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Anyone Switch To Mac & Regretted It?

by Dave Rodman Banned
115 replies
I have used PC's all my life, mostly out of habit. My wife uses an Apple laptop (Ibook I think?) and loves it. Just haven't been able to get used to certain things when I've (briefly) used her computer.

I always hear about people that switch and LOVE the mac. But anyone found the switch not as great as it was pitched? If so, why?
#mac #regretted #switch
  • Profile picture of the author King Shiloh
    Banned
    Dave I have never thought of switching to Mac not because I hate it. Then why is it that King Shiloh doesn't want to switch to Mac especially considering all the hype, rave and awesome reviews surrounding it?

    One reason:

    The devil I know is better than the Angel I don't know.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lazy
    I love my mac. I'd never switch back. When I need to run a windows program, i use the virtual machine program parallels.

    It works like a charm, and I don't have to worry about any viruses.
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Dave Rodman View Post

    But anyone found the switch not as great as it was pitched? If so, why?
    I am just a Windows person. That's all there is to it. Whenever I try to use a Mac, weird things happen that never happen to anyone else.

    The way it goes is something like this.

    I do something and it doesn't work. I do it again, and it doesn't work. I say "this doesn't work."

    A Mac person says "you have to do this." I say "that's what I did." I try it again, it doesn't work. I say "it still doesn't work."

    The Mac person comes over and says "I told you to do this." I do it, and it doesn't work. The Mac person says "huh... that's really weird."

    Then the Mac person does it, and it works. He says "there you go!" and walks away.

    The next time I need to do it, I do exactly what he did, and it doesn't work.

    The results of "doesn't work" can be anything from "nothing happens" to a bomb dialog or a sad Mac.

    There is no rational explanation for this. I've seen the same thing happen to Mac people using Windows: weird stuff happens that never happens to anyone else.

    The best way I've found to describe it is that Windows and Macs sometimes just don't like certain people. If you're one of those people, don't use the one that doesn't like you.

    So I don't use Macs. It's not because Macs suck, or are incapable, or I don't like them. It's just that they don't like me. Macs are perfectly good for other people.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lazy
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      I am just a Windows person. That's all there is to it. Whenever I try to use a Mac, weird things happen that never happen to anyone else.

      The way it goes is something like this.

      I do something and it doesn't work. I do it again, and it doesn't work. I say "this doesn't work."

      A Mac person says "you have to do this." I say "that's what I did." I try it again, it doesn't work. I say "it still doesn't work."

      The Mac person comes over and says "I told you to do this." I do it, and it doesn't work. The Mac person says "huh... that's really weird."

      Then the Mac person does it, and it works. He says "there you go!" and walks away.

      The next time I need to do it, I do exactly what he did, and it doesn't work.

      The results of "doesn't work" can be anything from "nothing happens" to a bomb dialog or a sad Mac.

      There is no rational explanation for this. I've seen the same thing happen to Mac people using Windows: weird stuff happens that never happens to anyone else.

      The best way I've found to describe it is that Windows and Macs sometimes just don't like certain people. If you're one of those people, don't use the one that doesn't like you.

      So I don't use Macs. It's not because Macs suck, or are incapable, or I don't like them. It's just that they don't like me. Macs are perfectly good for other people.
      My mom has the same problem. Whenever she needs help i fix it in 5 seconds, and she says "HOW THE F*CK DID YOU DO THAT?"
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    • Profile picture of the author AverageGuy
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      The Mac person comes over and says "I told you to do this." I do it, and it doesn't work. The Mac person says "huh... that's really weird."
      "That's really weird", it is so classic in Engineering,


      david
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      • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
        Originally Posted by AverageGuy View Post

        "That's really weird", it is so classic in Engineering,
        There's this old story from the 1960s... Bill Gosper was one of the guru-level LISP engineers at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Labs...

        He walked into the lab one day, and a student was turning one of the LISPMs off and on repeatedly because it had an error. Same one every time.

        He walked over to the student, and said "You cannot fix the problem by power cycling the machine with no idea of what the problem is."

        He power cycled the machine himself, and it worked.

        One of these days I'll tell you about the "Magic / More Magic" switch at IBM.
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    • Profile picture of the author AllAboutAction
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      The results of "doesn't work" can be anything from "nothing happens" to a bomb dialog or a sad Mac.
      There's your problem, mate. Try using a Mac made within the last ten years.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ashley Skuse
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      I am just a Windows person. That's all there is to it. Whenever I try to use a Mac, weird things happen that never happen to anyone else.

      The way it goes is something like this.

      I do something and it doesn't work. I do it again, and it doesn't work. I say "this doesn't work."

      A Mac person says "you have to do this." I say "that's what I did." I try it again, it doesn't work. I say "it still doesn't work."

      The Mac person comes over and says "I told you to do this." I do it, and it doesn't work. The Mac person says "huh... that's really weird."

      Then the Mac person does it, and it works. He says "there you go!" and walks away.

      The next time I need to do it, I do exactly what he did, and it doesn't work.

      The results of "doesn't work" can be anything from "nothing happens" to a bomb dialog or a sad Mac.

      There is no rational explanation for this. I've seen the same thing happen to Mac people using Windows: weird stuff happens that never happens to anyone else.

      The best way I've found to describe it is that Windows and Macs sometimes just don't like certain people. If you're one of those people, don't use the one that doesn't like you.

      So I don't use Macs. It's not because Macs suck, or are incapable, or I don't like them. It's just that they don't like me. Macs are perfectly good for other people.
      Gosh, it's exactly the same for me, big time. To me, everything on a Mac runs so slow, and freezes on basic tasks whether it be on a brand new iMac, or one of the Mac Pros in the computer lab I have to use at university sometimes.

      I'm used to my PC hardware dealing with Windows so well that most tasks are so immediate, and I'm just used to that almost-instant response.

      When I tried out a new iMac, Photoshop would occasionally freeze and generally had very average performance for such an expensive piece of equipment. After about 2 days of designing an online store I was building, BAM! The file got deleted right in front of my eyes. Many people get on with Macs really well, and that's fine, but I don't know how I personally could ever do the switch.

      I have pretty much no problems with Windows these days, I don't think I've had a truly harmful virus for years and years now. Windows XP was good, and Windows 7 is great and does everything I need, and I get such great performance out of it. If something ain't broken, I have no reason to try and fix it, right?
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      • Profile picture of the author paulie888
        Originally Posted by Ashley Cooper View Post

        Gosh, it's exactly the same for me, big time. To me, everything on a Mac runs so slow, and freezes on basic tasks whether it be on a brand new iMac, or one of the Mac Pros in the computer lab I have to use at university sometimes.

        I'm used to my PC hardware dealing with Windows so well that most tasks are so immediate, and I'm just used to that almost-instant response.

        When I tried out a new iMac, Photoshop would occasionally freeze and generally had very average performance for such an expensive piece of equipment. After about 2 days of designing an online store I was building, BAM! The file got deleted right in front of my eyes. Many people get on with Macs really well, and that's fine, but I don't know how I personally could ever do the switch.

        I have pretty much no problems with Windows these days, I don't think I've had a truly harmful virus for years and years now. Windows XP was good, and Windows 7 is great and does everything I need, and I get such great performance out of it. If something ain't broken, I have no reason to try and fix it, right?
        Ashley, the Mac camp especially likes to perpetuate all these rumors and accusations about how horrible the Windows experience is, but the truth of the matter is that while this may have been true several years ago, pretty much all of this is false and unfounded today.

        I have not had any virus or malware attacks in a long time now, and while there are more Windows viruses and malware out there in the wild, it's only because Windows is such a big target with a much larger market share than Apple.
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        • Profile picture of the author stormdore
          Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

          Ashley, the Mac camp especially likes to perpetuate all these rumors and accusations about how horrible the Windows experience is, but the truth of the matter is that while this may have been true several years ago, pretty much all of this is false and unfounded today.

          I have not had any virus or malware attacks in a long time now, and while there are more Windows viruses and malware out there in the wild, it's only because Windows is such a big target with a much larger market share than Apple.
          Thanks for pointing that out, Paulie. I haven't owned a PC in about a year (after my work computer got a fatal virus. The system was 2 years old and was running on an older version of Windows. I can't speak to the newer PCs.

          Terri
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    • Profile picture of the author imagene
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      I am just a Windows person. That's all there is to it. Whenever I try to use a Mac, weird things happen that never happen to anyone else.

      The way it goes is something like this.

      I do something and it doesn't work. I do it again, and it doesn't work. I say "this doesn't work."

      A Mac person says "you have to do this." I say "that's what I did." I try it again, it doesn't work. I say "it still doesn't work."

      The Mac person comes over and says "I told you to do this." I do it, and it doesn't work. The Mac person says "huh... that's really weird."

      Then the Mac person does it, and it works. He says "there you go!" and walks away.

      The next time I need to do it, I do exactly what he did, and it doesn't work.

      The results of "doesn't work" can be anything from "nothing happens" to a bomb dialog or a sad Mac.

      There is no rational explanation for this. I've seen the same thing happen to Mac people using Windows: weird stuff happens that never happens to anyone else.

      The best way I've found to describe it is that Windows and Macs sometimes just don't like certain people. If you're one of those people, don't use the one that doesn't like you.

      So I don't use Macs. It's not because Macs suck, or are incapable, or I don't like them. It's just that they don't like me. Macs are perfectly good for other people.
      Now that's Karma lol... I couldn't get used to not being able to right click. I started enjoying using a mac after about a week, but happily revert to PC.
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    • Profile picture of the author warfore
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      I am just a Windows person. That's all there is to it. Whenever I try to use a Mac, weird things happen that never happen to anyone else.

      The way it goes is something like this.

      I do something and it doesn't work. I do it again, and it doesn't work. I say "this doesn't work."

      A Mac person says "you have to do this." I say "that's what I did." I try it again, it doesn't work. I say "it still doesn't work."

      The Mac person comes over and says "I told you to do this." I do it, and it doesn't work. The Mac person says "huh... that's really weird."

      Then the Mac person does it, and it works. He says "there you go!" and walks away.

