What keeps you on the Mac?

[jragsdale]

From time to time I look at the hardware over on the PC side and feel slightly envious. Even though my Power Mac has what I need, I could of had what I have now at a much lower price. I'm no Mac veteran, I just don't want to use Windows and at the same time still be able to have a readily available supply of updated and popular software.

What keeps myself on the Mac?

Software. Specifically Mail, BBEdit, iTunes, Terminal (and many CLI apps), and having an OS that's powered by Unix and still be able to run Adobe's products as well as almost any other worthwhile program I want to run.

OS 10 is nice but I don't see a substantial improvement over Windows. In some areas Windows is more user friendly and in others OS 10 is better. Those are just my own opinions of course. Both OSes are mostly made up of Apple's ideas anyway.

My next home computer will be a PowerBook. I've had the pleasure of using one with an Airport basestation outside on a nice day and it was an awesome experience. I suppose you can't get the true "Apple experience" until you've tried one of their notebooks.

oh and welcome me to Mac Rumors

 

[wsteineker]

Welcome to MacRumors, jragsdale!

As for me, I still use a Mac because of the ease of use, stability, and elegance of the platform. Everything just works on this side of the fence. I do occasionally look over at the Wintel crowd and turn a bit green, but then I remember what OS they are running and it's all ok again. You'll hear people complain about hardware speeds here, but I'm still on a G4 450 Cube with no real complaints. It's rock solid, quick enough, pretty as can be, and it lets me play with Unix and Linux. I'm happy as a clam, and I can't ever conceive of switching back to the dark side.

 

[bombensington]

welcome to macrumors!

i love my imac because it's simple. it does what i want, when i want it. i don't get frustrated like i used to with my pc.

i think macs are how computers are meant to be used - using them, not them using you.

 

[Mike Teezie]

I was wondering the same thing the other day as I proudly put an apple logo sticker on my car. Why was I, a very recent switcher, swooning so hard over just a computer? Well, I think I found my answer tonight. OS X's beauty, for me, lies in the details. Just simple little things that make me smile when I am working on my Powerbook. The software thats available, and all the things that you can personalize in the system just do it for me. Its about quality of life, and thats something a Windows OS could never do for me.

 

[madamimadam]

While I want speed, my machine is more than fast enough for my needs (PowerBook 1Ghz 15.2") and, to be truthful, the PC arena is not as cheap as it is made out to be. The beauty of mac is that you have everything you need on your machine straight out of the box without configuring it. In the PC world, people look at processer speed and hard drive size but not enough people break the machines down to all the parts.... Macs all come with built in ethernet (many have come with Gigabit for years) as well as Firewire (and now Firewire 800) and USB (while most PCs have this now for a long time they didn't). So many Macs have shipped with Airport built in for a long time and all Macs have had it as an option for years.

As well as all this, everything just integates so well; I have to use Windows very often and it so regularly has problems with compatibility and integration. I like how easy it is to do things like turning services off in Windows but if I can't easily do the things I want to do then I don't want that OS.

 

[tjwett]

i have many apps that i use day in and day out for work, fun and whatever. sometimes i notice the slowness of the Mac platform but for the most part i get by ok. i think i could sum up all the reasons i use Mac in one word; Quality. once in a while i have to use a Windows machine somewhere and everytime i do i get a very strong feeling of sloppyness. that's the best way i can describe it. the machine is always making these obnoxious sounds while it's crunching numbers, the OS is so confusing, there is no consistency, there is a popup asking you if you are "sure" every 2 seconds, installing software is a chore and uninstalling is even worse, the working environment is ugly(even XP), etc, etc. when i use a Mac it just feels like something that's helping me complete very cool tasks without too much hassle. i feel like the Mac is a tool that is cleary designed for humans to create and be productive with. Windows feels like a pain in the ass employee that you have to trick into doing what you want.

 

[bombensington]

Originally posted by tjwett
Windows feels like a pain in the ass employee that you have to trick into doing what you want.

you hit it right on the head with that one!

you know i just feel pride in my comp - yeah i know it sounds nerdy, but...yeah i put my apple sticker on the car, but you never see any windows stickers - windows users just don't seem to have pride in their system. they use it with contempt. they know they have to use their comp, but they don't like it.

