is this a bad time to buy my first mac?

[generik]

If you want/need a computer, like the look of OS X, go for it. You have nothing to loose - if the hardware is fatly, Apple will replace it. If you don’t like OS X, install Windows and use that. It's all good in the land of Intel Mac.

It is not very fair to mislead a new switcher, in fact there has been many cases where the user receivers a Mac *new*, send it back for repairs inside of a week, and have it come back with dings and scratches. Not a great way to start your switchover don't you think?

MacOS is generally about as secure as WindowsXP set up correctly, heck my XP box didn't take a huge amount of time to set up (setup account as LUA, switch to Firefox basically) and it is basically as robust as my Mini.

Hell, in fact I'd go out on a limb here and say that I actually do prefer the XP solution, solely for the fact that because I demand greater flexibility in configuring my system Apple reckons that I am a "pro", worthy of slightly more options accorded to me, if I pay the price.

That's utterly asinine.

Anyway, for those who are after two sides of the argument rather than just a bunch of ravings from a bunch of koolaid intoxicated fanbois, hop over to here. I've read it a while back, and yeah, I can certainly understand perfectly the reasons why one would switch, to Linux even.

As to the other poster who could only say LOL to my suggestion of Ubuntu, here is one for you. With the latest point release (10.4.7) for Apple, seems like I get corrupted display issues when scrolling fast in Camino.

MacOS is problem free? LOL.

 

[generik]

I thought it meant both cat and hat?

It depends on intonation

 

[dpaanlka]

Your post speaks for yourself.

Your complete ignorance of my point speaks for itself...

No manufacturer had a product line of 100% perfect products. Apples today are no worse in quality than Apples of the past. They are only much more powerful, have better features, and are wrapped in even better looking cases. The amount of cases of failing MacBook Pros is still just a fraction of MacBook Pros in circulation. You act as if every single MacBook Pro owner is suffering from extreme problems, when that is simply not the case. There are plenty of one-line posts on MR saying "my MacBook Pro is just fine" - but they are just ignored, by people like you.

If you believe Dell and Ubuntu are the best hardware and OS choice, I don't understand why you are on a Mac forum.

No, again, as my posts clearly state, Macs historically are not problem free. That doesn't mean everyone should just dump Mac OS X for Linux running on a butt-ugly Dell. I seriously doubt that is going to solve most users' problems. Sacraficing usefullnes, software support, ease of use, and elegance soley for stability is not a good path to lead switchers down.

The best argument you can come up with is that we're all kool-aid drinkers. I think it is you that is drinking something, but not kool-aid.

 

[generik]

Your complete ignorance of my point speaks for itself...

No manufacturer had a product line of 100% perfect products. Apples today are no worse in quality than Apples of the past. They are only much more powerful, have better features, and are wrapped in even better looking cases. The amount of cases of failing MacBook Pros is still just a fraction of MacBook Pros in circulation. You act as if every single MacBook Pro owner is suffering from extreme problems, when that is simply not the case. There are plenty of one-line posts on MR saying "my MacBook Pro is just fine" - but they are just ignored, by people like you.

If you believe Dell and Ubuntu are the best hardware and OS choice, I don't understand why you are on a Mac forum.

Hey, don't get my wrong. At the right time I will switch more of my PCs over to MacOS too. I've certainly bought more than my fair share of shareware and commercial titles for the platform as well, so it is not like I am just some hapless Windows user here advocating the merits of Linux.

Why I name Dell and Ubuntu? Well it is simple, quite frankly speaking the problems these new Macs, or should I say PCs, are exhibiting are really quite disgraceful. How hard is it to build a PC? The industry has been doing it for almost 2 decades now. Why is Apple's having so many problems?

For every 8 whingers you probably only find 1-2 who would come onto the record and declare that his machine is fine, but hey, let's put it this way again. If you happen end up with a whining machine worth whinging about, you are basically SOL. Apple will take it back, scratch it up, and tell you it is normal.

