In the near future, we will be upgrading our almost 10 year old computer. My wife was talking with one of her doctors at work and he mentioned he just bought a Mac and wouldn’t go back.
My question is what are the pros and cons from people who actually own them?
How has software compatability changed?
Are they reliable?
Can I do the same things I do with the MS platforms?
I haven’t really checked into the cost point yet or done much research at all.
Any help would be appreciated. 
Watts,
I have a Mac G5 and love it. You first question is a good one. All the Mac’s produced now have a Intel processor which allows you to run all of your MS software i.e Excel, Word, ect…
I can not comment on others but mine has been pretty much bulletproof. They make a good product and don’t just slap them together with cheap parts like some PC companies do.
With the Intel processor you should be able to do all the things that you do now.
The price may or may not be a deal killer. I will be honest and say that Mac’s are more expensive. Just remember the old saying “You get what you pay for”.
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In the near future, we will be upgrading our almost 10 year old computer. My wife was talking with one of her doctors at work and he mentioned he just bought a Mac and wouldn’t go back.
My question is what are the pros and cons from people who actually own them?
How has software compatability changed?
Are they reliable?
Can I do the same things I do with the MS platforms?I haven’t really checked into the cost point yet or done much research at all.
Any help would be appreciated.
What are you going to do with it? I have a suped up G5 Power Mac in my office along with two pcs; one lap top and the other a desk top. If you’re going to do video editing or intensive graphics work get the Mac. If you’re going to use that new computer for browsing the internet and general accounting / business work, etc., get the pc. There’s absolutely no justification in spending the premium money on the mac. A $500 – $700 pc lap top or $500 desk top pc these days is an incredible machine and in almost all cases just as reliable as the macs. I have a $500 lap top pc (gateway) that has been incredibly reliable for nearly 3 years now. You’ll be hard pressed to find any Mac laptop for three times that money.
Signed,
The guy that has both.
The machine will just be used for browsing, college online courses, and typical records.
Definitely no video editing, gaming applications, or high tech stuff 
We just need it to be reliable, somewhat fast, and reasonably priced.
Coming from a 10 year old computer of any kind to a new lap top or desk top with dual core processors and 2+ Gb RAM is going to be like stepping out of the dark ages. Regardless of what you buy you’ll be blown away with the speed coming from that vintage to new. And if reasonably priced is a priority… you’re talking PC. Spending $2k on a Mac to browse the internet and keep tax records is money not well spent in my opinion.
‘Wats,
This link is provided as an example of what you “could” get and how much money it will cost to get you into a lightning fast lap top with some cool options (wide screen 16″ monitor, etc.,).
Dual Core + 3 GB RAM.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4636890&Sku=S445-160003
I have two refurbed pcs in my office, the aforementioned lap top and desk top, purchased from TigerDirect. Both have been flawless. I’m sure with a little looking you could come up with an even better machine at a lower price. This one caught my eye after 20 seconds of looking.
The new Mac laptops are lightening fast…even at Everts.
I’ve used both since they came out with the Mac Plus and MS came out with Windows a short time later.
Most folks lean towards the computer they started with although graphic (video editing) has always been faster (better on a Mac).
I would try them both side by side if possible.
Since most folks have pcs, the Mac’s are much less of a target for viruses.
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Dual Core + 3 GB RAM.
Cripes I’m still running DOS applications. The hard part now is finding old slow machines that still work with this stuff.
It’s bad being a dinosaur watching all these new-fangled mammals running around 
James….a thought here. We have bait shops, tool stores, truck dealers dealers, etc. for site sponsors since we all need that stuff. All of the registered users and lurkers on the site are using a computer, and there are a lot of us, also need computers. Any chance we could find a good computer store as a site sponsor?
Rootski
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Dual Core + 3 GB RAM.
Cripes I’m still running DOS applications. The hard part now is finding old slow machines that still work with this stuff.
