Why mac?

[icecone]

I'm not a mac newbie.
www.apple.com/getamac

secure?
yeah, mac os x is secured since it's unix-based. but there are LOTS of unix-like os!
linux, freebsd, darwin, solaris....
apple failed to explain why mac

it just works?
does it?
both hardware and software problems are widespread:kernal panic, bluescreen in installing leopard, freezing.... I can accept this. But what annoys me is that problems appear AFTER an update.

iLife?
I have tried it, it's nice, but I'm not sure how it is better than its substitutes (like F-spot...)

I see no reason for buying a mac, but 1 reason against it: hardware - its ridiculously priced macs with ridiculously few choices

can anyone convince me to get a mac?

thanks in advance

 

[gauchogolfer]

No one wants to convince you to do anything. Think for yourself, then decide what works for you.


kthxbai

 

[maxrobertson]

Why would you want us to convince you to get a Mac? It's not like we get any benefit out of it. You just get to enjoy Windows or Linux if you don't.

 

[icecone]

there must be reasons for so many people to love macs
if it's really that lovely I wouldn't want to miss them
please

 

[dXTC]

icecone,

As gauchogolfer and maxrobertson said, there is no reason for us to try to convince you to get a Mac.

Some of the negative points you make about the Mac experience are valid: OS freezes, kernel panics, etc. However, these happen with virtually all systems, in some fashion.

The positive aspects of Mac, though, outweigh these annoyances in many users' opinions. These include innovative and often gorgeous hardware design; generally solid OS programming with a minimum of configuration fuss; and full-featured digital lifestyle apps that do what the vast majority of computer users want out of their machines, and do them quite well-- without having to have coding or code compilation skills just to get them to work, as is often the case with Linux or FreeBSD.

Ultimately, you need to do your own pro vs. con list, as with any tool or appliance you intend to acquire. If the cons dominate, stick with what you know works for you. I can't speak for others, but I won't criticize you for using Windows. Heck, I'm putting Windows XP via Bootcamp on my new iMac specifically so I can use a Windows-only pro audio app, so I'll still have one foot in the Windows world, so to speak.

 

[Stampyhead]

Go down to your local Apple store and play with the machines for a while. That will convince you better than anything anyone could say to you here.

 

[emptyCup]

I often wonder about people who rack up 100s, or even 1000s, of posts about needing to be convinced. Most of your posts are negative. I assume you get paid for this (only suckers troll for free anymore).

If you don't see a value in a Mac, you can buy a genuine Vista computer for less than $400 (or a little extra to not get Vista). You are not going to sway anybody here. If you really need convincing, read any of the previous threads on this topic. If you need someone to tell you what to do, join the army.

 

[Nitromaster]

Why Mac?
I am 15 and have been using windows based pcs at home for almost all of the previous 8 and a half years.

Then I experienced macs in school about two years ago and the rest is history.

I'm about to order [a macbook ] someday this week, I'm just sick of all the constant problems with Windows.
For example a month ago I reinstalled Windows (as its an oem version which came with the pc the only option was to format and reinstall losing all partitions used for superior os's such as linux and any data I didnt copy to external storage).

Quite soon after reinstalling I tried to hide my desktop icons as I was doing a tutorial using screenshots for a project Im working on, the icons disappeared but the background picture also disappeared and turned into a lovely gray colour.

That problem fixed itself yesterday with no reason for the change from not working to working, however the desktop background is slightly pixelated for no reason when hiding icons .

Add to that the obvious problems with BSODs,viruses,malware etc and the actual cosmetics of most pc laptops and I know why I'm buying a Mac.

Nitromaster,

 

[neonblue2]

secure?
yeah, mac os x is secured since it's unix-based. but there are LOTS of unix-like os!
linux, freebsd, darwin, solaris....
apple failed to explain why mac

The people that info is aimed at are the ones who only know a Windows world. The fact you know otherwise should mean you'll look in other places for good reasons like you are here.

it just works?
does it?
both hardware and software problems are widespread:kernal panic, bluescreen in installing leopard, freezing.... I can accept this. But what annoys me is that problems appear AFTER an update.

