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Why should I NOT switch to a mac?

A lot of people still run both or even all three primary platforms.

No one's standing there breaking your arm forcing you to buy an Apple product.

If you are not happy with your purchase, that's unfortunate.

Most people are more than satisfied.
 
There are two reasons to stay with Windows:
1. Their computers are cheaper.
2. You are a Windows fanboy.:p

In any other aspect, Mac is superior.:D
 
TBi said:
Why? When you can get a cheaper PC and run windows on that. Or for the same price get a way more powerful (if not as pretty) PC.

For the price of a 20" iMac i could get a 2.4GHz Conroe with 2GB ram, 320GB Drive and a 7900GT graphics card. All together that will whip the A$$ of the iMac. Plus i can get a zalman reserator to keep it all quiet. However i can actually put it all together myself.
Click to expand...

Then the discussion turns to more powerful for doing what? That's the problem people seem to have with these discussions. What do you plan on doing with the computer in the first place?

After adding in the cost of a 20" flat panel LCD display a dual layer DVD burner, a decent case, a power supply, and a decent MB the price is roughly the same between the two machines with the Windows box being slightly more expensive (based on a quick quote I did from a local PC store website in my area.) Add the cost of buying Windows and for the average user a antivirus program like Norton and the Windows machine is starting to be more expensive by hundreds of dollars. I grant you the video card and cpu are better in the Windows box but you are paying a premium for the iMac form factor. It's similar to comparing a laptop to a desktop. Laptops will always be more expensive because of their size. It is difficult to compare an iMac to anything you can buy from your local PC store when you include the form factor into the discussion. Include the cost of your cooling system to keep your Windows box quiet and now the iMac is certainly hundreds of dollars cheaper.

Then of course you must consider that the OS on your "new" PC is now 5 years old and clearly inferior than OS X and Microsoft will expect you to fork over another $200 for Vista sometime next year which will be immediately outdated when Leopard is released. Include spyware and virus issues which are a plague to ordinary non-techie PC users (ask anyone who has ever worked in tech support, residential or corporate) and the Mac should be far more attractive to the average user.

I suppose the only way to end these types of discussions would be for Apple to release a true desktop between the iMac and the Mac Pro.
 
-ksirrah

As youv'e seen by the posts to this threads to this point there are a lot of passions stirred by questions of this nature.

Technologically, with MacIntels, there are really few significant reasons not to 'switch'.

Socially, well, you'll enter a world where you know the passions of both Windows and Mac (few Mac owners don't know both), and that can be aggravating at times. For owning a Mac - you may be automatically called a MacBoy, and discounted as such - even called arrogant, though it is arrogance that calls you that.
 
babsuvulawho said:
Then the discussion turns to more powerful for doing what? That's the problem people seem to have with these discussions. What do you plan on doing with the computer in the first place?

After adding in the cost of a 20" flat panel LCD display a dual layer DVD burner, a decent case, a power supply, and a decent MB the price is roughly the same between the two machines with the Windows box being slightly more expensive (based on a quick quote I did from a local PC store website in my area.) Add the cost of buying Windows and for the average user a antivirus program like Norton and the Windows machine is starting to be more expensive by hundreds of dollars. I grant you the video card and cpu are better in the Windows box but you are paying a premium for the iMac form factor. It's similar to comparing a laptop to a desktop. Laptops will always be more expensive because of their size. It is difficult to compare an iMac to anything you can buy from your local PC store when you include the form factor into the discussion. Include the cost of your cooling system to keep your Windows box quiet and now the iMac is certainly hundreds of dollars cheaper.

Then of course you must consider that the OS on your "new" PC is now 5 years old and clearly inferior than OS X and Microsoft will expect you to fork over another $200 for Vista sometime next year which will be immediately outdated when Leopard is released. Include spyware and virus issues which are a plague to ordinary non-techie PC users (ask anyone who has ever worked in tech support, residential or corporate) and the Mac should be far more attractive to the average user.

