Mac or PC, which one you prefer?

[kaasupoltin]

So there's the question already; do you use Mac or PC and why is that?

I used PC for a long time, like 10-12 years. Then I started to study these graphical design -things and there was only Macs in the school. I was actually very delighted about it. So I bought my first Mac 1-2 years ago and I have to say it's fuckin' great. I really think OS X beats the hell out of Windows XP when it comes to reliability and stability. It simply works so much better.

But the downside is, I still have my PC, I can't let it go 'cause there are certain software that hasn't been coded for Mac at all. And of course, the games. Some time ago came the solution though: Intel Mac.

Now I just need the money to get one of those and get rid of my PC

[Genesis]

PC. I can take it apart and build it any way I want. Mac, while it looks nice is basically a black box. I hate proprietary stuff anyway.

[bazgnr]

Mac.  Ease of use, and OS that can easily multi-task w/o crashing the whole system, a simple, all-in-one way to record music, edit video, IM & video chat, standard firewire connections...I could go on.  At the end of the day, it's all personal preference.

[Mal Brossard]

PC.  I hate Mac's smarmy ad campaigns.  I went on a rampage about this topic here a few months back.  Basically, you're getting a Fisher-Price My First Computer for three times the price of a PC.

Here's some stuff I posted to the topic "Laptops: Your Thoughts?"

I saw yet another of those commercials on TV with that kid Justin Long as the Mac user and John Hodgman as the PC user. I swear, if I have to watch another of these commercials, I'm going to kick the next Mac user I see.

Macs are no better than PC's. I've used both. The first "modern" computer (e.g.-- one that doesn't require a 5.5" floppy disk to run) that I used without parental or teacher assistance was a Mac. I used them exclusively from fourth through eighth grade, with the exception being our home computer, an IBM-clone from 1992 or so that only had a program to organize all my baseball cards and an old LotusWorks word processor.

Frankly, I never want to use a Mac again. I've used a PC exclusively for the last 8 years (with the exception of getting stuck with a Mac in Emerson College's computer labs once in a while) and frankly, they're easier to use, have just as many easy-to-use program options as a Mac (sometimes they have even more, no matter what those damned commercials try to imply; try finding an online poker program for Mac before this year-- you couldn't), and they're less expensive.

I've used a PC for eight years now. I've learned how they work inside and out just through looking around, a little trial and error, and just reading about them. I've tried doing it with Macs and can't figure a thing out. You may say spyware, popups, and viruses aren't as much of a problem with Macs as they are with PC's. Know what? I haven't had a single bit of spyware, a single popup, or a single virus in two years. All you have to do is have a good firewall, anti-virus software, and a popup blocker. All except the anti-virus software were free. $40 a year for anti-virus is hardly expensive, and free firewalls and popup blockers are the greatest invention ever. (NOTE: I have since switched to a free anti-virus program, and it's damn good).

Ever since installing Zone Alarm and using Mozilla Firefox, I haven't had a single problem with spyware, popups, phishing, or viruses. And both were free. Yes, I know, neither blocks phishing attacks. It's called common sense people, come on. It's not hard.

A new PC costs $400 for a bare-bones model. A new Mac starts at over $1000. Ever tried shopping on Apple's website? You may notice that in the past, all of their own products were rated with 5 Apples. However, users couldn't post their own ratings and reviews. But on other companies' products on the site, the items were rated with 0-5 stars, and customers WERE permitted to submit reviews.

Apple used to have this to say in their FAQ: "What is the Apple rating? We give all Apple products a rating of "5 Apples" because we think they're great." Earlier, it also read, "Why can't customers rate Apple products? Would you trust us to display less-than-perfect ratings on our own products? We didn't think so." You'll notice now that it has been removed from their site. Despite being anti-conformity in their ads, Apple would prefer that you let them do your thinking for you. "We think they're great, and so do you dammit!"

Here's a perfect analogy I read. Let's say you go a grocery store and buy the generic, store-brand corn flakes. You get home and you find they're stale and taste horrible. You take them back to the manager and demand a refund. "Sorry," he says. "We don't allow complaints about our brand of cereal. We think it's great!"

Mac is trying too hard to market to a fringe group: the non-conformists, college students, and the "anti-corporates." They're trying to make their products out to be "different," and that if you aren't willing to go along with their products, you may as well just be another stuffed shirt who's afraid of change.

But let's think about this. Guess what allows you to stay in business? Money. And what makes money for Apple? Selling computers. And who buys a lot of computers? Suits. Yes, people that you hate. People that aren't artistes, aren't creative, aren't cool. Boring people with white collars, striped ties, and gray suits need to buy your computers, otherwise your company will die! You will die out if you don't sell to more corporate-types. And you don't sell to corporate-types if they think your computer is a toy for the kids.

The only good thing I can find about Apple is the fact they have 100% open-source software, something Microsoft lacks. However, it is still possible to run Windows and still take advantage of the open-source movement. Just look at great programs like Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird. Completely open source, a bunch of great add-ons and tweaks, constant updating and error fixing, easy to use, and it's fun while still being a legitimately good program that isn't seen as just a toy.

Or ARE THEY really open-source? Recently, Apple has proven to be a closed-source DMCA-loving company, very similar to the Recording Industry Association of America. Media-loved Apple has invoked the Digital Millenium Copyright Act to stop communication of methods that allow Mac OS X to run on chips from Intel and AMD (two of the most common PC processors). Yes, you read that right: Apple has used the DMCA to shut down sites that describe how to run its open source-based operating system on Intel hardware. That's about as anti-open-source as one can get.

