Poll: Have you recently switched to the Mac?

[MacRumors]

Vote: Poll: Have you recently switched to the Mac? (http://www.macpolls.com/?poll_id=430)

[sord]

Bought my iBook in June and I love it! Soon I will be selling my PC for a dual G5 1.8!

The PC is Pentium 4 2.4GHz w/HT, 1GB RAM, nVidia GeForce FX 5900, 160GB HD (dual 80s), floppy, CDRW, Creative Audigy, 5.1 Surround Sound, keyboard, mouse, etc (keeping my monitor). Any suggestions on a selling price?

Thinking of 512mb mem for the G5 with 160GB HD, radeon 9600, and the combo drive which is $1885 after educational discount.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the PC will be sold with a new copy of Windows XP Home

[Nermal]

I got my first Mac, an 800 MHz iBook, on 14/2/03.

[nagromme]

I was once a dedicated HATER of Macs. I switched several years ago.

Once upon a time, Macs simply cost more and did less (in some areas)--and I went to a Mac-dominated university that rammed them down your throat, laughing at other choices. This approach did not appeal to me even if I HAD the money for a Mac. I was proud NOT to have a Mac.

I was essentially forced into Macs against my will because I work in creative fields where nearly all employers I approached used Macs, and often ONLY Macs. In fact, I nudged some of my employers into adding PCs to the mix! But I wanted the same apps at home as at work, to grow my skills, and cloning came along with cheaper Macs, so I went for it. Bought a Mac clone--and Virtual PC.

I later went on to buy "real" Macs--I'm on my third now. (And I've bought PCs since "switching" too... Just Say No to eMachines! If I ever buy a PC again, it won't be a cheap brand. Lesson learned.)

I was happy with the platform even before OS X--but with OS X, I am NEVER looking back :) I may well never buy a PC again--I need them only rarely for testing my creations, and Windows runs fine on my PowerBook for that. (My PC sits collecting dust--it's not worth my time/effort to keep patched and virus/spyware-free.)

I've known a lot of people who switched happily from Windows to Mac over the years--and not one who switched the OTHER way. I think that will continue to be the trend. Some people will HAVE to use a PC, but almost nobody will leave the Mac platform by CHOICE.

[webtvcaptive]

I have been a WebTv user for about 4 or 5 years. It is getting harder to maneuver around the internet because WebTv is so slow and limited in what it can do when you are online. I am close to telling them I am through. Ready for a real computer and heard good things about Apple.

I was in the Apple store Mon nite. Wanted to get an up-close look at and feel of the eMac and iMac. Went to the internet while in the store and could not believe how much faster it is than that SLOW torturous WebTv. (Well, at least WebTv still enabled me to get to the Apple website and get here). It was hard to see the keyboard in detail online. After seeing it in the store, I never would have guessed it was designed that way from the small picture of it online. WHY is the keyboard in an open tray?? Is the design supposed to make it easier to blast the dirt out?

I hope I can get an eMac in about three weeks -- waiting for the Apple account application to be processed. Decided to go for the less expensive Mac because I have to buy a printer too. Don't mind that the mouse and keyboard aren't wireless -- at least for now I don't. Also like the location of the ports better than on the iMac. But why didn't they close up the keyboard with just the tops of the keys sticking up? Tell me there's a good reason . . . .

Note: For the record, I did preview this post, so IF it looks like one huge paragraph, it is probably one of the "fringe benefits" of being on WebTv.

[Kagetenshi]

I switched… from the TI 99/4A.

Been using a Mac since I was 3. Mmm, Mac Classic. LCIII was the first computer our family owned…

~J

[Veldek]

Perhaps this poll comes a little early. I'd be interested in a comparison of the results from today and in about 6 months. The Mac mini could really be a deciding factor.

[ALoLA]

I've known a lot of people who switched happily from Windows to Mac over the years--and not one who switched the OTHER way. I think that will continue to be the trend. Some people will HAVE to use a PC, but almost nobody will leave the Mac platform by CHOICE.

I love this observation. Can I use it? :D

[autrefois]

The results of this poll should be interesting! I've been a Mac user since grade school, and a Mac owner since 1999. But it's already interesting to see that over 1/4 of people voting so far are recent switchers (in the past 2 years).

Shouldn't there be a "I'm a PC user and won't be switching in the next 6 months" option? I guess though there probably aren't too many people like that on Macrumors... :)

[clayj]

The results of this poll should be interesting! I've been a Mac user since grade school, and a Mac owner since 1999. But it's already interesting to see that over 1/4 of people voting so far are recent switchers (in the past 2 years).

Shouldn't there be a "I'm a PC user and won't be switching in the next 6 months" option? I guess though there probably aren't too many people like that on Macrumors... :)OK, I'm a PC user and won't be switching in the next 6 months, or EVER, for that matter... but I have ordered a Mac mini. I ain't gonna Switch, but I will Visit.

[mc5]

When I went off to grad school I got a dell. 15in wide screen, 2.4 Ghz, 60 G HD, 1 gb RAM, CDRW/DVD-ROM. i thought i had a real badass machine. thought i was hot stuff. but all I did was surf and email, a powerpoint presentation here and there, and word process. i don't game. (btw, if i had time to game i would get an xbox. at least you can be social with an xbox. you know, sit around with friends and kick their butts in halo or something)

but the damned dell got viruses. i mean, i ran macaffee and adaware and spybot and all that stuff. and there were still things on my computer that adaware couldn't get rid of. and then randomly things just wouldn't work anymore. I had to reinstall windows every 6 months probably. bleh. it was like babysitting the thing.

a friend of mine had a mac. i was like, sure, you like it, whatever. but i never thought i would get one.

eventually i got tired of lugging that huge thing around. in its bag it took up my whole freakin backpack. and that sucked. so i started to look for something small.

i wanted something under five pounds with a 12 inch screen. and i knew i didn't need that much. but when i looked at PC stuff in a small version IBM thinkpads were $2000+ and the new 12 in. dell was like 1300+. yikes.

so then amazon had ibooks for $900 and i looked at my friend's machine and i got really excited. i got my ibook one month ago and i love it. battery life of 4+ hours. wow. how did i ever survive without it? the machine (which i added some more RAM too) is awesome. I don't know why anyone would get anything else. OSX is a dream.

when i think about my old dell i get visceral, angry reaction that i feel in my gut. what a waste of time and cash. bleh. i spent half the money on my ibook and got a machine that was infinitely better.

macintosh for life baby! :)

[Brandon Sharitt]

I got my first Mac over 10 years ago, a Performa 410. Then sometime in 96' I was forced into my exile on Windows(I was young and my parents "upgraded" their computer), where I was eventually able to escape to Linux before finally I finally bought and iMac G3 in the summer or 2002, and I haven't looked back since.

[blackfox]

I got my first Mac, an 800 MHz iBook, on 14/2/03.awww...was it a valentine?

I.Heart.Macintosh.

long time for me (since B&W days).

[nagromme]

WHY is the keyboard in an open tray?? Is the design supposed to make it easier to blast the dirt out?

All keyboards are open between the keys... the "tray" effect is a result of having no extra "margin" bulking up the keyboard. So only thing different as far as open space is a little extra space to the sides of the cursor-key area. And I would guess that your cleaning theory is exactly right :) But opaque white at those places would have been fine too, instead of open space. Opaque would hide the dirt that some past Mac keyboards have shown.

PS, the speed at the Apple Store was probably largely due to them having a fast connection. You're probably on dialup with your WebTV, I take it?

PPS, consider waiting a while longer. The eMac is an older model now, and a bit costly compared to the Mini. So SOMETHING is bound to happen with the eMac before long. Price drop? G5? New case design? Maybe even discontinued--but the remaining units will be cheaper then, so you still win.


OK, I'm a PC user and won't be switching in the next 6 months, or EVER, for that matter... but I have ordered a Mac mini. I ain't gonna Switch, but I will Visit.

"Adding" is a good choice as well. I recommend all Switchers at least START as Adders--why throw the PC away until you're sure you're done with it and are comfortable in your new home?

