Mac vs PC's - Not a poll

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

And PS stands for PlayStation, but that doesn't mean that an XBox is a kind of PS just because it's a station that you can play games on.

PC refers to "IBM PC compatible", a standard defined originally by IBM, and now by industry group consensus, which defines things like motherboard form factor, BIOS and data buses. AFAIK Macs do not conform to this standard.

The PlayStation thing is totally different. Before the PlayStation came out, nobody ever asked someone if the had a play station, they would ask if they had a video game system or console. And, nobody currently asks someone else if they have a play station unless they are referring to a Sony PlayStation.

A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user with no intervening computer operator.

 

[RobCoxxy]

I'm a windows man all the way, but I will be running OSX seperately for certain parts of my degree, some parts of my course require using Final Cut Pro.

 

[Orry]

I use a Windows PC (currently running Vista, will be upgrading to 7 when I feel like it), primarily because I know how to actually use it. First computer I used was running MS DOS with Windows 3.1 that my father taught me to use.

I mean I can use Mac OS X for simple tasks, but if anything were to go wrong I wouldn't have a clue what to do. (and yes, something would go wrong)

So, yeah, I guess I'm just more familiar with Windows than Mac OS X.

 

[Ken Sapp]

Are there any myths that you would like to explain that aren't true?

Myth: Macs don't crash/are more stable.
Fact: Macs do crash. Ever hear of the pinwheel/beachball of doom?

Myth: Macs can't get viruses.
Fact: Every OS is susceptible to Virii. Are there viruses out there for Mac? Yes there are but they are few in number compared to Windows.

Point to contemplate: Apple gets away with behavior that Microsoft has been brought up on antitrust charges for.

 

[zehydra]

1) How can you make a statement that Macs have superior printing quality over PCs? There is a GREAT diversity amongst printers for non-mac computers, unless the mac printer has been tested against ALL of them and been shown to have better than ALL of them, you can't make a statement like that.

I believe Jaded Scribe it talking about Print as in the Print Industry not a bog-standard office printer... and Macs are way easier to colour calibrate to actual printing inks... which is why they're still industry standard in the printing industry... which is also why most people designing for print use macs... which is why Macs have a massive share of the graphic designing market... which is why most graphic design degrees will teach you on Macs (or at least if you major in designing for print).

ah, thanks.

 

[oktalist]

And PS stands for PlayStation, but that doesn't mean that an XBox is a kind of PS just because it's a station that you can play games on.

PC refers to "IBM PC compatible", a standard defined originally by IBM, and now by industry group consensus, which defines things like motherboard form factor, BIOS and data buses. AFAIK Macs do not conform to this standard.

The PlayStation thing is totally different. Before the PlayStation came out, nobody ever asked someone if the had a play station, they would ask if they had a video game system or console.

And before the IBM PC came out, nobody ever asked someone if they had a PC. They might have asked if they had a personal computer; that's not in contention.

And, nobody currently asks someone else if they have a play station unless they are referring to a Sony PlayStation.

I know people who refer to all consoles in general as playstations. It's similar to how vacuum cleaners get called Hoovers even if they're not manufactured by Hoover.

A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user with no intervening computer operator.

I contend that the acronym PC has come to mean something more specific that just the words that it stands for. I agree with your defition of personal computer, but I disagree that it is also the definition of PC.

 

[floobie]

I can't resist these threads for some reason.

Background: For most of my life, I've been a PC user. I had to use old OS9 iMacs at school and hated them. They were unstable and slow. Except for the first, every PC I've personally owned, I've built myself. I've built PCs for friends and family. I know what I'm doing. A few years ago, I decided I wanted a laptop. My friend had just gotten a Macbook Pro for school, and I fiddled with it a bit. And, dammit it was good. REALLY good. Stable, light, well built, awesome battery life, and OSX was extremely easy to figure out. So, I bought a Macbook for myself. Since then, my self-built desktop PC has been used for one thing, and one thing only: gaming.

Macs can't touch PCs for gaming. We all know it. So, if you're into PC gaming, I'd say that building a Windows desktop is your best bet. But, for literally everything else I do with a computer, I find OSX much more intuitive, efficient, and reliable.

I won't pretend my preferences are universal. Get what you like, and what works better for you.

But, there's a more specific point I'd like to address. And that's build quality. The only laptop that I've personally used that can touch my aluminum Macbook as far as build quality is concerned, is a Thinkpad. As far as laptop build quality goes, the unibody Macbooks and the Thinkpads are in a class of their own, with literally everything else limping behind, off in the distance somewhere. My Macbook is going on three years old now, and the battery still lasts 5 hours, the chassis still looks new... the entire computer hasn't aged at all. I've seen HP laptops basically disintegrate in half that time Based on the Thinkpads I've had the joy of using, I could say exactly the same things about them that I say about my Macbook. Anyone who says a Macbook Pro is a waste of money must also conclude that a Thinkpad is a waste of money. The prices with comparable hardware are very similar.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

I've met people who refer to all consoles in general as playstations. It's similar to how vacuum cleaners get called Hoovers even if they're not manufactured by Hoover.

