Why use Windows

[hulugu]

I'm gonna have to agree with the above post about changing variables. First it was "most digi cams don't PnP on a PC" or now "mp3 players don't work well on PCs".

I had an ancient Kodak auto-detect and install itself. The Kodak appeared as a storage device in a few seconds and I could easily copy/paste those pictures anywhere I pleased.
I had a similar experience with iTunes/iPod. Plug it in, transfer songs, enjoy. The only complaint, if any, was that the Windows iTunes looks slightly uglier (not 1:1 port), but this is a cosmetic argument in the end.

Dane - Those flawed and outdated blanket statements truly reflect on your lack of XP experience. You did mention that you have never used XP in the home, so maybe your statements should not be surprising to us.

I use XP everyday and yet I've run into strange and interesting problems with cameras, printers, and even one keyboard. Most of the time things do work, but sometimes they don't and that's incredibly frustrating when it always seems to work on the Mac.

 

[crazycat]

Only reason why i use a pc is for games and some software that cant be found on teh mac. If i can play games on my mac as if playing on windows, if i can change graphics cards and so on i wont use a pc ever again.

 

[ScubaDuc]

I use Widooze for Wi-fi scanning

I can't manage to scan over my home network with a Brother MFC-3820 CN without using the USB wire on X.3 and the autoloading function doesn't seem to work either. The unit prints over wi-fi but won't scan...

SO I use windows when I have to scan 'couse I can actually scan to any computer on the network from the scanner...

 

[risc]

I use Windows for 1 reason at home and 1 reason only. Windows XP MCE 2005. I have my MCE box hooked up to 1 of my HDTVs and it doesn't do anything else. So at my house it is Macs for desktop computing (I have a MBP, my GF has an iMac), Windows for MCE, and Linux for everything else.

 

[Zwhaler]

I think that people who go shopping for a computer go for PC's because Windows has basically been established around the world as the industry standard. People who dislike Macs, have most likely never tried them or never seen what they are capable of and how they kick Window's ass. I, myself disliked Macs (years back) but I had never experienced them. Now I hate windows and occasionally ask the same question the OP asked, but I say, let it go.

 

[Dane D.]

Zwhaler:
Now I hate windows and occasionally ask the same question the OP asked, but I say, let it go.

It is something I ask everyday, while at work that is. At home, total bliss, a pleasure to come home to a computer that is waiting and always works. Another example of Windows mentality, I had to find our media contracts and insertion orders the other day. Our office mgr. quit so, now we are struggling 'til her replacement comes on-board next week, with her setup. Took me 20 mins to find the folder, buried 10 folders deep in Documents and Settings. What is up with the f..king folders, PC people? The whole Mydocuments, Mymusic, Myvideos, MS must think everybody is stupid. And that Search function sucks. The Help is a joke. The total experience is maddening, nothing like a Mac OS. The networking, this 'Shared Folder' idea of networking, give me a break. If I connect to an office Mac, I expect full connection to the WHOLE computer. We here at work login as the owner of the computer so everthing is available. Before anybody says anything, I work in a small Advertising firm where access to the work is more important than somebody's personal stuff. Besides, I could care less what people have in their folder. After 16 yrs of nothing but Macs, I now have to use PCs. That is why I posted this thread, because Windows is well... a cheap knock-off of a superior computing experience.

 

[ReanimationLP]

I use Windows XP as my main machines OS. Why? Because I cant afford a faster Mac.

XP is okay, but a lot of times, it gets rather F***ING annoying.

 

[iJon]

If you actually sat down and used a PC and knew what you were doing then you wouldn't have issues with it. You all find ways of crashing them "constantly" and "running slow", i'm curious how you do this as I've never really had a problem with the XP interface or software running on it, even when loading it up with programs running concurrently. I'd expect the same from the Mac when I get one.

I guess there's no real reasoning with Mac people, if they consider themselves a "mac person" then it's just because they don't know what they are doing on a PC and are therefore affraid of them.

It's people like you that bother me and statements like that which help you loose your credibility on this site.

Why should I have to take care of my PC with Kapersky Virus software and Windows Defender and keep it constantly clean all day over my MacBook Pro which is bullet proof out of the box.

