Mac or PC?

finchy

mr_si wrote:

Sorry to chip in on this one again; I'm surprised how overwhelmingly mac the responses are. Is that because Mac owners - having forked out big £££ to buy into the Mac identity - need to tell everyone how great it is? I did read somewhere that Steve Job's greatest success was selling the Mac brand to creative types / as a creative tool, thus reinforcing Mac owners opinions of themselves.

I just like having a computer which does what I tell it to do. I think the new Windows is far superior to any old Windows system, but I still find my Mac is more user-friendly than my PC.

NWLondoner

Get an iMac.


No (at moment) real virus risks. So no need for AV software running in background. Just be sensible and do a sweep every few weeks.

Really fast and easy to install programs.A program will run from anywhere so no Registry issues like you do on PC.

Real easy to upgrade RAM if needed. If an iMac does (very unlikely) goes tits up you only have 1 port of call. An Apple Genius at an Apple store will be much more helpful than if you buy a PC from sell PC World or alike.


I used to be a Windows/Microsoft sheep but when my PC went pear shaped and everyone passing the buck i plumped for a Mac and never looked back.

andrewjoseph

I don't think anyone has mentioned compatibility.

make sure the other equipment you use is compatible with mac. it probably is, but you don't want to buy the mac, connect the scanner and the mac doesn't know it's there.

I've had pc's for years (msdos 3, windows 3, ibm warp os4, various linux distro's), then back to windows millennium and XP, because the kids and wife were in college and needed ms office.

Moving to Mac's was both easier and more difficult. They are easier to use in themselves, but software can be more expensive or non existent, depending on needs. (or at least it was).

Compatibility with windows users is less of an issue but can still throw up problems.

Not all devices have drivers for mac, this is getting better and better, but older printers/scanners/cameras/other external devices may not work.

I wouldn't go back to windows and I can still do Unix/Linux stuff.

Bunneh

Been running a PC for years, and in that time I recall around 5 viruses that infected my system and that was due to my own stupidity, all of which were caught and dealt with AVG free anti virus or Avast free AV . I prefer having a huge library of games at my disposal but I would like a Mac since all the games I actually do play are available on the Mac - yes Eve Online, I'm looking at you!

This PC I have now cost me around 450, bought it in 2009 from a PC mechanic who built it for me, he knew what I wanted and it can run everything without any problems.

Valy

Weejie54 wrote:

Sorry to chip in on this one again; I'm surprised how overwhelmingly mac the responses are. Is that because Mac owners - having forked out big £££ to buy into the Mac identity - need to tell everyone how great it is? I did read somewhere that Steve Job's greatest success was selling the Mac brand to creative types / as a creative tool, thus reinforcing Mac owners opinions of themselves.

It strikes me there must be a silent majority of PC users out there who can't or wont chip into this debate though lack of experience or because the question just doesn't interest them. For those folk who use a computer as a tool then £ for £ there's surely no contest. And on purely metric basis, for given £ you get more PC. Where are all these people for whom PCs crash all the time? I don't think I've had a PC blue screen on me in a decade.

For those who consider PCs to be riddled with virus' and spyware, get a free virus checker next time and don't be naive enough to believe that Macs are somehow exempt from this problem.

So it comes down to a better user experience under OSX. How much are you prepared to pay for that? Shall I ride my Boardman or my Colnago? well the Boardman was £800 less and I sure like being seen on the Colnago....

Although I do have a genuine (but old) Mac, I have some PCs running OSx86 versions.
I also have PCs running Windows versions. Generally, the Mac OS runs more smoothly, boots up and shuts down more speedily and runs music and photo editing apps more efficiently. Having to run AV software on a Windows system doesn't help its performance. When it comes to professional printing proofs, the Mac still reigns (and Mac barcoding apps appear to be better than the Windows counterparts).
Even without the bling of Mac hardware, the OS comes out ahead in certain areas.
Nevertheless, even with the Mac running on a Unix base, kernel panics are not unknown.
As for the poster who claims to have run Windows 7 without experiencing a crash, you obviously aren't using it enough.

