PC vs. Mac

[StephenT]

Within the next year I will need to purchase a new computer. I want to switch from using my desktop as my primary computer to a laptop, for more travelability (is that a word?). I have always used PC's, but all my kids have Macs and they have much less problems with them crashing and such.

What do you use, and why?

[constance]

I was surprised when I got my new iMac that it seemed almost as buggy as a PC. I think Macs are easier for newbies to get started and I like my Mac, but there are little things that the Windows operating system and apps let you do that I like too. So I have both. For example, I do a lot of writing and Word for the Mac doesn't have a shortcut key for starting a new page. That drives me crazy. When you are opening a file on a Windows app, you can get in there and change a filename or delete it, right inside the dialog box. You can't do that on a Mac (actually, PhotoShop for Mac lets you do that). I find the Mac laptops to be a bit heavy for traveling, so I use a really thin VAIO pc laptop.

On the other hand, Macs are easier for installing software and a little more fun. I like having both, as some of my software won't run on a Mac.

BTW, how do you start a new topic on this forum? I have a question I'd like to ask.

[StephenT]

Thanks Constance! I've gotta say that you haven't helped me much! You have both! :rolleyes:

To start a there's, just go to the main forum and at the top on the left is a button that says start a new thread, or something to that effect. Click on it and away you go!

[cindybidar]

I used to have a Mac, and I loved it. They are truly works of art. The interface is fabulous and makes the latest Windows offering look like 1992.

But there are some down sides. For me, the biggest drawback is the cost. I can get a pretty high end Windows laptop for less than $700, but the smallest, weakest Mac is over $1000. Macs also have limited software, and the latest and greatest is not often available for Macs. (This is getting better, though.) There is also a pretty steep learning curve for someone who is really used to PCs. And maybe the biggest problem for those of us in this group: Lynn's conference room does not play nice with Macs.

There are some really great things about Macs, too. The one I bought originally is still going strong, and it's nine years old. I gave it to a friend of mine who was a PC user, and he swears he will never go back to Windows. There are very few viruses made to target Macs, so virus protection is not a great concern. And since Macs are only made by Apple, all the internal stuff is compatible, so you will rarely run into a driver conflict.

I think you'd love a Mac once you got used to it, and it sounds like your kids would be able to help smooth out the learning curve, so what the heck? I say go for it.

[Baggs]

The reason I stick with PC's is because I have all the software I need in windows format and wouldnt want to have to purchase it all again.

Windows Vista is the one reason why I might consider swapping to a MAC - It is so much more unreliable that XP was.

[RichAvery]

Stephen,

I switched to an iMac at home in July and I switched to a MacBook for work and travel just over a year ago. My wife and kids are now true believers, so we won't go back to PC.

One nice feature for Macs is that you can run Windows if you need to. For some reason, like Cindy said, Lynn's webinars don't work for Macs, so I just participate in them by running Windows on my Mac. I've read that Macs even run Windows faster than PC's do. I just toggle back and forth between the Windows and the Mac operating systems as I need to. But really, the only thing I use Windows for is Lynn's webinar.

I may not fully understand what Constance was saying (so forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn)...but I've had no problem changing the names of files. I just find them in the "finder", then click once on the filename and it can be changed. Also, in Word, you hit "command N" to open a new document. If you want a new page, you just scroll down...but if you want to add a page break, you do have to go up to the "Insert" menu to insert a page break.

I'd encourage you to go to an Apple store and play around for an hour or two, and get your questions answered by a Genius (that's what their tech people are called).

Cindy is right in that Macs cost a little more up front, but remember that you are also getting the capability of running both operating systems (or even Linux, too if you want) on one beautiful machine. ;)

Have fun shopping!

Rich

[franknvegas]

Is it true that Satan invented Vista? I got a new Toshiba laptop a month ago with Vista Premium and I really suspect it was preloaded with a demon (Asmodeus I think). Thank God I kept my old Toshiba with XP. Still not enough to send me to the MAC store, though.

[StephenT]

Thanks everybody that has so far answered. I wonder, can a Mac that can run windows do all the things that say for PC only?

