| Author | Message | ||
| 2400wattman
Senior Member Username: 2400wattman Post Number: 488 Registered: 11-2005 |
I must buy a new laptop and I've been looking at Macs. I've heard how superior they are to pc's but I'd like to know in what way. They're very pricey and for the features I could get a well equipped pc far cheaper. On the other hand I'm not looking forward to Windows Vista and all the issues I've been hearing about it. I've not bought a computer for about four years or so and I'm just way out of touch with everything new. Can anybody steer me in the right direction? Thanks in adavance | ||
| 0vid
Intermediate Member Username: 0vid Post Number: 113 Registered: 4-2003 |
You can run Windows on the new macbook pro and switch back to OS10.5. leopard.... so end of decision making. I do this only because MAC software seriously lags behind in one area - dictation. In all other areas, ...it depends on the software provider. Protools would issue updates only to MAC users first at one point. I use a MAC in my studio as well. Frankly if you are used to using a PC, use one, the difference is really not as much as most people make it out to be.... and this coming from a dedicated Mac user. I don't personally like the Windows interface and more importantly I don't want to learn how to work it, I just like growing with my macs. I don't like the in-elegance of the windows system whatever anyone may say. Still, if 99% of your time is spent working on software that would run on either system (say Pro tools, MS Word, Photoshop), the differences are smaller than they were say 15 years ago. It is only when you are navigating the machine otherwise where the differences show up. | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1660 Registered: 2-2006 |
I purchased a Mac Pro for my music room about 3 months ago and I was surprised at how easy it was to convert from Windows. I have yet to have the MAC "crash", "freeze" or become unresponsive. I use Cubase 4 for recording and have had my XP system freeze and need to be rebooted and lose what I was working on. This has not happened with the MAC yet. I still have XP on my every day use PC at home and work but will probably go with MAC's when they need to be replaced. As for the price difference. If you get a PC or Notebook with the same specs as the MAc there isn't that big a difference in price. Olie | ||
| hydrargyrum
Advanced Member Username: hydrargyrum Post Number: 308 Registered: 3-2004 |
To some extent it matters what you plan on doing with it. A great deal of music production software is only available for Mac. A great deal of other software is only available for a PC. Mac users rave about their computers, but I have never cared for them as a matter of personal taste. I like to be able to get into the guts of the operating system and fool around in ways a Mac won't allow. | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 255 Registered: 5-2002 |
I have seen this mac/pc thing played out over many years. I went with mac originally (1991) because that's what my friends used and I wanted to be able to share files easily. For a time, macs were more expensive, but now they are pretty competitive. When you look at what they include built in and add it all up, they can even be cheaper. What is also nice is that everything works since it all comes from one manufacturer. I have lots of friends who are switching over in the music world these days, including some very hard core PC power users, who only built their own computers up until now (which used to make me jealous, both for how much money they saved and how cool it would be to build a computer). So, unless you have a very compelling reason to go with PC, I'd say get a mac. I have never once gotten a virus, as well! Edwin PS I have had my mac freeze, but much more rarely with the latest OS and intel chips. | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 256 Registered: 5-2002 |
I have seen this mac/pc thing played out over many years. I went with mac originally (1991) because that's what my friends used and I wanted to be able to share files easily. For a time, macs were more expensive, but now they are pretty competitive. When you look at what they include built in and add it all up, they can even be cheaper. What is also nice is that everything works since it all comes from one manufacturer. I have lots of friends who are switching over in the music world these days, including some very hard core PC power users, who only built their own computers up until now (which used to make me jealous, both for how much money they saved and how cool it would be to build a computer). So, unless you have a very compelling reason to go with PC, I'd say get a mac. I have never once gotten a virus, as well! Edwin PS I have had my mac freeze, but much more rarely with the latest OS and intel chips. I can't remember the last time it happened. | ||
| jbybj
Intermediate Member Username: jbybj Post Number: 121 Registered: 6-2006 |
Been using Mac since system 6 OS, and occasionally forced to use a PC, but I never bothered to remember which version of windoze. Mac OS 10 is the most stable OS I have ever used. Blows away all previous mac OS's and anything windoze can dream about. Oh yeah, and then there is the money you will save by not buying virus protection, not to mention the bother. Another point, I have a four year old iMac, it still performs up to par for my needs, and still works well with the current OS. Mac products are freakin cool too. The only reason people use PC with windows is because that happens to be how they were first introduced to computers, and they just got used to being abused by their PC, they think it's normal. They will rationalize, like an abused spouse, "it's not his fault, I made him mad....." "oh, I guess I shouldn't have installed that new cool sound card....." They just need help, and understanding, and a little love. Would you rather get a hug from Steve Jobs or Bill Gates? best of luck, JBY | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1038 Registered: 6-2002 |
I've converted to mac 4 years ago and that was mainly that I was fed up with windows continually crashing at the most inappropriate times. ( not that there is an appropriate time to crash). Where I'v worked it's always been pc's. Due to the work I do, ( software development), they have always been very high specification machines running the latest versions of windows and software, all the latest windows patche, bonafide software etc. Even with that, for me, they are always locking, crashing and slowing down. Today my computer at work was continually crashing. I decided to go for mac for personal use because I didn't want to be my own hardware and software support team at home. Macs have given me a breath of fresh air. Yes they do crash occasionally but usually it doesn't crash the whole machine. I have found it to be a very stable platform and easy to use even for a non mac user. Somethings are a bit fiddly though. I read a quote somewhere that " Macs are for the stuff you want to do", PC's are for the stuff you have to do. :-) I personally will stay with mac's and not go back to using a PC for my personal computing be that music or just general home computing. That said, if all you are doing is surfing and using MS office and simple use of computers it doesn't really matter which you use. Although if someone was asking me for advice, I'd say get a mac. So far 4 of my close friends have made the switch and have not regretted it. Jazzyvee | ||
| grateful
Advanced Member Username: grateful Post Number: 249 Registered: 12-2004 |
Even Bill Gates admits the best version of Microsoft Office is the Mac version; and I've never crashed Mac OS X in three years. | ||
| dannobasso
Senior Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 681 Registered: 3-2004 |
I've been a dedicated Mac user since 96. In that time only one drive went bad and that was in a Performa. The iMac snow 500 G3 I gave my nephew after I upgraded still works with OSX. My 4 yr. old g4 macbook still runs great, my dual 800 G5 runs my protools, I have a Mac Mini single with my home entertainment system an a new Macbook at work. I was issued a Dell that has virtually nothing on it and I can't get the simple programs to function correctly without locking up. So I just don't use it. Life is too short to wait for Windows. | ||
| 2400wattman
Senior Member Username: 2400wattman Post Number: 490 Registered: 11-2005 |
I'm seeing a pattern here. | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 1041 Registered: 7-2003 |
I jumped ship this year after a half dozen PCs. Not looking back so far, nor have I siezed up or gotten any viruses yet. I can't even count how much of those things I'd have spent time dealing with on a PC... | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 603 Registered: 11-2004 |
I'm the same- I used PC's through my college and post-grad studies. Most of the science applications we were running were PC based so I got comfortable with PC's. I got married in 2001- my wife is a artist/graphic designer. We bought a G4 (which I'm typing on now) and have added a 17" G4 laptop and a new G5. I'll never go back. | ||
| pace
Advanced Member Username: pace Post Number: 360 Registered: 4-2004 |
All my Macs are circa '99-'02 (ibook, G3, and 2 G4's)..... OS X runs fine on all of them. Aside from the standard OS X apps, I run Protools, Reason, and a couple of other music programs. Ive been waiting for a reason to go buy a new quad core G5, but I dont need it yet. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 2785 Registered: 7-2004 |
