Nick Douglas at Valleywag gives 42 Reasons Normal People can Switch to Macs. Of course by normal people what he actually means is people in Silicon Valley with a pile of money and easy access to a local Apple store and Apple technicians. For the rest of us here is 9 Reasons Normal People stick to PCs:
1. Cost:PCs are cheaper and there are a lot more to choose from, where as Mac’s are expensive and you can pick from a handful of systems. Software is also on average more expensive on a Mac due to a lack of choice.
2: Operating System: yes, some may laugh, but with a PC you’ve got choices. XP, Vista, a whole pile of Linux distros, BEOS…the list goes on. Mac OSX might be pretty, but it’s still proprietary to a Mac box.
3: Software: The is a huge smorgesboard of software available for PC’s. Mac on the other hand suffer from a serious lack of options. Mac users say that a Mac just works and that’s true: Mac’s do just work because there’s less choice on the platform, and the little there is can and is tested heavily prior to availability, but what would most people prefer? the choice of one color in their cars or a choice of many colors? Mac is the Model T of the computer world.
4: Gaming: Want to make a Mac user cringe? ask them if they’ve played the last in game yet? they wouldn’t have because gaming on Macs is close enough to being non-existent. But they’ll tell you that’s alright, because they’re the cool guy in the Mac ads. In the movies that guy usually gets a capital L.
5: Servicability: something gone wrong with your Mac? not a problem, if you’re lucky enough to live near a Apple shop they’ll fix it for you. In my case there isn’t 1 Apple store in the entire country (Australia) and the nearest authorized Mac dealer is 200km due North. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot, Apple doesn’t like you tinkering under the hood so you can fix it yourself. Something with my PC goes wrong, I flip the lid and have a look, or I take it to any number of PC shops that do repairs all within close driving range. Further the days of Mac users saying nothing goes wrong with their hardware are over, Mac run the same hardware as a PC.
6: Parts/ Upgrading: see in part point 5. Mac users will tell you they don’t need to upgrade, well if that was the truth they’d all be still running Mac II’s now wouldn’t they. As technology advances so do the requirements of all computers, Macs as well. Apple makes it near on impossible to upgrade Macs, from sealed boxes through to layouts that are impossible to tweak by all except the most highly trained experts. PC’s are more like lego. You can take parts out and put new parts in, so easy that my 59 year old mother can competently upgrade and add things to her PC. And the best thing with a PC: the parts are 99.9999% guaranteed to work with the PC due to extensive driver support. A Mac is like pot luck, by a new part and you never know whether it’s going to work or not because half the time there isn’t official drivers for it.
7: Peripherals: see in part 6 because the same rule applies. Sure you can plug something into a Mac the same way as a PC, but will it work with a Mac? Believe it or not theres more to peripherals than digital cameras, which all work with a PC anyway.
8: Better Peripherals: more choice and no stupid 1 button mouse. PC mice also come with a scroll wheel for scrolling, a Mac Mouse…well a weirdish rubber button thingy.
9: Usability: for the average person who doesn’t live in Silicon Valley, PC’s are actually more usable, after all, not only do you hardly ever find a Mac in an average (ie non-tech firm) business, very few other places run them, where as PC’s are everywhere and virtually everyone has exposure to Windows. Buy one for home and you’re going to know how it works, how to start a program and surf the internet. Mac’s a like going to France and not being able to speak French, you can struggle your way through but if you could speak the language natively life things would be better.
Disclosure: the author is a PC user.
Originally posted on March 7, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
Need to run a Windows-only application? Fine. The Mac is the only computer in the world that can run both Mac OS X and Windows XP. With extra software like Parallels Desktop, you can even run them side by side.
Macs can also run Vista – although nobody seems to want to do so. Linux, too.
Therefore, Apple Mac can run the world’s largest software library. All other PCs cannot run Mac OS X and Mac-only apps like iLife.
PC’s cant run Mac OSX easily because Apple stops us from doing so, I’d note easily because it can actually be done but it’s a breach of a EULA. If OSX is so wonderful, Apple should drop the ridiculous limitation on use on Apple badged hardware only. As for running Vista on a Mac…how much more does it cost? Why run it on a Mac when you can run it on a PC natively? :-)
10. Because I can run Mac OS X in virtaul mode and realize I have outgrown the Fisher Price nerdism.
I agree with If OSX is so wonderful, Apple should drop the ridiculous limitation on use on Apple badged hardware only.
Any Windows certified (WHQL) driver will hardly ever be the source of problems. Don’t blame Windows because hardware companies are too lazy to develop decent drivers.
And when will I finally be able to use those 8 mouse buttons and my 47 special keys on my keyboard under Mac?
Oh wait… ship everything to Cupertino and pay, they will develop your driver. Or stick to 2 buttons on your mouse.
Cowards.
