[firedguy]

i love the mac operating system, the standard programs that come with a mac and all that. i am considering buying a mac but have heard terrible things about apple's customer service. is all that true? is a mac worth the cost? secondly, is there anything negative about buying a mac, is there anything major that they are incapable of? thanks in advance!
-Firedguy

[hulkinator]

I'll bet this thread will get a lot of replies very quickly.

Windows and Mac each have their advantages. Windows machines are cheaper because there are many, many manufacturers of the hardware competing for sales, while Apple has not licensed the technology out to other companies, so they can maintain a higher price. That said, I've heard Apple hardware is pretty solid.

People generally like Apples for graphics and presentational things. Windows, however, has far more software (free and not free) available for it, and its hardware compatibility is better. If you were to go buy a random piece of hardware, chances are there will be a Windows driver, but your chances are slimmer that it is Mac-compatible.

I cannot speak for Apple's customer service. I've been a Windows user my whole life and haven't regretted it.

Justifying the cost is up to you. I like being able to get twice the hardware for my money with a Windows computer, but if you find things with Macs that can justify the cost- go right ahead!

[VegasACF]

Originally Posted by hulkinator

I'll bet this thread will get a lot of replies very quickly.

Prob'ly so. With any luck, most of the info given will be accurate, or at least won't be horribly inaccurate. That said, I feel the need to correct a few minor points here.

Originally Posted by hulkinator

Windows and Mac each have their advantages. Windows machines are cheaper because there are many, many manufacturers of the hardware competing for sales, while Apple has not licensed the technology out to other companies, so they can maintain a higher price. That said, I've heard Apple hardware is pretty solid.

Well said.

Originally Posted by hulkinator

People generally like Apples for graphics and presentational things.

Don't forget audio, music, and video (unless that's what you had in mind with "presentational things").

Originally Posted by hulkinator

Windows, however, has far more software (free and not free) available for it...

All Macs made in the past several years can natively run Windows. Provided you have a copy of Windows XP (or newer), you have access to everything available for Windows plus everything available for Mac.

There is a downside to having piles and piles of software out there, however: a lot of it is complete crap. For the most part, if it's made for the Mac it's going to be pretty good quality stuff.

Originally Posted by hulkinator

...and its hardware compatibility is better. If you were to go buy a random piece of hardware, chances are there will be a Windows driver, but your chances are slimmer that it is Mac-compatible.

I'm sure there is some piece of hardware out there that just cannot be made to work with the Mac OS. So, as above, just boot up Windows, and Bob's your uncle.

Originally Posted by hulkinator

I cannot speak for Apple's customer service. I've been a Windows user my whole life and haven't regretted it.

I have never had an issue with Apple's customer service, at any level. And I've been using Macs (and Windows machines) for over 25 years.

Originally Posted by hulkinator

Justifying the cost is up to you. I like being able to get twice the hardware for my money with a Windows computer, but if you find things with Macs that can justify the cost- go right ahead!

See above.

[VegasACF]

Just as an update, I found a piece of hardware with no Mac support--my Magellan Roadmate GPS device. No worries. Booted into Windows, downloaded the updater I sought, and was off and running.

[hulkinator]

All Macs made in the past several years can natively run Windows. Provided you have a copy of Windows XP (or newer), you have access to everything available for Windows plus everything available for Mac.

There is a downside to having piles and piles of software out there, however: a lot of it is complete crap. For the most part, if it's made for the Mac it's going to be pretty good quality stuff.

I totally forgot about that. Keep those points in mind, too! Especially the second one- most Mac software is pretty well-constructed so adding it to your system is unlikely to cause problems. With Windows, though, you have to be much more critical of what you install and must be ready to troubleshoot. Don't get me wrong, if you are careful you can have a very happy and stable Windows machine, but it takes more work than with Macs.

Also consider that Macs tend to be more secure. AFAIK (and correct me if I'm wrong, Vegas, you really seem to know your stuff ) it's not impossible to get a virus on an Apple, it's just that there's no point as a malware writer to find vulnerabilities in the OS with a rather small user base. Why infect 5% of the computers in the world when you can go for 95%? (estimated numbers used).

[VegasACF]

Originally Posted by hulkinator

I totally forgot about that. Keep those points in mind, too! Especially the second one- most Mac software is pretty well-constructed so adding it to your system is unlikely to cause problems. With Windows, though, you have to be much more critical of what you install and must be ready to troubleshoot. Don't get me wrong, if you are careful you can have a very happy and stable Windows machine, but it takes more work than with Macs.

I cannot disagree with any of this.

Originally Posted by hulkinator

Also consider that Macs tend to be more secure. AFAIK (and correct me if I'm wrong, Vegas, you really seem to know your stuff ) it's not impossible to get a virus on an Apple, it's just that there's no point as a malware writer to find vulnerabilities in the OS with a rather small user base. Why infect 5% of the computers in the world when you can go for 95%? (estimated numbers used).

No, it's not impossible. But it's fairly unlikely. Still, there are free antivirus programs available for the Mac OS, such as ClamXAV. A bigger danger is from malwares such as malicious macros for the Office suite of programs. Sorry for the alliteration in that last sentence.

[clavinova]

Hi, I am just back to Mac after 20 years of combat with windows. Bought a macbook laptop. Do you think I should download the Anti virus mentionned and would it slow the system? How should I maintain the laptop? I mean with Windows I used to CCleaner regularely, defragment etc...

[gatewaypc700]

Mac is the way foward if you are not a gamer. It has MS office, and it is the best OS for media etc. More and more games are being released on mac, but it is just not up to the standard of windows at this stage. Try windows 7, it has a very distinct mac feel and the beta can be downloaded for free off the MS website. Id go mac if I had the cash, but thats just me.
James

[exegete]

I have been using Macs since 1990, and customer support has always been good (when I need it, which is very seldom). I have gone to the Genius Bar twice in the last year. Superb experience. I wish that every shopping and customer service was that good.

I have been Microsoft-free for a year in terms of software, and have not had any problems.

[Rondiz]

I would much rather speak to someone in California and/or Texas then speaking to a Indian named Steve. (You know that's not his real name LoL)

[gatewaypc700]

I rang the "New Zealand" call center and they asked me if I was in Australia. LOL
(Microsoft)
Seriously, they would do better just to put an automated Microsoft Sam voice on the phone!
James

[peck1234]

Lets put it this way, my 1500 dollar pc eats up the most expensive Mac for breakfast...

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...ro?mco=MTE4MTU


Specs Below...


Really want a Mac? Buy a pc and put the {expletive deleted} operating system on it! Save your self 1000 bucks!

[Alkison]

"Really want a Mac? Buy a pc and put the operating system on it! Save your self 1000 bucks!"


The only time Windows can run OS X is by doing it illegally.
The reason is because there is no cross platform for windows like
there is for OS X. Like some hackintosh thing and if your willing
to take the chance of hurting your computer, then that's your choice.

I have work with mac as well for awhile and like the ease and flow
of its OS. The problem is I feel it is just too simple and I'm held back.
Also they are beautiful looking computer but I don't feel one gets their
moneys worth. Beauty V. Performance, I'll side with performance thanks.

[gatewaypc700]

Read the rules, you are not allowed to discuss illegal things on this forum.

Im pretty sure, however, that if you posses a license to use mac, you can install it by making use of a linux live disk and partition manager. I found a guide to do this, but it has since been removed from the net. This guide states that if you have a lisence you can do it. It did, however, get very hard to manage and included complex linux terminal commands. Only take it on if you know linux well!
James

[Alkison]

There is probably a legal way of doing and it is more on the difficult side and probably not worth the majority of people's time.