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Why did you get a Mac?
- Thread starter irock
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When it became obvious that the Amiga was never going to be marketed properly and its development was grinding to a halt I had to switch and no way was I going to Windows. So Mac was the obvious choice. I really missed the Amiga though. I'll never forget the first time I used Deluxe Paint.
I've been with the Mac since 2001, when I left Uni and got my first proper job. I wanted to buy a computer to celebrate earning real money for once, and got overwhelmed by the choice of PCs (and underwhelmed by their specs), and I had it in the back of my mind that one day I would like to start writing & recording my own music. I had heard that the Mac was pretty much standard in recording studios, and with that being the extent of my research, I bought an iMac.
Two years ago, I quit working full time and enroled on an Audio Engineering course (and bought a dual 2GHz G5 to celebrate!). Lo and behold - we only use Macs at college!
In terms of computers that I personally have owned - I am also a lifer (and have no intention of changing.)
Two years ago, I quit working full time and enroled on an Audio Engineering course (and bought a dual 2GHz G5 to celebrate!). Lo and behold - we only use Macs at college!
In terms of computers that I personally have owned - I am also a lifer (and have no intention of changing.)
law guy said:
my first mac was a IIsi in 92 as well. system 6.1.7 or so. i loved it. i made some money in writing other peoples masters thesis. i also did some graphics stuff for peoples thesis. at that time there was no way to do graphics on a Dos machine. it died in 97.
the reasons why i'm on a mac now:
it just works
no viruses
design of osX
ilife
keynote
overall reliability of hardware
easy to install, setup, maintain
integration of all software, hardware
having a different system from work (it's always good that nobody can even think i'm borrowing software and stuff from work)
I switched a few days ago after around 5 (painful) years of windows. Really really enjoying it. All apps 'feel' so natural and integrated into the OS. Not to mention everything works very smooth.
Also the looks of the OS itself are years ahead of windows. It's simple, yet elegant.
Cheers.
Also the looks of the OS itself are years ahead of windows. It's simple, yet elegant.
Cheers.
I made the switch back in may '05. I had a Gateway all-in-one computer. It was about a year in half old running fine. Out of the blue it starts shutting down randomly. Send it in for service and Gateway sends it back with more problems. So I send it back again and this time when I get it back it cant even detect the hard drive. After several hours on the phone with Gateway, they finally agree to replace my computer underwarranty. Well 2 months into this I still don't have a computer. They don't eve make the all-in-one computer I had anymoe and they are going to replace it with a desktop tower system. Wihout going into moore details on this, it took them sending me 3 different computers and a total of 5 months before I got a working computer. In the meantime I wanted an all-in-one computer and the only one I saw was the iMac. So I bought a rev B Imac. I love this computer and everything about it just works. I ony go onto my PC when my wife takes over the mac and won't let me on it. This site has been great and thanks to all the people who take time from their schedules to help in answering questions for those of us who need help.
I've been using Windows for about 7 years now, and one day my uncle had purchased an Apple Powermac G5, Powerbook G4 and now hes bought the new MacBook Pro which should be coming soon
Being a student I need a reliable and stable laptop, which the Apple Powerbook is. So i used his Powerbook for about 2 weeks and the things that I could do were amazing, i could actually properly multitask where as on Windows you cant. Also the fact of not having to do virus scans and disk defragments was also a HUGE bonus.
I'd NEVER EVER go back to Windows.
Being a student I need a reliable and stable laptop, which the Apple Powerbook is. So i used his Powerbook for about 2 weeks and the things that I could do were amazing, i could actually properly multitask where as on Windows you cant. Also the fact of not having to do virus scans and disk defragments was also a HUGE bonus.
I'd NEVER EVER go back to Windows.
I wish I could say I was a lifer. Alas that is not the case. My family got our first computer in 96 or 97 from our Aunt. It was a windows box that was zapped by lightening at her business and her it depart fixed it up and gave it to us. Anyway, lost that thing in a fire so I decided to build my own box in 2000. Believe you me, Macs were out of my price point. In fact I didn't even think mac until Senior year of highschool when I was researching a major I wanted in college. Anyway - that PC I started building in 2000 took until 2002 for me to finish. It was a nice little computer and it now belongs to my sister running suse. Anyway - got a Mac because I am a Visual Communications major. That and I wanted to use a computer on the internet. I never ran my personal computer on the internet myself.
I never ran my personal computer on the internet myself.
Basically, I had no good reason to not switch.irock said:
I'm technologically impaired. I'm useless.
My Windows box wouldn't run well (presumably because of spyware, viruses, etc.) anymore, it was over four years old, and took a full thirteen minutes to boot from start up.A friend showed me how simple and fun his Mac was, showed me that indeed, a multi-button mouse would work just fine and dandy... so I worked and saved up my money and bought my first Apple: a 12" 1.33GHz PowerBookG4.
Since that August, I've gotten an iMacG5 and an iBook (gave my PB to my sister). I can't go back. I really can't.
