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Revisited: Switchers, how long have you been using a Mac?

  • I plan on switching sometime in the near future..

    Votes: 7 2.9%
  • I switched because of the iPod..

    Votes: 15 6.3%
  • I switched because of the iPhone..

    Votes: 5 2.1%
  • I switched for the iMac/Mini..

    Votes: 21 8.8%
  • I switched for the MB/MBA/MBP..

    Votes: 26 10.9%
  • I switched for the MP..

    Votes: 1 0.4%
  • I just switched for Leopard..

    Votes: 16 6.7%
  • I switched during Tiger's lifetime..

    Votes: 53 22.3%
  • I switched during Panther's lifetime..

    Votes: 22 9.2%
  • I switched during Jaguar's lifetime..

    Votes: 13 5.5%
  • I switched prior to Aug 2002..

    Votes: 19 8.0%
  • I'm a Mac "Lifer"..

    Votes: 26 10.9%
  • I'm not switching from XP / Vista..

    Votes: 1 0.4%
  • The obligatory "Other"..

    Votes: 11 4.6%
  • I switched because of Boot Camp..

    Votes: 4 1.7%

  • Total voters
    238

Maczamillion

macrumors newbie
Jul 21, 2008
17
0
Just switched

I have been an IT guy for ever, I have 9 win xp boxes ( they all do something, or so I like to think) I JUST built a quad core 9450 monster gaming rig.

It is gathering dust, Just last month My wife let me buy a Mac ( hell if I know how i did that ) I LOVE MY MAC :apple::D I have spent so much time on it this month that If my other computers were worth anything I sell them all for a Mac PRO.

The OS is just so slick and fun to use i feel cheated that I didnt switch sooner.
 

yellow

Moderator emeritus
Original poster
Oct 21, 2003
16,018
6
Portland, OR
Swamped by iPhone spam threads.. Tier is still holding solid.
Of course, it was also out the longest.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,199
47,583
In a coffee shop.
I switched last April, when I treated myself to the wonderful MBP, which was a birthday present to myself. The general slowness of Windows, crashes, freezes, and endless spam all contributed to my desire to change, plus my old Toshiba was showing its age.

My MBP is a splendid machine, beautiful, fast, powerful, and includes a terrific screen. In common with quite a number of others, I had thought about it for quite a while. My reasons for switching were, beautiful machines, gorgeous design and aesthetics; the iPod which I bought two years earlier, and iTunes (which knocks the socks off Macromedia), a superb design which works and is easy to use, as well as my experience of Apple customer support - (twice my iPod died within warranty and it was replaced twice without any difficulties or attempts to seek refuge in small print).

Other reasons included Apple's reputation for security - I had read about it on a BBC technology blog. When I had Windows, virus and spam attacks were frequent, and this despite the fact that I had purchased (rather than downloaded a free online version) a robust anti-spam, anti-virus package; while that reduced the daily deluge to a more limited number, unwelcome visitors were not entirely eliminated. With Apple, they have been almost completely eradicated (a tiny number still slip under the radar).

Of equal importance to me as a switcher, as someone who needs Word, who works with Word daily, and whose work life requires Word, (yes I accept that iWork is excellent, but Word is what is used in my work universe), is that Apple machines are now compatible with the software now used by a lot of the rest of the world, and one did not need to be a techie specialist to float between systems. I remember the difficulties of attempting to read or transfer documents from the two systems in the mid 1990s, and it was a bit of a bummer, to put it mildly. However, I'm really enjoying my MBP and would envisage remaining a Mac customer; the staff at the shop where I bought were helpfulness itself, and this forum has also been very welcoming and helpful. Cheers.
 

61132

Guest
Oct 31, 2005
327
0
Since the summer of 05. First computer bought with my own money. I had been looking at apple for a while, but my parents (mainly my dad) were completely closed minded. So I bought one with my own money when I could. Now my whole family has macs :)
 

dual64bit

macrumors 6502
Nov 9, 2004
317
43
Been using the Mac since the late 90's. Had a pismo, then a cube, then a Ti Powerbook and so on.. Remember when my dad had one of the original Macintosh's, his business was lucky enough to buy one and let him take it home for me to play with every now and then. It's a good time for people to switch now, with all of the options out there.
 

gibbz

macrumors 68030
May 31, 2007
2,701
100
Norman, OK
My first Mac was an 1.33 GHz. iBook G4 that I purchased in December 2005.

