Community poll forum: Are you considering switching from a Windows PC to a Mac?

I am an old time UNIX and Xenix person so the O/S X is not unfamiliar to me. As for Windows, I use it only because I use special software that will not run on a Mac. However, even if I did not have to use Windows, I'd not go with a Mac for the simple reason that I've had a 100% bad experience with their iBook. My son wanted a new laptop for school and wanted to go for a Mac so got him what he wanted. He treats his stuff like it was something of worship, keyboard membrane double wrapped for transport to school; the works. The 1st unit last about 30 days and then had a problem. After 3 months with it in a Mac warranty station with it blowing eveytime they tried to get it to work, I finally convinced Mac to send a replacement unit. Meanwhile my kid was without it for 3 of the 4 months of ownership. The warranty for th replacement was for the remainder of the original purchase; you'd think they'd at least extend it for the period they had it. 1 month after the 12 month warranty ran out the fan started running continiously. Took to the Mac store and left it with them after they told me there was nothing wrong and it was normal for the fan to run from the second you turned it on (which it had not done nor had the original) and the following business day they called to tell me there was a logic board problem but there was not warranty and therefore the cost would be CDN$950 to replace it. The laptop only cost $1,200 to begin with. After going round and round with no satisfaction, it is sitting in its box on the shelf as my son does not trust it for school use. We replaced it with a H-P unit based on my experiences with H-P and Compaq. Since then, I've run into others with the same experiences from Mac who likewise have a bad taste for the company.

I just bought 2 computers for business. One is an HP laptop DV9230us, on is a Macbook pro. I run business software on both, and they're both great. I find that the Mac is better for excel, as the Microsoft office software has many more features on the Mac, that the windos version doesn't have! I also do photography and video editing on both. The Mac is better at both. I use the same printer, camera, speakers, external mouse, and tablet for both laptops. The Mac is esier to use for both. I also saved a lot of money on the Mac, because of all the extra software I had to buy for the HP, before I could use it productively. I can upgrade the graphics cards on both, and they take the same ram. The mac takes additional monitors that HP doesn't. I like the Mac better, I might get another one.

Uh, there is no Windows laptop that is comparably equipped to what you get in a Macbook Pro. Sorry.

Where did you get your info?

I've used MS Operating systems since DOS 4. I've used every Windows OS since then too. I wasn't at all familiar with Macs until I bought a used Mac Powerbook in 1998. I was immediately struck with the integration of software and hardware. Even though this was before OS X the machine seemed almost indestructible.

I was also impressed with how easy it was to find help. Mac user communities are very helpful. Not to say that Windows user communities are not but the chances of you finding another Mac user who has exactly the same hardware is very great since there are a limited number of possible configurations.

In 2000 I bought a PowerMac Gr tower. It was a a joy to use. It was built so that you could easily open it up and add RAM or drives or even a new processor. I sold it about 3 years later and bought a PowerMac G5. I added RAM and drives to it so that it now has 1 TB of storage and 8 GB of RAM.

I still continue to work on Windows at work though. I have no problems with file compatibility. I also have no trouble connecting my new MacBook to the Novell network at work.

I began on an Amiga 2000 and graduated to a 3000. I still have and use both. I actually use 10 different computers for 10 different reasons. I've been a professional audio engineer/producer for over 30 years. I also own and operate a 24 track digital studio. I think it's a matter of knowing which system to use for what job. Every OS has it's place in audio. I've used Pro Tools, Sound Forge, etc. I own every DX, VST plugin that has been introduced to the market place. When I started analog was the way. We had to create what are now known as plugins the old fashioned way. Many of our ideas became today's plugins. The digital systems of today are more of a convenience than anything to me. It's a lot easier to click a mouse than to cut and splice 2 inch mastering tape. The systems are all capable of getting the job done. It's a matter of personal taste unless you have the luxury of exploring all platforms. I enjoy Linux as much as any system out today. It reminds me a lot of the early days of the Amiga. So much open source and good programmers that really offer tremendous versatility. The real fun is exploring all of what's available. Make some mistakes. Crash a few systems. Lose some data and learn. Later.