      The next time I need to do it, I do exactly what he did, and it doesn't work.

      The results of "doesn't work" can be anything from "nothing happens" to a bomb dialog or a sad Mac.

      There is no rational explanation for this. I've seen the same thing happen to Mac people using Windows: weird stuff happens that never happens to anyone else.

      The best way I've found to describe it is that Windows and Macs sometimes just don't like certain people. If you're one of those people, don't use the one that doesn't like you.

      So I don't use Macs. It's not because Macs suck, or are incapable, or I don't like them. It's just that they don't like me. Macs are perfectly good for other people.
      Dude, I love your posts!
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      Regards,

      Tony

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      • Profile picture of the author ElectronPlumber
        I went Mac a few years ago after being a Windows diehard since good old Windows 3.1. All the headaches, virus problems, spyware problems, driver updates, and all that as a fond memory.

        I'll never go back to Windows based hardware. I run Parallels on my Mac and can do everything I would ever need in Windows mode. If I want to play games not available in Mac OS, I boot into BootCamp and the games run better than they ever did on my Windows PC.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeLiving
    I'm about to buy a mac (mac mini to be exact) so I'll let you know once I get it. Windows 7 is a nice OS, almost as if XP and Vista had a beautiful baby--but OSX is calling me...
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim Franklin
    I switched to MAC because my windows machine Died, (the main reason why my join date is not 1999 is because I lost my login,( when the old windows computer died.

    Once too often, I saw the blue screen of death, So I went and bought a G5 PPC in 2005, at first it was hard to get used to it mostly because I had to (untrain) may mind that using a computer was something that was hard to do.

    At times it was a little frustrating until I finally managed to figure it out, the unlearning and learning process took about two weeks, once I finally got it, and saw that I could do the same thing with my MAC in half the time it used to take me doing the same thing on a windows computer, I realized I had been wasting so much of my time, (my life) dealing with crashes, buggy software, rebooting, video card issues, sound card issues, USB issues, that when I first managed to connect my digital camera without any issues at all, (yes it just worked) I was just amazed, I was able to grow and learn without the frustration of hardware and constant software failures.

    If you want to grow and learn more, with more free time, then MAC is the way to go, if you are just a casual user, and do not do much but get online and send emails, then I can understand using windows, its cheaper, but you get what you pay for, such is life.
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    • Profile picture of the author paul wolfe
      I switched in 1999 - wouldn't go back to PC if you paid me.
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    • Profile picture of the author bobsilber
      Originally Posted by Tim Franklin View Post

      I switched to MAC because my windows machine Died, (the main reason why my join date is not 1999 is because I lost my login,( when the old windows computer died.
      Tim, if you are referring to your Warrior Forum join date, the earliest surviving join date is 2002. All of us from the old Warrior Forum lost our pre-2002 join dates when Allen switched over to this new Forum.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pragun
    As as user of three operating systems, Windows 7, Ubuntu 10.10 (linux) and Mac,
    I can say that you don't stand to lose on either front.

    As for the Mac - It's smooth, it's shiny and it's brilliant. Use it if you want that little feeling of "class" and refinement.

    Windows - Despite all the propaganda by the Mac lovers telling you how pretty and nice the Mac is, don't estimate this big OS. It offers you a lot of freedom as to what hardware and software you can use. If it's a little clunky, it's only because it gives you that massive range of choice in terms of hardware and software that Mac will never be able to achieve.

    Ubuntu/Linux - It's free, it's flexible and it's awesome. Linux based OSs are probably the only ones that give you true freedom to customize it to the core. I use a very heavily customized version of Ubuntu Maverick and it sort of trumps both Mac and Windows.

    In short, to each his own.
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  • Profile picture of the author Keithsco
    I never did because of this:

    Operating system market share

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    • Profile picture of the author Tim Franklin
      Actually that is not accurate, the report is for all combined data, which includes internet browsers, so while some users may use firefox, others may use some other type, if you go to the website and request device type data, you have to pay for a subscription, as an apple developer for over 10 years, and a stock holder, I can tell you that apple is making gains in the market, just look at the stock price, if you want the real story, compare the price of stock of

      Apple, As of Today, 345.68 +1.26 +0.37%
      Microsoft as of today, 28.19 -0.36 -1.26%

      Now that tells the real story,) long live your MAC

      Originally Posted by Keithsco View Post

      I never did because of this:

      Operating system market share
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      • Profile picture of the author AverageGuy
        Originally Posted by Tim Franklin View Post


        Apple, As of Today, 345.68 +1.26 +0.37%
        Microsoft as of today, 28.19 -0.36 -1.26%

        Now that tells the real story,) long live your MAC
        many people do not realize that APPLE is not a computer/hardware/software company anymore. it is a consumer electronics company. MAC is a hardware, with certain software. one of the reason why MAC becomes consumer electronics company is: it lost OS market to microsoft badly.

        check the market share, look around, in many countries, users will not use MAC at all, simply because it is expensive and can not be customized as windows PC.

        everyone has their preference, but overall, MAC has been losing the operating system war, although APPLE may be gaining (but in a different fields).

        just my 2 cents.

        david
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      • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
        Originally Posted by Tim Franklin View Post

        Now that tells the real story
        The single largest producer of Mac software worldwide is Microsoft.

        So yeah, long live your Mac, buddy.
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        • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
          Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

          The single largest producer of Mac software worldwide is Microsoft.

          So yeah, long live your Mac, buddy.
          I'd enjoy more details on that. Do you have a link? A google search isn't easy for the super lazy (I could possibly have experienced that). I actually did one and from Wikipedia, I get the idea that MS office for Mac might be the source of the Mac software you mention? That's a chuckle.

          Combined with my super bad experience with a mac, and all the evangelists talking it up, the topic gets to me a bit. I'm going to put up a page about it

          It is really neat to have your own sites if you have your own opinions. I put up a post in a forum (not this one) that got dumped on royally. The thread had about 30 posts and not a single one thought my op was a good idea. I put up a page on a site about it, and it gets a really steady 40 visitors a month from searches. Not a huge traffic surge, but people were looking for the answer to that topic, and I happened to present a good one.
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        • Profile picture of the author AllAboutAction
          Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

          The single largest producer of Mac software worldwide is Microsoft.

          So yeah, long live your Mac, buddy.

          I don't think this is true anymore, although I know it once was. But that was before Apple got into the software game. I would imagine the copies of iLife alone from last year outnumber the total copies of every Microsoft product distributed for the Mac in 2010.

          If you mean "other than Apple itself", it's still doubtful. I'm guessing Mozilla (Firefox, Thunderbird) beats MS in total copies distributed.

          Largest Market Cap? No. AAPL wins again.

          Maybe it works if you say "derives the most revenue from sales of Mac software".
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      • Profile picture of the author hitesh93
        Originally Posted by Tim Franklin View Post

        Actually that is not accurate, the report is for all combined data, which includes internet browsers, so while some users may use firefox, others may use some other type, if you go to the website and request device type data, you have to pay for a subscription, as an apple developer for over 10 years, and a stock holder, I can tell you that apple is making gains in the market, just look at the stock price, if you want the real story, compare the price of stock of

        Apple, As of Today, 345.68 +1.26 +0.37%
        Microsoft as of today, 28.19 -0.36 -1.26%

        Now that tells the real story,) long live your MAC
        You're comparing apples and oranges Tim. Apple is a hardware company that ALSO has an OS. Microsoft is a software company that ALSO has some hardware in consumer electronics niche (Zune, Xbox). As far as OS is concerned, Windows is leader by FAAAR. Apple has a better grasp on the 'hip-n-cool' crowd and sell a lot more of ipods and iphones -- that's what your numbers are reflecting.

        Additionally, Microsoft has a much much larger stock pool out there, which is why it's avg. stock value is lower. Simple supply and demand.
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      • Profile picture of the author Black Hat Cat
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Tim Franklin View Post

        Actually that is not accurate, the report is for all combined data, which includes internet browsers, so while some users may use firefox, others may use some other type, if you go to the website and request device type data, you have to pay for a subscription, as an apple developer for over 10 years, and a stock holder, I can tell you that apple is making gains in the market, just look at the stock price, if you want the real story, compare the price of stock of

        Apple, As of Today, 345.68 +1.26 +0.37%
        Microsoft as of today, 28.19 -0.36 -1.26%

        Now that tells the real story,) long live your MAC
        It doesn't tell the story at all, lol. He's talking about oranges, and you're talking about apples.
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    • Profile picture of the author ViperChill
      Originally Posted by Keithsco View Post

      I never did because of this:
      Actually, as of a few days ago, Apple actually have a 9.7% share in the operating system market.

      I switched to a Mac just over a year ago, after working with PC's and loving them for years. I'll never use a Windows computer again. Everything on a Mac just seems to intuitive to me (think: screenshots, the overlay with the calculator and widgets, software installations, hardware quality). Not to mention the battery life on my Macbook Pro is far, far superior to any Windows laptops my business partners own.

      I'm not a fanboy, whatsoever. Just my $0.02
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  • Profile picture of the author smartalex4
    True story....my apartment was broken into....they stole my Mac and left the PC.
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  • Profile picture of the author webapex
    I'm not a switcher, but I understand that the Mac's advantages are few compared to the days of windows 1 - 3, when all the cool design programs were best on the Mac, these days Macs and PCs are so similar, it's probably not worth wrapping your brain around a different system shape without good reason.

    These days, it's biggest advantage may be it's relative immunity to internet viruses, because there are so few the fly under the hackers radar.

    Macs are a bit simpler for the non technical, pure marketer types, but the big disadvantage in Internet marketing are the few native Mac automation aids, as mentioned above, as long as you have a newish intel based Mac you can buy and run Windows on a Mac (and have all the virus issues). Adobe air based programs like Market Samuri are the rare exceptions that come in Mac versions.

