pros and cons of macs?

[bill4588]

I really want a mac for college and my mom's cool with it too, but my dad needs to know why a mac is better than a PC (just so u know I'm getting a laptop). His main question for me is "If macs are as good as you say they are, then why do all offices and workplaces use PC's?" Another is "Why would a mac be better for you than a PC?" And another is "Can you do everything on a mac that you can do on a PC?"

 

[mad jew]

Your question is as broad as your dad is adventurous. What will you be using the Mac for? For most students, Macs are brilliant because they run Office apps seamlessly, but without the hassle of the instability of Windows.

Macs will not slow down over time to the same extent as a PC. Macs will not need virus protection. I'd say these are the two biggest reasons for a student to switch. For a more comprehensive summary of the differences between OSX and Windows XP (the operating systems only, not the hardware), read what is probably my favourite site.

 

[Blackheart]

1) Macintosh computers don't get viruses or spyware.
2) Businesses don't switch because it costs too much money. Imagine having 1,000+ computers in your company and you decide you want to switch to Mac. Not only are you buying new computers, but you also (in many cases) need to repurchase software. (Oh, and I'm the system admin at a university newspaper... we have around 35 Macintosh client machines and about 4 servers. No Windows machines.)
3) Well... it can't run Windows. Depending on how you look at it, this isn't necessarily a downfall.

and above all...

If you want to use a Macintosh, why shouldn't you be able to? If someone would rather ride a unicycle to school instead of a bicycle, should they be disallowed just because most people don't ride unicycles? Use what you feel more comfortable with.

 

[kretzy]

"If macs are as good as you say they are, then why do all offices and workplaces use PC's?"

Because Macs are generally more expensive. Offices/workplaces will often need a LOT of computers so they go for the cheaper option - usually Dell.

Another is "Why would a mac be better for you than a PC?"

Because they are more stable, more reliable, no viruses/spyware, last longer and most importantly have OS X, which really makes the whole experience.

"Can you do everything on a mac that you can do on a PC?"

Pretty much, there is usually a Mac alternative 9 times out of 10. If you really, really need something that will only run on Windows then VPC will usually suffice.

My dad was the same when I wanted to get my PB. So I sat him down and showed him all the details/specs on the Apple website. I then gave him the big OS X speech, including Macs are more compatible than 10 years ago. Now that he's seen me using my PB, he is pretty close to buying an iMac for the family.

 

[bill4588]

im gonna use my mac for classes but also for web browsing, downloading music, watching videos, etc. He's wondering how easy a mac is to work with. i guess he's just skeptical because macs aren't as popular as PC's.

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

Take him to an Apple store and let him use OS X - that might sway his mind.

 

[mad jew]

Well, OSX cannot get viruses. OSX is extremely intuitive. I agree with Plymouthbreezer, take him to a store and show him how it works.

 

[cycocelica]

my dad was the same way before I went to college. I just kept telling him all these great things about Macs and OSX. Eventually we both got to the Apple Store and I showed him I could do anything that a PC can do but faster and safer. He bought my PowerBook G4 and now he wants to buy the whole family iMacs.

 

[kretzy]

im gonna use my mac for classes but also for web browsing, downloading music, watching videos, etc. He's being really stubborn right now by saying that any computer can easily get a virus it doesnt matter if its a PC or a mac.....sometimes i just wanna......nvm. also he's wondering how easy a mac is to work with. he says that every PC he has worked with hasn't given him any problems at all and they are easy to work with....i know he's lying cuz he's asked me for computer help before. i guess he's just skeptical because macs aren't as popular as PC's.

Tell him that it is EXTREMELY unlikely that your Mac will ever get a virus. Stun him with technobabble - "OS X is written with a different code dad. It's called Unix and it means that the architecture of the OS is completely different to windows and therefore it is not susceptible to the viruses like Windows." PC do work, but with a LOT more problems. Also, Macs are SO much easier to work with, but this does not mean a compromise in abilities. Everything is easy to access, logical and simple. Virtually plug and play - no need to d/l various drivers etc. I remember when I tried to set up the internet on my old PC - it was a nightmare and took me at least 2 hours. On the Mac - less than 5 minutes. Maybe he needs to see one in action - take him to an Apple store and let him play around.

 

[frankblundt]

the other s are answered above, but as for why offices don't run them - the reason our office doesn't run macs (except me!) is not so much to do with cost as supporting client applications for the mainframe servers and software that run core-business systems (accounting, inventory, distribution) - for the most part these kinds of systems have not historically made mac clients available. These days with OSX being UNIX based it's probably easier for them to do it, but the cost of switching an office that already has PCs to macs is too high.
Also, for home/student/creative work macs are good value (despite what might seem like a higher price tag) because they come with so much useful software for free which is tailored to meet the needs of these users (but not office users so much), they are easier to use (not something businesses seem to care about much!) and offer better productivity (too wishy-washy to quantify to the satisfaction of most accountants).
Given that you are a student rather than a transnational corporate entity you'd be better off with a platform built for that kind of endeavor (a Mac!) rather than one built for mindless data-entry by drones.