Err, define "using it enough"?

Stewie Griffin

Brother is coming over to watch Spurs on the net as he can't on his mac. Sent all the websites I use to watch sport on to a mac owning mate at work so that he could watch the last big fight, didn't work so he had to look on you tube the next day. My XP desktop with its flat motherboard battery is still better for what I want to do than a mac would ever be. If you have several people around a mac screen I note from experience that the folk at an angle will be watching a negative image, that's poor. If my pc does decide to go bosoms up I'm confident a phone call to one of several mates will see me up and running again fairly quickly and for free, imagine having to leave your machine with someone else so they fix it and then charge you, I'm sure you all feel cool walking into the shop though.

NWLondoner

Maybe your brother hasn't installed the right video codecs?? If silverware and flip4mac and adobe is installed then you should be able to view most streams.

fast as fupp

Stewie Griffin wrote:

Brother is coming over to watch Spurs on the net as he can't on his mac. Sent all the websites I use to watch sport on to a mac owning mate at work so that he could watch the last big fight, didn't work so he had to look on you tube the next day. My XP desktop with its flat motherboard battery is still better for what I want to do than a mac would ever be. If you have several people around a mac screen I note from experience that the folk at an angle will be watching a negative image, that's poor. If my pc does decide to go bosoms up I'm confident a phone call to one of several mates will see me up and running again fairly quickly and for free, imagine having to leave your machine with someone else so they fix it and then charge you, I'm sure you all feel cool walking into the shop though.

i'm puzzled as to why youd have to take a mac to a shop to get it fixed?

freehub

markos1963 wrote:

freehub wrote:

fast as fupp wrote:

if you like viruses, spyware, tinkering with drivers and switching your computer on and off go for a windows pc

if not go for mac or linux

The above is rubbish.

To the OP, honestly did you really need to start a thread like this? I bet you 80% knew you'd get a mac anyway, and you just invite people in who talk shoot because they don't know anything windows and mac like the above quote.

Errr no, people are entiltled to their opinions and I wanted to hear them. Yes I might have been leaning towards the Mac but I wanted some comments from other users as the people in the Apple store are going to be obviously biased.

What he posted was absolute crap.

Let's face it you knew how the thread would turn out anyway.

fast as fupp

*points at the blert*

Weejie54

Err, define "using it enough"?

Enough to make it crash - not very much in my (not too limited) experience.

Try and understand the context of the post. :P

Elio

Is this thread still going? :shock: It's even better than 'Campag vs. Shimano' or 'tubulars vs. clinchers'

Nuggs

mr_si wrote:

Nuggs wrote:

I'm guessing you've never driven a 'premium brand' car...

No indeed.

So you're not exactly running a cast iron argument when you're basing it on a guess are you?

Valy

Weejie54 wrote:

Err, define "using it enough"?

Enough to make it crash - not very much in my (not too limited) experience.

Try and understand the context of the post. :P

lol, there is no context - it's a very subjective thing to say.

What did you do to make it crash? How long did you use it for?

It's just that there are people who run video editing SW, PS, compressing/decompressing archives, listen to music, browse the internet and use word processing all at once without any trouble... I wonder how much more you can actually do? Could add F@H/SETI or be alt-tabbing from games as well.

Is that what you did by any chance?



_____________________

Stewie - I doubt that you will see a negative image on a Mac as the monitors on them have better viewing angles and colours than the majority of LCDs you see - the have IPS panels vs TN on most modern LCDs.

iainf72

In 5 years everything will be run out of a browser and OS will be irrelevant.

Both Microsoft and Apple are embracing this so they are converging. If you look at the reality, Microsoft have always been there first but Apple tend to put a beautiful sheen around it and make people want it.

For the money, in 2011, I'd buy a Mac and run a Windows 7 VM on it. Use OSX for home stuff, Win7 for work things.

freehub

iainf72 wrote:

In 5 years everything will be run out of a browser and OS will be irrelevant.

