What can Mac's do that PC's can't?

[backdraft]

A lot of PC users pose this question, I would really like to give them concrete answers. It really seems that Mac's and PC's can do the same tasks. What distinguishes the two platforms?

PC users claim that the Windows interface is easier to use, that they've never crashed Windows (I really doubt this), and that Windows can multi-task. So they see no reason for purchasing a Mac. What does it take to convince them?

They just don't understand...

-backdraft

[diorio]

As the owner of a PC I too am interested in this question. I am probably going to buy the ibook now that it is only $1000. But, I could buy pc components and build an awesome computer for $700-$1000. Why should I buy apple instead of PC? I have heard things like, apple has better graphics, apple's os doesn't crash like windows and so on. Are these true? Because if they are I will gladly make the switch.

[edesignuk]

For years I used a PC only, then a year or so back after seeing OSX I bought my first PowerMac running 10.1, and I loved it!
Things are just simple, for example, to uninstall an app you just drag it to the trash; that's it! No alert windows about shared DLL's that might be required by other applications, just chuck it in the trash and your done.
The OSX interface is so much nicer than Windows, and the dock rockz!
Now with 10.2 out the speed and stability is greater than ever before.
iTunes is simply the best jukebox there is and if you hook up an iPod you see how simple it is to enjoy your music on the move.
There are of course many other reasons, but I'll let others have a go...

[springscansing]

Macs have Logic Audio, Digital Performer, and Max/MSP.

End of story! :-)

[Chad4Mac]

I'm with edesignuk, plus this:

I used Windows for years, and for the most part I was generally satisfied. But there was always something, mostly little things here and there, that really got me...well...confused.

Like removing apps that you didn't want -- sometimes I couldn't get them completely off. Using Outlook Express was a bitch -- really user unfriendly. Setting up printers, networks, and external devices -- what a pain. Finding consumer friendly movie editing, photo storing software, and mp3 players was nearly impossible.

Plug n' play was a big one, that is getting my new Sony Camcorder to register on even XP. It just wasn't simple -- like it should be.

I used to tolerate with these things; I actually enjoyed the troubleshooting. It really helped me understand how my PC works.

But

Once you move to the mac, you really find the difference between the two machines. You plug things in -- they work. You connect to the network (even windows) -- it works. Editing movies and organizing photos is simple. It's simple. OS X is simple, and all the programs that Apple makes for the Mac are simple. That's the difference. OS X is simple and it works.

I guess OS X is really complicated on the terminal side of things. This must keep the Genius' happy.

It just works...for me.

Chad4Mac

[MisterBlack]

Business:

If you have anything to do with music, digital imaging, animation or digital video, you should have a mac. Macs run the programs that are industry standard (Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Premier, Logic, Reason, and, hello, Final Cut Pro, etc., etc.) better than pc's. While running these programs and interacting with large files, macs don't run out of memory and they don't crash as often.

Apple displays kick ass.

Personal:

Macs are easier to use and easier to learn how to use. os x has the best combination of professional features and ease of use that i've found, and it looks amazing on top of that.

If you like to use additional hardware with your computer, macs are infinitely more forgiving that pc's from installation to actual usage. If you have a digital photo/video camera, all you ever do is plug in a cable. Software bundled with os x, iPhoto and iMovie, will turn your desk into the beginnings of a production studio.

And the top advantage of macs is that you can use your iPod with iTunes. This is the most rewarding of all the Apple experiences, and should be experienced by everyone.

[scem0]

Run every mac program, and every windows program (Virtual PC). PCs can't run a operating system half as good as a Mac OS (Mac OS X.2).

[Durandal7]

Here are my top reasons to switch:

Better Interface- The Mac's interface is a quite a bit better then Windows. The dock is great, column browsing is great, menus look better, icons look better, etc.

Less M$ BS- Unlike Windows you aren't stuck with IE. You also don't have to deal with bizarre Windoze licensing schemes and shady dealing regarding your personal info.

