MAC or PC

[ShanF]

I am just about ready for a new laptop and I have been thinking about making the switch from a PC to a MAC.
Does anyone have any thoughts, pros vs cons, etc? How many of you use a MAC?
I did a search for previous threads on this topic, but did not find anything, so if you have a link to that, I would appreciate that.
I use microsoft outlook, word, surf the net, etc. I also have adobe photoshop for my photos and adobe premiere elements to edit videos, etc. I do spend most of time doing photos, videos, etc.
I am nervous b/c I am a lifelong PC user, so this would be all new to me.
Thanks in advance for any tips/advice --
Shannon

 

[saturndb]

I have been using a mac for years now and I love it. I would recommend one to anyone, BUT, one thing to keep in mind. If you do switch you will need to buy new versions of your programs, such as word, adobe photoshop and premiere. Now the mac will come with iphoto but that is no photoshop.

Just one more thing to consider before you decide to make the switch.

Dave

 

[WDWFigment]

People who use Macs are smug fart-wafers. I would avoid making the switch. You don't want to become a fart-wafer, do you?

 

[mainstreet1997]

People who use Macs are smug fart-wafers. I would avoid making the switch. You don't want to become a fart-wafer, do you?

Yeah, love you too Tom. And PC users are stubborn mules who are afraid of change. I made the switch to Mac about 2 years ago and LOVE it! Ive never had any kind of virus and have only had to reboot maybe twice in two years.

 

[Groucho]

The question is, what you do expect to gain by going to a Mac? There's really nothing you can do with a Mac that you can't do with a PC. Hardware-wise, they're very similar nowadays, but a comparable Mac will often run you 3-4x the price and they like to sell you a new OS every couple years rather than offer service packs like Windows.

Give Windows 7 a look, too - it is much improved over XP and is much, much less annoying to use than Vista. It's not perfect (nothing is) but is definitely a solid step forward. Any new PC will come preloaded with 7. Use Firefox with Adblock and don't open unknown attachments in email and you will likely never be infected with spyware or viruses. There are viruses in the Mac world, too.

There was some Windows/Mac discussion in this thread, you may want to take a peek at that, too.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have used both systems and unless, as Groucho mentioned, you have some specific reason to switch to a Mac I don't think it is worth purchasing new software and paying the higher price for the computer.

Wait a minute - I have some Apple stock now. Never mind....buy the Mac!!!

 

[Michele]

You won't have to re-buy all of your programs. You can just buy one new program, Parallels (or I know there are others, can't think of their names right now) which allows windows to run on your Mac. Then you can just load all your regular programs onto the Windows portion of your Mac. Visit a Mac store they can answer all your questions.

I love mine. My frustration level with PC's just got too high, viruses, background processes, errors popping up that I had no idea what to do with...I don't have any of that now. And the learning curve...zero. Incredibly user friendly.

 

[Stephanie218]

I went Mac 2.5 years ago, and I love it. I've had a lot less problems with the computer crashing than I had with my Windows one.

 

[alan]

I'd agree with Groucho. Another point is that the MAC does not generally use Context-sensitive (right-click) menus. I hate using Mac software that has been ported to the PC because I always expect to be able to right-click and "do things" to what I've selected.

The MAC, AFAIK, doesn't work that way. Not that the MAC is wrong, as such... it's just different.

You are certainly no safer from Malware on the MAC than a PC, the more so if you use Windows 7 or Vista and configure it properly so that you normally run from a non-privileged account


PCs have something of a reputation for the operating system crashing, but that has historically been caused by badly-written device drivers. Microsoft's WHQL tests now guarantee that drivers are much better written, and if you buy a system from a well-known vendor I think it very unlikely that you would have any problems.

regards,
/alan

 

[Lizziejane]

I bought a PC 2 years ago (so it was "up to date"), but it had a hard time keeping up with me in terms of photo editing. I use mainly Lightroom and PHotoshop Elements, and both programs would constantly freeze on me - always when I was up to my neck in deadlines. In January, my hubby bought me a Mac. I have not experienced the problems I had on the PC.

But while the Mac is great for photos and videos, there is a learning curve when switching over from a PC. I hate iPhoto and Adobe Bridge - I much preferred the organizer that came with Photoshop Elements on a PC. You can get a Mac version of Outlook, Word, and Excel but they look very different and it took me a while to get used to them. If you run any kind of financial programs on a PC, you will find a very limited offering for the Mac.

I love my Mac for photo editing; for office work, including keeping a set of simple books for a small home business, I still prefer a PC. I hope this saves me from being a smug "fart wafer"!!

 

[Chikabowa]

I moved to a Mac last year and I've been so happy with the switch. I was a life-long PC user, but I made the switch so that I was more compatible with my graphic designer. I agree... there isn't much you can't do on either platform, it's really personal preference. If you don't have an absolute compelling reason to switch, then it may not be worth it. But I do love my Mac (I'm on a macbook pro and love love love it)!!

