Does anyone on the Escapist use a Mac?

[Iman Shumpert]

I have a mac and I have just gotten used to using it and I really like it. I run windows on the same computer through bootcamp for gaming. Slightly annoying Macs are often painted in a negative light and the only people who defend macs are usually mac hipsters.

 

[War Penguin]

I use a Mac, mainly because it's very user friendly.

I've never been good with computers, so a Mac is the best thing for me. However, people always come to the conclusion that because I use a Mac, I'm instantly bad with computers. Well, I've grown up with PCs up until around five years ago, and they've been a whole lot of trouble. Crashes, freezes, viruses, you name it. And I had no idea what the hell I was supposed to do! My computer says I can connect to the internet? Then why the hell is it just a blank screen? However, I've begun to think that I'm cursed with a PC bad touch, like how Midas turned everything he touched into gold. Except I turn it to shit.

No problems like that when it comes to Macs, but I have a feeling that it's a series of coincidences that leads me to this conclusion. But I ain't willing to go through a whole bunch of frustrated procedures with a PC to find out.

 

[Jinxzy]

I'm a graphic arts and webpage design student. They run wonderful when you need to open up multiple adobe programs. The place that I work at now has pc's and the adobe programs run so slow and it's so hard to swap between programs. I miss some video games I played on the pc but if I really wanted to there's bootcamp and I can make it into a pc. Also Steam started to bring out some games for mac.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

Nope. Don't you know OP, macs don't exist. They are merely a figment of your imagination, like me and that giant penis over there mudwrestling in chocolate.

OT- I use my I-phone for the majority of my posting, so yes.

 

[Sougo]

I'll be honest. I like Macs. I like the nice clean interface and smooth functioning.

I've always used windows before. My old laptop is practically on its deathbed, and I wanna buy a Macbook Pro, but the steep price always puts me in doubt...

A decent Pro costs >$2k. A pc with a similar configuration would cost ~$800-1000.
I can't decide if its worth the extra investment.

 

[FallenTraveler]

This is just a question out of curiosity, the avoidance of a flame war would be preferred. Basically, I was given a new mac for my birthday as a surprise, I didn't ask for it, but I must say that I am pleasantly surprised with how well it runs. I've been windows most of my life so it will take some getting use to, but I'm pretty pleased with it personally. So escapist how many of you use macs?

Nice job getting that for your birthday. What model?

I would never have gotten a mac if it weren't for school. Yes, it is a piece of crap for gaming for the most part, but Macbook pro's are powerful machines capable of doing quite a lot.

As a film/animation student I get a lot of use from my mac, and it was well worth the money, although I do have my PC and my consoles for gaming.

 

[Destal]

At the house I find myself using my wife's macbook air or iPad more and more. The only time I really ever bother to turn on my hardcore computer is to play games. The smaller form factor is much more convenient around the house, not to mention the battery life.

 

[Nexxis]

I mostly grew up on a PC machine so when I had to use a mac for a class, I found it to be very frustrating, especially when trying to use key commands. How I missed the simple "print screen" button. My biggest gripe with macs are that most programs are created with windows in mind first. So it's not uncommon to find programs that don't run on mac or the mac versions are dated and take a while to update. Macs are also expensive. I do own an iPad and iPhone, but aside from being made by the same company, they don't really have the problems a regular mac machine does.

 

[RandallJohn]

MBP user here. At first, I didn't like OSX, but I realized that was because the situation I was in required me to use it without getting to lear it. Once I took a few minutes to learn it, I fell in love with it and haven't looked back.

 

[Sougo]

No, because I don't need to do any of the things Macs specialise in. I play games, and for that they are shit. I also hate the interface and the way the "x" is on the wrong side of the window. No. Stop. I don't care what you say. It's the wrong side.

I agree with your 'x' point at least. Although I can't work out why it feels so wrong. Damn you windows.

 

[Amgeo]

I use a Mac myself, and it's okay. It's true that there aren't nearly as many games for it as for PC, even on Steam, but that's all right.

 

[winginson]

I prefer PCs, but then my computers have always been PCs and I do alot of gaming on it. I also can't justify the much higher cost and un-tinkerabilty of macs.

Also screw Apple for their old adds that say I'm boring for liking my job that involves spreadsheets and technical drawings.

 

[Mordekaien]

I grew surrounded by Macs, even the really old timey ones, so naturally my first own computer was a Macbook. It suits me, does the thing I need it to do and I can fix most of the problems it throws at me (and those are very few, if any). Now, I agree from gaming point of view it's not that great, but the situation is becoming better already and you can get some pretty nice games. I recently saw Witcher: Enhanced edition on steam, form like 8 euros O_O

And if you think there's not a wide selection of games, you can always try and port them

 

[Viper50BMG]

I mostly use PC's myself, but I did pick up a 13" macbook pro a few years back and haven't regretted it since. They're well-made, functional things with a pretty decent OS; as long as you don't want to play any games. But, since I got it for work stuff (I'm a composer, and I'm always having to work with files created by Final Cut, et al.), it doesn't matter all that much. If you got it as a gift, count yourself lucky; as someone else said, the spec/price ratio is really radically different than their PC brethren, but the build quality and OS do make up for it somewhat.

