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Mac OS X: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac?
- 8/15/08 3:00 PM
My daughter's MacBook is a great machine, BUT....
by jordandw - 8/16/08 9:46 AM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've been a PC/MS/Word-Office user since 1984. I build my own machines and always opt for the LOWEST cost avenue I can find. Running ten PCs/laptops at home sort of dictates that (and is why I still use Windows 2000 and Office 97 very effectively, thank you). If and when (2010?) I'm forced to abandon Wintel I will go Linux Open Source. I cannot afford not to!
My daughter, on the other hand, just made the leap from PC (Dell C610 laptop) to a MacBook. She loves it. I hated the idea of spending $1000+ for a replacement for her $300 used machine -- but it did start to fail so needed replacing. She paid for half because I wanted her to know right from the beginning that entering then Mac fray was going to be an expensive proposition. Now, some six weeks later, she's dealing with a broken screen (a "friend" sat on hers), and lookiong at a $500 replacement (on eBay a replacement used screen for her Dell laptop -- the one I'm now using -- is available for much less than $100). End of story.
Consequently, is there any surprise that I will NEVER migrate to a Mac unless they become cost competitive with old Wintel/Linux... which we all know will never happen.
No need to "switch", I use both! Macs and PCs for everyone!
by drea720 - 8/16/08 11:19 AM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
That's the button missing from this poll. Some of us use both and have no problem. I currently have a PC desktop and am in the process of purchasing a MacBook Pro (laptop). I plan to use both for everything, and know a few others that do the same. I just graduated from college, and at my school I had to use both types of computer everyday. Now I'm pretty fluent in both, and am happy to be!
Bought a Mac, but will probably never switch completely
by firkle - 8/16/08 12:32 PM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I'm a long time Windows user but always wanted to try a Mac. I bought my first Mac (MacBook) a couple of months ago. I immediately loaded Windows in Boot Camp, and also downloaded VMWare Fusion so I could use Windows & Mac together. The hardware is great, but not sure yet what all the fuss is about with the Mac OS.
Here's a few random observations based on using the Mac for only a short period:
1) I prefer Windows Explorer over the Mac Finder. I just feel I can do more with it; it's more customizable.
2) Is there no full-screen mode when using a browser on a Mac? I use full-screen mode a lot when browsing on a PC. But haven't been able to figure out how to use it yet on either Safari or Firefox on a Mac.
3) When zooming in and out of a photo in iPhoto, is there a way to tell the percentage of zoom? The slider bar is fine, but I want to know the level of zoom I'm using. Based on this alone, I prefer IrfanView on Windows.
I'm very new to the Mac, so there may be simple answers to the above (I'm currently leafing thru one of David Pogue's tomes) but I have to say, at this point, I prefer Windows; I feel I can do more with it. If the Mac didn't have the capability to run multiple OS's, I don't think I would attempt switching.
Just waiting to get my hands on a Mac
by DDT3 - 8/16/08 1:58 PM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Just waiting for the $$. I spent so much for this Quad Core HP piece of junk with the 512 graphics card & all the bells & whistles (and sadly Vista) that it will have to do for a bit...
Then G-5 here I come...after Vista Microsoft doesn't deserve another chance...just that simple, any company that knowing releases such a bad product, then companies like HP who put GREAT quality components in a case (I looked before I bought)---but they don't work together
HP has worse than no support (if you can understand the "India connection" enough to talk), they have support that gives you WRONG answers most of the time...that's worse than no support.
At least with a Mac they make the OS and the hardware so they can't point fingers and blame the other one (which is all Microsoft & HP EVER do...
I've had one of those paid Microsoft techs take control of my computer and HE couldn't get over out how badly HP was configured to run their stuff and while he helped a lot he was never able to fix it 100% !)
So I'm gone, just as soon as (I have the money... I long for Leopard and a Mac, I remember my first Apple II and wonder why I ever went astray just to save a few $$)
I have considered just buying a "regular" Mac for 13-14 hundred but would rather put that towards a G-5...but on HP and/or Vista's bad days it's very tempting and I may just go ahead and get a Mac laptop or go on & get an I-Mac.
Apple don't sell the G5 anymore,
by mrmacfixit - 8/16/08 4:20 PM
In reply to: Just waiting to get my hands on a Mac by DDT3
The processor of choice is now Intel
Note the constant in the "never switch" PC-exclusive folks..
by mattmchugh.com - 8/16/08 4:15 PM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Read through these posts and you'll find an interesting trend among Mac naysayers who are vocal defenders of PCs: they're all developers. They all have a vested professional interest in Windows OS and/or PC hardware, as well as a personal penchant for modification.
The people who favor PCs are people who like to tinker with computers. People who simply use computers (writers, designers, AV artists, even business people) prefer Macs once they've been exposed to the dramatically more stable, better designed, user-rather-than-developer centric Mac platform. Go ahead and try to contradict that, if you can.
Oh, wait--one other exception: serious gamers. PC games are still better than their Mac variants. Sad, but true. Everything else, works just fine on a Mac.
- mattmchugh.com
I beg to differ (and if you read my post)..
by jordandw - 8/16/08 4:27 PM In reply to: Note the constant in the "never switch" PC-exclusive folks.. by mattmchugh.comI'm not a developer. I like and admire Macs -- they are just too *&^%$ expensive! That, to me, is the "constant"
So what you're basically saying...
by sbill - 8/16/08 4:36 PM In reply to: Note the constant in the "never switch" PC-exclusive folks.. by mattmchugh.com...is that Macs are for people who don't care what's in their computer, don't have the skill or desire to upgrade their computer, and don't want to run the most demanding programs?! In other words, people who just want to know how to turn it on and start typing?
For the rest of us, who have been using computers since the days when Windows 95 was out, the PC remains the platform of choice. Perhaps now that Vista is out, people will look to alternative software such as Linux, but the PC will remain king.
Switching to a Mac
by Ron Geiken - 8/16/08 5:51 PM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have not done that, and am not inclined to do so. I am sure that the Mac is a fine computer, but I like to have the ability to purchase my hardware from any company that I please. I think that it is easier to purchase a PC type computer, since there are so many iterations available. I have a desktop with a quad processor with 4 gig of ram, and a laptop a duo processor and 2 gig of ram, and there are myriad other configurations available from many manufacturers. It helps a user to purchase the configuration that they can afford. There are also many sales on PC type computers which allow someone to get a powerful computer at a relatively inexpensive price. Both Macs and PCs will do a good just for buyer, but a PC will tend to be less expensive for a given configuration. Also, I expect a PC to be more expandable than a Mac.
Thinking of switching...
by Joshua Kwoon - 8/16/08 6:16 PM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
...but the cost is holding me back. I'm thinking of getting a MacBook, white with highest specs (black might have more HD space but I haven't even used up the 60GB on my current PC). Before this I was thinking of getting a Dell XPS M1330, then I found the MacBook. I've been itching to try a Mac ever since Leopard was released. Or maybe since I've heard of a Mac for the first time (at that time Vista hadn't come out yet).
Mac's Rock!!