    There are some totally Apple dis-approved Hacintosh systems running Mac OSX on windows hardware, that give some the Mac experience without the big bucks.
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  • Profile picture of the author bertyounger
    I say chuck them both and take a look at Ubuntu! Ubuntu is free, runs great on PC hardware even old stuff and the risk from malware is minimal! Did I say it's free?
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  • Profile picture of the author LB
    I don't use mac personally because I see no point in spending 300% more for hardware simply because it's in a shiny box.
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  • Profile picture of the author Keithsco
    ya. either 90% of all users are happy with windows or popularity is no indicator of best choice
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  • Profile picture of the author Lazy
    Well the market share is obviously going to be lower. You can get ANY pc and run windows on it. You could even buy an apple computer and do it.

    You can only get OS X on apple machines (unless you've got an x86 machine and a lot of patience)

    But you don't see too many unhappy apple OS X users, and when you can run windows and linux virtually, it's a pretty sweet setup.
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  • Profile picture of the author alexcercel
    Mac user here. Yeah, Mac's aren't for everyone and they do have their faults but all in all I'm happier with my mac than with my PCs. Most important thing for me is the lifespan as of the actual Mac I'm typing from now is 1+ year old and still works while my other laptops would usually die on me after 6 to 8 months (die = they still work for word and browsing but not photoshop+dreamweaver+firefox with 10 tabs+some other crap running in the background).

    But alltho I like my Mac, I wouldn't really recommend it for usual IM related stuff. In that area PCs are way better as there's a lot more software available for Windows than MacOsX

    However, if you don't rely on marketing software and you need a strong platform for graphics (2d,3d,video, etc) Macs are for you
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  • Profile picture of the author imkazu
    I think ipad/iphone is cool, but still prefer windows/putty(linux) for my day to day job
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  • Profile picture of the author Dwight Anthony
    I am a windows guy myself that dabbles on MAC once in a while. Honestly, I've never been impressed enough to make the jump. Maybe on the next MAC O/S update things may look up.
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    • Profile picture of the author Derek S
      I think the OP was only interested in hearing from people who where unhappy with mac and thinking of switching back.

      The thing is, there really is no general right or wrong choice... its a personal opinion and of course the OS you have chosen is the one you are going to openly root for.

      Myself, I'm a windows 7 guy!

      My biggest annoyance with macs are that the buttons to close and minimise windows are on the left and I feel they belong on the top right like windows has them.

      I also cant stand not being able to open browsers and programs up in a true full window. Maybe there is a way to do this that I'm not aware of, how knows.

      I do however love how "shiny" and animated the OS is!

      I'm happy with Windows 7 for my laptop and I still have an iPad and iPhone 4 I love when it comes to iOS!
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      • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
        I've had 4 machines and out of those the Mac was the worst. More BSODs than the others combined. Paid big money for technical support for 3 years. You only get it free for 90 days with a Mac, as opposed for a year for any other machine, and most of the time their solution was "You have to reinstall OSX." Gee, thanks, that was one thing I could have done myself.

        Finally gave up and got a PC way before the paid for support was up. Sold the Mac for super cheap.

        I must read forums way too much, because I've seen a few posts from people who regretted their Mac. One woman here begging for help with hers typed "It wasn't supposed to be like this" which I thought was a chuckle. She didn't seem to be in a place to enjoy the humor though. You do get all those posts "Get a Mac, all your problems will be over."

        Another person posted: "don't tell me a Mac can't get a virus. I've had a serious problem with mine."

        And what the heck, how about this quote.

        Originally Posted by admin View Post

        I'm no apple fan boy. Mac computers suck. I have a brand new one and would gladly give it away.
        It's from this thread, also right here on this forum.

        http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post1686598

        He wasn't trying to knock Macs in general. The thread was about the positive aspects of iPad.

        They might do a lot better with non computer stuff, but my personal experience, I'd never get a Mac computer again, and I really don't like their big bucks attitude for their other products. Like batteries that are nearly impossible to replace.

        Also, in the war room there have been a few threads with a software offered that doesn't run on a Mac. That is mentioned in the first post, but it is almost inevitable that some one will ask "Are you going to have a Mac version?" The answer is sometimes just NO or sometimes is put a bit more diplomatically. "As soon as I'm bored, lonely, and have absolutely nothing better to do."

        Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

        a student was turning one of the LISPMs off and on repeatedly because it had an error. Same one every time.
        That's the first approach for a lot of problems. A light bulb burns out, the first person to notice the problem, tries throwing the switch up and down repeatedly.
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      • Profile picture of the author l23bc
        Originally Posted by Derek S View Post

        I think the OP was only interested in hearing from people who where unhappy with mac and thinking of switching back.

        The thing is, there really is no general right or wrong choice... its a personal opinion and of course the OS you have chosen is the one you are going to openly root for.

        Myself, I'm a windows 7 guy!

        My biggest annoyance with macs are that the buttons to close and minimise windows are on the left and I feel they belong on the top right like windows has them.

        I also cant stand not being able to open browsers and programs up in a true full window. Maybe there is a way to do this that I'm not aware of, how knows.

        I do however love how "shiny" and animated the OS is!

        I'm happy with Windows 7 for my laptop and I still have an iPad and iPhone 4 I love when it comes to iOS!

        do you mean like this on the keys. lol!



        i use a old mcbook pro and have windows vista as my windows on bootcamp but the annoying thing for me is that vista does not like old programming systems which i am studying in university(such as visual basic and pascal) i have to resort to using mac free pascal for my programs or dos box which annoying.

        Have been a windows user since windows 3,1 came out with the old softflex 56k modem which squeks and beeps when you wanted to connect to the internet(Best times of my life dunno why but i miss that sound).

        However do agree that windows 7 (looking forward to windows 8 now) is a great os but have had trouble finding drivers that work well with it on my acer laptop. So i stick with the macbook for ease of use. and the wii fii connection in my area on my macbook is amazinng can connect to many networks more easy then i can on windows laptop which gives me a few errors a few times.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Miranda
    I am a hardcore Apple fan and Mac user. I will never go back if it is my choice! Once you get used to it most people never do. You finally understand that the way Apple does things usually just make sense plus their hardware is amazing.

    I used Windows and PC's for 15+ years before switching to Macs. Coming from IT background...
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  • Profile picture of the author SoundsGood
    Is there still a need to switch to a Mac? I understand that some people had frustrating issues with older versions of Windows, but isn't Windows 7 a different ballgame?

    In other words, aren't both operating systems good enough that there's no longer a reason to switch?
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel LaRusso
    I bought a little Mac PowerBook G4 when I started developing an iPhone app, and, interestingly enough, I have avoided using it all the time instead of my Dell Inspiron.

    I am finding that it's not too easy to learn how to use it, and I am still looking for some sort of a "how to" so that I can know how to do things on the Mac that I have known how to do on Windows for years. It doesn't help that the screen on this PowerBook is pretty small, but I got it cheap.

    Interestingly enough, my Dell has gotten some pretty bad viruses over the last couple of days, which I'm able to recover, but I'm afraid it's on it's last leg. I have an external hard drive backup, and I just discovered Dropbox, which is a great online file storage system, and the price is right - free for 2.5 gigs or so, and not much more for higher storage.

    I have a 20 inch monitor and one of those VGA convertors, so I can eliminate the small screen issue when I work at home, and have a pretty powerful little system to use.

    I'm reluctantly switching over, but I'm not exactly comfortable using the Mac just yet.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    When I have to use a MAC, it's drives me absolutely bonkers.

    I'm a satisfied windows user and I don't see any reasons to switch. My PC works and it does everything I need it to do. Switching to a MAC would accomplish what?
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  • Profile picture of the author Darrell Hagan
    I use both. But I'm really not as convinced as some that OS X and the Mac are SO much better than Windows. I have machines here which have been running 24/7 for years with Win XP on them with no trouble whatsoever. And on the occasions in which an application has crashed XP on my personal computer (which I am using right now), Windows has always done a graceful job of recovering. And for some strange reason I do not nor have I ever experienced all of the horrible viruses etc. which other people seem to think that Macs are immune to (They aren't BTW, just fewer viruses for them cuz much smaller market/popularity).

    I do not like Windows Vista nor Windows 7. They are both IMHO way too dumbed down and Vista is much too buggy. Microsoft should have stuck with and simply improved their most reliable operating system (Win XP) as Apple has done with OS X. Microsoft take note!

    OS X is also way too dumbed down and I much prefer the way Windows handles drives & folders & files to the way the Mac does it with its "Finder" etc. but thats just me I guess.

    So I use my Mac G4 with OS X for certain graphics related stuff and some web work but I mainly use good old XP and it just keeps working.
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    • Profile picture of the author mickster
      I used to be a Mac user for a long time. Last year, my Macbook pro just wouldn't start one morning (it was a month over 2 years old).

      I never bought apple care, so I opened it up to see what the problem was. This was after trying the usual resets to get it back up. Initially I didn't see anything but once I exposed the circuit board, I was literally bowled over.

      This thick, viscous liquid extended diagonally from one end to the other. It had corroded parts of the circuit board. The liquid was very viscous, almost like mercury. The LCD screen was intact, not a single scratch so it hadn't come from there. The battery on the Macs don't leak either. I never ate or drank over the laptop, so the liquid didn't make any sense.

      So I took it to Apple and they were at a loss to explain the liquid too. The cost of replacing the circuit board? $2,500

      The same day I went out and bought a Lenovo Ideapad Y560 for $1,099. I couldn't be happier. I'll not be going back to Mac unless they can provide me with a good reason. Just because OSX is a lot easier to use than Windows doesn't cut it.
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    • Profile picture of the author SoundsGood
      Originally Posted by Darrell Hagan View Post

      I much prefer the way Windows handles drives & folders & files to the way the Mac does it with its "Finder" etc.
      How so? Can you explain how the two are different in this regard?

      Thanks...
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  • Profile picture of the author TZ
    We have two MACs in the house and 3 PCs. I wish I could just work on my MACS - much better.

    Unfortunately most of my software for editing, coding, PDF creation, Ultra Edit, etc. can only be run on PC. So I'm typing this on a PC....arggh.

