Are Mac's Worth It?
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From: Kansas
I've used Macs for 20+ years now. The first being an old IIcx. The reason being I'm a graphic artist. I'm sure there are PC machines out today that are capable of running the programs I require on a day to day basis just as well as my Mac. Don't know. Don't care. I'll stick with my Macs. I've never had one fail me in that 20+ years. I maintain 6 Macs at work. And when I say maintain, what I mean is, I load the software, extra ram and turn them on. All are Mac Pros, except for one G5 and one iMac. The iMac runs our FTP software. That iMac has run nonstop for close to 3 years. The only time I shut it down was to replace the battery in the back-UPS box.
Here's a paragraph I read recently that I think applies here:
"Mac devotees are legendarily vocal about their preferred machine, but the lion's share of personal computers are nonetheless operating the Windows OS, developed by Microsoft and running machines sold by everyone from Dell and IBM to Abel's Computer Stable and Laundromat. The good news is that a diversity of hardware manufacturers means lots of choices for buyers. The bad news is that with so many companies in the mix and none of them working hand-in-hand with Microsoft, there's a lot of diversity in quality."
If I knew anything at all about PCs I'm sure I could build a machine just as stable as these Macs. I'm also sure it would take a ton of my time to research and more than likely the same amount of money to build one as reliable.
Did I hear that Microsoft is now scrapping the Vista operating system?
I know they tried to install new computers (PCs) in the front office, here at work, and had to run two different operating systems because Vista didn't play well with the networking?
Here's a paragraph I read recently that I think applies here:
"Mac devotees are legendarily vocal about their preferred machine, but the lion's share of personal computers are nonetheless operating the Windows OS, developed by Microsoft and running machines sold by everyone from Dell and IBM to Abel's Computer Stable and Laundromat. The good news is that a diversity of hardware manufacturers means lots of choices for buyers. The bad news is that with so many companies in the mix and none of them working hand-in-hand with Microsoft, there's a lot of diversity in quality."
If I knew anything at all about PCs I'm sure I could build a machine just as stable as these Macs. I'm also sure it would take a ton of my time to research and more than likely the same amount of money to build one as reliable.
Did I hear that Microsoft is now scrapping the Vista operating system?
I know they tried to install new computers (PCs) in the front office, here at work, and had to run two different operating systems because Vista didn't play well with the networking?
Last edited by mxracer49; Feb 23, 2009 at 11:34 AM.
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From: Graham TX
This guy pretty much sums it up. I have a 6 year old Ibook G4 that outperfomrs my buddies brand new $2900 sony. I have no beef with PC's but ive had MACs for about 8 years and have never had any problems beside replacing a battery in my latop after 4 yrs. Never have had any viruses, i had anti virus stuff on my first one and never bought it for my new powerbook. I have owned 3 Dell laptops and sold all three after months of having them. I started with cheap laptops and then ended up with a 2000 dollar dell laptop that got more viruses then ive ever seen. I will never buy another computer.
You can run anything you want on an apple, but you cant with a PC, why bother?
You can run anything you want on an apple, but you cant with a PC, why bother?
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From: Blue Ridge Mountains, GA
My 2 year old civic is worth more than most of the trucks on this board. 
Having said that, I'm looking at getting another L. They are getting cheaper by the minute. The N.A. 5.4 in the newer trucks just don't have enough power for me. Hence the Civic Si. Accelerates and handles superbly. Maybe one day Ford will build a car like that, if they survive.
Having said that, I'm looking at getting another L. They are getting cheaper by the minute. The N.A. 5.4 in the newer trucks just don't have enough power for me. Hence the Civic Si. Accelerates and handles superbly. Maybe one day Ford will build a car like that, if they survive.
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From: Hammer Lane
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From: Gilbert, AZ
******* it lets do this.
Continued in next post.
IMO, there is no comparison; I'd rather have an 8 year old G4 than the newest PC. I've been using Macs for 11+ years, have never installed any anti-virus software, and have never had a single virus or spyware problem. I've also never had a hardware or software failure. I haven't had to replace the motherboard, I haven't had it overheat, I haven't had any of the negative experiences that every friend I have that owns a PC has suffered through. No BSOD, either. The only problem I had was 5 or more years ago when a Garmin GPS unit I had could only be updated with a PC because they didn't offer any updates on Mac-compatible software. That has since changed, and in fact I haven't had any issues with compatible software since. Besides, the new Macs can run Windows on them without suffering the loss of speed you did with Virtual PC, the software I had to install in order to update my Garmin on my old Mac G4. My current G5 is going to be 4 years old this year, and it's still faster than most of my friends newer PC's.