The Leopard issues were caused by system modification software. The fact it caused problems after an update is like asking why did you computer explode after you put a bomb in it?

iLife?
I have tried it, it's nice, but I'm not sure how it is better than its substitutes (like F-spot...)

I'm looking at F-Spot right now. I don't see movie editing, DVD creation, WYSIWYG web site creation or a media player. Are they hidden features? If not, how well does F-Spot integrate with other substitutes?

I see no reason for buying a mac, but 1 reason against it: hardware - its ridiculously priced macs with ridiculously few choices

Price against what? Building your own or pre-built? Remember you have to take the whole package into account, not just CPU, GPU and RAM.

 

[Sawtooth811]

I think it's right to convince someone to get a Mac, because in general, it's easier to use than Windows, and it has VERY few viruses which are hard to get, but it isn't a perfect OS. It's up to you to decide though, so go mess around with new macs at the nearest Micro Center or the Apple Store, and see how you'll like them.

 

[r88my]

I switched from PC to mac over a year ago.

I think its still good to let people know the pros of getting a mac as my knowledge of mac was zero a month before i bought one and i never knew about sites like this, which would have helped my decision making a great deal. They way i like to explain it to my friends and family who are considering making the switch is this; if you had the choice of driving a luxurious car or an old banger which would you choose? After all, both may get you from A to B. Having a mac is about how you get from A to B. Its the experience of using OSX compared with windows. No comparison IMO.

Its great not having to reinstall my system every other month from scratch, or installing a whole operating system from scratch with a few clicks and no hassle, or that i can connect anything to my mac and it just works, or that I can delete an application with one click instead of it messing up my system, or not having to run antivirus software which slows my whole system etc etc. Everything is so nicely linked to everything else in the mac OS. Expose blew me away when i first used it, it is a genius idea and implemented brilliantly. All of my nokia phones worked with my MBP right out of the box. These are just a few examples of course and personal to me. Alot of it is very hard to appreciate until you compare the user experience side by side on a day to day basis over time, so you should definitely try and use a mac before you buy as much as possible.

With regards to the pricing point i think you get what you pay for in most cases. I owned a top spec sony vaio before switching to the macbook pro. I thought the sony was one of the finest laptops money could buy at the time. The MBP was similarly priced, and blew the vaio out of the water in terms of build quality, features and performance. In fact the vaio felt almost primitive compared side by side. Of course you can always get cheaper brands of windows PCs and laptops whereas macs start at a certain price point. But mac software seems to be cheaper and the free apps are generally excellent quality. And ilife is an excellent set of apps for an amateur to use and considering its free with a new mac, XP comes with nothing comparable even though its alot more expensive than OSX.

Having said all that, nothing works perfectly 100% of the time. And gaming sucks on the mac. But then you can have boot camp... Don't go mac of you don't think its worth it.

 

[Pressure]

A provocative answer could be: Why not?

I wouldn't fault Apple for telling why exactly Mac OS X is a better choice than, say, Windows. Have you heard of anyone marketing their product as being inferior to their competition? It's marketing.

It is certainly not the "end all be all" operating system but for many people it simply just works, while delivering a better user experience.

 

[72930]

I think that Unix is the way to go, and OSX is much more compatible with the Windows world than Linux. Hardware and software are beautiful...

 

[dukeblue91]

Feeding of trolls is strictly verboten.

