Mac or not, that is the ?

iMac or PC?

  • Go for a new iMac!

    Votes: 45 80.4%
  • Go for a new PC!

    Votes: 9 16.1%
  • See post below... you are way off!

    Votes: 2 3.6%

  • Total voters
    56

Pskhaat

2005 Expedition Trophy Champion
OSX? Winblows?

I didn't even realize that Apple was still selling anyting other than iPods and music? And is Microsoft actually still in business anymore?

Join the revolution dude. Linux. I started in 1991 after disgust with AIX since 1984 or so, and havn't looked back.
 

ChuckB

Expedition Leader
I have a 12" powerbook and a 15" imac. No complaints what-so-ever. The Powerbook is going on 3 years old, and have survived 6 months in Iraq. The iMac I bought used and is basically a web surfing machine but at 800 Mhz it just keeps on truckin'!!
 

Clutch

<---Pass
My girl friend has a Mac and I have a PC...hers' never crashes or has glitches...my next will be a Mac for sure.

I listened to my techy friend and bought a PC...sorry that I did.:mixed-smiley-030:
 

edgear

aventurero, Overland Certified OC0012
totally mac'd out

So after 15+ years of using Windows and the past 7 years being paid to do tech support on only Windows, I am happy to say that I've completely made the switch to Macintosh! In fact I'm so geeked out that I'm making this post from an iPod touch.
 

cshontz

Supporting Sponsor
I'm also a recent convert. I've been a computer geek for 25 years, and I got my first Mac last month. There are still things that I'm not used to, but for the most part its been a positive experience.
 

TeriAnn

Explorer
flyingwil said:
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?

Ever since Gates hired a team of software engineers to add a Mac like interface shell onto DOS, Windows has been hailed as almost Mac like. Of course that means as Mac like as they could make it to the Mac OS that was currently for sale when Microsoft froze the feature set for their next version of Windows. Why would anyone prefer an operating system who's chief claim is to have a user interface almost as good as a Mac. I can understand why IT departments prefer Windows. It is hard to justify a large IT department if fewer people have problems and need help with their computers. No IT manager wants to be like the proverbial Maytag repair man.

If you get a Mac the user interface will be at least one to two generations ahead of the latest Windows interface. AND the hardware and software have been designed to work together.

Comparing prices between bottom end Windows machines & Macs is hard because the base Mac tends to come with hardware features only available as higher cost options on the low end windows box. And Mac's components are chosen for reliability and cost, not for just minimal cost alone.

You need to compare a Mac with high end Windows box with the same bells & buzzers to get close to an accurate cost comparison. Even then you will likely find the Mac is a little more expensive. Why? Because somewhere something like a third of the margin gets reinvested into hardware & software R&D. Windows econobox makers don't need to spend money developing system software and their hardware design is mostly a matter of choosing components and fitting them into a box.

Something to think about if planning to purchase a new Mac portable soon is that there is a product line refresh coming up, likely by or before October. If you pick the time right you can either get a new machine with the next generation of HW or get a good deal on the current generation portables.

If you NEED a 2 button mouse get an aftermarket 2 button mouse. Otherwise a clicking with the control button held down gets you access to that other button's functionality.
 
Last edited:

Michael Slade

Untitled
TeriAnn said:
Ever since Gates hired a team of software engineers........clicking with the control button held down gets you access to that other button's functionality.

Spoken like an expert.

Listen to TeriAnn. She speaka'da'troof!
 

astn

Observer
I love my Mac. I've been using Apple and Macintosh computers for about 24 years, with a brief break in the middle when they were really really horrible. OS X was a wonderful update to the Macintosh system. It's a MUCH superior operating system to anything that Microsoft has put out, and the only system that has even come near it (in my opinion) was BeOS, which never took off.

I have been one of those "rabid Apple fanboys" for the last six years or so, since 10.2 (Jaguar). In that time I've probably convinced around a hundred people to purchase Macs of various flavors, including a few businesses. There is nothing that can touch an Apple computer, unless you want to be a dedicated gearhead and build and run your own linux machine, in which case, you may end up with a better, though usually "less pretty" end result (in exchange for a lot more work then plunking down your credit card at an Apple Store.)

With all that said, ESPECIALLY with a portable, don't expect miracles, and buy AppleCare. "Apple Computer" is no longer, and "Apple, Inc." now is, and they care about iTunes Music Store and the iPhone. Macs are only a part of their business, and recent experience has shown me that it is not the most important part of their business. It's a situation where they feel they have the "best" product and little competition, so why put resources to an area where you (feel you are) "winning".

An example: MacBook Pro batteries have a tendancy to "swell". I don't know enough about batteries to say why this happens, but it happens to some battery types. With AppleCare (and probably even without, but I don't know) you explain the symptoms and they replace it, almost no questions asked. However, it still makes your laptop a very inconvenient desktop with a power cord that wants to fall off with any pressure, and it would be more ideal to have batteries that "just work" as they have had in the past and many other laptop manufacturers manage to have.

Another example: I haven't used the nifty "keyboard backlight" on my MacBook Pro since I upgraded to Leopard, because sometimes when it activates (i.e. you go from a bright area to a dark area and your keyboard backlight turns on) it will freeze your entire system. This is apparently such a major issue to solve that Apple refuses to acknowledge it's existence, but it happens to all three of the MacBook Pros in my house, and there is numerous other reports on the internet and on their forums. This problem has existed through four point upgrades and several other fixes including a keyboard firmware update. Five years ago, Apple would have admitted the problem, and had a special fix put out as quickly as possible. Now, however, their focus is on other areas and they would rather not acknowledge (not even deny) the problem so they don't need to expend (possibly significant) resources to fix it.

I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another Mac, which is sad from a consumer point of view, because it only reinforces the opinion of Apple that they don't need to do anything now but keep making minor updates to keep this revenue stream going, because the competition simply isn't there. And I think they're right. I just realize and try to caution others when I talk Apples that they aren't as fantabulous as they were just a few years ago, and while they will probably "just work" they have their own issues and quirks just as any other machine.

Austin
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
I think one big problem of going to Mac is the actual cost if you are serious computer user. In an apples to apples comparison (I know, bad pun), the PC hardware is almost $1000 cheaper, for identicle or even better specs. That's a lot to chew on, and that's only part of it.

The software costs for Mac tend to be a higher, because there are fewer choices. There are vastly more options for PC. Not better options, but more. If you need to buy software for a specific task, it's going to cost considerably more on the Mac, often double.

Now, lets say you are a power user, and tons of high-end software already. Have you factored in that cost too? Some labels, like Adobe, allow you to send in your old disks and they will send you Mac compatible software very inexpensively (somethign like a $10 processing fee). This is good, but somewhat inconvient, because if you are transitioning due to a flakey, dead, or nearly unusabbly old PC, you are basically out of luck for the few weeks it takes to make the exchange.

I WANT to be on a Mac, but when I had $3,000 to spend on a new setup, I discovered I was about $2,500 short of what it truely would have cost to trasnsition (including software & warrenties). It's REAL hard to spend over $5,000 on a laptop & software that has technically inferior specs to a $1500 -$1800 PC based laptop that could be used immeadiately.

On the flip side, I acknowledge that Apple tightly controls the hardware specs, so most components, while "technically" slower/inferior on paper, actually may run faster/better/smoother with fewer lossy conflicts than similar PC hardware. But still, the cost factor is just real hard to get past for someone that uses it as a home machine or hobby, and not a deductable business expense in a well funded business. Even if you are an Apple fan, which I consider myself to be.
 

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