so...WHY a Mac not a pc?

[Willow]

I know macs are very higly thought of on this site. The time has come to look at a new desktop computer. Ours died and I am using dd's netbook.

 

I have asked this before I think (or maybe i just read other peoples posts, I'm not actually too sure about this) and I have seen lots of raves about how cool macs are, but why? What do they do that a PC will not? Or what do they do better? I know they LOOK cooler ;) but i think i need more than this.

 

Thank you

Willow.

[StaceyinLA]

get viruses...

 

I LOVE not having to worry about viruses and computer crashes. I LOVE how seamlessly all my Apple products work together. I LOVE how easy it is to operate a Mac, and how they don't have loads of unnecessary steps to do things - it's just SO simple to use!!!

 

Once you go Mac, you'll never go back!!!

[kalanamak]

 

I have asked this before I think (or maybe i just read other peoples posts, I'm not actually too sure about this) and I have seen lots of raves about how cool macs are, but why? .

 

I've had both, and Mac just never crashes, seizes, get a worm, etc. etc. It just seems more intuitive, simpler. Hassle-free. That is why I like them.

[Hedgehogs4]

i love my mac! i love that it does exactly what i think it should do, i.e. it's very intuitive. programs TALK to each other and work well together. the desktop backlit led display is FANTASTIC, and i love the look of it. i love the programs that come with it, such as imovie, iphoto, etc. my son has learned to make stop-motion animation and i have learned to make really cool family videos with it. my pictures and movies and playing with my computer is my primary means of killing time.

 

love, love, love my mac. it took about five minutes to get used to it, and haven't looked back for a second.

[kewb]

Here is one example of why I love my MAC. I upgraded to Snow Leopard. Insert Disc. Hit Start button. Within an hour upgrade completed.

 

Same day, dh upgrades to Microsoft Vista. 7 hours later upgrade completed.

[Greta]

We had PCs. They were *constantly* crashing and freezing up and needing to be rebooted, until viruses destroyed them utterly (and yes, we had virus protection).

 

Now we have Macs. They never freeze up or crash. We've had them three times longer than we had the PCs with no virus problems. And they are just so easy and delightful to use. It's very easy to figure out how to do anything you want to do, the software is just beautifully designed. Worth every extra penny! When I visit my parents, who won't pay the extra for a Mac, I cannot believe they find the amount of money they save to be worth the frustrations of putting up with Windows. :banghead: But now I have an iPad, so I'll bring that with me when I visit and not have to deal with their PCs at all! :D

[Starr]

Ah because, they are just so cute and do such fun things and your kids can argue with their friends as to which is best...:D Okay I'm going to bed now!

[elegantlion]

I don't know, but my ds went to a family reunion last weekend, talked to his uncle, and now is asking for a Mac. :lol: He wants to keep the PC too. We'll see if he can save his money. :D

[Spy Car]

Using a Mac means you have an elegant experience. Apple bundles a good deal of useful software. They rarely crash. Upgrades, and configuration of peripherals are dead-simple. They don't have viruses.

 

And, because Apple configures and builds the systems themselves, and because they choose quality parts (unlike PC makers) the average Mac lasts a lot longer the the typical PC. Many years more. With happy owners who have no inclination to dump the computer just because there is an operating system upgrade.

 

Many PC owners (most, outside "hobbyists") blanch at the prospect of a major upgrade (and hate their old computers in any case...if they haven't failed). Mac owners don't sweat it. So Macs, despite a higher front-end cost) are actually cheaper in the long run.

 

One you get used to a Mac you really wonder why anyone would put up with a PC.

 

Bill

[Jana]

I am typing on my brand-new MacBook. Out of the box, it's effortless. I read nothing about how to use this, and it all makes sense.

 

And besides, doesn't my post just look cooler?

[Annie]

I'll be the voice of dissent. I don't think the Apple desktops/laptops are worth the price premium.

 

If you have cronic issues with viruses at your house, it might be worth it, but I would be more inclined to try to figure out why you're getting viruses in the first place. I don't use virus protection (gasp), and I got one virus seven years ago. It's just not a big deal in our world.

