NPD: U.S. Mac Ownership Grows, But Nearly 85% of Mac Households Also Own Windows PCs

[xhambonex]

I say "Windows computer" or "Windows system" when specifically referring to a "PC." When specifically referring to a Mac, I call it a Mac. Otherwise, I just say "computer."

Wrong: I'm a PC gamer.
Correct: I'm a computer gamer.
Wrong: I typed this up on my MacBook Pro yesterday while at Starbucks.
Correct: I had my laptop with me yesterday and typed this up.

I get the point, but Mac's have never been called PCs, they have always been a Mac or Apple. I think that even though PC means Personal Computer it doesn't refer to a mac.

It may not be the exact definition, but that's what it has played out to be. Mac and PC...PCs are generic machines running Windows or Linux and Macs are Macs.

Though I hate the whole debate regardless, I think its silly. I have a computer, its both Windows and OS X, I work on whichever OS has the applications I need to use.

 

[polaris20]

I must disagree on that one! If you have a MacBook, or any Apple product, you want people to know you have one, which is why iPhones have the "Sent from my iPhone" thing.

At least, that's me anyway

I don't really care who knows I'm using a Mac while I am out and about, as their admiration doesn't really help me get my work done any faster or more efficiently.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Elitist snobs...don't act like people are snobs just because they have money to spend. That's not your problem. There are also plenty of people who choose to buy these products even on a tight income because they value quality electronics, and that usually comes with a price (I'm not talking exclusively Macs here).

I don't get what the issue is...its like polling people who own ferrari's, my bet is they have a lot of other expensive toys laying around.

The issue is Mac fans are using this crap survey to show how much better mac users are. Just look through this thread to find how bad it is.

Now my comment about it stings because there is a huge ring of truth to it. It using this survey like many people are using it makes them look like elitist snobs.

You sited special case a to what I stated but the general trend not a really counter to a general trend argument. People with more money can afford a mac so they are also going to be able to afford other nice toys.

 

[Terminal.app]

What really trips them up is when they say, "You should have got a PC," and I say, "I have a 'PC', it's just made by Apple."

 

[iReality85]

This study isn't scientific in the least. It doesn't even ask some of the more pertinent questions, like "by what means did you acquire your Mac," "What kind of Mac do you own" and "What age are you." Mac percentages have primarily increased in recent years due to mommy and daddy buying their darling kids macbooks for college. This study also tries to equate that the population of mac users lies within the population of wealthy people. Haha, not in the least, but its nice to see that some can have their egos stroked by this notion. I would believe the opposite statement however, which is "wealthy people who own expensive electronics also tend to own Macs," which is precisely what the data in this study shows.

 

[crhudy1985]

I think the question should have been do you also use a PC. I have my Gateway laptop I bought about two years ago but I never use it. It has actually been at a friends house for two weeks because I haven't had the will to go pick it up after she borrowed it. Many people still have a PC because they replaced it with a Mac.

I also don't agree that those who own Macs are elitist (at least not all owners). I own a Mac (and am by no means well off) because my Gateway died (it has been reformatted and is only used as a dvd player and loaner now) after only a year of using it. I wanted a more reliable machine. I have had my unibody macbook for over a year and it runs the same as the day it came out of the box.

 

[xhambonex]

The issue is Mac fans are using this crap survey to show how much better mac users are. Just look through this thread to find how bad it is.

Now my comment about it stings because there is a huge ring of truth to it. It using this survey like many people are using it makes them look like elitist snobs.

You sited special case a to what I stated but the general trend not a really counter to a general trend argument. People with more money can afford a mac so they are also going to be able to afford other nice toys.

ha I'm not offended by your comment. I just don't think theres a need for it. Its a stereotype, you can find one for just about any group of people.

I mean look at the survey, it was less about you owning a mac and more about you owning high end consumer electronics. Those who own high end electronics like DSLR's, 50+" HDTVs got the money to spend on computers regardless if they are a Mac or Windows machine. Macs and PCs don't line up price wise, but I bet if you polled the people who don't own macs but spend the same amount of money on their computer, then you'll get the same type of result.

 

[celtikmind]

I must disagree on that one! If you have a MacBook, or any Apple product, you want people to know you have one, which is why iPhones have the "Sent from my iPhone" thing.

At least, that's me anyway

Heavens forbid, should anyone ever think the actual usage in an Apple product was the reason they got one and not for the braggin' rights of belonging to a self-percieved elite club...

...of which most members can't seem to grasp why they are seen as such a self-centered cult!