    I would say though that Windows 7 is the best it's ever been and I like Sony and Dell PCs the best.
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  • Profile picture of the author AllAboutAction
    Originally Posted by Dave Rodman View Post

    I have used PC's all my life, mostly out of habit. My wife uses an Apple laptop (Ibook I think?) and loves it. Just haven't been able to get used to certain things when I've (briefly) used her computer.

    I always hear about people that switch and LOVE the mac. But anyone found the switch not as great as it was pitched? If so, why?
    It's just computer, it won't work miracles. In the end, it will do the same thing that a Windows machine will do, just (sometimes) differently. Some people like it, others prefer Windows. Coke vs. Pepsi.

    If your computer is just old but you can't get used to a Mac, get a new Windows 7 machine -- it's a damn fine OS.

    If you want to switch but are having trouble mentally making the change, that's normal and it goes away after awhile.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ernie Lo
    Always been a Windows man and probably always will be. MACS just frustrate me and don't want to learn how to use them to be honest.

    Why switch to a whole new platform when I have 15 years of experience with Windows?

    By the time Windows starts screwing up, its time to buy a new computer anyway
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    • Profile picture of the author King Shiloh
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Ernie Lonardo View Post

      Always been a Windows man and probably always will be. MACS just frustrate me and don't want to learn how to use them to be honest.

      Why switch to a whole new platform when I have 15 years of experience with Windows?

      By the time Windows starts screwing up, its time to buy a new computer anyway
      Buying a new computer doesn't solve the problem unless you mean it's time to switch to Macs and probably get back to Windows by the time Macs starts messing up too.
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      • Profile picture of the author The Dotcom Hippie
        Personally, I'm not a "Mac person" nor a "Windows person" - I just use whatever works to get the job done or, well, what I feel like using. It's honestly not a very big deal to me. Right now, I do almost all my work on a fairly new (about 8 weeks old) MacBook Pro, which works fine for me. I bought this laptop because the keyboard is nice for typing (which I do a lot of), and because I liked the simple, industrial look of it. I haven't had the need to install Windows on it yet, but perhaps I will. A Mac is not the most reliable computer (contrary to popular opinion among Mac users), and mine needed a logic board replacement straight away, which was a tad disappointing, I suppose. Still, I guess I'm fairly happy with this thing, although I got just as much work done and my previous laptop, which ran Windows and cost a third of what this one did. It didn't look as good, but then it never started malfunctioning either - like this one did right off the bat.

        Mac, Windows, whatever.... At the end of the day it's all the same **** - what makes the difference is the software you use and of course the build quality and reliability of the computer. People at certain levels of consciousness just feel the need to brand themselves with something, I guess. Personally, I'm more concerned with getting my work done for the day so that I can go and do something else. If it weren't for the fact that I'm also a (hobbyist) musician and use computers to make music, I probably wouldn't go near a computer in my spare time, because I honestly think they suck for stuff other than work & music - just like the internet does.
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  • Profile picture of the author CyberSorcerer
    I have several computers on my home network. The majority of them are used in my security research. As for OS's, I don't really prefer one over the other.

    Currently I have a Windows 3.1, XP, Vista, 7, Linux, Unix, Solaris, Mac 9, OSX and Slackware.

    As for CPU's I have 386, 486, Pentium III's and up.
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  • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
    I always find this debate amusing as inevitably Mac fans will point to the Windows Blue Screen of Death as a good reason to pay over the odds for their fashion accessory.

    Despite running three PCs 24/7 with various operating systems, I haven't seen a BSOD since WindowsME - and that was ten years ago! I'm sure even the most apostolic Mac lovers will accept that their OS wasn't completely fault free in 2000.

    An elderly uncle of mine bought a Macbook because he was lead to believe that it was so simple to use, but could never get to grips with it at all. He spent more time being patronised by the Genius Bar people at the Apple store than he ever did getting any work done.

    Unfortunately, with so few regular people owning Macs, when people like my uncle buy one they have no existing support network. When he called me or any of his other PC using friends we could offer no help at all as the problems he was experiencing were alien to us.

    After struggling for a year, he sold his Mac on Ebay and bought a brand new HP laptop with the proceeds. And hasn't looked back.

    Martin
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    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by Martin.Avis View Post

      I always find this debate amusing as inevitably Mac fans will point to the Windows Blue Screen of Death as a good reason to pay over the odds for their fashion accessory.

      Despite running three PCs 24/7 with various operating systems, I haven't seen a BSOD since WindowsME - and that was ten years ago! I'm sure even the most apostolic Mac lovers will accept that their OS wasn't completely fault free in 2000.

      An elderly uncle of mine bought a Macbook because he was lead to believe that it was so simple to use, but could never get to grips with it at all. He spent more time being patronised by the Genius Bar people at the Apple store than he ever did getting any work done.

      Unfortunately, with so few regular people owning Macs, when people like my uncle buy one they have no existing support network. When he called me or any of his other PC using friends we could offer no help at all as the problems he was experiencing were alien to us.

      After struggling for a year, he sold his Mac on Ebay and bought a brand new HP laptop with the proceeds. And hasn't looked back.

      Martin
      Martin, I find this to be the case too! I can't even remember the last time I saw a BSOD on my computer. Granted, this was not the case initially, and earlier on before the patches and current Service Packs arrived (especially for the older versions of Windows) BSODs were quite a regular occurrence.

      Windows 7 has been drastically improved, especially over Vista, and for people who haven't used a Microsoft OS in a few years, I think they'll find it to be a pleasant surprise in terms of functionality, ease of use as well as its imperviousness to crashes.

      Really, with today's current level of OS refinement, OS selection is more a matter of personal preference and taste. Neither one of these platforms is clearly superior to the other, in my opinion.

      Paul
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      • Profile picture of the author goindeep
        I want to buy a mac, but i feel like a poor nerd when i walk past the mac store, thay all have cool hair and look arty... They must be rich hollywood arty crackheads and im just a poor pc using mum...
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  • Profile picture of the author gekko2.0
    I've been thinking of picking up my first mac when I go shopping for a new laptop just so I have the option on which OS system I want to use
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    • Profile picture of the author aandersen
      I'm not going to take a side, because the debate is stupid and pointless. However, I will comment on this...

      Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

      Martin, I find this to be the case too! I can't even remember the last time I saw a BSOD on my computer. Granted, this was not the case initially, and earlier on before the patches and current Service Packs arrived (especially for the older versions of Windows) BSODs were quite a regular occurrence.
      Originally Posted by Martin.Avis View Post

      I always find this debate amusing as inevitably Mac fans will point to the Windows Blue Screen of Death as a good reason to pay over the odds for their fashion accessory.

      Despite running three PCs 24/7 with various operating systems, I haven't seen a BSOD since WindowsME - and that was ten years ago! I'm sure even the most apostolic Mac lovers will accept that their OS wasn't completely fault free in 2000.
      I saw BSOD about a month ago, you want to know why? Bad RAM. The last one I saw prior to that was due to a failing hard drive.

      Those things would have caused the same types of issues on any OS. The only difference is MS chooses to use a blue screen with a (usually) very detailed error message, which I find to be nice.

      I know Mac users like to claim their hardware is flawless and "macs never have hardware issues", but that's BS, they're built by humans too. Plus it's always the bargain bin ram or western digital hard drives that fail on people anyway... nothing to do with the OS. If people spent "mac money" on their power supplies, ram, and hard drive, they would never have problems either.

      I'm with CD on Mac OS thing anyway... that damn operating system just doesn't like me (nothing personal). Every time I try to use it, I usually last about 15 minutes with the GUI before I give up and just open a terminal.
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      • Profile picture of the author paulie888
        Originally Posted by aandersen View Post

        I'm not going to jump into this debate because it's stupid and pointless. However, I will comment on this...





        I saw BSOD about a month ago, you want to know why? Bad RAM. The last one I saw prior to that was due to a failing hard drive.

        Those things would have caused the same types of issues on any OS. The only difference is MS chooses to use a blue screen with a (usually) very detailed error message, which I find to be nice.

        I know Mac users like to claim their hardware is flawless and "macs never have hardware issues", but that's BS, they're built by humans too. Plus it's always the bargain bin ram or western digital hard drives that fail on people anyway... nothing to do with the OS. If people spent "mac money" on their power supplies, ram, and hard drive, they would never have problems either.

        I'm with CD on Mac OS thing anyway... that damn operating system just doesn't like me (nothing personal). Every time I try to use it, I usually last about 15 minutes with the GUI before I give up and just open a terminal.
        You bring up a crucial point here which many people overlook. Mac computers are typically higher-end machines, and as a result utilize better and higher quality components, and this in turn reduces the chances of errors occurring within the OS due to hardware issues. There are many budget Windows machines out there that may not use the highest quality components, and this in turn could cause that dreaded BSOD.

        Case in point: I have several Windows desktops and laptops here. My older budget Dell laptop which I bought several years ago was at one point in time getting BSODs quite often, and ultimately Dell traced it back to faulty RAM. Once the RAM was replaced, things pretty much corrected themselves, though it's still prone to occasional inexplicable freezes. I also have a very high end Sony Vaio laptop that I paid way too much for, and it runs blissfully trouble-free with no freezes and crashes whatsoever, probably due in large part to all the high-end components in it.

        Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author whiteshadow1890
    Banned
    I have tested 1 year ago mac os x, I have let it for 2 days, but i uninstall it and installed windows 7 (beta phase), because i could not install the software that i needed. When i have installed windows 7, and that was in beta phase, i have found lots of programs, that were working with it. So i would recommand that you do not waste your time with mac os
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  • Profile picture of the author stormdore
    OK.. I'm laughing my butt off at the person who said that someone broke into their house, stole the Mac and left the PC!!! Too funny!!!

    Me - I'm a Mac girl all the way... iBook, Mac Mini, iPhone, iPad. I love, love, LOVE my Mac products. I'll try to be objective here, and give you the pros and cons:

    Mac Pros -

    * NOT BUGGY - my #1 love of the Mac. Every time I've had a PC, it slows down after a a mere month. I run virus software... to no avail. Pop ups, viruses and the such run rampant on the PC. As Keithsco said, 90% of users work with PCs - so why bother making a virus that is only going to affect 5% or less of the population?