 

[groov']

best of both worlds

what keeps you on the mac?

nothing ..... but hope

I decided to NOT stay hoping forever, so now I'm on Windows and MAC. And you know, it's not even that bad. I keep running (litterally) between both machines and that's al lot better for my health. I used to sit down for hours without moving more than my arm and fingers.

And the good thing is, you also have apache and mysql on windows. Just as easy as on the mac. But for video and creating pdf's mac is king, even if windows renders faster.

So, best of both worlds may last a while ...

 

[RandomDeadHead]

As the owner and editor of a local weekly newspaper, I would not trust my livelyhood to any other computer. My paper was started in the basement of my parents house. We used to deliver our papers in an old beat up international scout, get high and listen to the dead the entire time. Just me, my girlfriend (now wife), a basset hound, and a Macintosh. Now I am a member of the local chamber of commerce, and have five employes to do most of the work for me. My wife and I have a beautiful son, and live in a small house on a hill. Without the help of Apple we would have none of this. When we started, I knew next to nothing about computers. We looked at getting some sort of IBM first and we decided that trying to figure out how to use the ugly little box was going to be an exercise in futility. Then we took a look at Apple computers. Now there was a computer even pot-head Hippy's like us could use! My fathers signature and a trip to the bank later and we had us a buesness.

My paper was started on a Mac, and untill the day I die, will be forever made on a Mac.

PS: Just because I am an editor, that doesnt mean that I actually edit anything. I pay people to do it for me now.

 

[tazo]

Originally posted by tjwett
i have many apps that i use day in and day out for work, fun and whatever. sometimes i notice the slowness of the Mac platform but for the most part i get by ok. i think i could sum up all the reasons i use Mac in one word; Quality. once in a while i have to use a Windows machine somewhere and everytime i do i get a very strong feeling of sloppyness. that's the best way i can describe it. the machine is always making these obnoxious sounds while it's crunching numbers, the OS is so confusing, there is no consistency, there is a popup asking you if you are "sure" every 2 seconds, installing software is a chore and uninstalling is even worse, the working environment is ugly(even XP), etc, etc. when i use a Mac it just feels like something that's helping me complete very cool tasks without too much hassle. i feel like the Mac is a tool that is cleary designed for humans to create and be productive with. Windows feels like a pain in the ass employee that you have to trick into doing what you want.

installing of programs in windows is easy, what OS are you referring to?

 

[tazo]

Originally posted by RandomDeadHead
As the owner and editor of a local weekly newspaper, I would not trust my livelyhood to any other computer. My paper was started in the basement of my parents house. We used to deliver our papers in an old beat up international scout, get high and listen to the dead the entire time. Just me, my girlfriend (now wife), a basset hound, and a Macintosh. Now I am a member of the local chamber of commerce, and have five employes to do most of the work for me. My wife and I have a beautiful son, and live in a small house on a hill. Without the help of Apple we would have none of this. When we started, I knew next to nothing about computers. We looked at getting some sort of IBM first and we decided that trying to figure out how to use the ugly little box was going to be an exercise in futility. Then we took a look at Apple computers. Now there was a computer even pot-head Hippy's like us could use! My fathers signature and a trip to the bank later and we had us a buesness.

My paper was started on a Mac, and untill the day I die, will be forever made on a Mac.

PS: Just because I am an editor, that doesnt mean that I actually edit anything. I pay people to do it for me now.

your writing skills show; that was beautiful

 

[iJon]

this is my set up, i have a dual 1.25 and a 2ghz p4 right next to it. its the comfort and friendly enviroment os x provides. its pretty, i have pretty icons, its not ugly, everything works and its great. i have ichat open and itunes jammin to some music, my pc just cant compare, its just ugly. my pc never crashes so thats not it, its just he look and feeling of the mac inside of me, out mac is a part of most of our lives. the only time i am at my pc is when i play games, thats it. if my mac could play my pc games, my pc would be gone in an instant. there is much more to my choice of apple, its just those reasons above are most obvious to me why i stay.

iJon

 

[Chad4Mac]

What keeps me of the Mac?

