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New to Apple, and doubting

T

Twaize

macrumors member
Original poster
May 11, 2008
63
1
Hello

I just got my brand new MBP 13,3" last week, and today I called apple, to return my laptop, as I have a full refund for the first 2 weeks.

I've been following Apple for a long time, and was fairly psyched about finally having a good excuse to buy a new laptop (old one is broken) and the money to do it.
But I wasn't wowed, thrilled or particularly excited when I actually got it. I'm writing this in firefox, while listening to music with iTunes and chatting with friends using Skype and Adium X.
What's the problem? Except for using Pidgin instead of Adium X, it's the exact same thing as I would do on my windows machine.
Hassle free? I've had to reinstall OS X two times, and I would like to do it a third just to properly flush the system.
First time I got a 3 second warning and a reboot every time I started up the computer, second time the preference pane flat out didn't work, and now? DVD Player and Front Row didn't work, so I had to use Pacifist to extract the apps from the install dvd. And I'm sure there are more issues, which is why I would like to reinstall again.

So what's my problem? I would like to believe, I want to be a part of the "mac experience", I've just been very disillusioned by my experience.
I feel that this whole ordeal isn't worth the price I paid, not with all these issues, when I'm using apps that run on windows anyway. I feel the only things I would miss are smooth backup (Time Machine) and DeskLickr.

So could someone please persuade me to stay? Give me some good arguments, why I shouldn't return my MBP and buy some other brand or stick with my broken laptop?

Thank you
 
Wow, are you *sure* you are a noob Mac user? You do not sound like it at all, you sound like someone who either has a wealth of experience with more than one operating system, or someone who knows enough to use the buzzwords.

I choose to believe you really are that knowledgeable. You'd have to be.

Now, since you obviously know what you are doing, you need no one else's opinion on why to "stay" or "go". It's clear you have more than enough ability to make up your mind.

That being said, what was the real purpose of this new thread?

And to be fair, my comment on point would be "call Apple, make appointment with Genius, get it replaced, or get your refund." But you already knew that.
 
Sorry to hear you're having issues. Reading your story, I can't say I blame you for wanting to switch back.
Having said that, I've been using Macs for 14 years, am currently on my 7th Mac, and have never had anything like the issues you are describing. In fact, my 5 year old PowerBook is still in daily use by my wife (who ditched her 3yo Vaio laptop for it), and our 7yo iMac G4 (iLamp) is still in service as well.

It sounds to me like you flat out got a lemon, and you should return it. I hope you'll consider an exchange rather than a return, and give it another shot. My wife, who is not a power user at all and has been a Windows user for going on 20 years, is very happy she made the transition. Even using older tech she does not experience the issues she had with Windows, and I no longer have to sort them out for her. win win.:)

Either way you decide, I hope you don't have any more issues.
 
As gilkisson, you certainly don't sound like a Mac noob to me.

Also, the problems you seem to be experiencing sound very 'software related' which I don't really believe because the same software discs are shipped with every 13" MBP and no one else has reported those problems.

It is possible that you have received a Mac with a hardware defect, in which case, you should know to take it to an Apple Store or phone Apple and request a new one.
 
You got a lemon, no need for the drama.

If you'd like to give it another shot (which you should, you obviously cared enough to make the change in the first place), get it replaced. If you'd rather not, don't. Windows 7 is looking good.
 
Hey,

pretty sure I'm brand new with macs, I just google my issues before I write a post, but I couldn't find anything, about mac users switching to windows ;).
I don't think there's anything wrong with the hardware, maybe I was just tinkering a bit too much, I'm gonna try and reinstall Leopard, and play with it for the next 3 days, until I have to make a final decision.
Truth is, windows computers break as well, they got slow and clogged up, just like any OS (linux for me, runs slower than windows).
And to be fair, a similarly specced Dell is just as expensive, lenovo is even more expensive, and other brands simply aren't configurable in Denmark.

I'm not saying I would never try again, I'm just not sure the price is worth the product for me, at this very moment, I just have to think about my alternatives. Saving a few hundred dollars for an all plastic craptacular Dell which is going to overheat, under-perform and look bad.

