Do You Use a MAC?

I only use my Mac for video editing, but nothing else.

Minuses (maybe): most software like article spinners, automatic site builders, directory submitters, etc... is windows only. However some developers are now building mac versions as well, and apps like Market Samurai run under Adobe Air, therefore they are cross platform.

Pluses... it's a Mac. And you can always run windows with bootcamp or parallels if you need to.

I moved to a Mac about 12 months ago after being a hardcore pc user. Never, never, never again will i go back to a PC. There is simply no comparison once you have got used to the changes. Reliability is second to none - i am yet to experience my first crash or freeze (i use mine for around 8-10 hours a day, 6 days a week), it boots in seconds to being fully 100% functional, Mac's don't know the meaning of a virus and the programs work seamlessly with each other. The ONLY minor complaint is that not all programs work on a Mac (although that is being addressed with addition of Intel processors), but in my case, i still have a windows PC, so it's no biggie (or you can run a virtual windows platform via Fusion (extra cost) and flick between the two OS or you can use bootcamp) . The only other thing is the cost compared to a PC, but then again, the beauty of a Mac outweighs that too. For me, it's a no brainer

I've been using a mac for about 5 years now. As TheHealthyHomer says, they very rarely crash. I've had firefox freeze on me a couple of times but thats it. You don't have to reboot when you've installed some software. And it boots up the same speed it did when I got it.

My latest is an imac, and I use Parallels occasionally to run windows only software. Although when shutting down the app it does become very slow, so I tend to reboot just before I use Parallels.

No. I'm addicted on Wins since 1995 ;o)

My wife has a Mac notebook and it is great -- it kills me how quickly it "wakes up" from hibernation versus the long time my Windows notebook takes. I am very tempted to make the switch.

Please don't move to Mac. We need PC users to stay in the majority in order for us to not get targeted for viruses :-)

Most of the software I use on a daily basis (article re-writers, bookmarking software, domain research tool, etc.) don't really work on Mac. This is the only reason why I've stayed away from it so far..

I have a 3 (going on 4) year old MacBook. Even though it's relatively old it still runs as smoothly as when I first got it, in spite of me using it for many hours every day.
In the future I plan on getting the big (27") iMac, because I miss having a bigger screen.
I don't hate or dislike Windows in any way, but unless somebody decides to randomly give me a Windows PC, I don't see myself getting one anytime soon...

Oh and as for software compatibility, I've never had any issues with that. Most big programs have both Mac and Windows versions these days anyway. If you happen to be looking at a program that's available only for Windows, I'm sure there's a Mac version out there that'll be able to do just about the same =)

I bought the new 27" iMac recently (my first Mac ever). The screen is absurdly good, and the virtual spaces (simultaneous desktop instances) is SUPER useful: Photoshop in one, Dreamweaver in another one, Email + Aweber in another one, Adwords editor in another one, etc. All simultaneously.

The OS is eons ahead Windows. In one month, I havent re-booted my iMac yet and this thing doesnt clog down at all. All in all, it's a superior machine...

BUT, it's more difficult to find software for some very specific uses. That's 100% true.

I've wavered for a year or two on switching, but all my software Adobe CS, Quickbooks, etc... is all pc. What about fonts? I have hundreds if not a thousand fonts - will they work on mac?

Our office is Mac. I'll repeat what's already been said here. You're not going to be able to run many IM/SEO/etc. applications on the Mac. Sure, Parallels or any other virtualizing software may work, but I've found it's always more reliable to run the software with its native requirements.

I've extolled the virtues of building your own Mac to some friends, who've created Hackintosh systems with some good success. You'll cut down on costs significantly (you might not get the sleek design that usually comes with a Mac product) but you'll definitely get the performance benefits from the OS.

Mac users only need our index finger to push the button on our mouse...

...we reserve the finger next to it for Windows users who tell us Macs suck.

