Buying an Apple Mac. What's the frozen prawns?

[Black Sheep]

my 2p worth

I've been running macs for the past three years, an iMac and an old G4 powerbook

i have had three problems in that time, two of them my fault and a result of each others. personally i find them much more stable than windows computers.

The reason for this is that the hardware is matched to the operating system unlike the recent monkeys running round PC world installing vista on any machine they had regardless of if it could run it properly or not.

 

[Black Sheep]

I assume it hasn't developed any faults then? If it had you wouldn't ask the question! ;0)

It's worth noting that since moving over to Intel chips there really isn't that much difference between the architecture of low-end Macs and PCs. I would also argue that there isn't much difference in quality between a well-sorted PC and a Mac either. It's the software, that's what you're really looking at.

Mac OS just works a lot better. Having said that the right version of Windows works ok too. Still not as slick but I'm using Vista Ultimate here and it's been totally glitch free.

High-end Macs and lower-end ones are not the same. We use bigger ones at work, they are reasonably bomb proof. iMacs are not! Bottom line, if I had enough money to by an iMac I'm buy a killer-spec PC as I'd get far higher performance for my money and it would be easy to upgrade and repair in future.

but in that instance your building the computer yourself, part of the problem with the cheaper macs (i've only heard of the problem from yourself) is the components. part of the problem with budget PC's is both the component quality and the person who screwed them together and chose which components to match together, as my previous post says, mac choose their components based on producing a platform to run the OS

 

[Mr Pig]

the hardware is matched to the operating system unlike PC world installing vista on any machine regardless of if it could run it or not.

Quite right. Half of the PCs out there are not up to running Vista. It's been a shambles. I wonder what the new OS will be like, not holding my breath.

 

[Llama]

love macs, they are so much easier to use - much better than this crappy work computer

 

[Auntie Helen]

I love Macs.

Am currently typing this on a PC as our Mac has died (Hard Disk failure, used for over 10,000 hours) and awaiting the delivery of the new Mac Mini. It was a no-brainer decision to replace it with another one as we just love 'em.

We will fit a new HDD in the old Mac Mini and have it as a spare/backup.

No viruses is a real plus. I feel a bit paranoid typing on this PC. Oh, and the Mac doesn't grind to a halt over six months with updates and junk - we have never had to reinstall the OS or any of that gubbins. Just fab.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Has anyone mentioned the fact that Macs are cool.

Also you're getting a computer supplied by Steve Job's Apple corp which is of course just a Mom and Pop operation run from his back room and not a huge, faceless, multi-national company like Billy Gate's lot.

 

[HJ]

I have an Mac and it's one of the best things I ever bought. It's true that you don't need virus software -

So why is Apple telling people that they should run anti-virus software?

At the end of the day a Mac is just an expensive Linux box...

Of course if you really want to be different you could always just build your own, Hackintosh anybody?

 

[Bigtwin]

Saw the light about 4 years ago. Have a G4 Powermac I got used as new for £200 with full suite.

I've had to date:

Problems: 0 - Even the kids haven't buggered it up.
Virusesesses: 0 (ClamX - job done).
Coolness: bucket.

Plus HK speakers which are excellent.

I won't go back to the filthy side, though Ubuntu makes a lot of sense if you are vaguely technically minded.

Just do it, as they say.

 

[twowheelsgood]

I've used WinXP since 2003. I've had no viruses and no failures.

What is it you people do to these machines?

If you run a firewall and don't open any dodgy email attachments or install anything you aren't sure of, then you won't get any viruses.

 

[twowheelsgood]

Has anyone mentioned the fact that Macs are cool.

Also you're getting a computer supplied by Steve Job's Apple corp which is of course just a Mom and Pop operation run from his back room and not a huge, faceless, multi-national company like Billy Gate's lot.

I assume you are being sarcastic. Apple's business practices and the amount ot control they seek to impose over device YOU buy and own make Microsoft look positively saintly.

 

[GordyFaeEdinburgh]

> I wonder what the new OS will be like, not holding my breath.

Really quite good. I quit Windows for Linux some time ago now but I'm happily using Windows 7 at work. It appears to be what Vista should have been.

 

[jay clock]

"Apple Mac -the recumbent bicycle of the computing world"

 

[Auntie Helen]

"Apple Mac -the recumbent bicycle of the computing world"

That's why I love 'em

Comfortable, reliable, safe, beautiful to look at and a pleasure to own.

'Tis why we also have a catamaran rather than a monohull.

 

[Campfire]

Buying an AppleMac, what's the frozen prawns?

I worked with iMacs in publishing - well putting the pages on before going to print - dare I say it, at NW Autotrader!

The first ones I used were the 'see through' coloured ones which I thought were the dogs whatsits then we got the iBooks which were really cool, those ones with the half a globe and the screen on top looking like a Bug radio. I have also used the more modern iMacs with the great screens.

I loved them and bought an iBook G4 which I am using today. I had a new battery a year ago but the replacement isn't as good as the original. A friend gave me an eMac which I'm loathe to put much on as I think the screen's on the way out. It keeps going a different colour (does anyone know anything about that?)

At the moment I'm thinking of replacing this iBook with a Mac Mini and a separate screen as I'm fed up of batteries. My son's even joined the band and bought a very swish iMac.

They're great - even a numskull like me managed to set it up when I bought it. LOVE THEM!!!

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

Been running one for 4 years [mac mini] - the only issue was a CD getting wedged, dropped it into the Apple store and they sorted it on the spot. It gets used every day for just about everything.

As previously stated Apple hardware is average in build quality - just looks 'cool'.

The operating system is great - makes a change from the mundane Windows used at work, no viruses to report - but have not had any on the XP laptop either.

Will probably be upgrading to a new Mac later in year when Snow Leopard emerges.
Another point, Macs are harder to upgrade yourself [but not impossible].