves to play games online and the regular computer games, but I have found that most of the things she used to play, she can no longer play. Almost all of the games we already own and say PC and Mac on the box won't load on the Mac. Also, with the online games (and with lots of other things on the Internet), I run into the "is not supported by Mac" message. That alone is extremely frustrating to me.
Also, with lots of the online email programs Mac takes away options, won't fill in the address when replying to an email... the list goes on. Also, no shortcuts on the desktop anymore, only pages that are being saved, which means no real-time data when you double-click on it.
These are just a few of the issues I have with the Mac. Every day there seems to be something else I don't like.
My husband really likes the Mac, but I do prefer a PC. We're getting our old one fixed (the movers broke it), and once it's all good and "new", I probably won't touch the Mac again.
Like I said, this is just a view from a non-photography person.
Hope all these posts will help you make a decision.
New user frustrations
by 163man - 4/3/07 5:36 AM In reply to: Mac too restrictive by kaloftonIt sound like your going through new user frustrations, many of the things you mentioned you preferred on the PC because they worked better were invented on the Mac. Things like e-mail addresses filling in automatically that you are used to having on your PC is a matter of your Mac "getting to know you" once names are in the system the browser will remember them. You had to have your PC learn them to begin with as well. As for the games that say Mac on them but now won't run I'm willing to bet you had an older PC (old is relative in computer time) and that if you had installed Vista on a new PC you'd be having the same problems with your PC games not running well on Vista either. The games have to be OSX compatible not just Mac.
The same thing goes for your online e-mail accounts, more than likely you had preferences set up over time that need adjusting in your Mac. As both a PC and Mac user I can tell you that it is extremely rare for anything browser based not to work on all platforms unless the site used a proprietary software to build the site. Also very rare these days. If your using Safari as your browser try Firefox or Camino, both free which general can open the few sites that Safari cannot and some people prefer the other interfaces over Safari.
Claiming to have a full grasp of your Mac after a week of ownership is like a teenager thinking they know how to drive and understand their car after a week of driving. Frustrations you feel right now will go away as you and your Mac get in tune with each other. Good luck. PS and don't for get you can always run your PC stuff in Boot-camp or Parallel's which a PC cannot do when you need it. The Mac does not make you give up anything.
Thanks!
by kalofton - 4/3/07 8:30 PM In reply to: New user frustrations by 163manThanks for the browser help. Downloaded both Firefox and Camino. Like Firefox much better than Safari and Camino and will be using it from now on. Still, that didn't help my daughter's online gameplaying. Some games say "sorry, our virtools are not supported by mac". It's one of her favorite games, so big disappointment here.
Will continue to use and learn about the Mac. Plan to get our PC fixed as soon as possible and then I'll let my husband deal with the Mac.
Thanks again!
Mac compatable games
by MzSabina - 4/3/07 11:13 PM In reply to: Thanks! by kaloftonDid you try looking on some other game sites. There are some games out there that on one site are Mac supported but on another it isn't. Try Gamehouse.com, www.us.zylom.com,, http://download.games.yahoo.com,, http://insidemacgames.com/ just to name of few. There are tons more out there. If your looking for a specific game google the name of the game plus OSX.
Everything else you compained about in your posting simply is not true. It is a matter of setting up your prefrences, On most programs prefrences are under the program name in the menu. Also, as far as passwords go, there is a thing called keychain which will store all of your passwords and can be accessed with only one master password. The configurations are endless and depend on how much security you need (not online but in the real world) If many people have access to your computer, you may not want programs to autofill.
Shortcuts on the desktop have ALWAYS been available on the mac. They just have a different name, "Alias". Just click on the file, folder, program or whatever to highlight and type command (apple key) L, it will make a duplicate with the name in italics and an arrow. Than just drag it to where ever you want it, such as the desk top.
Any other problems can be answered with a click. Just use the help menu and type in a keyword such as keyboard shortcuts. There are tons of them, plus the ability to write your own and specify whether they are system wide or just for a specific program.
Seems like all you PC people out there who think Macs don't have the same flexiblity are just lazy. Spend a little time with the help menu and you will find that not only do you have the same abilities for shortcuts, autofill, etc. but there are alot more and most of them are alot simliar to achieve than on a PC.
Just take a look at the installation instuctions on any software box that is both Mac and PC compatable. For the Mac it usually says insert disk and click install. For the PC there is about 2 pages of instructions. That right there should tell you something.
I have both a Mac (actually 3) and a PC here and the PC has not even been plugged in for 8 months. That just proves that there is not anything that can be achieved on a PC that can't be on a Mac. Actually the only program I have come across in 30 years that I actually needed a PC for was Access, and that was only because of a Microsoft class. If it weren't for the class requirement the same thing could have been achieved with File Maker Pro.
If you bought Intel Mac...
by thelastsamurai - 4/4/07 10:39 PM In reply to: Mac too restrictive by kaloftonThere is a solution called Parallels Desktop Software, You can use Windows right in your Mac for your daughter.
