Why I love Apple

[Jason Dunn]

Ok, I don't really, but to offset my last post I thought I'd share what I do in fact like about Apple and the Mac (because I do admire them for a few things that the PC industry has been unable to accomplish thus far): <br /><br />• They understand that people like attractive computer hardware, and they spend serious effort creating hardware that looks good, feels good, and tastes good (I'm sure at least one iMac owner has "licked the lamp" so to speak) <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif" /><br />• They had the guts to switch over to a new core for the OS (UNIX) and drag the rest of their user base with them (whether they liked it or not).<br />• They understand the importance of digital media and try to create hardware and software to take advantage of that.<br /><br />There are quite a few things that I don't like about Apple, but I'll keep that in the other thread. I sincerely believe that the PC industry has a few lessons to learn from Apple, but no one wants to go to school. In a slump like this, perhaps they should? What do YOU admire about Apple? Come on, there has to be at least one thing...

[mookie123]

True,

makes me wonder why Apple doens't have a PDA yet?
think about it, a minicamcorder with PDA capability? wouldn't it just the perfect apple multimedia product? record movie, sound and picture edit them too before assembled together in desktop.

I sitll think Apple has something big for PDA world but they are not telling yet. (that and the fact iPOD is a PDA in disguise)

[grogma]

What I like the most about the Mac ... check that... what I ABSOLUTELY LOVE about the Mac is that when people have problems with them I can look them in the eye and tell them with absolute honesty that I can not help them. If anyone I know (or who knows my phone number) asks me what kind of computer to buy I always recommend a Mac for that reason. Don't own one, never have, can't help you, so sorry.

[entropy1980]

I just want an Ipod that's all. I mean I know you guys already mentioned it week(s) ago, but to me that's what I love about Apple, is the cool hardware and software that make it un-PC, the aqua interface on OS X is more like a lifelike structure or animal than a OS it's so fluid. I am soooo sick of looking at my biege box PC I am almost tempted to try and find a G4 case and cram PC parts in it! :D

[Jonathon Watkins]

I want an original blue iMac so I can strip out the junk inside, seal it up and put water and fish inside it. :D

Oh - and a working 20Gb iPod. :wink: Those ARE nice.

[Jason Dunn]

...when people have problems with them I can look them in the eye and tell them with absolute honesty that I can not help them

Hahahahaa!! :lol: I know EXACTLY what you mean! It's quite refreshing to say "I have no ability to help you - sorry." I can't do that with PCs...but I also, for the most part, enjoy helping people with computer issues.

[Foo Fighter]

Why do I like Apple? Because they are the only exciting (and innovative) company left in the tech industry. Ever get excited when Dell or Gateway introduce a new Desktop or laptop? Me neither. Sure, we have the occasional Windows release, but even that isn't as exciting as it used to be. XP is very nice, but it's hardly ground breaking.

Apple blazes trails that others simply follow. Example: iPhoto. Want to make a Photo book? Just upload the photos from your digital camera to your Mac and away you go. Beautiful full color, professional print quality photo books.

Want to make a photo book on your PC? You can't! No one makes software that integrates this feature or service. All those Gigahertz and I still can't make a photo book? :roll:

[entropy1980]

I also, for the most part, enjoy helping people with computer issues.
Please give me your phone number so I can foward the calls! :lol: :lol:

[danmanmayer]

I never would have thought mac was worth anything, until recently. Macs just weren't usefull or worthwhile until OS X came out. Then I had to say they had a very good alternative to windows machines. The thing is it really isn't better than windows, probably on par now. Since i am so familiar with windows and all the software i own is windows software i have little reason to switch. But they are definately getting closer and closer to making me want to buy one of their machines. I mean they are supposed to have simpler and faster video editing, and image editing. Both of which are some of my primary uses for a computer. So will mac ever win me away. Probably not until i can build my own mac as cheap as i can build my own PC.

[Reluctant Luddite]

Let's see.

-The iPod -- looking above, it seems everyone loves the iPod. Looks like Apple has at least one "killer" product.

-RDF! Yay! I got excited after Jobs announced Jaguar, and I don't even own a Mac (yet :wink:) 'Course, that means I didn't get jacked by .mac either, so the RDF hit me full force.

-www.crazyapplerumors.com The July 29 article "Apple Enlists Sun As Ally Against Microsoft" is particularly good. If there was a crazydellrumors.com I'd probably love Dell too.

[krisbrown]

http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20010508

[JonnoB]

makes me wonder why Apple doens't have a PDA yet?


Remember the Newton? Way ahead of its time. I think it took a company like Palm to make a PDA critical in people's lives. Now that the public is educated, Apple could bring back the Newton in a much better form and function. The competition would do good for Palm and Microsoft. At least Apple has Sony-like innovation when it comes to style and form.

[XmanHP548]

As one of the few Mac users on the board (I assume), I applaud Jason's post! I switched to a Mac back in December after being a long time Wintel user and I haven't looked back. Mac OS X is incredible and becomes more and more amazing each week as great software is released for it!

Although I am NOT pleased with Steve Job's recent revoking of a "free" email address for life and no upgrade pricing for OS 10.2 AND although being a PocketPC user whose primary home computer is a Mac has presented its challenges and drawbacks,....I couldn't imagine ever going back to the Wintel world.

Comeon over to Steve's side, Jason, maybe you could be the next star of one of the switch commericals!
:wink:

[jweitzman]

Honestly, as a long-time Mac user (yes, there are many of us using PocketPCs!), and a long-time evangelist for the platform, I've given up trying to enumerate all the advantages in Mac vs. PC discussions.

I'll tell anyone who is really considering whether to purchase a Mac why they should, but as for the debates, who cares? PC users can do whatever they want. I work in Windows all day but have only Macs at home. To me, there is no debate.