O.K, you guys are convincing me to try some time on my wife's Mac. One question though - is there anyway that I can run WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS on a Mac? I know it's old and outdated, but it also just happens to be the best word processing program ever developed. Bill, tgo | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 1042 Registered: 7-2003 |
Holy Cow, Bill! WP 5.1? I was trying to describe prehistoric, pre-Windows, pre-LAN PC culture to my 13 year old the other night and I said the same thing about Word Perfect. But I confess I'm a wimp who couldn't really imagine giving up graphic user interface and WYSIWYG. You are my hero. WP for Windows could never hold a candle to the DOS version (or to Word). Are all of the codes (underline, bold, etc) still color coded across the affected text? I remember having WP on an HP PC with a (then massive) 40 meg (not gig) hard drive. My phone has more memory than that. I don't know if Mac could handle WP. But I'm sure somebody around here would know. Bill (the other one) | ||
| rraymond
Advanced Member Username: rraymond Post Number: 323 Registered: 6-2002 |
This looks like it'll do the trick. Only 79 bucks, too! http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/ I wish I had my Mac back. It got too expensive keeping up in the Mac and Microsoft worlds, not to mention having an expensive music habit! | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1727 Registered: 6-2002 |
Ah, WP 5.1 - the master of all wordprocessors. I still miss the "underwater screen" like we used to call it, where you could see all the layout tags and edit them. And nobody does tabs like WP did. Definitely not a Mac fan - not a Windows fan either - but why can't you have these plain old drive mappings to keep your own stuff organized your own way. Even Windows is trying to force me to use the labyrinth they call "My Documents". And don't get me started on the newest Mac screen features - blink-blink, poppety-pop, nag-nag. | ||
| haddimudd
Advanced Member Username: haddimudd Post Number: 217 Registered: 6-2002 |
I am currently forced to work on a MAC in my job and apart from its nice looks there is nothing "supperior" to it compared to what I am used to under Windows. It is said to be the strongest machine on the market, but in my reality the workflow on it is much slowed down compared to the workflow on Windows. At least in a professional working environment where you need to quickly access full file path infos, copy and paste to distribute them etc. it is really annoying to have to find workarounds for the easiest tasks under MAC OS. Opened windows of different programs keep getting in each other's way, clutter the screen and you can only ever see one program's menu at a time. If your program's main window is in the lower right corner of your big screen, you still have to travel your mouse all the way across the screen to the top menu, whereas on Windows each programs menu is within the program's main window and its reach per se and you can cascade various programs on your screen and have direct access to each individual menu. Oh well, just these little things that make life easier or harder in your daily workflow... I guess the MAC OS is fine if you don't have to dig in deeper and just use it as is. If you WANT to dig in deeper, it seems like you really have to fight the system. After all, it is all a matter of what you are used to. If you are used to do it the MAC-way you probably hate to do it the Windows-way and vice versa. Nevertheless, the MACs look nice, and as FZ already said: "Beauty knows no pain..." That's how I feel in my current job. Did I mention my MAC is crashing at least once per day? ...your frustrated MAC user... | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 604 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hartmut, Most of the current Macs can run OSX and whatever Windows operating system you prefer.... My sister just got a new Mac and has them both loaded- touch one of the function keys and the whole screen just flips- OSX to Windows or vice-versa. (Message edited by tbrannon on December 20, 2007) | ||
| haddimudd
Advanced Member Username: haddimudd Post Number: 218 Registered: 6-2002 |