If you really want to throw your Mac, feel free to throw it on my place 4 u =)
Bootcamp is nice, but...
by kalofton - 4/10/07 7:28 PM In reply to: If you bought Intel Mac... by thelastsamuraiYes, we did buy the latest Mac and knew about bootcamp, but didn't know we actually had to BUY Windows... That's quite a chunk of money. I'm sure this will generate lots of "duhs" from people, but hey, they never told us at the Apple store. They made it sound like the Mac has both installed. So, we probably won't use the Mac for Windows. Nice option, though.
We went back to the Apple store and got most of our questions answered, which made things a little easier. I'm liking the Mac a little better now. Still miss my PC, though.
Duh! to Bootcamp
by MzSabina - 4/11/07 6:23 AM In reply to: Bootcamp is nice, but... by kaloftonDid they have to tell you the Mac could run Photoshop BUT you would have to buy that too. Why would you think they would give you Windows for free? Might be a good marketing ploy but I doubt Microsoft would let them get away with it.
Offering Assistance
by turnerman - 4/24/07 6:52 AM In reply to: Mac too restrictive by kalofton----------------------------
1. Our 4-year old daughter loves to play games online and the regular computer games, but I have found that most of the things she used to play, she can no longer play. Almost all of the games we already own and say PC and Mac on the box won't load on the Mac.
----------------------------
If your old software won't run on an Intel based Mac, it's probably because it was designed for a PPC Mac. To rectify this on most software suites, you view the info for the .app and select "Use Rosetta" in order to run a PPC .app on an Intel Mac. I use this for Adobe PS CS2 without a problem.
----------------------------
2. Also, with lots of the online email programs Mac takes away options, won't fill in the address when replying to an email...
----------------------------
I'm not sure which version of OS X you're using, but Mail works just fine with autofilling email addresses. You need to add your email contacts into Address Book. If you haven't researched it, Address Book is actually fairly powerful. I use it to sync my contacts into my cell phone (and phone to Mac) through the iSync utility.
----------------------------
3. the list goes on. Also, no shortcuts on the desktop anymore, only pages that are being saved,
----------------------------
I enjoy having a clutter-free, "clean" looking desktop and believe this to be what Apple has intended for years. If you want the shortcuts, just drag them from the applications directory or to the launch bar on your desktop. OS X doesn't prevent you from doing this - it's actually the same procedure performed in Windows. If you want a mess, that's up to you.
Best of All Worlds
by obensha - 4/2/07 10:06 PM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I would ask a couple of questions first.
1. How much are you willing to spend?
2. How much do you currently have invested in your PC?
3. Are you ready for a revolutionary experience?
I am not for or against either os platform. Honestly they both can do what you want them to. What I am impressed with is their equipment and the ease of one working better than the other. My wife and I bouhgt one for the equipment. it's amazing from the screen to the built in camera.
Software wise they are identical.
If the other people are going to be using it un unusually for them.
Lets Compare $$$ Mac Vs PC
by ASANCHEZD - 4/3/07 5:52 PM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Ok here is an example of the prices... Remember this is only for the CPU you still have to buy your Keyboard, Mouse And Monitor.
Lets Start with the Mac Mini
Mac Mini Core2 DUO 1,83 Ghz / 512MB 667 DDR2 SDRAM / 80 Gb HDD / DVD-RW (Super Drive) / Intel GMA 950 Graphics DVI-VGA Conector/ BlueThoot / Wifi 802,11g / USB 2.0 / Firewire / Remote Control /Ethernet 10-100 / OS X / Front Row/ iLife /
All this for $799 and This is how it looks
http://img.cdw.com/macwarehouse/hubs/family/emac/main1003b.jpg
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1236/store.apple.com/Catalog/regional/amr/macmini/img/overview-hero.jpg
Now a PC Built w/same specs
Intel Core2 Duo at 1.86 Ghz / 512 667 DDR2 SDRAM / 80Gb HDD / DVD-RW / Intel GMA 950 Graphics, NO DVI only VGA / USB 2.0 / FireWire by PCI Card Host / Bluethoot Dongle / Windows Vista 64 bit Edition (remember has no DVI so No chance to plug a Plasma TV as monitor)
All This for $ 867 and this is how it looks
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/directron_1944_63161828
For the Mac Mini i took the price from CDW Mac Warehouse and for all the parts of th PC i use www.directron.com you can check the prices your self over there.
I Did this to show that a PC made with the same Specs is about the same price, this PC is not made by any brand and Has Vista Ultimate since the bussines Ed drop all the media related Tec. For Info See
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_02.asp
So after all for what i can see its not all about the money you will spend, so for the look i choose Apple for all the rest i let you decide upon the other Answers.
Hope this was help full.
P.S. Let see how many guys get all Angry about this answer....... Hope none : )
pc or mac
by tricov - 4/3/07 6:44 PM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I switched to a mac one year ago. I had bought PCs & Built fast PCs, but windows always crashed at some point. My mac book pro is superior in every way. I never find myself working for my computer any more.
I Have a nikon D80 and I love how easy it is to edit with my mac using aperture or cs
Get the best mac you can afford you wont regret it. Time is money pcs just slow you down.
if you cant afford a mac I recommend keeping your work machine off line.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