Sure any PC savvy user (probably yourself) knows all the backdoors and hoops to jump through to make a PC work wonderfullly. I know these things as well and that is why I never mind that much using Windows, I can handle it.

Now which would I want to recommend to my customers, tons of addon security software and teach them how to run that poor excuse of an operating system or I could sell them a Mac and with confidence tell them "It just works and don't worry about installing any virus or spyware software, we just don't have them."

Seems to me your the one who needs to get off your high horse and lower your PC flag. Now look in that address bar for me and realize the site your on, you can't possibly talk to us and tell us Windows is superior, that would just be silly.

jon

 

[Mav451]

And that Search function sucks. The Help is a joke.

Totally agree. Why MS insists on an annoying, useless dog when the classic Win2K style (as the default) would have been perfect is beyond me. I don't think it's the big things that Windows struggles at, but the little things.

And Help - as a power user, it hasn't helped me yet. I don't seem to ever hear about it helping newbies either.

 

[ReanimationLP]

Totally agree. Why MS insists on an annoying, useless dog when the classic Win2K style (as the default) would have been perfect is beyond me. I don't think it's the big things that Windows struggles at, but the little things.

And Help - as a power user, it hasn't helped me yet. I don't seem to ever hear about it helping newbies either.

I wouldnt mind shooting that dog. Its so annoying. Its just as bad as the paperclip in Office. >.<

 

[Dane D.]

Thats MS for you

ReanimationLP:
I wouldnt mind shooting that dog. Its so annoying. Its just as bad as the paperclip in Office.

its such a burden to sit in front of a PC. One it looks bad, the computer; second,the Windows OS is primitive, non-intutive, laughable if you will. And those damn popups like, you have a MS update right in the middle of doing something. Third, the whole look of MS Windows is crude, the fonts look like sh.t, the Task bar is a crock of beans, the steps to do something blows me away. Oh, the anti-virus software, AVG, that scans the whole computer,add 10 -15 mins to startup time. All I have to say is, you PC users are missing the boat when it comes to using a computer.

 

[ghall]

My grandmother uses a PC, and she gets so frustrated with it. I know, and I've told her, that Mac whould be the perfect computer for her. She's always worrying about viruses, and spyware, and she always loses stuff (Spotlight whould benefit her greatly).

Whenever she needs me to help fix up some photos for her, I bring along my Mac, and load the pictures into iPhoto. She asked me how I got the pictures to come out so good, and I just smiled, and said "I used my Mac, it was pretty easy". Then, I had to edit some more photos for her, but since I didn't have my laptop with me at that time, I had to use her PC. It took me well over a half hour just to figure out how to work with the photo editor she uses.

 

[breakfastcrew]

I read like 2 pages of this and most of the pro mac points are pretty retarded. Obviously the ipod works with the mac os because apple made both hello are you guys nuts. There are like a gizillion mp3 player that microsoft didn't make I am not surprise if there are some glitches here and there. lets see what happens when you connect a whole bunch of non apple products to your mac pssshhhh Also some of us don't like the osx because we have used windows all our life. It is hard to try something new when we are so use to one environment. I dont' know what the op meant by home users but most home users I know are pretty happy with windows. I only hear complaints by ppl who aren't computer literate aka....old ppl. I guess if someone is new to using a computer a mac would be much easier to use than windows. I have a macbook right now but I have to say I am way more productive under windows than the mac. A lot of stuff that use to take a a minute or 2 to do like finding codecs for videos, d/ling utilities....now takes half and hour or more just because the os x is a minority and there are hardly anything compatible with it. Also with the new intel switch it is even harder to find universal binary programs. The networking thing the op said eariler I find it actually in reverse I think it is retarded how you have to log in to your mac to find your files. I like the whole click it and share it thing on windows. hahah but thats just me.

 

[ljump12]

I am a Mac and PC user; and i jsut have to say that you guys are a smug group of individuals... And you really need to get over it. Alot of your points just plain suck. Sure i love my macbook; but window's has its place too. Just deal with it.

My 2 cents.

 

[dsnort]

I read like 2 pages of this and most of the pro mac points are pretty retarded. Obviously the ipod works with the mac os because apple made both hello are you guys nuts.