[kasei]

I got my first Mac last year around this time: a 17" 1.33 Ghz PowerBook with a 1 G of RAM. I love this system. I have not had an ounce of trouble out it. I looked at PowerBooks for a solid year before I made the great leap of faith. OSX was a snap to get use to and I find myself having a hard time using Windows in the office.

I got a Mac because I needed something that would work, without fail. Between traveling on business and working on my MBA I don't have time to fight with viruses, spyware and hardware/software failure. I have witnessed several Windows based boxes dieing in class and I just shake my head when people wonder why their systems don't work the way they need them too.

I can't bash Windows too badly since I got my start using it, but I am glad I took the steps to finding a system that works best for my needs.

[dotnina]

I got my Powerbook about nine months ago. It's kind of funny that I even considered a Mac in the first place. For years(!), even when I was hugely anti-Mac, I've been told I "look" like a Mac user. I always got offended at this, since I thought Macs were unprofessional toys compared to PCs. Eventually I started seeing a lot of intelligent, heavily tech-oriented people with Macs, so I got Mac-curious. The rest is history. ;)

[cluthz]

I've been a Mac user since 1989!

[evil_santa]

just switch backward at work, they replaced my G3 with a Dell! We asked for a G5 with FCP & got the dell with Primere pro, it does not work very well & i am getting to know the IT support people, as the spend several hours a week trying to get it to work properly! something it has never done in 2 months!

Still got 5 macs at home! first mac 7600 c1996

[nagromme]

We asked for a G5 with FCP & got the dell with Primere pro, it does not work very well & i am getting to know the IT support people, as the spend several hours a week trying to get it to work properly!

Ouch!

Sounds like the usual pattern of a certain (very common) type of IT person who ironically makes themselves seem more valuable BECAUSE they can't keep things running :) How do employers always seem to fall for that?

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Got my first Mac, a Performa 630CD, in 1994, so, no, I'm not a recent switcher. Not sure I even qualify as a switcher, as I didn't have a PC before buying the Mac, just a Laser 4 and Amiga.

[SiliconAddict]

I’m not so much switching as merging the Mac into my home network. Simply I can’t get rid of Windows. I own too many games, over, debatably, $1,000 worth of apps, have my own windows home server with DLT backup tape drive. (Do you know how much of a pain it is to configure a tape drive in Linux?) Unfortunately Windows isn’t going anywhere.
Best case scenario is I get a Mac Mini in a couple months when Tiger is released and I get a 17” G5 PowerBook a few months later and slowly migrate whatever apps I can over to comparable apps on the Mac while getting those that don’t exist on the Mac onto VPC.
There is going to be a two year migration involved for me. Cold turkey switching is just not an option.

[VincentVega]

Shouldn't there be a "I'm a PC user and won't be switching in the next 6 months" option? I guess though there probably aren't too many people like that on Macrumors... :)

<<raises hand>>

I want to get a Mac to sit alongside my PC, but not just yet. I'd like to (a) get a job (!) and (b) wait to see what upgrades they bring out in the coming months (e.g. faster CPUs, PCI-e, DDR2, SATA-2, etc, etc, etc).

In the meantime, I'm quite happy to sit and read all the Mac sites and learn about these strange computers. At some point I'll get down to the Apple Store in London to have a play.

[Awimoway]

VincentVega, that's a very cool name.

Anyway, if this poll is any indication, the Mac mini is no threat at all. Hopefully this sample is not representative of the wider world (and I can't think of any reason why it would be).

Why? Because if Apple's marketshare is 5% at best, and only about 6% of the sample is planning to buy a Mac in the next year, that means marketshare will only grow by less than a percent in the next year. At that rate, it would take five years to reach 10%. I guess that's an improvement, but it's not earth-shattering.

(And you can make a case for doubling an already profitable business as being a pretty good improvement, but I would respond that it's marketshare that matters in this industry.)

[Mainyehc]

I also switched recently, in Dec. 1st 2003. It was an iMac G4 1,25GHz 17''. Best looking machine I have ever seen since the Cube, even though my screen had a dead pixel :p

Now, more seriously... It wasn't just about good looks, it performed well, and my only gripe with it was the lack of RAM. I knew, just hours after unpackaging the thing and turning it on, that I wouldn't be looking back anymore. Anyway, I still did a lot of research, however, I forgot to check on forums about the possibility of a G5 version being around the corner :eek:

Then, I bought an iPod in March, because the NetMDs from Sony aren't exactly compatible with the Mac. At first I wasn't too sure about that, the iPod being very expensive... Again, after sync'ing it with iTunes and playing with the thing a few minutes, I knew I wouldn't get anything else. If someone steals my iPod or if I lose it, or damage it or anything, I know I'll be getting another one, no matter where I get the dough ;)

It doesn't end here... In September, my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing! A G5 in an iMac? Of course, we already knew that it would be introduced, but the 20''er's pricepoint was too good to be true! In Oct. 1st, I got my very own iMac G5 20'', the machine I'm using now. I love the thing, especially now it has 1,25GB of RAM, but I feel somewhat sorry for having bought two iMacs (and having sold the old one for half of its original price) in just 8 months! I could have bought a DP PM G5 and a 20'' screen instead!! :eek:

Having said that... It all started after I played with a friend of mine's Mac Color Classic. I was 7-8 years old then, and the only thing I had ever used was a 386SX with 1MB of RAM and a 40MB HDD, running DOS 5 and Win.3.1 :rolleyes: I guess his Mac was running System 6 or something, so I was very impressed with the interface, even though the widgets were very B&W-ish. It was fun and easy to use! So, when Windows 95 was introduced, I smelled a huge rip-off! "But my friend's Mac had that three years ago!" :D I didn't know a lot about Macs then, but at least I knew the essential...

But that was it. I only respected Macs, nothing else. Until I played with a PM G3 in a graphics design gear expo. It was running Mac OS 8 or 9, that thing looked cool and professional, with that "huge" 17'' Studio Display! I had heard a lot about the iMac and seen a buch of them, sure, but that G3 was the proof that Macs were more than just "toys" (not that I ever thought they were, anyway)... :rolleyes:

And along came the Cube... I first saw it on a magazine, then, saw it on person. And I though that it couldn't be true... And then, the iMac G4, in its first 15'' version, then the 17'' version with the opaque screen border, than the newer ones... I wanted to have one of those from the moment I saw it for the first time, so having owned one is a dream come true ;)

But I only decided to switch one year before entering the university. I started doing research, and couldn't decide which machine I should get. I thought about the PM G4, then the eMac, when the G5 was out I was sure I wanted one, and then, when the faster iMacs were released, only days after I started my classes, I thought "NOW!". Oops, huge blunder... But my Pentium couldn't hold much longer, so I had to do it then. So... back to Dec. '03, and the beggining of this post ;)

Now, I'm trying to convince my parents to replace that PeeCee with a Mac mini. I'm sure they, too, won't regret it, but they aren't that sure, not even after having used my iMacs a lot of times... Oh well, let's just hope... :rolleyes:

[MattG]

Guess it's about 3 years now? I bought one of the first generation iMac G4 15".