Good luck with your new toy!

Also, "Toaster analogy", absolutely apt. If it works, it works great, if it doesn't, you're out of luck.

 

[ultimateownage]

They're the same as any PC, but with different branding and a different OS. I've used them before, and I didn't like the OS. Coupled with how much I despise Apple, and how disproportionate the cost is compared to how powerful they are, and I would never think of getting one. None of the reasons people give for liking something which has identical components to my current PC but at twice the price have ever sat well with me.
I checked the Apple website recently. The most expensive (£4,000) Mac has the same base graphics card as my current computer, which I'm planning to swap for a newer one because it's not powerful enough any more.

 

[Amaror]

i don't own a mac.
I don't want to support apple, i don't like them.
And a mac just restricts you too much. Yeah it's more userfriendly, but i know how to work with a computer, i don't need a user friendly pc.
That said. I use linux on my laptop, because i don't use that one for gaming.

 

[zxvcasdfqwerzxcv]

I use Mac and am very happy doing so. I'm a sound engineering and most audio software I need is for OS X for just runs better on Mac.
I think a lot of people who hate Mac simply are afraid of trying to learn to use it (oh noes, teh buttons are on teh other side!). It's a lot quicker to use in my opinion! I think they are better at pretty much everything to do with computers with the exception of gaming.

 

[requisitename]

I have two Macs - a Mini desktop (used mostly for work-related stuff) and a MBP that I carry around with me to mostly do other stuff.

I love Macs and I love OS X. I find it less troublesome and more intuitive than Windows and, it seems that even a slower-spec'd Mac almost inevitably runs faster than any PC I touch. My Macs boot more quickly, programs open more quickly and I don't ever notice lag no matter how many Adobe programs I'm running at once.. I just find them generally faster and more pleasant to use.

I'll be honest. I like Macs. I like the nice clean interface and smooth functioning.

I've always used windows before. My old laptop is practically on its deathbed, and I wanna buy a Macbook Pro, but the steep price always puts me in doubt...

A decent Pro costs >$2k. A pc with a similar configuration would cost ~$800-1000.
I can't decide if its worth the extra investment.

Honestly? As much as I love to tell people, "Come over to the Mac side. We've got OS X.".. I have to say that it depends on what you'll use it for. If you just want a general web surfing/word processing computer or if you're really into gaming, you're probably better off with a PC.

Macs are real workhorses if you give them a job to do, but if you're not doing heavy graphics/video/music work or something else that's taxing like that, it's probably not worth the money you'd spend on a new one.

The one thing I'd say in the other direction is that Macs don't tend to become obsolete as quickly as PCs. Neither of my Macs is brand new or anything near it, really, and I've not run into anything that either of them can't do yet.

Also, if you're comfortable enough with Macs (and computers in general) to be able to be pretty sure you're not being ripped off, I always suggest to people buying a Mac used off Craigslist. Most of them are horribly overpriced, but if you'll keep your eye out and be a bit patient, you can often find a good used Mac at a good price.

I just tried to get my sister's to play a .avi file... It refused...

Possibly the 432nd reason I have personally found to not use one.

I've yet to find anything that VLC won't play on either a Mac OR a PC.

No, because I don't need to do any of the things Macs specialise in. I play games, and for that they are shit. I also hate the interface and the way the "x" is on the wrong side of the window. No. Stop. I don't care what you say. It's the wrong side.

Funnily, when I sit down to use a PC, I find that "X"s on the wrong side. Also, (annoyingly) if you hit what resembles the "command" key on a PC it does not do what a command key is supposed to do! Haha.

 

[j0frenzy]

No, because I don't need to do any of the things Macs specialise in. I play games, and for that they are shit. I also hate the interface and the way the "x" is on the wrong side of the window. No. Stop. I don't care what you say. It's the wrong side.

I will give you the "x" being on the wrong side of the window, if you'll admit that your command button is in the wrong spot on your keyboard. Oh, I'm sorry, you call that your control button.

Been using a Mac for 4 years. I'm very happy with it, but it is starting to show its age. I've been thinking of building a cheap little desktop to play a couple of games that I'd prefer playing on a PC that my computer can't handle.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

I find them similar to most apple products. Pretty but not very useful compared to their counterparts. It did give me the idea to download rocketdock though.