Both Microsoft and Apple are embracing this so they are converging. If you look at the reality, Microsoft have always been there first but Apple tend to put a beautiful sheen around it and make people want it.

For the money, in 2011, I'd buy a Mac and run a Windows 7 VM on it. Use OSX for home stuff, Win7 for work things.

I bet we won't be, try playing high end games over the internet.

markos1963

freehub wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

freehub wrote:

fast as fupp wrote:

if you like viruses, spyware, tinkering with drivers and switching your computer on and off go for a windows pc

if not go for mac or linux

The above is rubbish.

To the OP, honestly did you really need to start a thread like this? I bet you 80% knew you'd get a mac anyway, and you just invite people in who talk shoot because they don't know anything windows and mac like the above quote.

Errr no, people are entiltled to their opinions and I wanted to hear them. Yes I might have been leaning towards the Mac but I wanted some comments from other users as the people in the Apple store are going to be obviously biased.

What he posted was absolute crap.

Let's face it you knew how the thread would turn out anyway.

I wasn't talking about Fast As Fupp and to be frank you have been invovled in plenty of pointless threads so it's a bit rich you having a go at me.

daviesee

Elio wrote:

Is this thread still going? :shock: It's even better than 'Campag vs. Shimano' or 'tubulars vs. clinchers'

My popcorn has ran out and now I am fat (ter)

Weejie54

What did you do to make it crash? How long did you use it for?

Subtlety was obviously wasted.

Turning it on is the start of the road to a crash.

FYI, try googling "Windows 7 crash" (around 65 million results) and "OSX crash" - not even "OSX Snow Leopard" - (around 3 million results). Enough said.

andrewjoseph

iainf72 wrote:

... Microsoft have always been there first but Apple tend to put a beautiful sheen around it and make people want it....
.

Microsoft have pinched other peoples ideas and marketed them better. They pinched the GUI idea from Apple and IBM. The pinched the browser idea from netscape. The bury small competitors under threats and unwarranted legal action.

they build on top of known bugs and hope no-one notices.

Valy

God you are a cretin.

Weejie54

God you are a cretin.

Your poor punctuation gives the impression of blasphemy.

Valy

Brush up on troll fu mate

Weejie54

Brush up on troll fu mate

Such wisdom.

I actually gave an account of experiences with both operating systems.

The quip was suggesting that if your Windows OS hasn't crashed, use it a bit more and it will (on the lines of rain on Pendle Hill).

If all you can do is throw insults, perhaps the troll status is on your shoulders.

Valy

That does not really make sense.

Weejie54

That does not really make sense.

It does if you have sense (and a sense of humour).

Valy

So you initial statement was a gag?

Weejie54

So you [sic] initial statement was a gag?

It was a quip with an element of truth behind it.

To quote a good friend (who happens to work for Microsoft) - "The biggest Windows virus is Windows".

mr_goo

My daughter has had a MacBook for 2 and half years. Loaded it with more pictures than you can shake a stick at. Runs Photoshop and Office plus loads of other apps. It runs just as fast and efficient as the first day.
Where as my firm (Dutch drainage/plumbing manufacturer, not quite naming and shaming) have furnished me with a supposedly state of the art IBM Lenovo T400, has a solid state disc. One year old and the thing is a heap of garbage. Takes ages to load. Takes ages for apps to load. Takes ages for windows to open pages.

In summary. MAC.

markos1963

I have to say the reason I'm leaning towards Mac is the speed issues I've had since Vista has come in. My 'old' desktop which is a Pentium4 XP still runs quite fast but is prone to crashing(probably due to all the upgrades its had over 7 years) and has a poor display. The two laptops we have, one Vista Home the other Premium, are a nightmare, the Home one takes up to 15mins to load up fully and sometimes 2mins or more to open up web pages. They have both been checked for virus's and spyware to no avail.