A poor worker always blame one's tools. It all depends on who uses what. Someone who is really poor at using computers will have problems with a PC or Mac. Someone who is good with electronics will never have as much problems. I never had any issues regarding virus or hacking with Windows for years, and I never have with my Mac.
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Are macs more stable than PCs?
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Indeed. I work at a non-profit with an almost exclusively Apple workplace (Xserve server, AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express, iMacs for all, Mac Pro for video editing) and they're totally technological idiots (aged 25-65 with varying issues).
Being 23 and the only all around technologically competent person, I get dragged away from my desk 2-10 times a day to fix the dumbest user created issues.
Note to self for next job: Hide tech abilities so people leave you alone.
Ahh the age old question.
Nowadays, both operating systems are very advanced so they are fairly stable. It still amazes me that Windows 7 can work with hundred combinations of hardware and still work fine. Of course, there are plenty of viruses/malware for Windows, but if you're careful, you don't even need any anti-virus applications and malware protection software. Just disable admin privileges on the username you often use and you will be fine.
Polish wise, I prefer OS X. It's just "smooth" like butter for me. Windows reminds me of a Fisher Price GUI. However, function wise, it's a fine operating system.
If the older people (I'm in my late twenties) remember, operating systems were not this stable. IRQ issues all the time on the Windows side and other issues on the OS X side.
Things are much better as it stands. Users just getting into computers have it much easier.
P.S. One thing I always hated on Windows machines (retail) is all the garbage Sony, Dell, etc. put in the system. If you get a retail machine, PLEASE for the love of all that is Holy, install a fresh copy of Windows. You have the right since you have a retail copy of Windows with your machine.
P.P.S. Anyone that denies that OS X is amazingly stable is lying to themselves. The average person on this forum does not push their machines to it's limits. I have. Hundreds of times. When OS X has issues, it's not pretty at all.
Nowadays, both operating systems are very advanced so they are fairly stable. It still amazes me that Windows 7 can work with hundred combinations of hardware and still work fine. Of course, there are plenty of viruses/malware for Windows, but if you're careful, you don't even need any anti-virus applications and malware protection software. Just disable admin privileges on the username you often use and you will be fine.
Polish wise, I prefer OS X. It's just "smooth" like butter for me. Windows reminds me of a Fisher Price GUI. However, function wise, it's a fine operating system.
If the older people (I'm in my late twenties) remember, operating systems were not this stable. IRQ issues all the time on the Windows side and other issues on the OS X side.
Things are much better as it stands. Users just getting into computers have it much easier.
P.S. One thing I always hated on Windows machines (retail) is all the garbage Sony, Dell, etc. put in the system. If you get a retail machine, PLEASE for the love of all that is Holy, install a fresh copy of Windows. You have the right since you have a retail copy of Windows with your machine.
P.P.S. Anyone that denies that OS X is amazingly stable is lying to themselves. The average person on this forum does not push their machines to it's limits. I have. Hundreds of times. When OS X has issues, it's not pretty at all.
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As a fairly new Mac/Lion user I really can't give any long term opinions on it. I have been a big MS user for a long time. MS Technet subscriber and all the other stuff. I run 3 desktops, 3 laptops with all W7 except for one that runs XP. If one were to get rid of the bloatware off of the computer and do not hang out in places that they should not be, W7 is actually a great OS. I have one laptop that I don't use a whole bunch. I can open the lid on that one after 2 months and it acts as if I just used it yesterday. I feel so much is decided upon the user. Both OS systems are polished well enough to be stable. On the hardware side both a Mac and a PC pretty much have the same technology. Intel is not going to produce a better MB for Apple than they do for a PC, and the list goes on.
Oh and BTW. I have climbed to the top of some of the highest mountains in the world with my Panasonic Toughbook behind me. Works like a charm everytime from -20 below to 115. Of course, they are designed and made for that crap though.
Oh and BTW. I have climbed to the top of some of the highest mountains in the world with my Panasonic Toughbook behind me. Works like a charm everytime from -20 below to 115. Of course, they are designed and made for that crap though.
Having used Apple Mac notebook and computers for over 6-7 years I definitely can recommend them to anyone, apple customer service is excellent also which is great where if anything goes wrong they are always glad to help. Mac lion is excellent now and which comes with iCloud too. This is definitely the best version yet and would highly recommend he latest model of mac notebook or computer. Hope this helps.
