Mac or PC

[abacall]

I had PCs for most of my life. When I started grad school I bought an iBook for it's size/weight and to try Mac out. I instantly fell in love with it's simplicity and intelligent design.
Last year I got a 24" iMac, the display is beautiful, the design is amazing. A simple aluminum body with a stand. I also installed windoze on it to run Autocad.
This year I wanted to get a laptop. I thought I would give a PC a chance again. I purchased a Dell XP. Nice machine with great specs. In fact, specs were much better than my iMac. It had vista sp2 on it. I was really surprised how much MS tried to emulate OSX here. Pretty funny.
After a month of owning it, I returned it. I already was bogged down by spyware and the system was already running slower.
For the same price I purchsed a new Mac Book. I am so glad I returned to the Mac. For anyone who is a die hard PC guy, go handle the new Mac Book. It's a solid piece of aluminum, like the rest of their line, and it works beautifully.
The ONLY reason I see to buy a PC is the price. Otherwise it makes no sense. You can run windows on the Mac, and you get a more consistent machine.

 

[FZ1inNH]

BTW, PCLinuxOS 2009 is the first Linux I've installed that didn't need any driver downloads after installing. It found EVERYTHING on my HP laptop including the card slots, SSD readers, and Wifi. It has (finally) built-in support for BOTH nVidia and ATI so you no longer have to be sure to "download the correct distro."

I like Ubuntu but they rush releases, you have to patch all the time or you have to Google for what the masses believe is the most stable build and download that instead. One thing I learned with Ubuntu... stay two revisions behind!

I love this build!

 

[Wavex]

Yes and no. When I explain to a client that they need to spend $500-$1000 on a new laptop or more relevantly a desktop and they find netbooks and such for $200-$300 they believe that there is no difference. It goes on the net you can do email, but they also don't realize that they cant have a buttload of windows open and they need to expect slower speeds.

So the difference is that Macs (since the manufacturer/putter togetherer and OS developer are the same) have a more premium base product. I know thats negligible on the cover of the argument, but when you get down to it, bad power supplies and inconsistent construction can leave a wake of annoyances that really level the field.

So MAC has "more premium base products", but compared to who? If you give me the $$ you used to buy a MAC, I can promise you I will build you a faster better PC (in terms of hardware).
I hand pick every single part that goes into my PC, so I know exactly what I am running... With MAC, you don't get to pick and chose down to the single element, and I even wonder if you could find out what exactly you are running (brands, specs, etc...).

 

[DaveOTZ]

But they did make it difficult which is too bad! If they'd simply take out the EFI restraint and start selling the OS on the shelf beside Vista, I'm willing to bet they'd make a killing.

In the short term they would, for a while they did license the OS the new manufacturer made subpar machines that people decided to blame Apple for. The general public has been a terrible driving force in the personal computing world... Imagine if the Amiga was able to flourish??

 

[FZ1inNH]

After a month of owning it, I returned it. I already was bogged down by spyware and the system was already running slower.

One of the BEST things you can do after getting a PC is to NEVER open Internet Explorer except for the very first time. Go to Start-->Run--> Firefox web browser | Faster, more secure, & customizable (So you don't hit ANY other sites...!)

Install FF than search plugins for "Ad Block Plus" and subsrcibe to the feed for your country.

Than, make sure you put your preferred AV on the machine with the latest updates... NOW, go surfing the web! :thumbup: (I use ESet NOD32. Small footprint and less resources hogged)

 

[manas12]

BTW, PCLinuxOS 2009 is the first Linux I've installed that didn't need any driver downloads after installing. It found EVERYTHING on my HP laptop including the card slots, SSD readers, and Wifi. It has (finally) built-in support for BOTH nVidia and ATI so you no longer have to be sure to "download the correct distro."

I like Ubuntu but they rush releases, you have to patch all the time or you have to Google for what the masses believe is the most stable build and download that instead. One thing I learned with Ubuntu... stay two revisions behind!

I love this build!