I suppose the only way to end these types of discussions would be for Apple to release a true desktop between the iMac and the Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

Good points, i'm lucky (or unlucky) that i already have a 20" screen and a 17" as well. I don't need the screen in the iMac.

Also i'm just bitter over being two weeks without my Macbook. I just want it to be fixed and back in my hands. I'm holding out on buying a new system until i get it back. See if it's properly fixed or not.
 
I'm sure every shop is different, but i've had extremely favorable care with anything
that ever needed repair.

Remember, you ARE under warranty.
While I'm sure this experience kinda burst your bubble a bit, they will fix your machine.

Sometimes timing can make your whole experience different too.
I don't care who builds it, Rev " A" machines do have growing pains.

Third party contractor components do fail, but many times you don't
discover these failures until the gear is out in the wild.

When you are spending your hard earned ducketts, selecting the right machine can make a tremendous difference between a long and happy relationship
or ending up as a lab rat.

Just wait till those new Vista Boxxen hit the strores.
 
TBi said:
Good points, i'm lucky (or unlucky) that i already have a 20" screen and a 17" as well. I don't need the screen in the iMac.
Click to expand...

There is the catch. Most of us already have Windows boxes which we can steal pieces from to make upgrading cheaper versus switching to Mac. Plus there are many of us who are not average users who don't really see the value in an iMac other than giving one to our parents or non-techie family members. This is why I think it would, if Apple is interested in that market, (essentially a gaming market to me) to create another single CPU desktop just below the Mac Pro with consderable GPU options but that market maybe too small for Apple to worry about.

One of the issues with these types of discussions on a forum like this is that most of us are technically aware. We know to backup. We know how to reinstall Windows. We know what to click on and what not to click on while on the Internet. If our Windows machines should ever slow down or be infected we are not phased at all, we know what to do. However for the average users, who makes up the bulk of the market Apple would be targeting with the iMac, they are not aware of these things. They just want their computer to work each and every time they turn it on. Just like picking up the phone and not even expecting but KNOWING the dial tone will be there. The cost of ownership for the average Windows box user has become a factor to consider outside the up front purchase price. There is a multi-billion dollar industry that feeds off either protecting or "fixing" Windows machines.

Also i'm just bitter over being two weeks without my Macbook. I just want it to be fixed and back in my hands. I'm holding out on buying a new system until i get it back. See if it's properly fixed or not.
Click to expand...

I feel for you. Apple has a real opportunity right now to capture a larger chunk of the market and to release important products with many documented hardware issues is disappointing if you want the Mac to make real jumps in market share.
 
Just try to imagine the scope of all the MS support sites dealing with nothing but
User and software issues, then add in P/C hardware failures and proper configuarations.

While Apple has most definitely had a few dogs in the kennel, most of their products remain completely trouble free.
 
TBi said:
Good points, i'm lucky (or unlucky) that i already have a 20" screen and a 17" as well. I don't need the screen in the iMac.

Also i'm just bitter over being two weeks without my Macbook. I just want it to be fixed and back in my hands. I'm holding out on buying a new system until i get it back. See if it's properly fixed or not.
Click to expand...

I see your point and frustration with Macbook issues. If Apple can't produce a notebook with higher reliability and quality control then they deserver to loose costumers like you. It's just a shame for you to loose such a great OS and quality hardware that the majority of us have experienced.
 
The lack of a fully compatible Q or Treo type device for the Mac is awfully, awfully annoying. That's my only beef with my Mac usage right now.
 