The reason you've never had any problems with viruses or malware on your Mac is because NOBODY cares about them. They make up like 8% of the market share or something ridiculous like that. What person making a virus would waste their time on 1/12 of the entire computer market. The other reason is that Mac users don't have anything valuable to steal or damage in the first place anyways, nobody uses OSX for server applications either which is where the most lucrative hacking occurs. Also all these issues like replacing motherboards (wtf?), overheating, BSOD's and being slow are 99% of the time user error. And forget bootcamp it's still ridiculously incompatible. I mean really, Apple is a company that has built its entire user base around the fact that its users can't do simple things like turn their computers on. So Macs are usally marketed to people that are completely computer illiterate. Also there's no way in hell your four year old G5 is faster than current computers. Look at its specs. 2GHz APPLE dual core? It's 90nm for christs sake. Nobody even makes those anymore. And 1MB L2 cache? 512MB 533MHz DDR2? A 6600LE?!?!?! This stuff is ANCIENT.
You could get an excellent Mac that would satisfy your needs for 1/10th of the cost you listed, even less if you're willing to install some of the hardware yourself. If you want to do a fair cost comparison, go to the Dell website and see what it would cost for a comparable computer there. 4 times out of 5, the Dell will cost more.
That's not a fair cost comparison... if he's looking at this caliber of a computer he can obviously build it himself. It's not that hard. I already demonstrated in a previous post he could have a PC with the same exact specs for $14,000 less. That's FOURTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. That's the biggest ripoff I've ever seen in my life. But fine, I'll play your game. So lets start off with the best iMac. 24" monitor, 3.0GHz Cored 2 Duo, 2GB DDR2, 500GB Hard Drive, and an 8800GS video card. It costs $2,199.00. Link. Lets look at the Dell. Even though I would never buy one. 24" monitor upgrade, the same 3.0GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR2, 500GB Hard Drive, and it has dual 9800GT's for SLI which is WAY better than the 8800GS. It costs $1,439.00. Link. In fact, if you look at every single mac there, you can customize something similar on the Dell website and it's always cheaper.
The best thing about Macs, IMO, is the OS. It tends to be 3 to 4 years ahead of Windows. I love reading posts that people make on my website about the "trick new features" the next Windows OS will have, that have been on Macs for 4 years or more. This happens with every new release of Windows.
Hey I know one feature I have that you don't.
PLAYING REAL VIDEO GAMES. End of story.
The reason you've never had any problems with viruses or malware on your Mac is because NOBODY cares about them. They make up like 8% of the market share or something ridiculous like that. What person making a virus would waste their time on 1/12 of the entire computer market. The other reason is that Mac users don't have anything valuable to steal or damage in the first place anyways, nobody uses OSX for server applications either which is where the most lucrative hacking occurs. Also all these issues like replacing motherboards (wtf?), overheating, BSOD's and being slow are 99% of the time user error. And forget bootcamp it's still ridiculously incompatible. I mean really, Apple is a company that has built its entire user base around the fact that its users can't do simple things like turn their computers on. So Macs are usally marketed to people that are completely computer illiterate. Also there's no way in hell your four year old G5 is faster than current computers. Look at its specs. 2GHz APPLE dual core? It's 90nm for christs sake. Nobody even makes those anymore. And 1MB L2 cache? 512MB 533MHz DDR2? A 6600LE?!?!?! This stuff is ANCIENT.
You could get an excellent Mac that would satisfy your needs for 1/10th of the cost you listed, even less if you're willing to install some of the hardware yourself. If you want to do a fair cost comparison, go to the Dell website and see what it would cost for a comparable computer there. 4 times out of 5, the Dell will cost more.
That's not a fair cost comparison... if he's looking at this caliber of a computer he can obviously build it himself. It's not that hard. I already demonstrated in a previous post he could have a PC with the same exact specs for $14,000 less. That's FOURTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. That's the biggest ripoff I've ever seen in my life. But fine, I'll play your game. So lets start off with the best iMac. 24" monitor, 3.0GHz Cored 2 Duo, 2GB DDR2, 500GB Hard Drive, and an 8800GS video card. It costs $2,199.00. Link. Lets look at the Dell. Even though I would never buy one. 24" monitor upgrade, the same 3.0GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR2, 500GB Hard Drive, and it has dual 9800GT's for SLI which is WAY better than the 8800GS. It costs $1,439.00. Link. In fact, if you look at every single mac there, you can customize something similar on the Dell website and it's always cheaper.