It takes much more guts to build a platform with a freely distributed SDK for developers and open to anyone who wants to build a driver.
Ok guys, grow up. Vista does run natively. If you haven’t heard, most Macs run Intel Core 2 Duo chips now, so no virtualization is required. People sometimes like to run things like Parallels or Virtual PC so they can run Windows on the whim without a reboot.
@Duncan Riley: Apple prefers it that way. It’s their business, and they’re entitled to it.
@franky: There are plenty of multi-function mice out there that work great for both PC and Mac. Most Logitech mice work fine on both. As a recent switcher, I was able to take my 8 button wireless mouse from my PC to my Mac. Do your research before spouting un-information.
I can’t believe some of this crap still floats to the top.
Just switched and already Mac nerd behavior. Sigh.
Apple prefers it that way. It’s their business, and they’re entitled to it.
So why does Mr. Job offer the option to run Windows on a Mac, but still doesn’t allow that Mac OSX gets virtualized on a PC?
It’s written in the EULA.
Sorry if last time my hardware compatibility was the reason why I didn’t switch. Sorry if I don’t check with every update if my hardware finally supported is.
It’s a principle thing. Nothing is more proprietary than Cupertino. See iTunes-iPod.
Could you be any more clueless?
Seen as you’ll never have anything worthwhile to say then perhaps you should quit the blogging and go back to the AOL Chatrooms.
PCs do have more software, but hardly any of its good. Try and find an IM client as good as Adium on the pc, or a text editor as good as Textmate.
Not gonna happen
oh and usability is a science, just because people are used to using one thing doesn’t mean its more usable. You can master the Mac in a matter of months, I bet most windows users dont even know the new folder shortcut key after 2 years.
@franky:
My behavior is partly due to putting up with the MS way for much too long. But that’s a different issue…
Actually, Windows is quite proprietary, and full of bugs and problems of it’s own (see Viruses, spyware, and adware).
Hmmm…. How proprietary is Apple? Well, they have released the xnu kernel source code so people can recompile their kernel. You won’t find MS doing that anytime soon.
One thing you’re not getting is that Jobs wants you to have an experience similar to a fine dinning restaurant. You don’t go there for a hamburger and fries and serve yourself, you go there for fillet mignon and be served. It’s the same principle. Jobs wants your experience to be positive, and problems with third party internals and drivers can detract from that.
After dealing with PC’s the past 15 years, 10 of which professionally, it’s nice to have something just works.
Jay, now I agree. :-)
It’s a different policy. And I do get that. Jobs aims the perfect system (with around 150 bugs), Bill Gates wanted to make the computer accessible to anyone (well kinda, you get the point).
Windows has bugs, Mac has bugs. Windows is not different from Mac: select your hardware components carefully and you’ll have a stable system. My XP shuts down less randomly than the average MacBook. Actually my notebook has 43 days uptime.
From the perspective of someone who has been in PC security, even (official) alpha tester for MS, I have always said ‘Apple and security… lets speak again when they reach 12% market share and start to become interesting’.
I like discussing those things, but not if it’s on a fanboy level, then I behave just as stupidly as what I see around.
Every system has its weaknesses. ;-)
Jesus, it’s like 901am just decided Digg had some great content. Milking cows and Mac/PC flamewars, nice. And the “New Media News” is where?
This is cheap linkbait. Are we sure that John C. Dvorak isn’t a guest blogger today?
;)
-jf.
#10. Duncan Riley hates Macs.
’nuff said. :)
I wouldn’t want to get into the Macs vs. PCs debate anymore because I’m an avid user of both platforms, each with their particular uses and purposes. And I’ve already written a handful of Macs vs. PCs articles before and got tons of DIGGs (hence I know the linkbait value).
Seriously, this is getting to be quite a tired news/blogging topic already. You’ve got a few great points, Duncan, but this debate will go on and on and on and I’d rather not stress myself out trying to argue for either side.
Cheers.
Stay in Australia.
Stay with Wintel.
Stay off drugs.
Where does a non-Mac user like Duncan Riley get his information? Overheard in a PC lab in 1993?
1. Total cost of ownership is lower for Macs.
2. Many OS choices on Macs, including the acclaimed Mac OS.
3. Sigh. Went looking in Office Max again, uh. There’s an equivalent or something better on the Mac almost always. If there’s not, see #4.
4. No longer an issue with Boot Camp.
5. Fortune just called Apple America’s best retailer, so I think service extends a little beyond Silicon Valley. Austrialia might be an issue though.
6. Your hyperbole extends into the outright lie here. But I question your assumption that tinkering is what everyone likes. Do you tinker with your car, your TV, your appliances? Some people have other hobbies to spend time on, and like their tools to just work and keep working. Macs do, for longer, and software upgrades often improve performance.
