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Who has considered switching to windows?
- Thread starter GKDAIR
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A persons experience with Windows can vary depending on whether there is tinkering going on. People complain of freezes, blue screens, etc. I have had quite a few Dell laptops. I update them with drivers from dell.com not dirversRus.com. Windows does it's updates, the antivirus is automatic and once in a while I run a malware scan. All have been stable and problem free. Now on my home made desktop, it's a bit of a different story. But using components from various manufacturers, and putzing around in BIOS 
, I expected more hassle.
Mac is not without it's issues either. But with a much smaller installed base, you will read less about those troubles.
How many issues are really "Windows" and how many are user induced? We'll never know. I have to use both platforms daily. However, at the end of the day when I go home, I am surrounded by macs.
, I expected more hassle.Mac is not without it's issues either. But with a much smaller installed base, you will read less about those troubles.
How many issues are really "Windows" and how many are user induced? We'll never know. I have to use both platforms daily. However, at the end of the day when I go home, I am surrounded by macs.
Nope. Nor was it intended to. Look, it's clear you like your perfect Macs and you don't want to use that nasty awful thing called Windows. I have good news, nobody is going to force you to do otherwise.
Well, I came from the Windows world, and was a Mac basher in my high school student days. I switched in 2003, which was just before the malware/spyware/virus thing really hit Windows XP hard. I felt like I had come in from outside just before the major thunderstorm hit. All my friends were dealing with all that crap and I kept trucking along with my PowerBook. It was great.
I still use XP at work every day and I don't mind it much, but I am very much aware of all the little glitches, freezes, reboots, updates, slowdowns, etc. that come with the Windows territory. I'm glad not to have to deal with it at home.
So, from my vantage point, I laughed at Windows 7. I laughed at the introduction of Windows 8. I laughed at the Surface tablet while using my iPad at home. Then one day I was travelling and I found a Microsoft Store, and I decided to go in and look around and laugh some more.
When I came out, an hour later, I was not laughing.
Windows 8 has its issues, sure, but it has come a LONG way since XP. The Surface is actually a very nice piece of hardware. And since then I've been looking at a variety of ultraportables as potentially my next machine. I'm not planning to dump OS X, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to own one of each.
So far, the reason I haven't done so yet, is because of typical Windows-land behaviour: nobody makes a machine that is quite as nice as Apple's. Machine X looks great except it has poor battery life; machine Y is perfect except everyone complains that it has intermittent wifi issues; machine Z has trackpad problems, etc., etc.
Eventually, hopefully, someone will get it right, and I'll pick up a Windows 8.1 touchscreen ultrabook/convertible to play with as a second machine.
I still use XP at work every day and I don't mind it much, but I am very much aware of all the little glitches, freezes, reboots, updates, slowdowns, etc. that come with the Windows territory. I'm glad not to have to deal with it at home.
So, from my vantage point, I laughed at Windows 7. I laughed at the introduction of Windows 8. I laughed at the Surface tablet while using my iPad at home. Then one day I was travelling and I found a Microsoft Store, and I decided to go in and look around and laugh some more.
When I came out, an hour later, I was not laughing.
Windows 8 has its issues, sure, but it has come a LONG way since XP. The Surface is actually a very nice piece of hardware. And since then I've been looking at a variety of ultraportables as potentially my next machine. I'm not planning to dump OS X, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to own one of each.
So far, the reason I haven't done so yet, is because of typical Windows-land behaviour: nobody makes a machine that is quite as nice as Apple's. Machine X looks great except it has poor battery life; machine Y is perfect except everyone complains that it has intermittent wifi issues; machine Z has trackpad problems, etc., etc.
Eventually, hopefully, someone will get it right, and I'll pick up a Windows 8.1 touchscreen ultrabook/convertible to play with as a second machine.
With Win7 and OSX at work and the Apple OS at home, I never really left. On my personal machine, I also maintain a Windoze partition for testing and certain EDU websites. I wouldn't say OSX is perfect it's just the closest thing.
Um, where did I say windows was bad, awful, or nasty?
All I've ever said was osx is more stable and experience has taught me that.
I guess you missed the part where I said windows was easier to use
I got a MacBook Pro in 2009 and never once have I considered switching back to Windows for my main platform since then. You'd have to pay me a lot of money to switch back.
