Mac's really that great?

Customgamer1

Ok like some of you I am not a fan of Mac. I really don't see the point and I think they are way over priced for what you get, and just not worth it and this is why:

Just about anything that a Mac has a PC has and more ways to get it!

We now can use their browser, Ipod, itunes etc. So right there is a Mac all that much different? Not really.

If you are trying to decide what to buy a Mac or a PC just take my advice and see what you think and if you agree with me.

1) Anything OSX can do Windows can do. Look at the 3rd party support for windows. It is HUGE and you can find just about anything you want and 90% of the time you can find it for free. You can even download the free object dock like the MAC has for their start menu and run it perfectly well on XP/Vista.

2) Why even consider switching to OSX when everything for the most part works so well with windows? Sure you can say stuff just works with Mac, but your right it should. The reason why it should work 100% perfect is because most of the useful things are coming from Mac itself and would look bad if it was crashing,locking up etc. On the PC you can download useful apps, and sure some might not run as well as others, but its because 3rd party people are programming it and have such a larger user base to work for.

3) Is the OS really that different than windows? Well I say no. It seems the trend of Mac users are saying it's not possible to get a virus, spyware or anything else to mess up your computer. Well I would like to say that if you believe that no wonder why you bought a Mac. At the moment it's easier to mess up XP with that stuff because there is so much out there only becuase of the user base. Just wait about 5 years for the Mac user base to build up and it will just be like XP/Vista. Anything made by people will be cracked by people and its as simple as that.

4) The trend also seems from Mac users that they have the best computer in the world. Well the build quality is good, but is it really worth all the money? I mean sure you get a nice case and what not, but that's most of the price. The parts in it are really not that special like the laptops. A bit on the smaller hard drive, Ok to decent sized CPU, and the ram tends to be lacking.

With a PC laptop its easy to find one for less and still get more hard drive space, ram, faster CPU and something bigger than that small 13.3 inch screen that Mac designers think everyone wants...

5) Plus all the 3rd party support for all the small apps, like just about anything you would want including the fancy little task bar that mac has you can do on the PC for free called object dock and all programs you might be interested in it's 99.9% of the time windows can run. On the other hand you can't really say that with Mac and their OS.

The reasons to move to a Mac are slim. Why change when everything works so good with PC?

Sure XP and Vista has some problems, but when you look at the reasons why I fully understand.

EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING that Mac puts out should work 100% with the MAC OS right? I mean Mac really is the only one who puts out software that's useful and kind of locks you in to buying their stuff only with limited 3rd party support. I consider Mac more of a monopoly than Windows. It did help that they switched to Intel.

With Windows the support is SO GREAT with 3rd drivers,programs,players and just about anything you need is a great reasons why not to switch to the OSX. Sure buy a mac but have XP or vista loaded on it.

Of course this is just my opinion, but I would have to think if people do their homework they will see that the Mac is really not all that special over a normal PC and not even close to a custom built one. If I ever bought a Mac I would just load up windows and uninstall the Mac OS right away!


P.S. I have used the newest Mac OS and this is in turn why I posted this.

LHC

I have to agree with your post. Mac seems really limited in what can be done to be honest. I use Macs everyday at school, and there really is a LOT to be desired (and no, it's not because the school severely cripples the Macs). They are the Intel Macs. I can't pinpoint what it is, but going from home to school, it just feels that I'm very crippled in what I can do on a Mac as opposed to Windows. I'm pretty sure the only thing it has going for it is the UI, but like you said, you can make Windows look like it.

I just don't see any justification for switching from Windows to Mac.

One thing puzzles me though.. if Macs don't get viruses, why does my school have an anti-virus installed on all the computers?

BlueMak

Macs can get viruses. It's just that no one cares enough to write for one, not to mention easy way to spread the virus since they aren't that many of them around.

Lowfat

funny because I saw the exact opposite thing. I feel that Windows cripples my productivity. And all seriousness things just work. I don't know if you have complete control over your school computers. But things are just easier to do.

Almost all programs (including 3rd party) have seemless integration with each other. Example, drag and drop text from Safari to desktop to make a clipping.

Expose, no Flip3D is not a replacement. Flip3D is awful, slow, and unorganized. It takes longer to to use Flip3D than it would to click through 5-10 different things in the task bar.

Things seriously 'just work'. I don't need to go hunting for drivers to get things to work. I am not going to try to install an OS and realize it isn't going to work with my specific hardware. On my MBP I have maybe 5-6 3rd party programs installed verses 15-20 3rd party programs on my PC to get basically the same functionally. Meaning for people who purchase their software, meaning more money saved.