I've posted this in one form or another before, but I consider myself a quasi-switcher in that my computing history has included both macs and pcs through the years.
My elementary school had a lab that contained only macs (mixed apple II and III). So we used those for our computers at school (Logo anyone?). In 1985 we got our first home computer: an Apple IIc back in the days of 200 baud modems and bbs boards. We used that until the late 80's when my grandpa gave us an old IBM clone when he bought a new computer for his business.
That IBM clone was replaced throughout the years by various PCs. At school, I would continue to admire the Macs for the hardware but became the typical mac-hater complaining about the OS (single button mouse, no software, lots of crashes, etc.). I graduated high school and went to college without my own computer. Thus, in order to use a computer I had to trek over to the lab. The enginering and business schools had primarily PC labs, but they were all the way across campus. The closest lab to me had a mix of pcs and macs (mainly LC and Classics). Of course, there was always a wait for the PCs but you could always get on the macs. So I used the macs. That lasted a semester at which point I pieced together my own PC and used that in the dorm. That PC was replaced by various other hand-me-down pcs during college. All the while, I continued to be envious of the great looking hardware that apple sold.
My parents bought me a Dell in 1998 as a graduation present (my personal first NEW computer). I used that for three years though law school. By the end of 2001 I started to hear about OS X and this new gadget they called an iPod. The iPod interested me, and I began to read more about it and OS X.
The next Christmas (2002), my brother-in-law brought his iBook and new iPod with him. I had the opportunity to play with both and was hooked. Plus, with everything I had read about OS X, I was sure it was right for me.
By the end of January 2002, I owned a G3 iBook -- even though the legal profession is essesntially dominated by the PC. I'm now using an new iBook G4 happily at my otherwise Windows only office. Thankfully we have a Citrix server so I can access the few PC only programs we have to use without running Virtual PC. I love the looks I get when I whip out the iBook in the company of other lawyers!
So, why did I switch? That uniquely Apple combination of great looking hardware coupled with the best OS on the market. I love that OS X is so simple and easy to use ("It just works") while also having all of the UNIX power behind it. It takes me back to the days of using the VAX in college!
My elementary school had a lab that contained only macs (mixed apple II and III). So we used those for our computers at school (Logo anyone?). In 1985 we got our first home computer: an Apple IIc back in the days of 200 baud modems and bbs boards. We used that until the late 80's when my grandpa gave us an old IBM clone when he bought a new computer for his business.
That IBM clone was replaced throughout the years by various PCs. At school, I would continue to admire the Macs for the hardware but became the typical mac-hater complaining about the OS (single button mouse, no software, lots of crashes, etc.). I graduated high school and went to college without my own computer. Thus, in order to use a computer I had to trek over to the lab. The enginering and business schools had primarily PC labs, but they were all the way across campus. The closest lab to me had a mix of pcs and macs (mainly LC and Classics). Of course, there was always a wait for the PCs but you could always get on the macs. So I used the macs. That lasted a semester at which point I pieced together my own PC and used that in the dorm. That PC was replaced by various other hand-me-down pcs during college. All the while, I continued to be envious of the great looking hardware that apple sold.
My parents bought me a Dell in 1998 as a graduation present (my personal first NEW computer). I used that for three years though law school. By the end of 2001 I started to hear about OS X and this new gadget they called an iPod. The iPod interested me, and I began to read more about it and OS X.
The next Christmas (2002), my brother-in-law brought his iBook and new iPod with him. I had the opportunity to play with both and was hooked. Plus, with everything I had read about OS X, I was sure it was right for me.
By the end of January 2002, I owned a G3 iBook -- even though the legal profession is essesntially dominated by the PC. I'm now using an new iBook G4 happily at my otherwise Windows only office. Thankfully we have a Citrix server so I can access the few PC only programs we have to use without running Virtual PC. I love the looks I get when I whip out the iBook in the company of other lawyers!
So, why did I switch? That uniquely Apple combination of great looking hardware coupled with the best OS on the market. I love that OS X is so simple and easy to use ("It just works") while also having all of the UNIX power behind it. It takes me back to the days of using the VAX in college!
Never known any different. I have been on Mac's since 1988. I have probably spent a grand total of about 2 hours on PC's in my entire computing life.
aussie_geek
aussie_geek
I had a 386 in the mid nineties that was an OK machine.
Then they gave me a Pentium with Windows 95 on it for my university office. It sucked. I had to write long course books on it and it was just hopeless.
Then they gave me the secretary's old PowerMac. After a week of using that I vowed that I was finished with Windows.
It wasn't just that it was 100% reliable: it's that the Macintosh GUI was obviously designed as just that, and not as some sleazy second rate graphical shell for DOS. I liked the idea that it was all drag and drop.
Then they gave me a Pentium with Windows 95 on it for my university office. It sucked. I had to write long course books on it and it was just hopeless.
