Anyone thinking about changing to Mac?

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pedroboe

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With all the hoopla about last year's promise and release of Win XP and the dreams of a bulletproof OS from MS, does anyone get curious about OS X? I have had XP since the BETA II release and I do find it a bit better than Win 98, but not enough. I just got a laptop from Dell using 1.13GZ PIII-M, 256MB RAM and I find it much slower than my PIII 500 Desktop. It just seems like MS is never going to deliver the goods by this century to me....
and with all the viruses and security this and backdoor that, it just seems very tempting to me to do the leap. I mean, I know I have lots of titles and software and games I would lose if I did.... I have a friend who got a new iMac and tells me he learned how to use everything in a week, no manuals, no tech support. He is deliriously happy. Anyone has any thoughts on this subject?
 
Originally posted by pedroboe

and with all the viruses and security this and backdoor that, it just seems very tempting to me to do the leap.
There are backdoors to Mac OSX, but there are not as many people trying to crack that, as compared to windows. Microsoft has a strong hold on the business market, so really where ever you go, you will find a windows machine.
 
I own a few Macs as well as a few Windows machines. I have not tried OS X. I used up to OS 8.6. MacOS is still more user friendly as it is easier to learn, easier to use, and harder to mess up. The problem you run into (as I ran into) is software availability. At one point, I only used Macs. Now that Windows XP has arrived, my Macs just sit there for the most part. I was a Mac man now converted to Windows by XP. :)
 
iv herd 12 storys of macs bursting into flames... well smoke
 
Originally posted by catch23
Absolutely not...I don't care if Macs are turning out to be better PCs...they're not customizable...
such a good point. But there are two customizations, The Flat Mac, which is throwing it out the window form the top of a building, and the fishpool, which is an iMac as a fish tank
 
Originally posted by pedroboe
I have had XP since the BETA II release and I do find it a bit better than Win 98, but not enough.

A bit better, but not enough?!?!? Are you serious?
I think Windows XP Professional is one of Microsoft's biggest accomplishments since Windows 95!! Its so rock-solid ... I haven't managed to crash it EVEN ONCE since November 16, 2001!! And the Application compatibility option ... that's ingeniuous!!

Hardware and software compatibility isn't even a slight problem on XP ... unless somebody tries to use a piece of hardware that's like 10 years old or something ... LOL

Well, that's just my opinion and my xp-erience. :D
The ONLY thing that draws me towards a Mac is the OS X interface ... its just SO beautiful!! :p
 
Isn't iMAC that womens leg shaving cream? :D ...no I'm serious!
 
i've worked at apple... actually building and testing imacs and power macs. they have a plant right here in elk grove about 3 minutes away from my house... i think it's their only plant in the US. i worked there for a total of over 2 years.

anyway, i've been inside them... i know them quite well. with this knowledge, i can say whole-heartedly... don't buy one.

the harddrives they use are crap. they were still at ata66 until sometime in 2000. were still using pc100 sdram on all but the newest products when i left (middle last year) and were barely at 1ghz... and proud of it. they're top-of-the-line gaming video card was a gf2 mx. who knows if they've graduated to 7200rpm harddrives yet. they also refused to have any sort of standard audio-out port on the power macs.

all this for literally THOUSANDS more than a comparable pc.

the only products i vaguely like are their powerbooks (good portable productivity, a brilliant screen) and those 22" widescreen lcd flat panel monitors. both run almost $3k each which is too much for either, so i guess nothing's very tempting in the apple basket.

they have one of the best marketing teams in existence, though... that's what keeps them afloat, imo.
 