Where I work i've been tasked to handle any IT related issues. There is only about 10 of us here and i'm trying to convince my boss to go down the Mac route.
We don't have servers just running with the cloud. He has an iPhone and iPad but just won't jump ship from Windows because its "familiar". I'm just sick of the constant issues we have.
Come on and Grow a pair and buy some Macs
!!
We don't have servers just running with the cloud. He has an iPhone and iPad but just won't jump ship from Windows because its "familiar". I'm just sick of the constant issues we have.
Come on and Grow a pair and buy some Macs
!!
pro posting sir
if I may have an opinion the only "Mac" is the MacBook Pro.. a superior laptop well.. mostly it´s the screen, keyboard, design & the trackpad
any other Mac you could get a way better/faster win-PC
also if you want something done.. a win-PC is the way to go, if you´re a poweruser you know what I mean
Depends on what type of power user. The apps are what counts. It's ironic that people say Windows is for powerusers, because every time I go from Bootcamp after using a Windows-only program back to OS X, I feel OS X looks much more mature and business like. Windows 7 looks very... bubbly and cartoony.
I don't agree with this statement, but even if I did, this affects performance for users how?
I think I worded it as if the bubbly interface of Windows makes it not for power users, whatever that means. The reason why I said it depends on the apps is because both platforms have their apps that may suit whoever is using it, making them a 'power user'. OS X has Final Cut, while Windows has Solidworks for example.
Apps aside, I think both OSes are equally suited for the more tech-savvy. Both platforms have a good amount of keyboard shortcuts, OS X has Automator for easy batch processing, hot corners, Terminal, etc.
i like the UNIX environment
Os x doesn't feel as bloated as windows and keeps its files grouped unlike the registry and system 32 etc in windows.
I prefer the UI in os x and the way the file system works.
I love it how i can preview psd or pdf anything with just quick preview even without photoshop installed etc.
the applications are look a lot nicer. Everything works (no driver issues).
The look of the device itself is stellar in comparison to a traditional windows machine.
integration with other apple devices and software is flawless and brainless. Which is a good thing because while I am very tech savvy why would you do the same task in photoshop 1000 times vs making a photoshop action. This is what Apple is about.
Software updates are understandable unlike the windows ones which you don't know what it is fixing or how. No viruses (don't give me that crap about there is because there isn't lol) I have tried to get them and still failed after 7 years now.
Faster performance in my applications I have noticed and lower ms lag vs windows machine that is on the same connection.
There is so many other things I'd have to spend a while night working on the computer and listing as they popped up to mention.
Os x doesn't feel as bloated as windows and keeps its files grouped unlike the registry and system 32 etc in windows.
I prefer the UI in os x and the way the file system works.
I love it how i can preview psd or pdf anything with just quick preview even without photoshop installed etc.
the applications are look a lot nicer. Everything works (no driver issues).
The look of the device itself is stellar in comparison to a traditional windows machine.
integration with other apple devices and software is flawless and brainless. Which is a good thing because while I am very tech savvy why would you do the same task in photoshop 1000 times vs making a photoshop action. This is what Apple is about.
Software updates are understandable unlike the windows ones which you don't know what it is fixing or how. No viruses (don't give me that crap about there is because there isn't lol) I have tried to get them and still failed after 7 years now.
Faster performance in my applications I have noticed and lower ms lag vs windows machine that is on the same connection.
There is so many other things I'd have to spend a while night working on the computer and listing as they popped up to mention.
disclosure: i've been using/building/supporting PCs/networks for 18 years
Answer: No.
Both platforms are now fairly stable, assuming you don't build some piece of crap PC by yourself using dodgy components.
The nightmare of blue screens is long gone (pretty much since Windows 2000 if you were picky with hardware/driver support), this was mostly caused by dodgy third party hardware drivers and nowadays x64 windows requires Microsoft signed (and thus, tested) drivers.
The mac hardware is nicer, but this is more to do with aesthetics, the polish of the touchpad driver (i.e., multitouch works, it doesn't jump over the place, etc), the battery life, the case, glass screens, etc.
The selling points of the mac for me are the touchpad, the unix underpinnings and the case/battery life.
Windows these days (i.e., win7) is fine. It is let down by slapped together poorly finished "cheap" feeling hardware.
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apple have never really faced the same problems windows did with drivers, because both hardware and most driver software was written by apple, who have a vested interest in making it work properly.
microsoft was at the mercy of third party hardware vendors rushing some crappy driver out the door that mostly worked, except when the PC slept, got under heavy CPU load, ran out of memory or some other "unusual" condition.