Speed? Both are fast enough for everything I do, from Powerpoint to editing movies and burning DVDs. Not an issue.

Working on a Mac is like driving a great car, or running your hand across a piece of fine furniture. The fit and finish are there, the experience just feels right. You reach out to do something and sure enough, the control you expected is there, the guess you made is correct.

Is that what everyone should care about? Probably not. Who cares. I will stick with my Mac.

P.S. Any group of people (us) who can put up with the frustrations of using PocketPC (esp. ActiveSync) isn't qualified to judge what normal people should appreciate in a computer! :wink:

[lexden]

More and more of the Pocket PC Thoughts website seems to be about non Pocket PC items. Could we return to the subject - I don't mind the odd off-topic post on the main page but really!

[bitbank]

In the old days, I always admired Apple's ability to sell $50 worth of hardware for $1200 (Apple IIe).

I also liked their cute little smiley faces when the computer starts, stops and crashes.

L.B.

[JonnoB]

In the old days, I always admired Apple's ability to sell $50 worth of hardware for $1200 (Apple IIe).

I also liked their cute little smiley faces when the computer starts, stops and crashes.

L.B.

The actual physical costs may have been low, but within the price of a system they have to make enough money to pay for future product innovation and pay off the R&D debt that is incurred in the platform being sold. Afterall, it is supply and demand... Apple sold plenty of computer systems, so the cost wasn't too high to prevent people from wanting one.

[Jason Dunn]

More and more of the Pocket PC Thoughts website seems to be about non Pocket PC items. Could we return to the subject - I don't mind the odd off-topic post on the main page but really!

Hey, what can I tell ya, it was a slow news day for the Pocket PC - I prefer to have some action on off-topic stuff than a dead site. :-)

[Jason Dunn]

My reason for disliking Apple

Uh, guys? What part of having two threads - one for anti-Mac statements, and one for pro-Mac statements, don't you understand? :wink: I'm going to clear out this thread now...let's keep it Mac-happy. There's got to be SOMETHING you like about Apple/Mac. Post rants about Apple in the other thread - thanks!

[heov]

Mac has about 90% of the market... in movies :)

Everytime I see a movie, they always have a Mac! I wonder how much money Apple pays them to have a mac. Anyway, I love apple upgrades. As one said, no one gets excited when a new PC comes out. I wake up early to read Coverage of MacWorld and see what new Macs have come out! I could careless about PCs, They have been the same since Pentium came out! They just make them out of plastic instead of metal now...

[Foo Fighter]

For the record, I hate the "Switch" ad campaign. It falsely portrays Mac users as clueless plods that go through life confused and terrified by Windows machines.

Instead of painting the Mac "switcher" as a bitter, dissenting, victim, why not showcase celebrities and notable professionals that use Macs in their daily work lives?

Scientists from Genentec where Macs are used in labs for complex computational models...or Musicians and bands like Moby, Madonna, Bare Naked Ladies, Dave Mathews band, Smashmouth that use Macs in recording studios, showing PC users why Macs are the platform of choice for the music industry and that the CD albums they buy in record stores were made on Macs running Pro Tools (something many people do not realize)....or Publishers and Pre-Press pros showing how Macs are used in the design, layout, and publishing of most major magazines (did you know that PC World and PC Magazine are done on Macs?)...or professional photographers illustrating why Macs are the dominant platform for digital image editing....or Graphics pros giving testimonials why Macs are the tool of choice in that field.....or video professionals singing the virtues of Final Cut Pro on PowerMacs...or notable actors and actresses that use Macs in their daily lives (Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Ben Aflack, Mike Meyers).

By the way, did anyone see the Will Farrell ad shown during Jobs keynote at MacWorld? "My name is Will Farrell....and I'm a porn actor." :lol:

[IpaqMan2]

I do admire Apple. They have always had computers that caught my interests. And as much as I have complained to others, that designs and colors are no reasons to ever buy a computer, they have grown on me and really are the only company that presents "wow" factor in their design of computers. How hard could it be for Dell to design something that is different and new? And when you think about it, Apple is the only company that is bold enough to add new technology and make them standards long before most PC users catch on to them. But than again, I believe Apple could release a translucent glowing Cow Pie and just because they are Apple and people expect Apple to be so different than PCs, it too would be a success.

But.... The one thing I don't like about Apple, are their prices. There are no competitors and thus everything comes at a premium price which my common sence will never justify for something that is just basically art, and lacks in large amounts of software when compareds to PCs.

[wiredguy]

For the record, I hate the "Switch" ad campaign. It falsely portrays Mac users as clueless plods that go through life confused and terrified by Windows machines.

Instead of painting the Mac "switcher" as a bitter, dissenting, victim, why not showcase celebrities and notable professionals that use Macs in their daily work lives?

Only one reason I can thing of... cause they'd have to pay the actors more money to show up :).

I kinda like the ads. Sure, they don't represent the technology guys like us... but that's not the target audience of the ads. Right?

[sweetpete]

Want to make a photo book on your PC? You can't! No one makes software that integrates this feature or service. All those Gigahertz and I still can't make a photo book? :roll:

Not sure if you've checked this out on your PC box, but I've done this with WinXP since it was released and I can "print" directly to my photolab and have them ready for pickup in 1 hour. I can also upload them directly to my MSN community (as you can to iPhoto, though I still have free space :wink: ... for now), and run it through a wizard and make a nice online photo album.

[ricktakagi]

I'm curious to know if anyone has not bought a mac due to the lack of a conduit for their PocketPC. Is anyone using PocketMac (only conduit for syncing a mac)? I'm really hoping that a version of activesync will eventually be available. I think it could only benefit the PocketPC platform and microsoft...anyone else think so?

Rick T.

[klinux]

But your photo lab don't make it all pretty like Apple. 8)

[XmanHP548]

I was trying to hook up my old Jornada 548 to the Mac through PocketMac Pro and was not having any luck (reference some of my old posts warning about my frustrations).
Now, though, I have a brand new Maestro and it synchs up with PocketMac Pro and Entourage X after a couple of tries (no worse than when I try to synch it up with my work PeeCee with ActiveSync heh heh heh), so I am not as pissy as I once was.
You really have to have a newer PocketPC running the 2002 OS to make real use of PocketMac Pro though.

For the record, I will state that the PocketMac team has been pretty helpful about responding to my emails and questions. They have also refunded the $$$ to several people who could not get it to work, so my hat is off to them!

It is a challenge being a PocketPC user and a Mac devotee, but I like to use the best of what's around. In my mind, in the computing market Mac wins hands down every time. In the PDA departmet, PocketPC wins everytime as well. Even if the costs of the Mac or the PocketPC is more, I think in the long run it is worth it!

Now, if Mac ever comes out with a new PDA then I might dump the Maestro, but that's another story :D

[ricktakagi]

I haven't tried out Pocketmac yet but I understand that it won't sync email from entourage yet...is that right?

I am glad to hear that it's working out though. I'm going to try it out sometime soon.


Rick T.

[XmanHP548]

You are correct that the current PocketMac Pro will not synch email with Entourage. Hopefully, they will address this in future releases?
Right now it just connects with the Entourage calendar, tasks, and address book. Also, you can browse your PocketPC's files with it as well.

[snappy2515]

The thing I like most about Apple :roll: is the design of thier products.......but its like the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" I've never owned an Apple but from what i hear they aren't what they are made out to be.....I dont know that myself though....I'll just hafta go out and buy one of those nifty ibooks with the wide screen 8O.....those things look so cool!

[tmhisey]

Instead of painting the Mac "switcher" as a bitter, dissenting, victim, why not showcase celebrities and notable professionals that use Macs in their daily work lives?


Great idea -- but that was a few years worth of marketing campaigns ago for Apple. :P Maybe you remember the "What does so-and-so have on his PowerBook" commercials?

They would show authors, musicians (Herbie Hancock is one I remember), etc. who would list out the essential software, documents, etc. that they were carrying around on their PowerBook laptops.

[JMountford]

I actually really do like Macs!!! :changes:
I love OS X!!! XP has nothing on the Current Mac OS. I Love the styling!!!! I like a lot about Macs. I am profecient enough on them.

Only real complaints, 1. Way too espensive. 2. Not enough software support out there. 3. Software is too expensive.

[entropy1980]

By the way, did anyone see the Will Farrell ad shown during Jobs keynote at MacWorld? "My name is Will Farrell....and I'm a porn actor." :lol:
here's the vid it is freakin hilarious!
http://technojunkie.org/berniec/ferrell_switch.html

[klinux]

tmhisey: Don't forget the Think Different campaign too. I know this may be off-topic but in general Apple le's advertising is far superior and memorable than Windows.

Sure, the Dell dude guy is getting his 15 minutes of fame but will it be remembered like Apple's '1984' commercial? I think not.

[klinux]

And speaking of things to like about Mac, I like that fact that they are pushing things toward the widescreen format i.e the 17" iMac and the Powerbook series.

There is absolutely no reason why monitors (or TVs) need to be in in the 4:3 format.

[imac9556]

Hi,
I have an PowerMac G4, iMac 333Mhz, iBook 600Mhz Combo Drive, and Apple Airport 2.0. I also have a Windows Computer that I built, Pentium 4 1.8ghz :) and an iPaq 3835, and 3135. Personally, I would like both the mac and pc. The Mac has its good points, and bad points , so as the pc (means computers running windows). I use the Mac when I want to play some games and Apples itunes,imovie,idvd,and ical. that i only have for the mac, and I use the PC for everything I do. IMO, I think PCs and Macs Rule and Microsoft and Apple should come together, no merge into one company, and make some operating system that is Mac and PC compatible. GO PCs and Macs!!! :lol: :lol:

[Jason Dunn]

But your photo lab don't make it all pretty like Apple. 8)

I created a killer photo album of my wedding for my wife using Shutterfly - the company that Apple uses for their books charges something insane like $50 to ship to Canada. It blew me away. I don't know that I'd want my photo app (iPhoto) tied to a single vendor.

But I *do* think it's cool how much effort they put into iPhoto - I wish the XP digital photo import wizard had just a few more options.

[wiredguy]

Hi,
I have an PowerMac G4, iMac 333Mhz, iBook 600Mhz Combo Drive, and Apple Airport 2.0. I also have a Windows Computer that I built, Pentium 4 1.8ghz :) and an iPaq 3835, and 3135. Personally, I would like both the mac and pc. The Mac has its good points, and bad points , so as the pc (means computers running windows). I use the Mac when I want to play some games and Apples itunes,imovie,idvd,and ical. that i only have for the mac, and I use the PC for everything I do. IMO, I think PCs and Macs Rule and Microsoft and Apple should come together, no merge into one company, and make some operating system that is Mac and PC compatible. GO PCs and Macs!!! :lol: :lol:

You want them to merge? No competition means higher prices, less innovation, and basically worse experience overall. Trust me... that would be the worst thing for consumers.

[wiredguy]

But your photo lab don't make it all pretty like Apple. 8)

I created a killer photo album of my wedding for my wife using Shutterfly - the company that Apple uses for their books charges something insane like $50 to ship to Canada. It blew me away. I don't know that I'd want my photo app (iPhoto) tied to a single vendor.

But I *do* think it's cool how much effort they put into iPhoto - I wish the XP digital photo import wizard had just a few more options.

I'm sure we will see them open up to more vendors in the future... they just needed one solid company to get the idea off the ground. Maybe additional printing companies will be added like plug-ins, just like media players have plugins for MP3 player support... then again, they'll probably think of an easier way :).

[Paragon]

There is one very go thing about Macs.....I don't own one! :roll:

Foo Fighter is right though. I have been in many sound booths over the years. They all have Macs running Pro Tools.

Dave

[pt]

sure the os is different than what "most" people are using, but man, it's nice, i really get stuff done, it makes sense to me. and the hardware, it's sooooo sweet, so much better than a grey or black box. it does everything i need it to, sure--there might not be as many applications, but for the most all the apps are better. the display? all i can say is wow! and as far as multimedia goes, there's nothing better. while the market share isn't 90%, that's okay, market share doesn't matter to me, i'm enlightened. and yes, it's a little more expensive, but hey--it's worth it.

i love my pocket pc.

er, or was i talking about my mac.

cheers,
pt

[Foo Fighter]

Not sure if you've checked this out on your PC box, but I've done this with WinXP since it was released and I can "print" directly to my photolab and have them ready for pickup in 1 hour.

No no no. I'm not talking about having prints made. Any online photo service can do that already.

I'm talking about professionaly made, linen-bound Photo/story books.

Like this:

[Jason Dunn]

No no no. I'm not talking about having prints made. Any online photo service can do that already. I'm talking about professionaly made, linen-bound Photo/story books.

But as I've already pointed out, there are other online services that offer this. Books, pads of paper, magnets, stuff bears...this is a function of the company offering the service, not the Mac.

Apple WAS wise to tie it tightly into the app though - it makes it seem like it's their idea. ;-)

[Foo Fighter]

But as I've already pointed out, there are other online services that offer this. Books, pads of paper, magnets, stuff bears...this is a function of the company offering the service, not the Mac.

What online services offer this? My sister desperately wants to be able to do this from her PC (without having to buy a Mac). But I've visited Club Photo, Shutterfly, and Ofoto, and I don't see this exact Photo book service offered. All I see are snapshot albums like this:

[ricktakagi]

who else offers the linen bound books? I have ordered photo album type of albums with the rings like a notebook but haven't seen the actual books anywhere else. Shutterfly might offer it now...i'm not sure.


Rick T.

[Jason Dunn]

What online services offer this? My sister desperately wants to be able to do this from her PC (without having to buy a Mac).

http://www2.mypublisher.com/windowsxp/index.htm

And because your sister is using XP, she can save $10. ;-) This is the same company that Apple uses.

[Foo Fighter]

You know what else I like better about Macs? Posting on message boards like this with OmniWeb. It's a kick ass web browser for OSX that has a built-in spell check feature. Misspelled words are identified on the fly as you type.

So typing in a text box on web pages is just like working in Microsoft Word.

Comes in very handy when you are typing in a hurry...or have had one to many beers! :P

[Foo Fighter]

http://www2.mypublisher.com/windowsxp/index.htm

And because your sister is using XP, she can save $10. ;-) This is the same company that Apple uses.

Wow! Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for. But I thought Apple was using Kodak for its book service?

My sister doesn't use XP, so she loses out on the $10 discount. I tried to get her to upgrade to XP when I sold her my old Gateway Laptop (running Win2k). She's just too tight to pony up the $99 for the upgrade. Oh well, her loss.

[jeffmckean]

I miss my Mac sometimes. But I switched quite a while ago and haven't looked back.

Glad there seems to be room for both!

[cpoole]

PC vendors may add a slight curve or an occasional color to the standard boxy case but they all really look the same.

Apple has made some great looking products. It is not only the main box, but the monitors and accessories all have that cool Apple look. The notebook computer scene from "Legally Blond" really shows how Apple has achieved a unique and identifiable product.

Unfortunate, one of my main interests is computer gaming so the Apple has never been of much interest to me. I also don't get that one button mouse... I really like the right click options of Windows. In fact, I am usually surprised if an object on a PC screen does not respond to a right click.

[mstie423]

Maybe the great software divide is starting to fill in?

"Halo Announced for the Mac!
It is finally coming, but not until sometime in 2003..."

That's announced on ign.com's Mac site. Sure it's been on Xbox for awhile now and will come to PC soon too, but for the Mac to get such an awesome game with the incredible graphics....? Sounds good to me.

I also seem to remember a site that converts PC games to Mac. Can't remember it though.

[Foo Fighter]

Just posted on Anchordesk.com:

http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2876696,00.html

[Foo Fighter]

I also don't get that one button mouse... I really like the right click options of Windows. In fact, I am usually surprised if an object on a PC screen does not respond to a right click.

Arg! Not again. How many times must I say this?.....MacOS does have right-click menu support. Apple just gives you a one button mouse because it is "easier" to use..or so the thinking goes.

[Jason Dunn]

You know what else I like better about Macs? Posting on message boards like this with OmniWeb. It's a kick ass web browser for OSX that has a built-in spell check feature. Misspelled words are identified on the fly as you type.

That is quite cool! I have a similar function with Activewords, and it works in any application, automatically. Though it's not quite as full-features a spell checker as Word.

[Jason Dunn]

Wow! Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for. But I thought Apple was using Kodak for its book service?

Hmm - I COULD be wrong, but Eric "Mac Daddy" Levine told me that was the company that did the books. Either way, they're hard-bound liked you wanted, so...and I think the coupon is just a coupon, not tied to an OS.

[Rob Alexander]

PC vendors may add a slight curve or an occasional color to the standard boxy case but they all really look the same.

I'd say there are some great looking cases out there for PCs. For example, this case that I was recently considering looks as good as any Mac case. Since the peripherals are behind the blue glass door, you don't really have to search for black ones if you don't want to. Just add a black keyboard and monitor and you'll have no need to apologize to your Mac friends (if you have any).

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/%7Edstevens/images/nob1.jpg

http://www.amdmb.com/article-display.php?ArticleID=147

[Rob Alexander]

I also don't get that one button mouse... I really like the right click options of Windows. In fact, I am usually surprised if an object on a PC screen does not respond to a right click.

Arg! Not again. How many times must I say this?.....MacOS does have right-click menu support. Apple just gives you a one button mouse because it is "easier" to use..or so the thinking goes.

Foo, there's no point getting exasperated. We hear you and we understand. We just don't agree with you that it's a good thing. A one-button mouse is not easier, it's just more limiting. Apple should have moved to a two-button mouse out of the box years ago. That they didn't embrace this obviously superior concept, when they are so willing to make other radical changes, can only be explained by their not wanting to accept a Microsoft innovation. They built it into their operating system, but in stealth mode where you have to be an advanced user to even know about it, and you have to go buy extra hardware to make it happen.

[ricktakagi]

I think I heard something about a 2 button mouse coming out from Apple sometime soon, many thought it was coming at the last macworld...maybe next macworld?

Kenington makes a killer multi button mouse and I hear that the Microsoft intellimouse works pretty good.


Rick T.

[Foo Fighter]

Foo, there's no point getting exasperated. We hear you and we understand. We just don't agree with you that it's a good thing.

Agree with me!?!? 8O What on Earth are you talking about? I never said a one-button mouse was a "good thing". That's Apple's philosophy..not mine.

I'm just trying to dispel the myth that MacOS doesn't have "right-click" support (ala Windows).

[cpoole]

I also don't get that one button mouse... I really like the right click options of Windows. In fact, I am usually surprised if an object on a PC screen does not respond to a right click.

Arg! Not again. How many times must I say this?.....MacOS does have right-click menu support. Apple just gives you a one button mouse because it is "easier" to use..or so the thinking goes.

Okay... so enlighten me how this works. I have not seen many MAC users at work but any that I have watched seem to be clicking at the main menu a lot.

[Foo Fighter]

Okay... so enlighten me how this works. I have not seen many MAC users at work but any that I have watched seem to be clicking at the main menu a lot.

Well, you just get yourself a standard USB mouse, say a typical Logitech or Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer, and plug it into your Mac. That's it, there's your right-click button.

[mstie423]

MyPublisher.com DEFINETLY does the books for iPhoto. I bought one, showed it to one of my Mac-Loving teachers that had bought one in the past, and he said it was identical. It was in PC Magazine a while back too.

[ricktakagi]

I just got my PCworld magazine in the mail today and what do I see on the last page?

"Sick of blue screens? get a mac!"

http://www.pcworld.com/features/article/0,aid,102528,00.asp


Rick T.

[tinyshiver]

Well, you just get yourself a standard USB mouse, say a typical Logitech or Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer, and plug it into your Mac. That's it, there's your right-click button.

You don't really need a seperate mouse. Ctrl clicking on anything brings up contextual, hierarchical menus...

oh, and as far as the company used for making those hardbound iPhoto books...mine came from oFoto..which I think is tied in with Kodak, like one of the previous people said.

I've used a Mac since the original 512k model in 1984, and a PC from the time of the PCxt...I have always been happier using the Mac and get a lot more done on it. It still excites me to use it, and I tend to spend a lot more time exploring possibilities on it. I am also much happier with the quality of software on the Mac, granted that there is less choice which I understand can be a problem for some people. It still stands that Apple has continuously been a leader in product and OS design. When the original iMac came out...USB was just a blip on the radar. Now it's everywhere because Apple forced the hand of hardware manufacturers. Same with Firewire, SCSI...etc. Ethernet has been standard equipment on all Macs for years. I am aware that it is standard on many PC's in the past few years. I feel that whatever the increased cost is for a Mac is put to good use in the quality of the components that make up the system and knowing I don't really need to think about adding this or that because it's already built in. I think lots of people don't consider Macs solely because they have so much fun bashing them, they wouldn't be part of the "in" group at work anymore if they suddenly stopped. I still think that whatever works best for you is what you should use and if it's an Xp box or Linux box...great. But Macs are in no way limited compared to a PC in abilities. Just my 2 cents.
Nic

[klinux]

I also don't get that one button mouse... I really like the right click options of Windows. In fact, I am usually surprised if an object on a PC screen does not respond to a right click.

Arg! Not again. How many times must I say this?.....MacOS does have right-click menu support. Apple just gives you a one button mouse because it is "easier" to use..or so the thinking goes.

Foo, there's no point getting exasperated. We hear you and we understand. We just don't agree with you that it's a good thing. A one-button mouse is not easier, it's just more limiting. Apple should have moved to a two-button mouse out of the box years ago. That they didn't embrace this obviously superior concept, when they are so willing to make other radical changes, can only be explained by their not wanting to accept a Microsoft innovation. They built it into their operating system, but in stealth mode where you have to be an advanced user to even know about it, and you have to go buy extra hardware to make it happen.

Who is this proverbial "we" here? And apparently you are the only person who's smart enough to find the sole explanation for the non-inclusion a two button mouse? So what if Microsoft introduced a two button mouse? Apple was the first commercial/consumer vendor to include a mouse in their system back in 1984. Lastly, the right mouse feature is never a stealth mode where one has to be an advanced uder to know about. The only people who seems to not know about that feature is a PC user talking about a Mac.

[Liquidrice]

Yup, another converted Mac user with a ppc (jornada 568). I converted the minute I saw the titatinum powerbook. I still have a pc for testing websites but the beautiful powerbook got me. (it is actuall much simpler to do graphics work on a mac. i use to do graphics work on a pc and it's just not as a good of a graphics machine. There are a lot of little things that a mac has that makes a graphic designer's life easier.)

Anyone know where in nyc I can get a t mobile ppc phone???? I had one in my hands last friday (23rd and 5th) and i decided to think about it!! stupid me...

[klinux]

PC vendors may add a slight curve or an occasional color to the standard boxy case but they all really look the same.

I'd say there are some great looking cases out there for PCs. For example, this case that I was recently considering looks as good as any Mac case. Since the peripherals are behind the blue glass door, you don't really have to search for black ones if you don't want to. Just add a black keyboard and monitor and you'll have no need to apologize to your Mac friends (if you have any).

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/%7Edstevens/images/nob1.jpg

http://www.amdmb.com/article-display.php?ArticleID=147

No one is saying there isn't great PC cases out there. I have done some modding myself and can include tons of pictures and links, but what's the point? The point is that if you want a good looking PC, you do not have that many choices but to roll your own. Apple, however, consistently comes out with award-winning (albeit more costly) designs.

[Liquidrice]

Working on a Mac is like driving a great car, or running your hand across a piece of fine furniture. The fit and finish are there, the experience just feels right. You reach out to do something and sure enough, the control you expected is there, the guess you made is correct.


Good one!! It's like driving a Benz compared to a driving Honda or sitting on a leather chair from office depot to sitting on a Herman Miller Aeron Chair. Sure one cost more, but it's better built and with the newest technology. Firewire for instance, it's not even that new of a technology. Dell being the number 1 computer maker in america can not offer an option to add on a firewire card during check out and take more of my money!! Yes, I own a Dell too.

My friend and I had this discussion, Windows make you feel dumb sometimes. He brought a Sony laptop recently for portability and windows website testing. The laptop came with win xp. Tell me xp doesn't make you feel dumb sometimes, i sure felt dumb after a few uses... Finally convinced him to switch to win2k, after make fun of him for a month. I switch to win2k in 2 days.

[wiredguy]

Working on a Mac is like driving a great car, or running your hand across a piece of fine furniture. The fit and finish are there, the experience just feels right. You reach out to do something and sure enough, the control you expected is there, the guess you made is correct.


Good one!! It's like driving a Benz compared to a driving Honda or sitting on a leather chair from office depot to sitting on a Herman Miller Aeron Chair. Sure one cost more, but it's better built and with the newest technology. Firewire for instance, it's not even that new of a technology. Dell being the number 1 computer maker in america can not offer an option to add on a firewire card during check out and take more of my money!! Yes, I own a Dell too.

My friend and I had this discussion, Windows make you feel dumb sometimes. He brought a Sony laptop recently for portability and windows website testing. The laptop came with win xp. Tell me xp doesn't make you feel dumb sometimes, i sure felt dumb after a few uses... Finally convinced him to switch to win2k, after make fun of him for a month. I switch to win2k in 2 days.

Best of all, Macs are cheaper TCO... here's the link I posted for Jason in the anti-mac thread :).

- http://138.202.192.14/~trembath/smon/tco.html (published 07/21/2002)

Here's a few great quotes:

"The average Wintel home user spends around 50 hours per year troubleshooting their computer, while the average Mac user spends less than 5."

"Note that when the Dean's Office migrated to PC's, the total support cost to implement the move ($750/machine) nearly equaled the cost of some low-end desktops. And that is just technical support, NOT cost of purchase, staff re-training, machine downtime, etc."

"Speaking of viruses, OS X has been attacked by some 300 known viruses. Windows machines have been attacked by more than 50,000."

"If you want to work for the machine, go with Windows. If you want the machine to work for you, go with the Mac."

"Macintosh computers are cheaper to buy and maintain, [with] one study putting them at 25% cheaper to maintain than Windows-based systems." (The study was conducted by the Gartner Group.)

"The Deputy Superintendent for Instruction and Technology for the Conroe School District (suburb of Houston, TX) conducted an extensive survey of platform usage in the 14 western states and concluded that the MacOS is far better for education. Many of the reasons are similar to those already suggested here (ease of installation and maintenance, networking, stability, etc.).

[rowlandh25]

I own a Compaq Evo, Ipaq 3800, Sony Vaio xbr, and a Jornada 820, but nothing can compare to my Apple iBook g4, now that's a computer, it can take multimedia like no pc can, the pc industry should realy look and realize that they are doing something very wrong and wsup with the beige boxes and the cheap look, this is the 21st century, it most change, we demand good looking products, as well as quality.

[fixerdude]

because they can extort^H^H^H^H^H charge their users hefty amounts for upgrades. Every year they come out with hardware & softare that's completely useless with their old OS. We have Macs as old as 2 years being used to prop open doors!

[Jason Dunn]

Speaking of viruses, OS X has been attacked by some 300 known viruses. Windows machines have been attacked by more than 50,000."

Hmm. If we take the Mac at 5% market share, and say Windows at 90% (5% "other"), that would mean that Mac has far less viruses than it should have. See, even the virus writers don't want to write software for the Mac? :lol:

Just kidding of course. But I was a little surprised when Adobe told me that Premier 6.5 would ship for the PC before the Mac version. Is that a sign of things to come? That has traditionally been a strong-hold of the Mac, but if getting the latest version of Premier first requires a PC, what will that do to Apple?

[Foo Fighter]

But I was a little surprised when Adobe told me that Premier 6.5 would ship for the PC before the Mac version. Is that a sign of things to come?

Not really. Apple competes with Adobe in the video editing/production market with its Final Cut Pro software package...which is stealing market share away from Premiere.

Now, if they start putting the PC version of Photoshop or Illustrator ahead of the Mac platform...that would raise some eye brows. 8O

[wiredguy]

Speaking of viruses, OS X has been attacked by some 300 known viruses. Windows machines have been attacked by more than 50,000."

Hmm. If we take the Mac at 5% market share, and say Windows at 90% (5% "other"), that would mean that Mac has far less viruses than it should have. See, even the virus writers don't want to write software for the Mac? :lol:

Just kidding of course. But I was a little surprised when Adobe told me that Premier 6.5 would ship for the PC before the Mac version. Is that a sign of things to come? That has traditionally been a strong-hold of the Mac, but if getting the latest version of Premier first requires a PC, what will that do to Apple?

Oh, the little jab at one quote... but I don't see your comments about the overall point... such as PCs having higher TCO. Now, if you have anything to say about that, I'm all ears.

Or eyes, as I would be reading your reply :).

[wiredguy]

I think over the next 2-3 years we will see Apple chip away at Microsofts market share... perhaps up to 20-25%. Why?

Windows Networking Built-in

Apple OS X 10.2 features Windows networking. This will enable more Macs to be used in the workplace, as one key drawback of the past is now erased. Mac users can login, access network drives, and do more to work with their windows buddies.

Mac TCO Lower than PCs

Business will start to realize they can save thousands of dollars with Apple products. For example, need a windows server? Apple XServe (http://www.apple.com/xserve/) can fake itself as a Windows server, NO licencees required for each network PC!! Here's a quote:

"Xserve lets you eliminate the most galling expense in your department’s budget: the per-user “tax” you’ve been obliged to pay for using server software. Since Xserve comes with an unlimited-client license for the UNIX-based, industrial-strength Mac OS X Server, you can serve thousands of additional users — without spending thousands of additional dollars in licensing fees."

Oh, and it can be your webserver, storage server, and much more all at the same time.

More TCO info here (http://138.202.192.14/~trembath/smon/tco.html).

iPods and Multimedia

This one might not have the same power as the others... but iPods and other Multimedia services are starting to catch consumers eyes. People are realizing that Apple is doing some very cool things. This is sure to attract buyers from all sorts of various markets.

And more

There is also a lot more coming together for Apple right now. Partnerships, new products, consumer electronics, etc.

At the same time Apple is taking off, Microsoft seems to be slowing down. We'll have to see how this whole .NET thing plays out... but I'm not all that pumped about it. MS feels they need to make Xbox and other devices instead of making their OS and Software more intuitive. Classic case of getting lazy, and working on unnecessary markets. Like IBM before them, Microsoft seems to think they are unbreakable... yet Apple is knocking.

[Jason Dunn]

Oh, the little jab at one quote... but I don't see your comments about the overall point... such as PCs having higher TCO. Now, if you have anything to say about that, I'm all ears.

I read through some of it, but considering most of the information is hosted on a mac.com address, I don't know if I consider it objective. The "logic" in most of those issues is a little suspect, but even if the TCO of the Mac is lower (let's say it is), I'm not sure that it's a death blow to the PC (obviously not - people are using PCs). Refuting each one of those points would take a lot of time, and it's not like you'll suddenly change your mind, so what's the point?

I for one am glad that my younger siblings used PCs in school - having Macs in schools basically sabotages students. Statistically, they won't be using a Mac in the workplace, so why learn on one?

The marketplace has spoken, and Apple is a niche player. Period.

You really got your post count up on this thread eh Richard? :lol:

[Liquidrice]

because they can extort^H^H^H^H^H charge their users hefty amounts for upgrades. Every year they come out with hardware & softare that's completely useless with their old OS. We have Macs as old as 2 years being used to prop open doors!


Please give an example of this. I can run OS9 software in OSX, if OSX is the upgrade you are talking about. and what's the hardware that you are talking about?

Doesn't PCs come up with new hardware every year that cost just as much?

I actually only use my pc for copying cds (and testing websites).

[wiredguy]

Oh, the little jab at one quote... but I don't see your comments about the overall point... such as PCs having higher TCO. Now, if you have anything to say about that, I'm all ears.

I read through some of it, but considering most of the information is hosted on a mac.com address, I don't know if I consider it objective. The "logic" in most of those issues is a little suspect, but even if the TCO of the Mac is lower (let's say it is), I'm not sure that it's a death blow to the PC (obviously not - people are using PCs). Refuting each one of those points would take a lot of time, and it's not like you'll suddenly change your mind, so what's the point?

I for one am glad that my younger siblings used PCs in school - having Macs in schools basically sabotages students. Statistically, they won't be using a Mac in the workplace, so why learn on one?

The marketplace has spoken, and Apple is a niche player. Period.

You really got your post count up on this thread eh Richard? :lol:

Statistically, working on the same Windows OS in the workplace isn't a reality either, so I don't see that being a big deal. I used a Windows 3.0 computer in school... doesn't do any good for using XP in the workplace now. Did you see the list of reasons why it is better not to work on the same OS you use for business?

- http://homepage.mac.com/mac_vs_pc/3.html

Oh, and just because the pages are on a mac.com address, doesn't mean apple made em. Just Mac users that are using their .mac (yes, it costs money) homepage service.

http://homepage.mac.com/mac_vs_pc/MacsForKids.gif

[wiredguy]

I think it's time to close these two Mac threads... but obviously it's not my call :).

I think we've all learned a lot (hopefully everybody kept an open mind to both arguments). Both Operating Systems are excellent, and have come a long way in the past several years. We live in exciting times.

[TQBrady]

fixerdude wrote:
because they can extort^H^H^H^H^H charge their users hefty amounts for upgrades. Every year they come out with hardware & softare that's completely useless with their old OS. We have Macs as old as 2 years being used to prop open doors!

Obviously no one at your place knows Jack about Mac! You can take a 5 year old Macintosh, and, with third-party parts, bring it up to par with the latest Macs. The old beige PowerPC towers - the very first PowerPCs - can be upgraded to G4 processors. Try this on: a PowerBook from 98 can also be upgraded to a G4. Can anyone here name an upgradable PC notebook? No. I know. My last two jobs before this one were in notebook remanufacture.

In fact, name a PC that's so upgradable. We are talking about going from a 50 MHz processor to a G4 800 MHz(some beige PowerPCs can make that leap). From 486 to P4 there were too many form-factor changes to make the socket or slot from one compatible with the next.

[Rob Alexander]

I also don't get that one button mouse... I really like the right click options of Windows. In fact, I am usually surprised if an object on a PC screen does not respond to a right click.

Arg! Not again. How many times must I say this?.....MacOS does have right-click menu support. Apple just gives you a one button mouse because it is "easier" to use..or so the thinking goes.

Foo, there's no point getting exasperated. We hear you and we understand. We just don't agree with you that it's a good thing. A one-button mouse is not easier, it's just more limiting. Apple should have moved to a two-button mouse out of the box years ago. That they didn't embrace this obviously superior concept, when they are so willing to make other radical changes, can only be explained by their not wanting to accept a Microsoft innovation. They built it into their operating system, but in stealth mode where you have to be an advanced user to even know about it, and you have to go buy extra hardware to make it happen.

Who is this proverbial "we" here? And apparently you are the only person who's smart enough to find the sole explanation for the non-inclusion a two button mouse? So what if Microsoft introduced a two button mouse? Apple was the first commercial/consumer vendor to include a mouse in their system back in 1984. Lastly, the right mouse feature is never a stealth mode where one has to be an advanced uder to know about. The only people who seems to not know about that feature is a PC user talking about a Mac.

"We" are all the non-Mac people reading this thread, who after 687 times reading you and Foo tell us that you can add a two-button mouse, don't need to be told again. And "we" certainly don't need you guys getting upset just because someone else comes along and says they don't like the one-button mouse and suggesting that saying you don't like a one-button mouse automatically means you don't know you can buy a two-button mouse for your Mac . Hey, I don't like the one-button mouse. It's stupid and you'd have to be an idiot not to see the advantage of having another button (or more). Get over it!

No need to tell me, now that I've one again expressed my dislike for the one-button mouse, how you can have a two-button mouse on a Mac. I know that and I still think the one-button mouse is stupid. Are we clear yet? (And yet, I can somehow imagine you right now thinking, "that guy still doesn't understand that you can add a two-button mouse to a Mac".)

[Rob Alexander]

No one is saying there isn't great PC cases out there.

Actually, that's exactly what they were saying. Go read it again.

I have done some modding myself and can include tons of pictures and links, but what's the point? The point is that if you want a good looking PC, you do not have that many choices but to roll your own. Apple, however, consistently comes out with award-winning (albeit more costly) designs.

I'd say the real point is that you don't have to go to Apple to get a great looking computer. And I have a heck of a lot more choices of great looking styles with a PC than I do with Apple. ("Would you like berry red or pretty purple, sir?") Granted, most people don't choose them, but they're there if you want them.

[Rob Alexander]

Sorry, I just saw the suggestion that we close these out. Probably a good idea so I'll stop too.

[Robotbeat]

The difference between a Mac and a PC is like the difference between a rental car (that you must pay more for in the long run) and your own choice of a car.

I don't care what you guys think "TCO" means, but I know that the problems people have on their computers are generally the same as they would have on a Mac, OR they wouldn't have it on the Mac because the software isn't available. But I'll just continue my analogy...

A rental car is nice smelling and has leather seats and is all clean. It just so happens that there are no really cheap rental cars, just ones that are more expensive. You generally don't have to worry about the engine too much because before you got it the person who rented it to you made sure it would work. All of this is easy, because you just pay people to make the decisions like that.

In a car you own yourself, you'll be paying less, in my analogy. You can pick an old, used car (like a win98 machine and a... say... AMD K-6 processor) or a fast, new car like a Viper (dual Athlon MP with 1 GB RAM and dual 160 GB HDs, etc.). You have to decide to clean the car yourself, but at least you have the chance to make it dirty! (some rental cars won't let you eat in the car, just like how you can't install as much software on a Mac) You can still pay to get a clean car, though (like WinXP, as it is stable and will support pretty much all Win95+ software). And, for guys like me, you can work on your car to soup it up or even do the regular maintanence yourself instead of being forced to pay someone else to do it (you can't get much third-party hardware stuff, besides the stuff you see in the back of your ClubMac catalog..., and even that you won't get support from Apple).

If you are a rich actor like Mike Myers or are in an already expensive production studio, going for the rental is no biggie. But you're not going to get more performance than a hardcore PC enthusiast like myself. I have personally never really gotten a virus on my PC and I don't use AntiVirus software. My friend has once written a sort of virus for the Mac that will freeze any Macs that visit his website or something like that...

I love computer hardware maybe even more than the actual use of it (and I especially don't care how it looks on the outside), so that would mean that my opinion is much different than a normal computer user. I am currently putting together my own dual Athlon machine. I will be using Athlon XP 1800+ cpus and unlocking them and overclocking them until they are at least Athlon MP 2000+ cpus that cost over twice as much. I'll be putting it all together myself and I have already made some heatsink and fan adjustments to get optimal cooling for the lowest price. I will be paying very little on this project, though. I do this sort of thing for a job, so I am pretty good at it. (no, I do NOT sell overclocked systems to customers and not tell them... I have never sold any overclocked system.) I enjoy it. I have a choice between many vendors. I have two 64-bit 66 MHz PCI slots (I don't use them, but at my company I build our own NAS product and I use those fast slots for like hardware RAID controllers and Gigabit ethernet and stuff...).

I don't hate Apple, at least not anymore. I used to before I got a Pocket PC and really started hating Palm foremost, so I actually have softened toward Apple a lot.