 

[tempusfugit]

I have a PC in my college apartment running Internet Connection Sharing (basically acting as a router) because my college campus doesn't allow the use of switches/routers. This lets me get past the 1 connection per student limit and have my XBox, MacBook Pro, Apple TV, etc all hooked up and pipe the data through the Windows PC. Does that count?

you can use a router trust me, just clone your computer's mac address in the control panel. You have to authenticate with the proper computer but then the connection is shared. At least thats how I did it back in the day.

 

[Kristenn]

Actually I think Windows computers are called PCs because the IBM PC... well. it was named IBM PC. The Macintosh wasn't named the Macintosh PC. Its really just a name. Like a Sony Viao is the name of the computer. Its not just a PC. Its a Viao. Like a Macintosh isn't just a PC. Its a macintosh. Its what the company named it.

We don't have any old PCs laying around because my family always used Apple. I had a HP laptop once but I got rid of it when it died. I basically got it from a friend for school when I didn't have a Macintosh notebook. We aren't rich. In fact. we are kinda poor. We just keep are macs a long long long time. My mom still uses a iMac G5. It runs Leopard pretty fast actually. Fast enough for her =D

Edit: Oops. I meant G5. I wish we had a G4 >.>

 

[MonkeyET]

I have been meaning to post this for the last month. I, a former PC user, did continue to use PCs after my first Mac purchase. I am please to announce that I am abandoning the group who has both and am PC free as of late December. I sent away my Notebook and got a giftcard for it! Now I can use that giftcard to get something better...like a MBP or maybe some nice Apple accessories...

The long of the short is that being PC free, well, it feels great. I cannot wait until next week to see what the news may bring for Apple. Then I can figure out when I purchase a MBP to replace the shady Notebook I sent away.

Anyways, I appreciate this site!

 

[Nostromo]

There are some options Mac users can't get.

A laptop with a wide gamut screen, for example, as they have had it in the windows world for a long time. This is a laptop that is able to display the whole color spectrum of Adobe RGB.

I hope this changes and we'll get a Mac Book Pro, graphics and design edition.

Other than that, it's just to expect that different family members make different computer choices.

Except if the head of family instates an operating system dictatorship

 

[MorphingDragon]

I get the point, but Mac's have never been called PCs, they have always been a Mac or Apple. I think that even though PC means Personal Computer it doesn't refer to a mac.

It may not be the exact definition, but that's what it has played out to be. Mac and PC...PCs are generic machines running Windows or Linux and Macs are Macs.

Though I hate the whole debate regardless, I think its silly. I have a computer, its both Windows and OS X, I work on whichever OS has the applications I need to use.

Windows?

My windows are wooden.

 

[AidenShaw]

Windows?

My windows are wooden.

My windows are low-E double-pane tempered glass. The wooden ones didn't let much light in.

 

[MorphingDragon]

My windows are low-E double-pane tempered glass. The wooden ones didn't let much light in.

No, Wooden Framed.

 

[cumanzor]

This graph seems to prove Apple computer owns either have a lot of money to spend or they don't mind spending a lot of money on consumer electronics.

Since the price of Apple computers is higher, you can conclude that mac users generally have more purchasing power. But I don't think this is the reason why most of them also have Windows computers. I think it has more to do with that fact that the vast majority of new Apple users are coming from Windows, and they still need their Windows PC for a certain task (or don't mind switching from time to time, say, a macbook for the go and a PC at home).

 

[lilo777]

Since the price of Apple computers is higher, you can conclude that mac users generally have more purchasing power. But I don't think this is the reason why most of them also have Windows computers. I think it has more to do with that fact that the vast majority of new Apple users are coming from Windows, and they still need their Windows PC for a certain task (or don't mind switching from time to time, say, a macbook for the go and a PC at home).

It is also possible that people who have PCs simply do not need anything else. On the other hand, people who own Macs do have to have PCs because there are too many things that you can not do with Macs (but can with PCs). Gaming would be the obvious example of such activity but there is much more which this survey seemingly proves.

 

[lilo777]

It does

I have a PC in my college apartment running Internet Connection Sharing (basically acting as a router) because my college campus doesn't allow the use of switches/routers. This lets me get past the 1 connection per student limit and have my XBox, MacBook Pro, Apple TV, etc all hooked up and pipe the data through the Windows PC. Does that count?

It does count and perhaps it also shows why PCs are in many ways better than Macs. Have you thought about why you do not use Mac as a router? Whatever the answer is (i.e.: too expensive, limited choice of software) it shows that if you need a computer for something other than e-mail/browsing or publishing it better be a PC.