 

We gave them a chance with my husband's last laptop, and after six months or so, he installed Windows on it. He never uses the Apple operating system anymore.

 

On the other hand, I love my iPad, my husband would be lost without his iPhone, and I have no desire to buy an mp3 player other than an iPod. They really do know mobile devices.

[Willow]

Thank you for all your replies, (even the descenting one!)

 

Life is on hold at the moment (we live in Christchurch, NZ) and although we have power back and can therefore surf the net all our homeschool classes are obviously not meeting, and dh is not at work until sometime next week (the walkways at his school have gone) so life is a little wierd (and wobbley...over 300 aftershocks in one week) so we are amusing ourselves by considering our new computer when all this is over. :)

 

Willow.

[Jilly]

I prefer a Mac because I love shopping at the Apple store. I bought an iPad a few months back, and I remember thinking how much I love just hanging out at the store. :001_smile:

 

On a side note, my kids participated in the Apple store summer camp this year, and I have to say I was impressed. The kids shot and edited a three minute movie, and at the end of the session, their film, along with everyone else's, was screened at a "film festival". The kids all got a t-shirt, a poster, and a DVD copy of their film for free. It was a great experience for them.

[Kathleen in VA]

Using a Mac means you have an elegant experience. Apple bundles a good deal of useful software. They rarely crash. Upgrades, and configuration of peripherals are dead-simple. They don't have viruses.

 

And, because Apple configures and builds the systems themselves, and because they choose quality parts (unlike PC makers) the average Mac lasts a lot longer the the typical PC. Many years more. With happy owners who have no inclination to dump the computer just because there is an operating system upgrade.

 

Many PC owners (most, outside "hobbyists") blanch at the prospect of a major upgrade (and hate their old computers in any case...if they haven't failed). Mac owners don't sweat it. So Macs, despite a higher front-end cost) are actually cheaper in the long run.

 

One you get used to a Mac you really wonder why anyone would put up with a PC.

 

Bill

 

This is absolutely true. You get more bang for your buck at the beginning, you get ease of use and just a plain positive experience, and you really do save money in the long run. We bought our Mac desktop in 2003 and it is still our family's main computer and works great.

 

I am typing on my brand-new MacBook. Out of the box, it's effortless. I read nothing about how to use this, and it all makes sense.

 

And besides, doesn't my post just look cooler?

 

:lol:I was wondering why your post looked so awesome.

 

Thank you for all your replies, (even the descenting one!)

 

Life is on hold at the moment (we live in Christchurch, NZ) and although we have power back and can therefore surf the net all our homeschool classes are obviously not meeting, and dh is not at work until sometime next week (the walkways at his school have gone) so life is a little wierd (and wobbley...over 300 aftershocks in one week) so we are amusing ourselves by considering our new computer when all this is over. :)

 

Willow.

 

:grouphug:Wow, so glad to hear you are okay. Dd17 has friends in NZ and so we've been keeping up with the news about the quake. Those aftershocks have got to be unnerving.

 

One more thing about Macs. This isn't really conclusive evidence about them technically speaking, just a personal aside. Dd17 has been working hard all summer babysitting, dog sitting, house sitting, and giving piano lessons in order to buy herself a laptop.

 

We were given an old Dell laptop by a friend a few years ago when Teaching Textbooks wasn't Mac compatible so she could do her math on it. It then morphed into her "personal" laptop (not officially) and she used it as her primary computer for a long time. It finally gave up the ghost. Ds23 got married in June and left his PC desktop here for us - mainly for the two youngers to play their games on (he owns a Mac laptop and was only using the PC for his college computer classes).

 

Dd17 is now using it (with four kids it is nice to have the option of another computer available for use). She HATES it. She HATED the Dell. She has often moaned and groaned and bemoaned the complete and utter un-user-friendliness of the PCs and is absolutely, 100% determined to buy a Mac even though she knows she can by a PC much sooner and for very little money (upfront). This is a young lady who is quite computer savvy and has had lots of experience working with a PC, so it isn't that she just isn't used to the interface. She simply doesn't want to spend all her (very) hard-earned cash on a PC - it would be very demoralizing to have to plop down all her hard won savings only to have a computer that drives her nuts. I'm afraid we've spoiled her by owning Macs, but the point is she realizes they are worth the extra investment and the wait. That's gotta mean something, right?