I can't live without Windows, as I must keep compatible with everyone else. Windows is good for several things, and Microsoft Office for Windows has no serious competitor in the Mac world (not even Office for Mac is a contender).
Said that, OS X is also very nice to use. I particularly like to do all my online shopping with the Mac, as I know the OS is always free from viruses.
Said that, OS X is also very nice to use. I particularly like to do all my online shopping with the Mac, as I know the OS is always free from viruses.
I've thought about it once or twice, and then I find myself using a friends Windows laptop and I remember what a horrible experience that is.
From experience, I find wintel hardware to be no worse than MacBook and vice versa. Both have had horror stories.
It's the software that is the difference though. However, since apple refuses to sell me an OS X license for a non-apple machine legally, I have no choice but to stay at windows because of my reluctance to buy a $1000 device when my $600 does fine except for minor "windows is weird" times coupled with me having to use programs that don't have Mac versions yet.
If I do get a chance though, I might grab a Mac mini later this year
It's the software that is the difference though. However, since apple refuses to sell me an OS X license for a non-apple machine legally, I have no choice but to stay at windows because of my reluctance to buy a $1000 device when my $600 does fine except for minor "windows is weird" times coupled with me having to use programs that don't have Mac versions yet.
If I do get a chance though, I might grab a Mac mini later this year
Nope absolutely not. I take my own Mac to work even though the boss supplied me with a PC Rig to use but i refuse! . I ended up using it recently to test things out in Virtual Box
I use Windows about 4x a week via virtual. I do this because the particular software is not available for OSX.
However, to address your question - YES all the time. I get very frustrated with Apple's marketing strategy which is easily seen in their computer line ups (what almost seems like intentional crippling to either force people into a more costly machine or to make sure a given model becomes obsolete in 2-3 years). The latter is just an opinion and not a fact but its the way I feel about their practices.
I HATE Windows for all the right reasons yet it often has compelling reasons to go back. I switched to Mac very late in the game. My first Mac was a Mac Pro and I got it after testing Vista out and realizing just how horrible it was/is. Win 7 is the "Vista final" in my mind and anyone stuck with Vista were beta testers that paid to test a rather bad incarnation of Windows. Win 8 to me is not my cup of tea so I'll continue with Win 7 virtual for now.
However, to address your question - YES all the time. I get very frustrated with Apple's marketing strategy which is easily seen in their computer line ups (what almost seems like intentional crippling to either force people into a more costly machine or to make sure a given model becomes obsolete in 2-3 years). The latter is just an opinion and not a fact but its the way I feel about their practices.
I HATE Windows for all the right reasons yet it often has compelling reasons to go back. I switched to Mac very late in the game. My first Mac was a Mac Pro and I got it after testing Vista out and realizing just how horrible it was/is. Win 7 is the "Vista final" in my mind and anyone stuck with Vista were beta testers that paid to test a rather bad incarnation of Windows. Win 8 to me is not my cup of tea so I'll continue with Win 7 virtual for now.
Unfortunately, I have to use Windows at work at my primary job, but we use Macs at home. My wife and I keep a Windows XP VM on our MacBook Pro's at home so that she can download her latest paycheck stub while she is on maternity leave (requires Internet Explorer), and my VPN connection software to work requires Windows. My second job is mostly Mac in the production side with only a couple of PC's in the sanctuary to access older DSP's for the main sound system and an ETC Emphasis lighting server.
The more that I use Windows, the more I wish I can get rid of PC's.
The more that I use Windows, the more I wish I can get rid of PC's.
30 years with a PC - 3 months with a Mac.
This Mac was free - (long story how I got my hands on it) but I'm glad I didn't pay for it because I might be having buyers remorse since I don't see what all the shouting is about.
It's a nice computer and I don't dislike it, but it's just that Mac's are so much more expensive than PC's and I'm not seeing what makes Mac worth spending the extra cash.
I've always wanted to try a Mac - especially because I have an iPad that I love and thought it would be nice to have everything the same, but now I'm rethinking why I thought it would be a good idea.
All that talk about a Mac being trouble free and a PC being troublesome makes me laugh. I'm sure there is the same percentage of dissatisfaction for either OS. You hear more about PC dissatisfaction because there are more PC users out there.