My new 17in PowerBook.

Their products are superior to other comparable PC manufactures. Can you tell me what other computer out there on the market comes close to the 17in PowerBook?
The software is not even comparable to similar applications; iMovie, iDvd, iPhoto, and iTunes are the standard in easy, yet powerful, media applications. They let a dummy like my create movies and Dvds, where previously that was, what I believed, impossible.
OS X is the best operating system that I have ever used. I used windows on a daily basis, and I can reassure you that it is a treat to work on OS X.
Lastly, it just works. I plug my camera, scanner, printer, whatever else, and they work. No USB problems, OS failures, etc.

Got to love the Mac...

Chad4Mac

 

[bousozoku]

The biggest thing that keeps me using a Macintosh is using Windows for more than a month. I look at Windows and say to myself "this looks pretty good." After a while, the glitter falls away and it keeps telling me that I can't just plug something in and use it. I also do some multi-language editing which, despite what looks easy on Windows, is much easier on the Mac.

Perfection isn't attainable, but Mac OS X is more likely to keep a higher standard than any version of Windows.

 

[sparks9]

You guys must be stupid, since you cant figure out how to use a pc. I use both and macs are just as easy/difficult to use as windows pcs. You have less options on macs. What was the last windows system you tried? Win 3.1? You cant compare a 10(?) year old windows system to mac os x. You have to compare win xp and mac os x.
What is great about the mac is the design (very superior imo) and the integration between hardware and software/other hardware, like the integration of iTunes and the iPod.
Dont get me wrong, i love macs, but you shouldnt flame windows so much, its based on prejudices.

 

[wsteineker]

Hey sparks, read the first part of your statement:

Originally posted by sparks9
You guys must be stupid, since you cant figure out how to use a pc.

Now read the last part:

Dont get me wrong, i love macs, but you shouldnt flame windows so much, its based on prejudices.

That's what you call "unintentional irony," and it's not a good thing. Try to get a little more information before you set yourself up like that again. As for most of the folks on this board, we've all used newer versions of Windows. Hell, I have an XP Pro box with a 2.4 GHz P4 here at my house, and it never even gets turned on anymore. Sure XP is better than previous versions of Windows, but that just makes it less ****ty. I'd rather use a product that was engineered from top to bottom for excellence.

 

[the future]

But that's EXACTLY the point (or one of them): I DON'T WANT TO figure out how the computer works first, it should just work period.

One example: I recently bought an external firewire HD, plugged it into my powerbook, BAM it's on the desktop and lets me backup my data. I took the HD to a PC friend, plugged it in, it is NOT on the desktop, we search for it, find it somewhere - it is kinda recognized by the OS as a HD but it was NOT accessible. Go figure.

My friend is running Windows XP, by the way. And it's ugly as sin, compared to OSX.

 

[fatcow242]

I'm shallow, I just like the way the Mac OS looks, when I first switched platforms and I saw OS 9, I hated macs and thought it looked boxy and stupid. The fluid style, the elegance of OS X is what I'm into. Although I am probably in need of a new iBook, its like two years old now, it's still fast enough for what I need and easy on the eyes. I have no complaints about windows, I didn't find it that crash-prone, or hard to use, but it's no eye candy either.

 

[bombensington]

Originally posted by the future
But that's EXACTLY the point (or one of them): I DON'T WANT TO figure out how the computer works first, it should just work period.

that is sooooo true! i agree with you completely.

i love my mac for that - it just works. it's that simple. if i want something to be done, i do it. simple.

i dont have that "microsoft hatred" that some mac users seem to have. sometimes i find that to be a bit silly. i understand that some people like windows, and, well...i guess that's okay with me. it's a shame that some people aren't willing to give macs a try, maybe they'd like it, but to each his own, i suppose.

i've used both pcs and macs, and for a long time, i really liked my pc. but...when i got my mac, i realized that there was a better way. i prefer to use my mac - i enjoy using it.

 

[jragsdale]

Originally posted by wsteineker
I have an XP Pro box with a 2.4 GHz P4 here at my house, and it never even gets turned on anymore.

Can I have it?

