Mac or PC
 

Personal laptop has died :mad: and I am not going to pay Lenovo another $300 to tell me that something is wrong again!

Having been a die hard PC fan, I am looking at converting over to a Mac. Most of my personal computer work is email, surfing the web, photos, design and video stuff and having tried a friend's mac I was impressed.

What is the forum's thoughts and what do you use?

Mac user myself. My first computer was a Mac, then converted to PC, now back to Mac. If you were impressed, then Mac is the answer.

And if you fly from T5, reserve one at PC World or Dixons and you won't pay the 15% VAT.

Be prepared though. You buy an Apple Laptop, next is an iPhone, then a Time Capsule, then a nice Apple screen, and before you know it, you're an addict.:D

http://blogs.computerworld.com/four_..._from_mac_os_x

http://chris.pirillo.com/50-reasons-...ples-mac-os-x/

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.ac...81474977680150

I went from being a PC guy to a Mac guy. Not regretted it for a minute.

The only slight problem is that the product I specialise in doesn't work too well on MacOS. However, I find that running Windows XP via Bootcamp is actually better than I've ever had it on a PC!

Cheers,
Rick

I went to Mac 2 years ago and have never looked back. Everything just seems to work. I added XP on to mine via bootcamp as well just in case there was anything that wouldn't run on OSX. I think I've used it twice in 2 years, I just get frustrated now with Windows.

If you know any students/teachers/anyone working in HE sector then the Apple educational discounts are good too.

Remember you can use Boot camp or Parallels for using yoiur curent applaicatiosn until you need to replace.

Mac laptops are haevy and hot, the Air is light but not reccomended.

In fact the only blip on the Mac horizon is taht the computers are not selling. The buisness is being driven by the iphone and ipod,in some ways the main business is back where it was pre-ipod

Heavy and hot? Not in my experience.

My Unibody Macbook runs very cool (never hear the fan) and is pretty light.

Cheers,
Rick

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/125)

Another PC to Mac guy. Still use PC at work.

Macs are for non-techies. Its usually plug in and go. Software installation is simple and less goes wrong compared to Windows. I suppose Mac builds the hardware and Opertating Systems hand in hand.
This is not the case with Windows and PCs.

For the techies, Macs are frustrating because there is limited ability to "fiddle around"

Another Mac fan. I grew up with Macs at home and school, and then switched to PCs at university. I replaced my university PC laptop with a Mac and I have been very happy. I love the way it comes with the software for photos and email.

However the laptop chargers are not robust enough and easily break. We've had two break (including one that had never even left the house) and have ended up buying an emergency spare. And they are not cheap to buy either. :mad:

But overall, it's a ^ for Mac from me.

Another PC -> Mac convert. I used to hate Mac users, they were so smug. I now understand what they were smug about. Reasons for me to keep being a Mac user
1) security. Macs are just so much easier to maintain, without constant threats from malware, viruses etc. I've actually accidentally visited sites containing malware, and never had a problem.
2) ease of use - although some things I find annoying (I still use a PC at work, so remembering the different key combinations for MS Office is a pain when switching between the two), generally, Macs just get on and do things. Instead of the annoying paper clip, I think Macs work out what you want to do, send you off to go drink coffee while they sort it for you.
3)sorting things out when things go wrong - the resources online are pretty good, and so far, I haven't had a problem I couldn't solve using them. I even managed to add in more memory to my Mac - something a non-geek like me wouldn't have considered, but the instructions were very clear (and started with 'place a towel on the ground' so at my level :D). I did have another FTer hold my hand through the operation!
4) aesthetically pleasing to use - so many of the basic programmes just seem a lot better than the MS equivalent. And now I have my first i-phone, phone and Mac fit together seemlessly!

One more Mac fan. But maybe the pro Mac brigade is always going to be more vocal in their loyalty out of perceived necessity?

For me the no brainer with with Mac is the manufacturer of hardware also makes the operating system software. For me that results in more seamless running of all applications and a distinct lack of need for third party plug-ins to add more functionality -- it's there already, out of the box as they say. But as per first para, I would say that! :cool:

Sounds like a Mac will be ideal if that's all you'd use it for as those seem to be its strengths.

We'll let this subject run on the BA forum for a few days before moving it on to Travel Technology.

Prospero
Moderator: BAEC forum

Do you travel a lot? That's my only reservation against my lovely Mac: it's heavy to lug around.

Work provide me with a 12" Compaq with Windows which is very light and perfectly usable, whilst at home I've become a Mac convert with laptop, wireless keyboard and mouse, cinema display, TV, phone, iPod... they really are that good.