Toby, Yes, you are right and we already considered this. Anyway, new PCs are already on their way and will arrive right after Christmas here at the company, so there is no real need for installing another OS before then. The MAC will then move over to the film compositing guys, for whom it was originally bought, and I can continue my 3D work more hassle free on a PC. I am really not in love with either OS, I just love the general idea of "hassle free". MACs are used in film compositing ever since Apple bought the company who made (one of) the superior compositing software called "Shake", much like they bought Emagic (i.e. Logic). And much as with Logic, Apple dumped all Windows support for Shake thus forcing users to either switch to MACs or Linux. Many people use Linux. Anyway, thanks for your suggestions. I will be fine soon. There is one thing however I found really interesting on this MAC and that is "Garage Band". I had only heard its name but never new what it is about (something like Band-In-A-Box, I thought). It sounds really promising quality-wise but I still have no clue on how I can use it or what I can actually do with it that would differ from your regular sequencer program. I do own Band-In-A-Box. Is Garage Band like that? | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 257 Registered: 5-2002 |
If Operating Systems Ran The Airlines... UNIX Airways Everyone brings one piece of the plane along when they come to the airport. They all go out on the runway and put the plane together piece by piece, arguing non-stop about what kind of plane they are supposed to be building. Air DOS Everybody pushes the airplane until it glides, then they jump on and let the plane coast until it hits the ground again. Then they push again, jump on again, and so on... Mac Airlines All the stewards, captains, baggage handlers, and ticket agents look and act exactly the same. Every time you ask questions about details, you are gently but firmly told that you don't need to know, don't want to know, and everything will be done for you without your ever having to know, so just shut up. Windows Air The terminal is pretty and colourful, with friendly stewards, easy baggage check and boarding, and a smooth take-off. After about 10 minutes in the air, the plane explodes with no warning whatsoever. Windows NT Air Just like Windows Air, but costs more, uses much bigger planes, and takes out all the other aircraft within a 40-mile radius when it explodes. Windows XP Air You turn up at the airport,which is under contract to only allow XP Air planes. All the aircraft are identical, brightly coloured and three times as big as they need to be. The signs are huge and all point the same way. Whichever way you go, someone pops up dressed in a cloak and pointed hat insisting you follow him. Your luggage and clothes are taken off you and replaced with an XP Air suit and suitcase identical to everyone around you as this is included in the exorbitant ticket cost. The aircraft will not take off until you have signed a contract. The inflight entertainment promised turns out to be the same Mickey Mouse cartoon repeated over and over again. You have to phone your travel agent before you can have a meal or drink. You are searched regularly throughout the flight. If you go to the toilet twice or more you get charged for a new ticket. No matter what destination you booked you will always end up crash landing at Whistler in Canada. OSX Air: You enter a white terminal, and all you can see is a woman sitting in the corner behind a white desk, you walk up to get your ticket. She smiles and says "Welcome to OS X Air, please allow us to take your picture", at which point a camera in the wall you didn't notice before takes your picture. "Thank you, here is your ticket" You are handed a minimalistic ticket with your picture at the top, it already has all of your information. A door opens to your right and you walk through. You enter a wide open space with one seat in the middle, you sit, listen to music and watch movies until the end of the flight. You never see any of the other passengers. You land, get off, and you say to yourself "wow, that was really nice, but I feel like something was missing" Windows Vista Airlines: You enter a good looking terminal with the largest planes you have ever seen. Every 10 feet a security officer appears and asks you if you are "sure" you want to continue walking to your plane and if you would like to cancel. Not sure what cancel would do, you continue walking and ask the agent at the desk why the planes are so big. After the security officer making sure you want to ask the question and you want to hear the answer, the agent replies that they are bigger because it makes customers feel better, but the planes are designed to fly twice as slow. Adding the size helped achieve the slow fly goal. Once on the plane, every passenger has to be asked individually by the flight attendants if they are sure they want to take this flight. Then it is company policy that the captain asks the passengers collectively the same thing. After answering yes to so many questions, you are punched in the face by some stranger who when he asked "Are you sure you want me to punch you in the face? Cancel or Allow?" you instinctively say "Allow". After takeoff, the pilots realize that the landing gear driver wasn't updated to work with the new plane. Therefore it is always stuck in the down position. This forces the plane