Poll

Which operating system do you favor?

Apple Macintosh OS X
37 (34.6%)
Microsoft Windows 7
70 (65.4%)

Total Members Voted: 107

Author Topic: A Civil iMac Versus PC Thread - Read OP before you go PCFanboy-ing.  (Read 11107 times)

I think everybody's overlooking the time when Mac WAS the leader in innovation. Back when they made the first commercial Graphic OS, it was really expensive, but nobody was selling anything like it. Even into the 90s, they had a lot of games that were ported to PC. (the Myst and Marathon series, both that were big-hitting)
Then, Apple got into the mobile device market and started leaning more towards student and business professional use for their computers. At about this point, Windows had a big jump in games because more developers were making the games for Windows 95, 98 and ME, and less on the older DOS framework. (an amusing fact: Alienware started in 1996, when FPS gaming was starting to catch on)

More recently, Valve is the (big) company with the second-largest percentage of their own games for both plattforms (first being Blizzard with virtually all of their games PC and mac, and third EA, all estimation). just over this weekend, they, along with Apple, released an updated driver set for newer macs. This also effects Macs as old as early '08, but a little less so.


The windows 7 OS (Home Premium) and Mac OS are about the same price (~$200), but the Mac's hardware is more expensive. Why? First, Apple buys it's hardware (on Desktop and Laptop) directly from the main manufacturer and not side productions like XFX and Sapphire. They also don't outsource their computer design, unlike Dell and HP. even if they still get the computers built elsewhere, Apple is able to design and control each part for an average build quality better than the big PC manufacturers. While they find rough competition with lower-production companies like Panasonic and Lenovo, the new Macs (the laptops, of course, the desktops don't go anywhere) can survive rough handling. The (now not-so-new) "Unibody" enclosures really do give them a leg up against outsourced designers used by many big PC companies (Outsourced design is different than selling computers built by an ODM like Clevo). Like fancy Sports Car manufacturing, less parts in the body reduces flex and increases overall durability, especially since instead of just absorbing impacts and making the shockwaves reverberate in a bunch of loosely-connected pieces, it will flow through a unibody enclosure and around important parts.

But, now I come to Windows computer's upsides. They're inexpensive, specifically because they don't have any proprietary hardware aside from maybe the motherboard. They can play most games Macs can and then several hundred more, and it's less expensive to make hardware that doesn't need extra stuff added to the hardware or firmware, and it's even less expensive if you can outsource the cardmaking itself to resellers. Of course, this sometimes leads to lapses in quality (I'm looking a you, HD 5870) and more complex RMA services, especially if there's a site like Newegg or TigerDirect that those cards are being sold through.

Windows computers, for many reasons, are used by business professionals, because of more Legacy port and software support. VGA is now ancient history. Mac stopped officially using it a long time ago. Now, it's all DVI for them. They also stopped letting users run Mac OS 9 programs on Intel computers, even though it's completely possible on today's machines to emulate OS 9 and PowerPC-based programs effectively on the Intel framework.

This might seem long-winded, but this time in a computer topic I need to try harder to make people realize this one important fact:

Neither of them are significantly better. They're the Yin and yang of the computer world, they cancel each other out. In that place, for people who know how to use a real computer, is Linux, which by far is the most versatile and almost all of it's distributions are Open Source. So, if you want something different, you just modify it how you seem fit. They might not be the most compatible now, but that's because most people who use Linux either Stick with Linux 100% or just use it to muck around with their or other people's program files.

In other words: nobody will win in this argument, because nobody will make enough ground to unbalance the metaphorical scale weighing the goods and bads of both. But Linux isn't affected by that. So stop being uncivil, it won't prove your point because there's an equally important point on the other side.

So I'm sorry everybody, for my wall of text up there, but try to read all of it without saying:


But if it's hardware you're looking for, you want a PC.

Ghost that was way too loving long.

forget format.  Let's play a game.

What will Mack's Grandma do with her computer?

 -  E-mail you annoying pictures and fwd's she finds
 -  Probably get on facebook.  Maybe play Farmville and herd her virtual sheep.
 -  Use AOL as a homepage so she can find out news.
 -  Google stuff every once in a while.

What I am saying is that she will be using the browser.  Nothing else, aside from solitaire or whatever.  As much as I hate Apple, if money is no issue for her, go get her a Mac.  If money is an issue, buy her a used Mac.