7. Third-party peripherals haven’t been a significant issue in a long time.
8. See # 7. Except moreso for “better” peripherals.
9. Dumb logic. Misinformed ideas about what constitutes usability.
I don’t know what it is about Apple Australia, but Macs get more bruising down there than from anywhere else. (I think it may be their fiercely independent spirit… or maybe something in the water.) That said, drive a truck, drive a sportscar, there’s always good, better and best, and Mac is the best. Most people are penny wise and pound foolish. Microsoft has made billions from that paradigm.
Of course, this article written from the perspective of a Windows Bigot. And some of the points are true, but irrelevant. Most of the things you consider important are inconsequential.
1. Apple doesn’t make cheap pieces of junk that won’t last you two years. My 800 Mhz flat screen iMac is almost five years old and works just fine. Neither Apple or its developers put out cheap junk software either.
2. You have more choices of OS’s on a Mac than on a PC. Why? Because you can run all the above listed OS’s plus Mac OSX. Not that you would ever need to.
3. Yes, there is less software on the Mac. The reason is that we don’t have a dozen versions of the same Cr*ppy program. Mac user are discriminating and buy more software per machine than PC users.
4. You are right about gaming, but who cares? Now that Mac’s run on the same Intel machines as PC’s, then games will come. And because has a completely modern OS, unlike XP or Vista, games will be designed faster, better and less expensively on a mac. The animation software software built into Mac OSX Leopard 10.5 will knock your socks off.
5. Yes, Apple has a ways to go. Apple is hot on Dell’s heels as the number three computer maker. Apple should beat out HP in about three years at its current growth rates. By that time, there will be another fifty to sixty Apple stores.
6. Yes, you are right; we Mac users don’t tinker with our machines much. That is because we are not hobbyists; we use our machine to make money with. Apple doesn’t care about this part of the market any more than it wants the junky, loss leader PC market. There is just no money in it.
7. There may be some weird pieces of equipment that works on PC’s but not Mac’s. So what? Apple is not out to be everything to every one. Apple concentrates on its core markets and lets the rest go by the wayside. Who cares?
8. Boy, are you ignorant. There have been two button mice for Macs for over ten years. The current Mighty Mouse is a two button mouse with a scroll wheel and a squeeze button. It’s all software controlled so you can choose to use the features or not. Perhaps, Apple is being too subtile for you.
9. You have strange standards in usability. Usability, to me, means that it works for me. You don’t really mean usability, but ubiquity. Windows is everywhere, but it sucks. If that is okay with you, it is nothing to me. Different strokes for different folk.
All you did was list your preferences– your opinions. That’s fine, but you didn’t prove anything other than that you are ignorant. And arrogant.
What utter drivel.
It kills me how fervent Windows acolytes throw around the “fan-boy” label so much, yet when they make their arguments they can’t even use fact. Only a true cult member needs to lie to make their points. The stuff presented in this blog shows that the writer has no idea what he is talking about, or worse, he knows what the facts are but chooses to present lies.
Um… I don’t think these are very accurate. First, I’d like you to define “normal person.” Cuz last time I checked, the “normal” person isn’t choosing the operating system; normal people aren’t using Linux. Not to mention, Mac OS X is a choice for an operating system.
The Peripheral thing is a joke too. Got news, quantity doesn’t equal quality. But last time I checked, any scanner, camera, printer, digital video camera, keyboard, mouse, card reader etc worth using, also works with my Mac. More importantly, the “better” peripheral thing isn’t right either. I have an HVX200 digital video camera. One of the best cams on the market… it doesn’t work with most PC’s because so many on’t have Firewire. I have a 5 button logitech mouse… not one. I have a Canon i9900 that works. So I’m not sure what peripherals you use that are so amazing but again, you said “normal” person. So all of my pro-end equipment is better than anything the normal person needs.
Service is easy. My mac never breaks. Upgrades, well, my laptop uses standard DDR ram that I can find anywhere. Serial ATA drives, NVidia cards, all standard. Don’t know what you’re using that I can’t.
The average person can’t figure out how to send an attachment on a PC but they find it easy on a Mac so, usabilty seems to be another fallacy.
I’ll give you the games… but there are a lot of games out for the mac. Besides, I’ve got three consoles so games on my Mac don’t really matter.
Lastly, cost and software. Hmmm… my I have never run into something that I needed a PC for with regards to software except for some crummy software for my mobile phone but iSync fixes and trumps that anyway. Remember, quantity doesn’t equal quality. Since your abiguous term seems to have no meaning, I’m a “normal” person. I use Final Cut Pro, Motion, DVD Studio Pro and Aperture. You, running Windows, sure can’t. I’d be out of a job with Windows. And the cost, well, my system did cost 2g’s but so did my friends VAIO and it’s a year younger and ready to be sent to the grave yard.
So, what was your arguement again?
“Software is also on average more expensive on a Mac due to a lack of choice.”