But the point of this thread? Someone to highlight some of the unique sides of having a mac computer, something I could never have if I went back, whatever people feel are the killer feature of having a mac computer.

Thank you for the nice replies so far.
 
Twaize said:
So what's my problem? I would like to believe, I want to be a part of the "mac experience", I've just been very disillusioned by my experience.
I feel that this whole ordeal isn't worth the price I paid, not with all these issues, when I'm using apps that run on windows anyway. I feel the only things I would miss are smooth backup (Time Machine) and DeskLickr.

So could someone please persuade me to stay? Give me some good arguments, why I shouldn't return my MBP and buy some other brand or stick with my broken laptop?
Click to expand...

If you "would like to believe" and "be part of the experience", well, that is weird. You seem to be the first follower of the Mac cult that I have ever met, and that before you even had a Mac, and it turns out it doesn't work for you!

I use Macs because they work for me, and they work for my wife. If it doesn't work for you, return it. If there were things that didn't work, then it is either because you were too experienced and tried to muck around with things that you shouldn't be mucking around with (especially if you have experience with Linux you know a lot of things that _don't_ apply to a Mac), or your Mac or installer DVD were broken.
 
i just wanted to stop in and say that I have had a completely different experience! I just bought mine and am loving it completely! It sucks to see you had a bad experience, but is it possible you messed something up while tinkering with installing the OS and stuff? I opened the box, booted up my machine and I was golden. No problems at all!

Maybe you should have had Apple look at it to see what the problem was =/
 
Th only time I can honestly say i wasn't happy with my mac was when I screwed it up with my mucking around in preferences and admin rights. I'd say that your case is unique n that if you really feel that it's letting you down to go wig a different machine. At the end of the day a mac is still only a computer. For me though that computer alters my lifestyle quite a bit. I love how easy it is to use macs. The statement- they just work is quite true for me. Unless I muck it all up. I would try again:)

PTP
 
If your having doubts and you can't see the value in having a Mac don't keep it. I like my Mac mainly because it has been hassle free since I got it, no crashes, freezing, virus scans, and weird slow down you can't explain. I am not saying all Windows based machines are like this but that was my experience with XP for the last couple years on my ThinkPad (I loved the hardware). Your always paying a premium for Apple hardware but if you plan on keeping your notebook for 5-6 years the premium you pay does not seem like much. You also get better resale value from a Mac that can diminish that premium you paid over a similar configured DELL. I kept my ThinkPad for nearly 5 years as my main machine and I plan on keeping my Mac for just as long if not even longer.
 
Similar Doubts - Please help

I, like the original poster of this thread, am seriously struggling with whether to switch from a lifetime of PC using to a Mac. I'm hoping someone will be able to give me more than the usual "looks cool, no viruses, and you'll feel super elite when friends ask a PC question and you can say 'sorry, I own a Mac'" type answers. I've poured over articles, read numerous forums, and still not really getting down to the nitty gritty answers. From the information I've gathered, here's some questions I still have:

1. Windows is bad due to viruses and hang time, etc. Get a Mac so you don't have virus problems. Yet...Mac's have this BootCamp program so you can run Vista along with the Mac OS. Umm....wouldn't that now make my Mac just as vulnerable to viruses as my PC? Why would I pay more for a Mac under the delusion that it's hacker safe only to put Vista back on my system?

2. I have a wireless network in my home. Can my roomie with her PC laptop hookup to my Mac wireless network and we play the same game? Do Mac's even have wireless capability? Could she still use her PC to hook up to my network and browse the Internet?

3. I use MS Office Suite every day. MS Word, Excel, Access. I also paid a lot of money for Photoshop. Will I still be able to use all of those "professional" type programs on a Mac?

4. If I save a file on those programs at the university, can I bring my thumb drive home and open up those files? What about vice versa?