The best thing about Macs, IMO, is the OS. It tends to be 3 to 4 years ahead of Windows. I love reading posts that people make on my website about the "trick new features" the next Windows OS will have, that have been on Macs for 4 years or more. This happens with every new release of Windows.
Hey I know one feature I have that you don't.
PLAYING REAL VIDEO GAMES. End of story.
Last edited by Arca_ex; Feb 23, 2009 at 03:17 PM.
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From: Gilbert, AZ
I am not a computer gamer, and for years have been told that if you are a gamer, you'll be happier with a PC, although I do have two friends that have switched to a Mac in the past year that say that is no longer true. I can't offer an opinion either way regarding Macs and games. They are outstanding when it comes to movies, pictures, and manipulating them both.
Tell your friends that solitaire isn't a real video game. Any good games that are out I pretty much guarantee Macs can't play them. Also, nobody in the big leages really use Macs. Look at Pixar or Disney, they use PC's.
There is something to be said about a computer where the same company that designed the hardware also designed the software. Buying a PC is like buying a new Ford with a Kia engine, a Hyundai tranny, and a Fiat brake system; It should work, but won't be as reliable as buying a Ford built with Ford components.
This is also the reason they can completely price gouge you and get away with it. But anyways, you're wrong about the hardware and software. Macs use Intel processors. Intel processors were NOT designed by Apple in any way, shape or form. Last time I checked they also didn't invent DDR2, and they sure as hell don't build nVidia graphics cards, or pretty much any other of the hardware components inside of a Mac. The only thing they manufacture are iPods, peripherals and cases. That's pretty much it.
In the end, it's really user preference. Windows users are often more comfortable with Windows, usually because they have little to no experience with a Mac, and will overlook the shortcomings. Usually. In all fairness, though, I've never actually met a person that switched from PC's to Mac's and later regretted it. I've read such stories online, but you can usually spot enough flaws in their story to discover they are full of it. I'm not saying they don't exist, but I've never met one.
I was forced to use a Mac for two weeks. I hated every second of it. Yes I know how to use OSX but it's RIDICULOUS how it wants to do EVERYTHING for you. And you should meet my Grandma. She switched from PC to Mac and she resents the thing.
Tell your friends that solitaire isn't a real video game. Any good games that are out I pretty much guarantee Macs can't play them. Also, nobody in the big leages really use Macs. Look at Pixar or Disney, they use PC's.
There is something to be said about a computer where the same company that designed the hardware also designed the software. Buying a PC is like buying a new Ford with a Kia engine, a Hyundai tranny, and a Fiat brake system; It should work, but won't be as reliable as buying a Ford built with Ford components.
This is also the reason they can completely price gouge you and get away with it. But anyways, you're wrong about the hardware and software. Macs use Intel processors. Intel processors were NOT designed by Apple in any way, shape or form. Last time I checked they also didn't invent DDR2, and they sure as hell don't build nVidia graphics cards, or pretty much any other of the hardware components inside of a Mac. The only thing they manufacture are iPods, peripherals and cases. That's pretty much it.
In the end, it's really user preference. Windows users are often more comfortable with Windows, usually because they have little to no experience with a Mac, and will overlook the shortcomings. Usually. In all fairness, though, I've never actually met a person that switched from PC's to Mac's and later regretted it. I've read such stories online, but you can usually spot enough flaws in their story to discover they are full of it. I'm not saying they don't exist, but I've never met one.
I was forced to use a Mac for two weeks. I hated every second of it. Yes I know how to use OSX but it's RIDICULOUS how it wants to do EVERYTHING for you. And you should meet my Grandma. She switched from PC to Mac and she resents the thing.
Last edited by Arca_ex; Feb 23, 2009 at 03:17 PM.
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From: Kansas
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From: Gilbert, AZ
I actually know the guy that made the short film of the old man playing chess against himself at the beginning of A Bug's Life, so don't tell me what I know.
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From: Motor City
Awesome posts Arca... I don't have the energy today to get into this awesome PC-Mac pissing contest.
What really makes me LOL is that even though Jobs dumped money into they didn't use Apple hardware...
Originally Posted by mxracer49
The part about Pixar and Disney not using Macs for creating CGI made me lol.
Are you aware who used to own Pixar before Disney bought them?
Are you aware who used to own Pixar before Disney bought them?
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From: Kansas
So you stand by your statement that Pixar doesn't use Macintosh?
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From: Kansas
LOL what computers do you think they use for the front end art? I'm not talking about servers. I'm talking about the desktop systems that run programs like Renderman.
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From: Buffalo NY
I like where this thread is going.