Using both the pc and the mac I find I like points of both, I run 2 xp based pc, 1 slackware linux based pc, and a g3 mac blue & white Yellowdog linux based mac. On the max I ran osx until I ran into the Yellowdog distro of linux. ( A apple approved os ) of all the computers I use linux ones get the most use. 1 pc and 1 mac.

All of the computers are set up looking the same and you have to look closely to tell the difference. and yes the pc's and linux have a object dock like the mac.
One of the replies said that they saw a 24 inch screen on a mac and thought it was better than a pc. just put a 24 inch screen on pc and you will notice a difference. the mac's with the intel chip now are ausome machines but then any computer that has duel processors is ausome and one with 2 duel processors on it would be the tops till someone comes out with a 2 quad processors on it. ah the days of the 8088 are long gone and many dollars have passed trying to keep up with the latest and greatest.
If some one wishes to avoid the lack of security of micro$ost and the cost of programs under o$x get a real operating system and try linux.. then again linux isnt for the faint of heart. its your operating system and you are in charge. and now linux runs on both the mac and the pc so it dosent matter which computer you have just get linux and you get one operating system for both computers

I have exp. in Win. XP, NT4, 2000, Vista, and a little in Linux. I had a Mac but it would not boot up and in order for the Mac people to fix my problem I had to update the OS and in order to do that I needed a new PC. If your fed up with Windows Linux is the way to go. It is all legal free-ware (They may ask $15 if you want a cd/DVD of the OS). The DVD I have can be run strait from the DVD player on my PC, no loading to the HD needed. You can do this, however, for faster operation of the software. And Linux offers free programs comparable to things like Power Point or others, and is comparable to Mac as far as no virus problems or little crashing (People around the globe work on it 24/7.).

I say before you try Mac give Linux a shot. It could save 100's of dollors.

I switched from Windows to Mac about 2 years ago and I can't believe I waited that long. I didn't realize how much unnecessary time I spent fixing bugs and digging trough endless folders structures. It took me maybe a week to get used to how intuitive Mac operates and now I could never ever consider a Windows machine again. I don't get the Windows stubborn culture. You have Windows users on these forums spilling their guts on how Macs are poor in such and such areas but very few of them have actually given Macs a fair shot.

Why would anyone want to go backwards ?????????????????

RJT

I left HP and Windows XP, and jumped to my first iMac G5, l10 months ago...

I use it 3 hours a day.. I cannot think of one thing about Windows that is equal to, let alone, better than iMacs..

I am Realtor... I have to use a couple of "workarounds"... , but won't have to do that much longer, as the Rappatoni software company will be coming around to working with Macs....., and I will get a new Mac, soon. (laptop), and it will have the Windows system built in...

If I were Bill Gates, I would do whatever it takes to cut a deal with Macs......



j.b.

I am happy with looking through windows, BUT not Vista Auzjon

sorry, I forgot to add - but I might consider mac, if it really is free of all the glitches that all of the mac owners say.

I was Mac affecionado about 15 yrs ago, and went to the other side for business and personal reasons, I did still work occasionally on Mac's, but more on a personal level. After working as an IT Consultant, I have started suggesting Mac's to my customers for a few months now. Main reason, no viruses. Yes, sure there are viruses for Macs, although far and few between. Secondly, no drivers, camera's work, USB drives, PC drives that have the ugly blue screen saying "Unmountable_Boot_Volume" ...is read as an external drive, all data is retrieved and the seemingly bad drive on a PC...works! including ALL files in the Documents and Settings Folder - I'm sold, for good.

Its simple, i used to have 5 PCs (IBM, Dell, HP) in my office in 1999, and now i have 1 PC (Assembled) and 3 Macs. Why?

Well, having a Mac is like having a refrigerator or a microwave. Press a button, it comes alive and you do your work on it. Having a PC, is well like having a PC (a windows machine), it needs constant tinkering and upkeep. Here's a simple data, my laptop (Mac) has been switched of and on less than 75 times in the last 4 years. I don't see a windows powered machine doing that any time soon. And people who say that branded PCs work as well, not true.. it just means they have not pushed it to the limit as yet. Get some video edit and vector graphics running on them, The PC will soon say Astalavista.

Gamers, stick to PC, as there are not many softwares that are available for the Mac.