Then they gave me the secretary's old PowerMac. After a week of using that I vowed that I was finished with Windows.
It wasn't just that it was 100% reliable: it's that the Macintosh GUI was obviously designed as just that, and not as some sleazy second rate graphical shell for DOS. I liked the idea that it was all drag and drop.
I was into Macs a long time before I actually even used one. I used Apple computers when I was a kid in school, but I was too young to really remember what kind they were. All I really remember is playing Oregon Trail on them.
My next encounter with a Mac came when I went in Sears. (just found out it was Sears where we seen them earlier talking to my Mom) They had an iMac G3. I believe it was the Bondi Blue one, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I was SO impressed with how cool it looked, but my Mom told me to get away from it and said I would get in trouble for messing around with it.
In early 2001, I spotted a Mac Addict magazine in a book store and remembered how awesome the iMac I seen in Sears was. I bought that magazine and read about MWSF 2001 and the OS X Public Beta. I was intrigued, but didn't have any money at the time, being only 17 and without a job.
I was stuck using Windows for the next couple years and when it came time that I actually had the money to buy a new computer in 2003, my friend convinced me to get a gaming PC built. Well, I did that, knowing that I could have gotten an iMac G4. I definitely should have went with my instinct and got a Mac, 'cause buying that PC was a big mistake. Hell, I ended up barely even playing games on it. I prefer consoles, to be honest. I had quite a few problems out of it and finally decided in 2004 to sell that and get a Mac. I bought my eMac and the rest is history. I'll NEVER look back.
My next encounter with a Mac came when I went in Sears. (just found out it was Sears where we seen them earlier talking to my Mom) They had an iMac G3. I believe it was the Bondi Blue one, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I was SO impressed with how cool it looked, but my Mom told me to get away from it and said I would get in trouble for messing around with it.
In early 2001, I spotted a Mac Addict magazine in a book store and remembered how awesome the iMac I seen in Sears was. I bought that magazine and read about MWSF 2001 and the OS X Public Beta. I was intrigued, but didn't have any money at the time, being only 17 and without a job.
I was stuck using Windows for the next couple years and when it came time that I actually had the money to buy a new computer in 2003, my friend convinced me to get a gaming PC built. Well, I did that, knowing that I could have gotten an iMac G4. I definitely should have went with my instinct and got a Mac, 'cause buying that PC was a big mistake. Hell, I ended up barely even playing games on it. I prefer consoles, to be honest. I had quite a few problems out of it and finally decided in 2004 to sell that and get a Mac. I bought my eMac and the rest is history. I'll NEVER look back.
I began my computing experience on Macs before
I knew how to turn the computer on.....I used them when I went back to school to finish my degree but for work everyone used pc.s so I did that too. I purchased a pc for home use because I needed it for my bookkeeping business.
I switched back because I no longer care about business.lol If I do anyone else's books I'll have to figure something out of course, but for home use and if my husband ever gets his contractors license we can use what we want to. I actually switched back also because for the last three years I have had a toshiba laptop and it has been in for repairs four times last year alone. I found out it was part of a class action lawsuit (due to some design issues) and decided I wanted something more reliable....I paid alot for my toshiba, it has great features but their no good if I can't use it and I lost data each time it crashed even with backing things up.
My intel iMac should be here soon.
Margot
I knew how to turn the computer on.....I used them when I went back to school to finish my degree but for work everyone used pc.s so I did that too. I purchased a pc for home use because I needed it for my bookkeeping business.
I switched back because I no longer care about business.lol If I do anyone else's books I'll have to figure something out of course, but for home use and if my husband ever gets his contractors license we can use what we want to. I actually switched back also because for the last three years I have had a toshiba laptop and it has been in for repairs four times last year alone. I found out it was part of a class action lawsuit (due to some design issues) and decided I wanted something more reliable....I paid alot for my toshiba, it has great features but their no good if I can't use it and I lost data each time it crashed even with backing things up.
My intel iMac should be here soon
.Margot
I got a Mac because there had always been things that I wanted to do with a computer but never could, whether due to not having the right software, learning curve too steep, etc . . . primarily in the video editing and DVD authoring arena. WOW did I get EXACTLY what I had wanted and so much more when I switched about a year ago. And now that iLife '06 is out - I LOVE APPLE!!!
I have a Mac cause that is what my Dad bought in 1991. Macintosh LC represent!
15 years later and 5 Macs later, I'm still thrilled to be a productive computer user.
15 years later and 5 Macs later, I'm still thrilled to be a productive computer user.
I got a Mac b/c my EZMachine desktop cost me 1,600 back in 1998. Opened the box took the tower out, plugged it in and turned it on...got a blue screen...returned it...had a virus...crashed so many time until 2001 I was fed up and I saw OSX at the Apple Store in the mall...and died at the beauty of the Swivel neck on the iMac G4. Haven't experienced a computer crash on the Mac since i bought my first one. Now I just try to own as many Macs as I can.