to fly even slower, but the pilots are used to it and continue to fly the planes, hoping that soon the landing gear manufacturer will give out a landing gear driver update. You arrive at your destination wishing you had used your reward miles with XP airlines rather than trying out this new carrier. A close friend, after hearing your story, mentions that Linux Air is a much better alternative and helps. Linux Air Disgruntled employees of all the other OS airlines decide to start their own airline. They build the planes, ticket counters, and pave the runways themselves. They charge a small fee to cover the cost of printing the ticket, but you can also download and print the ticket yourself. When you board the plane, you are given a seat, four bolts, a wrench and a copy of the seat-HOWTO.html. Once settled, the fully adjustable seat is very comfortable, the plane leaves and arrives on time without a single problem, the in-flight meal is wonderful. You try to tell customers of the other airlines about the great trip, but all they can say is, "You had to do what with the seat?" Edwin | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 258 Registered: 5-2002 |
Some more: OS/2 SKYWAYS The terminal is almost empty, with only a few prospective passengers milling about. Airline personnel walk around, apologising profusely to customers in hushed voices, pointing from time to time to the sleek, powerful jets outside the terminal on the field. They tell each passenger how good the real flight will be on these new jets and how much safer it will be than Windows Airlines, but that they will have to wait a little longer for the technicians to finish the flight systems. FLY WINDOWS NT All the passengers carry their seats out onto the tarmac, placing the chairs in the outline of a plane. They all sit down, flap their arms and make jet swooshing sounds as if they are flying. WINGS of AS/400 The airline has bought ancient DC-3s, arguably the best and safest planes that ever flew and painted "747" on their tails to make them look as if they are fast. The flight attendants, of course, attend to your every need, though the drinks cost $15 a pop. Stupid questions cost $230 per hour, unless you have SupportLine, which requires a first class ticket and membership in the frequent flyer club. VMS AIRLINES The passengers all gather in the hanger, watching hundreds of technicians check the flight systems on this immense, luxury aircraft. This plane has at least 10 engines and seats over 1,000 passengers. All the passengers scramble aboard, as do the necessary complement of 200 technicians. The pilot takes his place up in the glass cockpit. He guns the engines, only to realise that the plane is too big to get through the hangar doors! UNIX EXPRESS Each passenger brings a piece of the airplane and a box of tools to the airport. They gather on the tarmac, arguing constantly about what kind of plane they want to build and how to put it together. Eventually, they build several different aircraft, but give them all the same name. Some passengers actually reach their destinations. All passengers believe they got there. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 5843 Registered: 5-2002 |
I think I'll take a train. | ||
| glocke
Advanced Member Username: glocke Post Number: 280 Registered: 9-2002 |
I just bought a new mac mini, and find the mac platform to be alot more user freindly than a windows based machine. One of the best things about it is no freeeups, reboots, viruses or spyware. I cant wait until my Dell laptop dies so I can get a mac. Only downside(s) to macs is that IMO they are very overpriced, and dont have quite the software library that windows machines have. | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 609 Registered: 11-2004 |
Glocke, I always thought that Macs were slightly overpriced as well, but when you go to spec out a similar PC, it gets downright close to what you pay for your Mac (unless you plan to build it yourself). Additionally, Mac's tend to have a longer 'useful' life. I'm running the latest version of OSX on my G4 from 2001- absolutely no problems. Try that with most PC based machines without upgrading everything.... I used to have to rebuild or replace my PC's every 2-3 years in order for them to be viable. | ||
| senmen
Senior Member Username: senmen Post Number: 710 Registered: 7-2003 |
...under my fingers I only let me iBook and my iPhone... Oliver (Spyderman) | ||
| hankster
Intermediate Member Username: hankster Post Number: 139 Registered: 6-2004 |
I use PCs at my office, but have used Macs at home for the last twenty-plus years, and wouldn't have it any other way (except maybe to convince my colleagues at the office to switch). Macs are easy to use, easy to troubleshoot if there is a problem (which is seldom), and the creative software for Mac is hard to beat. Plus, they look great. And as for price, they are not really any more expensive than a PC of decent quality. You can get cheap PCs, but you usually get what you pay for. Rick | ||
