Because Apple is a brand, and when people spend more money for something they need to justify it by telling everyone else about it.
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Mac or PC?
- Thread starter gaudenti
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Because Apple is a brand, and when people spend more money for something they need to justify it by telling everyone else about it.
And when people feel inferior about what they have they get defensive
See how that works? Regardless of the whole Mac versus PC business, OS X (which is a highly tweaked FreeBSD with custom libraries and mega commercial software support) is not even on the same planet as Windows.
when I was a windows user I didn't feel like there were any special qualities to glorify in my operating system, it's performance or the constant need to tweak it in order to avoid a reinstall. frankly, I quite hated it that every plug-in installation could bring with it the need to format and reinstall and that opening 4 windows in the same time was about the limit before performance loss.
I admit I haven't used system 7 on my personal machine but when I did log some hours on Win 7 I felt like someone wrapped the same old mutt with greyhound clothing.
as I have no technical interest in maintaining my computer and it's software I prefer Macs and I acknowledge their human engineering after years of having to double as my own pc technician.
not really, Apple is always the first to employ new technology (as of lately - Intel's Thunderbolt, AMD's Radeon 6XXX series, Intel's Sandy Bridge processors and their chipsets) and mind you there's a reason people run 5-6 y/o Macs with no hardware problems (and no system reinstall other than MAC OS upgrades) when the average PCs I've had in the past 23 years lasted roughly 3 years not counting the occasional part replacement.
If you can afford it, get a Mac Pro. It can do anything a PC can do, plus a lot more. My Mac Pro runs Windows 7 Pro, and all my Windows-based software used for scientific analysis (much faster than my older, modded PC), plus LINUX, UNIX, and of course, OS X Snow Leopard.
When I am not using the Mac for composing, recording music, and doing artwork, the Windows 7 disk runs high-end, number-crunching analysis software (plus all the MS Office software with no problems whatsoever) natively, and late at night I fart around using the Ubuntu drive for tricking out the GUI and playing with tons of free software.
As others have said, potential employers will want to know what she can do on a computer.
FYI - Hackintoshes can be fun, but are a pain-in-the-rear to keep updated, and require more advanced computer skills and a lot of time to get up and running... but fun to do nonetheless (even a cheap netbook can be made to run OS X).
When I am not using the Mac for composing, recording music, and doing artwork, the Windows 7 disk runs high-end, number-crunching analysis software (plus all the MS Office software with no problems whatsoever) natively, and late at night I fart around using the Ubuntu drive for tricking out the GUI and playing with tons of free software.
As others have said, potential employers will want to know what she can do on a computer.
FYI - Hackintoshes can be fun, but are a pain-in-the-rear to keep updated, and require more advanced computer skills and a lot of time to get up and running... but fun to do nonetheless (even a cheap netbook can be made to run OS X).
- Jun 25, 2006
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- Owner, Pike Amplification & 3Leaf Audio
Yeah, that's why macs have blu ray?
The only thing they've been first on is Thunderbolt, which doesn't have any peripherals on the market yet. And pre-2006 macs are essentially useless because they can't run the newest version of the OS, which means that most newer software releases aren't supported. I have 10 year old PC's running windows 7 with no problems.
- Jun 25, 2006
- 3,226
- 341
- Disclosures
- Owner, Pike Amplification & 3Leaf Audio
The Mac Pro is probably the worst value in the computer industry. I built a hackintosh for $1400 that is miles ahead of a $5000 mac pro. Even the base model, at $2500, only comes with 3 GB of ram. You'd have to have brain damage to pay those prices. And as far as "everything a PC can do, and more?" No USB3, eSATA, HDMI, bluray....
I've just read this entire thread and still cannot see one genuine advantage that would justify spending big cash on a Mac when there's absolutely nothing I'd want it to do that I can't do perfectly well on my PC.