 

[saturndb]

I would go to a Apple store or bestbuy and give both a test drive. keep in mind Apples PC vs Mac comericals are very funny and the I'm a PC are just uncreative and the "real people" they have in the comericals are actors!

Dave

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Everyone that I know that has switched to a Mac has been happy with the switch.

On the other hand, my main experience with Apple software is with iTunes and my iPhone. iTunes is one of the worst pieces of software that I use. It's not user friendly, it's buggy, and it's very controlling. I much preferred my Blackberry as a phone, calendar, and e-mail tool. The abundance of apps for the iPhone is cool, but the device itself is slow, buggy, and controlling.

Just about everyone I know loves their iPhone. I'm not thrilled with mine. From that, I extrapolate that I would probably not like a Mac.

As for my PC experience, I've used them for 26 years. I've owned my one for 22 years. I've never had a virus problem. Other than ME or Vista, I've never had serious OS problems. I've got 5 PC's running Windows 7 and 7 more running XP and every one of them is stable and does what it needs to do fairly well. Then again, I'm a professional techy, so I can bend computers to my will quite a bit easier than the typical person.

I'm glad that the Mac people are happy. I like having the competition. I'm not switching to an OS from a company that has had three versions of their smartphone and hasn't figured out how to implement "Mark All as Read" yet.

 

[Coach K]

I have used both a PC and a MAC in my previous job. We had to have tech support come in every so often for the PC and never for the MAC. I have both at home but primarily use the MAC. They both have their good points and drawbacks. I felt the PC was more for the business applications and the MAC was more for graphics. As for the viruses; has anyone ever had one on a MAC??

 

[YesDear]

I use both currently. I have a pc desktop at home and an IMac. My laptop is a mac. I prefer the mac for most things.

 

[boBQuincy]

There was a time when a Mac was better for graphics applications and less prone to viruses and crashes. There was also a time when photo film, carburetors, and vinyl records were state of the art. Both of those times have passed.

Mac or PC is really up to personal preference now, that and how cool do we need to feel by using the "right" computer. I build my own computers and you can't build a Mac so the choice is easy from that standpoint.

 

[Groucho]

It's worth noting, too, that most Windows PCs are still running XP, which was released over eight years ago, and required a 233 mHz processor (you could actually run it on ones even slower), 64 megs of memory, and 1.5 gigs of hard drive space. That was back when Macs ran on PowerPC processors, too!

XP has a myriad of security issues in its basic design so that it now is like a lifeboat with sewed-on patches all over it. It can't even handle over 3 gigs of memory (unless you run the 64-bit version, which is not a good idea.) It was a big step forward from Windows 98 which most people were running until that point, and was dramatically more pleasant to use than Windows 2000, which was slow and clunky but itself a huge step forward in security.

Vista was like the 2000 of the new OSs and 7 is like the new XP. Vista made serious improvements in security but such improvements cannot be made painlessly. 7 incorporates those changes but also tweaks the system for speed and for being much less intrusive into the day-to-day tasks; it is finally possible for the average use to not run as an administrator and not be severely handicapped in what they can do.

I guess the point is, 7 is here today and if you're comparing Mac vs PC, you should compare the usability and security of 7, not the ancient and dilapidated XP. If you still think it's worth spending 3x the money and not having nearly the software options, then good luck.

 

[ssanders79]

If you do switch you will need to buy new versions of your programs, such as word, adobe photoshop and premiere.

You can contact Adobe and go through some steps to get your Photoshop licence switched from your PC to MAC. I do not think it is free, but if you talk to the right people you might be able to get a cross-grade (PC2Mac) price.

 

[ShanF]

Thanks to everyone for your replies and advice.
I need a new laptop and have been thinking about "going MAC" since I bought this one a little under 2 years ago. I feel like I am constantly replacing computers and the one i have now is soooo slow - it drives me crazy.
With my love and interest in photography and videos, etc (as novice as I am) -- I thought now may be a good time to make the switch.
I am definitely nervous b/c i have always used pc's and so has my husband (who is great with computers - pc's, so if i go mac i lose my personal computer guru here at home - he is fine with whatever i chose, he just has NO knowledge about mac's)
I am looking at the 15 or 17 inch macbook pro or the imacs with the 21 or 27 screen -- they look awesome, it's just not a laptop - so i need to decide!

Anyone have the new imac?

Thanks!!!

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

When I got a compuer(PC) I was also looking at Macs. For me it was simple, if I wanted a compareable Mac at the time, I would have cost me $4k, not the $2k my windows xp machine.

On the other hand I would say the majority of podcasts I have seen teaching photo editing in a program like cs4, or Lightroom; have been done on an Apple computer.

IMO if money isn't a big deal, get the Mac, if you want a great machine at half the price, get a PC.