Is switching from PC into Mac a worthy decision? [Archive]

View Full Version : Is switching from PC into Mac a worthy decision?

Prevost

08-21-2003, 04:18 AM

Never before I did so, but now I am giving consideration to the idea of selling my PC and buying an iMAC. BTW, I use a Palm, and I am still not sure if I will finally buy also a PocketPC. Also, since this is PocketPC territory, I guess most of you rely on Windows and PC.

But, besides that, what do you think about Mac OS? And Mac computers? Would you say that switching to Mac from PC is going to prove itself a good move, or a dissapointing one (price wisdom apart)?

Obviously, knowing a LOT of you :drool: for innovative designs, for sure iMAC (and, in general, Mac designs) should be enticing for you. :mrgreen:

Hyperluminal

08-21-2003, 05:13 AM

Well, late last year I got fed up with Windows and Dell, and decided to buy a Mac. So I bought a 12" iBook.

The hardware was very nice. It was extremely small and light, and it had a nice screen (kind of small though, but high quality) and an innovative design.

However, I didn't like the Mac OS. For me, it just didn't live up to the hype. For example, Mac OS is supposed to be intuitive. Yet still, while I'd consider myself an expert at Windows, I couldn't get it to recognize the included Mac OS X 10.2 upgrade disc without a restart, and even then it literally went idle for about 20 minutes every time I wanted to use the disc, even after I upgraded to 10.2. Now I'm sure the Mac users here could probably give me an explanation as to what I was doing wrong, but my point is that it wasn't intuitive. Contrary to the ads, Mac OS didn't just work.
Beyond that, I just didn't like the interface. It has less support for using the keyboard to navigate around the computer than Windows. Also, I thought the taskbar was better designed than the dock, despite the fact that the dock is a bit cooler looking. ;) And purely cosmetically, I got really sick of how so many windows had thin, translucent horizontal lines going across them. It drove me nuts. ;)
So I returned the iBook after about a week.

Of course, a lot of this is subjective.. if you got a Mac you may love it.. I may have grown to love mine if I kept it for more than a week. :D These are just my experiences as a switcher-- YMMV.

manywhere

08-21-2003, 08:53 AM

But, besides that, what do you think about Mac OS? And Mac computers? Would you say that switching to Mac from PC is going to prove itself a good move, or a dissapointing one (price wisdom apart)?

OK, Mac OS (X) is maybe sexy looking but that alone does not make me like it... I just does not work fully for me; but it's way better than Mac OS 9 ever was. :roll:

If you like playing the latest games and want true drag-n-drop, you should stay with a PC. If you do graphics, photos or work for a newspaper, get a Mac. That's what I tell my friends anyways... :lol:

And BTW, you can get a Pocket PC even though you own a Mac. Just buy Missing Sync for Pocket PC and you'll be allright. I've gotten a review of Missing Sync coming up on PDAgold.com (http://www.pdagold.com) hopefully this week, so that you can have a small look at it. :wink:

Weyoun6

08-21-2003, 09:05 AM

I used to be a mac hater. I admit it. But recently, seeing that Longhorn is not coming anytime soon, I have been concidering switching to an "alternative os". No, I still will hate Steve Jobs, but I must admit that those mac designs look pretty nice, plus they got the nice iSuite or whatever. As for software, it always depends on what you are using the computer for. I dont know for sure if the "Mac's for Graphics" is a myth because just people dont want to learn a new system, or if it is true. I dont know that MacOS is technically superior to Windows. Mac has its own problems as well. I would advice asking some pc-mac switchers and long time mac users and see if the software you need/want is there, that it is going to be supported, and that you wont be "locked in" once you get it. I think that changing for change's sake would be a bad idea, but if you have some problems with windows, or want an upgrade, and know what you are dealing with, I think it would be fine.

If all else fails, there is a linux distro available for mac :)

ignar

08-21-2003, 04:37 PM

I bought a lamp style iMac a year ago, and sold it after six months of very little use. I didn't really see the benefits or reasons to use Mac over PC which just works. :wink: I liked its hardware and dock, but other than that, it was not fast nor intuitive. Also software and peripherals were very expensive. The funny thing I found is often the exactly same peripheral for PC was sold a lot cheaper than Mac version.
System freezes often when I use Mozilla or Chimera, and when I realized Jaguar crashes more often than XP, I put it on the eBay and got a new Dell. The good thing about Mac is its resale value is pretty good. I lost only $150 after six month of ownership. :D

Prevost

08-21-2003, 09:00 PM

JackTheTripper

08-21-2003, 11:17 PM

I've always had Mac's at home but use Windoz at work. The good news you never really have a problem anymore with reading word and excel files made on a mac on a PC any more. That was always a big complaint of mine.

I would have to say they are pretty much equal in my mind. In fact, sometimes I find Photoshop easier to use on the PC than the Mac.

But my bigest plus is I never have to worry about viruses. ;)

I'd say get both if you can. I assume you have a PC now. I would get a Mac and keep the PC for things your mac can't do.

Example: One of my complaints is that you can never find that little program you really need. I'm cheep and sometimes need a program for this and that. So I head over to download.com. There are tons of free programs for PC but only very few for mac so I can't do what I was trying to without dishing out $25 or $30. :evil:

qmrq

08-23-2003, 12:50 AM

And BTW, you can get a Pocket PC even though you own a Mac. Just buy Missing Sync for Pocket PC and you'll be allright. I've gotten a review of Missing Sync coming up on PDAgold.com (http://www.pdagold.com) hopefully this week, so that you can have a small look at it. :wink:Alright!
I didn't really see the benefits or reasons to use Mac over PC which just works. ;) Well, that is true!
I realized Jaguar crashes more often than XPBoy, that is way contrary to what they claim...I am not saying I don't believe you, just your statement 8O me. In the end, again there is no real funcional reason for me to change. The main thing I would like to get better is Word...I always cry I HATE THIS DAMN PROGRAM every time it crashes or looks like it has its own mind, something I feel happens too frequently.

Jaguar crashing more often than XP, eh? I believe that one. :roll:

"I always cry I HATE THIS DAMN PROGRAM"

I feel your pain every time I have to boot into NT. At least you're not alone. Make sure you have all the latest patches for your programs.. if that doesn't help, switch to Open Office (http://www.openoffice.org/). I use it and love it. :)

ignar

08-23-2003, 01:43 AM

Jaguar crashing more often than XP, eh? I believe that one.

Do you think I made it up? The last time I saw bluescreen or any crashes on my XP was at least three months ago and it was because of conflicts on USB device. I had to reboot the iMac several times by pushing the power button when I had it less than 6 months, and I used PC a lot more than Mac. Only programs I installed on the mac was MS Office (OK, here you can blame MS :roll: ), Jaguar Updates, Mozilla and Safari. Hardwares I attached to the mac was mac keyboard and pro mouse.

qmrq

08-23-2003, 01:52 AM

Sounds like a flaky memory module to me.

Not saying you made that up, that's just hard to believe. I have never had issues with Jaguar.

petvas

08-23-2003, 11:53 AM

I believe that PCs are the way to go. All innovations happen in the PC industry; the Operating System has vastly improved. Windows XP is great and the future looks even better with Longhorn. The Hardware has also improved. The performance you can get with a Windows PC is by far better than any Mac. Mac has innovative hardware designs but that's about it. Software availability is limited compared to the Windows world and buying a Mac locks you in a platform that offers less than Wintel...
Wintel gives freedom of choice... Of course we humans want to change and I can understand the desire to buy a Mac. It is really a downgrade and not an upgrade... The OS looks nice, so does the hardware but Wintel is much better... :wink:

qmrq

08-23-2003, 03:02 PM

'all innovations happen in the pc industry' (?!) Nah..

'vastly improved'? Oh yes, it has.. 2k pro and XP are were big steps in the right direction. :)

Still, there's not much in my book that can compete with OS X.

Also keep in mind that you can run windows programs using virtual PC or another emulator.

Prevost

08-24-2003, 07:42 AM

I have no doubt that there is a lot more software available for PC than for Mac. However, I have owned my current PC for 2 years, and the only programs I have gotten apart from those coming along with it are Netscape, Mozilla, WinZip, Webshots, Quickcad, AutoCAD LT (I had it from before). Windows Works with Word 2000 covers all my needs. As long as you can see, most of these are available for Mac, except for CAD, that has its own range of selection in Mac. I have read concerning CAD that it is better over Mac platform. And besides that, there's the Virtual PC thing.

So, I think that for most of people software availability is not a decision factor between PC and Mac. At least for me this is a fact.

Now, those of you that are Mac users, do you use Virtual PC? How "transparent" is it? How efficient is Windows software running on it?

lisantica

08-24-2003, 02:52 PM

I have to agree with the posts that say get both if you can.
I don't think that computing should necessarily be "all or nothing" when it comes to operating systems....so I don't quite agree with the "switch" campaign. I would prefer more of an "expand" campaign.
Like many have observed, there are certain tasks that are easier done on one platform over the other.
My personal setup is a Mac G4 Quicksilver 933 on my desk and an IBM T30 laptop for work, travel (and home use too).
Happy computing!
Lisa

Prevost

08-24-2003, 06:32 PM

Probably that approach is the best, Lisa, but the fact is that many of us, or cannot afford it (me included :mrgreen: ) or have not enough space on our desk (again me included :mrgreen: ) or having a laptop is not necessary or a laptop would replace a desktop so would be used only at home.

For my daily work, I need what I have now, a handheld with good computing capabilities. For now it's a Palm, probably a PPC soon.

But something you commented is interesting:
Like many have observed, there are certain tasks that are easier done on one platform over the other. Which do you all consider are those tasks easier on Macs, and which ones on Windows?

dean_shan

08-26-2003, 10:08 PM

plus they got the nice iSuite or whatever.
Apple likes to call it "iLife". :roll: I think the "iSuite" name you made up is much better.

dean_shan

08-26-2003, 10:10 PM

Macs are nice but they cost too much, plus you can't build your own/upgrade them like you can Windows. I do like their laptops, my school has a ton of them that they give out to people to use for the year.

lisantica

08-30-2003, 03:52 PM

"Which do you all consider are those tasks easier on Macs, and which ones on Windows?"

I'm not sure I meant easier. I perhaps meant exclusive. For instance, my work wants us all to use a particular gradebook program that is only for the PC platform. I had a PowerBook that couldn't run it, so I purchased an IBM T30 for that task.
As for my collection of music, I like iTunes and the music store that I believe is only on the Mac platform at the moment.
Lisa