Considering A Mac

[Dr T]

I have to fix another computer (laptop) and I'm tired of paying to has the same problem fixed. CK, I actually started considering a Mac because of the magnetic a/c adaptor function. They are darn expensive though. I'm looking at almost $4000 and I don't want to go that high for a nice computer. Can you tell me about your experience with them, converting from PC to Mac and if any of the files I currently have would open on a Mac. Is it an overall good computer or is it really designed for the A/V enthusiast. I would mostly use it for word processing. Please let me know your thoughts (any anyone else's thoughts would be great too).

Thank you all.

[BenRaines]

Don't go to CK and ask. He will only tell you that Mac and Mac only. Just kidding CK.

I have an old ibook. It was just hard for me to transition from PC to MAC so I stuck with the PC. I understand that it is much better now that you can run Windows programs on Mac computers. If I could run everything I currently do using Windows then I would be happy. Not MAC hardware I don't like but starting all over to learn the software was a pain for me. Keep in mind this was about 8 years ago.

I too like the idea of a magnetic power cable. Contantly worrying about someone kicking my power cord on my laptop when I am using it.

Ben Raines

[Dr T]

Thank you. What about the hardware do you not like?

[Guest the_big_picture]

Im using a Mac. I was tired of the PC, always something wrong. Always a lot of virues, always break.

As you know in a PC you have to defragment, and you have to run virus searches, and you get a lot of spywares, and encrypted errors...

On a Mac you dont need to defragment, it dosent get slower and slower then suddenly crash,

A Mac dosent have viruses or spyware, and the system is diffrent so hidden programs are created for PCs and cant install on your Mac.

No errors, With the explanations of strange numbers, that basicly means this computer ######.

No annoying stuff like restarting your computer, adter installing a printer et c.

A Computer is much like a car,

In a PC you have the dvd reader from Samsung, the graphic card from Nvida, the motherboard from ASUS, the shell from Dell, the system from Microsoft.

All these stuff put together dont run so good, all with their diffrent ideas.

A Mac has evereything from Mac,

A car is better made by a car manufacturer than by diffrent parts in a garage like the PC.

[Guest Yediyd]

Wish I had know all that before I bought this Dell!!!! It's brand new...does that mean I've got headackes comming? GREAT!!!!!!

[Dr T]

Thank you for your thoughts Big. I'll consider that.

[BenRaines]

I have had computers for the last 15 years. As mentioned earlier only one of them has been an Apple product, an Ibook. Of all the other things mentioned over the 15 years I have not had much in the way of problems other than one bad motherboard when I had a computer built.

My Ibook had to be shut down and restarted a few times too. No more no less than my PC. I use my computer for lots of different things from watching movies, creating movies, email, PC gaming, spreadsheets and on and on.

I had no problem with hardware or software on either just getting to know my way around the software.

Good luck shopping.

Ben Raines

[Guest Username-Removed]

Ive never had a mac. I've had three Dell laptops. They are ok for laptops. I have a gateway desktop too, and I love it - Ive had it for 4 years now and I did get a virus and rebuilt the software myself. I got another virus here about 6 months ago, and ran Norton 360 on it and cleared it right up. It would be nice having a PC where the virus software didnt keep cutting down on the performance. Maybe i'll get a mac next time.

[orrinjelo]

Try a BigMac.

Okay, try Mac + Linux.

[Guest Yediyd]

Mine's a Dell laptop with windows vista. My first computer!!!! I've only had it 4 months!!

[CrimsonKairos]

I'm sorry to hear that, Yediyd. Vista's "new features" have been in the Mac OS for about a year and a half. Macs are superior to PC's in every way.

Since you can now install a Windows partition on a Mac via Bootcamp, there's no reason to own a PC.

Imagine turning on your iMac or MacbookPro, and merely having to hold down the option key to choose whether to boot to the Windows OS or the Mac OS. Pretty darn cool.

Macs don't get viruses. Period. They don't use DLL's or registry keys. The hardware is advanced and stable. I sold my Dell Inspiron notebook after spending money on anti-virus software only to get infected and be faced with the blue screen of death (which I HATE).

