Mac vs PC

[mani]

Thanks, Minka.. I only just found your reply and I do appreciate it.

As it turns out, I had a really major and unexpected expense, so my old computer has to do me for a while yet.  However that does give me time to do all my homework!

 

[night wing]

Mani,

You might be able up upgrade your old computer and it won't cost you that much. I have a 9 year old desktop computer, bought in May of 2003, which was running Windows XP 32-bit with a 60 gigabyte 7200 RPM hard drive and 1 GB of memory. It was running very slow and I thought it was dead because it would take 25 minutes to load and 15 minutes to shut off. It was sitting on the floor since I bought a new computer 2 years ago and the old computer was just taking up space. BTW, my newer desktop computer runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit with 16 GB of memory and two, 1 TB hard drives. It's a fast machine. Now, back to the old computer. 

Long story short. My neighbor reformatted the old hard drive and it loaded in 2 minutes and shut off in 15 seconds. I was a happy camper again with XP. Then, he got the idea of putting Windows 7 Ultimate on the old computer since this version of Windows is 32 bit just like XP is. He reformatted the old drive again and put Windows 7 Ultimate on it. It ran fine, which surprised me because the old computer still only had 1 GB of memory, but the 60 GB hard drive was just too small in space. He found two, refurbished Seagate 160 GB 7200 RPM hard drives on eBay for a total of $66 ($33 each). He installed both of them in my old computer and the old computer liked the new OS and the two hard drives. The second hard drive is my internal backup since it takes a mirror image of the C drive computer on the first of every month. The only problem I had, my original sound card, which worked with XP, wouldn't work with Windows 7 Ultimate. My neighbor found a Rocketfish sound card on eBay which would work with Windows 7 Ultimate and my old motherboard. He put the new sound card in and with the new audio driver, I had sound again. The Rocketfish sound card cost $10. So for a total of $76, I have a backup old/new Windows 7 Ultimate computer.

I plan on running my old computer until the motherboard fries for some reason. Then I'll still have my newer super beast Windows 7 Home Premium computer. I did this because when Microsoft comes out with the Windows 8 operating system, I think Windows 8 is going to be as well received as Vista was and I thought Vista was a bust. I don't like the Metro setup in Windows 8. This reminds me of a glorified phone application in looks and feel which I don't want in a desktop pc. I figure by the time my two Windows 7 computers are obsolete, the Windows 12 operating system, or whatever MS calls it, will be out many years down the road.   

BTW, I run the free version of Avast for my antivirus and use the free Comodo Firewall with Defense Plus (+) for my firewall. The Defense Plus in the Comodo firewall is a glorified HIPPS program so it's a layered security setup. In oher words, what Avast might miss, Comodo Firewall won't and vice versa.

 

[mani]

Good advice, Night Wing, and I agree that Windows 8 is likely to be very iffy.

 

[aeevr]

I do a lot of programming and prefer mac - in fact I'll go so far as to say I DESPISE windows. It's opacity is just unbearable and it is the opacity that makes it so vulnerable to attack - for instance, it is so hard to tell what is running and where files are downloaded on windows.

No matter what computer you buy, you should keep in mind that hard drives die at around 5 years old (very loose average/estimation). Buy a back up disk and back up at least once a week or overnight after you have been updating important docs.

All apple products I have purchased have been VERY reliable. My 2005 iBook and iPod still work - of course I have had to change out the hard drives. My iPhone is still going strong fine after 2.5 years.

My 2010 macbook also good.

Apple care is a rip-off - don't get it. BUT, you have a year after purchase to get it if you think you need it.

Macs have bootcamp, which enables you (very easily) to partition your hard drive and install windows so you can still use windows if you want it on your mac. 

All that being said I like cheap and eco-friendly solutions. In your case that would be upgrading what you have as previously suggested. DO NOT UPGRADE WITHOUT BACKING UP YOUR DATA!!!!!

When I switch to a new OS I like to partition the HD with the old OS on one partition and the new OS on the other partition. Then, if I have problems with the new one, I can switch to the old OS to get work done (or whatever) and figure out what's wrong with the new one in a pressure-free way.