I stopped reading right there since the author has obviously never heard of MSJ, therefore his opinion is based on incomplete facts.
Disclaimer: I’m a Mac user by choice and Windows user by necessity.
It seems that this is more likely to be true for techies not normal people. Re-title it and I think many of your arguments hold up.
1. Cost:PCs are cheaper.
Only on the low end. Macs are quite competitive in the middle range (Macbook) and high end (Macbook Pro and Mac Pro).
2: Operating System: yes, some may laugh, but with a PC you’ve got choices.
With Parallels or Boot Camp you can run any PC OS you like, and with Parallels you can run OSX and Windows at the same time.
3: Software: The is a huge smorgesboard of software available for PC’s.
Yep, and with Parallels or Boot Camp you can run it all on a Mac.
6: Parts/ Upgrading: see in part point 5.
Mac desktops are as readily upgradeable as any other desktop.
7: Peripherals: see in part 6 because the same rule applies.
Same as 6; plug it in and run it. If there is a device driver issue, use
Boot camp, then plug it in and run it.
8: Better Peripherals: more choice and no stupid 1 button mouse.
Any multi-button USB or bluetooth mouse will work with a Mac. It’s been that way for years.
9: Usability: for the average person who doesn’t live in Silicon Valley, PC’s are actually more usable…
Well, run Windows and OSX at the same time and mix and match as you like.
Face it, Macs are now a SUPERSET of Windows PCs. They will do everything a PC does, and then you can switch over to OSX and do it all better.
This was a pretty lame list of objections.
> Mac’s do just work because there’s less choice on the platform, Better Peripherals: more choice and no stupid 1 button mouse. PC mice also come with a scroll wheel for scrolling, a Mac Mouse…well a weirdish rubber button thingy. 7: Peripherals: see in part 6 because the same rule applies. Sure you can plug something into a Mac the same way as a PC, but will it work with a Mac? Believe it or not theres more to peripherals than digital cameras, which all work with a PC anyway. 9: Usability: for the average person who doesn’t live in Silicon Valley, PC’s are actually more usable,…
Ok, let’s try that again. I’m obviously an idiot mac user because I can’t even figure out how to post correctly… ;)
“Mac’s do just work because there’s less choice on the platform,”
This is a non sequitur. Macs work well because a great deal of time has been put into making this operating system as usable as possible, and because Apple was sucessful at providing lots of pre-built stuff for programmers to plug into their apps. For example, I’ve always found OS X apps to be more consistent with their open/save dialog boxes. I can’t count how many weird, barely useable dialogs I’ve encountered in Windows. In OSX (except for Java apps, though :-( ), they’re always consistent.
“Better Peripherals: more choice and no stupid 1 button mouse. PC mice also come with a scroll wheel for scrolling, a Mac Mouse…well a weirdish rubber button thingy.”
Huh? Macs come with the mighty mouse these days, which has 2 buttons (if you can figure out how to configure them, and to be honest, I do have some problems with them) and a scroll ball which is *AWESOME*. I love that thing. I find myself at work trying to move the scroll wheel sideways because I’m used to being able to do it at home.
“7: Peripherals: see in part 6 because the same rule applies. Sure you can plug something into a Mac the same way as a PC, but will it work with a Mac? Believe it or not theres more to peripherals than digital cameras, which all work with a PC anyway.”
Que?
My experience with peripherals and Macs: plug them in.
My experience with peripherals and PCs: plug them in, hunt for the driver disk. can’t find it. hunt for the driver on the web. maybe i’ll get lucky…
“9: Usability: for the average person who doesn’t live in Silicon Valley, PC’s are actually more usable,…”
The problem with this argument is that it’s true when you compare people with PC experience but no Mac experience, but if you were to compare people with lots of experience on both, I’d bet the overwhelming majority would end up picking a Mac. BUT, that’s a good empirical question, I’d like to see a study…
The main reason is that because Pc’s are so hard to use, wonky with driver & virus issues and full of OS stopping warnings – people naturally presume they are dumb or personal computers are that finikicky and rewuire constant attention – why would they spend anything extra when they can get a PC for $399 … of course, they’re not going to get why you’d spend a little more to get 10 or 50 times the experience (not to mention no downtime or viruses). This is exactly like the scenario with US & int’l car manuafcturers in the 1970’s – a BMW? What’s that? When my Chevy Vega is good enough, it too has 2 doors and an engine.
Just like Gm squandered their lead so has MS. After 6 years and $6 billion dollars, Vista is as “good” as it gets – another barely functioning-missing drivers and incompatiable OS. MS will stay in business because places like jiffy lube and wedding kiosks need a cheap OS and as with most of the market now, people who can only afford $299 for a computer will get only one choice – a PC. It’s better than nothing but it’s no Mac just as a Vega is no BMW.