[wrldwzrd89]

I also switched recently, in Dec. 1st 2003. It was an iMac G4 1,25GHz 17''. Best looking machine I have ever seen since the Cube, even though my screen had a dead pixel :p

Now, more seriously... It wasn't just about good looks, it performed well, and my only gripe with it was the lack of RAM. I knew, just hours after unpackaging the thing and turning it on, that I wouldn't be looking back anymore. Anyway, I still did a lot of research, however, I forgot to check on forums about the possibility of a G5 version being around the corner :eek:

Then, I bought an iPod in March, because the NetMDs from Sony aren't exactly compatible with the Mac. At first I wasn't too sure about that, the iPod being very expensive... Again, after sync'ing it with iTunes and playing with the thing a few minutes, I knew I wouldn't get anything else. If someone steals my iPod or if I lose it, or damage it or anything, I know I'll be getting another one, no matter where I get the dough ;)

It doesn't end here... In September, my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing! A G5 in an iMac? Of course, we already knew that it would be introduced, but the 20''er's pricepoint was too good to be true! In Oct. 1st, I got my very own iMac G5 20'', the machine I'm using now. I love the thing, especially now it has 1,25GB of RAM, but I feel somewhat sorry for having bought two iMacs (and having sold the old one for half of its original price) in just 8 months! I could have bought a DP PM G5 and a 20'' screen instead!! :eek:

Having said that... It all started after I played with a friend of mine's Mac Color Classic. I was 7-8 years old then, and the only thing I had ever used was a 386SX with 1MB of RAM and a 40MB HDD, running DOS 5 and Win.3.1 :rolleyes: I guess his Mac was running System 6 or something, so I was very impressed with the interface, even though the widgets were very B&W-ish. It was fun and easy to use! So, when Windows 95 was introduced, I smelled a huge rip-off! "But my friend's Mac had that three years ago!" :D I didn't know a lot about Macs then, but at least I knew the essential...

But that was it. I only respected Macs, nothing else. Until I played with a PM G3 in a graphics design gear expo. It was running Mac OS 8 or 9, that thing looked cool and professional, with that "huge" 17'' Studio Display! I had heard a lot about the iMac and seen a buch of them, sure, but that G3 was the proof that Macs were more than just "toys" (not that I ever thought they were, anyway)... :rolleyes:

And along came the Cube... I first saw it on a magazine, then, saw it on person. And I though that it couldn't be true... And then, the iMac G4, in its first 15'' version, then the 17'' version with the opaque screen border, than the newer ones... I wanted to have one of those from the moment I saw it for the first time, so having owned one is a dream come true ;)

But I only decided to switch one year before entering the university. I started doing research, and couldn't decide which machine I should get. I thought about the PM G4, then the eMac, when the G5 was out I was sure I wanted one, and then, when the faster iMacs were released, only days after I started my classes, I thought "NOW!". Oops, huge blunder... But my Pentium couldn't hold much longer, so I had to do it then. So... back to Dec. '03, and the beggining of this post ;)

Now, I'm trying to convince my parents to replace that PeeCee with a Mac mini. I'm sure they, too, won't regret it, but they aren't that sure, not even after having used my iMacs a lot of times... Oh well, let's just hope... (rolleyes smiley)
My path is similar to yours in the middle, but different at the ends. Like you, I purchased an iMac G4 1.25 GHz 17", but I ordered it online and upgraded the RAM. I got it on February 6, 2004. I also bought a 40GB 3G iPod, although it hardly gets any use. I "upgraded" from a 667 MHz TiBook (also with 512 MB of RAM); before that, I had a PowerMac 7200/75; my first Mac wasn't actually a Mac (it was an Apple IIgs). I'm stilll using that iMac G4, and never made the leap to G5. In fact, since I bought mine so close to the time the iMac went G5 also, my next Mac will have at least a G6, if not a G7 CPU inside. There was a time between the PowerBook and the iMac I have now that I was forced to use Windows XP Home Edition :eek:

My apologies for editing the post I quoted. I wanted to use a smiley, but MacRumors Forums has an image limit which that post reached - so I had to remove one of the smileys if I wanted to use one myself.

[iGary]

I was a die-hard Windblows user for all of my life. Had two Sony laptops (very nice machines, actually), and then a Sony Vaio tower.

I started a job with a publishing house back in 7/03 and really loved the way the Macs looked, so I was curious. Work let me take an old Sawtooth G4 home for a while.

A month later, I bought a new MDD G4 tower. Then I bought a iMac G5 for work, and then I bought a 12" iBook for my photography work. Oh, and iPods and such in between.

Honestly, the aesthtics of the machines and the OS are what first hooked me. All the side benefits eventually sunk in.

They've got me now, I will never switch back unless it's for work.

Saving for a revision C G5 PowerMac now.

[fixyourthinking]

I have been a WebTv user for about 4 or 5 years....

WHY is the keyboard in an open tray?? Is the design supposed to make it easier to blast the dirt out?
I hope I can get an eMac in about three weeks -- waiting for the Apple account application to be processed. Decided to go for the less expensive Mac because I have to buy a printer too.

Your black webtv keyboard is probably hiding some REALLY nasty stuff. All keyboards get dirty. You can get a Macally keyboard that is very similar to your webtv keyboard if you like it.

Before you buy, try the Apple Online Store and the special deals section.

Also go here to get a $10 off coupon:

http://www.apple.com/retail/feedback/

[AdeFowler]

Just a quick question for all the former/current Mac haters:

Why do people hate macs?

I've never understood it. It's just weird.

[Centris 650]

I used my first mac in 1987. I was a freshman in college and our art department had just bought 2 SE's and a Mac II. When I graduated I worked for a Fortune 200 Company and the art department had a variety of IIfx, IIcx, and IIci. i bought my Centris 650 in 1992/93(?) with a 25 mhz 68040 processor, 512k of ram, & 80 meg HD. Since then I've owned a Powerbook 150, iMac RevA, iBook SE (Graphite), a 2G 10 gig iPod, and now a 1.2 ghz 12" ibook. Whew! What a long strange trip it's been. While this is the best time to be a mac owner/user the mid 90's had to be the worst!

I've never owned a PC machine though I am forced, against my will, to help my wife with her winbox. (I'm trying to get her to buy a mac mini...and she's considering it! :D

[wrldwzrd89]

Just a quick question for all the former/current Mac haters:

Why do people hate macs?

I've never understood it. It's just weird.
Three of the most common reasons to bash Macs:
1. They're overpriced.
2. The hardware isn't that great.
3. They're not Windows, and therefore outside my comfort zone.

[wordmunger]

User since '84, owner since '87. Glad to see regularly updated polls again!

[Bear]

It is nice to se enew polls. However, like usual, I feel this one is missing an option or 2.

A lot more people seemed to switch after 10.1 was out, and osome of that switching came with the iLamp G4. So the >2 option should've been 2-3 years and then add >3 years.

[iGary]

Just a quick question for all the former/current Mac haters:

Why do people hate macs?

I've never understood it. It's just weird.

I never really hated Macs, I just didn't understand them.

Most Windows users I have tried to convert don't want to invest in new software, don't like the price of Macs and don't want to go outside their comfort zone (Windows).

To those who say "Macs suck," I always ask them to bak their statement up and they never can. Most people just don't understand and get fed BS by fellow Winblows users.

I had to use my dad's PC a week ago on vacation. What a tortuous experience. Ugly, unintuitive and just plain not fun.

[Bear]

Just a quick question for all the former/current Mac haters:

Why do people hate macs?

I've never understood it. It's just weird.Well, to some people it's the price - they think Macs are more expensive than PCs. All it really is is that you couldn't buy a stripped down Mac so they never got as inexpensive as a PC. However if you configured a PC up to about the same configuration as a Mac, the price would be just about the same..sometimes more, sometimes less.

Others didn't like the pre-OS X operating system on the Mac. And others can't understand a one button mouse and don't realize you can use a multibutton mouse if you want to.

[Yvan256]

Bought my iBook in June and I love it! Soon I will be selling my PC for a dual G5 1.8!

The PC is Pentium 4 2.4GHz w/HT, 1GB RAM, nVidia GeForce FX 5900, 160GB HD (dual 80s), floppy, CDRW, Creative Audigy, 5.1 Surround Sound, keyboard, mouse, etc (keeping my monitor). Any suggestions on a selling price?

Thinking of 512mb mem for the G5 with 160GB HD, radeon 9600, and the combo drive which is $1885 after educational discount.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the PC will be sold with a new copy of Windows XP Home

Can't really help you with the value of your PC, but I know this: sell it as soon as you can, PC parts go down in price pretty quickly! If you wait too much you'll barely be able to buy a 17" iMac G5. ;)

[AmigoMac]

I used some macs in the Mac OS 9 days but I switched 2 years ago, after steve came out with the first 12" PB, I remember I was pretty happy because the machine was almost 1 GHz :rolleyes: I switched from a PIII 1GHz laptop, the OS, the GUI, the look, the feel, I was a bit ashamed with the PC, really, I'm not joking but after I got the PB, it was nice to have it at work, in the train, amazing! Now the iBook, iPod, iSight... :cool:

[shamino]

Been using Apple products since the II+, back in the early 80's.