My last boss had a Mac fetish at one point and bought several of them for various members of staff. I took mine home, turned it on and explored for about 20 minutes. Then I put it back in its case and behind my couch, where it stayed for over three years, during which time I used my PC for office work, listening to/recording/arranging music, internet and email, photo editing, multimedia stuff...
I handed the Mac back to my boss when I changed jobs, with 20 minutes "use" on the clock. It hadn't been out of the case in three years. I bet the resale value was top dollar.
My last boss had a Mac fetish at one point and bought several of them for various members of staff. I took mine home, turned it on and explored for about 20 minutes. Then I put it back in its case and behind my couch, where it stayed for over three years, during which time I used my PC for office work, listening to/recording/arranging music, internet and email, photo editing, multimedia stuff...
I handed the Mac back to my boss when I changed jobs, with 20 minutes "use" on the clock. It hadn't been out of the case in three years. I bet the resale value was top dollar.
I've just read this entire thread and still cannot see one genuine advantage that would justify spending big cash on a Mac when there's absolutely nothing I'd want it to do that I can't do perfectly well on my PC.
My last boss had a Mac fetish at one point and bought several of them for various members of staff. I took mine home, turned it on and explored for about 20 minutes. Then I put it back in its case and behind my couch, where it stayed for over three years, during which time I used my PC for office work, listening to/recording/arranging music, internet and email, photo editing, multimedia stuff...
I handed the Mac back to my boss when I changed jobs, with 20 minutes "use" on the clock. It hadn't been out of the case in three years. I bet the resale value was top dollar.
And this is the argument most presented by windows users against buying an Apple.
"I can do everything it can, and better" yet, you only played with one for 20 minutes, so how do you know it was better?
I worked in IT, for many years, and was a PC guy. I did everything from video editing, to recording, to server support, software deployment, and end user tech... I was FORCED to use a PC during the work day...
I have owned my iMac for 5 years now. Never have I had a crash, virus, or failure to speak of. I have never had to "pay the mac surcharge" for upgrades (Ram is ram fellas) and never have I second guessed my decision.
Hardware differences (those who say it is outdated) are coming from a different world, where things operate differently. The new video cards supplied by Apple, along with all the hardware they sell today will work the way it should for at least 5 years or more, and do it just as fast as the day you bought it.
The ability to run both OSX and Windows is a plus, and allows you to have a computer, which can fit into any situation you need to (school, home, play, business, work, etc) on any platform, with great hardware and innovative features. Take this with a grain of salt. PC guys can find ways to make you a "mackintosh" which requires you to build a PC that is the same hardware as a Mac, just to run the OS. Oddly enough, when people do this, they do it in order to use the OS for what it does, and end up with the same "outdated" hardware because the experience was better.
While the PC guys will joke about right clicking, and over paying, there are sooooooo many advantages which they will never understand. It is true, you can up spec a PC from most manufacturers and get a little more performance out of the PC in terms of absolute numbers, but it is not all about those numbers. I have no way to describe the way you feel and work on one, without just saying go try one out. Go to an Apple store, and sit down with someone there. Tell them you want to look into one and you are a PC guy. Get as tech heavy as you want, there is always an answer.
As for the unreliable information about "thunderbolt" going on here, you should check the site again. Thunderbolt does more than just "data" for drives and devices, it can supply video out as well. I have a feeling, when the devices are out, it will do well. Firewire was argued as it is standard, but then argued as old tech... Not sure which story you PC guys want to hang on to, but I use Firewire 800 for lots of things...
-Audio Interfaces
-Backup Harddrives
-Camera support
It is IMHO more reliable in terms of powering devices than USB has been for us, and is faster in most circumstances.
Whatever you decide, make sure you get the full story. You can talk to an avid PC guy who will talk you out of it just by selling you on the marketshare/compatibility argument, and then you will talk to Apple users (not someone who used one for 20 minutes one time) who will share all the wonderful things they like about it.