I've been reading the various Mac Forums and I hear a lot of problems being discussed...
I think they are both good products.
Would I go back? If the deal was right.
This Mac was free - (long story how I got my hands on it) but I'm glad I didn't pay for it because I might be having buyers remorse since I don't see what all the shouting is about.
It's a nice computer and I don't dislike it, but it's just that Mac's are so much more expensive than PC's and I'm not seeing what makes Mac worth spending the extra cash.
I've always wanted to try a Mac - especially because I have an iPad that I love and thought it would be nice to have everything the same, but now I'm rethinking why I thought it would be a good idea.
All that talk about a Mac being trouble free and a PC being troublesome makes me laugh. I'm sure there is the same percentage of dissatisfaction for either OS. You hear more about PC dissatisfaction because there are more PC users out there.
I've been reading the various Mac Forums and I hear a lot of problems being discussed...
I think they are both good products.
Would I go back? If the deal was right.
I use a Mac at work and windows 7 at home and I would never consider using a Mac personally. I know I'm probably an exception here but that's how it is.
The Mac Finder (file browser) is an absolute nightmare with large amounts of files compared to windows explorer. The next big change to OSX I am willing to bet will be a Finder that matches the decade we are in.
But as I said I am probably an exception. My last windows reinstall was 4 years ago and it is running as fast as day one with no crashes. The quad core is also over clocked from 3100mhz to 4200mhz with ddr3 memory latencies matching I7 top end systems released this year. That for a 4 year old pc.
Some Windows geek info:
Just running the free ccleaner for cleaning the system with the free space wipe option now and then. I can't begin to explain how much better Windows 7 is then previous windows in terms of hassle free running, and that is with 0 add on programs like virus scanners. Just make sure the built in defender files are updated regularly and run Eset (free) once every few months and no problems at all.
But enough of that, Mac people tend to not be very good with computers in general, but they don't really need to be for everyday tasks.
I love my iPhone and iPad's but using a Mac, especially with its file browser limitations would drive me nuts.
Ps: Just as 1 example open a finder window with lots of icons (files, folders, whatever).. Now resize the window so it is smaller. Notice how the icons don't resize/realign to match the smaller window size? You have to use SCROLLBARS to pan the contents of the window to see all the icons again!!!! Unbelievable!! that millions of Mac users world wide just accept such 90’s GUI functionality... Windows has resized the icons with the window they are displayed in since I believe 2002. Things like that just drive me insane.
Example 2: I am a professional photographer and using a default iPad I have no way of naming a photograph, even marking it in any way. If I show a client 20 photographs there is no way to mark or name which ones they like. You have to either take a picture of the iPad screen with an iPhone or use tracing paper to trace out the photographs in question using a pencil??
Lol. Think about it it is an insane omission on a $1000, 2013 tech product. The iPad is a great studio monitor, that's what I use it for and I love it, but it really is made for people who just sit and watch it, not for people who use it for real work or creating things like art (tasked by clients) I guess. I think Apple makes amazing products in a way, and in another light those products sometimes have the most insanely maddening counter intuitive, counter productive design choices.
But Samsung have upped their game a hundredfold since 2006 which is great, it means Apple can no longer purposely sandbox present functionality to boost future model sales anymore, for risk of losing all relevance. So I am sure we are about to see some great products from Apple soon, and I can't wait.
PS: what a rant I just wrote.
The Mac Finder (file browser) is an absolute nightmare with large amounts of files compared to windows explorer. The next big change to OSX I am willing to bet will be a Finder that matches the decade we are in.
But as I said I am probably an exception. My last windows reinstall was 4 years ago and it is running as fast as day one with no crashes. The quad core is also over clocked from 3100mhz to 4200mhz with ddr3 memory latencies matching I7 top end systems released this year. That for a 4 year old pc.
Some Windows geek info:
Just running the free ccleaner for cleaning the system with the free space wipe option now and then. I can't begin to explain how much better Windows 7 is then previous windows in terms of hassle free running, and that is with 0 add on programs like virus scanners. Just make sure the built in defender files are updated regularly and run Eset (free) once every few months and no problems at all.
But enough of that, Mac people tend to not be very good with computers in general, but they don't really need to be for everyday tasks.