Is that acceptable?

For a machine that costs significantly more than the competition? And yes, it costs significantly more. All the lame fanboi attempts of debunking the myth has sadly.. been debunked themselves. So... for all that extras we pay we can't even get peace of mind behind our purchases?

Sorry, doesn't cut it. Likewise as I said, even if said user is not too proficient with funny OSes like Linux, Windows XP set up right will be pretty much be as secure as MacOS. What good are virii and spyware if... they can't even install themselves into your machine?

It takes a bit more effort when you are installing applications, and installers on Windows XP just isn't as slick as the ones we get on MacOS, but overall in my honest opinion, the caveats and baggage that using a Mac entails might actually make it worthwhile.

In conclusion, Mac = damned no brainer, secure and easy to use without even having to think about it, not very flexible though. PC = cheap, high quality if you are willing to pay the price, and likewise if you are willing to do the legwork, pretty secure too.

 

[Cross]

I am waiting to see whhat the next releases are toting. Personally I would hate to buy an intel mac only to have the 64chips come out after that is why I never bought an Alum G4 I was waiting for the G5 and kept my Ti book 867.

I will just wait and see what happens at the expo and go from there. I still think though I will jjust upgrade to an Alum and go from there when the 64 chips come out in laptops finally.

 

[codo]

It is not very fair to mislead a new switcher, in fact there has been many cases where the user receivers a Mac *new*, send it back for repairs inside of a week, and have it come back with dings and scratches. Not a great way to start your switchover don't you think?

<snip>

No idea if you got all of that from my post - But if you did, you certainly read into it far too much.

I've had no such problems. I'm not here to try and explain every possible "what if" concerning a new purchase, I'm here to make comments based on my experience.

My experiences with Apple have been problem free thus I can make such a recommendation. You on the other hand may be using your own experience but clearly in combination with a relatively small number of posts from the internet to justify putting off a potential customer based on what is most likely a small sample of dissatisfied customers in comparison to the millions that buy Macs - What’s the point? You can’t seriously claim that you believe every Macintosh will probably develop a fault or the risk is any lower with any other manufacturer. Do a search for issues with Dells, no doubt you will find thousands of pissed customers. Stop being so negative, you’ll live longer.

I use OS X and Windows daily, they both work problem free. I have "beef" with people that sit on a high horse saying "OS X is teh best!11!one" and the same regarding Windows. It’s a computer, to complete tasks, both do that. It’s all good.

So, back to my original comment. If you like the look of OS X, go for it, you have nothing to loose, as you can use it as a perfectly good Windows machine. If not, go for a Windows laptop.

 

[generik]

I use OS X and Windows daily, they both work problem free. I have "beef" with people that sit on a high horse saying "OS X is teh best!11!one" and the same regarding Windows. It’s a computer, to complete tasks, both do that. It’s all good.

Alright, this really does tells me that we are really on the same footing here, nothing worse than biased opinions. But back on topic, ultimately it really depends on what you need it for, and when you need it. Buy what you need, and if you can wait, all the merrier.

 

[codo]

Ultimately it really depends on what you need it for, and when you need it. Buy what you need, and if you can wait, all the merrier.

Absolutely, couldn’t agree more.

 

[tristan]

I have a troll here on my ignore list - won't mention any names.

Anyway, to answer the question - it's a good time, but not a great time.

Reasons its a good time to buy a mac:
- New Intel Architecture
- Reasonably priced
- Great machines

Reasons its a bad time to buy a new mac:
- New Core 2 Duo CPUs on the way
- New OSX on the way
- Some important apps aren't universal yet (Office, Adobe)

So I think this fall would be the best time to buy a Mac - but now's a pretty good time too. Right before and right after the Intel CPU switch was the only bad time IMO because it was hard to tell what the new machines would be like and what the quality and performance would be. At this point, the performance is well established, and the quality is improving every day.