Safari and iTunes on Mac > PC. Safari and iTunes are both awful when it comes to PC. Safari is buggy as hell, and Cover Flow is awfully slow and choppy.

And I am not even going to touch on appearance and build quality

dj_stick

as a long time windows user, and only recently a mac convert, i'll put forward my opinion

1) As an operating system, i tend to agree with that point

2) depending on what your using the computer for (ie specialised fields like audio/video etc) both platforms have their advantages

3) the OS is different enough to cause some confusion, but similiar enough that most people with an open mind will be comfortable using it in a couple of hours

4) the typical mac user is an elitist prick, so i won't go into that, but i have never seen a PC case that can rival the build quality/design of my mac pro's chassis

however i do agree with your dislike of the apple "one size fits all" and "you like what we want you to like" sort of mentality

5) again, back to point 2, not everyone needs all the little apps/tweaks available for windows, not to mention there are quite a few of little tools/apps for mac only (from mac only developers)


tbh the only reason I ended up buying the mac is because of one program - Logic, Apple bought the company out about 5-6 years ago, and promptly discontinued the PC version of the program - that, and the fact that I can have a dedicated OS install to use for music production (always a good thing) while having windows on an extremely powerful machine, are what prompted me to go the mac way.

I personally have both OSX and Vista installed, I tend to use both for general purpose stuff, internet browsing, IM etc, but I tend to use Vista more for stuff like photoshop (no, macs are NOT better for photoshop/graphics design, they are identical) gaming, word processing/productivity etc, I just prefer the Windows work flow, while I use OS X for my music work.

Another point on the music production side of things, OSX is much more optimised for professional audio, with CoreAudio, and I find using the same app (Pro Tools 7) in both Windows, and OS X, that OS X handles it better...

All in all it's up to the end user to decide which is better for them, if you don't feel that a mac will enhance what you want your computer to do with it, don't buy one

on the other hand, if you like the workflow of OSX, the design of the machines, or just want to become an elitist snob because microsoft is the devil, buy a mac

magnus33

Mac are for the most part just a pc since apple makes next to none of the hardware used in them now.

The difference is the os and apple does do a better job of making things look good ane easy of use.

That being said apple also fails in alot of areas such as file system (wonder why they have fixed that) and gernal compatibility.

Mac being a much smaller target tends not to get viruses but lately thats changing do to thier own adds atracting attention to themselves.

Are macs good computers yes but are they limited yes And jobs knows this which is why he is now letting windows be run on them.

swimtech

A Mac vs. PC debate? At DH?????????? No!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway...

Long story short, for me...

The Macs just do the job, and are the coolest machine on the planet doing it.

I would rather own (personally), build, fiddle with, experiment with, and upgrade a PC - the platform and Windows more completely "grok with my inner self" as a computer hobbyist. They're less expensive, and all my friends have one and/or like having me help them keep them running well.

I do like Safari (version 3.1) for Windows though, it is wicked fast, and DH displays perfectly using it.

dj_stick

and not a fanboy rant in site

swimtech

No? Please, no?

Customgamer1

I am not trying to make it this a rant, but rather a reason why is a Mac really that much better. The reason why I made this thread in the first place

Basically both Windows and OSX do, internet, AIM, email, Itunes and just about all the basic stuff the same with a different layout.

My main point over all this is that its not really worth paying a premium price for something you don't really need. Its like buying a premium gas for a car that does not need it. The benefit is nothing but wasting money.

I just think many people are getting sucked into the marketing of Mac and while I guess that's a good thing since its working, but people are just thinking a MAC is the world's best and the difference overall is very small.


Everyone just says a Mac is so much better, but fails to give really good reasons other than the look of why its so much better. I understand that some programs and stuff may work, but after using OSX I just fail to see why its better.

I am trying to keep an open mind, but I just don't think its worth my time to re learn a new OS if I don't have to. I love how the folders work in XP, I can take all my music albums and put the cover art as the folder and just how everything works is just so nice.

Lowfat

Yes Windows can usually do everything a Mac can, just IMO not as easily and effort free .

I have both a MacBook Pro and a PC (which is far more powerful than my Mac I might add), yet the only thing I use my PC for is for audio (optical output on mac into soundcard of PC), games, HDDVD, and torrents.

Mac's aren't for everyone, it really is personal preference. I always only had PCs in my house since I was a child, and never used a Mac really till I was 22. At first I thought there were kinda silly, but when using one everyday at work for 2 years, I found myself dependent of it. When I would go home at night I would feel disappointed with the lack of features of my PC .