That just seems really weird to me. I have never heard anyone refer to video game consoles as PlayStations. There are only a very few things I can think of that are like that; Kleenex, Thermos, Xerox (which is dying off or has died off).

 

[Booze Zombie]

I choose PCs, but it doesn't make me some sort of metal-bending wizard who can summon silica from the ether and bend ones and zeroes to his will... sadly.
I just think that Macs aren't what I'm looking for, which is a customisable experience.

Macs are locked in so there's less problems (though still problems) and that's fine for some, but not myself.

 

[Ninonybox_v1legacy]

i can see your new to the escapist so ill let you know....NO VS TOPICS.

 

[n00beffect]

QUOTED!

Whatever suits your likings, friend If you claim that it's that useful, well, good for you I am no programmer, so I wouldn't know. But the whole attitude towards Linux is all like: "Ooh, look how cool it looks! I am totally getting that hot-ass piece of soft! And blah blah, blahbidy, blah, blah!" So, that's what I meant by "looks". Nobody who knows the name of his OS, or what OS stands for, for that matter, is cool, so don't get so hyped-up ;d (JK).

 

[oktalist]

QUOTED!

Whatever suits your likings, friend If you claim that it's that useful, well, good for you I am no programmer, so I wouldn't know. But the whole attitude towards Linux is all like: "Ooh, look how cool it looks! I am totally getting that hot-ass piece of soft! And blah blah, blahbidy, blah, blah!" So, that's what I meant by "looks". Nobody who knows the name of his OS, or what OS stands for, for that matter, is cool, so don't get so hyped-up ;d (JK).

Okay, so you didn't mean what I thought you meant.

But now it doesn't make any sense to me, because I've never ever seen anyone claim that Linux "looks better" in a superficial way than some other OS. If you mean things like Beryl or Compiz (funky 3D GUI crap), those are just addons* and I'm sure you can get similar things for Windows or OS/X.

* Well, everything is an addon in Linux-world really, except GNU and the kernel. What I mean is I don't think they are used by that many Linux users.

[EDIT] Thinking about it, those people getting hardons for how good it looks might just be expressing relief that at last Linux looks at least halfway decent, as historially it had a reputation for looking a bit pants compared to the competition, in terms of eye candy. [/EDIT]

Obviously OSes are in no way cool, in the "street cred" meaning of the word.

Spoiler: If it's cool you want, look no further than...

 

[Hateren47]

Are Macs better than Windows PCs at anything? Except Final Cut Pro of course. I haven't seen any evidence of OSX being better than Windows 7 at anything and Windows rips OSX apart when it comes to gaming.

The reason I wouldn't get a Mac PC are mostly their ridiculous prices though. They look kinda nice and the hardware is pretty good, but I would still take an Asus over a Mac. Specially if I'm the one paying.

Spoiler: Why you shouldn't buy a Mac

Not sure about not being able to upgrade you desktop Mac? It should be possible. This explains perfectly why "Macs suck" though. It's the same hardware your PC had last year but at twice the cost. And OSX is not worth that.

 

[rabidmidget]

Alienware m11x.

Speaking of prebuilt systems priced way beyond what their hardware is worth.

Admittedly most Alienware systems are like that (especially the desktops), but the m11x has just the right balance between power and battery life, which makes it an ideal computer.

 

[Fanta Grape]

I'm confused. You say that Mac and PC have become the same choice, for the most part, but use "[Mac] is overpriced and it's purely for the aesthetics, but it's not considerably more powerful" as a point to support that? It seems like you're kinda defeating your own argument that each is a reasonable choice, and instead saying that people should buy computers with a Windows OS to save money for essentially the same product.

...or is that your point? Like I said, I'm confused about what you're trying to get across.

I actually think I noticed that while typing it but ignored it... Just an error on my part, I believe. My point was that they're becoming MORE alike.

 

[Korten12]

I Prefer OSX,the extra games isn't much of an advantage when you realize most of the games not on OSX can be summed up in one or more of the words "Shit(ty)" "Console" and "Port" and the few that aren't will be buried under a stream of pop-ups from Windows.

.

Crysis? Fallout 3? Bad Company 2? Metro 2033? Mass Effect 2? Mount and Blade: Warband?

That is not true at all, not even close...

 

[Penguinness]

I use a PC but my parents use a mac laptop which was left by my brother (as he has to buy everything Apple related, there just was no need for that one when a slightly bigger one was released!). Honestly I think this is the best way to go about things, give people who aren't that great at computers, Macs.. then they'll be less likely to mess everything up. The only problems they run into is almost giving their personal details away online.

 

[superbatranger]

Well, I've used Macs a few times, and it always left me wishing I was on a PC instead. I'm just more used to the latter.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Macs are very fun but PCs are more reliable.

 

[Godhead]

I use PC's because I like to game. When I first started gaming Macs had no games. Macs are good for media and other closely related subjects. The PC is good at office stuff and a tricked out one is great for gaming. Your going to Art School? Buy a Mac. Going to a desk job/want to play some video games? Buy a PC. (if only for the fact that it has a much larger game library)