Sure, if you’re a dentist, there is probably some cheap dentist office software that’s only a PC so if you don’t want to change, we understand but for 90% of consumers who just need photo, music and the web – doesn’t matter what platform you use – mac, linux or the 1990’s oS – windows (BTW, Mac’s free word processor can open MS Word docs unlike Vista’s text app).
1. You’re right, Mac’s are expensive, but that’s the price you pay for being cooler than anyone with a Dell or Vaio.
2. Macs can run Vista, we just know better.
3. Yeah, there’s not as much software for us, only the stuff we really need.
4. yeah, we don’t have as many games. Um, can’t think of anything witty to say to that.
5. Hard to service, maybe, but break a lot less often and when was the last time you went in a store to get something fixed before looking for help on the web first?
6. Again, do the research and you won’t have a problem with upgrading. It’s not as tough as you make it sound.
7. I’m using a two button mouse right now!
8. It’s easy to say that PC’s are easier to use when that’s all you use. For those of us that are cross platform, macs are a lot easier than PC’s.
9 Reasons: Not one virus in 9 years and total server down time under 4 hours. PC users do not believe this stat, but it is true.
We tossed our last PC two months ago with an iMac running XP via Bootcamp. We use IE for 5 minutes a day, the rest of the day it is OS X. Only stupid vendors write for Active X! Two dozen Macs and 3 Xserves.
Eliminate virus protection/recovery costs and you pay for a Mac over its lifetime. One company we serve paid $3500 to recover after ONE attack. They own 5 PCs and it took 3 DAYS TO RECOVER THEIR DATA—they were lucky.
Fact: PC users are calling me for buying advice lately. Converts become the biggest boosters for Mac.
This wanker has obviously had a few too many Fosters.
Wow! I’m amazed that someone that obviously spends alot time in the blogosphere could be so il-informed. Clearly you’ve got a serious chip on your shoulder but, your hatred for Apple and Steve Jobs, in reality gives the company and the man such a power over you that your rant is a sad commentary. I feel sorry for you.
Most statements have been made as to how elementary, or sophomoric at best, this artical is. Empirical data supersede any pseudo-PC (or Apple) expert out there. A computer is an investment, albeit only a few years worth. Non-the-less, take responsibility and research for oneself the pros and cons for each. A basement blog with inaccurate or limited information should be the least desirable of reputable sources needed to reach a conclusion.
The 9 REAL reasons people stick with Windows PC’s.
1. Cost. They look at the least expensive white box PC and compare it to the most expensive Mac, or remember prices from 10 or 15 years ago and think about how much more expensive a Mac is, based upon their recollections and hearsay. A PC can always be upgraded later, even though it will cost more, require downtime to do the upgrade and possibly introduce incompatabilities and software upgrades, but you saved $20.00 from when you first bought it. Wheee!
There are differences in cars too. You can buy the cheapest car which will do the same thing as a car that costs ten times more. However, the more expensive car will get you there in style and comfort whereas the cheaper car will simply get you there. Buy what suits you, what you can afford. Buying a car when you need a truck though, is simply stupid, even if you can only afford the car.
2. O/S. PC’s come with an Operating System and MOST people never go beyond the minor upgrades, some NEVER upgrade. It becomes a Mantra of “I can run this or that or some other OS”, but only the techies ever do, so they can show how manly they are, how knowledgable they are and how superior their nerdiness makes them cause they know trivia about an OS that is not used by most people. When do normal people get a new O/S? When they buy a new computer.
There are exceptions of course. Some Windows people buy a new OS, install it on their old computer, find it runs so slowly it would drive them mad and then trash it and go back, or simply go and buy a new computer.
Mac users sometimes buy an upgrade to add to the functionality of their Mac. I’ve got older systems that have the original OS, some have been upgraded to newer versions. Depends on what I want to do with the computer and whether the upgrade can be justified based upon cost, hardware requirements and time to install and maintain the upgrade.
3. Software. Most normal people buy the specific pieces of software for a computer that they need and never buy anything again until they need something specific that they can’t get their nerdy tech friends to pirate for them. Or they go through the computer section of their electronics store, and see something that catches their eye that they buy, try and then shelve because it’s mostly a piece of junk. This applies mostly to Windows but also to Mac’s. Linux users are conditioned to “It’s free” so there is such a minimal amount of commercial Linux software available, you will likely never see it for sale, other than the install disks themselves for people to try installing it.
Software is THE reason for having a computer. Software includes games, BTW, so another point that should be combined. Find the software that works for you, then buy the computer that will run it. Your life will be simpler, easier and less frustrating for you if you do this. The problem comes in when you buy the computer and then expect it to run everything out there.