Wow. That sentence is just, well, retarded!

There are like a gizillion mp3 player that microsoft didn't make I am not surprise if there are some glitches here and there.

But don't most of those players run on M$ software?

lets see what happens when you connect a whole bunch of non apple products to your mac pssshhhh

I do it all the time. Camera's, camcorders, printers, etc. No probs so far. Oh wait, I did have one issue. Creative Zen only works with it's software which is windows only.

Also some of us don't like the osx because we have used windows all our life. It is hard to try something new when we are so use to one environment.

Yeah, I know. I spent two weeks after I switched thinking I had screwed up. But I stuck too it and learned. Now I'm smiling all the days.

I only hear complaints by ppl who aren't computer literate aka....old ppl.

I don't know if I qualify as old, but, since when did it became a requirement to become a computer engineer to want to use a computer? Oh, that's right, with Windows!

Both OS's have a place, and adherents of both act like fecktards at times. All I know is that since I switched I feel like I have stepped out of the dark and into the sunshine. If that makes me sound smug, well, okay. I can live with that.

 

[hulugu]

I read like 2 pages of this and most of the pro mac points are pretty retarded.

Well thanks for such a learned opinion on the subject.

Obviously the ipod works with the mac os because apple made both hello are you guys nuts. There are like a gizillion mp3 player that microsoft didn't make I am not surprise if there are some glitches here and there. lets see what happens when you connect a whole bunch of non apple products to your mac pssshhhh.

Remarkably, I've spent a hell of a lot of time trying to get WMP to talk with supposed PlaysForSure DAP, and this is Microsoft software refusing to work with Microsoft software. Sony doesn't seem to be able to do this right either, by the way.

Also some of us don't like the osx because we have used windows all our life. It is hard to try something new when we are so use to one environment.

This is called Stockholm Syndrom. That's a problem for anyone going to one OS to another and thus can't be the only reason to stick with a given platform. This point has been gone over and over and it has been my personal experience that the Mac is still easier to transition to than from.

I dont' know what the op meant by home users but most home users I know are pretty happy with windows. I only hear complaints by ppl who aren't computer literate aka....old ppl. I guess if someone is new to using a computer a mac would be much easier to use than windows.

But, you repeat yourself. Nice that you assume since someone can't use Windows they're either old or 'computer illiterate.' It can't be that Windows is just poorly designed and training almost nonexistant. Perhaps, rather than making fun of people who have problems you could use your vast knowledge of the Windows OS to help them.

I have a macbook right now but I have to say I am way more productive under windows than the mac. A lot of stuff that use to take a a minute or 2 to do like finding codecs for videos, d/ling utilities....now takes half and hour or more just because the os x is a minority and there are hardly anything compatible with it. Also with the new intel switch it is even harder to find universal binary programs.

Windows hasn't undergone a major platform change, and I'd agree that the UB thing is annoying for new Macintel users, there's millions of computer that are still using the PPC and thus don't have this same problem. Note, this problem will go away, while Windows will continue to suck.
Secondly, you might want to try a secret search engine to find OSX apps and utilities.
Third, I have the same problem with Windows. I have to download a ton of stuff just to make it useful.

The networking thing the op said eariler I find it actually in reverse I think it is retarded how you have to log in to your mac to find your files. I like the whole click it and share it thing on windows. hahah but thats just me.

Yep, security sucks, you don't want that.

 

[hulugu]

I am a Mac and PC user; and i jsut have to say that you guys are a smug group of individuals... And you really need to get over it. Alot of your points just plain suck. Sure i love my macbook; but window's has its place too. Just deal with it.

My 2 cents.

Go look up the word smug. Read the definition, then go back and read many of the posts here.

 

[wonga1127]

Windows=the suxxors or 10 Things I hate about Windows.

One: GUI. You know I never really had a problem with the user interface, until I tried to use it. XP advocates will always fart their blow-holes about one button mice and what not. I've never needed two buttons. Ever. On windows, you have right click, but the contextual menus don't have the options you'd expect to be there. Merge tables in Office? NO WAY. M$ decided for me, that I don't need to do that. Well screw you M$.