Been using Macs since a college roommate brought his SE, in the late 80's.

Owned a Mac since I bought a used SE in the mid 90's.

Bought my own new Mac in the early 00's with my dual 1GHz QuickSilver.

No plans to upgrade right now, since my current Mac still does everything I want. I may get a CPU upgrade if someone manufactures one with the right features for the right price. (Right now, nobody does.)

I am strongly considering adding a 12" PowerBook for use while away from home, but not for at least 6 months.

WRT PC ownership, I've been using PCs of various kinds since I started college in 1987. Most of them have been home-built, except for a Micron Millennia Pro2 (dual 200MHz PPro, since upgraded to dual 333MHz P-II). The Micron still runs great, but it is a bit slow for gaming, so it is used mostly for those (increasingly rare) times when I need to boot a Linux system for something. My main PC is a home-built Athlon-64 box (puchased/built after I bought the Mac, FWIW) which plays modern games very nicely.

[shamino]

...And I've bought PCs since "switching" too... Just Say No to eMachines! If I ever buy a PC again, it won't be a cheap brand. Lesson learned.
Absolutely true.

Some (but definitely not all) of PC users' problems stems from the fact that cheap equipment usually isn't as reliable as quality equipment. People assume that all PCs are created equal, but they're not.

Case in point - my family. My parents bought a Sony Vaio system at about the same time my brother bought an IBM Aptiva system. (This was many years ago.) Both were pretty much equal in terms of specs (200MHz Pentium, Win95, 64M RAM, etc.), were purchased at about the same time for about the same price. My brother's IBM never developed any significant problems. My parents' Sony was constantly needing repairs and tweaks and always suffered from mysterious crashes and slowdowns.

This shouldn't come as a surprise. People understand that other kinds of products (major appliances, cars, TVs, clothes, etc.) have good brands and bad brands. People expect the good brands to cost a little more, and the bad brands to have problems.

But when it comes to computers, people believe (or are convinced) that they're all the same. When they start having terrible problems, they don't say "<this brand/model> sucks", but they say "all PCs suck".

But this isn't surprising. You see it in the Mac world as well. A quick read through any of the Mac newsgroups will show people who bought a Mac that is acting unstable or unreliable. Instead of concluding that the computer is defective and maybe needs a warrantee repair, many simply start flaming Apple, as if they're all designed to crash all the time.

[shamino]

Just a quick question for all the former/current Mac haters:

Why do people hate macs?
It's human nature. People hate what they don't understand.

(And yes, this statement has ramifications far beyond what people think of Apple products. Let's leave that as an exercise for the reader and keep them out of this forum.)

Aside from that, reputations die hard. Sometimes very hard.

Apple has a reputation for being overpriced. While this was once true, it isn't anymore, and hasn't been true for at least 5 years. But convincing the public of this isn't easy. You'd think a simple list of features and prices would do it, but one read through the forums here on MacRumors is enough to prove that that doesn't work in practice.

[macridah]

I switched to mac and actually bought 2 mac the first year i switched. i also had my bro, cousin, and homie switch cuz they say my macs. They didn't switch at first cuz it was hard to get software the way most pc user do. But the noticed that the mac comes with a lot of good software with the OS.

[Nicholas Knight]

It's human nature. People hate what they don't understand.

(And yes, this statement has ramifications far beyond what people think of Apple products. Let's leave that as an exercise for the reader and keep them out of this forum.)
I entirely agree. In many ways it's really akin to the blind behavior of racism.


Apple has a reputation for being overpriced. While this was once true, it isn't anymore, and hasn't been true for at least 5 years. But convincing the public of this isn't easy. You'd think a simple list of features and prices would do it, but one read through the forums here on MacRumors is enough to prove that that doesn't work in practice.
This I can mostly agree with, but not entirely, as the PowerMacs are still, in general, far more expensive than a good "gaming quality" PC. People often dismiss comments related to gaming on Macs, saying things such as "Get a console" or "Get a gaming PC", but not all of the good games can be found on consoles and many Mac users prefer not to use Microsoft products. Those reasons generally leave one in this situation wishing that the PowerMac was less expensive. Mac Gaming is an area which has improved remarkably in recent years, both in performance and in software selection, but Apple's main "gaming quality" systems are still far more expensive than PC equivalents, with prices up to two times higher for more simular performance. The long term cost of ownership argument is good, but many simply cannot afford to pass that initial hurdle. I know a good many people who can attest to that, as they are open to switching, but cannot afford to.

However in all other areas, I agree. Apple has done a wonderful job at reducing the costs of their other models over the last few years. I can't think of a better time to be an Mac owner, and I am sure that given time, this one remaining issue will slowly go away.

Note: This is in no way intended as a flame, simply constructive criticism. The athlete improves by noticing imperfections and removing them.

[emw]

I struggle with whether or not I should call myself a switcher. For years I've used Macs in my work - from about 1989 to the present - and before that I used them in school.

But I never actually owned a Mac. I had Mac laptops from work, and so would just bring them home (still do), but we had a PC that we purchased, mainly since at the time my wife was concerned about compatibility, and she brought a lot of stuff home from work.

We still have that PC from, I think, 4 years ago, but it's now a machine in the basement used to run a couple of apps that I can't run on the Mac (home design software and a tax deduction app), but that's mainly via VNC from my iMac that I bought in 2003. :D

[nagromme]

Just a quick question for all the former/current Mac haters:

Why do people hate macs?

I often note that it rarely makes any SENSE to hate Macs--you're not forced to use them! Liking Macs makes sense. Not caring either way makes sense. Hating? Seldom makes sense. Hating Windows makes sense because many of us HAVE been forced to deal with it. But then, people are ignorant and happy to hate without a reason--take a look at some recently-passed state amendments in the US :rolleyes: And people love to follow the crowd, especially if they can attack something/someone. It makes them feel less insecure for a moment, I suppose.

When I didn't use Macs, it was a good choice--the apps I used had no Mac equivalent, and Macs sure cost a LOT in the early 90s! But I HATED Macs because I was in the reverse of the usual situation: my Mac-dominated school forced them on you. (I'm sure Mac schools help the platform more than hurt--but these Mac IT folks really were closed-minded.)

To my credit, I never "hated" Macs in the immature, name-calling sense that is popular online. I used them when I had to, admitted when they had something cool (I always secretly coveted a Duo)... and showed people the things their Mac couldn't do, much the same way I now show PC users OS X and iLife.

Also, Windows alone wasn't my platform of choice, merely my choice of the "big" platforms. I also was a big Amiga fan (obvious advantages over Windows at the time--I did stuff for TV with mine) and a NeXT admirer. (So you can imagine my interest when Apple bought NeXT!) I liked Solaris and SGI too... pretty much any GUI that wasn't forced on me :)

[PretendPCuser]

Was my first Mac that i bought. I upgraded, (this should give everyone a good laugh) to a 2Gb internal drive and an extra 16Mb of Ram, or was it a a 32Mb? I can't remember. In total, i spent $4200 on that machine. I still have it, it's been upgraded over time to a G3 350Mhz (System profiler says it's running at 390Mhz) 128 Mb Ram external 4Gb drive, ATI 16Mb Video Card (XGView Or something like that)...i've dumped so much into it, and it's served me well.

When did those machines come out? 1995-1996? Something like that? I'm thinking of giving it to my son so he starts out right. He's 7 and i started downloading some freeware games for him to play (he's like most kids, video game junkie...like father like son!)

Using Macs for over 10 years? Holy crap! I'm old!! :eek:

[Vanilla]

I finally switched in June last year after checking out the Apple range for a few years on and off.

My initial attraction was the design of the hardware, however the previous OS 9 operating system just did not do it for me, coming from an XP background.