 

[icecone]

Thanks
Your replies really help me thinking

 

[jellomizer]

secure?
yeah, mac os x is secured since it's unix-based. but there are LOTS of unix-like os!
linux, freebsd, darwin, solaris....
apple failed to explain why mac

Linux, and other Unix systems do not have the same user base as Macs do. So if you are going to be using some commercial tools like Photoshop and MS. Office. Also Linux and Unix's are not really great for Desktop solutions sure they will work but it (even today) is a bit of a game of find the crazy name for your app. You are not More Secure then say a most Linux Distributions or a Unix system but for Good desktop OS's Macs are better then the other alternative Windows.

it just works?
does it?
both hardware and software problems are widespread:kernal panic, bluescreen in installing leopard, freezing.... I can accept this. But what annoys me is that problems appear AFTER an update.

Most people don't have problems when they get updates... Most of the problems occur when they install 3rd party application that use root access such as OS Tweeks to change the look and feel a bit. Or Parallels which does some low level processing. But for the most part you plug in an external drive it pops up as an external drive, windows goes thew this process of going oh I found a drive, let me see if I can find a driver for this... Well while it seems compatible to this device like all the others it has a different name so I will go you need a driver to install.

Yes "It just works" is a bit of over zealous marking there are things that need external software to get working. But for most hardware they plug right in and the OS detects it and you are good to go. Also most of the defaults are set to what you usually do the most with that device.

iLife?
I have tried it, it's nice, but I'm not sure how it is better than its substitutes (like F-spot...)

Well most PC don't come with similar software usually software is way to primitive to make something nice or professional grade that is very expensive. There are some good open source alternatives out there. iLife is not designed to be the best out there but it is enough to get things moving quite well.

I see no reason for buying a mac, but 1 reason against it: hardware - its ridiculously priced macs with ridiculously few choices

can anyone convince me to get a mac?

thanks in advance

Before I bought my first Mac and the one I have now I did some price checking and they are not ridiculously priced. I agree they don't have a wide set of choices and little on the low end. But I compared a similar laptop I found the MacBook Pro was actually more afordable then the others for the ones with the same features. You are looking for reasons to not get a Mac and you will find them. You take a Cheap PC and find the Mac with the same specs as the Cheap PC and you find it cost $1,000 more... But if you take a Mac and find a PC that matches all the Macs specs then you will see a different story. Yes there is a small amount to choose from and that is one of the main drawbacks but as for the products they have they are prices similar to the ones of the same quality. Intel C2D Centrinos are no the same a normal C2D.

But all in all Both Macs and PCs are just computers and there isn't any Magic Feature that will put Macs ahead of a PC if you are fixed against it. They are close you get simular features the macs are just a little better then most PC's. Most of the Fanboyism for Macs is from the frustration that there are so many unproportionally using PC's while Macs have more on the average then PCs.

Yes PCs can do things better then a Mac. But Macs can do things better then most PC's. I have been happy with my Macs for the most part... Yes the advertising is a bit extream but still I found it to be better then a PC in a lot of different ways.... Some of them you just need to use for a bit to realize how useful it is. I can tell you the feature and you will say well yea Linux did that or Windows does that too. But after using it it just seems a bit more effective and useful.

An example is Spaces it is basically a virtual terminal that Unix systems has had for years and you can get freeware for windows that does the same thing... But Apple designed it in a way that I found to be more useful. So when I was using Linux and Solaris as my primary desktop I rarely ever used it, but I use Spaces a lot more on my mac. OS X is just a really well thought out OS when they put a feature in it they make sure it is useful, and works the way that humans think not programmers.

 

[ArmyKnight12]

I'm not a mac newbie.
www.apple.com/getamac

Why Mac? Why not?

 

[CalBoy]

Go down to your local Apple store and play with the machines for a while. That will convince you better than anything anyone could say to you here.

That just gives you Apple/Mac lust...

Seriously though, many of the time-saving features of OS X are best learnt through time. Granted this site can certainly move things along ( OP).

I'm not a mac newbie.
www.apple.com/getamac

So you've used Macs before? If not, then I'm sorry, but you are a "newbie"

secure?
yeah, mac os x is secured since it's unix-based. but there are LOTS of unix-like os!
linux, freebsd, darwin, solaris....
apple failed to explain why mac

If you're looking for an easy to install/use OS, then OS X wins. The others require reasonable knowledge to use effectively. For the average computer user (who knows little about computers) OS X is really very easy AND better protected.

it just works?
does it?
both hardware and software problems are widespread:kernal panic, bluescreen in installing leopard, freezing.... I can accept this. But what annoys me is that problems appear AFTER an update.

