MAC vs PC

[Qwas]

I've been a Mac man since '84 when the Fat Mac was released. In '98 I decided to get up to date and jump on the internet. Everyone convinced me to go with a PC. I hated it and 2 years later it caught fire - actual flames coming out of the case (thank God I was home and in the same room at the time). Since then I've been back to Macs.

Macs may be more expensive but I believe they last longer. The one I bought in 2000 lasted me well through 2008 when I decided to buy a new iMac. The 2000 Mac is now my back up system. It is a bit slower than the new one but works perfectly fine on the internet.

Another good point (already brought up) is security. I believe the Mac computers are more secure right out of the box and stay more secure. It includes a firewall that keeps ports closed and keeps most people out (I'm sure government agencies can get into any commercial computer).

Viruses are another plus for Macs - no known dangerous viruses. There are a couple of minor viruses that will leave a smiley face on the computer but I've never heard of someone actually infected with it. There is no need for anti-virus software and from what I hear, those companies are resorting to extortion tactics with PC users.

The big drawback is software. Sure we have thousands of programs and we have programs that open MS Word documents or Excel documents. The only problem is it never seems to work for the documents I want to look at. You can buy MS Office for the Mac, I never have so I can't comment on how well it works.

As for the internet and e-mail, I haven't seen any real problems worth any concern. Some websites (very few) may look slightly different but all the information is there. I might get 1 or 2 attachment each year that I can't open. It's always been resolved by informing the sending party and finding another format to send the attachment with.

My old Mac has had power supply problems twice and the new iMac (3 yrs old) has had 2 hard drive failures (first one was 2 days after buying it while trying to install Windows Vista). My older Macs (1984-1992) were built better (and more reliable) but I guess that's just the way it is any more. I think I've had more problems than most users but problems do exist with them.

I'm sure none of this helped you the slightest bit Bob.  [smile] Since you brought up Mac, I'm sure you were starting to lean that way. I hope I gave you some info on them rather than the normal arguments of PC vs Mac.

 

[fritter63]

Bob, here's my .02 AAPL shares worth ...

First some background. I have a B.S. in computer science and over 25 years of experience in the custom software industry. I've done it
all from defense work (still can't talk about it!), telecom work, dot-com, etc.

I started my career as a unix boy, got totally turned off to windows when I peeked "under the hood" while at MapQuest,
and I converted to Apple/Macs in 2003 after they made the right move to adopt a variant of unix as the basis of OS X (the operating
system, if you will).

I only use  Macs at work (well, and Linux servers), and it's just a better system underneath. Realize that there is a big difference between the underlying OS and the actually windows interface that most people deal with. At least there is supposed to be. Part of the big problem with Windows is that
they have never kept those layers properly separated and as a result, it's too easy for a bad program to walk all over the memory that the underlying OS needs to do its job. Hence.. the "Blue Screen Of Death".

That being said, based on what you say your needs are, I think you could get buy with just an iPad, and maybe an Apple Wireless Keyboard to make writing documents easier. It will really hinge if you need to send office docs to other people. You'll certainly be able to read office docs into the iPad versions of those applications. I can't remember if you can export to office docs format from the iPad... will check tonight, don't let me forget.

Here's another option:

iPad - main use device

Mac Mini - secondary "real computer" and backup device. Plugged into your TV as a monitor and with a wireless keyboard and "magic pad" for input devices.

Pricey yes, but the system is greater than the parts...

PM me if you want to continue this thread.. I won't charge for consulting.....  [cool]

 

[PeterK]

I have been trying slowly to convert to Apple equipment. My advice is if you know someone with longterm experience using Apple hardware then a Mac is the way to go. I don't know anyone fluent in the quirks and differences between PCs and Macs and I get frustrated at times while knowing there are answers to my problems. Been a PC user way to many years. I am typing this on my iPad that I love. Have a Mini hooked to my TV and a Macbook Air.

 

[Marc2010]

Bob,
There is no learning curve for a mac, it thinks for you!  I changed everything over to mac last year. I started with I phone 5 years ago and just like Festool everything works together. My macbook pro, my Iphone, apple tv , It is the future. Whatever I write in my phone my macbook syncs right away. I can control all my music & video's from my phone or macbook to my tv wirelessly. If your across the world you can access anything( your files, music, pictures, spreadsheets, order forms) to your home mac. You could place & fill orders from your phone to your office and you can run credit cards thru your phone as well.
When I go to a customers house I can have them pay by credit card and e-mail their receipt and waiver of lien right as I'm standing there.

There is too much to say but,  The one thing you HAVE to remember is "You can't hack a Mac"!! 
No antivirus, none of that crap. plug and play.

Go to an apple store and play around....
You wont be disappointed!!
Good luck with your decision

Marc

 

[fritter63]

Marc, you forgot about the dust collection!

I have no dust anywhere around my mac....

 

[peter halle]

As to the claims that you can't get a virus or get hacked on a Mac - BULL!

