Why use Mac?

[Frozonecold]

Now that Vista is copying most of Mac OS X's best features, what is the incentive for switchers to use Mac OS X instead of Vista?

[Buschmaster]

Leopard and PRICE.

Does it have expose? iPhoto? Which I use almost religiously. Does it have dashboard? These are honest questions. I really don't know all about it's features, but I'm pretty sure it lacks essentials for me. As well as the fact that I couldn't afford it.

[freebooter]

Why not?

[Frozonecold]

Leopard and PRICE.

Does it have expose? iPhoto? Which I use almost religiously. Does it have dashboard? These are honest questions. I really don't know all about it's features, but I'm pretty sure it lacks essentials for me. As well as the fact that I couldn't afford it.
Well dashboard and gadgets are quite similar. And many Mac users don't even use dashboard.

[Allotriophagy]

iMac is so pretty.

[the Western zoo]

Why not?

I second that...!

Why should it be appealing for a mac-user to switch to Vista to get the same features that you have had for some time now? Further there's is bound to be the same old "easy breachability" (virus, spyware etc) in Vista - Microsoft programmed it!

[Frozonecold]

I second that...!

Why should it be appealing for a mac-user to switch to Vista to get the same features that you have had for some time now? Further there's is bound to be the same old "easy breachability" (virus, spyware etc) in Vista - Microsoft programmed it!

I hear that Vista is actually more secure than Xp.

[the Western zoo]

I hear that Vista is actually more secure than Xp.

Well XP were more secure than ME and 98, but it still has virus and spyware... Still I don't see what it is you think Vista will bring to the table that OSX doesn't?

[DXoverDY]

Well dashboard and gadgets are quite similar. And many Mac users don't even use dashboard.

I think that statement has no real basis behind it. How do you know most users don't use Dashboard? There was a thread yesterday... I think the last time I looked it was about half and half. I think most people here who comment regularly are more or less power users so dashboard might be a tad too simplistic for them.

For the record I do use Dashboard. At least a couple times per day.

As for the original question...

Why use a mac?

Because it isn't prone to virus outbreaks like Windows is. Vista hasn't proven it's any better than XP.

Because copies are always not nearly as good as the original. Thus you're getting a half-baked copy with Vista.

They scratched WinFS in vista.. so nothing comparable to Spotlight is available. So, spotlight is one reason.

iLife. iPhoto and iMovie with iDVD can make a huge difference for new users. Even power users like me use them.

Unix core. I can run my command line apps like rsync, ssh, and others without the need for an emulation library layer.

I can run Windows on my Mac (well.. not me personally but others have gotten it working) if I need to play games or windows specific applications.

One of the best customer support services over any other PC manufacturer.

Innovation rather than copycatting.

Innovative software developers and amazing shareware. TextMate, Delicious Library, Yojimbo, NewsFire, etc.

Amazing industrial design.

Lower system requirements. Better support for older systems meaning my Mac Pro won't be outdated and unable to run the latest OS release in 5 years.

Built in PDF support.

The list goes on.

[Danksi]

Microsoft can do all it can to emulate the 'Mac experience', but until it partners up with one specific manufacturer and stops developing for the millions of possible hardware configs out there - it's got no chance.

[lmalave]

Stability/Reliability:
I'm a technoglogy professional, and after a while I always get issues with Windows machines where I'll get error messages on startup, or error messages when running certain apps. IMO Windows is just a lot more error prone.

Security:
It remains to be seen if Vista is that much of an improvement over XP. With OS X, you get an OS that has already been on the market for 5+ years and is *known* to be almost impervious to viruses. Vista may well be a secure operating system, but I'll reserve judgement until it's been out for at least a year. Vista does *not* get my benefit of the doubt, since it is the successor t an operating system that is not secure. Vista is guilty until proven innocent.

[Buschmaster]

Well dashboard and gadgets are quite similar. And many Mac users don't even use dashboard.
I use it quite a bit.

iLife is enough for me in itself. And the shortcuts and everything. It isn't just the big things that the Macs do, but all the little things that really add up and make the difference for me.

[Stadsport]

Stability/Reliability:Security:
It remains to be seen if Vista is that much of an improvement over XP. With OS X, you get an OS that has already been on the market for 5+ years and is *known* to be almost impervious to viruses.
No, you get an OS that has been on the market for 30+ years :p

[90003]

Na

[afornander]

"it just works" ;)

[risc]

Now that Vista is copying most of Mac OS X's best features, what is the incentive for switchers to use Mac OS X instead of Vista?

For me 4 words: UNIX like operating system

[mduser63]

Having actually used Vista, I'm not impressed. It does rip off a lot of OS X features (Exposé and Dashboard for example), but they're bad ripoffs. For example the Sidebar is much more cumbersome, and because it only fills a tiny sliver of screen space it's not very useful. The Exposé ripoff (can't remember what they call it) doesn't show you all your windows at once, it stacks them up and then you have to flip through them to find the one you want. It's very inefficient. Anyway, it's still MS Windows, albeit with a somewhat less ugly GUI. I honestly can't think of any reason why I would/should switch, and I still think OS X has real advantages even just in terms of UI and visible features, not to mention security, stability and a UNIX core.