    *Once you get used to it, the interface is sooooo smooth. Everything just seems to "make sense."

    Mac Cons -

    *It does take some getting used to, especially if you are used to using shortcuts on your keys. I think it took me a couple of weeks to get really comfortable with it (on the PLUS side, Apple has put out a ton of videos, found on their homepage, for PC to Mac switchers. I had to find most of mine on Youtube, which was a little time consuming). Another Con is software and peripherals.

    *The software tends to be a little more costly, because there are not as many companies making software at discounted prices. There is so much competition with the windows format that companies can sell their software dirt cheap. It's also been a minor inconvenience when I get gifts from people and the don't work with the Mac (the games my son got for his birthday, the webcam my mom purchased for me, etc.). If you become a savvy shopper, though, you can purchase the right stuff the first time.

    *Finally, the last complaint about Mac is the number of USB ports. There are only 2 on my MacBook and 4 on my Mac Mini. With the mouse, printer and keyboard, this doesn't leave a lot for other peripherals. Easy solution: a USB hub... not attractive, but does the job.

    OK - so that's my review. Even though the Cons list seems "longer," I just can't stress how nice it is to not have to worry about the bugs that come with the Windows machines. Plus - now that I have other Apple products, they all work together like they are SUPPOSED TO.

    With the prices of Macs coming down so much in the past few years, I doubt that I will ever go back to a PC. You can purchase a MacBook Air for $999!!! Even less if you can get a discount by being an educator or buying refurbished (if that doesn't bother you).

    Best of luck!!!

    Terri
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  • Profile picture of the author aandersen
    Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

    You bring up a crucial point here which many people overlook. Mac computers are typically higher-end machines, and as a result utilize better and higher quality components, and this in turn reduces the chances of errors occurring within the OS due to hardware issues. There are many budget Windows machines out there that may not use the highest quality components, and this in turn could cause that dreaded BSOD.

    Case in point: I have several Windows desktops and laptops here. My older budget Dell laptop which I bought several years ago was at one point in time getting BSODs quite often, and ultimately Dell traced it back to faulty RAM. Once the RAM was replaced, things pretty much corrected themselves, though it's still prone to occasional inexplicable freezes. I also have a very high end Sony Vaio laptop that I paid way too much for, and it runs blissfully trouble-free with no freezes and crashes whatsoever, probably due in large part to all the high-end components in it.

    Paul


    Yes...

    Most OS issues (actual OS issues) are caused by software. This, of course, can be user, OEM, or maliciously installed, but the issue is most often software related nonetheless.

    Take software issues out of the equation and it's always hardware.

    People often forget how computer can't do anything (yet) without human interaction and computer never "just don't work", there's always a reason. You can ALWAYS take it back one more level and one more level until there's a root cause of an issue.

    PCs, homebrewed *nix boxes, and anything running in the "other" category will always have the disadvantages of "unsupported software" running on "unqualified hardware".

    These situations can be avoided when you purchase premade workstations which were designed with tested, benchmarked, hardware, which was designed to run specific software. Then, and only then, can you avoid conflicts with certainty.

    SGI's IRIX boxes, Sun built Solaris boxes, BOXX Tech PCs, etc... are examples of machines built to avoid these issues, but to be guaranteed flawless computing you are expected to run the EXACT hardware they ship to you, and run ONLY the software the machine was built to run...

    Step outside of that realm and you're on your own.

    So then there's Macintosh... kind of in between the two extremes. I guess this kind of paint an illusion of superiority.

    Whatever...

    The OS is alright, and they use good hardware. Cool. There's plenty of good hardware out there and a handful of great OSs... I don't make any claims about "the best."

    The best tool for the job, will always be, the best tool for the job
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    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by aandersen View Post

      Yes...

      Most OS issues (actual OS issues) are caused by software. This, of course, can be user, OEM, or maliciously installed, but the issue is most often software related nonetheless.

      Take software issues out of the equation and it's always hardware.

      People often forget how computer can't do anything (yet) without human interaction and computer never "just don't work", there's always a reason. You can ALWAYS take it back one more level and one more level until there's a root cause of an issue.

      PCs, homebrewed *nix boxes, and anything running in the "other" category will always have the disadvantages of "unsupported software" running on "unqualified hardware".

      These situations can be avoided when you purchase premade workstations which were designed with tested, benchmarked, hardware, which was designed to run specific software. Then, and only then, can you avoid conflicts with certainty.

      SGI's IRIX boxes, Sun built Solaris boxes, BOXX Tech PCs, etc... are examples of machines built to avoid these issues, but to be guaranteed flawless computing you are expected to run the EXACT hardware they ship to you, and run ONLY the software the machine was built to run...

      Step outside of that realm and you're on your own.

      So then there's Macintosh... kind of in between the two extremes. I guess this kind of paint an illusion of superiority.

      Whatever...

      The OS is alright, and they use good hardware. Cool. There's plenty of good hardware out there and a handful of great OSs... I don't make any claims about "the best."

      The best tool for the job, will always be, the best tool for the job
      While Macs don't approach this level of system integration, Apple does have more control over this as they're both the hardware manufacturer as well as the OS developer.

      This doesn't mean that you cannot buy Windows machines that are just as tightly integrated and tested, you probably just have to ante up for a higher end machine that costs around the same as a comparable Mac.
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      • Profile picture of the author aandersen
        Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

        While Macs don't approach this level of system integration, Apple does have more control over this as they're both the hardware manufacturer as well as the OS developer.

        This doesn't mean that you cannot buy Windows machines that are just as tightly integrated and tested, you probably just have to spring for a higher end machine that costs around the same as a comparable Mac.
        This was pretty much my exact point.

        Macs are very much in between. They are very tightly integrated, and you pay for that.

        You can buy a low-end workstation for the price of a medium-end Macintosh, but the workstation will be built to run specific software (e.g., AVID, Maya, Pro/Engineer, etc.). There's just not a market for workstation-style home PCs. I guess the closest thing would be some of the gamer PCs out there like Alienware machines.

        I guess I'm straying into left field a little here...

        Getting back to our previous point. If you purchase a good PC that was built wit good hardware, and who's OEM did a good job picking out software, you're not going to have problems.

        The problem is that's hard to do. PC manufactures change hardware too often and model xxxxx-1 and xxxxx-2 might ship with different components, OS versions, and driver, but still be the same price.

        Aayyyee... just build your own!

        I guess mac guys do have some advantages... if you're not the type of person who cares enough about technology or has any desire to learn, you may not want to have to worry about all this stuff. In that case, I guess I can understand where they come from.

        (though i still won't buy myself a mac)
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        • Profile picture of the author paulie888
          Originally Posted by aandersen View Post

          This was pretty much my exact point.

          Macs are very much in between. They are very tightly integrated, and you pay for that.

          You can buy a low-end workstation for the price of a medium-end Macintosh, but the workstation will be built to run specific software (e.g., AVID, Maya, Pro/Engineer, etc.). There's just not a market for workstation-style home PCs. I guess the closest thing would be some of the gamer PCs out there like Alienware machines.

          I guess I'm straying into left field a little here...

          Getting back to our previous point. If you purchase a good PC that was built wit good hardware, and who's OEM did a good job picking out software, you're not going to have problems.

          The problem is that's hard to do. PC manufactures change hardware too often and model xxxxx-1 and xxxxx-2 might ship with different components, OS versions, and driver, but still be the same price.

          Aayyyee... just build your own!

          I guess mac guys do have some advantages... if you're not the type of person who cares enough about technology or has any desire to learn, you may not want to have to worry about all this stuff. In that case, I guess I can understand where they come from.

          (though i still won't buy myself a mac)
          Well, this is why if you want a tightly integrated machine, you'll probably have to buy something high end, usually from one of the "boutique" PC manufacturers that test and integrate components carefully. Alienware is one of the well-known brands, but let's not forget the others like Maingear, Clevo, Velocity Micro and Falcon Northwest.
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          • Profile picture of the author aandersen
            Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

            Well, this is why if you want a tightly integrated machine, you'll probably have to buy something high end, usually from one of the "boutique" PC manufacturers that test and integrate components carefully. Alienware is one of the well-known brands, but let's not forget the others like Maingear, Clevo, Velocity Micro and Falcon Northwest.
            See, I've been out of things for a while and to be honest, I haven't heard of most those companies. Back in the day I worked with workstations a lot and at that time there was only a couple players that built workstations targeted at home use.

            At any rate, the same concepts apply. When your pc's barebones starts at $2500 and goes up, you're gonna get that level of testing.
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  • Profile picture of the author SoundsGood
    To be honest, I am VERY curious about the Mac OS and I've been tempted to buy a Mac for a few years now. But one of the big problems is that I have NO IDEA what I'm doing when I play with a Mac at an Apple store or at BestBuy.

    I've been using PCs since before Windows (DOS) so it's not like I don't know how to use a computer. In fact I'm extremely comfortable with Windows. But for some reason, I'm lost on a Mac. No kidding. And the fact that I just sit and stare at the screen (not knowing what to do) scares the crap out of me, and causes me to NOT buy a Mac -- every time.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Miranda
      Originally Posted by SoundsGood View Post

      To be honest, I am VERY curious about the Mac OS and I've been tempted to buy a Mac for a few years now. But one of the big problems is that I have NO IDEA what I'm doing when I play with a Mac at an Apple store or at BestBuy.

      I've been using PCs since before Windows (DOS) so it's not like I don't know how to use a computer. In fact I'm extremely comfortable with Windows. But for some reason, I'm lost on a Mac. No kidding. And the fact that I just sit and stare at the screen (not knowing what to do) scares the crap out of me, and causes me to NOT buy a Mac -- every time.
      Don't be scared! They are very user friendly. The Apple site has a lot of great tutorials on learning the basics.
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    • Profile picture of the author beachgypsy
      I can totally relate to what you are saying. I was quite at home on my PC and relearning everything on a Mac....well let's just say that tequila sales went up at our local liquor store. Jeez. But that being said, I do love my Macbook. I just continue to learn by trial and error and in doing so I have come across many features that I love.