Tell that to all those people out there who think that I am selling drugs to enhance performance.

And I had antivirus on my Mac.

As the Mac share increases in both the number of users and also in the public eye, security will become more of an issue.

Peter

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Bob,

First a warning:  Stay far away from Dell.  The quality just isn't there.  Especially with their laptops.  Even their own service/tech support people told me that.  I've had Dell desktop and laptops for the last 9 years.

Not too long ago I discussed this with Shane and he recommends HP.  He implemented them at Festool.

I think, considering your computer skills, an Apple product or products would suit you well, since they're very easy to learn and work with and the stuff just works.  Their tech support is North American, English speaking based and excellent.  The extra money you pay for their products and warranty services is well worth the lower stress and reduced cost of aspirin every day.  [big grin]  You can also run Windows 7 on the Macs, either by itself or in a separate partition on the hard drive should you want or need the Microsoft OS.  Same with being able to use Microsoft Office for the Mac.

If you still can't decide, check ebay for a Commodore Vic-20 with a cassette tape drive, 300 baud modem and 8" floppys for old time sake. [big grin]

 

[PaulMarcel]

I sometimes use a Mac over at a friend's house and Paul Marcel is absolutely right - I curse a blue streak when the delete key acts like a backspace key or when things aren't 'where they are supposed to be'.  I suspect I would get past that in a few days...

It gets worse for me... right now, I'm on the iMac working from home with a PC keyboard remoting into a Windows desktop; the shop Windows 7 box has Apple keyboards.  I have no idea how, but my fingers find the correct keys!

Now, Ken, I've heard the 8" floppies were out long before the Vic-20. 5.25" were the ones on their IEEE bus.  For a copy of a project I did at school, they copied it for me to an 8" floppy.  As if I could do something with that.  Maybe pour some bartop on it and make a trivet.  For geeks.  [tongue]

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

[scratch chin] [doh] [bite tongue]

 

[fritter63]

Paul,

I think it's beyond the charter of this forum to help you figure how use your 8" floppy ...

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Paul can keep his big floppys underneath his reel-to-reel machine so it's level.  [tongue]

Yes, Paul, you are correct that the 5 1/4" floppys were used with the Vic-20, but they had the 8" machines for the PET's and CBM's that could also connect up with an adapter.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Please watch it with the innuendo. Keep it clean, fellas. Thanks.

 

[PaulMarcel]

Paul can keep his big floppys underneath his reel-to-reel machine so it's level.  [tongue]

Yes, Paul, you are correct that the 5 1/4" floppys were used with the Vic-20, but they had the 8" machines for the PET's and CBM's that could also connect up with an adapter.

Ah, didn't know they had the 8s on PETs and I used those  [doh]  guess I'm not old enough to remember those details [poke] (or maybe that means too old!)

 

[peter halle]

Bob,

The answer has been right in front of your face  [poke] because you sell Festool:

Learning curve
Not as accepted as well as others in the marketplace
World class innovation
Part of a system
Wants to control all aspects for quality assurance and functionality
Sales restricted to trained vendors
Pre described pricing policies

Shall I go on...

Peter

 

[Eli]

Mac for the wife since she's a Graphic Designer, and for me because I prefer the interface. I think I'm getting myself an older Ipad for my birthday, doing punchlists in the field, etc, my Iphone screen is too small for that.

 

[peter halle]

Paul can keep his big floppys underneath his reel-to-reel machine so it's level.  [tongue]

Yes, Paul, you are correct that the 5 1/4" floppys were used with the Vic-20, but they had the 8" machines for the PET's and CBM's that could also connect up with an adapter.

Ah, didn't know they had the 8s on PETs and I used those  [doh]  guess I'm not old enough to remember those details [poke] (or maybe that means too old!)

Paul,

If you would like to have some keypunch cards that I did in college let me know and I will go look for them.  You youngsters.

Peter

 

[peter halle]

Mac for the wife since she's a Graphic Designer, and for me because I prefer the interface. I think I'm getting myself an older Ipad for my birthday, doing punchlists in the field, etc, my Iphone screen is too small for that.

Eli,

Hope that it comes to be.  Perfect tool to help out.  Loved mine and that is why I did my review here.

Peter

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I will second the Lenovo laptops, love mine.

The only issue i have with mac is all the extra crap they suck you into buying, air port express, mac tv, blah, blah, blah.

 

[Eli]

Hope that it comes to be.  Perfect tool to help out.  Loved mine and that is why I did my review here.
Peter

You were a factor. Still top return on google "ipad for contractors"!

Any updates to what apps you're using? I've started using Photo measures and attaching completed work photos (with stud spacing, plumbing and LX notes) with my invoices for framing. Google Docs for everything else but I'd like to avoid paying cell usage for another device.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I will second the Lenovo laptops, love mine.

The only issue i have with mac is all the extra crap they suck you into buying, air port express, mac tv, blah, blah, blah.

Blah, blah, blah is now packaged with ring, ding, ding and tootaloo, but only till April 30.