 

[bigperm20]

I do a lot of programming and prefer mac - in fact I'll go so far as to say I DESPISE windows. It's opacity is just unbearable and it is the opacity that makes it so vulnerable to attack - for instance, it is so hard to tell what is running and where files are downloaded on windows.   No matter what computer you buy, you should keep in mind that hard drives die at around 5 years old (very loose average/estimation). Buy a back up disk and back up at least once a week or overnight after you have been updating important docs.   All apple products I have purchased have been VERY reliable. My 2005 iBook and iPod still work - of course I have had to change out the hard drives. My iPhone is still going strong fine after 2.5 years. My 2010 macbook also good.   Apple care is a rip-off - don't get it. BUT, you have a year after purchase to get it if you think you need it.   Macs have bootcamp, which enables you (very easily) to partition your hard drive and install windows so you can still use windows if you want it on your mac.    All that being said I like cheap and eco-friendly solutions. In your case that would be upgrading what you have as previously suggested. DO NOT UPGRADE WITHOUT BACKING UP YOUR DATA!!!!! When I switch to a new OS I like to partition the HD with the old OS on one partition and the new OS on the other partition. Then, if I have problems with the new one, I can switch to the old OS to get work done (or whatever) and figure out what's wrong with the new one in a pressure-free way.

I agree w/ everything this person says except the main issue at hand... I hate Mac. Well, hate is a strong word but I do love my Windows 7 Ultimate Laptop. It's a true "fanboy" conversation and everyone is entitled to their opinion. I also agree totally with the person who griped about their IPod. Apple's DRM policy is nuts, and trying to use ITunes is terrible as well! That is truly awful software.

I can tell you, from my brother's experience Mac laptops suck. My brother didn't know anything about computers and 5 years ago he decided to take the plunge and buy one. I was shopping for a new laptop at the time as well. He bought a 1200 dollar mac book, I bought a 750 dollar XP based laptop. In less than a year and a half his laptop's power supply had fried everything inside the unit beyond repair of course (no extended Warranty). My much cheaper PC lasted until 2011 when I accidentally dropped it and I decided to replace rather than fix. It worked perfectly until then and the only thing broken was the LCD. I had lugged that computer all over hell and back and it had never given any issues. My brothers Mac had never left his house.

When his Mac broke in 2006 he replaced it with a 1500 dollar MacBook Pro. I know b/c I bought it w/ my cc on Amazon for his Xmas present and my Dad paid me back. That included an extended warranty. He has always been super-paranoid with that thing now and he won't let anyone else use it, won't watch streaming video b/c he says it gets too hot, still won't take it anywhere, etc. A month after the warranty ran out the plastic that holds the screen into the lid started cracking. It's barely holding on by a thread at this point.

If I were you I would spend a lot less money on a new windows 7 PC. I did have a couple of malware issues with the XP computer but I have had ZERO virus issues with my windows 7 computer. I just keep my AVG up to date and I'm golden. The great thing about it is everything is simpler and easier to find. It's as if they designed it with a simplicity in mind.

Hope this helps.

 

[mani]

Thank you aeevr and bigperm20... This is all invaluable advice to sift through!

 

[minka]

Responding to Aeevr as well, Apple products do tend to be Very reliable, however, I would Strongly recommend buying a warranty, no matter what brand/type you buy. I work at radioshack and have seen the same senario Over and Over: "My ____ is broken, what do I do!?" 'Did you buy a warranty?' "No.." 'You'll have to pay to get it repaired then' "WHAT?!"
I've also found that the older Macs are much more reliable than the new ones. Laptops older than... 2007 seem to keep going and going and going...

 

[cat person]

Let me start out, by, saying this: I HATE Windows as an OS.

But, my career, is based off of computers. So, needless to say, I spend a lot of time on/working with/helping people with, any number of, Windows, Operating Systems (OS).

My main issues, with Windows, as an OS, are as follows:

1) It gets "viruses".

2) It cost money, as it is, not free source, like Linux.

3) I do not think, it is REALLY, that, easy for people to use. I think, that, people just use Windows first/more/often/only, hence, they are much familiar with it. So, it just seems easier for them. But, I feel if, people/children, are exposed to other operating systems, they,  might feel differently.

4) It has a lot of "useless" updates/changes, which, in my experience, just confuses people.

5) When a person, buys, a new computer, they do not get a "hard disk".

6) Some of them, have, poorly manufactured hardware.

Good points, of, Windows, as an OS, are as follows:

1) It is common.

2) It is cheap/comes with most home computers.

3) Is easy to fix, in, some cases.

4) Has many "good anti-virus" software options.

I much prefer, Mac over PC, the main reasons, are, as follows:

1) Not prone to "viruses", at least, not now/yet.

2) Has better hardware, in general.

3) Is much more, "user friendly", once, the user, is familiar with, the operating system.