4. Gaming. Games are available on ALL platforms, including the gaming consoles. Not all games are available on all platforms because it costs money to write for all the different platforms. Unless the author can recoup their costs and make a profit, why write for every platform out there? With the proper tools, it might be possible to port a game to more than one platform, and this is happening more, but people get used to a particular language and it only runs on one platform so the time and costs to port it to another platform become too high and it stays only on the one platform, usually Windows.
5. Servicability. Cheap computers break more often than higher priced quality computers. Most computers are made in the same factories in China, Singapore, Taiwan from the same components and everything has pretty much become a commodity item. It is the glue of software (O/S, firmware, drivers, BIOS, etc) that holds it all together and creates the computer experience that makes the difference in a lot of cases.
6. Parts/Upgrading. Most people upgrade their computer by buying a new one. The most common upgrade is more memory, followed by a bigger hard drive in my experience. Most normal people never upgrade anything else unless something breaks, or they want a bigger monitor (or they’ve put a brick through the monitor because its turned into a problem computer).
7. Peripherals. How many peripherals are needed? A printer for output, a monitor to see what is going on, a keyboard and mouse to control things and a cable to connect to the phone line or high speed internet. External hard drives are useful. Cameras and video cameras. Most everything connects to USB, higher end stuff connects via firewire and anything that was serial or parallel is being phased out in favour of USB. USB was created by Intel but languished until Apple made it the default connection method for the original iMac and then everyone was putting USB into stuff. Apple made it so that USB was popular and that it just worked.
8. Better peripherals? PC mice are not made of rubber? Obviously you can’t UPGRADE a mouse with one you like, that might work better. So if you are unable to upgrade a mouse, how the heck can you make comments about anything else? See above about peripherals. This one belongs there, so your list is really only 8 things in my opinion.
9. Usability. Actually, Mac’s are more usable for people that use them and have been trained on them. Anyone who is immersed in Windows who tries the Mac has difficulty because there ARE differences. The same applies to someone from the Mac who tries Windows. Same thing. If you switch back and forth between the two, it sometimes takes a moment to remember which control does what, but it is not that hard. Ask a truck driver if they have to look at how to use a car when they go from one vehicle to another. “Where the heck did they put the windshield wiper?” Yeah, usability is a big issue, but any tool takes a bit of training time to learn. If you are not able to learn, please don’t touch power tools (including computers) for you will likely hurt yourself.
I’m a FORMER computer tech who has worked on Apple product from the late 1970’s (First computer was an Apple ][+ with a four digit serial number), Commodore systems, PC-DOS 1.0 to MS-DOS 6, Windows 3.x, 95/98, XP, a bit of Unix in the 80’s, a bit of Linux in the mid-90’s and I have some Linux stuff I will be doing this year. I do my own work and that of a few friends and family but gave up on computer service work cause it changes so fast I can’t be bothered to keep up with all the costs and certifications and other crud and the fustrations of working the damn things.
I prefer the Apple way of doing things but I use the tool that works for me. I have a number of Macs here as well as a DOS computer and a few Windows machines. Each does what they need to do. I don’t have one tool that I expect to do everything. I have in my toolbox, hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers and lots of other stuff. I use a hammer when I need a hammer, a sledgehammer when I need a big hammer and whatever other tool that will do the job. That is what professionals do, use the right tool for the job. Amatuers, wannabes and those that are super cheap expect that a single tool will do everything. Of course it also shows in the work they do.
Have a day. Your seven reasons are completely off-base in my opinion, but then your seven reasons are simply your opinion anyway.
Take care.
Reginald W
Canada
nearly everything you list here is inaccurate as of 2006. if you’re going to act like you’re informed, then GET INFORMED. and take some english lessons too. you can’t write worth a crap.
has anyone pointed out how you can’t run a windows box without broadband? you’d need weeks to download updates over anything slower than DSL. by then you’d be riddled with viruses, trojans, malware, etc.
1. Cost:PCs are cheaper…
PC’s have not been cheaper since the 20th century. Yes, you can buy a bunch of no-name pieces from OEM stores and build a cheaper PC, but the age old saying alays proves true – You get what you pay for.
With the Macbook, the entry level iMac and the MacMini, you end up with quality hardware at a price that far outweights what the top PC manufacturers are offering.
2: Operating System: yes, some may laugh, but with a PC you’ve got choices…
Those would be the same choices that many others have already listed. You can run any OS in virtual mode using either parallels or VirtualPC, or you can run them native in Boot Camp. either way, it allows the ease of use of any OS and Application ever made, to be run on a Macintosh.
3: Software: The is a huge smorgesboard of software available for PC’s…
See Number 2 – Use of either parallels or boot camp elliminates that argument right there.
Add to the fact that the important software that most home users and professionals need is available for the Macintosh already.
Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, The entire former Macromedia suite of software.
Add to that the number 1 Video Editing software used by the top professionals in the world, Final Cut pro HD, is mac only. The top DVD authoring software, the top Photography Software (Apeture), also available for Mac only.