Are your people's PC's loud? I hate noise, it's hard to belive the designers of PC hardware think it isn't a big deal or haven't dealt with it sooner. I'm not THAT alone on thinking it's irritating.

My PC is "only" an Athlon Thunderbird machine with two fans. One for the CPU and one in the PSU. Another for the graphic accelerator but it doesn't make enough noise to count. They're suppose to be low noise versions too!

My Mac isn't completely quite but it makes more of a hum rather than a whine which is alot more tolerable. It's also just low enough to tune out without trying to. Once I get a PowerBook (this is quite along way down the road) I won't have any noise which will be great.

Another thing I just DON'T get is the "leet/ ready for LAN party look" PC cases look today. The windows on the sides, red/white/multicolored motherboards, glowing lights and fans inside the case, etc. Ugly stuff.

 

[RandomDeadHead]

Another thing I just DON'T get is the "leet/ ready for LAN party look" PC cases look today. The windows on the sides, red/white/multicolored motherboards, glowing lights and fans inside the case, etc. Ugly stuff.

You see children everyday in their rice-burner honda's. Chrome rims, huge tail pipe, loud system, large rear spoiler, neon lights, and a tachometer that is the size of a cantaloupe. They dont care if their car is primer grey and missing a bumper, as long as it is fast and loud they are happy. Sad thing is most of these guys talk about their cars just like the do about their pen*s, Oh yea it is big/fast, but when it comes down to it, its just loud talk and no show.

Same principle.

 

[howard]

Originally posted by madamimadam
While I want speed, my machine is more than fast enough for my needs (PowerBook 1Ghz 15.2") and, to be truthful, the PC arena is not as cheap as it is made out to be. The beauty of mac is that you have everything you need on your machine straight out of the box without configuring it. In the PC world, people look at processer speed and hard drive size but not enough people break the machines down to all the parts.... Macs all come with built in ethernet (many have come with Gigabit for years) as well as Firewire (and now Firewire 800) and USB (while most PCs have this now for a long time they didn't). So many Macs have shipped with Airport built in for a long time and all Macs have had it as an option for years.

As well as all this, everything just integates so well; I have to use Windows very often and it so regularly has problems with compatibility and integration. I like how easy it is to do things like turning services off in Windows but if I can't easily do the things I want to do then I don't want that OS.

he makes a very good point here...if you go on most pc sites and configure a notebook they come with 128 megs of ram...not 256 like apples higher end models...and they also come with just a cd-rw or dvd drive...add on the combo and the extra ram and if its a desktop the moniter...cause the imac's got that or if its a laptop, built in wireless...or now i can say bluetooth..and of course firewire...which i don't know what i would do without...and that doesn't come right on pcs...at least any that i've seen...well my point is add all this stuff up and its pretty much the same...go ahead and try right now on dell.com or wherever you might shop. i've done it a few times...as far as laptops...pcs get SOO expensive, and desktops too, but not as much.

 

[springscansing]

Max/MSP

 

[mogrefy]

New MAC user... PB on its way

I'm currently a cs major and have only been a wintel and linux user but Friday I bought a 12" powerbook. It will be so nice to have a unix based portable computer to do my programming, etc. on and not to mention such a clean slick looking package.

But why can't people use both, yeah I am probably just a computer nerd but I see a use for my apple powerbook and at the same time I'm not throwing out my wintel desktop I just bought a few months ago

Can we live in both worlds?

 

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by sparks9
You guys must be stupid, since you cant figure out how to use a pc. I use both and macs are just as easy/difficult to use as windows pcs. You have less options on macs. What was the last windows system you tried? Win 3.1? You cant compare a 10(?) year old windows system to mac os x. You have to compare win xp and mac os x.
What is great about the mac is the design (very superior imo) and the integration between hardware and software/other hardware, like the integration of iTunes and the iPod.
Dont get me wrong, i love macs, but you shouldnt flame windows so much, its based on prejudices.

If you're commenting about me, I can tell you that I've used WinXP day-in, day-out on a 1.8 GHz P4. There's no problem knowing how to use a PC, just that you have to jump through hoops to do things. I'm not a Macintosh cheerleader, as I'm sure people will tell you, but everytime I think of buying a Windows PC, I find reality to be mildly shocking.