Comments on: PC vs. Mac Redux

By: Killswitch

Killswitch — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 23:36:00 +0000

shmlco, the repair issue you brought up is a little off the mark as I see it. Windows is the most commonly bought OS, as it can be loaded on most any computer any mainstream store sells. Apple users for the most part, are more experienced with computers and turn to Apple for something they are either more in control of or just something other than Windows.

I have an old AMD 1 gig that I’ve had for many years now that I’ve never had to service (have had HD failures though) and that was some non-name brand machine. My current is about two and has yet to have any problem.

Most everyone who brings their computer to a tech shop to have it serviced usually bring it there because they don’t know how to fix a problem with computers themselves.

I haven’t gotten my hands too dirty with Apple, but from what I have experienced with their notebooks I wasn’t too enthusiastic about giving it a good run (not going to buy a $1000 laptop if I can’t adjust well to the OS). Afterall, I am perfectly happy with Windows XP.

I did recently install Ubuntu on my older machine and I really like it. It has the same feel that Windows has, but you have an incredibly higher amount of control over your system. If Wine improves, or Photoshop is eventually released for Linux, I will definetly move to Linux.

There is one issue that people like to bring up about the Apple vs Windows debate that usually throws a flag for me – the visuals. Windows has a handy little tool called Adobe Gamma that you can adjust, you can even adjust it to match Apple’s color profile.

As far as the debate goes, it’s really left to the user, with what they are more confortable with, and for what purpose they need a computer for. I am a php developer / graphic designer, but I also use my computer for gaming and general internet use and it’s perfect, I don’t need to learn to use a Mac and don’t need to move away from Windows. Other people often use my computer as well so they too don’t need to struggle getting around.

My mom is completely out of touch with computers, but she gets around to her email and the internet well on my Ubuntu computer (she really doesn’t know the difference between Windows and Ubuntu).

My preference would be a Windows XP machine (not Vista, that’s entirely different debate). I am confortable with it, I know how to run commands on it, and I can get around it quickly. Not to mention, I have a ton of programs that won’t run on anything else.

By: krdr

krdr — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:04:12 +0000

OSX can be run on ANY Intel platform, There’s solutions from “dark side”.
But, there’s quite good reason for Apple to keep customers on their hardware. Only with controlled hardware, Apple can obtain stability and reduce size of customer support. Users are discouraged to change/tweak/mod hardware as is usual on PC platform. I wonder when was the last time some regular Mac user took the screwdriver and opened Mac

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:19:42 +0000

For photoshop you can use WINE on linux or the gimp which is free and for office, use open office. I’ve used it on windows and linux and haven’t bothered with M$ for it for years.

By: shmlco

shmlco — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 08:42:06 +0000

My MacBook Pro is as great a computer as I could ever want. No issues whatsoever. Same with the Aluminum Powerbook which preceded it, and the same with… well, I could go on, but suffice to say I’ve never had to take a Mac in for service. I’ve replaced maybe two failed hard drives in the last twenty years, but that sort of thing happens with any computer.

The tech department at one of the places where I work, however, has a massive shelving unit filed with Dells, HPs, and quite a few no-name PCs awaiting parts, repairs, or just a complete Windows reinstallation after a virus or trojan has taken it down.

There was, however, one MBP on the shelf last week. When asked, I was shown the cracked screen. Seems the user had accidentally sat on it.

And to reply to another comment, it’s the access to the commercial software world that helps make the Mac what it is. For better or worse, I need Office and Photoshop and lots of other software that, in all probability, will NEVER be ported to Linux.