Should I get a Mac?

[carntheroos4eva]

I'm planning a new laptop purchase, as a longtime PC user, I actually like Windows, but I love the hardware of the Macs, should I get one, and just use Bootcamp in case I need Windows stuff, or should I just get a new Windows laptop?

Let me read your thoughts about this,

Thanks

It all depends what you want to do with it. If you were going to use it just for graphics and photos then go and get a mac if you were going to use it for school/work or for play I would get a one that has windows on it.

[doggiebs]

By the way, is it possible to use a Macbook just for windows, I mean delete the entire disc and just install windows?

Why would you want to do this, in that case why not just buy a windows based laptop?

[Quillz]

By the way, is it possible to use a Macbook just for windows, I mean delete the entire disc and just install windows?

Technically, yes, you can, but you shouldn't because you need Mac OS X to install EFI and firmware updates.

What you can do, though, is use the Boot Camp tool to make the Mac OS X partition as small as possible (I believe on Snow Leopard, you can take it down to just 9 GB or so.)

[Quillz]

Well, I have lots of licenses for Windows stuff that I can't live without, so maybe I will be safer to buy a Windows based PC.

Or you could buy a Mac and install Windows.

[Zachery]

I'm aware of how OSX works :P I just like windows management better. I've been using macs and pc's for as long as I can remember. I remember singing onto the WWW in the computer lab of my middle school in 95-96 on a mac with netscape navigator I think.

I own two macs, and multiple PCS. I use both OSX, Win7, and WinXP in my every day life.

[doggiebs]

Well, I have lots of licenses for Windows stuff that I can't live without, so maybe I will be safer to buy a Windows based PC.

If you get parallels desktop you can convert it virtual machine without losing anything, they supply the tools as part of the software.

[doggiebs]

I have three macs, a Powermac G5 a MacPro and a macbook - love them to bits. I run parallels desktop on the MacPro for windows - best of both worlds imo.

I have had several PCs in the past starting with a p166 and windows 95 upto P4 3.2 windows XP.

What annoys me the most with PCs is the need to upgrade them quite often, just to run the latest OS properly and the fact that you can buy a middle range PC for say £600 and in a year's time you would be lucky to get it £150 for it. I used to be heavily into unreal tournament with a clan and it costs fortune in hardware for a gamer, I remember spending about £1500 on a top spec PC that I built myself and in two years I was building a replacement PC and selling the old one for about £100, I personally do not understand why PCs lose their value so quickly, I know technology moves on fast, maybe it is because there are so many of them.

It is true that macs cost a bit more but you get more back when you sell it, my powermac is about 5 years old and is still worth about £350 and it runs leopard like a dream. also the operating system is cheaper to buy, you can get a 5 user family pack for less than one retail version windows xp home.

I would say unless you a hardcore gamer, get yourself a mac and Parallels Desktop and windows XP or Windows 7 (haven't used windows 7, not sure if it is any good) OEM.

[Loco.M]

if you have 2 grand to blow, get a mac

[dutchbb]

True, but my experience is that a lot of regular users are not working safe enough. If you know what you're doing, Windows is safe to use.

I don't really need window management that much myself, but if I do have a lot of windows open, there is a very handy button on the mac keyboard that will show all windows on one screen. I you then click on the dock application you need, it will show all windows for that app. Not sure if you know this but it's pretty nice. But it's just one example of the great window management in leopard snow. I guess every OS takes time to get used to. You can only make a conclusion after using it for at least a few months (with an open mind of course).

[Zachery]

Good web browsing pratices can keep you safe. I use windows, and i use IE8, before that IE7, and before that IE6. Now, in the last 9 or so years, I've had 1 legit virus in 2002, and it was not from my error, it was from another user error, mostly lettin them use my system. I do checks for malware and virus on my computers from time to time and I've been free for a long time now. I intend to continue using IE as my primary browser, and Windows as my primary OS.

If I had to nail down one thing I really dislike about OSX, is its window management. I know it has some neat features with expose but maybe i just never got used to them. I really like some of the windows 7 windows management stuff.

[dutchbb]

Well, I have lots of licenses for Windows stuff that I can't live without, so maybe I will be safer to buy a Windows based PC.

Actually you would be 'safer' if you bought a mac since it has practically zero virusses and spyware build for it on the web You can still use those Windows licenses since Windows can perfectly run on dual boot. But if you are like me, you will soon decide to take the step to mac apps and forget about Windows very quickly

By the way, is it possible to use a Macbook just for windows, I mean delete the entire disc and just install windows?

I don't think so. But it's really not needed anyway. First you can decide to boot to Windows, secondly you paid for OSX so you probably want to try it, and once you do chances are more than 50% that you will keep using it.

[Zachery]

By the way, is it possible to use a Macbook just for windows, I mean delete the entire disc and just install windows?

Not sure honestly, bootcamp would be your best option to have the best level of driver support. If you're going to buy mac hardware you might as well run OSX you paid for.

[wii]

By the way, is it possible to use a Macbook just for windows, I mean delete the entire disc and just install windows?

[Mike Anime]

with windows pc's you don't need hacks to run a lot of software that is made for windows only machines. the list includes but is not limited to games, IRC clients, browsers, the list goes on and on.

don' t get me wrong macs have their pluses like having fewer virises that can whipe your drive or worse.

i just love windows 7 is it so much faster than xp of vista could ever hope to be and at that i would suggest going with the 64 bit version. i run win 7 64 bit and talk about smokin speed when i boot up if i blink i would miss it.

[wii]

Well, I have lots of licenses for Windows stuff that I can't live without, so maybe I will be safer to buy a Windows based PC.