For overnight personal trips I've landed on the a Dell Hackbook (but then I am geek enough to almost enjoy getting that to work).

As they say, 'Once you go Mac, you never go back'.

That is most certainly true.

Absolutely!

I went PC-Mac in 2007 after my previous laptop - an £1800 IBM Thinkpad - went back to IBM for repair one time too many in the first few years.

The industry I'm in is so Mac biased, people are almost religious about Macs, and their self-righteous smugness was what kept my from trying a Mac for so long. However, once I got one, after about a week I was seeing some benefit - after a month I knew I'd never go back.

Generally speaking, Macs just work. PCs always took me a hideous amount of time trying to get them to do what I wanted. Macs just do it, it's almost a bit boring in a way.

I am also a committed Mac fan, but will mention some of the potential disadvantages:

1. MacBooks are more expensive than PC laptops, though the gap narrows significantly if you compare with a PC laptop with all the same features (see the Which? report).

2. I highly recommend getting a 2 year extended warranty: all my PowerBooks and MacBooks have needed repair valued at more than the cost of a warranty, probably because I treat them roughly and they travel everywhere with me. (Being a cheapskate, I have found you can buy the extended warranty half price on US eBay!). Apple Store repairs are much faster than authorised repairers.

3. The current version of Microsoft Office for Mac does not support macros (they are promised for the next release). You either need to run the previous version of Office (easy if it is still installed), or use Office for Windows.

Your first sentence is 100% right on. Mac people seem to feel a constant need to proclaim their choice of computer to the world as if it mattered, prefacing every sentence with 'Macs just..' But don't Macs run on Intel stuff these days? Other than designing the trendy case that other people's parts fit into, do they really design any hardware anymore? I'm asking because I don't know. For the record I'm brand-agnostic (they don't care about me, so I see no reason to fall in love with a company). Just buy whatever is cheapest but sufficient for your tasks then throw it away when it's old. Windows laptops these days are so cheap as to be disposable, though a comparably equipped mac will cost more for reasons that escape me.

To articulate further the point made by nbevan, Macs generally require the user to have deeper pockets that PCs do - particularly when it comes to peripherals. Stuff like losing a power adaptor or cracking your screen can be eye-wateringly expensive compared to doing the same on a PC. And unlike PCs, you can't always wander down to PC World or Maplin and find a huge range of cheap components made by different suppliers; often you're stuck with the pricy Mac Shops and genuine Apple products.

Is it worth the extra? Yeah, of course - but you should bear it in mind that if economy computing is what you're about, go with a PC.

Timely thread - having been burgled last week, and now being laptop-less, need to decide whether it's a replacement Windows based machine, or splurge on a mac....

One thing that's putting me off is the relative cost of a mac - I generally buy an entry level ish (£450 or thereabouts) and then replace it every 2-3 years. From a cursory look at mac prices, it's going to be pretty much double that.

Might need to call on Dave_C's expertise...

Another PC to Mac convert... I switched in 2004, and have never regretted it.

When I take it away with me, there is no messing about to log onto the hotel wireless networks and the likes, just doe it all automatically. Wen I go back to the same hotels, I do not need to enter the passwords any more for he wireless, it has them stored and connects straight away.

Very fast, quick, easy to use. I have the entry level MacBook, and for £699 or whatever it was I paid when I upgraded last year, was well worth it. The standard spec is great.

As for it getting hot... it gets a little warm sometimes, but nothing to write home about...

I say go for it and you will discover a whole new world!

I would disagree with you on this KenJohn - there is plenty of opportunity to "fiddle around" with the Mac under the hood if you really want; it is Unix after all! You just need to be comfortable with the terminal. The power is there if you want it, need it & know how to control it(!) but as most people haven't got a clue about how to drive the 800-ton, 48-wheeled behemoth which is Unix, it's better that it remains safely hidden until such time that you may need it!

In my opinion, this is why the Mac is the best of both worlds for those of us who can "speak" Unix - fluffy, cuddly GUI when we're using the iLife suite of tools; hard-core command-line when we need to "get dirty" with the ability to install all manner of Unix packages! For example, all of my text processing is done by an installation of LaTeX and edited using TeXnicCenter; it produces beautiful, professional documents without the need for Pages, Office or even Neo/Open Office - steep learning curve, though ;)

Mac all the way.

I don't think you need to replace Macs as often as you do PCs though -that's one of their plusses. I have a GV, ordered on the day they launched, so it's pushing 6 or 7 years old... and I'm only now having to consider that it might be starting to get a bit old and tired and need replacement. Obviously that's a desktop, so I can't comment on the robustness of laptops...