Higher Quality Hardware- Apple controls the making of both the operating system and the computer so they can interact flawlessly. An Apple iBook will have a lot better components then a $600 Dell as well.

Stability- Sure, Windoze has gotten more stable over the the years. But I don't buy this crap about "WinXP hasn't ever crashed" Mac OS X's protected memory system will come to your rescue to save you from rebooting (which you would have to do on a PeeCee)

Get Ahead of the Game- The truth is that Windows is trying to copy the MacOS at every turn. Buy a mac and it will be like getting a copy of Windows 2006 today ;)

[Mr. Anderson]

On a soley design side of things - the machines in general are much more impressive and have a tendency to make other people more than curious. My TiPB still gets plenty of looks.

And I know that's not a great reason for having a mac, I just enjoy it. That and its ease of use. I'm constantly amazed at how simple it is to use.

A coworker got a Sony USB data key chain and was transferring info and passed it to someone in a meeting. All of a sudden there was concern on the receivers part on not having the software to install the dirvers for the USB key. Not to worry, my coworker said, the drivers come with Windows 2000. He said this like it was an amazing thing.

I can't tell you how many times I've plugged something into my Macs and not had to worry about drivers and installing software. For MS to finally get around to doing this now (and its the only case I've seen so far) is pretty damn pathetic.

D

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by backdraft
A lot of PC users pose this question, I would really like to give them concrete answers. It really seems that Mac's and PC's can do the same tasks. What distinguishes the two platforms?



macs can do the same things and you get to pay more

except for the $999 ibook and the $799 crt imac, the rest of the macs could stand to come down in price

come on, apple, drop your thrity percent profit margin and stop dell before they whack you in the education market

as a volunteer teacher and perpetual grad student, junior college student also, i don't understand your high prices...even for students

this is not a non profit agency you are running...you have to be competitive with dell or they will clean your clock like they did with all the other computer makers

dell is fast becoming to hardware what microsoft became to software in the 80s and 90s

apple, inc...bring down your prices of your other stuff, too

signed,

jef:D

[bousozoku]

From my experience, there are a few things of note:

I spend 99 percent of the time using the Macintosh.

This is in contrast to 66 percent of the time trying to run an application because I have to logout or re-boot to get things back to normal. Memory protection on Windows just doesn't work right.

I can easily write a multiple language document, including Japanese and Korean.

I don't know whether this works with WinXP at all, but it doesn't work on older versions of Windows without a lot of mess.

This should also include any Mac OS X application that is ATSUI-aware or Mac OS 9.x application which is WorldScript aware. I was able to use the English version of MSN Messenger to communicate with someone in Japanese, for instance.

Integration with hardware makes for a happy experience as things break a lot less. There are fewer "What the hell happened?" moments on a Macintosh unlike the Win2000 machine at work where OmniPage Pro just disappears suddenly while I'm using it.

[hobie]

Perhaps Macs cant do more than PCs, but what they can is do it a hell of a lot easier than on winboxes! I currently use both worlds, a tiny little ibook and a big ugly beige box currently running Windows XP. And to be honest, PCs can do more than a Mac. They can:

crash more
struggle the user more
steal more of you time
put anything else bad in here ;-)

So from my experience I keep wondering what f***ing bi*** keeps telling stories about that XP doesn't crash. That stupid OS crashes at least once a day!!! So does NT4, Win2K, 98, ME, 95 (increasing crashes in that order).
On the other hand, my iBook simply doesn't go down! I had experienced some finder crashes, but only when the winbox is doing weird things on the network so that Jaguar couldnt find the hooked network recources from the box. But that's the only problem i had, which is solved now.

Another crappy thing on PCs is:
Have you ever tried to make a copy of your adress book/outlook/outlook express files before you installed a new OS?!? You simply can't find those crappy files! I don't know how many times I have lost all of my emails and adresses just because i needed to reinstall.
On OS X, all you have to do is to copy your home folder and drag it back after reinstallation. All your preferences are as they have been before, all your data is there where it has to be, and all works and looks familiar. Time needed: Maybe 1 hour. Reinstalling windows and making it as before, time needed: 2 days up to a week!
(Wonder if I'm the only one experiencing those problems, but maybe I'm just too stupid to use PCs).