 

[dpaanlka]

In conclusion, Mac = damned no brainer, secure and easy to use without even having to think about it, not very flexible though. PC = cheap, high quality if you are willing to pay the price, and likewise if you are willing to do the legwork, pretty secure too.

This thread is starting to confuse me. I was tossing OS X and Windows XP on the same side versus Ubuntu.

I'm curious as to how Ubuntu could be a seriously considerable alternative to Windows XP or Mac OS X for an average user.

Also, the fact that you have to (as you put it) do so much configuring and what not to make Windows XP secure and reliable turns me off. Why should this have to be necessary. And how come I have never seen a Windows PC in real life that is so secure and stable. I always hear rumors that they exist, but never encountered one.

I have a troll here on my ignore list - won't mention any names.

You probably shouldn't reveal that.

 

[codo]

This thread is starting to confuse me. I was tossing OS X and Windows XP on the same side versus Ubuntu.

I'm curious as to how Ubuntu could be a seriously considerable alternative to Windows XP or Mac OS X for an average user.

I'm with you at the moment. I'm not highly technical, but I'm savvy if that makes any sense.

I've tried Ubuntu a few times, and I just can’t get comftorble with it. The actual OS its self is quick, easy to use and not that ugly. However, some basic jobs that can be done in Windows or OS X quickly just take that bit more effort in Ubuntu, so it’s almost “why bother?” No built in support for licensed formats such as .mp3 and installing applications is a bit of a hassle compared to OS X and Windows.

Sort those things out, and I wouldn’t be so sceptical.

 

[tristan]

I think you're feeding a troll - the original question was good: "is now a good time to buy a Mac", and its been answered pretty well. Debating OSX vs Ubuntu is a waste. If anyone's seriously considering Ubuntu, go find an Ubuntu board and ask questions there. Then ask your Mac questions here, and then make up your own mind.

 

[Eidorian]

I'm with you at the moment. I'm not highly technical, but I'm savvy if that makes any sense.

I've tried Ubuntu a few times, and I just can’t get comftorble with it. The actual OS its self is quick, easy to use and not that ugly. However, some basic jobs that can be done in Windows or OS X quickly just take that bit more effort in Ubuntu, so it’s almost “why bother?” No built in support for licensed formats such as .mp3 and installing applications is a bit of a hassle compared to OS X and Windows.

Sort those things out, and I wouldn’t be so sceptical.

The first thing I do is get EasyUbuntu. I don't see any way to use the OS otherwise.

 

[dpaanlka]

I think you're feeding a troll - the original question was good: "is now a good time to buy a Mac", and its been answered pretty well. Debating OSX vs Ubuntu is a waste. If anyone's seriously considering Ubuntu, go find an Ubuntu board and ask questions there. Then ask your Mac questions here, and then make up your own mind.

I don't believe anybody here is really trolling... since, as you said, the original question was already answered, I don't think debating Ubuntu vs Mac OS X is a waste. I want to hear what reasons these Ubuntu people have for chosing it over OS X.

Why are you so insistant that we all stop talking? Unsubscribe from the thread if we're making too much noise.

 

[tristan]

Well - partly because nobody's who's interested in Ubuntu will ever find this thread due to its name and location!

 

[dpaanlka]

Well - partly because nobody's who's interested in Ubuntu will ever find this thread due to its name and location!

So?

The two or three of us talking in here know where it is. That's all thats important.

 

[Magnus Reftel]

I realy would like to but a Mac, but I guess i'll wait 6 more months, or more, until things calm down, and the company get in tracks again...

