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Why did you choose MacOs over Windows
- Thread starter 40djbrooks
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I was a Windows user up until a couple of years ago. Before I switched, I had always liked the MacOS interface for a long time and considered changing a few times but never made it a priority.
Around the time Microsoft released Windows 8 and then 10, I started feeling uncomfortable with spying and privacy intrusion that Microsoft was embracing. Apple mean meanwhile was shaping up to be the most privacy conscious tech company. It was time to change, and so I did. I couldn't be happier with the usability and Apple is one of the few tech companies I trust.
Around the time Microsoft released Windows 8 and then 10, I started feeling uncomfortable with spying and privacy intrusion that Microsoft was embracing. Apple mean meanwhile was shaping up to be the most privacy conscious tech company. It was time to change, and so I did. I couldn't be happier with the usability and Apple is one of the few tech companies I trust.
I literally grew up with it, so it wasn't really a choice so much as the alternatives have never seemed worth it. Windows has always been a mess without care or thought put into it. Linux is simply too much of a hassle for what should be as transparent and seamless a process as possible. I still use other operating systems to keep something of an open mind and frame of reference, and there's always some things I think are better implemented, etc., but nothing to make me switch.
The year was 1994. My oldest was entering Middle School. We did not own a computer, but it seemed that the kids would need one at home eventually, if not very soon. We talked with the computer teacher at the school, and he said that they had Macs, and it would be easier for the kids if they were using Macs at home as well. We've never regretted the decision.
As a user of macOS, Windows and Linux, I choose to use macOS at home because it has the most polished and maintenance-free experience of the group. The quality of the apps I choose to use are among the best available and offer me the best use experience as well.
Apple products are a premium line and cost a premium penny but for me its worth it considering I almost always have a headache free time with them. I have to maintain a Windows network at my job and many days I want to pull out what hair I have left due to crazy unforeseen problems.
For my desk PC at the office, I run Linux because its much more useful, stable and not annoying by comparison to my Windows experience anymore. In the beginning of Windows 10 I was an early beta user and tester, but fast forward to now I cannot stand what Microsoft is doing with the OS. I gave up on Windows 10 for my own use when the Spring update was released and it wiped out all of my custom Start button tiles which had all of my necessary applications for doing my job. Microsoft replaced them all with their own default package. I had had enough and decided then to wipe the whole PC and put Linux on it.
Apple products are a premium line and cost a premium penny but for me its worth it considering I almost always have a headache free time with them. I have to maintain a Windows network at my job and many days I want to pull out what hair I have left due to crazy unforeseen problems.
For my desk PC at the office, I run Linux because its much more useful, stable and not annoying by comparison to my Windows experience anymore. In the beginning of Windows 10 I was an early beta user and tester, but fast forward to now I cannot stand what Microsoft is doing with the OS. I gave up on Windows 10 for my own use when the Spring update was released and it wiped out all of my custom Start button tiles which had all of my necessary applications for doing my job. Microsoft replaced them all with their own default package. I had had enough and decided then to wipe the whole PC and put Linux on it.
As an iPhone and iPad user the Mac was the choice for me as everything works together which I think apple has done well. Also I am a customer and not the product, no bloatware which most Oem manaufactures ass to windows, macOS is clean and stable. I like the apple ecosystem I use Apple Music and have bought content through iTunes so deep down I am an apple fanboy. Linux is great but devlopers seem to copy the Mac and windows experience.
I had grown tired of the Windows operating system back in 2002. After looking for an alternative, I stumbled across a book on Linux and installed it in order to learn how to use it. A week later I ended up installing Linux on all of my PC's, wiping the hard drive in the process, and never looked back. A year later I learned about BSD and began using it. in 2012 I was learning more about Apple and bought an iPhone.. and I fell in love with it. Two years later I bought a Mac mini (I'm writing this post on it now!) and have been a fan of OS X and iOS ever since.
I still have a few thumb drives of different Linux distros laying around somewhere, but I haven't touched Microsoft products in ~16 years. My only disappointment is that Apple revamped the looks of iOS and OS X during my time in the Apple ecosystem - those older UI's were beautiful!
I still have a few thumb drives of different Linux distros laying around somewhere, but I haven't touched Microsoft products in ~16 years. My only disappointment is that Apple revamped the looks of iOS and OS X during my time in the Apple ecosystem - those older UI's were beautiful!