[RichAvery]

Stephen,

I believe you can run all PC software on a Mac that runs Windows. I use a software called "Parallels" which installs a virtual terminal on the Mac. Once I did that, then I installed Windows Vista (you can install XP if you prefer).

Whenever I need to use a PC, I just open up Parallels and it boots up Windows and it runs the same on my Mac just like it was on a PC. I can easily go back and forth between the Windows and PC OS, and I can share printers, share files, share the internet, etc.

I've heard that Macs use less energy to run, and are more efficient that Windows machines. The newest Mac OS upgrade, called Snow Leopard, uses less energy AND less disk space than its predecessor. I'm no expert, but it seems like, with Windows, the energy use and the disk use are always going up with each upgrade.

There are lots of reviews on the web...here's one I found:

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/sep/04/there-are-many-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-/living/

Rich

[LisaWood]

I was an avid windows user for many years, and I knew that operating system inside and out. I switched to a mac two years ago, and I will never go back. The mac WORKS. It doesn't crash, I don't need to restart it constantly, and the interface is very user friendly.

Like others here, I can run windows when I need to. There is a feature called "boot camp" on the mac that allows you to install windows on a separate partition, so you can start up your computer either in windows or in OSX. However, I don't use windows that way. I use VMWare Fusion (which is like Parallels) to start Windows through a virtual machine so I don't have to restart the computer. Sorry if this sounds like technical jargon. Bottom line, you can run both. I listen to Lynn's webinars in windows this way.

I'm on my third mac. My original macbook pro was just adopted by my daughter last month. She had had enough of her dell and fell in love with my mac. I gave it to her and got a 13" macbook pro, and I absolutely love it. It's light and portable and a total workhorse. I use my iMac as my primary computer for my business and love that too.

It's true that macs have a pretty high price tag, but that's largely because all the high-end components are already installed, so there's no need to upgrade. You can start with a base model Dell for around $400, but by the time you add enough memory to make the machine work well, a faster processor, graphics card etc., you're easily up over $1000. My son's Dell XPS cost $1500, the same price as my new macbook pro.

I'm definitely not a windows basher - we have both in my house, but I personally prefer to work on the mac.

Hope that helps :)

[StephenT]

Thanks Lisa! Man, I think I'm getting seasick with all my leaning one way and then the other!

[Lynn Terry]

Michelle MacPhearson recently switched from PC to Mac too. I'm not sure if she has any blog posts or reviews up on the switchover but you might do a search to see.

[StephenT]

Thanks Lynn, I will check it out! Not the comment I was hoping for from you however, since I know you just bought a new HP. Care to comment on your choice? :rolleyes:

[Lynn Terry]

Oh - I have all kinds of PC's in the house. I have 6 in my office right now including 2 desktops (both Dell), 2 laptops (one Dell and one HP) and 2 minis (one Acer and one HP). Well 7 if you include my mobile device which also has Windows and 3G access.

I think Macs are great for all the reasons stated - they run well, aren't susceptible to the usual viruses, etc. - but the primary reason to buy a Mac is for video & image editing capabilities. If you do any heavy video/photo editing work, Mac is definitely the way to go.

I don't, and so I'm not that interested in making the switch and learning a new system. But I do have my eye on getting a Macbook Pro sometime in the future. Just for fun.

[StephenT]

Thanks Lynn. I hope to do more video in the future so that is definitely one of my reasons for thinking of change. I wonder what Zack thinks since you said he did some work on Macs and is a designer. I know there are quite a few designers who like Macs for the same reasons you stated.

[Lynn Terry]

I do amateur web video stuff, which works fine on XP (not so great on Vista). My son is not a designer, but a coder (programmer). So he works mostly in text based applications or with databases. Both of us do very little with graphics or video outside of the basic stuff that a PC can easily handle.

[TraciKnoppe]

I voted PC, because that's what I have.

However, my recent post Mac vs PC: Which is Better? (http://genesisblogging.com/2009/09/mac-vs-pc-which-is-better/) offers my further thoughts on this. ;)

[StephenT]

Thanks Traci. I loved the article.