| briant
Junior Username: briant Post Number: 21 Registered: 12-2004 |
I use PCs for everything. I must be the only PC user in the entire world that doesn't suffer crashes/problems daily. I can't even recall the last time I had my OS crash. Every once in a while an application will do something naughty and crash on me but it happens very rarely. I use Vista on the system I'm on right now and my recording machine is running 64-bit XP. Those "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" commercials make me want to cave someone's skull in. | ||
| hankster
Intermediate Member Username: hankster Post Number: 141 Registered: 6-2004 |
Calm down, man, it's just television. Rick | ||
| glocke
Advanced Member Username: glocke Post Number: 282 Registered: 9-2002 |
"I must be the only PC user in the entire world that doesn't suffer crashes/problems daily. I can't even recall the last time I had my OS crash. Every once in a while an application will do something naughty and crash on me but it happens very rarely." I dont suffer daily problems with my windows machines either. But what I do suffer from are constant virus and adware infiltrations onto my windows machines, havent had any yet on my mac mini. In addition I also constantly get these annoying popups (almost daily) from both windows and mcaffee telling me about updates, wanting me to renew subscriptions, etc... I also like the mac interface much more than the windows interface, everything seems much easier to save and locate. Once my windows machines have expired, I will switch exclusivey to mac just because of their ease of use and navigation. " always thought that Macs were slightly overpriced as well, but when you go to spec out a similar PC, it gets downright close to what you pay for your Mac " Im not so sure of that Toby. I have dell laptop that was around $1000.00. I bought this as a mobile device to use for running astronomy software outside, and as a gaming machine. The mac equivalent is the macbook pro, which is twice the price. As far as I can tell the less expensive macbooks dont have the hardware capable of rendering advanced 3D graphics (I could be wrong though). | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 613 Registered: 11-2004 |
Gregory, That macbook pro might be twice as expensive as your Dell, but you're likely to get at LEAST twice as much functional life out of it. I used to have to buy a new Windows based desktop/laptop every 2-2.5 years in order to keep them viable. Not so with the Apple machines I've owned. Just my experience- YMMV. toby | ||
| elwoodblue
Intermediate Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 191 Registered: 6-2002 |
I'm still using my 2001 Mac with the first digi001...gone thru so many pc's during this time, not to mention the frustration of the 'architecture'(who knows where that file really is) of the IBM based software. maybe time to update my mac set-up...still works great though and it doesn't need security updates everytime I fire it up... anyone want a free IBM based 'puter?...I bought it to jibe with youtube and burn CD's,worked great until I saw a file named 'h34u4786rj3' or something similar and thought that no self respecting programmer would name a file that unless they waned to confuse the user...well my philosophy is when I buy a computer I want to know what's on it...so I tried deleting the file and after a restart it wont boot completely or even accept a bonafide and paid for windows OS . ...should be an easy fix...just pay shipping. | ||
| glocke
Advanced Member Username: glocke Post Number: 283 Registered: 9-2002 |
Well, Im more or less now sold on the whole mac OS now. I picked up a 15" macbookpro a few weeks ago, and am really pretty impressed. The computer is beautiful to look at, and the way the OS works is just something that makes sense. Best of all, theres not preloaded useless software, no annoying popups every few minutes, etc, etc. Im now setting my eyes on an imac as a purchase later in the year. I'll still always have a desktop PC around for games, but I am now a solid mac convert. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1072 Registered: 6-2002 |
Apple have just announced a new mac laptop. Looks neat and you can also specify an optional solid state 64GB hard drive. http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=7B72367C&node=home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air My new 15" mac laptop arrived today but not before I got an apple email showing off the new laptop this morning.... hrmmmmphhh. I guess even with computing, timing is everything. This is a mac household :-) Jazzyvee |
