MAC users....compare Mac's to PC's!

[takemetoo]

Another Mac lover here! We just got our powerbook in December. Couldn't be more pleased!

 

[dawnball]

I spent 10 years as a unix/windows admin. My husband has a few more years than me on unix, and is also a mac admin right now. When I needed a new computer this time I went with an emac. I adore it, because it just works. I don't fight with it, I don't fuss with it, I just tell it what to do and it does it. It isn't fragile or finicky and a reinstall is a breeze compared to a PC.

I think we spent around $700 with the machine, extra RAM and applecare. but we qualify for educational discounts and bought on tax-free weekend.

 

[tlynk]

I used a Mac for 15+ years and loved it!!!! I never had any virus attacks, and Macs are so much easier to use. However, when my Mac started slowing down about 4 years ago I switched to a PC.

The reason I switched is because as a student I got tired of buying college textbooks that only came with software for the PC. I was having to drive to the school to do most of my work.

With that said- I still prefer a Mac to a PC. Hard choice to make!

 

[my3kids]

Thanks everyone! I need to see some to try them out. The university offers education discounts but you have to order the equipment. Nearest Apple Store is about 3 hours away. This is going to take some logistical planning, I think! I looked on the website and everything can be ordered.

 

[Edna E. Mode]

I have been a member of the cult since 1993, and would never switch to a PC for my personal stuff. I recently bought a Gateway for a business we are starting, but I only use it for the business. There is not better machine for me than a Mac. I use my computer for internet, photos, itunes and a little bit of word processing. I love it. I have the 17 in iMac btw. Try it, you'll like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mickman1962]

I spent 10 years as a unix/windows admin. My husband has a few more years than me on unix, and is also a mac admin right now. When I needed a new computer this time I went with an emac. I adore it, because it just works. I don't fight with it, I don't fuss with it, I just tell it what to do and it does it. It isn't fragile or finicky and a reinstall is a breeze compared to a PC.

Just curious, if it is so great why would you have to do a reinstall?

 

[Tigger2252]

Another MacAddict here. I use a PC at work for the financial programs and stuff that I have to use, but if I have to do anything involving graphics, layout, or media production I turn to my Mac. I also have an iMac at home, and use that exclusively. For my needs a PC is not what I need. I have found the graphic and design programs to be sorely lacking and the commands too involved. Love my Mac!!

 

[Anewman]

We have 2 Macs(ibookG4 and a older dual chip powermac), we also have 3 Windows based PCs(2 laptops and one desktop). We are a family of 4 and always fight over the windows machines. We are all HEAVILY computer literate and have never been affected by virusses, when my boy was 10 he tried to install a game that had all kinds of spyware on it. But nothing in the last 3.5 years.

My mom and dad on the other hand can not use a windows based PC, no matter how I tell them not to click on popups(even Windows looking ones) or executable files in emails they always end up with spyware, toolbars, and virusses within a week. They are the reason we now have an extra PC Laptop, we traded an old IBOOK for their compac, now we are both happy.

Some persons should just not be allowed on a PC, for those a MAC rules.

 

[bellarella]

What would you all recommend for a lower cost DTP app for the Mac? I don't have needs to justify Pagemaker or Quark. Also, are there places to get discounts on Mac software? I will start with Photoshop Elements, but I have CS for my PC and eventually would want to get it for Mac too. Basically the only thing holding me back from an iMac is my software investment in my PC -- but that argument is fading since I need to update a bunch of my programs anyway and really, all I need for my iMac would be MS Office, Elements, and a DTP program.

 

[jennifer293]

EWWW this one is a touchy subject with me today, seeing how I just gave APPLE $437.00 to REPAIR my DH's Mac today. He bought it last year and it worked fine and I bought the Dell for 399.00 during the Black Friday sale. He always talks about what a piece of junk my computer is and I just laugh and say well I got a good deal....Well 2 weeks ago he was having one of his sarcastic moments while updating his running website BAM!!!! The whole thing shut down and NOTHING would work AT ALL....We took it to have diagnostic testing done on it and they found nothing so we sent it to Apple and they found that the LOGIC BOARD had malfunctioned so they had to repair it completely...

So I today I will choose my Dell over that MAC seeing how the repair alone cost more than my laptop not to mention the price he paid for it in the first place...


AHHHHHH that felt good to vent !!!!!

 

[KilleriMac17]

I can generally "fix" my PC issues just because I know how the PC works. Will I be able to figure out MACs or are they so good they don't need fixing??

Wow...they are a lot more than PCs, aren't they?

no, they actually arent a lot more than pc's. they cost less to run, most people never have to actually by any more software than they come with. now if you compare them to 'white box' generic pc's they cost more, but if you build similiar systems they cost about the same(or sometimes cheaper, try to build an all in one dell with the same specs as an iMac and the iMac is cheaper. you can get an ibook for $999.

 

[KilleriMac17]

Thanks everyone! I need to see some to try them out. The university offers education discounts but you have to order the equipment. Nearest Apple Store is about 3 hours away. This is going to take some logistical planning, I think! I looked on the website and everything can be ordered.

you can get education discounts on hardware at the store or online, so you don't have to order it through a university store.