      Lots of great support out there to help you navigate through it all as well so you are never alone. My only concern right now is that my Mac is compatible with client needs in my future writing biz.
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  • Profile picture of the author Paleochora
    I dislike almost everything Mac. The Boss, the products, the company and the odd superior attitude you often see in people who use them.

    This sums it up:

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  • Profile picture of the author Onash
    Win XP was good and stable. Win Vista was HELL. Windows 7 is very good.....I have had hardware problems about 2 years ago but no OS problems in a long while. Never felt the need to switch to Mac....That said, I am pretty interested in Photography and the deeper I get into Photography i am encountering more Mac recommendations...
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  • Profile picture of the author beachgypsy
    My Mac and I definitely have a love/hate relationship.

    I have been using it for about 2 years now and haven't had any problems with operating systems but OMG I have come close to metal breakdowns trying to learn how to do things that I found so simple on a PC.

    It seems to me that Mac has more steps involved in simple tasks. Or perhaps I just took a more convoluted path to get from point A to point B because of my inexperience. Born to late to be tech-wired, I guess.

    I did have someone tell me that it is better to use a PC for doing business. So I bought a Toshiba and it is sitting unopened till I get some feedback from the pros. All of you.

    I just started a course in ghostwriting so I was wondering if there were any issues I should be aware of...document formatting or other unforeseen compatibility problems.

    Thanks for helping out a newbie
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      I don't use a Mac for one reason and one reason only.

      Too much of what I use, software wise, just isn't available for the Mac and
      I'm not going to settle for a substitute.

      End of story.
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    • Profile picture of the author SoundsGood
      Originally Posted by beachgypsy View Post

      It seems to me that Mac has more steps involved in simple tasks. Or perhaps I just took a more convoluted path to get from point A to point B because of my inexperience. Born to late to be tech-wired, I guess.
      I went into BestBuy yesterday specifically to look at and play with the Mac laptops. I really want to like them (if that makes any sense at all) and I'm tempted to buy one.

      But sure enough, each and every time I try using one I'm just not comfortable. I can do most anything on a Windows PC, but seem to be lost on a Mac. The Mac is supposed to be easier to use, not harder -- so I'm not sure what my problem is. Oh well.
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      • Profile picture of the author Sonja
        From childhood (70's) my parents had Mac computers so my taste for them goes back that far. In the early 90's I purchased one of my own and was quite happy with it. But even back then I noticed the lack of software choices and the expensiveness of the ones I did find for it. So at some point I gave up the Mac and went to Windows. Well I became really proficient at Windows and never thought again about buying I bought a Mac.

        Well in July of last year because I had one two many cases of the blue screen of death and I made the decision to get a Macbook. Okay I am not extremely happy with it because its like someone else said, you can do everything with a Mac that you can do with a PC, except different. Well that difference is driving me nuts!

        Secondly, many of the programs that I run are for Windows only so I still wind up going back to my PC for lots of activities. Yes I have both Parallels and Vmware (haven't tried bootcamp) but they make my Mac so sluggish (I have 4gs of ram, 2.4ghz intel core 2 duo and 200g hd). I store most of my files on my Desktop so the drive is no where near full.

        On the positive side, I have experienced no operating issues at all with my Mac. It runs flawlessly but I don't know if this makes up for the difference of not being able to use it efficiently. To me there seems to be a big learning curve and an expensive one as well because if you want to stay on the Mac side more than Windows, you will need to invest in the programs that run on the Mac (i.e. Microsoft Office, etc). And most IM software programs run on windows only so there is another snag.

        I am really close to putting my Mac up on ebay, getting the money and buying another PC. The hastle of juggling both my Mac and PC is working on my last nerve.
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  • Profile picture of the author kentaiwan98
    A lot of this PC vs. Mac stuff is just phony. Many software programs are in fact platfrom neutral, esp. the open source stuff which is often available in multi-linguall multi-OS format that shames many commercial developers.

    I have tried Apple software on the PC (safari, itunes, video stuff, etc.) and have always admired how clunky, slow and bloated the software is. I can see that the software might run better on a Mac, but it doesn't make me feel at home, so I never keep it. I installed iTunes just a couple of weeks ago, and each time I use it on my NEW PC with 2GB RAM it just is HORRIBLE.

    Safari just isn't very good compared to other browsers, though it looks beautiful and typography is great. I 'want' to like SAFARI but I usually remove it because it just doesn't feel right. Like wearing someone else's shoes, in a way.

    Kenneth
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  • Profile picture of the author Miles Kral
    I love my Mac, I just switched a few months ago and when you get used to it, it becomes much easier. The only complaints I have is when you create a document in Pages and export it to a Doc file it just doesn't format quite right and the image editing software is a bit generic. But there's just so much built into the Mac that you have to get separate software packages for in Windows.

    Miles
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    • Profile picture of the author beachgypsy
      You hit my concerns dead on, Sonja. I am worried that if I start off creating my business on my Mac then I will run into issues later with program incompatibility either with programs that are needed for doing business or with client needs.

      I just started a ghostwriting course but I know that eventually I will be offering my own work as I have a few ebook projects already on the go.

      I am new to the whole IM business and I am not sure even what my future needs would be right now. After reading about peoples experiences, though with viruses and bugs and info just vanishing while using PC's, I am more confused than ever. I feel secure using Mac because of the virus protection but you are right in the "shredded nerves syndrome" that many have when making the switch.

      Thanks so much
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      • Profile picture of the author Sonja
        Originally Posted by beachgypsy View Post

        You hit my concerns dead on, Sonja. I am worried that if I start off creating my business on my Mac then I will run into issues later with program incompatibility either with programs that are needed for doing business or with client needs.

        I just started a ghostwriting course but I know that eventually I will be offering my own work as I have a few ebook projects already on the go.

        I am new to the whole IM business and I am not sure even what my future needs would be right now. After reading about peoples experiences, though with viruses and bugs and info just vanishing while using PC's, I am more confused than ever. I feel secure using Mac because of the virus protection but you are right in the "shredded nerves syndrome" that many have when making the switch.

        Thanks so much
        Well I would recommend that you stick with PC's verses a Mac. No doubt in my opinion that the Mac wins hands down regarding viruses and stability. But.....most software that you will want to use in IM will only be windows driven and to me that's where I find the biggest disadvantage. From other posts here I see that some people have managed to overcome this issue, but there are still many who haven't. All I can say is that for me, switching to a Mac costs money, time, and patience that could have been used much more efficiently elsewhere....like making some money .
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  • Profile picture of the author Alfred Shelver
    CD thank you for making me feel normal. I was robbed at gunpoint 3 years ago and they took my Dell. So I took the plunge and bought a brand new MacBook (By the way I could have bought 2 top of the range windows laptops for the same price)

    The MacBook never worked for me I really tried to come to grips with it, but was never happy.

    So if Caliban who is probably the single smartest human being I know, cannot come to grips with that I a bit of a techno dweeb have no chance.
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  • Profile picture of the author tonydbaker
    HAHA.. looking at market share is probably not the best way to make a decision.



    Mac is to PC what Mercedes is to Chevy. And, today it's no longer just about operating systems. Like other's have said, it's easy to open Windows if you're forced to actually use something that's pc only.

    Not only that... but it's likely that 90.29% of people are 2 weeks from being broke and only 5.02% of people have a financial strategy. 1.69% are extremely wealthy etc. Using the "everybody else does it" argument just doesn't make sense here.

    I really hate the mac - vs - pc argument, but there's a reason why you will not find many mac users regretting their decision to move away from pc.

    Don't think that I was "born this way." Yes, I started using pc's and mac's in the 1980's. And in college, I felt blessed to actually have a nice Mac.

    But, after 15 years of Internet Marketing, and watching one pc after another crash and burn with all of my vital data on it, I have finally gone back to Mac and I will never regret it.

    You have to understand, it's not just the operating system that's easier to use. It's the quality of the hardware. Mac's are 3 times as expensive as a pc because the hardware isn't the cheapest gadget in the warehouse.

    Even if I was required to use Windoze, I'd run it through a Mac. Yes, after a dozen years looking at pc knock Mac. I think it's now apparent with the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and iBook and MacBook Air, that the future of technology is with Apple.

    Yes, I know you droid lovers are up and comers...but as far as I'm concerned, Apple is not only a manufacturer, they're actually thought leaders who are ahead of their time.

    Plus.. all the big time gurus love macs. They're gurus because they focus on getting the work done, rather than focusing on trying to get things to work.

    - Tony
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    • Profile picture of the author SoundsGood
      Originally Posted by tonydbaker View Post

      Even if I was required to use Windoze
      Ohh, you had me right up until here.
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    • Profile picture of the author Hortensia
      Originally Posted by tonydbaker View Post


      But, after 15 years of Internet Marketing, and watching one pc after another crash and burn with all of my vital data on it, I have finally gone back to Mac and I will never regret it.
      Have fun with your macs, but don't forget to backup your stuff. Fifteen years in im and still losing all you vital data because of a crash, that is bound to happen anyway sooner or later?

      Every year or so I buy new hardware, but I still run XP on it.I like XP. All my applications run best on XP as well. Never had any problem. Zonealarm, Avast and CCleaner is all you need to prevent problems. Back it all up with Acronis!
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      • Profile picture of the author tonydbaker
        Originally Posted by SoundsGood View Post

        Ohh, you had me right up until here.
        I had you at hello!

        Originally Posted by Hortensia View Post

        Have fun with your macs, but don't forget to backup your stuff. Fifteen years in im and still losing all you vital data because of a crash, that is bound to happen anyway sooner or later?
        Yes, I've gone with cloud based backup. Both of my 1 Terabyte backups ended up crapping out on me. ...Of course that was when they were hooked up to "Windows" (happy?!).

        I can't believe I got back into yet another Mac vs. PC thread. Enough!