Now that Windows runs full speed on the Mac, the only reason to switch to a Mac would be if you wanted very specific PC hardware. For example, if you were a serious gamer, Apple may not offer the exact hardware you're looking for. However, for 99% of people out there, Apple's line up has it covered
 
hey thats not fair I am not a troll at least not on this thread. He was asking reasons why he shouldn't buy a mac and I gave it to him. Whats wrong with that. Besides I give a nice balance to this forum ;)
 
if you're hobbies include any of the following:

-scanning for spyware
-defragging your hard drive
-looking at pixelated text
-contracting and spreading viruses
-talking to a bouncing paperclip
-using a cartoon dog to find files

then a Mac might not be for you. :)
 
tjwett said:
if you're hobbies include any of the following:

-scanning for spyware
-defragging your hard drive
-looking at pixelated text
-contracting and spreading viruses
-talking to a bouncing paperclip
-using a cartoon dog to find files

then a Mac might not be for you. :)
Click to expand...

and if your hobbies include

-searching for a program to do what you could do in windows
-watching a nice beach ball spin around and around
-Using different keys to switch between windows/programs
-using emulated office that runs slower than windows (rosetta)
-listening to the high pitched whine your laptop makes (funky)
-watching your laptop shutdown over and over for no reason (RSD)
-trying to figure out the different key combinations to get different video player programs into full screen (command+F?, command+0?, command+4?)
-paying to get the built in video player to play in full screen mode (QT Pro?)

then a pc might not be for you :)

Although i don't get the pixelated txt bit, my fonts are lovingly anti aliased on my XP machine.
 
You shouldn't NOT switch!

If you intend to live most of the time in OS X and use the occasional Windows app, then buy a Mac. If you're going to be running Windows most of the time, and want to just dabble in OS X and have a nice looking laptop, then you might be better off saving some dough and buying a PC.
 
Josias said:
There are two reasons to stay with Windows:
1. Their computers are cheaper.
2. You are a Windows fanboy.:p

In any other aspect, Mac is superior.:D
Click to expand...

For some people Windows and cheap hardware is OK;)) ..and its good..at least not everybody has Mac:p
 
dejo said:
Wrong. Most games are made for Windows only. And Intel Macs can run Windows!
Click to expand...
The question is, is it worth paying $200 just be able to play Windows dependent games, use other apps dependent on Windows, and get the chance of getting virus/bugs? Because of this, I've been waiting for new updates that would improve compatibility with Windows and the features of the MacBook.
 
I've been (as well as many here) in the Mac/PC game for a long time now and compatibility issues are nearly 90% solvable with little amount of effort. Good luck with your new Mac!
 
People who buy WinPC's are:

1. Gamers.
2. IT babies that don't want to learn.
3. Those who don't understand "get what you pay for."
4. Those who fear change.
5. Freaks that think devoting system resources to anti-virus is OK.
6. Those that started on Windows and can't be bothered.
7. Cheap people who don't want to pay for software. 'Cause that stuff comes out of the air you know...
8. Cheap people who don't want to pay for music, movies or tv shows either.
9. Simple minded folk that believe everything they see on tv.
10. Those who think Mac's are "gay."

This seems to be the top 10 reasons I hear over and over again. There is no reason you can't do everything you need to on Mac. I came from a Windows background and when I got here it was a very frustrating time.

After learning the 10 things above I am happy to PAY for everything my Mac needs. It runs with 0 errors, 0 viruses and 0 system crashes for over 5 years. My new REV. A Mac Pro has run strong for days now with 1 problem- They needed my leg as a down payment.:D
 
No brand is free from errors. Forget it. Mac forum is not a forum to ask why not to choose a Mac. Go to Neowin.net for that.
 
Because your employer hires poorly informed, paranoid MS Certified Dweebs
who don't have the slightest clue about REAL IT security.

Because your employer prohibits ingenuity in the workplace.

Because your employer buys everyone a P/C so they can keep an eye on EVERYTHING you do.

Because your employer prohibits iSight cameras in the workplace.

Because your corporate CIO gets perks from Microsoft to win those bids.

Because using Mac OSX might give their P/C's a virus !:p

But mostly it's FEAR of the unknown, distortion of facts and outright ignorance.
 
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