Sorry for all the questions, but it just seems like all the articles I read rehash the same 9 or 10 basic, generic reasons (i.e. price, anti-virus, user friendly) on why to buy a Mac without specifically dealing with honest newbie concerns. I've had a PC since the DOS 3.0 days so it's very scary for me as a graduate student to think about what happens to all my very familiar programs, files, and hard work if I switch to a Mac. It's a big step.
 
shadowmatrix said:
I, like the original poster of this thread, am seriously struggling with whether to switch from a lifetime of PC using to a Mac. I'm hoping someone will be able to give me more than the usual "looks cool, no viruses, and you'll feel super elite when friends ask a PC question and you can say 'sorry, I own a Mac'" type answers. I've poured over articles, read numerous forums, and still not really getting down to the nitty gritty answers. From the information I've gathered, here's some questions I still have:

1. Windows is bad due to viruses and hang time, etc. Get a Mac so you don't have virus problems. Yet...Mac's have this BootCamp program so you can run Vista along with the Mac OS. Umm....wouldn't that now make my Mac just as vulnerable to viruses as my PC? Why would I pay more for a Mac under the delusion that it's hacker safe only to put Vista back on my system?
Click to expand...

There is no real need to BootCamp. You only go out of your way to do it if you really need the ability to boot into Windows. Besides, if your BootCamp Windows installation gets infected, those nasties cannot see your Mac partition.

I agree, though... there are only a few specific reasons to BootCamp. You really don't need to do it -- and even if you did.... Vista?:eek:


2. I have a wireless network in my home. Can my roomie with her PC laptop hookup to my Mac wireless network and we play the same game? Do Mac's even have wireless capability? Could she still use her PC to hook up to my network and browse the Internet?
Click to expand...

Well of course, and yes, and yes. Think of a wireless network like a radio station -- it's pumping signal into the air, whether you listen or not. Same with your wifi router, it exists, and computers (Macs or PCs) attach (tune in) to it.

3. I use MS Office Suite every day. MS Word, Excel, Access. I also paid a lot of money for Photoshop. Will I still be able to use all of those "professional" type programs on a Mac?
Click to expand...

Might have a problem here. There are Mac versions of Office, but no Access. And your Windows install of Photoshop won't run, you will need the Mac version. That would give you the best user experience, but the cost of buying PS again is often a deal-breaker. You can BootCamp them, of course, but we're back to Vista, and ewww.

For an office suite, take a look at iWork or NeoOffice instead of MS Office.

4. If I save a file on those programs at the university, can I bring my thumb drive home and open up those files? What about vice versa?
Click to expand...

Oh yes. I transfer all the time via USB thumbies.

Sorry for all the questions, but it just seems like all the articles I read rehash the same 9 or 10 basic, generic reasons (i.e. price, anti-virus, user friendly) on why to buy a Mac without specifically dealing with honest newbie concerns. I've had a PC since the DOS 3.0 days so it's very scary for me as a graduate student to think about what happens to all my very familiar programs, files, and hard work if I switch to a Mac. It's a big step.
Click to expand...

It is indeed a big step. You would be trading "the devil you know" for something you don't know -- yet.

It sounds to me that you know the pitfalls and hazards of Windows pretty well, and you might be getting tired of them. Can't blame you! I go back to CP/M myself, long before GUIs. Grew up with Windows, and have switched to Mac for my personal tool of choice.

And that's what it is. If Windows make you comfortable, but Vista leaves a stain on everything, then go with Windows 7. It's still Windows, but it's better than Vista.

Take a trip to your nearest Apple store (*not* BestBuy) and talk to the nice kids there. Explain what you wrote here, and talk about how to switch. They really get a kick out of leading people to "the light" and letting folks play with a pretty iMac or MacBook Pro.

Switching takes some study, some time, effort, and a pinch of faith. It may not be for you - but I bet it is. You really don't need to talk yourself into buying a Mac, you really are talking yourself out of one.
 
Tell them you're a switcher and are completely dissatisfied with your experience, and go for a replacement.

If you're dissatisfied with your replacement, then go for a refund.


My computer has only stalled or reset twice, and it hasn't happened in around 3 years.
 
I think you would be better served with a Windows machine. Mac isn't for everyone. If one of my business associates would ask for a recommendation I would almost never suggest they buy a Mac. I think most people just take the machine out of the box and use it without messing with the operating system or other software unless it is proven for a Mac.

I am sitting at my desk with a Mac running behind me and a Dell Windows XP machine with 3 screens on my desk. At home I have all Mac's. For travel I only use Mac Laptops with windows in Bootcamp. I like both systems and they both have a purpose for me.

I can tell you that the support with Mac is far better than the Dell support.
 
I appreciate the nearly lightning speed replies. Heh. Usually the forums I've researched have dates six months or a year ago with no activity since then. I guess my absolute fear just thinking about buying a Mac, even though I want to get away from my seven year old PC with its lag and viruses, is the horrible thought of five years worth of research and university papers and hundreds of pages worth of articles and books I'm still in the process of writing being either

A.) totally useless because I can't open them up or even continue editing them because they're .doc or .txt extensions that Mac refuses to acknowledge;

B.) or they're able to be reformatted to these iWork or NeoOffice programs, but now I can't stick them on my thumb drive to work on them at the university PC's using any software.

I hate to keep asking so many questions, but the nearest Apple store is a 4 hour trip to St. Louis. Does anyone have some links that could point me to some very basic, very newbish type question/answer sites or videos? The Apple site is kinda worthless since all their videos show you how to work a Mac, not answer questions on software and real world questions.
 
jvette said:
If one of my business associates would ask for a recommendation I would almost never suggest they buy a Mac.
Click to expand...

Wait. You have nothing but Mac's in your house, you only use Mac laptops, and based on your signature you have tons of iPhones and others i gadgets, plus you've said Mac support was "far better" than Dell.....yet you wouldn't recommend a Mac?

Am....I missing something?
 
shadowmatrix said:
...
3. I use MS Office Suite every day. MS Word, Excel, Access. I also paid a lot of money for Photoshop. Will I still be able to use all of those "professional" type programs on a Mac?
Click to expand...

Just something worth mentioning, when I had Office 2003 (Windows), the serial number for that worked with Office 2004 (Mac) so this may be the same for 2007/2008.
 
shadowmatrix said:
Wait. You have nothing but Mac's in your house, you only use Mac laptops, and based on your signature you have tons of iPhones and others i gadgets, plus you've said Mac support was "far better" than Dell.....yet you wouldn't recommend a Mac?

Am....I missing something?
Click to expand...

That's what I said. Just like the OP there are many people or organizations that are not Mac friendly. My work is not MAC friendly and we use all Windows systems hooked to the main server and software that isn't made to work with Mac. Even our remote access software isn't Mac compatible. That's why I have my own Macbook running bootcamp and Windows XP. I also have a Dell Laptop issued by my work but I prefer to use my Macbook but as you know if you are a regular Mac user there are some quirks when running Windows on a Mac with some software or hardware.

If the OP has documents and information that works better with a windows based system and the University he works at or attends uses windows than I would not recommend a Mac for him. Why make things harder if its not necessary.

But yes I would rather use and own a MAC myself.
 
shadowmatrix said:
1. Windows is bad due to viruses and hang time, etc. Get a Mac so you don't have virus problems. Yet...Mac's have this BootCamp program so you can run Vista along with the Mac OS. Umm....wouldn't that now make my Mac just as vulnerable to viruses as my PC? Why would I pay more for a Mac under the delusion that it's hacker safe only to put Vista back on my system?
Click to expand...

Windows isn't just bad because of these things. It's cluttered, difficult to use, and an all around pain in the butt. And, yes, Macs with Intel chips can use Boot Camp, offering a dual-boot solution for running Windows on a Mac. If you do install Windows on your Mac, and boot into it, you will be just as susceptable to any Windows viruses and trojans. By the sounds of it, I'm not sure you'll have to use Windows.

shadowmatrix said:
2. I have a wireless network in my home. Can my roomie with her PC laptop hookup to my Mac wireless network and we play the same game? Do Mac's even have wireless capability? Could she still use her PC to hook up to my network and browse the Internet?
Click to expand...

