PC Vs MAC ?

[InfiniteMonkey]

I've been using macs and pc's in tandem for over 15 years now. In that time I can honestly say I've spent considerably more time repairing, maintaining, swearing, frustrating, crying and shouting at pc's than I have with macs. I'm a freelance designer by trade and consistently work for clients on both platforms. I don't know if there''s a word for it, call it ambidextrous if you will, but I'd say I'm about as comfortable working on PC's in Photoshop as I am on a Mac. At home I have a Dual processor G5 and a Custom built Dual Processor PC of equivalent spec. So, the question is, if I was asked to retouch an image, create a document, browse the internet, watch a film, download images, listen to / create music or edit video, which would I choose? The Mac. Hands down, every time. No questions, no arguments, no wavering, no hesitation. Why? The Mac just lets me get on with it. It's the ultimate creative tool. What Apple have done is create an environment where you don't have to think about what's powering the software. They've made it just, well, eiser to just BE creative. I know this sounds trite, but Macs just FEEL more intuitive. The OS is inherently more stable. Everything just seems to fit together. You can tell how much thought has gone into it. Everyhing Apple has done over the past fifteen years has driven the computer age forwards. No other company has come even close to being as innovative as Apple have. They haven't done it to make money, they've done it for the passion. They've made so many gambles in the past. Everyone thought they were crazy when they brought out the iMac. No floppy drive? Insane! They knew it was the right thing to do and they did it. The iPod. What were they thinking? a portable music device! who could have imagined it would have taken off. Apple have never been afraid of making the difficult choice and doing the right thing and have always, stayed focused on making the best products they can with the materials to hand. irrespective of cost. Take the change to intel. How many companies would make that gammble. They knew there future was on a different platform and they took it. When was the last time Microsoft did something momentous. The X-box? Rubbish. They saw how much money was being made in games consoles and bullied there way onto the market. they don't innovate, they emulate. Windows XP? please. Who are they kidding. "OK guys, what we need to do, is create an OS that looks exactly like OS X. Except make it blue. And move the close window buttons to the right of the windows.". "But Bill, won't they notice?". "Who cares, they'll buy whatever I tell them to. WooHaaaahaaahaa!!!!!".
Yes they're cheap and boy do they feel it. The competition is so fierce that everything goes to the lowest bidder. OK, they're cheaper, but where does the quality go. Apple insist on quality, which is why you pay the premium. Most people can live with that. I can't. On average I upgrade my PC's every six months. My Mac's I repace every three years. You do the math.

[viberantMind]

Have you noticed ...

On a Windows platform - almost everything is opposite the Mac. Just like * InfiniteMonkey* stated. Microsoft does not innovate, they emulate.

Mac, all desktop icons alight to the right - PC, moved theirs to the left.

Mac, task bar is on the top - PC, emulated but moved it to the bottom.

Mac, "close,maximize,minimize" are grouped on the left - PC, they put it on the right.

Mac, "close,maximize,minimize" are circles - PC, of course you know they made squares.

Mac, when scrolling, both "scroll up + scroll down" buttons are next to each other - PC, ungrouped them.

Mac, scroll bar is rounded - PC, is squared.

Mac, has trash - PC, has recycle bin (whatever that is).

Mac, calls it applications - PC, calls them programs.

**And have you seen Microsoft Windows Vista? Your new operating system will look so close to a Mac, you will forget you are on a PC, until of course it freezes or a popup from norton appears telling you, you have new definitions to download.**

Vista is the direct translation of a PC, trying to look like a Mac. Quite disgustingly really. Though Vista emulates Mac in looks, it never will in performance, will it? Oh well, you all will soon see. I have a copy of Vista so I know. It has its potential I will say, but its just a blatant copy of OS X.

One thing I do love about Microsoft though, is that they managed to create Office for Mac a much better and much more stable program for Macs, then it ever was for a PC. Kind of a shame though, how their program works better on our platform.

*Laughs* but seriously PCs have their glory moments too. I just don't know any!

[RL Design]

Originally Posted by Axleuk

For those of you that have made the switch from PC to Mac, how long did it take you to get to grips with the OS and know your way around the system and how well do you feel the Mac is supported in general ?

I understand that for certain areas the Mac is better suited ie: Graphics and the printing world, but does that alone warrant a switch ?