Originally posted by pedroboe
I just got a laptop from Dell using 1.13GZ PIII-M, 256MB RAM and I find it much slower than my PIII 500 Desktop. It just seems like MS is never going to deliver the goods by this century to me....
That doesn't really tell you anything about the operating system. Looking at that it tells me Dell use nothing but cheap crap on their systems. Good reason to stay away from them.
 
it most likely seems slower because of the lackluster laptop harddrive. they simply aren't fast.
 
really?

is this true? is there a way I could get a better HD for my laptop? I was hoping to phaze out the desktop and keep the laptop. I mean, it runs MW4, Blacknight better that any other laptops Iv'e owned. And I though that having a better PIII would do it... hummmm....It has an Nvidia Gforce 2 go. By the way, can I use the new Detonator drivers on a laptop's Nvidia card?

Thanks for your opinions guys.
 
I worked at a local school district as a tech, and found they use Macs a lot more than PCs. I had a Mac and a PC at my desk, to network into both worlds. I was surprised how easy a Mac is to get used to, but have heard that it's far easier for a PC user to use a Mac than it would be for a Mac user to learn PC. Makes sense, now that I've worked on both. Upgrading memory on an iMac is a pain in the A$$, though. I will tell you, though, that I did gain some respect for Mac's ease when setting up a network. Appletalk was a real nice thing to work with. I thought Mac monitors were nice (G4's?). Funny thing, though. The School was so cheap, that they were still using Apple IIs and networking them into the system. AARGH!! I think OS8 was about the limit when I was there (couple of years ago). Macs are ok, but I still need the upgradability of a PC, and probably always will. I wouldn't mind having an iMac for a second "play-around-with" type of machine, though.......
 
Originally posted by taurus
they have one of the best marketing teams in existence, though... that's what keeps them afloat, imo.

....and the occasional shot of greenbacks from MS now and then. LOL:p
 
i say make ur own computer. At least that way you know whats in it.
 
Re: really?

Originally posted by pedroboe
is this true? is there a way I could get a better HD for my laptop?
Yes, laptops mostly use 4200 RPM disks (or sometimes 5400). Desktops use 7200 (5400 for a bit older machines). Laptops also use 2.5" drives instead of 3.5" drives that desktops use. So getting a fast (7200) disk for the laptop can be a bit tricky, or at least expensive. A laptop is generally slower than a desktop.
 
I use Macs at work and have, at home, a G3-300MHz (OS9.2 with no problems) and a G4-933Mhz running OSX and I can tell you for sure it ain't bullet proof! I was a PC guy until I started working with Macs, got away from PCs for awhile and gradually came back mostly because of what xsivforce mentioned... software availability. Macs (OS 9.2 and below) are really easy to use, but OSX has a steeper learning curve.

Macs ARE customizable as far as the GUI part goes.

I can't remember having any serious virus problems on a Mac but the do exist.

All in all, I'd pick a PC over a Mac because of software, hardware availability.

Flame on folks :)
 
Re: Re: really?

Originally posted by Zedric
Yes, laptops mostly use 4200 RPM disks (or sometimes 5400). Desktops use 7200 (5400 for a bit older machines). Laptops also use 2.5" drives instead of 3.5" drives that desktops use. So getting a fast (7200) disk for the laptop can be a bit tricky, or at least expensive. A laptop is generally slower than a desktop.

do you know how much heat your 7200rpm HD would create in a laptop??
y do you think the processors have a speedstep?

its cuz if they didnt the caes would literally melt in your lap!
 
There have been rumours of MAC OS being able to run on AMD's Clawhammer.....It would be nice if this is true.

Weshy.
 
i'm quite certain the fastest laptop harrdrives spin at 5400rpm... there are no 7200rpm ones.

ibm has 48gb and 60gb 5400rpm harddrives... kinda of expensive, but having 60 relatively fast gigs in a laptop would be awesome.

also, a geforce2 go is a horrible performer... sorry to say. no better than a geforce2 mx200, which is bad. i opted for the mobility radeon 7500 in my inspiron 8100. i play CS decently at 1024x768 in direct3d.

and pedroboe... you can not use nvidia's detonators with your gefroce2 go. you need to go to your manufacture's website and get the latest drivers there.
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
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