[cajunrose]

I am typing on a macbook now and I'm sitting next to a PC desktop. I use both of them daily. The mac is absolutely more intuitive than the desktop. I didn't really understand that until I got the mac. If I'm trying to figure out how to do something on the mac, and I google it, I always find out it's the most simple of the things that actually do what I wanted. Much less steps (if any actually) than doing the same thing on the PC.

 

If you have problems with your mac (my hard drive went out on my mac a month after i got it...it was my fault though), you call and get an American. They go out of their way to help you. He couldn't help me on the phone so he sent me to a store. I had a new hard drive in 30 minutes.

 

I NEVER have to reboot. It's just something you don't have to do. I had to shut down my browser the other day but it had 150 tabs open on it. It was just starting to get a little sluggish.

 

Ipods, etc work flawlessly with it...very streamlined.

 

I can't wait for my desktop to go out so that I can buy a Mac desktop!

[parias1126]

I bought my first MAC over a year ago. It is working just as well today as the day I bought it. I will never purchase a PC again. We have 5 PCs in our house and 1 MAC. Guess which gets used and which ones don't! :D

[WishboneDawn]

Many PC owners (most, outside "hobbyists") blanch at the prospect of a major upgrade (and hate their old computers in any case...if they haven't failed). Mac owners don't sweat it. So Macs, despite a higher front-end cost) are actually cheaper in the long run.

 

I'll admit I'm a diehard Pc fan (although I have the cutest little Apple 2E tucked away in the basement) but come on.

 

The real issue is not Mac vs. PC. The real issue is fitting the computer to the user. If you upgrade a lot then you may be right. A Mac might be cheaper in the long run. But most people I know are looking for a computer to access the internet, edit some photos and do some word processing on. The computers they buy are $400-$500 Acers from Walmart, chug alng for years and never get upgraded. For that user, a Mac wouldn't make much sense.

 

Heck, the Dell PIII we bought 10 years ago is still going (with an amazing amount of hours of it's little 10 gb hdd), has only had a garage sale cd burner put in and some ram. It served as well and is about to go to another family.

 

Lots of the issues with PCs (crashes, viruses) are also NOT issues with PCs. They are issues with Windows and an install of Linspire or Ubuntu would solve them for most users. So that the options may be Mac, PC w/Windows or PC w/Linux.

 

Anyhow, any reccomendation for a computer should hinge on what the user needs. Some may need the intuitiveness and reliability of a Mac. Some may need the economy and universality of a Windows PC. Some may be happiest with a yard sale PC with a Ubuntu install.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

It is like their ad--they just work.

 

I was a huge Mac fan in grad school and had to totally relearn PCs at work. The compatibility issues of the 90s produced a cycle of PC buying but I'm finally back to a Mac and love it. It just works-every time I sit down. And even better-doesn't take a half hour to be ready to use, even if I have to power up rather than starting from sleep mode.

 

They also just make sense-particularly if you are a non-computer type.

 

If you want to go Mac you might hit the library and look at some of the Switching to the Mac titles that are out there. They will often highlight software incompatibility issues, hooking up to a home network (yes you can share between a Mac and PC), how to transfer info to a new Mac, etc.

 

For a hardcore PC user I think the 2 most common problems are likely to be a favorite piece of software that just won't run on OS X (you would need to resort to one of the ways to use Windows on a Mac) and having to relearn keyboard shortcuts.

 

It has been worth every dime!

[Spy Car]

I'll admit I'm a diehard Pc fan (although I have the cutest little Apple 2E tucked away in the basement) but come on.

 

The real issue is not Mac vs. PC. The real issue is fitting the computer to the user. If you upgrade a lot then you may be right. A Mac might be cheaper in the long run. But most people I know are looking for a computer to access the internet, edit some photos and do some word processing on. The computers they buy are $400-$500 Acers from Walmart, chug alng for years and never get upgraded. For that user, a Mac wouldn't make much sense.

 

Heck, the Dell PIII we bought 10 years ago is still going (with an amazing amount of hours of it's little 10 gb hdd), has only had a garage sale cd burner put in and some ram. It served as well and is about to go to another family.

 

Lots of the issues with PCs (crashes, viruses) are also NOT issues with PCs. They are issues with Windows and an install of Linspire or Ubuntu would solve them for most users. So that the options may be Mac, PC w/Windows or PC w/Linux.

 

Anyhow, any reccomendation for a computer should hinge on what the user needs. Some may need the intuitiveness and reliability of a Mac. Some may need the economy and universality of a Windows PC. Some may be happiest with a yard sale PC with a Ubuntu install.

 

But, as bad as the problems are with the Windows operating systems, the hardware is a problem too. PC makers, in the main, use the absolutely cheapest components possible. That is how one gets a $400 Acer. But you certainly "feel" the difference from day 1, and cheap parts tend to fail. Apple demands high quality parts.

 

Out here the one niche in the television/film business that uses PCs is 3D modeling. These folks need very fast, very reliable machines. So they spec very high end machines that use Apple-quality components. And they end up spending more on those PCs than they would on a Mac.

 

Or we could say some of them used to spend more on the "PCs" than Macs, because many now buy Apple computers to run the Windows OS they need to run the 3d apps. In fact many say Apple makes the best "PCs" (as all current Intel-based can run Windows if need be).

 

As to the idea that many people will choose low-quality products on the basis of an initial cost advantage, that is no doubt true--as the Walmartization has proven.

 

But this user doesn't want a computer that feels like cheap junk from the hardware to the software running the thing. With a Mac you do get what you pay for.

 

Bill

[wapiti]

Is the speed, etc. of the hardware of a PC comparable to a Mac? As in, when surfing the internet, etc.? That's all we really need, plus a little word processing/spreadsheet use.

 

I guess I'm just cheap. Yesterday I ordered a Dell laptop, the first new computer dedicated to the kids (to share between the 3 older ones; I got tired of sharing mine :D). I spent $600 for a 320GB hard drive and 4GB RAM (plus some new kind of chip and more than a year of antiviral, fwiw). A similar hardware configuration over on the Apple website, the 320 and 4, starts at $1500.

 

I won't say I haven't had any problems with my current Dell laptop (two years old) but it has Windows Vista, which is known for being buggy. (Here's hoping the new one with Windows 7 is better.) At any rate, my "old" one is running fine at the moment - it's actually really nice. I'm probably going to be buying another "kid" computer in three years or so, mostly because I'll be tired of listening to them fight over it and the 3 younger kids will be getting into it by then as well (my kids go to school so there's less time to divvy up, unless I start homeschooling some of them by then ;))

 

I admit I haven't used a Mac since college, 20 yrs ago.

 

Having recently started 3 of the kids on EPGY for math as a supplement to what they're doing at school (which isn't much at the moment, unfortunately), part of me wonders if I'd need a computer for each of them if we homeschooled. I love not being the "main" teacher of a topic, and they are so much more interested in things if it comes on the computer (sure it's a gimmick but I'll use it as far as it'll take me :lol:)

 

ETA: the more I think about it, it seems that I can get two or two and a half PC laptops for the same price as one similar Mac laptop. With a big family, that would be a huge difference if I were buying more than one at a time (and one day I probably will be doing just that)

 

ETA again: what I really struggle with more than anything else lately is the Linksys router. Can anyone recommend a simple, *user-friendly* wireless router?

Edited September 12, 2010 by wapiti

[nmoira]

 

And, because Apple configures and builds the systems themselves, and because they choose quality parts (unlike PC makers) the average Mac lasts a lot longer the the typical PC. Many years more. With happy owners who have no inclination to dump the computer just because there is an operating system upgrade.