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Back then, in 2008, it was a love on the first sight. It turned into a marriage that lasted for this long, and keeps going.
So far it has been beautiful. Does he annoy me at times? Oh, yes. But, we love each other, more than we hate each other.
If the day comes that we have to part our ways, it will be other UNIX-like system that will take his place.
It's a nasty situation when you try to find your ex in someone else. I hope it never happens.
That is pretty much all.
So far it has been beautiful. Does he annoy me at times? Oh, yes. But, we love each other, more than we hate each other.
If the day comes that we have to part our ways, it will be other UNIX-like system that will take his place.
It's a nasty situation when you try to find your ex in someone else. I hope it never happens.
That is pretty much all.
Long time Windows user, since version 3.1 I think. I stayed on Windows 7 past the release of later versions including 10. But it was definitely time for a new computer. I read and heard enough negative things about Windows 10, some were from people I know who used it. I didn't want to go in that direction.
Even though I had never used a Mac I decided this was a good time to make the switch, being ready for a completely new computer. Security and privacy concerns were at the forefront. Microsoft seems to constantly battle security issues and exploits on Windows.
Also heard very positive comments from people using the Mac OS.
Already had an iPad & iPhone and figured an iMac would round out the Apple ecosystem. Which it did. They play nice together once you learn the differences from Windows. Bought the mid-2017 27-inch 5k iMac with a SSD inside and it's great. Easily handles anything I need to do.
Unless something major changes, I don't ever expect to go back to Windows machines. "Good riddance" is how I feel about them.
Even though I had never used a Mac I decided this was a good time to make the switch, being ready for a completely new computer. Security and privacy concerns were at the forefront. Microsoft seems to constantly battle security issues and exploits on Windows.
Also heard very positive comments from people using the Mac OS.
Already had an iPad & iPhone and figured an iMac would round out the Apple ecosystem. Which it did. They play nice together once you learn the differences from Windows. Bought the mid-2017 27-inch 5k iMac with a SSD inside and it's great. Easily handles anything I need to do.
Unless something major changes, I don't ever expect to go back to Windows machines. "Good riddance" is how I feel about them.
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Simple preference, Windows can do nearly everything I do on macOS, but...
I don't want to 'use' an OS, it is a vehicle that allows me to get to what I really want to do so it should be simple, minimal and not in my way. macOS is all of that. Windows is none of that.
When it comes to macs the focus has always been on productivity, the software I use even where there is a windows version is so much more polished.
And at some point, you will realise your phone, iPad, watch and so on interact so well with each other that you are now trapped in an eco-system that wants to bleed you dry...
Enjoy!
P.S, I do think Windows is having somewhat of a resurgence, 10 is very good.
I don't want to 'use' an OS, it is a vehicle that allows me to get to what I really want to do so it should be simple, minimal and not in my way. macOS is all of that. Windows is none of that.
When it comes to macs the focus has always been on productivity, the software I use even where there is a windows version is so much more polished.
And at some point, you will realise your phone, iPad, watch and so on interact so well with each other that you are now trapped in an eco-system that wants to bleed you dry...
Enjoy!
P.S, I do think Windows is having somewhat of a resurgence, 10 is very good.
When I was a kid, I thought the Apple ][ was superior to other options out there. When the Mac was introduced, I salivated but we had the ][ and that was that. Didn't understand how expensive these things were at the time. Fast forward to the late 2000's.
Supported Windows machines at an enterprise level and had windows based smartphones for a while. I was tired of having to troubleshoot windows related issues at work, then at home. Got an iPhone and the experience of having a phone that worked - you could answer it when it rang, didn't have to be rebooted consistently, it was a nice experience. When it became time to upgrade my laptop in 2008, I went Mac. Again - it just worked. Didn't have to worry about virus', malware, etc. And the OS updates - nice how they were initially $25, then became free. Unlike Windows which was still much higher. And with each update, the laptop became a better machine. In late '17, I upgraded to my current Mac.
I don't like what Microsoft is doing with Windows 10 and the OS "feature" updates. They force them on you and end support much quicker than they ever have in the past. The say they are trying to be more like OSX with updates, but it's not the same. I've never been told by OSX I had to reboot and it fail to save what I was working on like Win10 has.