[clevin]

while the core of OSX/Linux is quite different from Vista, even if the looks getting closer.
To talk about price is totally off base, I don't think people should brag about OSX "total onwership is cheaper" blah blah blah, any more, Mac doesn't have advantage on price, admit it doesn't mean mac isn't good enough for the money.

[Hobofuzz]

Having actually used Vista, I'm not impressed. It does rip off a lot of OS X features (Exposé and Dashboard for example), but they're bad ripoffs. For example the Sidebar is much more cumbersome, and because it only fills a tiny sliver of screen space it's not very useful. The Exposé ripoff (can't remember what they call it) doesn't show you all your windows at once, it stacks them up and then you have to flip through them to find the one you want. It's very inefficient. Anyway, it's still MS Windows, albeit with a somewhat less ugly GUI. I honestly can't think of any reason why I would/should switch, and I still think OS X has real advantages even just in terms of UI and visible features, not to mention security, stability and a UNIX core.

I actually prefer the classic windows look.

It's clean, efficient, and stays out of the way. It's not ugly.

I personally believe the GUI in Vista is ugly. It takes up so much space and I can tell the eye-candy is there simply to try to trump Mac OS X. It has no real substance. It's just eye-candy.

[mduser63]

I actually prefer the classic windows look.

It's clean, efficient, and stays out of the way. It's not ugly.

I personally believe the GUI in Vista is ugly. It takes up so much space and I can tell the eye-candy is there simply to try to trump Mac OS X. It has no real substance. It's just eye-candy.

Well my personal opinion (but it's no more than an opinion) is that the classic Windows UI is incredibly ugly. So much so that I don't like to use it. Vista is better, but I still think it lacks the polish and attention to detail that even older versions of OS X have. I think a UI should be pretty and have eye candy, but it needs to do something useful and stay out of the way of the user at the same time. Vista doesn't really do that. For example, the translucent window borders are pointless and annoying.

[scottlinux]

Yes I think Vista is a failure before it has even be released to the mainstream. People do not care to have a bloated down RAM and GPU intensive operating system just so they can see pretty icons when they 'alt-tab' between applications.

People would rather have a stable operating system, that is low on hardware requirements, with no bells and whistles. I think MS got too caught up in trying to emulate OS X, or trying to be pretty, and in the end, Vista is overblown. What happened to being efficient?

And Vista requires 'signed' drivers for devices. Audio people are going nuts because NONE of the official, stable drivers from audio hardware companies are signed drivers. They don't make any signed drivers.

http://www.soundsonline-forums.com/showthread.php?t=6238

And the fact that Vista constantly checks in to 'verify' is going to be a nightmare. So many people have been declined windows updates from false positives in XP SP2 as it is. I fear this is going to increase with Vista. And in Vista if you have several false positives of 'verifying' your operating system, it locks down the computer to an internet browsing station only. No programs, and limited hard drive browsing.

And there are 6(?) versions of Vista I think. The most expensive being about $600. The cheapest version is so watered down and constricted that manufacturers like Acer don't want to ship it on their machines. But they are locked into only including that basic version, b/c windows charges them more $$$ to include a functional version of Vista.

Compounded with the fact that you still run as administrator at all times in Vista- viruses and spyware are going to run wild as always.

What a mess.

So to me the question is not 'Why use Mac?,' but 'Why use Windows?'
:)

[iBookG4user]

Well let's see.
- no viruses
- you get a good looking computer.
- time machine
- doesn't require a high end computer to run all the eye candy
- better eye candy
- expose
- dock

[Quboid]

Mac OS is built on the freebsd kernel and XNU(dependable), what does windows built on (sticks and stones?). .........exactly.

[SC68Cal]

while the core of OSX/Linux

OS X is not linux. BSD is UNIX and Linux is UNIX-Like.

To put it short, OS X uses parts of BSD (which is Berkley Systems UNIX) which has direct lineage back to UNIX, while Linux started from it's own kernel that Torvalds created by himself, but with UNIX in mind.

Splitting hairs, I know.

I'm still trying to sort out most of it myself, where UNIX ends and Linux begins. What's strange is that many of the technologies from UNIX and Linux start to float between each branch.

One thing I have to say, after working for a large university the whole thing over the GPL and Linux has scared off quite a few interested parties. Thanks Stallman.....

[jessep28]

Here's an article discussing the Vista pricing:

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=7529

The home edition upgrade prices are going to retail in the $100ish range. About where XP Home retails right now in the store from what I see.

[Frozonecold]

Good point on the Mac OS X's pricing. Recently my friend was trying to tell me that vista and OS X are pretty much equal, so he shouldn't switch. I should bring up pricing.