 

[AJ Muni]

punch your dad in the stomach...and then tell him that the pain hes going thru is the same mental pain your going to go thru if you get a pc

 

[jhu]

why don't you get a used laptop? they're powerful enough and cost less

 

[Clix Pix]

Earlier this evening on another forum where I like to hang out, I read all about the woes of someone whose PC laptop had caught a virus because she was careless and didn't immediately pay for another year's subscription for her antivirus software when her current subscription lapsed.... I read her moans and groans -- she hadn't bothered to back up anything on her computer, either, now the computer is trashed, she's lost all this work, she needs to buy a new computer -- and just nodded to myself: she should've had a Mac. I haven't responded to her thread yet -- am still trying to think of a tactful way to say just this, that she should get a Mac -- but you can bet that I WILL say something to her before she runs out and buys yet another POS Windows machine! I will also strongly impress upon her the importance of having a backup, regardless of WHAT kind of computer and software one has.

What I love about my Macs is that they can be shut down for a while and when I fire 'em up I can get right to work. When I fire up my Windows machine after a few days, a week, a few weeks, first thing I have to do is wrestle with the whole virus scan thing and usually the firewall thing and updating this, that and the other before I can actually do whatever it is I need to do on that machine. The Mac definitely allows for more productivity and more fun in the computing experience.

 

[thewhitehart]

Your question is as broad as your dad is adventurous.

lol...

The posters above all gave excellent advice. Just two weeks ago I tried and tried to convince a friend to go mac. I let him use my ibook, and he thought it was fantastic. He's 26 years old and still living with mommy, though, so he told me his mother, who knows nothing about computers, wanted to get him a cheap Dell. I strongly advised against this, but he went ahead and bought one anyway. Well, since he is new to broadband internet, he never bothered getting virus protection on this new Dell, and just a week ago his entire machine was compromised and he had to reinstall windows, losing all his work. The folks at Dell wanted to charge him $200 for a "solution." He told me he might as well of bought the mac mini.

Whilst windows is great for games, it is not an intuitive operating system for beginners like my friend. The problems inherent with each new version of windows requires users to be more and more tech-saavy with every new release, not only to counter threats from hackers, spyware and malware, but to deal with the idiosyncracies of the operating system itself. Macs just let you get things done. In time your dad will be amazed that computers exist to do work for you, not for you to solve computer problems.

How many times have you turned on a computer (not neccessarily your own) and got random messages popping up about .dll errors and program failures, and all sorts of other strange problems that the warnings may as well of been written in ancient greek? It truly takes a lot of malicious effort to make a mac behave in a similar fashion. If a mac program crashes, it hardly ever screws up the entire OS like windows does.

As for compatibility with windows, my mac can easily see windows servers on a network, and there's even a simple check box that you can uncheck if you don't want windows users accessing your mac's shares! With windows xp home edition, it's either share or don't share.

OS X beats windows hands down. My advice is to let your dad read this thread (after copying the html and editing out what you said about his attitude ). The reasons are all above - no spyware or viruses was enough reasoning for me to go get a mac.

 

[jotamurray]

Software

The 3 main reasons i give my mates to switch to mac are:
1 Intuitive and stable OS
2 No viruses
3 Incredible built in software: for the price of a mac u get all the programs that a regular user will ever need (except for office)

 

[Blue Velvet]

Cons of using a Mac?

Being patronised by fools who — despite your best intentions — will ignore your advice and go out and buy a cheap PC which you will be asked to help fix within a year, if not sooner.

 

[cwedl]

this is an interesting one....

on the one hand Macs are better, they are much more stable, the operating system has better features i.e. spotlight, widgets - all of which will be in Microsoft Vista.

See I love macs I know loads of people that do but do not own one yet.

Why are they used in the work place.
1)One of the biggest reasons, everybody has used a PC and most roughly know how they work, for these people PC mean less money spend on training people up on macs, e.g. my mum borrowed my Mac and she was on the phone asking me how to do stuff because you really have to have the right frame set to like using a Mac as it is different. whilst at first you may feel it the Mac operating system is incomplete, you will find that there are some useful features that when you use a PC again you will find lacking. i.e. expose etc, I use that all the time.
2)I know people that have used macs, or have to use then everyday at work and they hate them, they say they are slow, they crash all the time, that may be so for earlier versions of Mac OSX but tiger is great! It has never crashed on me yet.
3)Apple hasn't always been a great company! in the 1990s or 1980s, Microsoft ruled the corporate world, they still do, that is slowly changing. I know companies that have only recently upgraded to Windows XP!
4)Cost, Apples cost more!

regards


cwedl

 

[Kimi]

One reason I found people use when taking about Macs is that Windows does what they want. And it's true. Windows works and will let you do almost anything a regular user would want. They don't want to learn a new OS as they don't need to.