Supported Windows machines at an enterprise level and had windows based smartphones for a while. I was tired of having to troubleshoot windows related issues at work, then at home. Got an iPhone and the experience of having a phone that worked - you could answer it when it rang, didn't have to be rebooted consistently, it was a nice experience. When it became time to upgrade my laptop in 2008, I went Mac. Again - it just worked. Didn't have to worry about virus', malware, etc. And the OS updates - nice how they were initially $25, then became free. Unlike Windows which was still much higher. And with each update, the laptop became a better machine. In late '17, I upgraded to my current Mac.
I don't like what Microsoft is doing with Windows 10 and the OS "feature" updates. They force them on you and end support much quicker than they ever have in the past. The say they are trying to be more like OSX with updates, but it's not the same. I've never been told by OSX I had to reboot and it fail to save what I was working on like Win10 has.
In the early 90s, I was told by a friend who designed my fanzines that I needed to learn the graphic design software (because he was not liking Ms. Armchair Art Director here
). Even though I couldn’t wrap my brain around Quark XPress, I did eventually buy a Mac in 1996 and have been with Apple ever since (learning web design with & without Adobe). From 1999 to 2013, no complaints (outside of a dead refurb).The last five years have been frustrating and angst-inducing (to say nothing of moral heebee jeebees). I’ve tried Windows 10 twice in the last year (and borked the two Surfaces last week), so it’s clear I am not ready to leave Apple, no matter how many times I say I will here.
Change is tricky, and while Windows is greatly improved (and MS hardware is very impressive), it is not there for me. I appreciate folks who easily juggle many OS. The folks in the Alternatives to Mac Hardware sub forum are amazing.
With the exception of my 2017 iPad Pro, Apple continue to back me as a customer. Just today, an Apple supervisor called Verizon on my behalf to try to fix an issue with my bank’s credit card verification texts (Neither of them could, but they tried).
Apple has fostered my creativity (most recently learning to draw on the iPad Pro), and despite my misgivings with the brass on many things, I still prefer them.
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I don't believe I would ever consider myself "trapped" in the Apple ecosystem. It's not difficult at all to switch, if that's what someone wants to do. Yes Apple products are more expensive but they're not THAT expensive, and I'm happy to pay for products from a company that puts a priority on user privacy and security.
If money budgeting is really that much of a concern, Windows machines are always an available option.
If money budgeting is really that much of a concern, Windows machines are always an available option.
When I was making the decision to move away from Windows and go "all Apple" I was browsing articles like this excerpt below, written by someone who was mainly doing cell phone hardware and OS reviews at the time. It just further convinced me that paying more for Apple products is worth it for me. In past years I wasn't as concerned about privacy and security, but THESE days - absolutely yes.
Some of the things I read about Microsoft, Windows 10 and privacy during the past year or two raised my eyebrows and pushed me further in the direction of Apple. Microsoft may not actually be as bad as Google and Facebook, but in some cases it sounded like you could almost lump the three of them together.
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"Security is a big consideration, especially in this day and age. Apple and Google have very different business models, it all depends on what your priorities are. Apple makes its money by selling you expensive hardware. Google makes its money by giving Android to third-parties for free and then using its free apps and services to collect as much private data about you as possible in order to display targeted ads. Not everyone views this as a problem, but people who prioritize privacy should absolutely stick with Apple."
"Many people who spend most of their time in the Apple ecosystem simply don’t realize how much better Apple’s customer service is than any other consumer tech company in the world. Apple’s products are typically more expensive than rival offerings, but it’s not just empty markup. Part of that expense helps cover customer care, and I can’t stress enough how good it actually is."
"If you’ve ever had experiences with Apple’s customer service and customer service from any of Apple’s rivals, you know exactly how wide the gap is between them. It’s quite literally night and day."
--------------------------
I haven't needed any support from Apple so far, so I don't know about their customer service first hand. But I remember reading other positive experiences from customers who did. Time will tell........
Some of the things I read about Microsoft, Windows 10 and privacy during the past year or two raised my eyebrows and pushed me further in the direction of Apple. Microsoft may not actually be as bad as Google and Facebook, but in some cases it sounded like you could almost lump the three of them together.
-------------------------
"Security is a big consideration, especially in this day and age. Apple and Google have very different business models, it all depends on what your priorities are. Apple makes its money by selling you expensive hardware. Google makes its money by giving Android to third-parties for free and then using its free apps and services to collect as much private data about you as possible in order to display targeted ads. Not everyone views this as a problem, but people who prioritize privacy should absolutely stick with Apple."
