PC vs MAC....thoughts & experiences appreciated

[Anonymous]

Hi people.

I am currently a PC user user..newbie status.

Is there any major difference working in MAC as apposed to PC. Which do you find works better for you and why?

Does the software run any better on one type than the other or is it much of a muchness?

Apart from the fact that MAC's are really expensive....is there any disadvantage in switching to it?

Your thoughts would be very much appreciated

[Ralph Wessel]

On a MAC, you have no right click button on your mouse.
Nor do you have a wheel on your mouse.
You can have all those things if you wish - it just depends on the mouse you buy. I have 3 buttons on mine: left-click, right-click, and double-click. I don't have a wheel, but they are readily available.

Function keys may or may not function.
I think what you mean is that they don't necessarily perform the same functions as Windows. But they do what they are designed to do perfectly.

Be prepared for an RSI trying to work the "APPLE" key.
It simply does the same as the <ctrl> key on Windows. I swap between Mac and Windows repeatedly through the day, and don't really see any difference in that respect. The same goes for the X Window system.

Be prepared for the fact that @ and " are reversed on the keyboard.
I see bigger differences between keyboards on the same platform. Virtually every one has a key either in a different place or with a different shape - everyone seems to want to do their own version

The delete key doesn't always delete the character at the cursor!
Not sure what you mean

The delete key doesn't delete files.
That's because it would be too easy to delete something by mistake - you press <command>-delete on the Mac.

Mac OSX doesn't log you on to a 'job' folder - instead, if you open a file in one folder and then try a 'save as ..' , your MAC will try to save to wherever it was you last 'saved as'. Nor does Mac OSX display the path of the folder you're in. Result - a nightmare keeping track of files.
Your OS X experience is a bit behind the times - you'll find everything you want and more in the current open/save navigation dialogs.

The thing that's really lacking on the Mac is viruses, worms, spyware, and addware. There are literally thounsands for available for Windows, but not a single one on the Mac Apparently an out-of-the-box XP machine will be infected within 20 minutes of connecting to the Internet on average: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/19/infected_in20_minutes/

[Anonymous]

i was looking forward to an extended rant on this but ralph seems to have pretty much covered it

but

sp2 took how long to come out?

how many applications does it kill?

including most microsoft applications (my understanding is that each application has to be 'tweaked' to bypass the firewall)

have security holes been found in sp2 already? (i'll give you a clue - yes)

[Aaron Bourgoin]

Apparently an out-of-the-box XP machine will be infected within 20 minutes of connecting to the Internet on average

In 1989, DOS PCs seemed impervious to virus attacks. All the Macintoshes in the Apple labs at university were riddled with them.

[Dwight]

How things change.

Didn't they write a song about that?

"There's a worm in my Apple, dear Lisa, dear Lisa..."

[Anonymous]

"In 1989, DOS PCs seemed impervious to virus attacks. All the Macintoshes in the Apple labs at university were riddled with them."

'89? vaguely remember it


plus ca change

or maybe not

[Dwight]

And how things change, again:

Apple Ranks #1 in Customer Satisfaction!

The scores for personal computer companies for the past 10 years, including the latest findings, were released this week as part of a report in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) from University of Michigan/ASQ and CFI. Apple was tops with a score of 81, which makes it an interesting story because its score of 69 in 1998 was the worst of all computer manufacturers. This year's score makes the last to first story complete!

[Eduardo Rolon]

Ralph wrote:
[Apparently an out-of-the-box XP machine will be infected within 20 minutes of connecting to the Internet on average: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/19/infected_in20_minutes/

It is down to 10 minutes
http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/08/27/35secadvise_1.html

And it looks as if the next version of Windows is going to be less than promised and later than predicted.
http://news.com.com/Microsoft+corrals+changes+for+Longhorn/2009-1016_3-5327458.html?part=rss&tag=5327458&subj=news.1016.20

[Anonymous]

As a PC and Mac user 50/50 here's my 2 Bob's worth:

The different keyboard config not an issue - more of an issue is differing shortcuts between other programs

I use a 2 button mouse with wheel on PC - perfectly happy with the standard Mac mouse at home

Multiple AC files on the Mac not a problem - see elsewhere

Since purchased last Dec the G5 hasn't crashed or stalled once (I rarely turn it off - just let it sleep). Was reasonable impressed with XP Pro (especially after the nightmare Windows 98) at first but it grinds down after heavy use and have constant crashes both in Archicad and ancillary programs -Microsoft products especially venerable. We have an IT guy who runs and updates Spybot etc each week but problems continue. Nothing short of a complete OS re-install seems to (temporarily) fix it. I use no MS products at home for this reason- and have no probs communicating with the rest of the world

Panther (and Expose) much nicer than XP pro. Performance similar (in Archicad) but no downtime on the Mac puts it miles ahead-especially when those deadlines are looming. Updates in plotmaker also similar - but I know that G4s suffer a bit here

The "free" software with OSX such as itunes, iphoto, safari are very nice indeed

Absolutely no regrets with the G5 and would only have considered a PC if OSX and the G5 hadn't come along

Is this the end of it? - you pays yer money etc etc

[Dwight]

I must chime in, too, about OS X and the 2x2.0G G5. I've been using this arrangement since updating last October and things couldn't be much better. Have had some crashes but I do install a lot of software for my review assignments and have enormous hard drive usage.

Finally, after all these years, the machine has reasonable speed and graphix power to properly drive ArchiCAD. Used to be spoiled by quick-navigating Cinema 4D but worried no more.... and favorite video game "Bubble Trouble" is just great.

[stefan]

"And my father has a bigger car then yours"...
(In fact he doesn't, but that's beside the point)

This topic will never be solved, ever. Unless one of the two completely disappears. Which won't happen very soon.

I'm very happy with XP and have worked fine on Mac's in the OS 8.6 & OS 9.0 times, but haven't really experienced OSX yet (to my regret).

But my next computer will be a PC: it works for me, I have all the software available and it's what I'm used to, at home and at work. The last time I had a serious virus-problem was last year (when I was at holiday and the computer at work was completely locked). I didn't lost any data, but had to do a full re-install then.

I'm quite sure that most users are not really more productive or less productive because of the OS they "drive", but more because of the working habits.