More Windows hooks:

Why the heck does the Windows Explorer crash when the Internet Explorer does?!?

Force registration is the biggest cut into my private live i ever had.

Brain training is very good actually, i know all of my windows version's serial numbers by heart simply because I'm forced to reinstall windows once a month!

Win Media Player spies you

...

[arsimckhoi]

Here's what I noticed...

While Mac's make things easy and better... pc's make things hard and fast.

Here's my example...
I just recently purchased a pc do to money restraints (wanted the dual 867 model G4)

While I was downloading everything on my pc to get it to do most things I can do on the mac I was constantly and I mean constantly being bombarded with spam ads... NOT the best example but I"m not done.

My pc came without some sourt of audio importing tool so I can not import mp3's to my computer. What's the point of that?

When I end my session on aol IM or most of my programs I get an annoying "You sure you want to do that?" dialogue box.

My mac has never and may never will do that.

My point is... You can have your 6.52 GHZ processor and 256 mb video card or whatever but I'll gladly spend an extra $1000 next time for a computer that runs everything at half the speed and about 1/8th the hassle. (No computer's perfect)

OS X is superior and will be modeled after for many years to come...

[Over Achiever]

Originally posted by hobie
So from my experience I keep wondering what f***ing bi*** keeps telling stories about that XP doesn't crash.

...:rolleyes:

Well, looks like I'm one of those f***ing bi***. At least I bought me a pb;)

[vniow]

Originally posted by Over Achiever


...:rolleyes:

Well, looks like I'm one of those f***ing bi***. At least I bought me a pb;)


Guess I am too.http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/veronica/rolleyes.gif

The only time XP has ever crashed on me is when I installed RealOne and a few days ago when I tried to connect my dad's W2k laptop to it.

For some reason XP and W2k aren't too compatible when it comes to networking, even though they're based off of the same platform.http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/veronica/rolleyes.gif

[hobie]

@ Over Achiever and edvniow

then you guys really have to tell me what the difference between your machines and mine is!
Could be that I have a crappy Athlon in there, with a even worse VIA-based m-board. --> that's a lot of instability. But then again, my dads VAIO keeps crashing too (P4), my brothers box (PIII) is also nto really stable on w2k, and winxp wont run properly there (unless you have muuuuch time...). My cousins P4 needs a reinstall every second month, and my uncles P4 crashes when it comes to CD bruning.
My universities NT4 (<-- those "Bombproof" cant change and install anything boxes) is the worst crap i ever used. Even they give me problems even second time i log on.

So could you please tell me what's your secret about it?!? Maybe you both write a book, i promise you'll be soon richer than bill :D

[rugby]

I've got a dual XP1600(running at 1800) and WinXP and the only time it crashes is when I overclock it too much (I think the PSU is really taxed hard, it's only 300w). ANyways, my point is this. I have a DP867 G4 and a DPXP1600. With my Mac, bone stock software wise I can use mp3's, create DVD's, manipulate DV video, all with industry standard formats. With XP I can't import mp3's for squat (only .wma files), I can only do DV with .wmv files, and definitely can't burn dvd's that will play in any mechanism.

That right there is enough reason to get a Mac.

[BenderBot1138]

:D Make Me Smile :D

[mymemory]

Originally posted by MisterBlack
Business:

If you have anything to do with music, digital imaging, animation or digital video, you should have a mac. Macs run the programs that are industry standard (Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Premier, Logic, Reason, and, hello, Final Cut Pro, etc., etc.) better than pc's. While running these programs and interacting with large files, macs don't run out of memory and they don't crash as often.

You couln't be more wrong. All those softwares runs fater in PC enviroment. For the same ammount of money of a mac you could do a very professional render farm 4 years ago in the PC enviroment, specially when NT came out.