"Many people who spend most of their time in the Apple ecosystem simply don’t realize how much better Apple’s customer service is than any other consumer tech company in the world. Apple’s products are typically more expensive than rival offerings, but it’s not just empty markup. Part of that expense helps cover customer care, and I can’t stress enough how good it actually is."
"If you’ve ever had experiences with Apple’s customer service and customer service from any of Apple’s rivals, you know exactly how wide the gap is between them. It’s quite literally night and day."
--------------------------
I haven't needed any support from Apple so far, so I don't know about their customer service first hand. But I remember reading other positive experiences from customers who did. Time will tell........
They are, I mean if you wanted a Mac Mini with an i7, 32GB Ram and 1TB SSD it will set you back $2,500 + tax before you consider an eGPU for decent graphics. Regardless of whether you can afford it, that is expensive for what you get and a significant premium.
Sure, at the entry level they are not so pricey but what real use is a MBP with 128GB SSD that you can never upgrade if you needed to. Especially when you need to pay $1,300 + tax.
It's hit and miss, I would say out of the last five times I have needed support I was satisfied with the outcome twice. If I am paying a premium for support I want it to be five. Especially when I am asking for information not being a demanding customer. I want them to call me back when they promise but don't.
Don't be an ass.
I made the switch from Windows to Mac OS in late 2013. At the time I needed a new machine and most Windows based machines offered touch screen interfaces--something I did not want in a laptop. Made the the plunge with a loaded late 2013 MBP15. The adjustment to Mac OS was difficult at first and I felt the operating system was "too layered" to accomplish anything. Took me about 6 months to get used to the Apple way of doing things.
Today, I find Windows 10 difficult, unintuitive, and clunky. The mix of old Windows 7 interfaces (e.g. Control Panel) inside Windows 10 design makes me feel that 10 is still a work in progress. I would never consider switching back. Plus, Apple hardware is vastly superior to anything from a Windows 10 machine manufacturer.
I currently own a 2016 MBP15, late 2014 MBA11, and a new 2018 MacMini that operates as a server. There is only one Windows machine left in our home--the one my wife uses. She refuses to switch to Mac OS.
Happy New Year,
Don Barar
Today, I find Windows 10 difficult, unintuitive, and clunky. The mix of old Windows 7 interfaces (e.g. Control Panel) inside Windows 10 design makes me feel that 10 is still a work in progress. I would never consider switching back. Plus, Apple hardware is vastly superior to anything from a Windows 10 machine manufacturer.
I currently own a 2016 MBP15, late 2014 MBA11, and a new 2018 MacMini that operates as a server. There is only one Windows machine left in our home--the one my wife uses. She refuses to switch to Mac OS.
Happy New Year,
Don Barar
I didn't choose, because Windows did not exist.
(Unless of course you feel that Windows 1.0 counts.)
I grew up on Apple. I have used Windows primarily from Windows XP through Windows 7, but in 2011 I was working a job that was 100% Windows for everything and I just hated how horrible it was. So one day, I came home from work and wiped my laptop and put Fedora on it. I didn't have TV so I had to do a bunch of weird hacks to get Silverlight working so I could stream Netflix. I got tired of updates breaking the hack so I said screw it and bought my first MBP which turned into my daily driver for 6 years. As of late, I've went back to primarily using macOS being sick and tired of being a beta tester for Windows.
Your Q trips me back to 1991, when a family friend remarked that I was not having any turkey on The Day, to which I replied "I'm a vegetarian."
The calm wisdom in his response of "Oh. That's a great way to learn a lot about your Self!" echoes my Soul, to this day.
I have transitioned from<->to many, many things over the years . . . diet, software, roles....
All these Things are just tools in our toolbox.
Truly, the ol' hack-saw may not often see much use--especially compared to the venerable screwdriver--but it sure does get the job done when the need arises
Regards, splifingate
The calm wisdom in his response of "Oh. That's a great way to learn a lot about your Self!" echoes my Soul, to this day.
I have transitioned from<->to many, many things over the years . . . diet, software, roles....
All these Things are just tools in our toolbox.
