P.C. or Mac? Should I Switch to Apple?

@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix32890 wrote:

Have any of you either switched from P.C.s to Macs? What has been your experience? Did you perceive any advantage to one over the other?

I recently switched from primarily using Windows as my personal computing environment to OSX (Mac).

For the most part I think that either operating system can get the job done, but I think that OSX is a fundamentally better operating system. Most people cite "stability" and security but the real difference to me is just in design and usability. But yeah, it's less of a pain than Windows for sure (you never really notice things like OS updates, and it runs more efficiently than Windows does) and all that, but I think it's also different enough that you may find adapting to the differences to be a bigger pain than any of the inherent benefits.

I generally am on all 3 major operating systems (Linux, OSX, and Windows) in any given day and really think any decent OS can get your job done but I'd say that Macs are the best money can buy, while not being the best for your buck (they enjoy healthy margins). So for people looking to keep costs down on their computer I'd recommend Windows (Linux is cheaper but not as useful for desktop IMO) and for those looking for the best they can get I'd recommend Mac (it's the only hardware choice that can run all three OSes without too much hacking so you can have both Windows and Mac running side-by-side pretty easily if you want that too).

As to your question about waiting, no, the OS updated just last week and the OS upgrades are less of a big deal on OSX (smaller and more frequent updates in comparison to Windows). With Apple what you want to wait for is hardware updates because the software updates are largely painless (even if you have to buy it, they sell their OS for well under $100, unlike Windows when you have to buy a new copy). If you want to try to time your purchase by the hardware release cycle (I wouldn't bother on the desktops if I were you) this is a good resource that tries to predict launch cycles:

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

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@sozobe,

There's no blue screen of death (mainly because that is a design decision to have a blue error screen that they did not opt for) but Mac have an equivalent called "The spinning beach ball of death" (SBBOD).

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@rosborne979,

rosborne979 wrote:

Depending on what type of Mac you buy, they can probably just take the hard drive out of your PC and put it into the Mac (after transferring the files). Then you can format the old drive and continue to use it.

They won't put the old HD in the new machine, they'll just transfer the files.

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@CalamityJane,

CalamityJane wrote:

Anti virus is built in ...

It's actually not, you basically just don't use any AV (which works out just fine on a Mac).

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@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix32890 wrote:

Would you recommend that I buy the computer at Apple, or purchase it at another outlet, like Best Buy? I have been to the Apple store, and was very impressed with the sales people there. Also, one of them told me that you could buy a feature where you could go to classes for a year.

I would buy it online, personally. You can customize it (add RAM for e.g.) and there's no sales tax.

Quote:

When I bought the computer that I have now, I did not project the advances that would be coming in the ensuing years. So I did not increase my RAM (which Mr. P had to do later), and took the CD player and burner that came with the computer. This time, I would like to think ahead.

Since your last computer purchase computers have really stagnated, and now they don't go obsolete nearly as quickly. Any Mac with at least 4GB of RAM is future-proof in terms of being functional, there will be a new shiny model every year but these days pretty much any computer you get with at least 4GB of RAM is gonna be fine for a while.

Quote:

I am looking at the high end 27" IMAC. I think that the MacBook Pro is a little pricey for me. Right now I have my computer tower on the floor. As I am getting older, and my back is getting lousier, I find that crawling around on the floor to get to the tower is getting to be a bit much for me.

Personally, I think you'd be fine with one of their Air laptops if you want a laptop, but the iMac is by far their best for the buck.

Quote:

Some reviewers think that not having an HDMI port, or a blu-ray player on the iMac is a big deal. Right now, I have no problem with that. I have a blu-ray player on my T.V., and I don't anticipate watching movies on my computer. Then again, I did not think ahead the last time that I bought a computer. What do you think?

Blu-ray isn't the future, digital downloads are. Don't worry about lacking Blu-ray.

Quote:

What do you think about the all-in-ones? Any caveats?

Less easy to upgrade, but other than RAM all Macs really are. It's really jsut a choice between desktop and laptop, I think you'd find that the Air laptops are so portable that you'll use them in ways you wouldn't use a laptop (e.g. I can't use my macbook pro as a laptop because I have been spoiled by ultra-lights) and to me that would be the decision, the portability (and ultra-portability with the Air line) vs savings.