This might seem long-winded, but this time in a computer topic I need to try harder to make people realize this one important fact:

Neither of them are significantly better. They're the Yin and yang of the computer world, they cancel each other out. In that place, for people who know how to use a real computer, is Linux, which by far is the most versatile and almost all of it's distributions are Open Source. So, if you want something different, you just modify it how you seem fit. They might not be the most compatible now, but that's because most people who use Linux either Stick with Linux 100% or just use it to muck around with their or other people's program files.

pretty much sums up this whole topic.. honestly, both of them alright. i've owned a mac and a pc, they both had their ups and downs. i can't see what the point of arguing over it is; everyone has their own personal preferences.



offtopic: holy crap thats a huge wall of text

Both Macs and PCs have their Pros and Cons, and both have the fanboys that, seeing a topic with the name "Mac" in it go and post how "Windows is better". And Vice-Versa. I have owned both a Mac and a Windows computer for a while now, and can easily operate both, although I much prefer my Mac. And for those of you who still believe Macs can't right click,your arguments are null and void. Macs have had a right click button on the mouse for years now, so the Macs you see are obviously dinosaurs by technology standards. As for those of you who say Windows get tons of viruses and Macs get none due to their, "UBER L33T FIREWALLZ" the main reason is, due to the fact that Windows are popular, more viruses are made for them.

tl;dr: Both have pros and Cons. What you want depends on your preferences. I prefer Macs.

Get your grandmother a mac that would suit her needs better due to the fact that they are easier to operate.

Mac--
Pros
Doesnt get many viruses
Best for schoolwork

Cons
Cant run games (Opt)
Slow bootup
Expensive

PC - 650
Mac - 1200

There is no contest here unless you're not paying for the systems anyway. Both of my grandparents use cheap PCs we bought them. We just put icons for their email and Facebook on the desktop. The only program they use is the browser.

Mac is fine. If you're getting a Mac spend $650 to 700 on it, not 1200. 1200 is too much for what is essentially going to be an Internet access point and not much else.

Windows
Pro: Newer OS's are easier to use, can support games.
Con: Can crash, get viruses, hardware can sometimes fail.

None of these cons are true and they don't only apply to pc.

"Macs can get viruses now"? Were Macs immune to viruses before or did I miss something?

Pretty much what Wedge said, don't overpay for something they won't get that much experience out of. That's like buying a three hundred dollar phone just to use the Facebook application.

And from my experiences, Macs are stuff. I'm on Windows 7 now, and though it isn't mine, I love it. I have XP at home and that's not bad either but it's damn hard to find now without looking online.

Since when are macs "User Friendly"? Lack of right click makes it a forget fest to navigate.

OH MY loving GOD! THERE IS A loving RIGHT-CLICK! GO TO YOUR MOUSE SETTING AND CHECK THE LITTLE BOX THAT SAYS "right-click".  use your brains

OH MY loving GOD! THERE IS A loving RIGHT-CLICK! GO TO YOUR MOUSE SETTING AND CHECK THE LITTLE BOX THAT SAYS "right-click".  use your brains
No you're thinking of windows.


No you're thinking of windows.

lol

But seriously, you people need to loving learn Macs do indeed have a right-click option.

Right click is disabled by default for some forgeted up reason, but yes, there is right click capability on macs, you just need to turn it on.

Doesn't make up for the fact that they're overpriced garbage (unless you're a professional image editor/photographer/video editor).

Right click is disabled by default for some forgeted up reason, but yes, there is right click capability on macs, you just need to turn it on.

Doesn't make up for the fact that they're overpriced garbage (unless you're a professional image editor/photographer/video editor).

ill agree with "overpriced" but macs are far from garbage. They can do most everything a PC can do and better (except gaming)

Mac
Pros:
...

Cons:
Rapes your cpu and ram
No compatible programs
Costs 2x as much as a PC
Specs are lower than most PCs
Etc.
Haha what. It costs maybe $200 more, and the specs are better than pretty much everything but Alienware and custom built Windows.
I use up 1% of my CPU. How about you get a better connection. "No compatible programs?" Most things either have a Mac alternative, or work for Mac, or, if you're desperate, there's always Boot Camp.

Macs FTW.