Mac or not, that is the ?

[flyingwil]

So our Dell laptop has been starting to take a ******** every time we really need it. So we are looking into new computer options. At this point we are leaning towards a MAC....Did I really just say that!? We are looking at a iMac 2.33GHz Intel Core Duo. I went and spent a good hour at the apple store asking questions and such.

So what to you guys think? MAC or stick PC?

 

[bigreen505]

I think there are very few good reasons not to buy a Mac. You pay for the name, but in my opinion you are paying for higher quality parts too. They just plain work.

To me the worst type of computer you could buy is a PC laptop because they are far too easy to turn into a frisbee when you get the blue screen of death constantly.

 

[Dave Bennett]

My next unit will be a Mac. Go for it!

 

[Scott Brady]

Too early for me to comment

Displayes are incredible, no time with the apps yet.

Needs a right mouse button

 

[bigreen505]

Needs a right mouse button

Go buy a third party mouse, doesn't really matter which one. Life is much better with buttons. The Wacom I use has five and it makes life significantly easier.

 

[gjackson]

Go buy a third party mouse

Yep. Customize your functionality!! (Scroll wheel is key as well!!)

cheers

 

[k6uk]

I have had VERY good luck with Thinkpads (now made by Lenovo) - solid as a rock. Very good machine.

I have also heard good things about Lifebooks, although I have never owned one - yet!

I'm also sold on the trackpoint (especially the way the thinkpad has it) and just hate touchpads - but that is just my preference.

-Mike

 

[Robthebrit]

Now that you can natively run windows on the Mac hardware there is little need to buy a PC, assuming a Mac is in your price range. The thing that always stopped me from getting a Mac was simply I need to sometimes run apps that are not on the Mac. Typically I read my email, browse the web and use apps that are on both platforms and a mac would be great, now I could dual boot to windows when I need.

My next computer will be a mac for sure.

Rob

 

[flyingwil]

Now, a new option rolls on in with Window Vista coming around the bend. Seems a lot like the Mac OS... but now on PC's. Would that really be something to consider when comparing to an iMac?

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Wil, you won't be sorry if you buy a Mac. My Powerbook is almost four years old and it has never failed. I mean not a single crash. All the issues people are conditioned to expect with Microsoft products just don't exist in the Mac world. And I have no program compatibility issues with any editor or designer I work with. That's really not a factor any more, although PC salespeople would love you to think it is.

Think about this: Roseann and I do not own antivirus software. How much money and time have you spent trying to prevent your PC from getting infected with spyware, spambots, etc. etc. etc.? The number of successful Mac OS viruses can be counted on one hand, versus thousands for PC systems.

Macs are much better able to handle multiple simultaneous programs without slowing down or crashing. It's simply a better product, and worth far more than the extra cost.

Remember the famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King when he switched to an early Mac: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free at last!"

 

[HenryJ]

I am going to offer another view.

I grew up with Mac. I continued with Mac and still have one today. They have their place. A Mac handles graphics like nothing else. They preform faster with a given processor speed, and are mostly trouble free. If you are satisfied with the software that is available and rarely try new software or devices you will be pleased.

I enjoy keeping up with the latest "thing" In a mac world you can not just download Jim Cox's USAphotomap and try the program. There are "hoops" to jump through to get it to work. That is if it will. The support for Mac software is just not there. I had a couple programs that were dropped from further upgrades. Corel and DeLorme. They had a good product. Just not enough demand. The products have progressed in the windows format and now far exceed the Mac version.

My last "upgrade" was quite a while ago now. I went portable. I considered many options including Mac. For me it came down to "bang-for-the-buck". The windows machines are cheaper, software is available and cheap. The Compaq Presario that I bought back then has been my primary computer ever since.

I think it all depends upon what you want to do with it. If you just use it for internet and do graphics the Mac may indeed be superior.
If you want portable and affordable a windows machine may be a good way to go.
If price is your primary consideration, it is hard to beat a "Wallyworld box" then add a graphics card and memory for a nice speed machine.

It really is tough. There are so many factors that can alter the decision.

For mine I set out the "needs": CD burner , 1.5 ghz-up, 17" screen, 60 gb hard drive, ethernet, modem, PCMCIA card slot, USB.
Then add some "bells": portable

At the time a sub $400 "Wallyworld windows box" met the needs, however for $750 I picked up a decent laptop from Staples. I made the right choice.

Mac was not even an affordable option.

Summary: If you are lazy and cheap, buy a windows box. If you are rich , satisfied with what you have and patient , go Mac.

 

[DesertRose]

Mac was not even an affordable option.

Summary: If you are lazy and cheap, buy a windows box. If you are rich , satisfied with what you have and patient , go Mac.

I offer yet another view vis a vis the above comment - and I admit to being a rather passionate Mac convert. If you are poor and smart, buy a Mac!