        P.S. Anyone Switch to Pepsi and Regretted it?
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  • Profile picture of the author gwedge
    Well I use a PC and my partner uses a Mac. Due to the cost, I replace my system twice as frequently as my partner can. The MAC stuff seems nicer but costs more so that's to be expected. I suppose its down to personal preference in the end and thats down to each individuals background experience. I know of several people who switched from PC to MAc and would not switch back. I know nobody who abandoned MAc in favor of a PC. So like choosing a car its a personal thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author johnny_h
    That's actually a really good question. I'm somewhat anti-apple myself. I purchased an older ibook on ebay a while back and was shocked when I went to one of the top apple forums & asked some really basic questions about the machine & OS - absolutely no one could answer my question, not even the moderators.

    I can't remember the exact question, it was something about booting from the CD to install the OS. It was then I realized Apple's fatal flaw - they made their OS too user friendly. No learning curve = stupid users. Literally.

    Everyone in the Mac forums I visited just postulated their superiority because they owned a Mac, but couldn't actually tell me anything about the overpriced computers and why they were so much better! It was shameful. Ever since then I've been very weary about Apple - the computers don't do anything your Windows (or Linux!) machine can't, they're way too expensive, and with the release of Windows 7, the OS can't really claim to be all that much more user friendly (heck, Ubuntu is even pretty user friendly at this point!).

    Don't go Mac, please, for the love of god. One day you will wake up and realize that you're an imbecile & regret it for the rest of your life! (joking of course, Mac users please don't get too up in arms... )
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
      Originally Posted by johnny_h View Post

      That's actually a really good question. I'm somewhat anti-apple myself. I purchased an older ibook on ebay a while back and was shocked when I went to one of the top apple forums & asked some really basic questions about the machine & OS - absolutely no one could answer my question, not even the moderators.
      You only tried one Apple forum? Maybe you picked one that really wasn't a top one.
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      • Profile picture of the author johnny_h
        Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

        You only tried one Apple forum? Maybe you picked one that really wasn't a top one.
        No, I've been around most of the Apple forums. I was being a little silly with my post. I did have the experience I described, and really do find that for the most part Mac users have less knowledge about their machines than their PC-using counterparts, but I guess I shouldn't go so far as to call Mac users ignorant. They just don't need that much info to run their machines... and for the most part don't seem to seek it.

        I will say, however, that the folks who work on jailbreaking Apple devices, and those who spend time learning how to run OS X on non-Apple hardware are extremely well versed in not only everything Apple, but just about everything PC as well.

        I really have nothing against Apple devices, I was just a bit disappointed to find that Mac users aren't as sophisticated as the machines they use... I think it was that, combined with the fact that they're so snobby about owning a Mac that kind of disgusts me on some level.
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        • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
          Originally Posted by johnny_h View Post

          No, I've been around most of the Apple forums. I was being a little silly with my post. I did have the experience I described, and really do find that for the most part Mac users have less knowledge about their machines than their PC-using counterparts, but I guess I shouldn't go so far as to call Mac users ignorant. They just don't need that much info to run their machines... and for the most part don't seem to seek it.
          That's too much of a generalization. There are all levels of users on both platforms. I know of plenty of PC users that know little more than how to turn their computers on. They can use Word, they can use Explorer, they can send eMail. But, ask them to eMail you a Word document, and they don't know how to do that. And, normally, that's the sort of thing they don't care to learn to do. They just want to get on Facebook and chat with their friends.

          So, to say that Mac users have less knowledge than their PC-using counterparts, I don't think so. If, say, 70% of PC users barely know how to use their computers for anything beyond the simplest of tasks, would it be unreasonable to assume that 70% of Mac users may be the same way? And, if the Mac users you know fall into that 70%, I could see where you might think that Mac users are generally less sophisticated, but I don't think you can draw that conclusion because you may be dealing with a statistically invalid sampling compared with the number of PC users you know.
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  • Profile picture of the author Snow_Predator
    I purchased a mac just over a year ago. I am very happy with it as it runs extremely well and is very reliable. One of the biggest bonuses is you don't get viruses.

    However, a mac is not internet-marketing friendly, as most IM tools are designed for windows. The way I work around this is to use VMWare, which is a virtual drive that allows you to use Windows within your Mac. An excellent software and very usable, except that it drains a lot of your resources to have 2 operating systems running at once, which results in the windows on VMWare running rather slow.

    My Mac is so darn good I wouldn't change it if I could go back. But I would consider getting a second PC to run my automated software on. If you are on a low budget, then I would recommend sticking to a PC.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Riley
    Originally Posted by Dave Rodman View Post

    I have used PC's all my life, mostly out of habit. My wife uses an Apple laptop (Ibook I think?) and loves it. Just haven't been able to get used to certain things when I've (briefly) used her computer.

    I always hear about people that switch and LOVE the mac. But anyone found the switch not as great as it was pitched? If so, why?
    We have a Mac in our home office for graphics. Both my wife and I are PC users. She especially found it difficult to get used to the Mac. We mainly only use it for Photoshop. Have 3 PCs to handle other stuff.

    BTW. Tried running Camtasia on the Mac. Hated the Mac version of Camtasia.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
      Originally Posted by gwedge View Post

      I know nobody who abandoned MAc in favor of a PC.
      You didn't read the thread before you made the post? I've had 4 computers. The Mac did the least amount of work, had twice as many crashes as the other 3 combined, and basically was a super expensive pain in the neck until I got rid of it and got a pc.

      And on top of that reading all that 'Mac Mouth' stuff, like 'get a Mac, all your problems will be over' got to be quite irritating.

      So to put it directly in your terms, I switched from a Mac to a PC, and don't expect to ever go back. They would have to at least give it to me free (not going to happen with their big bucks attitude) and let me keep my PC to get some work done.

      Originally Posted by Cathy Shelver View Post

      CD thank you for making me feel normal. I was robbed at gunpoint 3 years ago and they took my Dell. So I took the plunge and bought a brand new MacBook (By the way I could have bought 2 top of the range windows laptops for the same price)

      The MacBook never worked for me I really tried to come to grips with it, but was never happy.
      They did have some things I liked and mostly I got along fine with the operating system, but did have a irritating stuff too. They only give you 90 days of telephone support for free, unlike PCs which have always given me a year.

      They are a bit like Starbucks. It's expensive, but it's cool to be there or have one in your hand. I've never bought one of their coffees yet, and sorry that I did ever buy a Mac. Maybe for attracting the opposite sex they might work well, but that's the least of my problems.

      Come to think of it, maybe that's the main attraction, and people dum enough to spend big money for help in that department are the customers

      (enjoyed that idea)
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  • Profile picture of the author James Blair
    I've actually been thinking about getting a mac for awhile now. I don't know about completely switching but I would like to have one of each I guess..

    I've heard a lot of great stuff about macs but from what I gather the pc and mac each have their main uses and benefits in different aspects.

    For example, what I hear is macs are better for media and graphics and things like that and pcs are better for data processing and things like that.
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  • Profile picture of the author DylanJames
    I love PC's for the first month (when they actually work) but after that I'd much rather my Mac!

    When I sit at my PC, I'm always thinking to myself "Can you just DO what I'm clicking...PLEASE). With my Mac, it just always works!
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  • Profile picture of the author lacraiger
    i use both but find that im much more productive with a pc desktop. i use a macbook just for personal stuff but can't really do any work with it.
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  • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
    My wife uses a Mac at work with a 32 inch screen and is a graphic designer. At home she has a 17'' macbook pro, and Ipad and an iphone. Yep she likes mac.

    Myself, i love pc's and always have. Despite the odd virus in the past ( and Norton 360 seems to catch all these days) I have no complaints. Much more versatile machine and with todays Windows o/s are much more slick and stable.

    The thing that should be mentioned about the mac is the price. $2,600 for a 17 inch macbook pro. I got a 15.6' i5 hp laptop the other day, brand new with win 7 professional for $664.00. The machine is superfast, stable, surfs the web at lightning speed etc. Now I could buy several of them for one mac.

    For what the mac does compared with the pc these days it just aint worth it.
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  • Profile picture of the author donhx
    I am a Windows person... I have not seen the "blue screen of death" after Windows 98SE was released. Also, I have good virus protection, so I have never had a serious issue with that. These are things that Mac people always point out as being bad, but they have never been a part of my Windows experience.

    I used Macs when I taught media subjects on the university level for a few years. That's all they had in the classrooms and labs. I didn't mind them, but I never thought that using one was a special experience in any way. So, I switched to Mac during that period, but I was also using Windows machines.

    The main reason I would never buy a Mac is simply a practical one. They are overpriced and under-powered, in terms of the RAM, hard disk space, etc compared to the Windows world. Another thing that has always concerned me was that in its 25 years of existence, the Mac has only pierced the 5% market share a couple times. It did go up a notch when Macs got the Intel chip and could run Windows, but market share is still right around the 5% mark.

    People buy pricey iPhones like crazy, but they never bought Macs, even with all the hype. The marketplace dictates success for any product, not hype. Windows has about a 91.5% market share. That says it all.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
      Originally Posted by donhx View Post

      People buy pricey iPhones like crazy, but they never bought Macs, even with all the hype. The marketplace dictates success for any product, not hype. Windows has about a 91.5% market share. That says it all.
      It says nothing.

      I've never heard someone say, "I'd like to buy a Mercedes, but their market share isn't large enough."

      I've never heard someone say, "I'd like to buy a Sony product, but their market share is just too small."

      I've never heard someone say, "I'd like to buy a Dr. Pepper, but their market share is so small."

      I've never heard someone say, "I'd like to join the Warrior Forum, but 95% of Internet users have never heard of it."
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      • Profile picture of the author donhx
        Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

        It says nothing.

        I've never heard someone say, "I'd like to buy a Mercedes, but their market share isn't large enough."

        I've never heard someone say, "I'd like to buy a Sony product, but their market share is just too small."

        I've never heard someone say, "I'd like to buy a Dr. Pepper, but their market share is so small."

        I've never heard someone say, "I'd like to join the Warrior Forum, but 95% of Internet users have never heard of it."
        You have put the cart before the horse. I wasn't saying that people were making decisions based on the market share of a product. My point was that people have already had their say... they want Windows products over Macs, 91.5% to 5%. That's why the marketplace has spoken.