In terms of quality and value, Macs are off the charts. I bought my MacbookPro 15.4" laptop for $1,500 on eBay. The laptop is 1" thin (unheard of), housed in an aluminum shell (looks cool and helps keep it cool), has built-in iSight camera, magsafe power cord (this has saved my laptop at least five times already when I or my mom tripped on my power cord), sudden motion sensor (if you drop your laptop or it detects any sudden motion through an internal gyro, it shuts down the harddrive and removes the needle from the disk so it can't scratch the harddrive and ruin your data), it comes with the coolest software bundled (iWeb: make websites; iMovie: make movies; iDVD: design DVD projects/menus and burn them; etc...), and so on.

Oh yeah, the backlit keyboard freakin' rocks. Plus, the batteries have little chips in them so you just push a button and between one and five little lights brighten to indicate how much power you have left. As for wordprocessing, you can get Microsoft Office for Mac (strange, I know). I just bought Word for Mac and it works just like you'd expect Word to work in Windows. Plus, networking is a breeze with Macs. It's been easier for me to network a windows computer to my Mac, than a windows computer to another windows computer. Forget workgroups and all that garbage. Macs are like a genie that can read your mind.

I have a 20" iMac and 15.4" Macbook Pro. They just came out with new Macbook Pros that have LED screens instead of LCD, bigger harddrives, faster processors, and nVidia GE Force 8600 graphics cards!

As for the OS...it is different than Windows, and in my opinion, simpler. If you have a question, there are plenty of "MAC OS X for Dummies" type books and once you learn it its much easier and efficient to use than Windows.

Ah, I love Macs so very, very much! B)

Get one! Toss your win-doze box! Welcome to the future!

[Guest Yediyd]

I'm sorry to hear that, Yediyd. Vista's "new features" have been in the Mac OS for about a year and a half. Macs are superior to PC's in every way.

Since you can now install a Windows partition on a Mac via Bootcamp, there's no reason to own a PC.

Imagine turning on your iMac or MacbookPro, and merely having to hold down the option key to choose whether to boot to the Windows OS or the Mac OS. Pretty darn cool.

Macs don't get viruses. Period. They don't use DLL's or registry keys. The hardware is advanced and stable. I sold my Dell Inspiron notebook after spending money on anti-virus software only to get infected and be faced with the blue screen of death (which I HATE).

In terms of quality and value, Macs are off the charts. I bought my MacbookPro 15.4" laptop for $1,500 on eBay. The laptop is 1" thin (unheard of), housed in an aluminum shell (looks cool and helps keep it cool), has built-in iSight camera, magsafe power cord (this has saved my laptop at least five times already when I or my mom tripped on my power cord), sudden motion sensor (if you drop your laptop or it detects any sudden motion through an internal gyro, it shuts down the harddrive and removes the needle from the disk so it can't scratch the harddrive and ruin your data), it comes with the coolest software bundled (iWeb: make websites; iMovie: make movies; iDVD: design DVD projects/menus and burn them; etc...), and so on.

Oh yeah, the backlit keyboard freakin' rocks. Plus, the batteries have little chips in them so you just push a button and between one and five little lights brighten to indicate how much power you have left.

I have a 20" iMac and 15.4" Macbook Pro. They just came out with new Macbook Pros that have LED screens instead of LCD, bigger harddrives, faster processors, and nVidia GE Force 8600 graphics cards!

As for the OS...it is different than Windows, and in my opinion, simpler. If you have a question, there are plenty of "MAC OS X for Dummies" type books and once you learn it its much easier and efficient to use than Windows.

Ah, I love Macs so very, very much! B)

Get one! Toss your win-doze box! Welcome to the future!

I hate you!

<div class='quotemain'>

I'm sorry to hear that, Yediyd. Vista's "new features" have been in the Mac OS for about a year and a half. Macs are superior to PC's in every way.

Since you can now install a Windows partition on a Mac via Bootcamp, there's no reason to own a PC.