Quote:

Another thing. When I bought my last computer, I bought surround sound speakers. They are too good to throw away, and are much better than the speakers that come with the iMac. Can they be used with the Apple?

It depends. I wouldn't use them with an iMac personally, because the built-in speakers are good enough and the external ones would make it that much less all-in-one.

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@Robert Gentel,

Robert does Macs have 64 bits OS yet or not?

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@Robert Gentel,

I call it the rainbow pinwheel of death.

I've only ever had it re: applications though rather than the whole computer freezing. (I force-quit the application and then it's fine.)

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@BillRM,

BillRM wrote:

Robert does Macs have 64 bits OS yet or not?

Yes, it does.

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@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix - let us know what you get and how it goes.

BTW - the Mac Air is nice, but no built in CD. I wouldn't get it unless portability was the major criteria. Very nice but pricey.

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@OmSigDAVID,

Apple is still a closed system and everything in the Apple world is still going to cost more. The ONLY reason anybody should ever buy an Apple computer is if they have some essential application which only runs on Apples.

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@Phoenix32890,

Before you spend the thousand dollars for an Apple, try saving all your data onto a usb drive of some sort and then convert the existing computer to Puppy LINUX.

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@IRFRANK,

IRFRANK wrote:

BTW - the Mac Air is nice, but no built in CD. I wouldn't get it unless portability was the major criteria. Very nice but pricey.

I, in turn, would not advise on getting another laptop with a CD drive if you can help it. The CD is going to die just like the floppy drive did, and Apple not including it is going to be the beginning of the end for the format's relevance in computing, just like it was with the floppy.

I want a CD rom drive in a laptop just as much as I want a built-in record player in a laptop, but I am more agressive about not wasting (in this case mainly engineering space) on dead-end technologies.

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@Phoenix32890,

yes, yes and yes! I'm a real mac fan so I cannot ansewer anything but yes:) Especially, if you are a designer - in such case you won't find better machine than Mac!

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@bartfrt,

Do you know anything about the "lion", which is supposed to come out in the summer?

I am not a designer, but I have a New Years' resolution. Right now, I feel that I am at least four years behind in terms of computer usage. I want to make it my business to get the most out of a modern computer.

1 Reply

@Phoenix32890,

I think "lion" is the next version of OSX. I'm sure it will be nice but it won't change things much.

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Well, it is getting closer. With Mr. P. (who knows very little about computers) it is a process. If it were only up to me I would have bought the darn thing when I decided that I wanted it.

I may have mentioned that my old 'puter has surround sound and a subwoofer. I rarely play music when I use the computer, because I find that it distracts me. I got it because HE is an audiophile, and has a "thing" about good sound.

I think that he has decided that getting the imac is a good thing to do. We wanted to connect the sound system to the Mac, but discovered that we could not do it.

So, he gets the idea of getting a Zvox, and putting it under the computer.

http://www.zvoxaudio.com/

For those who don't know, the Zvox is a box which simulates surround sound.
I have one under my smaller TV, and the sound IS better than the speakers on the TV, but I am not that particular.

I really don't need the Zvox for the Mac, but he is hell bent on getting it. Said something about when he listens to audio clips on Amazon, he wants to learn if the recording has "quality". To each his own.

Stay tuned in the continuing saga............................

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@Phoenix32890,

Listening...

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@Robert Gentel,

I have to admit you were very right when you predicted how quickly the CD would replaze the floppies and Zip drives. Not that I believed it.

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@roger,

Rog- Robert said something to the effect that the CD would go the way of buggy whips. Thing is, most computers come with provisions for CDs, and people have stuff that they have already burned to CDs.

Strange that I am saying this. My first computer, a Windows 98, had a floppy disc drive. I made a lot of them. When I got the XP, I paid extra to have a floppy drive installed to play those discs.

In all these years, I have not used the floppy drive ONCE. Go figure.

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Well guys, after much hemming and hawing, I finally did it. My Big Mac will be delivered on Tuesday. (no fries, though)

Last week I bought a book that describes all the ins and outs of the operating system. I keep saying to myself, "I refuse to be intimidated". I am a little though, but I am sure that it will be o.k.

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P.C. or Mac? Should I Switch to Apple?

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