Have you never heard of a shakedown cruise? New designs are more likely to have problems because they haven't been road tested. Don't let forums deceive you; most Macs don't have any trouble at all.

iLife?
I have tried it, it's nice, but I'm not sure how it is better than its substitutes (like F-spot...)

That is one segment of the Mac package; not everyone has to like it. You should evaluate your needs/wants based on your particular needs and then decide if a Mac is right for you. Just because you found one minor part of Macs to be "ok" doesn't mean that the entire product should be viewed that way.

I see no reason for buying a mac, but 1 reason against it: hardware - its ridiculously priced macs with ridiculously few choices

So you probably haven't used a Mac yet, or you wouldn't be writing " I see no reason for buying a Mac." Isn't that called putting the cart before the horse?

As for expensive, this isn't true as much as you'd like to believe. Take the macbook for example. Find me another 1" thin notebook with an SR 2.2 chip that gives the same battery life for less than a macbook.

Let me save you the trouble; you won't. Please don't compare a behemoth HP/Dell with a macbook; they are not the same breed of computer.

can anyone convince me to get a mac?

Yes, but you must be receptive and pay attention to what we say as well. It isn't a one-sided discussion.

I think it's right to convince someone to get a Mac, because in general, it's easier to use than Windows, and it has VERY few viruses which are hard to get, but it isn't a perfect OS. It's up to you to decide though, so go mess around with new macs at the nearest Micro Center or the Apple Store, and see how you'll like them.

So your sense of morality is based on how well the operating system performs? Is convincing someone to buy a Mac morally superior to convincing someone to buy a Sony or Lenovo?

I don't think that's what you meant

 

[icecone]

That just gives you Apple/Mac lust...

Seriously though, many of the time-saving features of OS X are best learnt through time. Granted this site can certainly move things along ( OP).



So you've used Macs before? If not, then I'm sorry, but you are a "newbie"



If you're looking for an easy to install/use OS, then OS X wins. The others require reasonable knowledge to use effectively. For the average computer user (who knows little about computers) OS X is really very easy AND better protected.




Have you never heard of a shakedown cruise? New designs are more likely to have problems because they haven't been road tested. Don't let forums deceive you; most Macs don't have any trouble at all.



That is one segment of the Mac package; not everyone has to like it. You should evaluate your needs/wants based on your particular needs and then decide if a Mac is right for you. Just because you found one minor part of Macs to be "ok" doesn't mean that the entire product should be viewed that way.



So you probably haven't used a Mac yet, or you wouldn't be writing " I see no reason for buying a Mac." Isn't that called putting the cart before the horse?

As for expensive, this isn't true as much as you'd like to believe. Take the macbook for example. Find me another 1" thin notebook with an SR 2.2 chip that gives the same battery life for less than a macbook.

Let me save you the trouble; you won't. Please don't compare a behemoth HP/Dell with a macbook; they are not the same breed of computer.



Yes, but you must be receptive and pay attention to what we say as well. It isn't a one-sided discussion.




So your sense of morality is based on how well the operating system performs? Is convincing someone to buy a Mac morally superior to convincing someone to buy a Sony or Lenovo?

I don't think that's what you meant

thanks
I've used my friends' macs many times, I do sometimes see some problems

 

[HLdan]

The real question is, "Why PC for real"???
Windows sux a whole lot of the time.
Windows has very poor security.
Vista has driver compatibility issues which is pathetic at this point since it's been out for nearly a year.
Being a Windows user mean endless Registry cleanups and constant problems.
Windows requires the most up to date useless anti-virus. Yeah, right, like it really stops viruses and spyware. Just don't shop online with your credit card, you WILL be sorry using Windows.