Everyone says the cost is the big difference, but I went online and looked at a good PC and then started customizing it so it equaled what the Mac has stock and it cost almost the same as the Mac, about $200 less. When you're talking that kind of money, $200 is nothing.

[ScottTousignant]

It's true what they say... Once you go Mac you never go back ;)

I bought a Macbook Pro a year ago when the new model came out. It's absolutely light as a feather so it's great for travel and it's really thin.

It was a hefty investment compared to my PC's but it's been well worth every penny for me. I was bringing my PC into the computer doc every other month even though it had great anti virus software and it was only two years old.

I still use my PC desktop for Lynn's webinars and some occasional work, but I spend 90% of my time on my Macbook Pro.

I was surprised at how easy it was to make the transition.

[StephenT]

Thanks Scott! I have four crashes in three years on my PC. My kids, who have Macs, have had none in the same time frame!

[ScottTousignant]

Stephen, I hope that you are backing up your information regularly. Do you have an external hard drive or any other back up system?

I haven't had a single issue with my Mac during since buying it 12 months ago.

[StephenT]

Oh Scott! You ask me the question i don't want to answer!! No, I don't have an external hard drive. I keep saying I will get one, but never seem to get there. I back up on disks and that is so tedious I can only make myself do it about once every three or four months! Hence, I have lost everything several times!

[ScottTousignant]

Oh boy! I've been there and learned the hard way. It took me a few times, but all those wasted hours and losing loads of content just crushed me.

Oh... the cool thing about Mac's is the Time Machine feature where it will back up your computer. I've still got an external hard drive to back up some of my really important stuff.

[Lynn Terry]

Stephen,

At the very least, get Mozy: http://www.clicknewz.com/1159/free-remote-backup/

You can get 2 gigs of automated backup FREE, or unlimited for only $4.95. I've had to do a total restore twice now and it works like a dream. Less than five bucks a month is great insurance on my data!

[StephenT]

I looked at mosey, but decided it was too much. The free 2 gigs was not enough for what I wanted and they said it was 4.95 per month plus .50 per gig. I figured it would cost a lttle over $300 per year. I could by a Really nice external hard drive for that. I just have to go get it? :D

[Lynn Terry]

That's for MozyPro - you can get MozyHome for 4.95/mo Unlimited storage.

If you go with an external hard drive, you have to remember to use it :) and you need to store it off site or at the very least in a fireproof safe. You also need duplicate copies for redundant backup, in case one drive fails on you.

The reason I use Mozy is because if my house burns down or blows away, I can go to Wal-Mart and pick up a cheap laptop... get a hotel room with wireless internet access, and restore my files - and be back in business in under an hour.

[RichAvery]

I agree with Scott - I LOVE the Time Machine. The back ups just run in the background a few times a day and I never have to think about them!

Stephen, the Mac does have an online service called MobileMe. I just did my annual renewal but can't recall the cost - maybe $79 a year. It provides online storage and access to your email, calendar, and address book. And it has a feature called "iDisk" where you can save/store any documents, photos, songs that you want.

[StephenT]

Thanks everybody! Lots to think about, but I do need to get my stuff backed up!

[StephenT]

That's for MozyPro - you can get MozyHome for 4.95/mo Unlimited storage.

In looking at Mozyhome, it says for non-commercial. Do we qualify as non-commercial? Are they talking brick and morter business as opposed to home based or what? I just don't want to suddenly get changed for $1000 of back fees or something. :eek:

[CoryZ]

I switched to Mac and then switched back to PC. The primary reason was frustration that everything required "major brain surgery" to fix. DVD died, lose computer for hours/days to fix. Hard drive dead? Lose computer for a couple of days.

In the corporate world, I was using PC laptops. Either problem was easily fixed because of modular components that just swapped out. Not by waiting days and pretending that was normal.

For me the software was fine, but paying more for frustration lost me as a customer.

[Lynn Terry]

Good question re: mozy, Stephen. I imagine they explain the difference somewhere on their website. To be honest, most of my commercial data is already on a web server. Even my future blog posts are already in draft in WordPress (over 500 at the moment, lol). We'll have to look into that - but I've been using it for awhile with no issues...