I'm impress that at this hight we still discussing the same topics over and over.

The only difference between PC's and Mac is that the last ones comes with averything in just one box and Apple make the OS for that computer so that give you more stability just opening the box, something that you won't find in a PC just because ther are 300.000.000 manofactures that doesn't obey the standars or their quality controls are not that good.

On the Mac, your computer is gonna last longer just because you will alway are gonna find parts for it. For example a friend of mine has a 1997 9600/200 that still working fine with jaguar, find me a PC from that year running the latest OS and doing animation.

That is it.

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by mymemory


You couln't be more wrong. All those softwares runs fater in PC enviroment. For the same ammount of money of a mac you could do a very professional render farm 4 years ago in the PC enviroment, specially when NT came out.

I'm impress that at this hight we still discussing the same topics over and over.

The only difference between PC's and Mac is that the last ones comes with averything in just one box and Apple make the OS for that computer so that give you more stability just opening the box, something that you won't find in a PC just because ther are 300.000.000 manofactures that doesn't obey the standars or their quality controls are not that good.

On the Mac, your computer is gonna last longer just because you will alway are gonna find parts for it. For example a friend of mine has a 1997 9600/200 that still working fine with jaguar, find me a PC from that year running the latest OS and doing animation.

That is it.

i usually agree with you on most things and i like your posts, but not on this one ;)

i am an NT engineer on the pc side

NT has something called the HAL (hardware abstraction layer) and the HCL (hardware compatability list) and while these restrictions make NT meet the requirements for the united state's department of defense C2 security standards, it makes for a limited machine when it comes to working peripherals for computer users

now if you can generate your own NT code, then you are in business

-jef
former department of defense/cia employee
microsoft certified professional
network engineer
owner of pc business

[iGav]

Nothing runs Final Cut Pro like a Mac...... TeeHee!! :p

[vniow]

Originally posted by hobie
@ Over Achiever and edvniow

then you guys really have to tell me what the difference between your machines and mine is!
Could be that I have a crappy Athlon in there, with a even worse VIA-based m-board. --> that's a lot of instability. But then again, my dads VAIO keeps crashing too (P4), my brothers box (PIII) is also nto really stable on w2k, and winxp wont run properly there (unless you have muuuuch time...). My cousins P4 needs a reinstall every second month, and my uncles P4 crashes when it comes to CD bruning.
My universities NT4 (<-- those "Bombproof" cant change and install anything boxes) is the worst crap i ever used. Even they give me problems even second time i log on.

So could you please tell me what's your secret about it?!? Maybe you both write a book, i promise you'll be soon richer than bill :D


Good karma.http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/veronica/grinning.gif

Probably hardware.
The VIA chip for your Athlon is a piece of sh*t. I've heard more problems with VIA chipsets than any other chipset for Athlons. It's most likely not your processor.

I've got a PIII with an Intel VC820 MB, ATI AIW video card, Creative Labs SB Live, Supra Express serial modem, IBM 80GB drive Samsung DVD-ROM, Sony CD-RW and 256 RDRAM (never gonna buy that again!)
Running XP Pro.

Notice how it's all name brand stuff.
I built this myself and picked out the parts very carefully since I have had stability issues with it in the past and decided to fork over a it more ca$h for a lot less trouble.
That's the great thing about building it yourself is that you control the hardware.
Every copy of Windows is identican so one computer being more stable than another is most likely attributed to hardware.

[wake up Jobs!!!]

Plain in simple, Macs have the advantage simply, because they are Much, Much easier to use. PC's are much to complicated fro the general public, thats why allmost everyone who owns a Pc does not know how to make of optimal use of their Pc's.

-GaBe-O

[scem0]

Originally posted by edvniow



Guess I am too.http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/veronica/rolleyes.gif

The only time XP has ever crashed on me is when I installed RealOne and a few days ago when I tried to connect my dad's W2k laptop to it.