Two: Backward-compatability. i love backwards compatability. I really do. I like being able to play Doom on my XP machine. But it also scares me, knowing that DOS is still in the under workings. I'm using something that hasn't been changed in more than 20 years. Do what Apple did, throw backwards compatibility to the wind, and really innovate. I don't really want to run Win95 apps in XP, because if I still needed them, I wouldn't have updated.

Three: Quality of the hardware. Any schmuck can throw some crappy parts into a box and plug the wires in. Try something new.

Four: Upgrades. THEY DON"T DO ANYTHING. Day to day use, I noticed my Smell was a little slow. So I thought, Hey, I'ma gonna put more RAM in. 70 bucks later, the only

difference is that my programs are taking up MORE memory. I add more, they spread out more. The different configurations? Yeah, trillions, googols, etc. But how many of those are attractive configs. Yeah, I can put a Rage XL in my Dell, but would it do anything? No. So who cares

Five: Mediocre. I don't know what it is, but something about Windows just feels LAME. For example. Recycle Bin. I'm not recycling it, its not like the hard drive has a predetermined amount of 1's and 0's it can write before it craps out, I just want the file gone. Trash is a better name for it, because thats what it is, trash, I don't want it. Control Panel. Its not a control panel. It provides maybe half the functionality of a car dashboard with 12 knobs and levers on it. You expect to change something, but the "wizard" for it is hidden away in your C:/Windows folder. Start menu. Ready. Set? BLOAT. Awesome, I can have every conceivable application at mt fingertips, if my fingertips were 17" long. When your "start" menu takes up your whole screen, its more like stop and search than start.

Six: Don't Give it to me If It Don't Work. Scheduled tasks is great at this. I told XP to shut down my computer at 10:00. 11:00 rolls around. Still up and sluggishly jogging. Thanks Billy Gates!

Seven: Legacy support. Why does the Windows boot screen display at 640x480? Who the hell has a standard VGA monitor anymore. I'm UXGA bitch, give me my resollution. If you have a small monitor, get a new one or get a gun. (Excluding laptop owners).

Eight: Search (ing for a better search function). Hey little pooch, can you help me find that file that I lost 4 months ago? Yeah, dig the ground, keep digging. No results found. Thanks a lot you dirty mutt. Yeah, Google desktop thing, but I don't feel like waiting forever for it to index my harddrive. Spotlight pwns.

Nine: Viruses, Spyware, and Adware. THis is more of a smackdown to the scum who make these things. Get a real job and get off my computer. I don't my balls to shrivel up everytimg a pop-up ad comes up. I don't want to flinch when I open a downloaded file. Give me freedom.

Ten: Fanboys. Seriously, get you head out of your ass. Wake up and smell the coffee. YOur 10 year old arguements no longer mean anything. Once you use both on an everyday basis, then you can make an educated choice. Until then, shut your mouth.

 

[Mav451]

Wow...the vitriol is strong with the last one.

I agree with a lot of your sentiments:
The default config for the Start Menu is terrible. One they default to large icons (I use small). This allows me to list nearly 20+ programs vertically vs. maybe 7-10 with the larger icons. Two, they have the "commonly used programs" set to 5 by default. I use 0. Instead, I use the "Pin to Menu" command to place what I choose to be the Programs displayed under the Start menu.

Three, I totally agree that the Start Menu interface itself is rather bloated, visually. This is why I use "Compact Menu" to display only the icons w/o the text, i.e. reducing the My Documents line to a simple folder icon. This is actually a very common option found in most visual styles other than the default ones provided by Microsoft.

So while the default settings of MS are a weakness, the versatility in tweaking and changing to interface to suit your needs is also a strength. It is just too bad that the default MS one is so terrible.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

So um... yeah. I use windows XP professional because I choose to.

 

[Dane D.]

ljump12:
I am a Mac and PC user; and i jsut have to say that you guys are a smug group of individuals... And you really need to get over it. Alot of your points just plain suck. Sure i love my macbook; but window's has its place too. Just deal with it.
My 2 cents.

