Should I get a Mac?

[kentaurus]

Maybe so, but it's still ironic as they're competing companies.

If that would be the case then Mac users wouldn't use Microsoft Office.. as they are competing companies. But I don't see people having any problem with that. Nowadays Microsoft and Apple doesn't seem to inspire the heated debate from years ago, even if Windows stills competes against MacOS and Zune competes against the iPod.. Windows seems to have more formidable competitors than MacOs to worry about

Oh.. following that logic nobody in Microsoft should use Google, as they are competing companies That makes sense to me, but I am really intrigued to know if everybody inside Microsoft uses Bing

[Jerz]

There's nothing ironic about running Windows on Macintosh hardware. Microsoft sells software to run on hardware, any hardware, whether it's made by Apple or Dell.

Maybe so, but it's still ironic as they're competing companies.

[Sergio68]

Correct, if you want a Unix like OS that is friendly like windows get a Mac

[Quillz]

Have you guys heard of Linux? It runs on most anything and these days it's really quite cool. There is also the benefit of being free, rarely crashes or issues with viruses. You can also lock your wife / girlfriend out

Have you heard of CP/M? It runs on ancient hardware from the 1970s and these days it's really quite useless. It also doesn't have the benefit of being free, but hey, it probably doesn't crash or get viruses anymore because it's completely obsolete.

Seriously, though, Linux has been stuck in a perpetual state of "not quite ready for the desktop" for years now. Fair or not, Linux will not see mainstream appeal until it works just like Windows. (I don't agree with that perspective, but that's how it is.)

[kentaurus]

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

I have been a PC user for several months, barely touching a Mac when a friend had one and I played with it a little, often disliking the thing and having trouble to do the most simple task (like renaming a file, resizing a window, or even opening a program). It is ... different.

A couple months ago, in a project I had the requirement of developing everything on a Mac and using some Apple technology (WebObjects, mainly). I could have gone the way around and installed everything in a Windows computer and then hope it worked in the Mac, instead I took the MacBook PRO and forced myself into using that thing for two months. Again, the most simple things like resizing a window and doing cut-paste on a file were major trouble.

However, as the time went by, I got used to that thing... and right now, I am seriously considering buying one Mac for personal use at home. It turned out that after I went by the "how do I use this thing" stage everything works.. actually, everthing works. I haven't had a hardware failure, the applications are simple and do what they should do, it rarely crashes, the battery on the laptop can last up to 4 hours, it has good resolution for playing videos .. actually, I think I have spent a lot less time tweaking, configuring and fixing things that I did with, say, Linux. I spend more time working and less time dealing with random OS issues.

In fact, when I went back to a PC I was missing several things, I got used to the taskbar in MacOs, the multitouch pad is addictive and the keys felt more natural. The network in my Mac just worked without any horrible configuration screen between, plus the bluettooth was nice. The time capsule works really well and the MobileMe is also great. It's like using a highly polished product .. it does the same thing as a pc but you start to notice the little details and the fact that everything is already there after you use the mac for a while. It is difficult to describe, it just "feels" good using that thing. But I don't think is for everybody, if I haven't been forced to use a Mac for two months most probably I'd be bashing that and recommending a PC instead. You need to give that a chance and figure out if it's for you. The more problems you have had with a PC the more you will appreciate a Mac, I guess.

[Wayne Luke]

I thought Intel made them.

Can't get more generic than Intel motherboards.

[Sergio68]

Linux crashes? What was the movie?

[socceronly]

Apple makes the logic/mother board, but most of the other hardware is generic pc these das.

I thought Intel made them.

[spiderweb]

Fedora was one of the betters ones. It still didn't do what I needed it to do, though. But it was the most stable of all the distros I've tried.

Really?? Debian is by far my preference for server use. I only went to Fedora on my desktop because they had drivers for intels newest crap. The main draw back to Linux is the driver support mainly video. If you have really new hardware you'll need to play around to get it working right but 3 months old and it should all work out of the box.

[Ryan Ashbrook]

Take your thumb off the alt button when installing. It works much better

I've had great luck with most flavours of debian though I'm using fedora at the moment.

Fedora was one of the betters ones. It still didn't do what I needed it to do, though. But it was the most stable of all the distros I've tried.

[spiderweb]

Every Linux distro I've used has crashed or didn't work properly. Mostly because I was trying to install the things I needed to use Linux as a workstation rather than just a testing box.

Take your thumb off the alt button when installing. It works much better

I've had great luck with most flavours of debian though I'm using fedora at the moment.

[Ryan Ashbrook]

Have you guys heard of Linux? It runs on most anything and these days it's really quite cool. There is also the benefit of being free, rarely crashes or issues with viruses. You can also lock your wife / girlfriend out

Every Linux distro I've used has crashed or didn't work properly. Mostly because I was trying to install the things I needed to use Linux as a workstation rather than just a testing box.

Linux is far better for servers than it is for everyday use workstations.

I use Windows because I can pretty much do what I want on it. Simple as that.

If I had the money, I'd have both a PC and a Mac. They both have their perks, and I just can't settle for one.

[spiderweb]

Have you guys heard of Linux? It runs on most anything and these days it's really quite cool. There is also the benefit of being free, rarely crashes or issues with viruses. You can also lock your wife / girlfriend out

[Zachery]

Apple makes the logic/mother board, but most of the other hardware is generic pc these das.

[socceronly]

I think the other really funny thing about people buying macs and really liking them is this.... They almost never buy a PC, and a few weeks later buy a Mac.

They are upgrading from a PC that is years old. If you bought ANYTHING four years later and spent the kind of money it's going to be waaaaaay better.

The last person I had this conversation with was comparing todays macs to her Win 95 computer she bout in 1993.

Yeah, no kidding it's better.