I'm glad I bought my iPod used rather than new direct from these creeps. A little less money in their pockets. If I can find a good MP3-player (or two, preferrably), I'd seriously consider dumping the iPod. Anyone want to buy a used iPod?

Even with all the hype Apple gets, they're still only 3% of the market. Put that in your iMac and smoke it, Steves.

[Neemo]

^ That's a great post dude! says it pretty well.

And bazgnr....all computers crash at some point or another...

I prefer PC myself....with a little knowedge and tinkering you can do anythig non a PC that you can on a mac....and everybody supports PC and Windows....everybody...even mac as funny as that is

[polluxlm]

I don't care how 'superior' the mac is. The world runs on PC. Until it runs on Mac I'm sticking with what I can use without searching niche online shops.

What are you going to do with a car that doesn't run on gas?

[Prometheus]

all a mac is these days is a pc with osx on it...... oh and an overly inflated price tag

[Walk]

PC, for obvious reasons already mentioned. I'm very tempted to post the picture of the "typical MacIntosh user", but I'm certain you guys can imagine the worst.

[jarmo]

PC, for obvious reasons already mentioned. I'm very tempted to post the picture of the "typical MacIntosh user", but I'm certain you guys can imagine the worst.

This?






/jarmo

[bazgnr]

So I'm clearly in the minority here, which is fine.  Like I said, it comes down to personal preference and opinion.  I spent many years on PCs before getting hooked on Macs in the late 90's.  Out of curiousity, thought, have any of the pro-PC people here spent time with any of the OSX macs?

[jarmo]

I find it somewhat amusing that some of the "pro-PC" people posting in this thread, are the same ones who's political views are more on the right wing.....



/jarmo

[polluxlm]

I find it somewhat amusing that some of the "pro-PC" people posting in this thread, are the same ones who's political views are more on the right wing.....



/jarmo

Since 95% of the world are PC users I just see the expected divident.

But right wingers having a preference for PCs? If that means something I'd sure like to know. Is there some Third Reich source code being used or what? Are IBM founded on the Enigma encryption?

[jarmo]

I find it somewhat amusing that some of the "pro-PC" people posting in this thread, are the same ones who's political views are more on the right wing.....



/jarmo

Since 95% of the world are PC users I just see the expected divident.

But right wingers having a preference for PCs? If that means something I'd sure like to know. Is there some Third Reich source code being used or what? Are IBM founded on the Enigma encryption?

I didn't mean of the whole computer market. I meant in this thread. 

Considering how Apple is the alternative and is marketed as such and is used by many creative people (who might even be liberal), I find it somewhat amusing. 





/jarmo

[polluxlm]

I didn't mean of the whole computer market. I meant in this thread.?

Considering how Apple is the alternative and is marketed as such and is used by many creative people (who might even be liberal), I find it somewhat amusing.?





/jarmo

Ah ok, didn't know that. Mac pretty much keeps to marketing their iPod up here.

[Verse Chorus Verse]

So I'm clearly in the minority here, which is fine.  Like I said, it comes down to personal preference and opinion.  I spent many years on PCs before getting hooked on Macs in the late 90's.  Out of curiousity, thought, have any of the pro-PC people here spent time with any of the OSX macs?

I have, in school, and we have nothing but trouble with them. Disk Drives are small and always full, syncing errors are limitless, they're slow, and they are overly-complicated. It's inane to go through all that iPhoto crap just to change your background.

[Robman?]

PC, for obvious reasons already mentioned. I'm very tempted to post the picture of the "typical MacIntosh user", but I'm certain you guys can imagine the worst.

This?






/jarmo

Damn, I better start using a Mac if it helps me produce industrial rock music of exceptional quality

I can't really say which one is better, since I haven't used a mac since the 2nd grade.

[TAP]

Mac.

I use both these days but XP is not at all intuitive for me, it's like doing things left-handed.

[bazgnr]

I find it somewhat amusing that some of the "pro-PC" people posting in this thread, are the same ones who's political views are more on the right wing.....


/jarmo

Since 95% of the world are PC users I just see the expected divident.

But right wingers having a preference for PCs? If that means something I'd sure like to know. Is there some Third Reich source code being used or what? Are IBM founded on the Enigma encryption?

I didn't mean of the whole computer market. I meant in this thread.?

Considering how Apple is the alternative and is marketed as such and is used by many creative people (who might even be liberal), I find it somewhat amusing.?


/jarmo

I'm far from a liberal, and I've never mixed politics and computer loyalty. ? ? ? ?For me, it's a creative /ease of use thing...

[bazgnr]

Mac.

I use both these days but XP is not at all intuitive for me, it's like doing things left-handed.

And I'm also left-handed...   

[Prometheus]

i have used macs a fair bit....... and i do agree that OSx is a nce OS..... but i have not had any problems with XP... im kind of on top of the game when it comes to keeping things working properly..... and to be honest.... i formatted once every 6 onths prior to xp... and now i have only formatted once..... to install XP..... and frankly the only reason why there are very few viri for the mac in comparsion is that mac is such a sellect market.... whos goingto bother to hit them by writting a viris that effects macs