The only two, "downsides", I can find, regarding Mac, are as follows:

1) It is very costly, for, the average person. Even more so, when, compared to PC.

2) It is NOT easy, for, the average person to fix, unless, they are familiar with MAC.

My

, are, what is stated above, It is not fact, just, my personal opinion!

Lastly, for what it is worth, I have two laptops, one PC, and they all run Linux. So, I guess, for an OS, I would pick Linux

.

 

[catspaw66]

My friend is the Art Director for an advertising company in Miami and uses Macs exclusively. 

 

[mrblanche]

Something in the area of 50% of all the new viruses have been for Apple products over the last couple of years.  Just sayin'.

If you think Windows is opaque, try dealing with Apple.  Man, what a self-serving little nation-state of dictator bots.  Got an app you like on your ipod?  If the Apple people suddenly take a wild hare, they will ban it from being used.  It's happened to some great apps, such as the best wifi finder on the web.  They essentially killed the little company that made the app, and with no reason given no matter how much anyone asked.  And they aren't above stealing software code from others, even though they are death on anybody that they think has done it to them.
 

 

[fleakilled]

PC. Why? Because Apple/Mac products are completely too expensive for the lack of hardware inside. Why would I spend 1200 bucks on a macbook if I can spend 1200 dolalrs building a custom PC that is 10 times better? Their products are cool yes, but thats just it, they just look cool. A lot of people just buy macs because of their looks and don't know anything about whats inside.

 

[subconsciousme]

Whoa. This thread is insane to read. Everyone has their own experiences which justify what they buy. These experiences range from keyboard preferences to cost to what you use at work and school.

That being said, I own a Mac. I have had it for almost 2 years. Going incredibly strong. I have 3 year Apple Care and am extremely glad I purchased it as less than a month ago it went to the Genius workshop and the logic board had to be replaced. Thankfully, I have Apple Care and it was 100% free -- otherwise it would have cost $603.10

In my experiences, PCs are not-reliable. But that is my experience. For me, Mac works for my needs. It starts up quickly, I don't have to worry about viruses (I am aware they do exist on Mac but it has not been an issue for me yet). When I switched from Mac to PC--I did not have any issues with the contents of my old Mac being switched over and my PC was probably bout 10 years old. I have the Office Suite, I have Adobe CS5 and every file I have ever received from a PC has opened on my Mac with the exception of a .wmv (Windows Media File) which is easily converted to a MP3.

Why did I switch to Mac? My cats, when they were kittens, tore the entire middle portion of my keyboard off of my PC laptop. It cost more to replace my keyboard ($600) and I would have to buy a new laptop anyway and transfer the contents as well. I liked to layout of the MacBook keyboard and the fact it does not have lips under the keys.

You buy what works for you, what meets your needs, and what you can afford. End of story.

 

[mrblanche]

I hate Apple's app tyrany.  I have an ipod, and it just drives me crazy for them to remove apps without even informing me, if they have some sort of falling out with the app designer.

I read recently that something like 70% of all new viruses in the last couple years have been for Apple products.

I have a PC laptop that is something over 7 years old, and it works fine.  I have a long string of PC desktops that I have been passing to my brother, and many of those are approaching 10 years old.  When they die, they can be thrown out and easily replaced.
 

 

[catspaw66]

I have a PC laptop that is something over 7 years old, and it works fine.  I have a long string of PC desktops that I have been passing to my brother, and many of those are approaching 10 years old.  When they die, they can be thrown out and easily replaced.
 

The one I am using now is one he found in the alley.  The oldest one I have is upstairs and is set up to run DOS games from 1994 onward

 

[mani]

I've just revisited this after starting the thread... I didn't realise people were still posting, and it's all interesting.

I had to put buying a new computer on hold.. a friend worked on my current one and it's going really well at the moment, it doesn't seem to matter (yet) that I'm still on XP, and I had a lot of expenses.  And, in the meantime I've had a really good rethink.

I've bought my last two computers from a little local store full of geeks who make it up exactly as I want it.  That's obviously not going to happen with a Mac.

And, mrblanche, I really take on board what you're saying about the politics of Apple.  I've been really against the way microsoft works, but, when it comes down to it, they're all rogues.  And the virus issue... I've actually never had a problem.  I buy Kaspersky and it's pretty good.

So I'm starting to come back to the PC idea.. fleakilled's argument is a good one... I can get a very good custom made PC for less than any Mac.

But don't let that stop the debate!