Now if you mainly use a PC for games, and can't afford two separate machines, Macs are NOT for you. But otherwise they are nice machines.
However you really need to use OS X for weeks/months as your main computer to find out how usefully the Dock, Automator (amazing simple scripting app), Expose, Spaces, Dashboard, iPhoto, Mail, etc really are. There is almost no need to have dozens of third party applications just to make useful.

Yes I love Apple products, but I am not a fanboi who follows/buy everything blindly. If there is one thing that is worse than an Apple fanboi, it is an anti-Apple fanboi. Ones that will cut down Apple without giving it a chance.

dj_stick

i know, my comment wasn't intended as sarcasm, mainly an exclamation that this debate doesn't have any such rants (most usually do)

I really REALLY dislike the mac marketing campaign - so what if people use PCs to do office related stuff - if you're into graphic design in photoshop, there is NO benefit with either OS, video work, sure Mac has Final Cut Pro, but then Windows has Vegas, and both support Avid.
It ALL depends on what OS you feel more comfortable with, and what software you want to use.
about the folder thingy, that can be done to the folders in OSX somehow, I haven't looked into it, but I've seen quite a few people do it on their own macs (I personally cbf )

The only real benefit Macs have over PCs is that Apple manufacture both the computers AND the operating system - so they can code the OS for an extremely limited range of hardware, whereas Windows has to be coded for almost every configuration of every x86 based machine released in the last 8 years or so, that, therein lies the "stability" problem - MS cannot be expected to code drivers for every piece of computer hardware ever released, and so they let manufacturers code their own drivers, often really poorly for some types of hardware, which can seriously affect system stability.

My honest opinion is that, operating system wise, macs are not "better," just different, and that difference is why some people (blindly in some cases) believe Macs are better, and equally why others think Windows based machines are better.

dipstick

Give this a try. You'll probably like it even more than Apple's Expose
As for my Mac opinion, I think they have their place. I will never pay what they ask for one and I hate to be around 99% of all their die hard users but I will stick by the fact that they have their place...just not in my house or work

Customgamer1

Thank you and everyone that has posted so far. Some forums you go on to and they claim that the Mac is the best thing ever and nothing can match it when that's clearly not the case and they bash you to no end when you say Xp and Vista work well.

At least we have a understanding and I also agree Mac has it's place and they are not for everyone.

Like one of the posts above me said the cheap PC user would never want a Mac because they don't care enough. Mac's claim to be easy to use, but in all honesty you kind of have to be semi good with computers otherwise buying a Mac is useless.

I really like how you put the Windows Vs OSX in line. Windows opened up to all the other companies to allow to build computers and laptops when Mac has chose the single path and not allow anyone to make one other than themselves.

In that way of thinking like I kind of pointed out in my original post that all the stuff they release should work and if it does not then you really are getting ripped off. The "new" mac is new and when they start to get older and the new laptops come out it will be interesting to see if they can continue to provide good programed work that can be ran in all the systems they have made in the last 8 years etc when that time comes.

Maybe Microsoft should have done the same thing right? If they were allowed to make their own computers only XP/Vista would be nothing short of amazing, but that's not the case.

I don't really hate Mac, but they have great advertising and get it locked into lots of people's head that you have to buy everything Mac. And that's kind of where I look down on them, but they are a business and they do that part very well.

I don't plan to ever buy a Mac, but I do try to keep an open mind about them. I just don't feel its worth switching from an OS everyone knows so well to the Mac.

Lowfat

I used it a few months ago, back when I used Vista on my Windows machine. I found it awfully slow. The mouse corners were also very annoying. If you were in a full-screen window like a game and went to the corner, it would cause the game to try to minimize, which usually means huge slow downs.

Mousey

Macs only seem worth it if you work in a specific sector such as DJ Stick with his music, or perhaps Graphics design like with flash, photoshop ect.
Other than that i don't see the point in such a ridiculous premium when my rig does everything i want it to, it's cheaper to upgrade, and it looks one helluva lot prettier than any mac imo.

temeteus82

Mouse@ Add video editing and CGI to that list

temeteus82

Mouse@ Add video editing and CGI to that list

Lowfat

or add anything besides games I don't do any of what he listed and i would prefer a Mac.

and as to a PC looking better, no flipping way. Mac Pro's are the sexiest tower you can buy, and a MacBook Pro is definitely better looking than any PC notebook.

Mousey

I'd take my raidmax scorpio with my 3850, Zalman and Cathodes over any mac, any day
Depends how much i could get one for, if it was INSANELY cheap, or free (if i won it for instance) then yeah i'd use it as a secondary rig.
Otherwise no.

swimtech