I love my iPhone and iPad's but using a Mac, especially with its file browser limitations would drive me nuts.
Ps: Just as 1 example open a finder window with lots of icons (files, folders, whatever).. Now resize the window so it is smaller. Notice how the icons don't resize/realign to match the smaller window size? You have to use SCROLLBARS to pan the contents of the window to see all the icons again!!!! Unbelievable!! that millions of Mac users world wide just accept such 90’s GUI functionality... Windows has resized the icons with the window they are displayed in since I believe 2002. Things like that just drive me insane.
Example 2: I am a professional photographer and using a default iPad I have no way of naming a photograph, even marking it in any way. If I show a client 20 photographs there is no way to mark or name which ones they like. You have to either take a picture of the iPad screen with an iPhone or use tracing paper to trace out the photographs in question using a pencil??
Lol. Think about it it is an insane omission on a $1000, 2013 tech product. The iPad is a great studio monitor, that's what I use it for and I love it, but it really is made for people who just sit and watch it, not for people who use it for real work or creating things like art (tasked by clients) I guess. I think Apple makes amazing products in a way, and in another light those products sometimes have the most insanely maddening counter intuitive, counter productive design choices.
But Samsung have upped their game a hundredfold since 2006 which is great, it means Apple can no longer purposely sandbox present functionality to boost future model sales anymore, for risk of losing all relevance. So I am sure we are about to see some great products from Apple soon, and I can't wait.
PS: what a rant I just wrote.
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I switched back to the Windows ecosystem beginning of this year. I like the polish and reliability of OS X, I think nothing matches the build quality of Apple hardware, but I hate the company's approach to software.
MS didn't realize the value of premium hardware until recently, when they found themselves playing from behind. Now they give guidelines to their OEM's and put out their own hardware as a reference. I don't think Apple will understand the value of software until they lose significant marketshare.
MS didn't realize the value of premium hardware until recently, when they found themselves playing from behind. Now they give guidelines to their OEM's and put out their own hardware as a reference. I don't think Apple will understand the value of software until they lose significant marketshare.
I'm with you on everything you said there. Although I have to use Windows at work, I've been a loyal Apple user for 21 years since I paid over £3000 for my first Mac - the Powerbook 180c (with 640x480 colour screen - revolutionary at the time).
I've seen Apple products improve steadily since then until OSX Lion, which seems to have been the turning point.
Since the introduction of OSX Lion, Apple has drip-fed its users buggy incremental releases of inadequately tested software in both OSX and iOS.
Although this thread is about choosing an operating system, I feel Apple's attitude to customers is also instrumental when making that decision.
Their obsession with 'thinner and lighter' on the iPhone may be fine (although I'd happily have it a couple of mm thicker to provide all-day battery life), but why do they have to make the edge of an iMac so thin just so they can take a publicity photo at a carefully-managed angle to imply the whole machine is wafer thin? Saving an inch of unusable airspace above your desk at the expense of rendering the machine non-upgradable by users is pointless, unless you can charge users twice the going rate rate for hard-drive and memory upgrades.
I was recently lucky enough to be given a very decent Dell laptop with Windows 7 installed. I upgraded it to Windows 8, which was a very smooth online transaction, and I have to say I'm impressed. Windows 8 was designed from the ground up for both desktop and mobile platforms, and it shows. It's simple and intuitive.
Apple tried to make OSX look like iOS, and made a real mess of it. Launchpad on the Mac looks like some hellish version of 'Fisher-Price My First OS', and their implementation of 'versions' has caused a disparity of keyboard shortcuts across various applications.
So in answer to the original question - yes, I have thought about switching back to Windows, ever since OSX Lion.
I'll give Mavericks a chance - maybe Apple have learned from Lion/Mountain Lion, but as 'Maverick' is defined as 'an unorthodox person', the next OS could range from having the charisma of Steve Jobs, to the unpredictability of the weirdo who sits next to you on the late-night bus.
I could switch back. After all my Mac is a tool to manage my needs, if the tools stops filling that need, I'll find one that does.
What I like about the apple ecosystem is who well integrated it is. While there are other solutions that offer similar integration at this stage, I'm happy with Apple's implementation.
I don't foresee myself abandoning the platform but I don't know what the future will hold.