Windows has a steep learning curve from the reasons I mentioned earlier. The only reason why anyone would know how to use Windows from the start is because they are forced to use it at work.

Windows is super fast on a fresh install and after a couple of months of basic use the Registry gets weird and let the slow downs begin.

Even Dell recommends that their customers buy their computers with XP installed instead of Vista.

So back to my question to the OP: Why Windows????

Aside from being honest with all of the above I also know that you are nothing but a troll and I'm sorry you can't think of anything else to do but to visit a Mac forum and talk crap about the Mac which is mostly BS.

A person truly interested in the Mac wouldn't start a flame bated thread you like you did, they are usually more humble and not trying to force people to convince them why they should buy a Mac. Why, you can't make up your own mind??

 

[icecone]

The real question is, "Why PC for real"???
Windows sux a whole lot of the time.
Windows has very poor security.
Vista has driver compatibility issues which is pathetic at this point since it's been out for nearly a year.
Being a Windows user mean endless Registry cleanups and constant problems.
Windows requires the most up to date useless anti-virus. Yeah, right, like it really stops viruses and spyware. Just don't shop online with your credit card, you WILL be sorry using Windows.

Windows has a steep learning curve from the reasons I mentioned earlier. The only reason why anyone would know how to use Windows from the start is because they are forced to use it at work.

Windows is super fast on a fresh install and after a couple of months of basic use the Registry gets weird and let the slow downs begin.

Even Dell recommends that their customers buy their computers with XP installed instead of Vista.

So back to my question to the OP: Why Windows????

Aside from being honest with all of the above I also know that you are nothing but a troll and I'm sorry you can't think of anything else to do but to visit a Mac forum and talk crap about the Mac which is mostly BS.

A person truly interested in the Mac wouldn't start a flame bated thread you like you did, they are usually more humble and not trying to force people to convince them why they should buy a Mac. Why, you can't make up your own mind??

Have I ever mentioned windows?
thanks

 

[inlimbo]

Steve's Second Coming brought me to mac

…well my only reason for using a mac is that I have been brainwashed by the "Apple Cult" led by our esteemed supreme leader Steve Jobs.

All hail the thin white bloke in the black shirt and jeans!

 

[HLdan]

Have I ever mentioned windows?
thanks

You didn't have to, your signature and your Mac bashing in your OP mentions it. I'm sure you are enjoying this thread since it's caused so many responses as most trolling posts do but no one that is truly interested in a Macintosh would come to a forum and point out all the bad things about the Mac and post a rhetorical question like, "Why Mac"?

You even mentioned in your one of your posts that you used a few of your friend's Macs and they had troubles. You've even pointed out other OS's as an alternative.

Nobody goes to buy a specific model car and tells the car salesman that they know a bunch of stuff bad about the car and then tells the car salesman to convince me to buy this car even though I know it has problems.

Stay in your Windows world, the Mac is not for you.

 

[icecone]

You didn't have to, your signature and your Mac bashing in your OP mentions it. I'm sure you are enjoying this thread since it's caused so many responses as most trolling posts do but no one that is truly interested in a Macintosh would come to a forum and point out all the bad things about the Mac and post a rhetorical question like, "Why Mac"?

You even mentioned in your one of your posts that you used a few of your friend's Macs and they had troubles. You've even pointed out other OS's as an alternative.

Nobody goes to buy a specific model car and tells the car salesman that they know a bunch of stuff bad about the car and then tells the car salesman to convince me to buy this car even though I know it has problems.

Stay in your Windows world, the Mac is not for you.

Of course I'm using PC(but not windows), I haven't bought a Mac, though I have been interested in it for half a year.

 

[AlexisV]

You're not interested in buying a fridge or a dishwasher here - look at Apple's website. Look at how nice everything looks and spend a lot of time looking at the videos and reading up on OS X.

You'll either really want one, or think nah, not for me.