Not to say there never were problems in Windows, but the vast majority of the issues were always driver related...
Both systems crash and both have bugs. The thing is that there are way more PC / Windows users, so of course the sheer amount of problems reported is a lot larger than with Macs... In the past, there was this misbelief that there are "no viruses for Macs" and this stupid marketing strategy actually sold quite well ( in reality, there are "fewer viruses developed that target Macs" simply because again, the user pool is smaller and it doesn't worth the effort many times to target a limited number of systems / users when you could get a lot more information / do a lot more damage targeting the system where the user pool is the largest - PC / Linux ).
The good thing about Macs and Apple is the customer service. When buying a PC, you are tied to the brand / company who is producing that specific model and many times, their support can be quite crappy. Apple on the other hand is usually providing really good support and THIS can be an important factor for many people. Their systems / devices are not perfect but at least they seemingly care about user satisfaction and company image a lot more than the competitors do.
The good thing about Macs and Apple is the customer service. When buying a PC, you are tied to the brand / company who is producing that specific model and many times, their support can be quite crappy. Apple on the other hand is usually providing really good support and THIS can be an important factor for many people. Their systems / devices are not perfect but at least they seemingly care about user satisfaction and company image a lot more than the competitors do.
I agree with you here. My Mac Mini is running like how I opened it almost 3 months ago and I expect my 2012 "15 Macbook Pro to be the same when I buy it.
my mother has a 2006 iMac that has never been clean installed since factory and still runs lightning fast
There are no (zero) known viruses for the mac.
If you know of any, please point me to it. (I tell clients above fact all the time and i would really want to know if it's not true anymore)
Here's my experience: My son and daughter both have, and still use, two $299 made-for-Walmart Compaq laptops (XP) purchased four years ago. Both have survived college life with absolutely no problems; including no virus'.
I work from home and have been using a Dell laptop (running XP) since 2007. I restart Monday morning, start up about ten applications (ranging from multi-tab Explorer & Chrome, citrix windows, old DOS based legacy program, MS Office apps, MS Communicator, etc). I have a program that simulates keystrokes so it stays awake ~ 12 hours a day; all week. I only restart it once a week or when there are updates to install. No h/w, s/w, virus issues. I can ask the company for a new model, but the laptop is stable and the dual core cpu is still fast enough.
I have an Acer pc next to my work desk. I upgraded the power supply and installed a high-performance ATI video card (large kind that takes up two slots). That is going on four years old. It runs Vista with four separate accounts. My son uses it as his gaming machine in the evening and weekends. I use it mainly for photo editing, Google Earth, and e-mail. My wife uses it for the Internet, video streaming, e-mail, and Skype.No h/w, s/w, or virus issues. That pc stays powered on all the time and easily wakes from hibernation when we move the mouse. We rarely restart it.
So I cannot complain about MS OS or some of the hardware that runs it. However, I am considering getting our first Apple product (reason why I'm on Apple forums). I am concerned about the number of post about h/w and s/w issues. The number of posts seems high considering Apple PCs and laptops are only about 5% of the user base of PCs.
I work from home and have been using a Dell laptop (running XP) since 2007. I restart Monday morning, start up about ten applications (ranging from multi-tab Explorer & Chrome, citrix windows, old DOS based legacy program, MS Office apps, MS Communicator, etc). I have a program that simulates keystrokes so it stays awake ~ 12 hours a day; all week. I only restart it once a week or when there are updates to install. No h/w, s/w, virus issues. I can ask the company for a new model, but the laptop is stable and the dual core cpu is still fast enough.
I have an Acer pc next to my work desk. I upgraded the power supply and installed a high-performance ATI video card (large kind that takes up two slots). That is going on four years old. It runs Vista with four separate accounts. My son uses it as his gaming machine in the evening and weekends. I use it mainly for photo editing, Google Earth, and e-mail. My wife uses it for the Internet, video streaming, e-mail, and Skype.No h/w, s/w, or virus issues. That pc stays powered on all the time and easily wakes from hibernation when we move the mouse. We rarely restart it.
So I cannot complain about MS OS or some of the hardware that runs it. However, I am considering getting our first Apple product (reason why I'm on Apple forums). I am concerned about the number of post about h/w and s/w issues. The number of posts seems high considering Apple PCs and laptops are only about 5% of the user base of PCs.