I will add, Dave_C convinced me to buy a mac, so if you go to him, I know what you'll be buying ;) :cool:

Mac without a doubt (even if the wifi in the T5 lounges has occasionally not let mine log on!... although admittedly this was a fault on BAs side)

The Air is the one I try and carry with me... it is slower than the others but so portable, and the 17'' Mac Book Pro I tend to leave at home, or take with me only if I need to burn DVDs on the road or use film editing software etc.

When I get home, they connect beautifully to the 30'' HD monitor (which is a dream) and to the airport base station / time machine which handles any backups of changed files automatically, so the next time I leave the house I know if the laptops get nicked, everything is safe.

Yes, you'll keep on upgrading and spending money, but coming home with new Mac gear in its gorgeous packaging is like carrying haute couture :)

And therein lies the difference. Mac users enthuse. PC users advocate buying any old rubbish which works ;)

It is interesting, in a thread specifically asking which the OP should buy, no-one is championing the PC corner...

For my work laptop, i chose a Mac. If it was my money, i'd choose a PC.

Hello I would like to add my 2p to this.

I had a HP running XP, I would rebuild it every 3-6 months, starts very fast, then I would run all the SP's and Fixes, and it would be back to same slow boot up speed. Very very slow. It's a good processor but the HDD would spend all day loading.

After quite a bit of research I decided to try a Mac, I was a bit apprehensive because I still do development in Visual Studio, but as destere said, I've never looked back.

I bought the 17inch Unibody MacBook Pro in March this year, I agree that it's a lot of money for a laptop but I was just fed up with the troubleshooting and hacking I had to do with XP, i really don't have the time to do this any more, I needed something that works out of the box and the MBP fulfilled this.

I still need to run Windows Apps so I use VMWare Fusion, though Parallels is good and you can also get Sun's VirtualBox for FREE. In fact I have found that XP is more stable on VMWare!!!

Pros
- Good reliable hardware (so far)
- OS is very stable (with Snow Leopard on the horizon - more speed increases on their way)
- OS upgrade to only cost $29 (how much to upgrade XP/Vista etc..)
- User Interface so intuitive
- No known viruses/trojan horses to infect the mac (though there Trojan horses but that's through installing pirated software from BitTorrent)
- No need for Anti-virus/
- Can still run XP/Vista using Virtual Machines technology (VirtualBox, VMWare Fusion/Parallels/Bootcamp)
- At least 6-7 hours battery use for my MBP17
- in OSX extra software built in whereas in XP/Vista you have to buy
- Just one desktop version of MacOSX (none of this Vista Home, Light, Ultimate, Superduper..... and whatever they call it)

Cons
- Mac UK Keyboard slightly different, eg: @ in the different place but not a huge learning curve
- I'm having trouble connecting up a dual-screen setup at home
- Very expensive in comparison to a PC.

I'm very pro-Mac but my usual advice to most people is to look at what you want to do with the machine and then decide.

There are some specialist areas where PCs still command pretty much the whole software market and Mac representation is, at best, one of 'poor relations'. Accounts software springs to mind as one example. If it's mission-critical to you then you should consider this. Suggestions of Parallels or BootCamp are all well and good but both of these inflate the price as you have to purchase a copy of Windows - so you can wave goodbye to around GBP100 just for that. I also tend to think running Windows on a Mac does seem rather perverse - you'd be better off buying a cheap Windows box.

Generally, though, I've yet to meet a Mac user who does anything other than enthuse about their machine whereas all PC users tend to do is whinge about theirs.

Macs do generally last longer - my parents iMac lasted about 8 years before it was finally replaced with a Mac Mini a couple of years ago.

In terms of warranty I think AppleCare is pretty much essential for an iMac or laptop as if the screen fails this can be an expensive repair. If you purchase a laptop from John Lewis they do give 2 years warranty free of charge. You'll also get 4 BA miles per pound instead of 2 from the Apple Store (hey - this IS the BA board !).

As to the claim by KenJohn that most techies dislike Macs because they can't 'fiddle' this is not really true. I'm head of IT where I work and I much prefer Macs because they cause me far less hassle and they are far easier to fit into existing networks. The end users tend to like them as well so it's a win-win proposition. An XServe as a file server leaves a Windows box for dead both in terms of specification and value for money. I'm aware some IT 'professionals' look on Macs with disdain but it is usually ignorance and fear of the unknown when you get right down to it. They also want to protect their jobs by having systems that are hard to set up and administer.