That is true. But the online Ubuntu forums have a ton of information on how to's and fixes and such. Also these days nVidia writes their own linux drivers for their graphics cards so if you get those instead of the generic ones from the open source community, everything should work fine.

I started off on my linux journey with Redhat 7 I think, and all linux distros have come a long way since then. I remember my USB ports wouldn't work with linux when I first started!

 

[manas12]

One of the BEST things you can do after getting a PC is to NEVER open Internet Explorer except for the very first time. Go to Start-->Run--> Firefox web browser | Faster, more secure, & customizable (So you don't hit ANY other sites...!)

Install FF than search plugins for "Ad Block Plus" and subsrcibe to the feed for your country.

Than, make sure you put your preferred AV on the machine with the latest updates... NOW, go surfing the web! :thumbup: (I use ESet NOD32. Small footprint and less resources hogged)

+1 to Ad Block. Also look for NoScript which blocks all javascript on all websites and then you can white list websites which you know will not harm your machine. Another thing I do when I set up a new Windows machine is create an account which has no admin rights besides the regular administrator account, and use that account for regular usage. Use the admin account only for system updates.

-Manas.

 

[DaveOTZ]

If you give me the $$ you used to buy a MAC, I can promise you I will build you a faster better PC (in terms of hardware).

Thats my point, but until WAVEX takes on the DELLs of the world and delivers a plug and play unit to the masses it doesn't help

Pretty much the fact that Mac wont build a machine with under (I believe it's now a 2.4 w/2G) certain specs is the idea. It's like a premium automobile maker, There are comparable vehicles to the A4, but starting at that quality helps build a brand.

The cost factor just isn't important to some people and to others it's less important.

 

[FZ1inNH]

I started off on my linux journey with Redhat 7 I think, and all linux distros have come a long way since then. I remember my USB ports wouldn't work with linux when I first started!

Youse ahhh young'n!

I started with linux when there was no GUI and you HAD to compile the kernel on the actual PC you were building it on. DNS? What was THAT? There wasn't any browser or URLs... if you didn't know the IP addy of a place to visit with the shell or FTP commands, you didn't go anywhere. OH BOY!!! Did I just date myself or what?!?! :rof:

Now THIS brings back memories! Check out Eric Conspiracy Secret Laboratories and look at the 10th photo in the initiates list.

 

[Hellgate]

Own both and they both have good points and suck @$$ points. They are really pretty much the same.

 

[Norm]

I used to have a PC and I just couldn't take it anymore! I always was running spyware, antivirus, defraggng, restarts, slowness... when I switched to Mac I was able to be productive and it is not hard to use. IN fact the steps just to edit a picture is so much easier with iPhoto and other i apps make a Mac my computer of choice. I will only use PC if im forced to

X2; Love my Mac. My wife remained a diehard PC user. Complained constantly about viruses, slow running, rebooting. I just kept saying "get a Mac". She did and hasn't looked back. Her only complaint these days "Man this thing gets hot!" (15 inch MacBook Pro-back gets quite hot-she's checking out cooling backs)

BTW-Eric, I must have missed something. Do you have an FZ1 now?

 

[Wavex]

Thats my point, but until WAVEX takes on the DELLs of the world and delivers a plug and play unit to the masses it doesn't help

Pretty much the fact that Mac wont build a machine with under (I believe it's now a 2.4 w/2G) certain specs is the idea. It's like a premium automobile maker, There are comparable vehicles to the A4, but starting at that quality helps build a brand.

The cost factor just isn't important to some people and to others it's less important.

There are many premium PC sellers out there that will deliver a plug and play PC to your door Still not sure what your point is. Sure there are cheap PC makers too, but that just depends on your budget and what you are going to use your PC for... MAC's offer on the other hand is expensive and only expensive (even if you only use your PC to check your email, you'll still be out at least $1499)

 

[Bates121]

Youse ahhh young'n!

I started with linux when there was no GUI and you HAD to compile the kernel on the actual PC you were building it on. DNS? What was THAT? There wasn't any browser or URLs... if you didn't know the IP addy of a place to visit with the shell or FTP commands, you didn't go anywhere. OH BOY!!! Did I just date myself or what?!?! :rof:

Now THIS brings back memories! Check out Eric Conspiracy Secret Laboratories and look at the 10th photo in the initiates list.