Show me one thing you can do on a PC that I cannot do in half the time on a Macintosh? Not going to happen.
4: Gaming: Want to make a Mac user cringe? ask them if they’ve played the last in game yet?..
Why would I want to bother playing a game on a 24″ monitor? I much prefer playing games in High Definition on my console gaming system, on a 52″ television, while sitting on my couch comfortably. Mac’s have never been big for gaming – But then, look at half the games that come out for the PC itself, and the quality they lack. With the PS3, the Wii, and the Xbox 360, you’ll see less and less games being made for the PC that have the custome shelling out their money.
5: Servicability: something gone wrong with your Mac?
Any store that sells Apple will recognize your Apple Warranty. Thats a fact, not fiction. If they are licensed to sell, then they can honour it. But you didnt do your research so you wouldnt know that would you?
Now try getting that OEM no-name dual-layer DVD burner of yours serviced. Wont happen.
6: Parts/ Upgrading: see in part point 5. Mac users will tell you they don’t need to upgrade
I have owned Macintosh only since they were first introduced. I have upgraded them easilly. In the earlier days, I was able to upgrade the processor, whenever one was available or needed.
RAM has always been upgradeable. What else do you need to upgrade? Hard Drives? IDE Hard Drives, from any store, work instandly, internal or external.
And Graphics? Well, Every Apple computer has always come pre-configured with the top of the line graphics cards already, so no need there.
If Hollywood can edit on the fly, using Apple, with no worries, why can’t I? Oh, wait, I do, on my Macintosh. CGI, titling, 3D composition, skinning. All on my mac with my un-upgradeable graphics card.
WOAH!!!!
7: Peripherals: see in part 6 because the same rule applies…
What rule is that?
The rule that any brand name peripheral is plug and play out of the box with Apple?
Then yes, that rule does apply.
Unlike Windows, I dont even need to pre-format a new hard drive. I simply plug it in, and I have a new terrabyte of storage space.
A printer? Well, I have many going – From photo printers (Epson), to grey scale laser printers (HP) to poster printers (Canon). Each was plugged right into the Mac and worked from day 1, and the only thing they ever needed was to have the paper replaced or new ink cartridges.
I dont have to spend days, weeks looking to make it work with the drivers that Windows so often hates.
My LaCie Dual-Layer DVD Burner wouldnt even mount on Windows XP or Vista, on my IBM Thinkpad. Considering the laptop doesnt even come with Firewire standard, which is the number one data communication port for any peripheral today that requires high rates of transfer (Hard Drives, burners, scanners to name a few).
I never bother installing the software for any item I buy, because I dont need it.
Even my latest Belkin router ran instantly on my Mac, with my built in wireless card on my Mac. Tried that with the Windows machine, and spent two hours configuring it. With the Mac, I was on my network and working within 3 minutes.
So lost time configuring versus higher productivity rate?
Ill stick with Apple.
8: Better Peripherals: more choice and no stupid 1 button mouse…
Name one peripheral that I cant have?
I have multi-button mice, various graphic tablets for drawing, 2 scanners, 6 printers, multiple monitors, more than 4 terrabytes of external hard drives, an internal DVD burner, an external Dual Layer burner, and external singla layer burner, an external DVD reader, a DVD Duplicator, A router, a high speed modem, a joystick for when I play MAME videogames, a webcam, 3 different video camera’s (All professional Canon XL2’s), speakers, 2 professional Canon Rebel camera’s, and a BETACam deck for braodcast video editing.
Each connected to my Mac.
Each worked right out of the box, with no drivers needed.
Again, I say to you, try again, because youre wrong with your information.
9: Usability: for the average person who doesn’t live in Silicon Valley, PC’s are actually more usable..
Again, thats wrong. The average person whats to get their computer home, unpack it, plug it in, and start surfing the net, import their photos, or work on their home movie, without having to call Nerds-R-Us to help them get it configured.
Most, if not all, Windows based computers do not come pre-configured out of the box.
And if they do, they’re not set-up to work with all your preripherals out of the box.
You need to modify network settings and software to connect to your network or router. You need to update all the OS service packs, virus protection to get running.
With my Mac, out of the box, within 5 minutes, I was working on a 30 000$ video project, with no loss to work time, and no headaches. The average user spends more time researching how to fix things, upgrade their system or on the phone with tech support than any Macintosh user does in a lifetime.
Get your facts straight.
You just made yourself look like the world’s biggest sucker
Funniest of all is that every Fisher Price nerd compelled feels to complain about the low quality of the arguments, and none seems to realize this is done on urpose.
Great post Duncan. ;-)
I still get a kick out of those who can’t afford quality, refering to those of us who can as Fisher Price Nerds.
Arent you also the one who talked about your 8-button mouse, and 47 special keys on your keyboard? That alone constitutes the word ‘Nerd’.