What I like about the apple ecosystem is who well integrated it is. While there are other solutions that offer similar integration at this stage, I'm happy with Apple's implementation.
I don't foresee myself abandoning the platform but I don't know what the future will hold.
The pre-chewed Apple ecosystem integration is truly unique in the tech world, and is their primary source of income I would guess.
But I just love the flexibility of Windows.
Need to max out the RAM for a very intense Photoshop or illustrator session?
Use a free app like Gamebooster or RAMclean and with a huge red button instantly kill every non essential service running on the machine (printer services, checkers, remote services, logging, GUI frills, bitlocker, certifications, bluetooth, etc. Like 200 non essential services)
Your desktop looks like Windows 98 but uses only 300 mb of ram for the whole OS.
Or game using a curved 20 foot projection screen using 3D glasses, like a real world Star Trek holodeck.
Or build a Formula 1 simulator using real hydraulics.
It's real tech flexbility stuff like that that is impossible with a Mac.
I liken windows to an ugly massive swiss army knife with 200 foldouts and Mac to a beautiful Titanium set of a rambo knife a hammer and a pair of scissors.
But I just love the flexibility of Windows.
Need to max out the RAM for a very intense Photoshop or illustrator session?
Use a free app like Gamebooster or RAMclean and with a huge red button instantly kill every non essential service running on the machine (printer services, checkers, remote services, logging, GUI frills, bitlocker, certifications, bluetooth, etc. Like 200 non essential services)
Your desktop looks like Windows 98 but uses only 300 mb of ram for the whole OS.
Or game using a curved 20 foot projection screen using 3D glasses, like a real world Star Trek holodeck.
Or build a Formula 1 simulator using real hydraulics.
It's real tech flexbility stuff like that that is impossible with a Mac.
I liken windows to an ugly massive swiss army knife with 200 foldouts and Mac to a beautiful Titanium set of a rambo knife a hammer and a pair of scissors.
Windows is for gaming and gaming only. Nothing else not even internet.
Mac is used for everything else. Never gaming on that crap. Seriously.
Mac is used for everything else. Never gaming on that crap. Seriously.
I think I'm going back to Windows. I'm frustrated by Apple determining more and more what's best for us. The hardware is becoming less and less upgradable, and the software is flowing more and more through the App store where its approved first by Apple.
I've also come to realize that I really don't care as much about the OS anymore. OS X and Windows just serve to run applications, and most of the applications I use these days are cross platform, like Lightroom. More and more of my interactions are through the browser as well. Chrome runs just as well on each.
Hardware wise though, I'm frustrated that I can update my iMac to an SSD drive. Or that if I buy laptops I have to choose the drive and memory sizes at purchase. Apple machines are like consoles now as far as upgradability goes.
Its well and good that I can use Thunderbolt to expand. But I thought Firewire would be great for my last iMac, and that's drying up. By the time I buy another Mac device, what new standard will there be replacing Thunderbolt?
I think most people's OS problems are self inflicted. Malware and viruses, blue screens of death, etc. are user generated most of the time. I just haven't seen those issues.
Not sure where Apple's innovation is anymore. Mavericks adds better multi-monitor support? Oh boy... iOS 7 might as well be a reskinned Android.
Those Falcon Northwest machines are very interesting these days...
I've also come to realize that I really don't care as much about the OS anymore. OS X and Windows just serve to run applications, and most of the applications I use these days are cross platform, like Lightroom. More and more of my interactions are through the browser as well. Chrome runs just as well on each.
Hardware wise though, I'm frustrated that I can update my iMac to an SSD drive. Or that if I buy laptops I have to choose the drive and memory sizes at purchase. Apple machines are like consoles now as far as upgradability goes.
Its well and good that I can use Thunderbolt to expand. But I thought Firewire would be great for my last iMac, and that's drying up. By the time I buy another Mac device, what new standard will there be replacing Thunderbolt?
I think most people's OS problems are self inflicted. Malware and viruses, blue screens of death, etc. are user generated most of the time. I just haven't seen those issues.
Not sure where Apple's innovation is anymore. Mavericks adds better multi-monitor support? Oh boy... iOS 7 might as well be a reskinned Android.
Those Falcon Northwest machines are very interesting these days...