Best part about this argument is that we Apple users could care less if you get one. It keeps our market share down, and allows us the ability to stay exclusive, and stay away from malware/viruses... PC guys HAVE to sell you on their product to feel better about not having a mac... We Mac guys are just glad we don't have to put up with the PC guys.
Sorry, but I still think the fact that I had an unused Mac in my house for 3 years and used my PC every day for the entire period to do every single thing I needed a computer to do without once feeling the need to get the Mac out of its case speaks volumes.
Yeah, it's speaks volumes that you didn't really give it a fair try. That's perfectly fine if you're happy, but it doesn't mean anything.
On the contrary, the fact that I'm happy means a lot to me.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying "PCs are better than Macs". I just think that either system will do anything that you want to do on a computer. That's just a fact.
Don't buy one then.
Yeah they are a bit more expensive than equivalent Windows PCs, although if you add a quality screen to your Windows PC (assuming a quality screen is important to you) then that price discrepancy becomes a lot smaller. But ultimately you either think an Apple computer is worth the price or you don't, and if you don't then there are other computers you can buy, everyone's happy.
Like I said I used Windows computers exclusively until a couple of years ago, but all my work ends up on Linux servers so it made sense for me to have a *nix environment on the desktop, so I bought a Mac. And I've since found that OS X is a nicer place to work than Windows was, so I don't mind paying a premium for it.
I use a computer for 8+ hours a day, so I think paying a bit extra for a nicer working environment is justified.
Well, I might as well throw my 2 cents in.
I made my second foray into the world of Apple earlier this year with a new Macbook Pro, after my old (read:new) ASUS laptop kept having hissy fits whilst trying to record bands. Up until that point I was basically a massive Windows fanboy, spouting that anything a Mac could do, a Hackintosh or PC could do better and cheaper (and Linux could do free).
The only reason I bought the MBP was because I could get Logic Studio for about £100 through my student discount - something I didn't feel I could pass up. Since then, I have become a dirty Apple fanboy, only because it works so well. I've never had to restart because the Audio interface has stopped working (somewhat of a major annoyance on the ASUS), or wait 10 minutes for the wireless to start working after resuming from sleep (again, major annoyance with the ASUS, but I know is not indicative of Windows in general, just a really bad wireless driver). I love it. Oh, and the trackpad is actually a reasonable replacement for a mouse on the Mac laptops, rather than the tiny pieces of crap that come with many Windows based machines.
On the bad side, however, it doesn't like HD flash videos that much, and the fans start to kick in if I watch anything longer than 5 minutes fullscreen HD flash.
Oh, and whoever said that "firewire was a standard connection on all modern PC's" - what are you smoking?
I made my second foray into the world of Apple earlier this year with a new Macbook Pro, after my old (read:new) ASUS laptop kept having hissy fits whilst trying to record bands. Up until that point I was basically a massive Windows fanboy, spouting that anything a Mac could do, a Hackintosh or PC could do better and cheaper (and Linux could do free).
The only reason I bought the MBP was because I could get Logic Studio for about £100 through my student discount - something I didn't feel I could pass up. Since then, I have become a dirty Apple fanboy, only because it works so well. I've never had to restart because the Audio interface has stopped working (somewhat of a major annoyance on the ASUS), or wait 10 minutes for the wireless to start working after resuming from sleep (again, major annoyance with the ASUS, but I know is not indicative of Windows in general, just a really bad wireless driver). I love it. Oh, and the trackpad is actually a reasonable replacement for a mouse on the Mac laptops, rather than the tiny pieces of crap that come with many Windows based machines.
On the bad side, however, it doesn't like HD flash videos that much, and the fans start to kick in if I watch anything longer than 5 minutes fullscreen HD flash.
Oh, and whoever said that "firewire was a standard connection on all modern PC's" - what are you smoking?
I was responding to someone who commented on that time period. But it doesn't matter. The arguments going back and forth between the Windows and Mac people pre-date BSD. The technologies have advanced, but the debate has remained constant.
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