Spoken like a typical PC user. If mine and other posters points "just plain suck" then back up your statement with some facts or illustrate the PC way for us. As for us Mac users being "smug", fine I can live with that. By the way here is the definition for you of smug:
smug |sməg| adjective ( smugger, smuggest) having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements.

breakfastcrew:
I dont' know what the op meant by home users but most home users I know are pretty happy with windows. I only hear complaints by ppl who aren't computer literate aka....old ppl. I guess if someone is new to using a computer a mac would be much easier to use than windows.

Please, I know from watching my kids and their friends (who are PC users), those friends are always amazed that our Macs just work. Those friends of my kids also always seem to be at my house on my Macs, uhmm, I wonder why. The second point of your statement is right on. Lets review; open carton - pull computer out plug in power cord, keyboard, mouse and monitor if desktop model. Press power button, fill out information fields for user and welcome to the world of Apple. Maybe 10 minutes tops, my eMac took about that. One time, I had a PC user watch me setup a new Mac, lets just say they were in awe.

breakfastcrew:
The networking thing the op said eariler I find it actually in reverse I think it is retarded how you have to log in to your mac to find your files. I like the whole click it and share it thing on windows. hahah but thats just me.

Whats "retarded" is having that Shared Folder in the first place. Let me explain, I don't want a file structure dictacted to me on where I have to keep my stuff. If I need to access a client's folder then why should I have to keep it in the Shared Folder? Wouldn't it make more sense to have a folder structure that is logical on the HD? The whole PC system is just plain confusing (when I look at the MyComputer window), the drives are still named by letters, wheres the HD icon that sits on my desktop with a name that I gave it?

 

[Mav451]

The whole PC system is just plain confusing (when I look at the MyComputer window), the drives are still named by letters, wheres the HD icon that sits on my desktop with a name that I gave it?

Yet another example of crappy defaults given by MS. One, clicking My Computer, in itself, is the equivalent of pre-1990's era of "click to enter my page". It's a waste of TIME! In this sense, MS should have made My Computer a menu (not as "a link" by default). This way, instead of having to click through two windows, you simply click it, and a vertical list of your drives will come out. At least this is what I do It's a lot more efficient and quicker way to access your drives. However...having an icon sitting on the desktop? That's an Apple convention I'm afraid

I'm more used to pressing to "Windows" key on the keyboard and then clicking the drive I want--this let's me get to drives without having to go back to the desktop everytime. By the way...very few users I know use the Windows key when they use a PC, and it's a damn shame, cuz it makes accessing anything fast as hell.

Show Desktop? Windows Key + D.
Run Program? Windows Key + R.
*and what most people don't know is that you can type in web addy's in the run menu. So if you defaulted Firefox as your browser? Typing in an addy will automatically open a new tab. Nice.

 

[waynesun]

I think you're spoiled with super-fast transfers.
I don't mind the transfer times, although they piss me off often. Usually, i go do something else while i'm xferring (not computer-related).

 

[Reaver]

I use both too I built a windows PC from scratch and use that for torrents and Gaming when I have time. and I use mac at work I cant wait till I get my laptop so I can use mac all the time.

 

[breakfastcrew]

With the exception of the "ipod killer" device they are going to release microsoft never released a mp3/audio portable player. 3 weeks in and I still like windows better. OSX looks nice and I like it at times. I am not trying to argue that windows is better but like the OP said it is hard to get use to the other os once you used the other one for so long. Coming from the windows world I miss the alt tab function and yes I know about cmd tab but it doesn't scroll thru everything and it doesn't work with full screen games. I also don't like the dock it gets in the way most of the time I prefer the start menu. I prefer windows over os x for now just because I am more familar with the os x....it might change in the future. I also like to tell the OP that just because you find some of the windows methods strange it doesn't mean everyone else thinks the same I for one like the networking file structure over the mac's. I also like the my computer thing it keeps my desktop nice and clean. I like the little letters next to the drive just because I have seen them there all my life. I still don't see how everyone you know complains about windows. My pc machine freezes like twice a month but then again I only have 256 mb of ram in it. I don't use anti virus either do my friends we haven't gotten a single virus since like blasta. The people I do see complaining about are like little kids and old people. They install everything and have icons all over the place.