Yes it depends on what you're doing with the computer, but for us (who make our living on our home/work computers) - time is money. And I cannot even add up all the hours, yes hours, wasted over the last 10 years on Windows machines. It's phenomenal what a bad OS it is. I mean really really bad. And every time they come out with an "upgrade" it has additional problems. Why has Vista (the non-existent OS formerly known as Longhorn?) taken what, 5 years to not get here?

I am baffled why people think cheap is cheaper. It's not always. If you buy a lower quality car and it costs you 10 trips to the garage a year versus a Toyata that was $5K more but you only have to feed it gas and change the fluids for 100,000 miles . . . what was cheaper? A midsized company with 30 employees and 30 computers will need at least 2 full time techs to keep up with all the problems of Windows - Macs would significantly lower staff and consultant time and improve productivity. Cheap up front or value in the longrun.

Anyway the bottom line is also: if you value your time, and who does not, then buy the best OS. The world is waking up to the fact that there is a growing Mac market, and more software is available. I think things like GPS support will also improve.

Also, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - more streamlined than the entertainment components of Apple. All our music is on iPod, which updates seamlessly with our computers and also acts as a mini backup harddrive for Contacts and Calendars; we hook our iBook up to a high rez LCD projector to watch movies at full projection; we download movies and music - and never any problems playing or using anything.

There's a clear reason why so many people on this forum have Toyotas and yes, even Land Rovers! Quality. There's not a section for Ladas, is there?

Plus, I want you to buy a Mac because I just invested a nice chunk in Apple stock.:victory:

 

[whitethaiger]

I don't really want to get into the "religious" Apple vs. PC discussion, but I risk a post anyway...

First: Work forces me to use Windows so it's really easiest to carry all that experience and used (free, how's that for inexpensive?) hardware over to the personal side.

I've to mostly agree with HenryJ. My experience is very similar.

I've always liked the design (appearance of outside of box) of Apple products, but the limited software options (couldn't use OziExplorer!) and expensive hardware upgrades have always kept me on PC's.
The software problem seems be gone now that one can have dual-boot machines and at least one forum member is using Ozi with Apple hardware with some success.

People keep talking about the blue screen and crashes. It's been many, many years since I've seen any of that. Of course I've switched to the NT line of Windows OS's when they first came out.

It also sounds like everything Apple does or makes is great. Well, here are a couple of grains of salt
- When they came out with those large capacity iPods I was going to get one with their little adapter to download/backup pictures directly from the camera. A little research revealed that that adapter was pretty worthless taking forever to transfer 1G and draining both camera and iPod battery at the same time. This was early this year, don't know if things changed yet.

- Recently I got their little iPod+Nike sensor for running (sensor in shoe, receiver at iPod nano) to use during my half marathon training. And Apple does that monopoly thing again: You are supposed to buy the Nike shoe, because only that has a place for the sensor. (I did a shoe mod and things worked just fine). The software that runs on the iPod is lacking some features the most glaring is that one can only upload data to Nike for display. No custom comments or data can be added, stuff can not be saved on the hard drive. So for anyone training even moderately seriously this is more a nice toy than a serious tool.

Bottom line: Whatever you buy, truck or computer or whatever, know what you want/need from it and then carefully research what the options are out there. There is just no perfect solution out there that fits everyone the same.

 

[GeoRoss]

I've always liked the design (appearance of outside of box) of Apple products, but the limited software options (couldn't use OziExplorer!) and expensive hardware upgrades have always kept me on PC's.
The software problem seems be gone now that one can have dual-boot machines and at least one forum member is using Ozi with Apple hardware with some success.

I like Ozi alot also, but I like Mac's alot more. There is a fantastic GPS-mapping program called MacGPS Pro. It is a great program and inexpensive.

Ross

 

[HongerVenture]

Go Mac...

Wil,

I'd definitely go Mac. I've been a Mac fan and Mac user since before it was cool (I always like to say that). I grew up on Macintosh and never felt application deprived. All the applications, games, and internet browsing my parents would allow was done on a Mac.

I don't currently have a Mac (college required us to purchase a PC laptop) but will soon.

My parents are still Mac users. My mother is a teacher and her iMac is indispensable for her work. My father does IT support for a company that is all PC... and he takes his Mac G4 laptop to work everyday to help him work on the network. Neither of them fell software or application deprived.

I do agree that GPS is a little under-supported on Mac at this time... but that is changing rapidly. In addition, Mrs. Hanson makes an excellent point about the entertainment/media components of Apple. Documenting your trips (photos and video) is made very easy on Mac as is managing your music.

Go Mac... you'll never go back.

BTW, if you want to spend less to see how you like Mac's first, try a refurbished unit from Apple. My family bought a refurbed unit in the past and it still works... though it doesn't get much use anymore with a 75Mhz processor, in fact my dad probably already donated it away.