You dated yourself just a little lol :thumbup:

 

[darkrider]

You can boot multiple operating systems on a PC too... you can even run OSX on a PC if you want to

I've tried this several times, running OSX on a PC just doesn't work properly in most cases~! Anyway, who knew this would be such a hot topic. Maybe this forum could be the next MAC -vs- PC commercial???

 

[Tremulant]

The Mac Mini
2.0GHz : 120GB

2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
120GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics

Ships: Within 24hrs
Free Shipping
$599.00
as low as $14.00 a month

It doesn't include a monitor, but that seems pretty affordable to me...

 

[Tremulant]

Anyway, who knew this would be such a hot topic. Maybe this forum could be the next MAC -vs- PC commercial???

Seriously.. I know I'm enjoying it! opcorn:

 

[FZ1inNH]

BTW-Eric, I must have missed something. Do you have an FZ1 now?

Yes sir! Check out this thread.... http://www.600riders.com/forum/non-fz6-motorcycle-section/16858-i-cannot-fz6innh-any-more.html

But we can still meet up for rides, right?

 

[DaveOTZ]

There are many premium PC sellers out there that will deliver a plug and play PC to your door Still not sure what your point is. Sure there are cheap PC makers too, but that just depends on your budget and what you are going to use your PC for... MAC's offer on the other hand is expensive and only expensive (even if you only use your PC to check your email, you'll still be out at least $1499)

OK... it's a marketing strategy...
If you keep a premium line you tend to have complaints about price, but not performance. Microsoft cannot keep (or complain) about piss poor manufacturers. However, if Apple wants to take on the giant PC market they need to offer something different. To subsidize their smaller PC business they have the IPOD market, which is still pricey compared to some PMPs, but well within the budget of many individuals. As of recently the mac has become more affordable (mini for $599 and the new issuing of the macbook for $999) and still bottoming out at 2.4 GHZ.

This is similar to a lot of expensive clothing lines. Why compete with Old Navy when you can make less, more expensive and more stylish (not my way to go, but there people that appreciate it as art) clothing that you can offset cost with with affordable perfumes/colognes and accessories.

Bottom line, I agree with everything you say, but enjoy the freedom of living in a dual platform home and understand why the fanboys will be fanboys.

 

[darkrider]

This is similar to a lot of expensive clothing lines. Why compete with Old Navy when you can make less, more expensive and more stylish (not my way to go, but there people that appreciate it as art) clothing that you can offset cost with with affordable perfumes/colognes and accessories.

Great point here! Banana Republic, The Gap, Old Navy...all are the same company, but as you go down the line the clothes get cheaper by price and quality! It's all about choice!

 

[Wavex]

OK... it's a marketing strategy...
If you keep a premium line you tend to have complaints about price, but not performance. Microsoft cannot keep (or complain) about piss poor manufacturers. However, if Apple wants to take on the giant PC market they need to offer something different. To subsidize their smaller PC business they have the IPOD market, which is still pricey compared to some PMPs, but well within the budget of many individuals. As of recently the mac has become more affordable (mini for $599 and the new issuing of the macbook for $999) and still bottoming out at 2.4 GHZ.

This is similar to a lot of expensive clothing lines. Why compete with Old Navy when you can make less, more expensive and more stylish (not my way to go, but there people that appreciate it as art) clothing that you can offset cost with with affordable perfumes/colognes and accessories.

Bottom line, I agree with everything you say, but enjoy the freedom of living in a dual platform home and understand why the fanboys will be fanboys.

Yeah I think we're on the same page... Microsoft only sells the software that goes into a PC, nothing else, so you can't say MAC > MS because Mac's hardware is better That's all I was saying.

If you only compare the software between Mac and MS, it comes down to personal preference, so to each his own.

Having both platform is a good idea... I may get my wife a MAC because it'd be easier for her :thumbup: