GOBILLS78 Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Let me preface this by saying I always used PCs and it would always bug the hell out of me to hear these condescending Mac fan-boys rave about them. But after switching from a PC to a Mac a year ago, MY GOD. For me (not everybody), the Mac is beyond superior. It's not even close. Sure, they usually cost more money, but I can't tell you how much the extra investment has made my life easier. In a year, not one crash, not one freeze, not one virus. Like I said, I'm not a PC hater by any means, but I'll never go back. Which do you prefer? ---- Sorry if similar threads have been posted. I did a search, and couldn't find anything comparing the two.
Dan Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 I fix/work on/set up computers in my spare time (which I really have none of). My wife and a friend have a Mac. In over 2 years, I've never once had to fix a problem with either one. Occasionally, I get a "how do you do this" question. At work, we all use Dell/HP machines. I'm currently finishing work on my 3rd machine this week. 1 standard malware/spyware issues and basic cleaanup. 1 - wipe/format and reload due to virut virus. 1 format and reload due to corrupt windows registry (they hadn't set any restore points). So, in one week, I've worked on 3 PC machines. In 2 years, I haven't had to do a thing to the 2 Macs (granted unequal sample size). Not to mention all the other times during the year, I have to fix/repair the PCs. So, for me, there's not much discussion as to which is a more stable machine with less downtime. However, when purchasing I always advise people to consider: (1) what you want to do with the computer, (2) how much can you afford in initial cost, and (3) what are you familiar with (if PC how quick a learner are you) because there is a little to learn switching to a Mac.
Glass To The Arson Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 I went to ITT and all they use is PCS. Windows Server and XP, actually. So I love my PC's. BUT... Macs are amazing if you are into making music =)
GOBILLS78 Posted April 24, 2009 Author Posted April 24, 2009 I went to ITT and all they use is PCS. Windows Server and XP, actually. So I love my PC's. BUT... Macs are amazing if you are into making music =) Anything design-oriented, I'd go with Macs. I'm into a lot of design, interactive media and music, so it's an easy choice.
ajzepp Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 So for the computer-ignorant, why is it that Macs aren't as vulnerable to viruses and other commonly reported troubles?
DC Tom Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 So for the computer-ignorant, why is it that Macs aren't as vulnerable to viruses and other commonly reported troubles? Less of them around. If you're writing a virus, are you going to target 7% of the machines out there, or 90%? Which do you think would spread a virus better? If Mac were as ubuquitous as Windows is, there's be just as many viruses.
DrDawkinstein Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 I went to ITT and all they use is PCS. Windows Server and XP, actually. So I love my PC's. BUT... Macs are amazing if you are into making music =) If youre in the tech support business then you have to LOVE PCs since they will always have problems and that keeps the money coming in although, im partially in the tech support business myself and we are completely a Mac shop. Built on Unix, they work well with our open source VoIP systems. Plus, as a tech guy, the last thing I want to do at the end of the day is come home and have to fix MY computer. With the Macs, they just always work.
ajzepp Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Less of them around. If you're writing a virus, are you going to target 7% of the machines out there, or 90%? Which do you think would spread a virus better? If Mac were as ubuquitous as Windows is, there's be just as many viruses. Ah okay, thanks Tom. I was starting to think people were implying it was part of the design that made them less susceptible or something.
Wacka Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Ah okay, thanks Tom. I was starting to think people were implying it was part of the design that made them less susceptible or something. It is part of the design. I'm not in the computer field, but I know that OSX is a version of UNIX. OSX does not allow root access without admin permission, while Windows does. I have used Macs since 1984 and have only gotten one virus, on a floppy in 1986 or 1987. I have owned Macs since 1994. My first I had for 5 years. I got another one because I could afford it and they were faster with much more memory. That second one lasted about 5 years and I think the motherboard was going. The one I have now (a G5 Mac Mini) is 4 years old and I have not had a single problem.
DrDawkinstein Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 indeed, it is part of the design as well. not just due to the numbers/odds.
ajzepp Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Interesting. Well, I know a good friend of mine who's a math professor switched over to the Mac camp a year ago and swears she'll never go back. I've seen some of the multimedia presentations she's created, and they're very impressive. Not to say you couldn't do that on a PC, just sayin...
Corp000085 Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 I've had a mac for exactly one week now. Even though I still haven't learned what I need to learn to truly manage this computer, i cringe already when I have to use a windows machine. I never thought i'd say this, but I don't think i'm ever going to go back. Yes, they're more expensive... Yes, you have to search and dig more for solutions simply because there's a smaller sample size... But, i've done everything that I needed to do: Integrate my e-mail, move my itunes collection, import pictures, install an av (i use clamxav), do work in word, and just tweak all the settings to my liking, without even a restart. I haven't turned my computer off or restarted it since I turned it on straight out of the box last week. You'd never get away with going a week without a restart in windows while setting up everything. That just doesn't happen. I'm not a fanboy yet, but I love it and i endorse it, and I already think that windows users are foolish.
John Adams Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 I use a PC all day at work and a Mac at home. Like others have said, there's no comparison. The most salient reasons not to get Macs before were due to their incompatibility with Windows software. This is no longer as true because most software that anyone uses has both a Mac and PC version (and web-surfing is the same on both machines). Certain software is unique to Mac or PC--but for the average-to lower-end power user, Mac will do everything. I do not like one thing about Windows more than Macs. I have had 2 Macs (One iMac and 1 laptop) for about 5 years. Never once had a single problem with either one. Never once had one "seize" and require a reboot. Never gotten an inexplicable error. They just plain work. PCs on the other hand...I rarely go a day without some unexplained seizure/crash.
Nanker Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Less of them around. If you're the division of Symantec or MacAfee that's tasked with writing any conceivable computer virus, are you going to target 7% of the machines out there, or 90%? Which do you think would spread a virus better? If not for your own job security - certainly for the fellows across the hall writing the anti-virus software. If Mac were as ubuquitous as Windows is, there's be just as many viruses.
Fingon Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 If you know what you are doing, Linux and Windows are better than OSX. If you play games, Windows blows everything out of the water. Mac markets their computers to people who know nothing about computers. They are also extremely overpriced.
/dev/null Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 If Mac were as ubuquitous as Windows is, there's be just as many viruses. DC Tom FTW If youre in the tech support business then you have to LOVE PCs since they will always have problems and that keeps the money coming in But seriously, if Mac's were deployed in large enterprise environments they would suffer from multiple problems just like PCs. Probably more so as they are not as versatile as PCs
Dan Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 DC Tom FTW But seriously, if Mac's were deployed in large enterprise environments they would suffer from multiple problems just like PCs. Probably more so as they are not as versatile as PCs Just curious but how are Macs less versatile?
DrDawkinstein Posted April 25, 2009 Posted April 25, 2009 DC Tom FTW But seriously, if Mac's were deployed in large enterprise environments they would suffer from multiple problems just like PCs. Probably more so as they are not as versatile as PCs i dont know. i have a lot of friends in advertising/marketing and most of their large companies are all macs. and those companies have the lowest support needs ive ever seen.
Fezmid Posted April 25, 2009 Posted April 25, 2009 Just curious but how are Macs less versatile? Less available software.
Fezmid Posted April 25, 2009 Posted April 25, 2009 The most salient reasons not to get Macs before were due to their incompatibility with Windows software. This is no longer as true because most software that anyone uses has both a Mac and PC version (and web-surfing is the same on both machines). Productivity software (Office, Premier, Photoshop, etc), sure. Games? Still not so much. Call of Duty: World at War, for example - just checked Amazon, and don't see a Mac version. Never once had a single problem with either one. Never once had one "seize" and require a reboot. Never gotten an inexplicable error. They just plain work. PCs on the other hand...I rarely go a day without some unexplained seizure/crash. If you rarely go a day without a seizure/crash, then you're either doing something wrong, or you have bad hardware - not Windows' fault. I leave my workstation on 24/7, and rarely reboot. It works just fine. Not saying the same isn't true for Macs -- but WinXP is actually very stable.
Recommended Posts