I'm also not sure I 'buy' the argument about peripherals being more expensive. I can't think of anything to buy that isn't a generic item. Memory, USB and FireWire drives, screens, mouses, keyboards - you can buy a cheap one and just plug it in. But if you must go to PCWorld or Maplin then, really, you deserve to be ripped off...

BAH

Mac all day everyday!

anytime i use windows how i find it so slow, it just feels like going back in time!

mac is an addition once you get started!

once u go mac you never go back ;)

Apple needs to design the motherboard and the internals of their laptops so that other people's parts fit in there. Apple has even boasted about the internal design of their laptops. And the same goes for Mac Pro, which has stunning interiors compared to the hodgepodge of most PCs. Designing a sleek aluminium case and throwing standard components in is not enough as they would not fit in.

As for price difference between Macs and PCs - yes, you can buy a 15" PC laptop for a fraction of the price of a MacBook Pro. If screen size and, say, hard drive are the only things important to you, you're better of with a cheap PC. But if you want a PC with the exact same components of a Mac laptop, there will be no price advantage. In fact, comparable PC laptops can be more expensive! The most common misconception is to compare entry level PCs with Macs and conclude that PCs give you a better run for the money. In reality, you should be comparing the quality of the components, processor speed, amount of memory and hard drive space, etc.

But I also can't deny that a good design wouldn't be a factor... I would never buy a computer that comes with a zillion stickers glued on the case. :p

I love these adverts

Mac v PC Virus
Compilation of Ads

Another vote for Mac.

Now that you can run both operating systems and even at the same time using VMware or Parallels not to mention Sun's free virtual box, there is no reason to go for PC.

The OS is more stable and responsive and UI experience definitely better.

The only reason I ever boot up Windows is if I need to use a VB macro or run Visio or Project. Otherwise I prefer all the Mac apps. In fact if Apple implement a proper VB interpreter, their iWork suite is pretty good and much better than Office 2008 in terms of day to day ease of use.

Well, between the wife and I we have a macbook, an Air, 5 PC laptops (counting our work laptops), a mac mini, and a PC desktop. I use the macbook as my primary personal computer.

But, you know what? Once you have them set up, I just don't feel there is that much difference in useability between the two operating systems. However, while it may not be true that the mac offers less configuration flexibility, I do think it is probably the case that the PC requires more configuration. In other words, I think that a mac straight out of the box is more useable than a brand new PC.

One place where I think the mac stands out is in the hardware, which is well-designed and solidly-built. It definitely feels more finished than my laptops from HP, Toshiba, and Lenovo. That being said, I also have a Vaio P, which I think is the equal of the macbook in terms of design and build.

And, FWIW, I don't think the macbook Air is as bad of a machine as many would make it out to be. The wife loves hers. It has a nice screen, a good keyboard, battery life is decent, and the weight is right for travel. Another USB port would be nice, perhaps, but it hasn't been anything approaching a major issue so far. It has its limitations, but as long as you are okay with them (and the price), then I don't see any reason to shy away from it.

I'm sorry, but while it might look that way on the surface, believe me it is very much not the case!

Totally agree. Lots to play with under the hood which can keep BSD and Limux fans very happy. Apple have just made thier OS so good that for day to day work there is no need to touch anything.

Remember that OS X is actually a BSD based distribution. Many Linux and BSD tools will happily work on Mac.

unless you're unlucky like me, where both the laptops and the backing up equipment (Time Capsule) have been nicked!!!!! :mad: Now, I back up the Time Machine itself onto a hard drive and store it off site.

Luckily, this whole solution takes a fraction of time on Mac equipment, compared to the time consuming backup solution that are available for Windows.

It's definitely true that Macs last longer, and also last longer between reinstallations.

After a year or so, PCs tend to become horrendously overloaded, grinding and groaning on startup as 50 applications all start automatically loading and trying to download updates, bombarding the user with cascading dialog boxes, popups, security warnings, etc.

Macs are a lot more restrictive about what programmes are allowed to do - for most applications, to install them you stick them in your application folder, to uninstall them, you delete them. Easy. PC programmes have a nasty habit of leaving all sorts of traces in your system and not properly uninstalling, part of the reason why a Windows installation becomes unusable more quickly than a Mac one does.

A bit of digging will reveal this discussion carried out time and again in the Travel Technology section.

Again - depends on your application, what you're going to use and where you're going to use it.

(and yes - I manage a PC network and run a Mac Network at home - as I tend to play photographer I find the toolset more appropriate to that platform - like I said, different strokes for different folks.)

For those feeling unloved and technical, have a Mac and want to play with BSD, open up a terminal box and run some system level commands with sudo. That'll change your views.

It's program.

BAH