However when I saw OSX I suddenly saw the light. This OS was just so beautiful, it was what XP should have been and I then began investigating Apple in earnest. I still was reluctant to switch though, due to perceived compatibility issues as I work in a predominately windows environment.

Finally after reading up on macs in sites such as this and visiting US Apple stores when I worked over there my fears of compatibility began to ebb. Then when Microsoft released Office 2004 that was the trigger for me to switch and I've never looked back.

Now I'm completely hooked and find myself continuously evangelising the merits of Apple to friends and work colleagues alike, even to strangers in computer stores for gawds sakes...

Vanilla

[Kagetenshi]

Was my first Mac that i bought. I upgraded, (this should give everyone a good laugh) to a 2Gb internal drive and an extra 16Mb of Ram, or was it a a 32Mb?

I'm not laughing. First Mac I used didn't have a hard drive (I remember being excited when we got one). 156 megabyte hard drive on the first computer we owned. I still remember our first gigabyte hard drive.

Gone are the days when I can fill up the disk with Civilization saved game files.

~J

[Billicus]

I've been a Mac User for more than two years. ;) My family first bought a Macintosh for compatability with school computers in 1996. That was a Performa 6300 CD. That was a fairly good computer for the time. We didn't have *too* much trouble with it... just a few trips to the repair shop. Our family bought another computer in June of 2000. That was an iMac DV with Firewire and a processor running at 400 Mhz. I've since upgraded that computer to OS X & it is currently running 10.2.8. That's the computer that my parents and sister use daily for emails and such. I doubt I'll be upgrading that computers OS anymore, even though it can handle Panther. Oh yeah, it has an 80 GB Hard Drive that it's using now, too. That got put in by some students at the college where my Uncle works. All it cost our family was the price of the new HD. ($80 -> $1 per GB :D)
I got a PowerBook 17" 1.33 Ghz in Late October, 2003. The first one was faulty, so I sent it back DOA and got the one I'm currently using. The second one came with Panther, too, so that was a bonus. :) This has been a great computer for me. Between doing an iMovie project for my High School graduation and writing countless papers in High School & now in college it has just been great. It isn't as portable nor does it have the longevity of some iBooks, but I'm usually near an outlet, so that doesn't really matter that much.
So... I've been a Mac user ever since my family got it's first computer. :p I sure know more about computers now then I did back then. :rolleyes:

[clayj]

Just a quick question for all the former/current Mac haters:

Why do people hate macs?

I've never understood it. It's just weird.Actually, it's not so much that PC users hate Macs, but that they hate the smug, condescending attitude of certain Mac users. (I ain't naming anyone here, because the folks on MacRumors have all been pretty cool so far. But there was this one guy I used to butt heads with named SteveJack*, real name Chris Neher... he committed every offense I am about to list, and then some. You all do NOT want to be associated with him in any way. A lot of other Mac users I've encountered have also acted like him.)

How to win over the hearts and minds of PC/Windows users:

1. DON'T make sarcastic comments about the "hardships" of using PCs. DON'T slam Windows, Bill Gates, Microsoft, Dell, Gateway, HP, Sony, etc. DON'T use "ha-ha that's funny" words like "Microsuck", "Microsloth", "Winbloze", etc. All the above items are hot buttons. If you drove a nice car, would you try to get someone else to drive the same nice car by making fun of their car? No. DON'T make witty analogies like Windows::Mac as Wal-Mart::Nordstrom or Budweiser::expensive imported beer. Insulting someone's choices or circumstances, or comparing them to rednecks or white trash because they use Windows, is not cool and you will never convince anyone to try a Mac if you do this.

2. DON'T trumpet the Mac as the end-all, be-all of personal computers. Some Mac users treat the Mac and, worse, Steve Jobs as some sort of religion or cult of personality. (Yes, some people do this.) This really ticks off people who look at computers as tools and not as way of life. A lot of people (myself included) really enjoy Windows and have as few (or less) problems with it than Mac users do.

3. DO show people what you want them to see. Let them play with it. This is really the only way anyone is ever "Switched" from one paradigm to another.

All that said, I've ordered a Mac mini and am looking forward to playing with it when it arrives. But I can guarantee you that I won't be Switching... I enjoy my PCs far too much to even think about not using them anymore. I'm only in this to satisfy personal curiosity.

* I imagine some of you may have heard of him. He is by far the worst advocate for Switching that you could imagine... for each person he did get to Switch, he turned off hundreds more.

And yes, I not only know his real name, but I also know where he works. He tries to stay anonymous, but he made a crucial error once when posting on the defunct MSNBC forums... he posted from work and the system posted his work domain name online for all to see.

[wdlove]

I first purchased an Apple product in 1983. Think that my first Mac was in 1984.

I'm also very pleased to see an increased frequency in Polls. Thank you MacRumors staff.

[3Memos]

After having used three PCs before, I recently switched to a mac in 1999 with the purchase of a PowerMac G4 400Mhz.

[risc]

From around 94/95 I've been using x86 Linux (and BSD) pretty much, around 2003 I was getting sick and tired of waiting for the so called "Linux Desktop" and the last straw was trying to get Linux to work properly on a notebook - in December 2003 I gave up and purchased an iBook G4, I was amazed by the desktop experience of OS X, wrapped up in the familiar *nix, about 6 months later I bought a Dual G5 Power Mac, personally I wont be going back to Linux as my primary OS I still use it at work, and I have a couple of Linux boxes here but OS X is the OS I've always wanted Linux to be. I love it!

[parrothead]

I have had a Mac (or I should say Apple computer) since the Apple ][ gs. My first actual Macintosh was the Mac Classic. I used that thing for years and while I dont use it any more, it still works just fine. :)

[garybUK]

I bought a powerbook TI667, 1gb Ram, Combo, 15" with Airport from Apple back in 2002 when it was the dogs ganglies!

the only reason i bought it was cos it was 'cool' didn't know anything about mac's, had pc laptops and pc's before.

I can't beleive the quality of the machine.. the only thing ever gone wrong with it, is the paint!! but the machine still looks amazing compared to most laptops of the era and is happily running OSX.3 its not a gaming rig but my dad borrows it all the time for his band, they record, mix and burn their sample cd's for his band.

Oh the PSU wire is coming out of the plug into the laptop but a international shipment thanks to the appaulingly weak dollor got me a non apple psu for £20 :P

I then bought a Powermac G5 DP 1.8 (rev a) wasn't too impressed, poped an extra 1gb making it 1.5 and WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! its my main computer now, the family are so impressed my brothers selling his pc for a mac mini, my sisters after a ibook and my dad's thinking of a Single Processor G5 1.8 to replace his box.

[Fredstar]

I guess i have always liked the idea of owning a macintosh and my best friend's family was a mac family and i loved the whole design and gui of osx. They had a Cube and 15" cinema display and when i saw it i was like 'wow'
My first mac was a graphite ibook G3 366mhz (i think) and it was running OS9, i think, but i was not impressed with it very much. It was both slow and everything looked dated. I sold it on quickly.
I then tinkered on the idea of owning a Mac again and decided in a week randomly around Summer 2004 that i wanted an ibook (G3 - 700mhz). I seriously was not sure why i bought it but i was astounded at Panther and how much better it was. I Loved Expose and just everything, not a single app crashed on me the whole 4 months i owned it. I also loved the fact that i didn't need a anti-virus. I was also amazed at how smooth Panther ran on such a (relatively) slow processor.
Then i guess i made the proper switched when i bought a brand new imac. I am so happy with the purchase and have since convinced several switches and i am sure a lot more family members are going to get the mini. I showed them a lil project i put together with imovie/idvd and when i said that it was all free they were seriously impressed.
Quite funny comparing the family Dell to my imac. So yeah a new switcher :)

[Trowaman]

I'll put it this way. No DOS or Windows based machine has EVER been purchased by my family.