I think you should wait a little while, but only indirectly because of the Intel switch.
A rule of thumb that is common among Mac users is that you should stay away from revision A Macs, and since all Intel Macs are rev. A (and the last PPC ones are bound to swtich within a few months and by definition replaced by rev. A models), there are practically no options left that aren't either rev. A or the last of their kinds.
That said, I don't think you should wait some set amount of time before switching. Pick a model (just ask yourself "home or pro" and "desktop or portable" and you know which one ;-) ), and then wait until there's a rev. B of that model.
OTOH, you could make the jump right now. Both my Cube and MacBook are rev. A, and I'm happy with both =)

 

[GFLPraxis]

I was wondering...
since Apple changed to intel, i head nothing but problems.
Mac Intels are out for how long now? 6 months or more, right?
there's almost none software running native on the intel , except for a few wich i realy dont care about. ( i use photoshop 100% of the time)
Changing a processor is a huge step, and the softwares are facing a hard time running on intel.
Even so, intel is about to reselase the new 64bit processors.

Don't you think that we should await for the 64bits era? I mean, we are living in a transition age. Apple is now seting lower prices for theirs computers in an effort to gain market share. this move will completely change the market cos now ordinary consumers can buy a Mac easily.
maybe Apple will lose it's "magic", and just become another brand, intead of the "out of the box" brand power.

For the first time ever we see apple using integrated graphics, running windows, having a lot of build quality issues and so on...
what can we expect now?
I realy would like to but a Mac, but I guess i'll wait 6 more months, or more, until things calm down, and the company get in tracks again...

It's a great time. You'll have the Intel processors as companies switch over and be on the forefront of the transition. Just don't buy a PowerPC

You might want to wait one month though- WWDC is next month. Apple tends to release new products at WWDC.

 

[dpaanlka]

Geez, I'm sure glad there hasn't been too much of this happening to Apple: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/07/09/business/dell.php

 

[4God]

is this a bad time to buy my first mac?

Uummm......*looks at watch*......I would say NOW is a great time
to buy.

 

[CNU182]

Computing is serious business apparently...haha


well i'm new to macs, but i recently had one of the yellow macbooks. pushed alittle bit and got a brand new one within about a weeks time.

no problems thusfar...and i've found plenty of applications to replace the duties of my windows apps. (thanks in large part to mr!) and my macbook stock is quite quick. IMO go for it!

no complaints..not trying to start any wars.

 

[gallagb]

the original post- asked about 'waiting for 64 bit'...etc

depending on the situation u are currently in w/ whatever computer u have & $$ u have....

buying an intel mac- (macbook, intel imac...etc)
is a good idea right now

although- some will argue the first rev of a machine is always a bit funky-
and to wait for a REV B
no one knows when that will happen-

if that 'll be next week, next month, or in 8 months-

so again- depends on ur situation

if you need a computer NOW
yes then apples are in great condition & great shape - but are all 'new'

if you wanna wait for the 2nd round of the intel machines & can wait for a few months- i'd say wait-

depends on u, your $, your time...etc

 

[keithbennis]

I have no useful insight on the decision, since everyones already stated what I would have said... but I just bought my new iMac a week ago and am very pleased with it thus far.

 

[pedro nicoli]

I guess my biggest problem is where i live....hehehe
I live in Brazil, and apple computers are realy expensive and rares.
i'ts impossible to just walk into a store and see all apple machines...
here in my city there's 3 apple authorized sellers, but none of them keeps computers for costumers "see". that's why i never had actual contact with the macbook...hehehe

If it was easy to trade, replace an apple product, i would have got one a long time ago. the fastest replace would take at least 30 days.
I realy like the macbook. I could get a windows notebook that fullfils all my needs, but, after seeing the macbook, all other notebooks looks very ugly. and...they don't run OS X..ehehe

anyway...i'll wait a bit more until WWDC....and hope for a Macbook Rev B.

 

[Collin973]

I think it's a rather decent time to buy from apple. Yea, you hear about a lot of problems, but I honestly don't think the people that have good machines come on and talk about them. Sure, you see the people that compain because the want to talk about it and fix the problems, but people with good machines can only bost about how they have no problems and I dont think people want to hear that. There are definitely a fare share of machines that are fine that no one is complaining about. Even though some models have issues, the general quality and superior technology apple offers beats most competetors by miles.

--Just my thoughts--