I can't believe I am considering this...

[TSE]

Okay, so last month I installed Windows XP SP3 on my MacBook Pro. Ever since then, I've used it almost 95% of the time, over Mac OS X. I honestly never use Mac OS X, except for web browsing and when I feel like listening to my iTunes music because my music library is too big for the Windows partition.

I am considering using Windows full time on my MacBook Pro. How crazy is that? The only thing that is holding me back is that Mac OS X gets a lot better wireless reception than Windows XP, but that's due to bad drivers, not Windows.

Mac OS X is great, but I am 16, so I like gaming a lot more than I do just browsing the web. Windows XP hasn't given me any problems, but at the same time... it feels pointless...

 

[jmann]

You should do what makes you the happiest, and what is the more productive OS for you.

 

[melchior]

You should do what makes you the happiest, and what is the more productive OS for you.

windows is definitely a lot more productive if you consider the precious seconds it takes to open WoW are adding up to a lifetime

 

[alphaod]

Windows a great OS; too bad there are too many manufacturers who can't make the right machines, so people end up having issues and blame Microsoft when it's not really their fault.

 

[Gav Mack]

If you like XP you'll fall head over heels with Windows 7, one of their best ever. All the goodies and eye candy of Vista with the stability and speed of XP, on dual core Macs with 2Gb + RAM it's quicker. It's got an optional wifi driver which has 300Mb N support and is at the very least on par as OSX. The only thing that still sucks is the power management/battery life because Apple haven't created thorough EFI utilities and drivers for Windows (and probably won't - why should they level the playing field?). Leopard gets booted far more than it should on my MBP simply to get SMC Fan Control to rev the fans up when I restart into Windows.

I've always been a fan of both systems, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. I'd always thought that Windows had always felt a step or two behind the Mac in most aspects but 7 has changed the ball game. Snow Leopard's got a hell of a lot to do to leap as far ahead again.

 

[Jabbamk1]

If you like XP you'll fall head over heels with Windows 7, one of their best ever. All the goodies and eye candy of Vista with the stability and speed of XP, on dual core Macs with 2Gb + RAM it's quicker. It's got an optional wifi driver which has 300Mb N support and is at the very least on par as OSX. The only thing that still sucks is the power management/battery life because Apple haven't created thorough EFI utilities and drivers for Windows (and probably won't - why should they level the playing field?). Leopard gets booted far more than it should on my MBP simply to get SMC Fan Control to rev the fans up when I restart into Windows.

I've always been a fan of both systems, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. I'd always thought that Windows had always felt a step or two behind the Mac in most aspects but 7 has changed the ball game. Snow Leopard's got a hell of a lot to do to leap as far ahead again.

Totally agree with this, both OS's have there advantages and disadvantages, i hate it when people claim one is better.

What i would recommend is buying a cheap windows desktop (with Windows 7) and using that most of the time but using the laptop when you need to. Thatway at home you can get more done and not worry about internet speeds and battery life that much.

 

[u49aa2]

I advise you to consider selling your MBP. You can use the money to get a PC with much better spec. Then install windows 7. If you do that i can assure you, you will be getting more value for your money.

*Just so no body thinks i am biased toward MS (I own two macs and they are my main machines ) *

 

[TSE]

I like Windows XP, mainly because I like the backwards compatibility and I like the classic UI. I don't like eyecandy on my OS, which is another reason why I am not liking the direction Apple is going.

I am actually considering just selling my MacBook Pro and getting a Wnidows laptop...

 

[Freyqq]

If you do go mainly windows, I'd still keep a small osx partition so that you can install firmware updates...or maybe just keep that partition on an external hd and make the main hd windows only.

I have a similar mbp, but the one issue I always have in vista/bootcamp is that it runs 2x hotter than osx. Is that also the case with xp?

 

[Gav Mack]

I like Windows XP, mainly because I like the backwards compatibility and I like the classic UI. I don't like eyecandy on my OS, which is another reason why I am not liking the direction Apple is going.

I am actually considering just selling my MacBook Pro and getting a Wnidows laptop...

If you use 7 Pro or Ultimate you can run a licenced copy of XP Pro free in a VM like Parallels does on a Mac. The eyecandy is inevitable and the UI which has stood since NT 4.0 nearly 15 years ago had to change one day. No doubt soon enough the UI tweaking community with programs such as Windowblinds will offer a classic desktop for 7.

XP's main and growing problem is security because it lacks the elevated privileges of UAC which Vista brought in (annoyingly, 7 is much improved). It protects the user against zero day exploit attacks (new and unpatched security holes) such as the nightmare Adobe Flash Player/Acrobat problem that's not going to be fixed till Friday. I shouldn't complain because I'm certainly going to get quite a bit of malware removal work out of it in the next few months. Attacks on OSX are far more rare and other flavours of Linux even less.

@Freyqq: It's the lack of Apple writing PM drivers/apps for Windows, with Vista and 7 supporting EFI it shouldn't be that difficult. Until then the only way to keep Windows cool is to run SMC Fan Control on Mac revving the fans up and restart into Windows. Once it's switched off the fan settings go..

 

[OutThere]

My MBP runs incredibly, palm-searingly hot in Windows XP, even with the fans cranked up, and gets hideous battery life (like 1 hour of browsing/MS Word). Reason enough for me to use OS X for the most part.

 

[pestbest]

I like Windows XP, mainly because I like the backwards compatibility and I like the classic UI. I don't like eyecandy on my OS, which is another reason why I am not liking the direction Apple is going.

I'm basically just like you. I use Windows for all my work mainly because i'm more familiar with it. There is a larger userbase so if you face a problem, chances are other's have that problem and can help solve it too. Just like you, I use Windows nearly all the time.

Also, Since I'm just 14, I like many games that can't be played on a mac. Windows has more games, software and others to use on it.

Also, Macs are more expensive and you can get cheaper but better hardware PCs.

I don't regret buying a Macbook but I don't think I'm going to buy Macs anytime in the near future. Both OS are great but you should just choose the one you prefer as it is probably the one your familiar and better with.