And you mention proprietery, like iTunes and the iPod?
Did you realize that many others do the same thing?
Did you know that Microsoft also has a Music Store? They do, and they to are proprietery. Doesnt run on any platform, only Windows. Doesnt run with any MP3 Player, only 4 select ones that they themselves chose (Including the proprietery Zune).
And is that because the maker chose to do that?
No. Its because of the record companies. But then, yu’re another jealous individual who can’t make time from all your bug fixes in Windows to actually research arguments.
Jeff, it’s simple : as a kid I played with Mecano and Lego Technics. Today I like my PC (and I would actually use a MacBook Pro if it weren’t out of principle, principle against the nerdism).
Many Mac users I know love Fisher Price and simplicity.
8 Button mouse, 47 special keys keyboard. True, sadly my keyboard only has 12 special keys, and even then the manufacturer doesn’t bother to develop a driver for Mac. Even not if the keyboard costed $300 when released.
Mouse? The same. And we don’t speak of any special nerdy gizmo brand. No Logitech and its top of the range keyboards and mice. Do I invest $140 in a mouse when I don’t know how to use the buttons? Dream on.
Would I invest the same amount if only 3 buttons work because there is no driver for the OS?
No, I wouldn’t install that operating system.
A propos usability and software. What must the easy lover do when there’s an operating system problem? Learn su, I’d rather advice Joe Average to use some tool to fix the registry. Btw, uptime 45 days on my notebook. When did your MacBook randomly shut down last time?
Constantly fixing bugs?
True, re-read. Alpha tester for MS (and Acrobat), former webmaster of a leading German Windows Community, rewarded by MS.
And today one of the people responsible to make sure that the system with your credit card details is secure.
Or do you want to tell me you have no Titanium/Black credit card. At least a green one I hope? No? Bah.
And yes, the company I work for provides me my hardware. Er, actually I choose the hardware we use in our team.
Because of the record companies? Oh yeah? Why is eMusic no illegal shop in that case?
Fanboy!
Go watch the results of the Bug Fix month, especially the amount of discovered bugs and return to the jard.
Fisher Price or … Duplo?
*Leaving the discussion, because Mac boys will never be open to a decent conversation, but the fun is too nice*
Dear Mr. Franky, your posts speak for themselves. No reason, no logic, no grammar, just inaccuracies and name-calling. These are all required of “decent conversation”. Those with the best arguments can be seen clearly in reading these comments and they aren’t the people using fallacious logic or throwing around silly terms like “Fanboy”.
wow this is a great example of a journalist who doesn’t do research. Most obvious being macs come with a mouse that has 5 buttons! Additionally one of the reasons it’s more difficult to upgrade macs is because of their form factor, but it can be done, I upgrades my iMac Core Duo to a Core 2 Duo, but I’d like to see a 2-inch thick PC and tell me that’s easy to upgrade. There’s so much more to say to this article, other than it’s a load of crap, but I’ll refrain
Ok, My counter-argument to your argument:
Reason 1: Between a Mac and PC of equal cost, the Mac will often be better.
Reason 2: Heard of Boot Camp? That can be used to make a partition (which can be used to install Windows or whatever other OS you want)
Reason 3: Your right, Windows has TONS of software, some of which does the same thing as another piece of software, but most of that “Software” could be a virus, which Macs don’t get. So, Macs DO have less software, because they have no (or at least barely any) viruses.
Reason 4: Oh, please, another “MACS DONT HAVE GAMES LUL” argument? Give me a break. Try googling “games for macintosh.”
Reason 5: Lucky us, we don’t have nearly as many problems as you guys do.
Reason 6: Seriously, we don’t need to upgrade (often). We have a 9 year old PowerPC Macintosh that works about as fast as my friend’s 3 year old Windows. Speaking of, that goes back to cost: All the expenses of constantly upgrading your oh-so-cheap pcs makes them more expensive than most macs of equal quality.
Reason 7: Well, I don’t really need any peripherals other than the iPod/ Printer/ USB thumbdrive, all of which always work on a mac (btw, I got a free printer with my new mac.)
Reason 8: Ever use the 4-button Mighty Mouse (that ships with new macs)? That “rubber button thingy” is a 360° scrolling wheel. Oh and, reason 8 is just a duplicate of reason 7.
Reason 9: Yeah, about the “pretty much every average non-tech firm uses macs” thing? My dad works at a church, so that’s not a tech firm. Ok, so they must use pcs, right? Wrong. My father’s church uses macs for all things important. And it’s harder to switch from a Mac to a PC than a PC to a Mac, simply because, well, Mac can do everything that matters better than a PC, but faster and simpler. EX: PC, New mouse, you gotta install some stuff, and then you can use it right? Mac, you plug it in and instantly you can start using it.