I am on my first computer (G4 iMac) but my family computer has always been a mac of some sort. From Cookie monster games on really old computers to Final Cut Pro, my family has never owned Windows and honestly, never will. :D

[mullet]

My first experience with the Mac was an Apple //C bought back in the day, maybe in 1984 or '85. My brothers and I used to play all the Sierra Online games like Kings Quest, Police Quest, etc. This was a great computer for the time. In grade school we used Apple //Es. We learned Basic in computer classes and even played with that robot thing Logo, which could draw based on commands from the Apple. Then later on Wintel took over and I hadn't used a Mac until college. In film school I used prolly 9600s/OS7-8 for everything from Pro Tools to Avid Film Composer. It was then that I realized that I would prolly be using Macs for the rest of my career as a video editor. I never really hated windows, I just used whatever my job required. When I got out of school I was told by one of my mentors to get a mac. At that point I bought a dual 800 and I haven't looked back. I don't think I'd ever buy a PC again unless I was forced to. Even if I was forced to, I'd just get VPC.

~Mullet

[jaw04005]

I've been using Apple products since the Apple II. My grandparents bought me a used Apple IIc when I was in 3rd grade (1992). I used the IIc along with my school's IIe's until 6th grade (1996). At that time, my parents bought me a Packard Bell. The Packard Bell lasted until the summer before 10th grade (1999). My parents then purchased me an iMac G3 Blueberry. It only lasted a year, and was replaced with a Compaq Presario that came configured with the most unstable operating system of all time.... Windows ME. In 2002, my grandparents bought me an iMac G4 for graduation. The iMac is still in everyday use, and turns "3" in May. Last January, I purchased a Dell Dimension (3Ghz P4), because I needed more "power" and couldn't afford a G5. The Dell has held up well, and I've been pretty satisfied (and fortunate). I just purchased a Mac mini.

Have not had the best of luck with notebooks. In 2 years, I've owned...
iBook G3, Powerbook 15" TI, Fujitsu S Series, Compaq N Series, Powerbook 12" 1Ghz, Sony Vaio Z1, Powerbook 15.2", Sony Vaio TR3A, and now... Powerbook 12" 1.33Ghz (which is dead).

[dubbz]

I've never "switched", but I did buy my first (used) Mac a year or two ago (my memory's kind of botched so I don't remember exactly). It was mostly because I wanted a second computer that my mom could use for simple things like online banking. I decided on a Mac since I also was a bit curious about MacOS X, and wanted to try it. Never used it much myself, actually. By now, it's probably seen much more use by my mother and sister.

The second one, the Powerbook, I bought half-a-year ago because I had too much money, and wanted a laptop. I did a lot of comparisons between various PC laptops, and the iBook and Powerbook, and eventually ended up with the PB. I was very unsure of what I should choose, but one of those rebate e-mails from Apple arrived around that time and so sealed the deal.

[atszyman]

I don't know where I fit.

In HS we were forced to use old Mac Pluses with a few LCs in the high performance lab. I swore that I would only get an IBM compatible 486 or better since it seemed to make more sense at the time. When I started college my roommate got a PowerMac 7100/80. I was impressed at the performance of that machine compared to HS so I ended up buying a Radius 81/110 clone (basically a PowerMac 8100). This was in February of 1996, my freshman year of college.

Sophomore year I started working as a Consultant in the humanities department's Mac/PC lab. I was in good position to move up to the head of Mac maintenance at the beginning of my Junior year when I got the fateful call from IBM for a co-op opportunity. While there I purchased a Gateway PII 300 to learn the Windows world since I knew I would eventually have to work there. Now February of 1998.

When I started back my senior year of college I soon got back to being co-head of Mac Maint at the computer lab, still using my Gateway at home. After graduation and getting a job I put my sights on a PowerBook. I figured I would have a laptop and a desktop one Mac and one Wintel. The Mac made more sense as the laptop since I was less likely to upgrade the Mac than the Wintel and having 2 computers that I couldn't upgrade (i.e. Mac desktop and Wintel laptop) didn't make a lot of sense. I got rid of the Gateway in 2000 when I built my current Wintel box.

Finally July 2004 after a year of grad school I finally took the plunge and bought the PowerBook in my signature. Which completely amazed my co-workers since my wife and I were expecting our first child in November and they figured I would never get my PB due to the baby. What can I say, I have an awesome wife.

I don't know that I ever really switched. I had Windows for awhile so that I could better understand it when I was saddled with it in the workplace but always knew I would get back to Macs it was just a matter of saving up the $$$.

[-hh]

I want to get a Mac to sit alongside my PC, but not just yet. I'd like to (a) get a job (!) and (b) wait to see what upgrades they bring out in the coming months (e.g. faster CPUs, PCI-e, DDR2, SATA-2, etc, etc, etc).


Ah, I can remember my youthful days when I obcessed about technical specifications.

These days, I just stand back and look at the big picture items and not worry about the niggling little details. Not only are a lot of them small ankle-biters that lack meaningful significance, but you can also end up getting wrapped around the axle: look at how long it took people to realize that USB 2.0 wasn't better than Firewire400 despite its (IMO misleading) technical specifications.


FWIW, if you always wait for bleeding edge of technology in everything, you're never going to buy anything...and even if you do take the leap, it will always be the "bleeding edge of the wallet". Even NASA recognizes that 'Better' is the enemy of 'Good Enough'.


-hh

[-hh]

I never really hated Macs, I just didn't understand them.

Most Windows users I have tried to convert don't want to invest in new software, don't like the price of Macs and don't want to go outside their comfort zone (Windows).


I have an old boss (who happened to drop by this AM to chat about the mini) who is this way.

He's now a PC'er, but he did previously own a Mac...one of the ancient Performa's that had an Intel PC card in it so that it could be dual OS. Naturally, he paid a mint for that machine because he was unwilling to commit either way.

The reality is that he's afraid to break conformity with the PC mainstream when it comes to his home computer. A classical case of the fear of the unknown, coupled with poor research skills (he incorrectly claimed that the mini didn't have a CD burner, based on some unnamed review he read of it).

-hh

[wrldwzrd89]

I don't know where I fit.

In HS we were forced to use old Mac Pluses with a few LCs in the high performance lab. I swore that I would only get an IBM compatible 486 or better since it seemed to make more sense at the time. When I started college my roommate got a PowerMac 7100/80. I was impressed at the performance of that machine compared to HS so I ended up buying a Radius 81/110 clone (basically a PowerMac 8100). This was in February of 1996, my freshman year of college.

Sophomore year I started working as a Consultant in the humanities department's Mac/PC lab. I was in good position to move up to the head of Mac maintenance at the beginning of my Junior year when I got the fateful call from IBM for a co-op opportunity. While there I purchased a Gateway PII 300 to learn the Windows world since I knew I would eventually have to work there. Now February of 1998.

When I started back my senior year of college I soon got back to being co-head of Mac Maint at the computer lab, still using my Gateway at home. After graduation and getting a job I put my sights on a PowerBook. I figured I would have a laptop and a desktop one Mac and one Wintel. The Mac made more sense as the laptop since I was less likely to upgrade the Mac than the Wintel and having 2 computers that I couldn't upgrade (i.e. Mac desktop and Wintel laptop) didn't make a lot of sense. I got rid of the Gateway in 2000 when I built my current Wintel box.

Finally July 2004 after a year of grad school I finally took the plunge and bought the PowerBook in my signature. Which completely amazed my co-workers since my wife and I were expecting our first child in November and they figured I would never get my PB due to the baby. What can I say, I have an awesome wife.

I don't know that I ever really switched. I had Windows for awhile so that I could better understand it when I was saddled with it in the workplace but always knew I would get back to Macs it was just a matter of saving up the $$$.
You fall clearly in the "adder" category - like myself. I started out with a Mac, and later added a PC, then got stuck with only a PC, now have both a Mac and a PC again. You're not a switcher at all - the last poll option applies to you (and therefore to me).

[shamino]

You fall clearly in the "adder" category - like myself.
I suspect that's the case for all good geeks. You never throw away hardware that works, even when it becomes obsolete.