by ESUNintel - 8/16/08 7:43 PM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Within the last 6 months I have switched over to the Apple side. I purchased a MacBook Air, Mac Mini and iMac. So far, I love my MacBook Air cause of its design and portability, Mac Mini cause of how tiny and powerful it is, and the iMac cause of its 24" display and powerful it is also. Certain things I do, like photo editing and website designing can't be done any better on any computer but a Mac (I know some may disagree, but don't comment unless you've actually worked on both platforms and know how to use both well). iWork is way better than Office in that it allows for more creativity, FileMaker Pro feels better than Access/SQL (although SQL has many different advantages), MindManager allows for better brainstorming than Visio, so any ways, what I'm trying to say is that there are always Mac alternatives to software. PC's do have their advantages though, running a virtual machine on a Mac is no way like running a real computer, even if your running it in a 3.2GHz, 4GB Ram Mac; it'll work for running applications, but not when you need the graphics. If your a gamer PCs are the way to go. I also admit that there are many PCs out there better or at the Mac level, such as the new Dell Studio desktop (I would buy that over the current Mac Mini), or the really thin IBM ThinkPad that's about 3lbs heavy and actually has a disk drive ...but keep in mind, you'd be running XP/Vista, not OS X, which is what makes a Mac what it is, and feels better than using any form of Windows. As far as PC goes, I got rid of my Vaio and QuadCore desktop, and just got a new Acer Aspire One, which runs SQL, Visual Studio Pro 2008, Office Pro, and other stuff I need from time to time. I may also be buying am Alienware or XPS (please let me know if you have a favorite or other suggestions, I like Voodoo, but to pricey for me) soon cause I'd like to game occasionally. ...so in conclusion, I could live without a PC, but not without a Mac. A Mac can run OS X and any other OS, while a PC can only run Windows and other stuff, but not OS X. If your in IT though, you might want to have a Mac and a PC (even if it's not the best of PCs, cause you'll find your self using the Mac more often anyways).
I Switched 2 yrs ago & I'll never go back !
by triplet grandmom - 8/17/08 6:53 AM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I love the Mac. My husband has an I-Mac and I have a MacBook. We have none of the problems we did previously with the Windows based PC's.
More and more software, freeware, websites, etc., are becoming Mac friendly. I rarely encounter anything I can't do on the Mac. And LOTS that I can do! We purchased Windows Office for Mac (Word, Excel & Powerpoint) and now we are compatible with everyone else. You can load it on 3 computers.
The transition was painless and I'm no computer expert. On the rare occasion I am in a situation where I have to use a PC, I can make the transition back very quickly. It's like riding a bike. You never forget.
Never "switch," but go dual...
by MPlatner - 8/17/08 9:59 AM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First off, I'm an Engineer in Broadcasting. I deal with both platforms. I personally have never owned a Mac, but would love to get one -- in addition to my array of PC-based systems I already have. Why? Each has their own rightful position in my world. You see, I started before PC's existed; programming in COBOL, Fortran, BASIC, Unix -- the likes.
In our line of work, we use both Mac & PC. This is only my view, but PC rules when it comes to data, while Macs handle media (digital audio, photog and video) better. At the station I work (TV), we have three editing systems for video -- Grass Valley's Aurora (PC), Avid (PC) and FinalCut Pro (Mac). For audio, it's Audition (PC) and ProTools (Mac). I, at home, have Audition, SpeedRazor, and Premier. I'd like to start venturing into FinaCut Pro & the Mac version of ProTools. Yah, I guess for the most part it's like Cubs/White Sox when it comes to PC/Mac, but it shouldn't be that way. Both are great platforms/systems and each has its own rightful place in the world of computing.
RadioGuy
PS - my blog is RadioGuy on blogger.com
Mac OS
by ny2nv - 8/17/08 10:46 AM In reply to: Never "switch," but go dual... by MPlatnerMy biggest problem with the Mac OS is the menu bar is not part of the open Window. So on a large wide screen monitor the menu bar extends the full width of the screen. I like being able to see the menu bars separately on each open program. I like knowing when I close a window the program is closed. I also prefer the task bar on Vista, with the screen preview of each open program.
in the process of switching
by CalicoTude - 8/17/08 5:14 PM In reply to: Poll: When did you switch over to a Mac? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I bought a MacBook in late January (just before the upgrad, darn). I love it, and as soon as my nearly-6-year-old Dell bites the dust (or sooner), I am going to replace it with a Mac desktop (probably the mini, so I can use my current monitor). Since I don't do any job-related work at home, I don't have any need to put up with Windoze and its problems to satisfy work requirements. Only reason I even use the pc at all, is that sometimes I just want to get online and not have to haul out the laptop and hook up the external HD etc. (I live in a very small apartment and don't have any additional space to keep the laptop set up).
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