        I did say that the low market share was a concern to me personally, but I'm interested in marketing. Many products that only get a 5% market share after 25 years are considered to have failed. Yet the Mac is still with us. A conundrum that will go down in marketing history.
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        • Profile picture of the author Hortensia
          Some people make a reference to cars. Indeed there are cars that are very appealing and have great performance. But what do you do when that car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and there is no mechanic in the area who knows how to repair this exclusive technology?

          I think with computers we still are in the very early days of development, a bit like in the 1920's of the car.

          You better learn how to keep things running, or you are at the mercy of helpdesks who don't know nothing about nothing and only want to sell you their latest gadget for a very special rippoff price.

          That is exactly the philosophy of both Microsoft and Apple. They prefer to keep their customers dumb. That's better for business.

          So take the time to educate yourself!
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    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by donhx View Post

      I am a Windows person... I have not seen the "blue screen of death" after Windows 98SE was released. Also, I have good virus protection, so I have never had a serious issue with that. These are things that Mac people always point out as being bad, but they have never been a part of my Windows experience.

      I used Macs when I taught media subjects on the university level for a few years. That's all they had in the classrooms and labs. I didn't mind them, but I never thought that using one was a special experience in any way. So, I switched to Mac during that period, but I was also using Windows machines.

      The main reason I would never buy a Mac is simply a practical one. They are overpriced and under-powered, in terms of the RAM, hard disk space, etc compared to the Windows world. Another thing that has always concerned me was that in its 25 years of existence, the Mac has only pierced the 5% market share a couple times. It did go up a notch when Macs got the Intel chip and could run Windows, but market share is still right around the 5% mark.

      People buy pricey iPhones like crazy, but they never bought Macs, even with all the hype. The marketplace dictates success for any product, not hype. Windows has about a 91.5% market share. That says it all.
      I think this all pretty much boils down to personal preference, especially when it comes to individual (non-corporate) users.

      I'd like to think of myself as fairly practical when it comes to selecting computers, and I completely concur with your points. Most of the "myths" that Mac users love to point out aren't necessarily true. While I agree that it may take a bit more work to maintain a Windows system and monitor viruses/malware (which is not a knock on Windows, but a reflection of its market share), there's no reason why a well-maintained Windows machine (especially Windows 7) shouldn't be every bit as trouble-free as its Mac counterpart. Another point I'd like to stress on is to stay away from budget Windows hardware (again, this is not Microsoft's fault, as they only supply the software) and select sensibly configured machines that aren't your typical blue light specials at Wal-mart and Best Buy.

      There are many more issues at play with corporate customers. Apple just hasn't been very corporate-friendly, for the most part, and does not have the flexibility, scalability and security that Windows offers. Windows has proven itself to be very robust and scalable - every computer in the US military and Department of Defense runs Windows, and every computer that keeps scores and data in the Olympics and the NBA also runs Windows. If Windows was truly such a crappy operating system, why would anyone in their right minds entrust such mission-critical tasks to it?
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  • Profile picture of the author stephfoster
    I have a Macbook Pro and a desktop Windows XP computer, and I find it fairly easy to switch between the two. The left vs. right part is the thing that messes with me the most.

    That said, I'll stick with Windows for future purchases. I'm overall more comfortable with it, although it's close. Besides, with the amount of tech support I end up needing to do for my inlaws, I need a machine with the same capabilities theirs has, so I can give them the exact right steps to do things on their computer.
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  • Profile picture of the author mindykoch
    I switched to Mac. It took me about two weeks to get used to the switch. I missed roboform. Had to figure out what to use instead (1password or LastPass). I missed Outlook. Moved to Google for most things.

    I had to vmware to get the things I missed.

    Then six months later, I realized that I NEVER wanted to open up my windows side. Somehow, without even knowing how exactly, I had switched to Mac completely.

    I loved NEVER having to reboot. I loved how well everything worked.

    I am very happy with my Mac.

    Of course, I never used Windows 7. I switched to Mac during Windows Vista. So maybe I would feel differently if I used Windows 7.
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  • Profile picture of the author navyseal
    For me if I have a mac, I wouldn't regret it.

    Sooner or later you will figure out how to use it just like using a newly purchase cellphone.
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  • Profile picture of the author iYingHang
    I am using a Macbook Pro since the fall of 2009 and a Rolex watch won't make me change back to Windows.

    Cheers!
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    • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
      Originally Posted by iYingHang View Post

      I am using a Macbook Pro since the fall of 2009 and a Rolex watch won't make me change back to Windows.

      Cheers!
      I'm not sure a wrist watch would make me change operating systems either, especially since most operating systems already have a built in clock.
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  • Profile picture of the author PaulMark
    Dave... open a poll for this bad boy!

    I am part of the Cult which is Apple.

    Though I have missed Norton scanning my machine for hours and all sorts of schemes for programming geniuses I'll just have to make due with a virus free system!
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  • Profile picture of the author Guigo
    Ask your wife to exchange your computers and try to work on a MAC for a week

    Or get a cheap used one from Ebay, try it, and if you like it, sell it back on Ebay and get a new one
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  • Profile picture of the author Quatrel
    After CP/M & MS-Dos, I started using Windows ... progressing through all the versions. I tried Linux a few times, but left that for servers. I could just never get friendly with it on the desktop. I never really cared for the operating systems crusades.

    A friend was always gushing about the virtues of a Mac, so I added one to my collection of computers in 2008. The switch was hard. Really hard. In fact, I was disappointed and considered returning the box ... I guess I hated the darn Mac for the first 12 months and switched over to the Windows machines often when I was frustrated.

    At that time, I could not complain loudly or often enough ...

    Things are just in different places and the difference in navigation etc. just drove me nuts.

    I added Parallels at the start to run Windows programs on the Mac and I had two screens running Mac programs and one screen running Vista-64-bit programs. It was a disaster. Parallels was a big piece of crap with arrogant support. After a few months they charged me for an upgrade that was even worse and then they wanted more money three months later for the bug-fix, which they just gave a new version number.

    I chucked out that software and installed Vmware for running Windows programs and in that instant all the Mac troubles and freezes disappeared. Silly me. Should have spent the fifty bucks earlier and I would have saved tens of thousands of hairs ...

    Then the next round of software updates came and I had to decide which versions I would buy. Mac or Windows ...

    What made the bucket overflow is that Mindjet that publishes MindManager wanted me to pay a new full version license for the Mac version , instead of an upgrade. I could get an upgrade for Windows only. Well, I was pissed, since I had been a customer since version 1.0 and I revolted and chucked out the software and replaced it with Freemind that has both Mac and Windows versions and put OpenOffice on all the machines.

    A problem that was irritating is that in power saving mode, the Mac used to freeze overnight. It seems that this was related to the DisplayLink software that is running the 3 external screens. However, I found out that by disabling the power saving and just putting the machine to sleep manually, I can carry on working in the morning and I only restart the machine maybe once or twice a month.

    I started using the Mac more and I think after about 14 months from the switch, it all of a sudden clicked. So now I like using may Mac. But I also use Windows. I don't really care which.

    New software I buy in Mac versions. So my future path is Mac. Especially since the Mail program on the Mac suits me well. It runs almost two dozen email accounts with 65'000 emails brought in from all sources, with instant search access on any search term. It was a bugger getting it all out of Outlook, but I am happy that I did. (Thunderbird is poor in comparison, with so many mails in the folders and very buggy at that).

    The killer Mac application for me was DevonThinkPro and DevonAgent which store all documents and emails in a searchable database with cross-referencing.

    So now I do not bother about storing things in folders/directories. I just dump it into the database and it sorts it automatically and the search finds it all and relates it contextually. I have almost zero time spent in organising, filing and deleting. It is faster to use a good search tool, than to traverse hundreds of folders.

    I think it is harder to make the switch if you are a power Windows user. It takes time to get to know another concept, keyboard shortcuts and where to tweak the settings.

    Which do I prefer? Doesn't matter to me really. Even loaded the new Ubuntu on an old laptop and that seems to work fine too. I just want to get the work done and don't care too much about the badge.

    To me it is like left-hand drive vs. right-hand drive coupled with automatic and stick-shift. Once you are familiar, you don't really notice it, you enjoy the driving.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marvin Johnston
    Like Quatrel, I started life as a CP/M user, and followed the crowd to the IBM PC (and clones even when they were't 100% IBM compatible.) At this point, our paths diverge.

    I saw a well done version of Space Invaders on the Apple and really wanted an Apple at that point. But Apple priced themselves out of my pocketbook. So I went with an IBM compatible and never looked back.

    The only reason people claim to use Macs is they consider it easier to use. Whatever.

    For what *I* want to do, the Apple is not a viable computer and FWIW I've never considered a single source anything viable. And yes, I've used both. At one point, I had one setup and ready to go. But the idea of spending several thousand additional dollars to replace the software I was already successfully using on the PC threw a BIG bucket of cold water on that idea.

    As far as viruses are concerned, the last virus I had was in 2001.

    And it should be intuitively obvious that a bigger market will attract more attention of the wrong kind.

    More power brings more responsibility .

    Marvin
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    • Profile picture of the author mikeroosa
      I bought a MacBook a couple of years ago and was ready to make the switch. I tried to like it, I really did, but I'm a pc guy I guess. I've owned pc's since the 286 days and I don't see ever trying a Mac again. I like to build my own pc's so i don't plan on ever using a mac again.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mo Goulet
    I have to openly admit I thought I could be converted and actually had one built for me with about $6,000 worth of software all the latest stuff and then bought the "missing manual" after 2 months of trying to convert, I realized that most of the software I use I either wrote or is only windows compatible so I gave up. Now I have this $7500Mac that my wife uses to check her email once a day.

    Anyone looking for a MAC?

    iMac Apple Computer
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  • Profile picture of the author Clyde
    PC all the way.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dwight Anthony
    I've personally used both and fine with my duo core whitebox running windows 7. Its fast enough and nothing to really complain about. I do like the fact that Mac bundles software better than windows though. Bill gates could learn something from that end but they make billions off of software.
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