: )

I became a MAC convert about 4 yrs ago after my 3rd PC crashed and I cldn't retrieve any of my impt info. Had enough. I had just signed up for Verizon internet and they sent me their software,etc and I think there stuff had a virus or something b/c once I uploaded their info, my PC crashed and there was no looking back. At that point, I had to do something different, so got a mac.

I love my MAC and wldn't have it any other way. However, there are some things that I need a PC for (very few), but I'm mainly, almost exclusively, work on my MAC. It's the best. I run all of my businesses using my mac. Sure some software isn't mac compatible but most of the time, there is mac software out there that does the trick and sometimes even better than the pc software.

I've been using PCs since I was 5 years old (literally), and I purchased my first Mac (MacBook Pro) about a year ago when my old Dell desktop died. I was worried at first because I had so many little "utility" programs that I used which were created strictly for Windows; I thought I'd miss them and my new Mac would become handicapped.

Well, let me tell you: I'm never switching back. I virtualize Windows on this computer whenever I need to run a Windows program, but I find myself only needing to do so once every few months. The ease and simplicity of OS X (the Mac operating system; Mac is it OS X as PC is to Windows) is just so much more efficient, clean, intuitive, user-friendly, and solid than Windows will ever be. The way OS X was designed just makes so much more sense.

I'm sorry, religious topics are prohibited in the Warrior Forum.

Lee,
You know I use Mac .. Someone mentioned marketing software ..lol All of that stuff can be done online with online tools, you do not need any software that is for windows only.

As for other software - Mac puts out just as much software as windows does, the reason why it looks like windows puts out more is because 40% of that software is virus protection software.. lol

Mac computers are safer, faster, built to last, built on the most reliable system in the world (unix)... There are so many pluses that you could create an entire ebook on the subject.

All besides that Parallels 5 works perfectly if you do decide you want to use windows for some unkown reason..

James

As both Mac and Window user, here's what I recommend you:
Get a Mac and install VMWare on it.

That's my method!

This is really beaten to death multiple times, and the only real answer is to try it yourself and see what it's like. Granted, it's not easy to just 'test out' a system, because you won't hit all your daily snags that you would in 'real life' in a short test drive. It's still what I recommend to people.

A business friend of mine has been a PC guy for years. His business is expanding a lot, and he decided to give the Mac a spin. He got a top of the line model, tried it for a month or so, and went back to the PC world. Cost? A few hundred bucks - diff between buying new and selling used, but that few hundred bucks was considered the price of renting the system for that time (in my mind). He still has a Mac in the office for some specific purposes, but day to day work is all PC (and same for the employees).

He's still an avid iPhone user though. This wasn't a rabid for/against Apple sort of person. Just someone who gave it a shot and found that a Mac didn't fit his day to day needs.

I've been a Linux guy for years, and switched over to a macbook in late 2008. I got pissed off that VMWare charged $80 for their system, while giving it away for free on Linux and Windows. I realize it's just the free market at work, but I didn't want to give them money, so I'm using virtualbox. It's not *perfect* - I've seen VMWare and Parallels run things a bit faster, but it's done the job for what I need to do when I need Windows.

However, my Windows needs may be changing, and I'm simply considering getting another box for those needs. With the cost of a Windows machine (for my needs) being maybe $500, it would be easier to get and maintain a separate machine, and just sync files when I need to, rather than trying to shoehorn everything in to *one* physical machine. Even the fastest Macs will start beach-balling and stuttering when I start multitasking to the extent that I do. I just live with it :/

Being a school teacher, I have used Macs most of my career, but I used to hate them. We always had trouble with them crashing and freezing. At home, I always used a PC, and while it occasionally froze, the PC was more reliable. In the last year, I was issued a school Macbook, and I'm seriously rethinking my position. This Macbook is really reliable. We'll just have to see what I decide to do when it's time to buy another one for home. I find myself using it for everything, while my PC sits unused at home.