Truly, the ol' hack-saw may not often see much use--especially compared to the venerable screwdriver--but it sure does get the job done when the need arises
Regards, splifingate
In 2009 the 3-year-old Windows XP computers used by my wife and me were "old" and slow. It seemed that every time my infrequently-used laptop booted up it took an eternity. The Windows part was slow, and updating the anti-virus software used at that time was even slower. I was attracted to the nicely-packed all-in-one iMac with its superb-quality screen and bundled software - iPhotos, iWorks, contacts, calendar and native OS support for PDF files. And no need for anti-virus software.
We bought 2 iMacs, first an early 2009 24" iMac then a late 2009 27" iMac, then a 2010 MacBook Air. 2 of those 3 are still in use; the 24" iMac was replaced in 2015 with a 27" iMac (late 2014 model).
Despite some minor issues with the Macs, we would probably never go back to Windows. We like how the Macs work well with our iPads and iPhones for messages, photos, contacts and calendar. Multiple OS X, later macOS, updates over the years have gone smoothly. Most of the software we use is "native" in the Macs - Photos, Pages, Numbers, iMessage, Calendar, Contacts. Even Notes - greatly improved in the last year or two. And Preview - I use it all the time. We need very little third-party software - Dropbox and 1Password. Almost forgot - PDF Expert also. Time Machine backup is built-in and seamless.
I would love to get a "new and shiney" computer, but my late 2014 iMac works so well that I can't pull the trigger just yet. Even my wife, who uses the late 2009 iMac is OK with it. I added RAM a while back, but it runs fine on High Sierra (not eligible for Mojave) and still receives security updates. And it's almost 10 years old! Does anyone run a 10-year-old Windows computer?
No question, we would do the same thing again. I might upgrade to a new iMac when one is offered with the new T2 security chip.
We bought 2 iMacs, first an early 2009 24" iMac then a late 2009 27" iMac, then a 2010 MacBook Air. 2 of those 3 are still in use; the 24" iMac was replaced in 2015 with a 27" iMac (late 2014 model).
Despite some minor issues with the Macs, we would probably never go back to Windows. We like how the Macs work well with our iPads and iPhones for messages, photos, contacts and calendar. Multiple OS X, later macOS, updates over the years have gone smoothly. Most of the software we use is "native" in the Macs - Photos, Pages, Numbers, iMessage, Calendar, Contacts. Even Notes - greatly improved in the last year or two. And Preview - I use it all the time. We need very little third-party software - Dropbox and 1Password. Almost forgot - PDF Expert also. Time Machine backup is built-in and seamless.
I would love to get a "new and shiney" computer, but my late 2014 iMac works so well that I can't pull the trigger just yet. Even my wife, who uses the late 2009 iMac is OK with it. I added RAM a while back, but it runs fine on High Sierra (not eligible for Mojave) and still receives security updates. And it's almost 10 years old! Does anyone run a 10-year-old Windows computer?
No question, we would do the same thing again. I might upgrade to a new iMac when one is offered with the new T2 security chip.
this why I chose the imac over another windows based computer, I use to be a heavy gamer and as I am getting older, I only play world of warcraft which works great on my new machine. I also enjoy making videos and taking photos which this machine can do very well.
I did setup a bootcamp with windows on this mac but to be honest I feel MacOs is so much easier to use and works well with my iphone and ipad. I used Android products but each company had its own update policy which annoyed me, but with my imac everything is synchronised.
I did setup a bootcamp with windows on this mac but to be honest I feel MacOs is so much easier to use and works well with my iphone and ipad. I used Android products but each company had its own update policy which annoyed me, but with my imac everything is synchronised.
I grew up on Apple II's and then later DOS.
BUt, more recently I came to MacOS on the cheesgrater G4, then a 2012 Macbook Pro. I was mostly Windows in between. I use Windows 10 at work, it's not too bad actually. I prefer MacOS tho.
BUt, more recently I came to MacOS on the cheesgrater G4, then a 2012 Macbook Pro. I was mostly Windows in between. I use Windows 10 at work, it's not too bad actually. I prefer MacOS tho.
I did not choose macOS over Windows. In fact, I use both, depending on my mood, and lately I have been shifting to Windows, as I do not like the direction Apple is taking. But Apple laptops and desktops are great, and macOS provides a great experience and is well-integrated with the hardware. I can see why many people choose macOS over Windows.
I love Windows!!
User since 1993-Windows for Workgroups 3.11!!
Had to buy a Mac Mini 2018 just for Logic Pro. iPhone user since iPhone 4 though.