Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
As I stated, I am having some fun here. I agree pc is windows in the tech realm.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Hot take: Macs are technically PCs
- Thread starter Squidiey
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
So I would look like a sore thumb in the society if I said that Macs are PCs?
eltoslightfoot
macrumors 68040
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
PC people would laugh at you, and Mac people will get mad at you.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
You mean windows and linux people would laugh at you right? ha ha ha! I am over anger and choose laughing instead. On both sides there are lots of silly people. It's an object, nothing more. We as a society have much larger fish to fry instead of getting angry at what someone else chooses for a Personal Computer, Phone, etc.
I am having fun and enjoying life now. So much depression in the world I am over it and am just living happy. Create stuff, ride my mountain bikes and camping with my family and just living life!
I am having fun and enjoying life now. So much depression in the world I am over it and am just living happy. Create stuff, ride my mountain bikes and camping with my family and just living life!
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
Paul1964
macrumors 6502
PowerPC is the platform. So it does not make your Power Macintosh a 'PC' - even though it is a 'personal' computer.
Some Unix systems also used PowerPC and they were definitely not PCs - more like blade servers.
Some Unix systems also used PowerPC and they were definitely not PCs - more like blade servers.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
It has PC in the name. Don't matter if its a "power mac" Apple called it PowerPC. What does PC stand for? ha ha ha.
I tried the new Macbook pro and neo at the store yesterday and both are awesome. Better than any windows machine I have laid my hands on. I do believe that our next systems are going to be those. So nice!
I tried the new Macbook pro and neo at the store yesterday and both are awesome. Better than any windows machine I have laid my hands on. I do believe that our next systems are going to be those. So nice!
Paul1964
macrumors 6502
It wasn't Apple that called it PowerPC. That was the name if the platform that the Power Mac ran on.
It was used by other vendors too, the PowerPC name was nothing to do with Apple. Yes, PowerPC is printed on the case, just as an Intel Inside sticker might be applied to a PC case. And yes, Apple were involved with it early on, as was IBM and others. Apple didn't name it.
In other words, the term PC became a brand-like term for Windows and Linux computers instead of an acronym for personal computer
All Macs are PCs but not all PCs are Macs
Alpha Centauri
macrumors 68000
And who can forget Apple's own ads "Hello I'm a Mac...and I'm a PC:
Paul1964
macrumors 6502
eltoslightfoot
macrumors 68040
A word, or words, can have more than one reason for being. There is also implied meaning and literal meaning.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
So that has an apple on the case, Power PC on the case, but it's not an apple? Generally confused.
Paul1964
macrumors 6502
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
Then it's a PC. They put it on the case. Apple put that on the case and called it a PC. Or did they not? Trying to understand the argument?
Mac is simply a PC running Mac OS.
If I install Linux on a PC, it is still a PC.
If I install Linux on a PC, it is still a PC.
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
You seem incredibly invested in trying to change the well established narrative.
That's simply not going to happen, if you want to call Macs and iPads PCs have at it, but everyone else will still call apple computers Macs, their tablets ipads, and windows computers PCs.
Basic75
macrumors 68030
The "PowerPC" does not refer to the whole machine.
PowerPC is the processor architecture, not the platform.
Basic75
macrumors 68030
Apple put the name of the processor architecture, which happened to be "PowerPC", on the case. You can see the name of the machine in the same photo, "Power Macintosh" and some numbers.
Basic75
macrumors 68030
Do you mean Apple's XServe G5, not that it was a blade server? Btw, Macs count as Unix systems, too. And outside of the Mac we mostly remember PowerPC for game consoles like the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii and Wii U.
Interesting discussion! Here is my take:
There are many examples for technically wrong words or phrases that are used everyday.
Just a few:
"ATM machine" (the M is redundant), "PIN number",
"added bonus" (a bonus is always something extra), "personal opinion" (an opinion is always personal),
"chai tea" (chai means tea in other languages),
"i literally died laughing" ("literally" used incorrectly)
While you are technically correct that a Mac is a personal computer, the term "PC" is no longer used in that sense. Consider other words that have changed their meaning over time. "Gay" is just one prominent example.
In other words:
Language is a living thing and how people use language evolves constantly.
There are many examples for technically wrong words or phrases that are used everyday.
Just a few:
"ATM machine" (the M is redundant), "PIN number",
"added bonus" (a bonus is always something extra), "personal opinion" (an opinion is always personal),
"chai tea" (chai means tea in other languages),
"i literally died laughing" ("literally" used incorrectly)
While you are technically correct that a Mac is a personal computer, the term "PC" is no longer used in that sense. Consider other words that have changed their meaning over time. "Gay" is just one prominent example.
In other words:
The term "PC" is no longer understood as an abbreviation of "personal computer", but a synomyn of a "computer running Windows".
Last edited: