IMAC OR stick with PC ??

[mcmillion050804]

Once you go Mac you won't go back!!! Mac all the way! I have the new imac that was released a few mths ago and love it!

 

[jead85]

they are not bad computers, just so rediculously overpriced! and they even have the same components now.

 

[Luwe2008]

Mac is coming out with their Lion Software which will support flash and all that goodstuff. :)

 

[Aquaph8]

I switched to Mac and Im so much happier. Anybody that says they dont like them probably has never owned one.

 

[cparka23]

Mac is coming out with their Lion Software which will support flash and all that goodstuff. :)

Macs have supported flash for ages. The decision to not support Flash is an issue on mobile platforms only. It basically boils down to the effect on battery life and (perhaps the real reason) the development tools not being Apple's Xcode.

Mike, if you're happy with the feel of OS X and don't have any hard-to-replace software on PC, go for it. (Personally, I've been unable to find a replacement for Forte Agent for 8 years and counting. Not a huge loss.)

DO take the responses of this thread with a grain of salt. Some of them are a little misleading, especially those concerning anti-virus "protection." As Macs gain popularity and as people say that they're immune to the same security risks as Windows PCs, Macs become a more attractive target. Google "Mac Defender" to see the most recent example of this. That being said, simply being smart about not typing in your administrative password will save you from most headaches.

 

[bob]

the mac operating system is built on the unix architecture. this is one of the main reasons it is more 'secure' and less virus prone. there are viruses out there for mac, but they're not near as destructive and intrusive as ones for the pc. In order to change any system files one must put in their password, so you just have to watch it.

personally I'd go with the 27" imac hands down. the machine is well built and will last you quite a while. I have a few programs that require windows so I just run windows inside of the macos via virtualbox (free) and everything is hunky dory

 

[Tenacious716]

Mike,

I was in the EXACT same boat about six months ago. I was raised using PC's but got sick and tired of the constant viruses, blue screens, and all of the other headaches that ultimately costed me time and money.

I decided to buy an iMac (I have the 21.5'' model) and it's seriously the nicest computer I have ever owned. It runs just as good as the day I bought it, starts and runs flawlessly each and every time I turn it on.

Go buy a PC (regardless of brand) and I will bet that in six months you won't be able to say the same. Sell a few chalices and call it a day. Once you go Mac, you never go back. :)

 

[Lateral72]

I switched to Mac and Im so much happier. Anybody that says they dont like them probably has never owned one.

I had an iBook for a while, and helped service over 2000 various Macs. They are alot safer for non-tech savvy people to operate. Obviously viruses are a lesser concern, but for people who simply email, surf forums, edit pics, etc. It's almost a no-brainer. But they do have quite their fair share of issues. I would say 10-20% of Macs have major issues.

My major gripe, is that Macs are very shallow. They do what they do, and not much else. Whereas a PC you can do anything with, and it's the standard of the world.

That said, I am currently writing this up on an MSI. ;)

 

[Bugg_zy]

I guess I am the only one who has crashed a mac and experienced the beachball of doom? I use both on the daily, the mac seems to have less issues overall but I have had issues with both. A hard drive crashed on one of the macs at work after the third month we owned it. I have also have a friend who is the comp manager at best buy and folks return there macs for issues to. I have always been a PC guy mainly due to how much more macs cost. But after dealing with both I would buy a mac if I had the money. But for folks to say that they are flawless and never break is untrue IMO.

 

[ToXIc]

[FONT=&quot]OS’s are like Governments:
Windows: Democracy. Allows for freedom to the extent of reason, but has some basic laws in place. You still run your own business and buy from whomever, and live where you please.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Mac OS: Communism. Offers more security and convenience, but at the cost of freedom. You can only buy and sell what the government says and to whom the government says, and you live where they put you.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Linux: Anarchy. You’re on your own. Linux provides a sleeping bag and knife, but there are no rules, and no guarantees.[/FONT]

 

[Jennifier615]

I wanted a MAC because my husband has one, but I ended up getting a pc cause I felt guilty asking for something that costs so much.

For those of you reefers about to "rock"- we salute you ;)

 

[Paul_N]

[FONT=&quot]OS’s are like Governments:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Windows: Democracy. Allows for freedom to the extent of reason, but has some basic laws in place. You still run your own business and buy from whomever, and live where you please.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Mac OS: Communism. Offers more security and convenience, but at the cost of freedom. You can only buy and sell what the government says and to whom the government says, and you live where they put you.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Linux: Anarchy. You’re on your own. Linux provides a sleeping bag and knife, but there are no rules, and no guarantees.[/FONT]

Great analogy....1smile1

I have used both MAC and pc but grew up a pc baby. Up until my current computer I just purchased a month ago, I built my own but not really worth it anymore. I'm too old to switch now so pc all the way here. If the only thing you need it for is surfing the net then it really doesn't matter honestly. But for me cost is huge issue. Compare two similarly powered machines and you will find one waaaay more expensive than the other. My last pc was 6 years old and the only reason I replaced it is cause I couldn't run Adobe CS5 on it so I needed a faster machine. Oh and I never had my pc hacked, or wiped from a virus or crash in those 6 years. I leave my computer on 365/7/24 also. I like pc because of all the 3rd part software to customize my pc to how I like it. I also use all free anti virus and security.

 

[cdness]

Get the PC - more flexibility, more available software, overall the better buy

Mac = false sense of security. All these Mac people saying stuff about being virus free are in for a big reality check. Macs have not been a popular platform other than in specific target markets. They are finally making something the average person may consider buying. The only issue is they are WAY overpriced for what you get.

You only need a sliver of common sense to protect yourself on a PC. Just remember the little ads that say "Click me to fix your computer" will NOT fix your computer...lol. Go get yourself a cheap PC and do all the internet surfing you want. Spend the money you saved on new corals for me to hold onto for you and grow out...

 

[bob]

Mac = false sense of security. All these Mac people saying stuff about being virus free are in for a big reality check.

I have to disagree here. OSX is based off of the unix architecture just like linux. People use these operating systems for security and stability. They're built from the ground up with that in mind and hence are designed a bit differently than how microsoft designed the WinNT architecture which has powered everything since Win2000. The typical user account on a *nix machine does not have administrative privileges, and must enter their password in order to make any change to the system files. The exception to this is of course the most recent attack on OSX: mac defender, which finangled itself into the users' applications folder (owned by the user therefore not requiring a password) and set itself to autostart when the os loaded. Apple was very quick to patch that security hole and come up with a pretty elegant solution to removing it. Microsoft has been trying for years to thwart spyware/virus' by implementing things like UAC which turned out to be more of an annoyance than anything, and windows defender which does little in the way of prevention. When you buy a PC you literally NEED to have some sort of virus protection or you're just asking for trouble. I've been fixing computers for the better part of a decade and even I can get myself into trouble if I don't have some sort of virus protection (one of many reasons I run linux on my main desktop). So if you plan on purchasing a new PC make sure that you include the ~$40/year for AV protection. I guess you could go with the free option like AVG or whatnot, but I see computers every day thoroughly infected even though the owner had up to date functional AV software.

they are WAY overpriced for what you get.

While I do think that macs are slightly overpriced, I believe they're well worth their cost. First off you have to realize what you're paying for: software + hardware. Microsoft builds an operating system, then licenses it out to companies who then put together different parts from different companies who all write their own drivers (the software that allows your operating system to control a specific piece of hardware). So in the end you have a computer with many different pieces of software written by many different people, which lends itself to why windows can be so problematic. If you look at it from Apple's perspective, THEY pick what hardware they want to put in their machines, and THEY write and test the software to control it. So in the end you have a very well built machine (minus the $999 white macbooks, ick!) with stable fully functional software. In reality macs have the SAME type of components inside as your PC, but it's the software and elegant package that sets it apart.

 

[btkrausen]

I refused to go Mac for the longest time, mostly because I've been a Windows guy my entire life, and being an IT Professional, its what I manage. However, I did get a MacBook Pro for free(work) and I do enjoy it. For general internet browsing and email, i enjoy working on it just as much as my Windows 7 laptop.

I really think Windows 7 is by far the better Microsoft operating system, and for the normal user, with antivirus protection, it should suffice. Using non-integrated browsers, such as Chrome or Firefox, will also greatly reduce the amount of spyware/malware that you get, as most exploits are written for Internet Explorer.

As others have said, you can get the best of both worlds by getting a MacBook and run Parallels (found here), which allows you to virtualize a Windows 7 instance and actually integrate that into the MacOS. Might be speaking technically above most people, but with a little research, it might be worth it.

 

[JOSE CASAS]

Reading your thread from a Mac kid......lol

 

[diane21]

I want to get a laptop for traveling purpose. I have so much interest in Macbook Air 13†2012 model but my friend told me Macbook pro is batter than Macbook Air. So I have so much confused please suggest me which one is best for traveling purpose. Thanks!!








Notebook Accessories

 

[chestnud]

Have two macs and couldn't be happier. Another plus is OS upgrades. Mac-$20. Windows-$100

 

[Just Clownin Around]

I bought a mac book pro for my wife last year and all I have to say is whoa. fastest computer I ever worked on. Now when I want to do something that needs a desktop I put my I pad down and grab her mac book

 

[duncangweller]

Seeing as Apple use intel chipsets and PC components these days, it is relatively easy to build one yourself. Now....before you say 'i can't build a computer', I never had either. I built a Mac pro (faster than the $2999.99 model) for less than $800. I have souped it up a little since then with solid state drives and the likes, but it runs like a dream. Also, for when i like to play a few games and pretend to save the world, I can boot into Windows 7 (on a separate drive) and be a hero!

Look into it on google (Im not sure if I am allowed to post links) and you will be amazed how easy it is. if you can build reef tanks like some of the ones I have seen on here, than a computer will be a walk in the park.

Dunc