A thing of greater beauty
The Gateway One runs Windows Vista
Posted on 01/30/2008 8:29:57 AM PST by Scoutmaster
Please excuse the vanity, but I know many of you have very definite (and often informed) opinions about PC v. MAC.
I have an opportunity to upgrade my home desktop and laptop with designated funds from work. In other words, somebody else’s money, enough to seriously soup up a Mac Pro desktop and a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. If I choose PC, then I'll upgrade only my laptop. No need to upgrade my PC desktop - the drudgery of re-installing software far outweighs the little jump I'd make in PC desktop technology.
If knowing about my PC use is helpful, read on. If not, then just skip to the asterisks below.
Me? PC user since I bought my first desktop in 1991 but have since built about a dozen PCs for my family, the last couple with fairly high-end Core 2 Duo-type specs. I have a better working knowledge of the Windows XP Pro OS and PC hardware than most computer users, but in a room of IT people I’m a lightweight. My kids can call from college with a Windows OS or software problem and I can usually talk them through the fix or the installation of new or replacement hardware. No real Windows OS problems, perhaps because I’m finicky about regular maintenance of the OS, cleaning unnecessary files, fixing minor registry errors, defragging, optimizing the start-up processes, removing all remnants of programs I no longer use, etc. Feel as though I would be starting from knowledge point zero if I switch to a Mac.
Job involves lots of writing, so for work purposes my PC is a basically a word processor/research tool which I use for hours each day.
At play, I’m a heavy Internet user, a moderately heavy web design/video/graphics/Flash animation user, with a developing knowledge of 3d graphics/3d animation.
Often use my laptop for graphics, video, and animation play when on the road.
When I start to think Mac, my practical side reminds me that I have a metric Peruvian buttload of Windows software to support my graphics/animation addiction (software acquired at educational prices, a minor blessing) – such as most of Adobe’s current web design, graphics, photo, and video/DVD production software; and Maxon, Maya, SoftImage, and Z-Brush 3d graphics/3d animation software. I’m a sucker for 'superior' after-market (Open Source, if possible) administrative/maintenance software alternatives to the standard Windows programs - Diskeeper Pro, Firefox, Opera, GetRight downloader, etc.
Our family operates on a pass-down hierarchy of computer technology, so my switching to Mac would eventually result in Macs for three PC-savvy kids and for a please-just-do-it-and-don’t-make-me-learn-that-computer-stuff spousal unit whose computer use is frequent but involves little more than Office Word, Quicken, and the Internet.
* * * * *
I’ve read what I can find from technical pros and everyday geeks who tried and documented a test-run switch to Mac – some of whom drank the Mac Kool-Aid and some of whom stayed with a PC.
Spoke with several of our IT people. Mac would be compatible to network with work, but they warn that they are notably unsuited to assist with any Mac-related compatibility issues.
* * * *
I realize I could acquire the Mac versions of the video production, animation, and graphics software I use most often. I realize a Mac would run Final Cut Pro and other respected Mac-specific software titles. I also realize that in a pinch I can set up the Mac for dual OS and keep running the Windows version of that software.
What practical advice would you give to help me make an informed PC v. Mac decision?
You’re thinking of switching to McCain? No way, man, no way!!!
Would you please adopt me before next Christmas? Thank you.
You’ve already done a lot of good research on the platform.
You mentioned Quicken, and Intuit is working on a new version that will make extensive use of the user interface features available in Mac OS X. Some early screenshots are shown here -
You probably won’t need the sort of utilities required to maintain a Windows system, such as anti-virus software and disk optimizers. Mac OS X has a built-in firewall available, but it is generally safe to run without it. It also automatically de-fragments the disk drive on-the-fly.
There are a few free apps I’d recommend for everyday video usage. Flip4Mac will play Windows media through the QuickTime system. VLC from videolan.org can handle many other types of audio and video files. And Microsoft’s SilverLight video application is available for Mac.
If someone else is paying, I guess it doesn’t matter that Apple charges a huge premium for looks. You pay more and get less. I have a ThinkPad R61 running the 64 bit version of Vista Business, and it is rock solid. Stable, never crashes. Apple is a ripoff and they lock you in to their hardware/software combo, eliminating choice. Stay with Vista.
Hurry, man, before they change their mind!!
(I've been using a Mac at home and a PC at work since '89.)
If all you do is word processing and surfing than it doesn’t really matter. I would save the company some money and go with the least expensive option.
:-)
Good thing I didn’t have to pay any FT on them... I’d really be broke.
It will change your personality and you will become a zealot.
My wife has a new laptop PC and still goes to my G4 most of the time. She uses the PC for playing games since most games are for PC. That is the only thing a PC is worth in my book.
Hoping my G4 will quit someday so I can upgrade to G5. I still have my G4 with OS 9 and OS X. Will admit that the newer will not allow use of OS 9, but really don’t need it anyway. As far as I'm concerned the Mac is very user friendly, the PC (played with my wife' PC) is awkward.
If you want to play around with MAC OS, it will always be there. For many, Windows is just too complicated and they love the lack of choices the MAC gives them. Everything has a cute name, and the whole thing runs just great. There is no confusing two button mouse (way too hard to figure out for that hippie guy on their TV commercials). Only that disheveled nerd guy could handle an extra button right?
One word of advice, get the biggest hard drive you can because the installation of two operating systems uses a lot of room.
Don’t worry about trying to figure out about Boot camp, because it is easy as pie, just like everything else on MAC O/S.
BTW ... given your list of projects and interests, I’d say to go for the Mac Book Pro over the Air.
Go with the Mac Pro Dual Quad 3.2GHz with 8 GB of RAM and throw three more hard drives in there after you get it.
If you’re going to run Final Cut, go with the nVidia video card, but know ahead of time that Color (an app that comes in the Studio) doesn’t like the nVidia cards much at all.
If you need to edit any HD material, then I’d have a recommendation for a reasonably priced external array that can produce throughput of more than 400MB/sec in RAID 5.
Yes. Micro$hit sucks and besides, Gates is feeling guilty about being so rich.
For my money, Windows 2000 is the last stop on the Micro$oft choo choo train.
Having said that, consider looking into the Ubuntu flavor of Linux. I’m experimenting with that and what I’ve seen so far is impressing me.
A thing of greater beauty
The Gateway One runs Windows Vista
Aside from eating the cost of software, I can't think of a reason you shouldn't switch---that is, if you have a mind to. My MacBook Pro experience has been nothing but positive.
Sorry but I don’t think the Mac is worth the extra price for minimal extra function. Software is more available for PCs and any new software developed is almost always ahead of the same for Apple.
As a side note, a very good friend had a 3 year old Mac; it crashed, even with his backup external drive, no company out there could retrieve a single item from the Mac drive. He lost months of work, and scientific data. Mac is pretty to look at and has nice graphics if that is that is where you place value in a machine.
I’ve used an IBM Thinkpad at work for over a year. Not one lockup. Same with my home-built PC at home.
MAC makes it’s living on convincing people that if they own a mac they are ‘special’ and somehow superior to pc people (just watch the commercials). The whole thing is kinda silly. They both work. Get the one you are used to. Using a mac I get the impression that they are trying to make me think that everything I’m doing is hip and cool... I find this really annoying.
Some day I may be cool enough to switch to mac. Some day I may learn how to be hip and condescending so I can join the Mac “community” (barf) too. In the meantime I’m happy with my functional PC.
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