BTW, anybody want to buy a pair of 486 systems? Real cheap! I'll throw in a 2400 bps modem, an ATI VGA Wonder card and an amber monitor!

[tristan]

At heart I want to be an "adder". Over the years I've had various Mac and PC desktops and laptops, usually all at the same time.

A couple years ago I decided "this way lies madness". Where will it all end? A powermac, powerbook, pc desktop, pc laptop, and a playstation 2? So I'm spending half my income on stuff that goes obsolete faster than you can say "Intel CPU Roadmap"? And half my time playing sysadmin/repair tech/bargain hunter/new release predictor?

So I "subtracted" - now I just have a 15" Powerbook G4, and I use it for everything. And if it's not adequate for something, tough luck, I can probably live without doing whatever it is. There's no perfect computer, but the 15" Powerbook is as close as I've found (for myself, of course).

[VincentVega]

Ah, I can remember my youthful days when I obcessed about technical specifications.


I'm 29. Not sure if that is exactly "youthful", it certainly doesn't feel like it to me.


FWIW, if you always wait for bleeding edge of technology in everything, you're never going to buy anything...and even if you do take the leap, it will always be the "bleeding edge of the wallet". Even NASA recognizes that 'Better' is the enemy of 'Good Enough'.


I don't upgrade that often (I've had my current dual Xeon box for nearly three years and have no intention of changing it for at least two more years, until Intel get their awful heat problems sorted out (and I've had *very* bad experiences with AMD in the past so won't even consider them)). I'll freely admit to being a bit of a geek but I'm not the sort who has always to be on the cutting edge of technology. Being on the edge every four or five years is sufficient for me. Based on that, I'd want to buy a Mac that'll last me for a while. PCI-e, SATA-2 and DDR-2 are all the up-and-coming thing (at least in PC-land) so it seems wise (to me) to wait to take advantage of those technologies on the Mac side of things as well. (I hope that makes sense, I'm a bit tired.)

[shamino]

A couple years ago I decided "this way lies madness". Where will it all end? A powermac, powerbook, pc desktop, pc laptop, and a playstation 2? So I'm spending half my income on stuff that goes obsolete faster than you can say "Intel CPU Roadmap"? And half my time playing sysadmin/repair tech/bargain hunter/new release predictor?
Depends on your priorities, I suppose. For me, the computer is a hobby. I enjoy installing/upgrading/repairing/tweaking my systems on a regular basis. Much like how other people enjoy working on their cars in their spare time.
So I "subtracted" - now I just have a 15" Powerbook G4, and I use it for everything. And if it's not adequate for something, tough luck, I can probably live without doing whatever it is. There's no perfect computer, but the 15" Powerbook is as close as I've found (for myself, of course).
If my purpose for owning the computer was solely for the applications run on it, then I'd do the same thing. Let's face it - my two 486 systems, two Apple II systems and outdated PPro system are all out of date. And they don't get used all that often. I could dump them and all their software without making much (if any) of an impact on my life.

But then I wouldn't have them around to tinker with when the urge hits me. (Sometimes you just really want to play some old classic games (http://apple2history.org/history/appy/aha83.html) like Drol, Hard Hat Mack, or Stellar 7.

[webtvcaptive]

All keyboards are open between the keys... the "tray" effect is a result of having no extra "margin" bulking up the keyboard. So only thing different as far as open space is a little extra space to the sides of the cursor-key area. And I would guess that your cleaning theory is exactly right :) But opaque white at those places would have been fine too, instead of open space. Opaque would hide the dirt that some past Mac keyboards have shown.

PS, the speed at the Apple Store was probably largely due to them having a fast connection. You're probably on dialup with your WebTV, I take it?

PPS, consider waiting a while longer. The eMac is an older model now, and a bit costly compared to the Mini. So SOMETHING is bound to happen with the eMac before long. Price drop? G5? New case design? Maybe even discontinued--but the remaining units will be cheaper then, so you still win.




"Adding" is a good choice as well. I recommend all Switchers at least START as Adders--why throw the PC away until you're sure you're done with it and are comfortable in your new home?

I, like another poster, am not really switching. I don't know if you're completely familiar with WebTv (let's hope not). Yes, I do have to dial up, but it isn't a PC, just a receiver and a keyboard. Advantage: No viruses to catch. Disadvantages: Just about EVERYTHING ELSE! Can't download ANYTHING. Anything that uses JAVA is inaccessible.

I DOUBT I could make the Mac mini work with my WebTv receiver. MSNTV (their new name) wouldn't make it that simple to speed up this DINOSAUR system. They HAVE introduced a new receiver, but users have said there are bugs that need to be worked out of it. I apologize for needlessly explaining this if you are already aware that comparing WebTv to a PC is like comparing a Ford Pinto to a Jaguar!

Now maybe you can understand why I'm anxious to pull back onto the information highway. WebTv worked better a few years ago, but it lagged behind when websites were gradually updated. I'm ready for a REAL computer. Even a model that may be updated later this year is better than what I have now.

P.S.: Is it my LAME WebTv, or are the emoticons a little hard to make out? I have no problem with reading everyone's text, just seeing the emoticons.

Speaking of text, that's another thing that I hope will improve with a real computer. When I go to some websites using WebTv, some print in headings across the top of the page is so small they are unreadable. I have had to click on a heading and wait for it to come up just to see what I clicked on! Now do you see why even a Mac that isn't the very latest version would still be a GIANT step up for me?

[Billicus]

I, like another poster, am not really switching. I don't know if you're completely familiar with WebTv (let's hope not). Yes, I do have to dial up, but it isn't a PC, just a receiver and a keyboard. Advantage: No viruses to catch. Disadvantages: Just about EVERYTHING ELSE! Can't download ANYTHING. Anything that uses JAVA is inaccessible.

I DOUBT I could make the Mac mini work with my WebTv receiver. MSNTV (their new name) wouldn't make it that simple to speed up this DINOSAUR system. They HAVE introduced a new receiver, but users have said there are bugs that need to be worked out of it. I apologize for needlessly explaining this if you are already aware that comparing WebTv to a PC is like comparing a Ford Pinto to a Jaguar!

Now maybe you can understand why I'm anxious to pull back onto the information highway. WebTv worked better a few years ago, but it lagged behind when websites were gradually updated. I'm ready for a REAL computer. Even a model that may be updated later this year is better than what I have now.

P.S.: Is it my LAME WebTv, or are the emoticons a little hard to make out? I have no problem with reading everyone's text, just seeing the emoticons.

Speaking of text, that's another thing that I hope will improve with a real computer. When I go to some websites using WebTv, some print in headings across the top of the page is so small they are unreadable. I have had to click on a heading and wait for it to come up just to see what I clicked on! Now do you see why even a Mac that isn't the very latest version would still be a GIANT step up for me?


Your problems obviously stem from the fact that your WebTV system is only capable of showing the internet at resolutions up to 640 x 480 - American TV resolution. :eek: Even G3 iMacs were capable of displaying a resolution of 1024 x 768...

All in all, it's time for an upgrade of some kind. :p As you said, anything would be an improvement at this point. :)

[geoffism]

Been working on Mac's since mid 90's (PowerMac 8500 was my first) and upward to 2 generations of G4 powerbooks (last one in 2001 - still alive, but barely).

End of 2002 switched to a Digital Studio (for film integration and Sony Cameras). Mistake.

Now, just waiting on the new PB's to surface. :D

[-hh]

I'm 29. Not sure if that is exactly "youthful", it certainly doesn't feel like it to me.

I keep thinking of myself as 'youthful'...then I have to squat to do something and my knees remind me that I've been lying to myself :-)

I don't upgrade that often (I've had my current dual Xeon box for nearly three years and have no intention of changing it for at least two more...

I also try to perform a 'significant' upgrade every half decade or so.

I'll freely admit to being a bit of a geek but I'm not the sort who has always to be on the cutting edge of technology. Being on the edge every four or five years is sufficient for me.

Since having a PC at home is a hobby for 99% of us, I've moved away from the "state of the art" products and into the "state of the shelf": I'm looking for the sweet spot in the cost:performance curve. For example, for the Apple G5 line, this typically means buying the middle machine of the three configurations offered.