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In my opinion PC's need a lot of maintenance to stop them getting clogged up with temporary files and obsolete Registry entries. Microsoft does monthly updates, other software suppliers are often pushing out updates and all these add to the problems. Older PC's and laptops were often sold with insufficient RAM and all the new updates take up more and more memory. All this means slower Windows PC's.
Most users have no idea how to get rid of all the temp files and clean out the Windows Registry. There are many utilietes available to help with these problems, but the average user does not know this and complains about slow running machines. All that is need, in most cases, is a little self help.
Windows 7 is a great improvement on earlier versions of Windows, but it is still a complicated system for many users.
Windows also suffers from malaware and viruses on a regular basis, so there is a need for a good quality Anit-virus progam to be running all the time.
Most users have no idea how to get rid of all the temp files and clean out the Windows Registry. There are many utilietes available to help with these problems, but the average user does not know this and complains about slow running machines. All that is need, in most cases, is a little self help.
Windows 7 is a great improvement on earlier versions of Windows, but it is still a complicated system for many users.
Windows also suffers from malaware and viruses on a regular basis, so there is a need for a good quality Anit-virus progam to be running all the time.
Mac is much more stable than Windows. A Mac can run for years without a reboot. Windows needs to be rebooted many times a day because it slows down, crashes or blue screens of death. Mac is such a remarkably efficient and stable operating system to use. It has been said by some experts that OS X is the world's most advanced operating system, and I tend to agree with them.
Having been a MBP and a Dell user for years, my experience is that the MBP is faster, more stable, and much more responsive. The Dell, even with regular housekeeping, got slower and slower. The MBP stayed the same.
In December I got a new MBP 17" with a 240gb SSD. From cold boot to browser open in 11 seconds. No Windows machine I've seen can do that.
In December I got a new MBP 17" with a 240gb SSD. From cold boot to browser open in 11 seconds. No Windows machine I've seen can do that.
As someone posted earlier, we can only offer opinions and anecdotal evidence in response to this question. I'll add mine and let you draw your own conclusions.
The reason why I recently switched from Windows to Mac is because of the hardware, not the OS. Windows 7 has worked fine for me at home, and I have a Windows XP desktop at work that is just starting to fail after five years of service.
My problem is with the quality of most Windows hardware. Three years ago, I bought a Dell Studio 15 laptop. Within that time, it developed cracks at the hinges, problems with the optical drive, and a failing keyboard. When I looked for a new Windows laptop to replace it, I was disappointed with the quality of the ones I saw. Most models have plastic cases, or at least plastic at critical areas, such as hinges and screen panels. Most keyboards were poorly spaced and felt uncomfortable after long periods of typing.
I chose the MacBook Pro because it is a well built computer with a comfortable keyboard and a responsive trackpad. I've come to enjoy using OS X Lion. I haven't used it long enough to get a good sense of whether it is more stable than Windows 7. What I've seen so far has reassured me.
If you're looking for stability, the first place to look is at the hardware. The OS is important, but it doesn't mean anything if you have to throw out the computer after a few years because the battery doesn't hold a charge or keys keep falling off the keyboard. So, test out the computers and choose the one that best fits your needs.
The reason why I recently switched from Windows to Mac is because of the hardware, not the OS. Windows 7 has worked fine for me at home, and I have a Windows XP desktop at work that is just starting to fail after five years of service.
My problem is with the quality of most Windows hardware. Three years ago, I bought a Dell Studio 15 laptop. Within that time, it developed cracks at the hinges, problems with the optical drive, and a failing keyboard. When I looked for a new Windows laptop to replace it, I was disappointed with the quality of the ones I saw. Most models have plastic cases, or at least plastic at critical areas, such as hinges and screen panels. Most keyboards were poorly spaced and felt uncomfortable after long periods of typing.
I chose the MacBook Pro because it is a well built computer with a comfortable keyboard and a responsive trackpad. I've come to enjoy using OS X Lion. I haven't used it long enough to get a good sense of whether it is more stable than Windows 7. What I've seen so far has reassured me.
If you're looking for stability, the first place to look is at the hardware. The OS is important, but it doesn't mean anything if you have to throw out the computer after a few years because the battery doesn't hold a charge or keys keep falling off the keyboard. So, test out the computers and choose the one that best fits your needs.
I've had quite a few Apple programs like Final Cut and iMovie crash on my MacBook. Also the memory management is far superior on Windows compared to OS X. Aside from that, the stability difference is neglible.