For some reason XP and W2k aren't too compatible when it comes to networking, even though they're based off of the same platform.http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/veronica/rolleyes.gif


I am one of those people too! Windows XP has crashed 2 times,
once when I was unplugging my printer, and once when I was
attempting to burn a CD.

[pianojoe]

Originally posted by BenderBot1138
:D Make Me Smile :D

They bid you a Welcome when you switch them on.

It has been around for years that the Windows UI is ripped off the Mac. Well, if it's worth copying it like that, why not get the original?

As it has been said before: Less hassle!

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by scem0


I am one of those people too! Windows XP has crashed 2 times,
once when I was unplugging my printer, and once when I was
attempting to burn a CD.


I plug and unplug devices all the time including the monitor without it crashing. Also I have yet to have system crash with 10.2 on my new Dual/GHz/DDR. I've had it since the end of August and I have it on for at least 6 hours a day.

[Sun Baked]

Hmmm...

I rarely if ever turn my machine off - except for lightning storms - the machines stays on all the time in sleep mode when not in use.

But having one heavy duty UPS does help reduce the power line worries.

[funkywhat2]

Originally posted by hobie
Perhaps Macs cant do more than PCs, but what they can is do it a hell of a lot easier than on winboxes! I currently use both worlds, a tiny little ibook and a big ugly beige box currently running Windows XP. And to be honest, PCs can do more than a Mac. They can:

crash more
struggle the user more
steal more of you time
put anything else bad in here ;-)





So, in fact you are saying that it is easier to make a PC crash than a mac. They are easier!

In all honesty, I have only had Windows pull a BSOD on me when I'm doing something that my machine can't really handle. Otherwise I have no problems with it. I have had Jaguar crash on me three times, all in a row. Crash, restart, crash, restart, crash, restart. At least the Kernel Panic screen looks nice.

Macs can clean out your wallet a helluva lot faster than a PC. For home they are definitely worth the extra cash, but for a business Windows is better.

P.S- All of you that have had NT crash, what do you do with your machines? My Dad has three Dual Xeon systems in his bedroom that he uses to create and run Oracle 8 databases, and they've never crashed. Ever. Not once. And they are only shut doun for lighning storms (his electricity bill can attest to that).

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by Sun Baked
Hmmm...

I rarely if ever turn my machine off - except for lightning storms - the machines stays on all the time in sleep mode when not in use.

But having one heavy duty UPS does help reduce the power line worries.

I know some people do that I just can't get over the the thought of leaving it on and drawing power and wearing things out. I know none of this is true now but use to be true.

[jefhatfield]

here in california, there are more than a few people i have met who claim that their electricity bill is noticeably lower with shutting down the computer all the way

i tend to agree with them and don't think it's just some save the power propaganda from the power company

[scem0]

What about putting the computer to sleep or just
having a screen saver. I have a screen saver
and I am pretty sure the HD spins down at night.
Will that save a noticible amount of power?

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by scem0
What about putting the computer to sleep or just
having a screen saver. I have a screen saver
and I am pretty sure the HD spins down at night.
Will that save a noticible amount of power?

Most screensavers use substantial cpu time. It is much much more energy conscious to sleep the computer and as I have suspected and jef has confirmed even better to shutdown.

[Sun Baked]

Compared to the power bricks, cable TV boxes, and devices stuck in standby the sleeping Apple computer isn't consuming a huge portion of energy wasted in a home.

If you do a walk-through of a house and look at some TVs, VCRs, Cable boxes, rechargers, etc. and they feel warm when they're off - they're using power.

Though cable boxes and power bricks are usually the worst, some of the remote control/timer based items do tend to continue to draw heavily when off.

[wdlove]

Mac's have better customer support according to PC World & Consumer Reports! :)

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by wdlove
Mac's have better customer support according to PC World & Consumer Reports! :)

even though computer shopper made the tibook one of their editor's choices, they said one of the "cons" (bad points) of the tibook was their bad service

i was shocked

i know dell has pretty good service...but what other pc makers have better service than apple?