Yes.

shadowmatrix said:
3. I use MS Office Suite every day. MS Word, Excel, Access. I also paid a lot of money for Photoshop. Will I still be able to use all of those "professional" type programs on a Mac?
Click to expand...

For some reason, the Microsoft people haven't included Access for Mac in their Office suites. You're out of luck there, but there are many other Access type apps for the Mac. About Photoshop, the guy who commented earlier said you're out of luck. You shouldn't be. Contact Adobe Customer Service, and they should hook you up with a Mac license. Check here: http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2007/01/yes_cs3_can_be.html.

shadowmatrix said:
4. If I save a file on those programs at the university, can I bring my thumb drive home and open up those files? What about vice versa?
Click to expand...

Yes. It will work just fine.

shadowmatrix said:
Sorry for all the questions, but it just seems like all the articles I read rehash the same 9 or 10 basic, generic reasons (i.e. price, anti-virus, user friendly) on why to buy a Mac without specifically dealing with honest newbie concerns. I've had a PC since the DOS 3.0 days so it's very scary for me as a graduate student to think about what happens to all my very familiar programs, files, and hard work if I switch to a Mac. It's a big step.
Click to expand...

It is a big step. But I would guess that when you're done making the step you'll look back and be surprised at how painless it was. I would find a friend with a Mac and play around with it for a while. Test all your needs out, figure out if you like it (because that's really important), and call Adobe to see if they would work with you on the Photoshop license. If you don't know anyone with a Mac, just go to an Apple Store and test everything out there, but they may just try to over sell you on it, maybe making the process frustrating. Good luck!
 
shadowmatrix said:
I appreciate the nearly lightning speed replies. Heh. Usually the forums I've researched have dates six months or a year ago with no activity since then. I guess my absolute fear just thinking about buying a Mac, even though I want to get away from my seven year old PC with its lag and viruses, is the horrible thought of five years worth of research and university papers and hundreds of pages worth of articles and books I'm still in the process of writing being either

A.) totally useless because I can't open them up or even continue editing them because they're .doc or .txt extensions that Mac refuses to acknowledge;

B.) or they're able to be reformatted to these iWork or NeoOffice programs, but now I can't stick them on my thumb drive to work on them at the university PC's using any software.

I hate to keep asking so many questions, but the nearest Apple store is a 4 hour trip to St. Louis. Does anyone have some links that could point me to some very basic, very newbish type question/answer sites or videos? The Apple site is kinda worthless since all their videos show you how to work a Mac, not answer questions on software and real world questions.
Click to expand...

Wait... about the documents... iWork and NeoOffice both support exporting/"save-as" of files as DOC, TXT, DOCX, ODF, and many formats. Who told you that? Most eloquent thing I can say is, "Nu-Uh!"

And, since they can indeed be saved in "word" format, they certainly can be transferred to a thumb drive. No problem whatsoever.
 
jvette said:
If the OP has documents and information that works better with a windows based system and the University he works at or attends uses windows than I would not recommend a Mac for him. Why make things harder if its not necessary.
Click to expand...

I agree to some extent. At my university, they use Windows machines - there are a couple of Macs, but 99.9% of systems are Dell/HP Windows XP boxes that are 4-5 years old. However, I wouldn't say that makes it more difficult to use a Mac. Most universities (if not all by now) have WiFi for internet. At my university, we still have to use the campus computers to print stuff so the only extra thing I would have to do is save my work in a Windows compatible file format.
 
andypullen said:
For some reason, the Microsoft people haven't included Access for Mac in their Office suites. You're out of luck there, but there are many other Access type apps for the Mac. About Photoshop, the guy who commented earlier said you're out of luck. You shouldn't be. Contact Adobe Customer Service, and they should hook you up with a Mac license. Check here: http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2007/01/yes_cs3_can_be.html.
Click to expand...

Use the quote feature, my friend. The words "out of luck" did not emit from my keyboard. That's called a misquote. I said that "may be a problem". Big difference, isn't it?

Your advise to call Adobe was very good, however.
 
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