Major architecture changes (rare) are the exception. I retired my old iMac when the Intel Macs came out, just over 4-1/2 years ago. It'll probably be another 4 years before I feel the need to upgrade. OTOH, DH bought a PowerBook (PPC) a few months before mine and it was essentially obsolete within a couple years because fewer and fewer programs would run on PPC Macs.

[mystika1]

Hi,

I just wanted to chime in. I build my own PC's and install free PCLinuxOS operating system which is wonderful. All of the freedom that a mac delivers with the low price tag of a pc. No viruses, tons of free software, super stable machines with no "blue screen of death." I love it. It is actually Windows operating systems that are plagued with problem bugs and virus prone. If you have an old machine that your about to trash I would suggest creating a live PCLinuxOS cd and trying it out. You may also want to check out LinuxMint9 as it is also nice. A $300.00 machine running linux will outlast and out perform Windows 7 builds easily. I have 3 computers in my house. One is running windows 7 the other 2 are running Linux with no virus protection needed. My Linux machines are wayyyyyyyyy faster and just plane run better overall in performance. I am going to install Linux on that windows machine in a few days as well because I love it..

 

I am in no way shape or form affiliated with linux. I just love it!

 

Just food for thought.

 

Penny:)

[Mekanamom]

I like the whole Mac ecosystem. Everything works together.

 

My iPhone, iPad, and Macbook plus MobileMe keep everything synced and streamlined.

 

YES, Google can give you close to the same experience at a much lower cost. But with the Mac products, I don't have to fight with a bunch of different devices to make them play nice together. The Apple pruducts just work, and work well together. They also last longer than my old PC did.

 

This holiday season we're adding a new Apple TV to our Mac family, and THAT is going to be the icing on the cake. http://www.apple.com/appletv/

 

As far as software goes, Apple gives me more of what I actually use. iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes, and Garage Band keep me happy. :)

[Jennifer in MI]

I LOVE my new Mac!!!! She looks nice on my desk. She's so thin and there's no external hard drive!! She never crashes. She's SO easy to use. She makes sense. Do you want a picture added to an email? Drag it to the email icon and it'll add it for you. Want to see an attachment on your email? You don't have to open the program - you can just click on the "quick look" button and it'll open it in quick view for you. Simple! Need to save something that's been emailed to you? Drag it to the file you want it saved in.

 

Have a question about your Mac? Make an appointment with a Mac store employee! I have a year to have private tutoring sessions.

 

Our total for this desktop was under $1400 and that included a wireless mouse and keyboard, a year's worth of free tutoring, and they downloaded everything from our old computer to this one for us.

[Greta]

But, as bad as the problems are with the Windows operating systems, the hardware is a problem too. PC makers, in the main, use the absolutely cheapest components possible. That is how one gets a $400 Acer. But you certainly "feel" the difference from day 1, and cheap parts tend to fail. Apple demands high quality parts.

 

We installed a new operating system in January. I was scared. I had heard so many horror stories from my brothers and my friends who had installed new operating systems that I just knew it would take us all day, a day filled with frustrations and set-backs, that we'd probably lose data and capabilities, that nothing would ever work right again!

 

My husband popped in the disk, hit a button or maybe two, and that was it. Less than an hour later, voila. It was done and everything worked.

 

We have a Mac. My brothers and friends all have PCs. As bad as Windows is, it is not the only problem.

 

A few months later my dad, fed up with Windows but not wanting to spend the money for a Mac, tried installing a new OS. Nothing has worked right since. He has headaches with it every single time he turns it on. To me, that hassle is just not worth the amount of money he saved.

 

That's not to say that a PC can't be a perfectly adequate and enjoyable computer. Just saying I've never had that experience! :)

[WishboneDawn]

Is the speed, etc. of the hardware of a PC comparable to a Mac? As in, when surfing the internet, etc.? That's all we really need, plus a little word processing/spreadsheet use.

 

Definitely. In terms of speed you get what you pay for in either case. The more you spend then generally the faster the machine. But for what you've described any cheaper Toshiba or Dell will perform well. Heck, you could probably do fine with a netbook although you'd probably want a decent external optical drive and by the time that money is spent you could've purchased a laptop.

 

That's the thing for me. I don't doubt what people tell me about Macs. It's just that they cost so darn much. As good as they are they're not within the reach of many consumers so if price is an issue a PC will give you what you need. Macs are great, but for lots of people, cheaper PCs are good enough and no one should feel that if they don't spend an extra $1000 they won't have a perfectly reasonable machine that will do what they need it to do.

 

I don't question many people here have had issues that made them switch to Macs. But it's not a representative sample of computer users. I'm still betting the majority of PC users here have a pretty trouble free relationship with their Compaq or Dell or whatever.

 

I did drool over my brother's Mac. It had the neatest, most thoughtful little touches. Like the magnetic charger port. Soooo cool. If I had the money, maybe...

 

But right now my Compaq chugs along. My husband's Toshiba does what he wants it to. The decade old Dell is still in great shape and about to be re-homed and my daughter's new-to-her laptop, an IBM machine that's only slightly newer then the Dell, is the apple of her geeky eye. And this will likely be true of the majority of PC users.

[Spy Car]

....my daughter's new-to-her laptop, an IBM machine that's only slightly newer then the Dell, is the apple of her geeky eye. And this will likely be true of the majority of PC users.

 

Perhaps the wrong choice of phrase? :D

 

Or is it? :tongue_smilie:

 

Bill

[WishboneDawn]

Perhaps the wrong choice of phrase? :D

 

Or is it? :tongue_smilie:

 

Bill

 

:D Oops...Bit of a slip there.

[WishboneDawn]

If it wasn't so expensive to replace my software, I would switch. I use Photoshop Professional version daily, and can't afford the 600 dollars to replace it.

 

I hate that I may be suggesting something that could turn someone to the dark side but...Have you ever tried GIMP? It's completely free and availible for Mac, Windows and Linux.

[Spy Car]

See today's timely thread:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=211369

 

Bill

[BikeBookBread]

Good to see you SpyCar!

 

to answer the OP, because they rock. And they don't break. And over the long run, it will last longer than a PC.

 

I have found that we didn't end up replacing any software that we had on our PC (except for MS Office for Mac...we got it seriously discounted via the government/military home purchase program). The software that came with our iMac was adequate for what we what to do. We're not huge media users, so the iMovie, iPhoto and Preview that came with our machine are completely adequate. You may find that iPhoto is enough...try it out and see. (is there a "pro" version of iPhoto that isn't as expensive as Pro Photoshop?) That may change in time, but for now they are fine.

 

ETA: I thought of something else: TIME MACHINE! This has saved my bacon several times. I'm sure there is a similar feature on a PC, but Time Machine is so easy to use. We didn't buy the external Mac drive. We just bought an Iomega 1 TB external from Tiger Direct for about $100.

Edited September 13, 2010 by BikeBookBread

[Spy Car]

Should we tell all of the people who don't like the cost of a Mac that they can get an educational discount as homeschoolers, or that the referbs come with a year of free Apple Care?

 

That, and link them to another of today's threads:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=211418

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

If it wasn't so expensive to replace my software, I would switch. I use Photoshop Professional version daily, and can't afford the 600 dollars to replace it.

 

Have you contacted Adobe? I believe they have an upgrade path for licensed users who change platforms.

 

Bill

[hsmom23]

I do understand the cost issue. We bought a mac laptop 10 years ago for me for college and I was skeptical.... it still works now, other than being beaten up by a job my husband had so that some of the ports dont work. Since then we have had to buy cheaper due to not being able to bring ourselves to spend the money. Both were Toshiba laptops, one with XP and one with Windows 7. If you cannot afford a Mac then I believe Toshiba is the next best thing. They are a little more expensive of a windows machine, but they are worth it. Last time we debated it for long while and I chose my Toshiba netbook. Though it works good and is good for a windows machince I regret it. Mac still rocks and I refuse to buy another computer until I can buy a mac. They are so much faster and run so much smoother. No waiting for anything, its just unexplainable unless you have used it. My old mac starts and runs faster than either of my windows machines and I dont like to use it because it makes me long for a new one:tongue_smilie:!