I have been addicted ever since.
 

jodelli

macrumors 65816
Jan 6, 2008
1,219
4
Windsor, ON, Canada
The switcher term is accurate in my case, but not in the usual context of PC vs Mac.

Sort of like UnixMac a few posts back I've been all over the map with personal computer choices. The oldest one I owned was a TI 99, followed by an even more primitive Timex/Sinclair.
For about ten years it was 8 bit and 16/32 bit Ataris.

My first Mac was a Plus, which I bought used.
In late 1994 I got a brand new 486 as a gift in a store package deal while eying a 520 Power Book on the shelf two aisles over. I bought a 520 later.
Even now I have an x86 box running Ubuntu aside from my Macs, one of which also has Linux on an extra drive.
 

IgiveyoutheFBI

macrumors member
Sep 16, 2008
31
8
UK
I switched almost 2 years ago, working in IT I was bored with getting a new PC, switching it on and saying "yes it's faster". I bought the Imac so I could learn about Mac's, OSX, ILife etc and re-spark my interest in the personal computer. I haven't regretted a day of it.
 

bashveank

macrumors member
Apr 24, 2008
52
0
Switched about 6 months ago to a MBP for college, I used Linux for about a year before that though so it wasn't that drastic of a change.
 

cbrain

macrumors 65816
Dec 9, 2006
1,049
0
North-East, UK
I switched at the end of 2006. I got addicted to some PC games at the beggining of this year which is why I was away for a few months, but I'm back now.
 

SnowLeopard2008

macrumors 604
Jul 4, 2008
6,772
18
Silicon Valley
I switched about 4 years ago. My Dad bought me my first mac, an iBook G4. That little machine juggled through 3 years of hardships before being stolen. I've been using a MacBook ever since.
 

SBik2

macrumors 6502a
Jul 14, 2006
732
1
/private/var/root
i switched the summer of 06..
got an 2nd rev MacBook 2.0 CD mid range model..loved it ever since and converted 3 friends, sister, and soon to be parents..
the first time i thought I wanted a mac was my 7th grade year.. used an iMac g4 and loved tiger and the look of the macs..
so i answered in the tiger era..the mb didnt make me switch.. i just wanted a laptop and happened to want a mac
 

bjmach

macrumors 6502
Oct 10, 2008
317
0
Work with windows and PCs by trade day in and day out. About two weeks ago dawned on me that there must be something better and to be honest I think the Apple ads sparked my interest a little. Well switched the the old four year windows laptop to a used Blackbook C2D, fell in love and then just three days ago bought a 24" iMac. I usually research alot of things but Apple snuck up on me, It has literally left me wondering why I didn't switch years ago. I absolutely love it without a doubt.
 

hotshotharry

macrumors 6502
Sep 6, 2007
315
0
I rememebr back about 10 years ago (I rememeber seeing the emacs, i thought they looked funny) and a kid in school was raving about apple computers! LOL I laughed at him :)

Well in about 2006 (right at the C2D stage) I had finally had enough of windows with their windows genuine advantage bs and multitude of problems, and a couple buddies of mine who were part of a popular band introduced me to the idea of macs. I bought a macbook pro and have been hooked ever since, I have bought more macs in the last 2 years than i have pcs in my whole life ! LOL I guess im hooked !!! :eek:
 

coupdetat

macrumors 6502
Jul 11, 2008
451
0
I switched during what I'd consider the "golden years", with a 12" PowerBook G4. Lots of awesome designs and innovations were coming out of Apple at that period.. iMac G4, (slightly prior) Pismo, iPods, etc. Apple was really on a roll for that period.
 

n8mac

macrumors 6502
Jun 25, 2006
442
52
Ohio
Don't tell me I am the only one here that switched because of the original iMac!:confused:

I have to thank my high school for introducing me to Mac OS. Good timing as I was getting fed up with Windows. I was so excited with the original iMac introduction and in October 1999 is when I finally had enough $$ to buy an iMac 400DV which I still run to this day as a secondary comp.

I do find it odd that most of the categories are august 2002 onward. That's 18 years vs 6 years :eek:
 
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