Another is I know many people that like Macs, but they use Windows. One of my friends is a hardcore PC gamer, so he's always upgrading and such. A Mac would be no use to him because of that. He uses an old taptop with a 233Hz proessor and windows 98 to do work on and you don't need anything more than that (I find it very strange that people by £1000 PC to type on, I can make something to do that with about £150 or less). He'd love a mac, but he has no need to by one so wont.

Other people just don't know there is something else that can use and think all computers are the same. My sisters like that. She can't understand that my computer is different to the family PC. She doesn't even know that it's running Windows or anything. These people are lost hopes.

I also find people that use Windows, but don't know a lot about computers are also against Macs. Another friend of mine is like this. She uses a computer quite a bit, does homework, uses the internet, IM and little things. She also downloads lots of little programs to do things. She later used a Mac (her brother's got an iBook) when her Windows PC needed fixing (a virus ate it I think, but I was old, chancer are it fell apart). With this she got confused as theings didn't work the same. She doesn't know a lot about computers so she didn't have any idea on how to do things another way.

 

[Tigger7]

I am relatively new to Mac myself. The decision to switch was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

After 1 month running on OSX this is what I can tell you:

I've had no spyware, malware, viruses or extended pop up sessions that I cannot stop.

I can run my Windows only programs in Virtual PC without issue.

Installing and uninstalling programs is as simple as dragging and dropping files.


The OS (OSX) does not slow down the more I use it. It is just as responsive now as it was on day one.

There is no real learning curve to using it. Any questions or problems you have as a Mac user are easily answered by the wonderful Mac community.

 

[florencevassy]

Just like Clix Pix said, I also start up my Mac after not having used it for a few days and it works great.

I just think that having a Mac makes my life easier. If I was in college I would definitely go with a Mac.

No viruses or spywear and I have only had it crash on me once in 15 months (and I just Reset the PRAM and things have been fine since).

 

[skubish]

"If macs are as good as you say they are, then why do all offices and workplaces use PC's?"

I always have to laugh when I hear this argument. Just because a lot of people use PCs doesn't make them better. Also this argument contradicts the other parental argument of, "If all your friends jump off a cliff..."

 

[Kelmon]

I'm actually shocked that no one has mentioned this yet but here's a whopping great reason why Macs are great:

iLife

OS X is fundamentally great and makes the system remarkably stable and easy to use. However, like all computers the operating system is something that it is built on and that it's the applications you run that make it great, assuming that the applications themselves are good. In this respect the iLife suite is absolutely superb. Sure, the applications aren't professional level but for regular consumer usage you can't get a better integrated suite of applications to manage/create digital content (music, photographs, movies and web sites) anywhere else and it comes with all new Macs for FREE. FREE.

Seriously, I'd have killed for a Mac at university had OS X and iLife been around 15-years ago.

If it at all helps, I have a Dell and PowerBook at work and I get more work done on the PowerBook because it spends a lot less time complaining and has some quality components inside it. Important note here: Macs aren't bargain basement in terms of cost because they don't contain bargain basement components. Buy a cheap Dell and you'll know that you have bought a cheap computer as it takes ages for it do something.

 

[ieani]

doesnt the publishing industry use macs?

 

[jadekitty24]

Pros:Being able to use a computer without ripping my hair out
Cons:I don't get to wear all those cool wigs anymore
that's all I can think of

 

[BakedBeans]

im gonna use my mac for classes but also for web browsing, downloading music, watching videos, etc. He's being really stubborn right now by saying that any computer can easily get a virus it doesnt matter if its a PC or a mac.....sometimes i just wanna......nvm. also he's wondering how easy a mac is to work with. he says that every PC he has worked with hasn't given him any problems at all and they are easy to work with....i know he's lying cuz he's asked me for computer help before. i guess he's just skeptical because macs aren't as popular as PC's.

Dont get annoyed with him, Explain to him - tell him why he is wrong about Viruses. Tell him that Mac OSX is built on a unix core and doesnt read the viruses that infect `nd infest the windows world.

Tell him you can be a lot more productive with a mac, tell him that you can use it for longer and that you want get headaches from using it because of the anti aliasing used.

Tell him that you get hundreds/thousands of dollars worth of software for free.

Tell him that you wont settle for a run of the mill pc that needs anti virus software (which slows the computer down)