 

[nbodyhome]

I love both my Macs - one is a desktop, one is an I-Book. The best part is that there aren't viruses, that is a BIG bonus.

The only bad thing is the power cords for the I-Macs are terrible. Mine sparked and died after just a few months, and that is common (it is something that really needs to be fixed). We finally found a power cord that is not made by Apple, and it works great.

 

[iggbees]

i've been a mac user my whole life (i'm 23 now), my dad has been a user since basically day 1. i can't understand how people say that pc's are so easy to use. i've used both and can't understand a thing on the pc, i feel like you have to be a computer programmer in order to have any clue how to get to programs or files, which is one of my many pet peeves with pc's. i also think that the fact that you can be working on something and all of a sudden the pc decides that it just wants to quit on you. there you have it, your important document gone. i think people still think of macs as the harder to use (yet still way easier than a pc) system from the 90's.

i'm not going to try to convince you to use a mac, because frankly, the less people using macs the better (in terms of viruses and whatnot). i just will leave you with the fact that my boyfriend, a computer scientist who used pc's all through college (his high school had to use macs, they were actually one of the first to institute personal computers in the classroom and have a page about them on apple.com) converted to a mac when i introduced him to the system. he now has 3 (ibook, mac mini with intel chip, and a 20" imac). they also only basically use macs in the computer science department at his grad school.

i think it takes a special breed of people to love macs. if you notice, most are art or science related people. i feel that my mac, though expensive is completely worth the money. i had an ibook all through college and recently upgraded to a powerbook, just because i wanted more power, the old mac is still awesome and kicking and my dad uses it for work.

 

[mrsheppo]

I have only had computers and both have been Macs. The first one was an iMac and had it for seven years. I gave it to my kids last year so they could have their own and now have a MacMini. I love using the Macs, they are so easy for those who don't have a lot of computer experience. I was able to set up my original Mac in less than 45 minutes with very little experience. Also, the part of not getting viruses is a big plus. I use a PC at work and I'm always glad to leave that PC and enjoy my Mac.

 

[iggbees]

EWWW this one is a touchy subject with me today, seeing how I just gave APPLE $437.00 to REPAIR my DH's Mac today. He bought it last year and it worked fine and I bought the Dell for 399.00 during the Black Friday sale. He always talks about what a piece of junk my computer is and I just laugh and say well I got a good deal....Well 2 weeks ago he was having one of his sarcastic moments while updating his running website BAM!!!! The whole thing shut down and NOTHING would work AT ALL....We took it to have diagnostic testing done on it and they found nothing so we sent it to Apple and they found that the LOGIC BOARD had malfunctioned so they had to repair it completely...

So I today I will choose my Dell over that MAC seeing how the repair alone cost more than my laptop not to mention the price he paid for it in the first place...


AHHHHHH that felt good to vent !!!!!

that's the reason you should pay the extra money for apple care service for an extra 2 years. the problem with macs is that if they fail, they really fail. both my boyfriend's and my dad's imacs (they apparently had major problems with everyones from that year) were still under warranty when they had the power supply bust.

you can order apple care through the student store and it is much cheaper.

 

[KilleriMac17]

I love both my Macs - one is a desktop, one is an I-Book. The best part is that there aren't viruses, that is a BIG bonus.

The only bad thing is the power cords for the I-Macs are terrible. Mine sparked and died after just a few months, and that is common (it is something that really needs to be fixed). We finally found a power cord that is not made by Apple, and it works great.

I have had a few imacs, still do, I have had ibooks and cubes too, never heard of had a problem wtih powercords EXCEPT for the original ibook, that had powercord problems(the yoyo cord style) but never had iMac powercord issues, as a matter of fact, the imacs(except the original that had a regular pc style powercord) all have different types of cords. now, I heard the new coreduo powercord is strange, but if you remove a ring on it, it works fine.

 

[T. Lynn]

My laptop was from 1999 and I just got a new one last week. I got the Dell E1505 with the new Intel Core Processor.

 

[bride03]

I can generally "fix" my PC issues just because I know how the PC works. Will I be able to figure out MACs or are they so good they don't need fixing??

Wow...they are a lot more than PCs, aren't they?

Depends on what you get. I have an iBook G4 and purchased it and upgraded the memory (newegg.com) and it all cost me about $1050. Macs are easy to learn. Go to the message boards macrumors.com...EVERY question you have will be answered by going though these boards. They are excellent. I love my Mac and will NEVER go back to a PC. I take my iBook everywhere with me.

Oh...and I see some passages about getting apple care....you can also check out safeware.com Awesome for covering everything and anything that could happen to your mac.

incase also has some sweet neoprene cases and backpacks for your ibook/powerbook/powermac.

 

[SueM in MN]

Does it 'talk'(very cool what someone said, btw!) you through setting up the wireless or other network in the house?

I got my new Powerbook in October. As soon as I turned it on, it asked me a few questions, asked me to name it and when I was done, it "told" me it had detected our wireless network and asked if I wanted to join it. Within 5 minutes of first turning on the computer, I was surfing the DIS.