Questions:
1. I have always been fluent in both operating systems. My college education was strickly on Mac, my job in the industry was on a Mac. That being said, I have always had a PC at home, until I started my own business. I think Mac support is great! Ok... the operating system has had some issues and at times finding the software for my hardware can be a pain... But no one says WINDOWS is perfect either

2. Switching... humm, that's a good question. It is a costly switch, however Mac's are made for graphics and power. I think the switch should be made depending on comfort level. If you have a PC and like how things are working, then leave well enough alone.

The Mac vs. PC issue is a constant in our home. My husband loves PC (but has only worked with PC). I love my Mac. No crashes, no viruses, and I love the interface.

[InfiniteMonkey]

My girlfriend has been saving up to by a mac for ages, shes in publishing and her company have just switched over to PC's. She was FURIOUS! She was looking to buy one of the new Mac Minis. After a bit of investigation we agreed that with a monitor and keyboard and mouse it would just be too much. She was distraught. I had a quick chat with her about what she ACTUALLy needed the machine for and decided to use my initiative. I went online, straight onto ebay. Found a G3 450mhz Mac with a 20" Apple CRT Studio Display, with keyboard and mouse. I paid £50, and the guy delivered it the next day. The only thing it needed was an upgraded hard drive (for itunes), £35.00 and some more memory to run OSX another £60.00. For £145.00 she had a system that was more than capable of handling anything she wanted to throw at it. I think it's very easy to get carried away with how fast technology is developing and loose track of what we actually need the technology to do. This is what I love about Macs. They just let you get on with the business of being creative. I'm sure at some stage in the near future, especially as apple have now swapped over to the Intel chip, the upgrades will no longer be compatible with her system, but even then, she'll still be able to use and enjoy her system. This is what I find so funny, people are so obsessed with getting the newest, fastest, shiniest, most expensive that they lose sight of what they actually need it for. I was happy retouching images on my Quadra 950, it was only the fact that my clients were all using the latest software that forced me to upgrade. I blame the software companies. I used to love Illustrator. I spent the first 5 years of my working life designing with it exclusively. I knew it inside out and back again. Now, with CS2, it's so bloated with unnecessaryware that it's virtually unuseable. When will they learn...
Sorry, Rant over.... Breath tim, Breath...

[Stewart B]

I think XP works better if you have it on it's best perfomance setting (which also gets rid of the godawful XP Look)
I've had no trouble running photoshop in XP and would never go for a MAC

[drisley]

I've been running a PC for 10-20 hr days doing heavy graphics work, 3D work, and heavy gaming for a long time. Windows has not crashed (BSOD) on me since I started using Win2000 and WinXP, that's about 6 years now.

Not only that, I dont run any full time anti virus programs, and I've never had a virus either (and I'm a HEAVY surfer). I just run an online scan every now and then to be sure.

The key is that I use quality components, and I take the time to maintain my OS. I find that most people keep their OS in dreadful shape. You have to clean and maintain your car to keep it in good condition, and the same can be said for any OS/computer.

[Gary Richardson]

Hi drisley,

I advise and moderate on a number of security forums, and am constantly appalled at the cavalier attitude that people take with their computer's security.

Running even frequent online scans is no substitute for a firewall and an updated installed Anti-Virus. You need some "real time" defences to keep you even remotely secure.

The fact that so far you have remained apparently infection free is no indication that you will remain so.

Believe me, you do not want to get some of the nastier infections that are floating about on the internet (unless of course you don't mind your computer becoming an expensive paperweight), as the cleansing process can often be long and arduous (if possible at all in some cases).

You would be well advised to get some on board protection installed.

[PeteyB]

Anyone that is considering a switch to a Mac may find this article from InfoWorld helpful.

Others will also find some interesting tidbits here---such as,
• Apple's remarks about Microsoft's Vista design
• the type of servers used by the military
• and the current pricing of the new Mac Pro

http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/...Ebizmac_1.html

[chrishoggy]

Originally Posted by drisley

I've been running a PC for 10-20 hr days doing heavy graphics work, 3D work, and heavy gaming for a long time. Windows has not crashed (BSOD) on me since I started using Win2000 and WinXP, that's about 6 years now.

Not only that, I dont run any full time anti virus programs, and I've never had a virus either (and I'm a HEAVY surfer). I just run an online scan every now and then to be sure.

The key is that I use quality components, and I take the time to maintain my OS. I find that most people keep their OS in dreadful shape. You have to clean and maintain your car to keep it in good condition, and the same can be said for any OS/computer.

I would do as Gary said, before your system gets trashed. Online scans can be fooled in to giving a false clean report. All this time somebody could have been happily running through your system, doing all kinds of illegal things.

And advertising on a forum that you don't have anything installed, is another bad idea