FWIW, where my geek factor kicks in is that while I'm admittedly looking for a best value, I'll avoid buying trailing edge of technology, or hamstrung designs. This is why I didn't buy a leftover G4 when the G5's came out as well as why I didn't buy the bottom G5 machine.



Based on that, I'd want to buy a Mac that'll last me for a while. PCI-e, SATA-2 and DDR-2 are all the up-and-coming thing (at least in PC-land) so it seems wise (to me) to wait to take advantage of those technologies on the Mac side of things as well. (I hope that makes sense, I'm a bit tired.)

It does make sense. Personally, I don't know how/if/when some of those technologies might make it into the Apple Architecture, nor how dramatically important they are to overall system throughput. I'll keep my ear to the web to hear peoples' opinions on the matter to see if they represent a performance bottleneck or not and if so, I may be inclined to wait if I'm getting close to making a purchase and the tea leaves indicate that its going to be worth the wait. Otherwise, this is "small stuff" that I can safely risk ignoring when deciding precisely what and when to buy, and instead focus on pragmatically more important factors...such as if I'm going to be out of town on business and thus not available to sign for the FedEx delivery :-).


-hh

[webtvcaptive]

I want an eMac, hoping I can swing it. Who knows when a G5 will ever come out? Not waiting to buy until then. I'm trudging along with WebTv and needed a real computer YESTERDAY -- actually A YEAR AGO yesterday. Haven't had a pc, since I split from my ex eight years ago.

Why is a Mac not considered a pc? And will it be difficult to do online banking and bill paying with a Mac, since someone mentioned online banking uses Windows? (awaiting your responses while dodging flying bricks and using my WebTv receiver as a shield. Owie! -- good arm!

[wrldwzrd89]

I want an eMac, hoping I can swing it. Who knows when a G5 will ever come out? Not waiting to buy until then. I'm trudging along with WebTv and needed a real computer YESTERDAY -- actually A YEAR AGO yesterday. Haven't had a pc, since I split from my ex eight years ago.

Why is a Mac not considered a pc? And will it be difficult to do online banking and bill paying with a Mac, since someone mentioned online banking uses Windows? (awaiting your responses while dodging flying bricks and using my WebTv receiver as a shield. Owie! -- good arm!
It isn't so much that online banking uses Windows; it's more that (some of) the online banking websites are poorly designed so that they don't work properly with anything other than MSIE for Windows.

A Mac actually IS a PC, if you consider the definition of PC to be "Personal Computer". Hence the term "Windows PC" to distinguish from Macs.

[tech4all]

Why is a Mac not considered a pc?

Also, the "Mac and PC" thing is also a marketing/advertising thing for stores to idenitify what kind of computer something is. Well not just stores, but the general public. The general public associates "PC" with Windows and "Mac" with a computer that doesn't work with anything :rolleyes: hehe, sorry for the sarcasm, but that is the general reaction from many people when here "Mac"; but we all know that is not true :D

And as stated, a Mac is a PC or Personal Computer.

[EodLabs]

I haven't switched yet. Not that the machines aren't capable, just timing hasn't been right. I've been waiting for a pb update (hold the flames, i've been reading and understand the issues :) ). I'm a developer in a microsoft/IBM shop and have no qualms with either company. Really what I think throws some pref. dev's off like myself is the product cycle's. In a business enviroment, I can't afford to purchase a new laptop (top of line) 6 months in a cycle knowing that it'll be another 6 months till an update, my write-off will be rejecting telling me to wait till product update. In that time, a vendor will sweep me off my feet with an AMD64 laptop pulling gentoo, etc...

I'm apple gun-hoe, but switching to me means riding an ever increasing competitive curve, and not that 100 mhz means anything, it's really numbers in the end, and who approves. Anyone else in a situation like this ?

[ReanimationLP]

I switched back in Janurary 2004, when I purchased a Blue and White G3. What sold me on Macs was OS X. After playing with it in stores, I fell in love with its interface, and its simplicity. I had a budget of 250 so I grabbed me a Blue and White on ebay some time back.

[~Shard~]

The first Mac I used was my brother's brand new Apple //e back in the day. Then it was his brand new Mac SE/30, but I didn't actually own my own Mac until last December, when I bought a great 17" 1.25 GHz G4 iMac, which I love to this day! The G5s are nice, but I'm partial to my G4 iMac (kind of like the design better than the G5 iMac), and it will do me just fine for a few more years for sure - maybe my next Mac will be a G6 iMac... ;) :cool:

[alexstein]

i just bought my iBook 14", 1.2 G4, 768Ram in august of 2004. and i'm convinced since then that this is indeed the superior hardware and software. ...like everybody else says...it just works....


i still have an old ibm laptop for some software and hardware i use that is not really compatible with my iBook.

[wnameth]

I got a blue and white off this site for under 150, i popped in a G4, got it running to 600MHZ, and it screams, and just last week I got my dad a graphite G4, with 512mb ram and 70GB of HD space, he loves it and says he'll never buy a PC

[hob]

Categories... categories... categories...

I guess I'd say I'm a total switcher, never looked back with an added blend of gadget boy... (that kinda reminded me of some hair commercial where the figures never quite added up... 90% rebel 4% shy... (they never mentioned where the other 6% went...))

I totally fell in love with Macs in 2003 when the Media dept. at school decided to buy a few eMacs. I dunno whos idea it was, but they deserve a medal!

I just got annoyed with everything windows-related... it was like a late-teen meltdown. I just wanted things easy. I'd always used my PC for everything. Now I have a 12" PB for all my internet/uni work needs and an XBOX for gaming...! I think I've got the best of all worlds, when I consider the amount of viruses my friend picked up on his brand new pc AND how much better Need for Speed Underground 2 runs on my XBOX vs. his high-spec PC (for some reason)

Hob

[wrldwzrd89]

Categories... categories... categories...

I guess I'd say I'm a total switcher, never looked back with an added blend of gadget boy... (that kinda reminded me of some hair commercial where the figures never quite added up... 90% rebel 4% shy... (they never mentioned where the other 6% went...))

I totally fell in love with Macs in 2003 when the Media dept. at school decided to buy a few eMacs. I dunno whos idea it was, but they deserve a medal!

I just got annoyed with everything windows-related... it was like a late-teen meltdown. I just wanted things easy. I'd always used my PC for everything. Now I have a 12" PB for all my internet/uni work needs and an XBOX for gaming...! I think I've got the best of all worlds, when I consider the amount of viruses my friend picked up on his brand new pc AND how much better Need for Speed Underground 2 runs on my XBOX vs. his high-spec PC (for some reason)

Hob
Spyware, Viruses, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Virus. All of these things are common on Windows machines; all of these things run mostly in the background; all of these things slow Windows and its programs down. The average Mac has none of these (and doesn't really need them, either). Think of an Xbox as a Windows PC without the 4 things mentioned above - then it might make sense.

[mms]

Lifelong Mac user. First was an SE back in the day.

[damgpro]

Got a 17" powerbook in August for school, I love it, bring it with me everywhere. Some people think i'm crazy because of it.

[~Shard~]

Got a 17" powerbook in August for school, I love it, bring it with me everywhere. Some people think i'm crazy because of it.

Don't worry about it, I'm sure that's just how they express their jealousy. ;)

[Kirbdog]

I ordered my first Apple on Fri/01/05, 14" iBook. Then the new Powerbooks came out on Monday. So I called Apple Monday morning to see if I could change my order to the new Powerbook. Wouldn't you know they were polite, helpful, and changed my order without question. If a PC company had costomer service half as good as Apple has given me I would not have such deep seeded hatred for them.

I patiently waiting for my 12" Powerbook SD, 100Gig HD, 768mb.

My brother switched a year and a half ago, I've been jelous ever since!

[Fivetides]

I bought my first Mac, an ibook, Jan of this year. Now I see what all the hoopla was about and I will never go back unless Apple goes under.