MAC is the true IM machine, this will never let you down at all, I have had my MAC for over a year now and guess what? My sony laptop has gone through so many
re-installs than my MAC, it has seen the factory reinstall DVD more times than I can count, not once have I had to re-install anything on the MAC

MAC : more sturdy, does what you want it to do without asking you any security/are you sure? type questions that Vista throws at you

PC: hassles and more hassles.... thats it.... you spend more time sorting your issues out rather than on your business...

thats my view point,

PS : I run Windows 7 on a boot camp partition on the MAC and its been fine, better than running in parallels.... its not even a hassle of restarting the MAC to switch OS's.... it does it in under 2 mins.... and everything works like a dream.... no hassles, leaves me to concentrate on my IM Business.....

Bean Counter : I have managed to find Camtasia for the MAC, am testing it at the moment, will let you know if it works as good as the Win Version

regards

Kishor

Nathan,
It is justified bt the following facts ...

* Mac will last 3 times longer than PC
* Mac does nto need all that hundreds of dollars worth of anti-software
* Mac does not need to go to the shop or be reinstalled
* Less hassle and less headaches all around ....

I have 6 mac computers and all are still running, oldest is from 1992.. Not once has any of them been in the shop and not once have I ever had to re-install the system ..

James

MAC IS GOD <3

Do it! For all the positive reasons above...

I've been using Parallels with a Home version of XP forever and it's fine. I only Windows for a few IM/Poker apps that are Windows only.

If that "intimidates" you (having Windows on Mac), don't let it. It's really simple once it's set up. Windows opens in it's own window just like any other program, you can minimize it, and continue to work on Mac apps, etc.

I'm not a "Windows hater", but I switched 3 years ago, and my life has been way more stress-free in the "computer department".

I'd suggest making a trip to an Apple store first, ask a ton of questions and play around with one. It'll make you feel better about your purchase.

Cheers
Jay

A Mac will probably last twice as long as a PC you buy so it evens out the cost issue in the long run...

Never felt the need to use a mac. My dad has one of those new expensive ones. Neither of us use it much (his work gave it to us).

Honestly, I just find windows more cost effective, plus I like to upgrade my systems. Doing that is a bit harder on a mac

I'm thinking of switching to a Mac as well, as it'd pretty much eliminate the virus issue. That being said, if you do run a lot of IM software, you'll have to definitely buy a copy of Windows to use in Boot Camp in a dual-boot environment, or spend even more money on Fusion or Parallels to run Windows alongside the Mac OS, and this can get fairly expensive (at least $200+ for both, depending on which version of Windows 7 you decide to get).

A lot of the free software that you take for granted in Windows has to be paid for with the Mac, so buying Windows and Fusion/Parallels would be a good decision if you're attached to all the Windows freebies. Of course, you can almost take for granted that it'll run more smoothly due to the almost total absence of viruses and malware.

Yes they do cost more (really not that much more though if you compare apples to apples, Apple would never make a machine like the cheapest Dell) but my husband who uses PC has gone through 4 PCs in the time I've had 1 Mac. The average life of a Mac is much longer than the average life of a PC. He has finally gotten a Mac and would never go back to PC.

The hardest thing about the transition to Mac is having to retrain your brain to not complicate things so much. If you ever wonder how to do something, just stop and think "what is the simplest way to do this?" and that's your answer .

Although please stay with PC, I don't want the Mac to get more popular than it already is. I enjoy not having to worry to about viruses .

I use a Mac for everything, Im a 7 year convert now.. I would never go back.. Im looking at re building my empire with my trusty 3 year old iMac

Hi

If you want a reliable computer to help you with your business then its MAC,

come on guys, how much time do you need to sort out virus issues on a PC, plus those pesky updates every day, and once you have finally installed and sorted everything out on your PC, its the end of the day and find you have no time to do any work

like webhosting, we all hate it when our websites are down, same thing with our computers... we want reliable tools to allow us to be more productive

thumbs up to MAC

I am never going back to PC... ever...

Kish

10 years with windows and now a year with a MAC.

The best part of a mac is it always runs, never and I mean never does it crash or blue screen you. And it will last for a long time.