Imagine turning on your iMac or MacbookPro, and merely having to hold down the option key to choose whether to boot to the Windows OS or the Mac OS. Pretty darn cool.

Macs don't get viruses. Period. They don't use DLL's or registry keys. The hardware is advanced and stable. I sold my Dell Inspiron notebook after spending money on anti-virus software only to get infected and be faced with the blue screen of death (which I HATE).

In terms of quality and value, Macs are off the charts. I bought my MacbookPro 15.4" laptop for $1,500 on eBay. The laptop is 1" thin (unheard of), housed in an aluminum shell (looks cool and helps keep it cool), has built-in iSight camera, magsafe power cord (this has saved my laptop at least five times already when I or my mom tripped on my power cord), sudden motion sensor (if you drop your laptop or it detects any sudden motion through an internal gyro, it shuts down the harddrive and removes the needle from the disk so it can't scratch the harddrive and ruin your data), it comes with the coolest software bundled (iWeb: make websites; iMovie: make movies; iDVD: design DVD projects/menus and burn them; etc...), and so on.

Oh yeah, the backlit keyboard freakin' rocks. Plus, the batteries have little chips in them so you just push a button and between one and five little lights brighten to indicate how much power you have left.

I have a 20" iMac and 15.4" Macbook Pro. They just came out with new Macbook Pros that have LED screens instead of LCD, bigger harddrives, faster processors, and nVidia GE Force 8600 graphics cards!

As for the OS...it is different than Windows, and in my opinion, simpler. If you have a question, there are plenty of "MAC OS X for Dummies" type books and once you learn it its much easier and efficient to use than Windows.

Ah, I love Macs so very, very much! B)

Get one! Toss your win-doze box! Welcome to the future!

I hate you!

But not really.

[CrimsonKairos]

I feel your pain, sister. Once I had migrated to a PowerMac G5, my world was changed forever.

Now that we've got the Mactels (Macs running Intel CPU's), no one could ask for anything more!

Can't wait to get an iPhone either...

Man, if Apple ever made a game console, I bet it'd blast XBOX 360 and PS3 out of the water!

[Guest Yediyd]

I'm stuck with my Dell...at least untill it crashes!!!!! But I will keep this in mind for the future.

[Gabelma]

I have to fix another computer (laptop) and I'm tired of paying to has the same problem fixed. CK, I actually started considering a Mac because of the magnetic a/c adaptor function. They are darn expensive though. I'm looking at almost $4000 and I don't want to go that high for a nice computer. Can you tell me about your experience with them, converting from PC to Mac and if any of the files I currently have would open on a Mac. Is it an overall good computer or is it really designed for the A/V enthusiast. I would mostly use it for word processing. Please let me know your thoughts (any anyone else's thoughts would be great too).

Thank you all.

If its a software problem you can always use a Linux operating system we have used it almost exclusively foabout 5 years no major problems unless you count me dropping the laptop, kids banging on the keyboard anod dogs sitting on it

Charley

[CrimsonKairos]

Which computer specifically are you looking at Dr. T...the one with the $4,000 pricetag?

Even the top of the line, 17" new LED-screen suped-up Macbook Pro's run around $3,000 on Mac's website.

Before you buy through Apple's website, check out www.macmall.com.

Apple's site will kill you on taxes and shipping (we're talking about $300 or $400 more than MSRP), but I've been pleased with www.macmall.com.

Of course, eBay is a great source too. I bought both my iMac and my Macbook Pro through eBay...just be careful you don't get scammed...I'd never buy a computer or major electronic device from someone with less than 150 feedback.

[Guest the_big_picture]

If you have a laptop with Vista its even worse, Vista eats your battery up! Mac laptops save battery time realy good,

And about bootcamp, Crossower is much better it "converts" the windows application to PC, and you dont need a windows cd to install anything!

And may I add, the reason PC is still bigger is cause everyone are used to it, and that the games are designed for PC.

(the funny things is, when they make the games, they use Macs, cause they dont need to suffer a pc while making pc games)

[orrinjelo]

If you have a laptop with Vista its even worse, Vista eats your battery up! Mac laptops save battery time realy good,

And about bootcamp, Crossower is much better it "converts" the windows application to PC, and you dont need a windows cd to install anything!

And may I add, the reason PC is still bigger is cause everyone are used to it, and that the games are designed for PC.

(the funny things is, when they make the games, they use Macs, cause they dont need to suffer a pc while making pc games)

I have Win 2000...it doesn't only eat up my battery, but it's soooooooooo easy to overheat my compy (then I get the BSOD and it reboots and I feel like throwing it out the window....)

I can only imagine what Vista might do to a lappy...

[Jason]

FIRST OF ALL:

This is not a Mac vs. PC issue. It's an Operating System issue. We're talking about OS X vs MS Windows.

Mac's can and HAVE gotten virus's, and I know of at least TWO (one that came through the instant messenger) that have been reported in the last 12 months.

Windows Vista is a copycat of OS X security, but it's been called more secure than OS X now. (Will likely change this fall when Mac releases it's new OS). DRM is the major flaw with windows, but I don't really care about it that much.

As for hardware, you get what you pay for. You cannot compare a $400.00 PC to a $2000.00 Mac. I'll put my $2500.00 PC up against any Mac any day.

If you don't want Viruses, change your PC's operating System. Use Ubuntu instead of MS Windows. Use Open Office instead of MS Office, and you're all set. (Unless you're a gamer, and then you have to use Windows.)

[miztrniceguy]

I LOVE Mac & cheese!!!

GO BLUEBOX!!

[Dr T]

Thank you all for your ideas. If we can run a Mac with the click of a key, why can't that partition get a virus?

[Jason]

If the percentage of Mac vs Windows users was reversed, so too would the number of viruses. The only reason Mac doesn't have as many viruses is because nobody's writing viruses for them. Why write a virus for a few thousand Mac users, when you can write one for windows that will affect tens of thousands?

You don't drop bombs in the countryside, you drop them in cities.

[FrankJL]

If the percentage of Mac vs Windows users was reversed, so too would the number of viruses. The only reason Mac doesn't have as many viruses is because nobody's writing viruses for them. Why write a virus for a few thousand Mac users, when you can write one for windows that will affect tens of thousands?

You don't drop bombs in the countryside, you drop them in cities.

Exactly

What makes you mac users think that macs can't catch a virus, or spyware?

[CrimsonKairos]

Your windows partition can get viruses still. But it won't affect your Mac OS partition (though as with anything Windows...it's only a matter of time).

More games are being made for Macs, and old titles are being ported over, so soon, windows won't be the only way to game.

Jason, hearing about someone with a Mac getting a virus and getting one are different. I don't care if anyone else gets one through a service I never use (instant messenger...I assume you're referring to MSN Messenger for Mac?). I've never had problems with my Macs or Mac-native software.

And uh...I'd love to pit one of the eight core Mac Pro's against your $2,500 PC.

Whoever is saying Vista is more secure than OS X has never used OS X. Vista new security features are laughable.

I still love ya Jason, and I'll pray for your deliverance from Windows.

What makes you mac users think that macs can't catch a virus, or spyware?

Because Apple employees actually like their company, and ex-Apple employees don't hate their former employer, and because MAC OS X architecture is completely different than Windows OS...like I said, no DLL's, no registry keys, it's not near as easy to screw a Mac. Everyone who owns a Mac loves them, and anyone who doesn't like them isn't going to waste time trying to infect an iron-clad panzer. B)

Jason, nice analogy, but even if the majority of OS users were Mac users, it'd still be pretty dang hard to corrupt or infect a Mac. Not impossible. But pretty dang hard.

[Guest the_big_picture]

I have had problems on my macs to, msn messenger for mac had to shut down one time. But its from microsoft so of course it will.

Vista and OSX are secure in their own way.

Vista asks you for evereything, "is it okay to enter ths site", "is it okay for windows to start this program", "this program ask for internet acces is it okay", and you will say yes or no.

OSX basicly does something only when its a danger, and it sence it. OSX is also harder to hack into.