It’s bad being a dinosaur watching all these new-fangled mammals running around
James….a thought here. We have bait shops, tool stores, truck dealers dealers, etc. for site sponsors since we all need that stuff. All of the registered users and lurkers on the site are using a computer, and there are a lot of us, also need computers. Any chance we could find a good computer store as a site sponsor?
Rootski
That’s actually a good idea. Obviously anyone here would need a computer. I can’t, however, say we have anything in the works along those lines.
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That’s actually a good idea.
Hmmm…you seemed surprised 
Just glad to help any way I can!
Rootski
Fewer virus’s are written for Macs than Microsoft based operating systems. Macs are suppose to be easier to use for a computer illiterate person. My father inlaw is a Mac user/owner and I have a hard time figuring out how to turn the darn thing on, much less do anything else on it. I’m pretty computur literate on my Dell with Microsoft OS. If he has a problem, he’s on his own. He had terrible luck with his last Mac. He had it rebuilt no less than 3 times before he replaced it 2 weeks ago. He had an extended warranty on his old one and I bet he still had to spend over 500.00 in repairs in the 4 – 5 years he owned it. He just replaced it with another Mac though.
Watts,
With what you said you would use it for, go with a PC with Microsoft operating system.
Machines break. Even Macs. My girlfriend’s dad has a mac laptop, brand new this past winter, that is a bona fide piece o’ junk. Granted it is a lower end mac but it still cost $1200. It crashes constantly. It doesn’t matter which browser you use on it… every 20 minutes or so you’re going to get the spinning beachball of death letting you know that you’re about to restart the computer.
Buying a mac is in no way a guarantee of a happy and trouble-free experience.
On the PC topic and MS operating system, has anyone heard anything about MS coming out with something new for an OS? Again, my wife’s co-workers were talking about getting a new computer but were waiting on something new coming out from MS. I have no idea what she is talking about, I do know she said it was not Vista
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On the PC topic and MS operating system, has anyone heard anything about MS coming out with something new for an OS? Again, my wife’s co-workers were talking about getting a new computer but were waiting on something new coming out from MS. I have no idea what she is talking about, I do know she said it was not Vista
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/windows-platform/articles/4609.aspx
There’s a new one coming 2010. Is it worth the wait? Only you can decide that.
I wouldn’t order a PC with Vista. I would either wait for Win 7 to rollout or downgrade to XP Pro.
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I wouldn’t order a PC with Vista. I would either wait for Win 7 to rollout or downgrade to XP Pro.
XP Pro for this guy. I think they finally got all the bugs worked out of it now that it is nearly two releases old… lol Cheryl has Vista on her work machines. If someone wants to listen to a red faced rant… ask her about her work laptop with Vista… 
I told my wife the same thing about waiting. If you wait, you will never buy one. The one we buy off the shelf will most likely be outdated anyway.
I have not had any experience with the Vista OS yet. Is it really bad? I am happy with my XP right now and would prefer to keep that OS.
I heard Google was going to come out with a new OS (later this year??). More customizable with add on applicattions, etc…
Not an expert, just heard about it on the radio. Could be false.
Mike
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I have not had any experience with the Vista OS yet. Is it really bad? I am happy with my XP right now and would prefer to keep that OS.
You can still buy a new one with XP…
Check around and ask 
I like James’s advice. It matches my experience and observations exactly. Spend $500 on a PC laptop and you’ll get all you need and more.
I did notice that Best Buy has a promo running right now that gives you a free upgrade when the new Windows comes out. Might be worth checking into .
Google is coming out with a new OS soon.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2009/tc2009078_365398.htm
-J.
I’ve had 2 Dell Laptops for work with Windows 97 and now XP during the last 5 years without so much as a hicup. I have a Dell Desktop PC at home with XP and since getting it over 5 years ago have only needed to replace the power supply (about 30.00). You will find Dell to be pretty competitively priced too.
I just wish someone would come out with a computer that wouldn’t allow the urls to stretch the pages! 
My laptop is on is dying leg, I actually think I’m going to end up with a netbook, the newest ones on the market don’t look half bad, for $3-400 you can get yourself a decent one with 8 hour battery life, and great portability, the biggest downside for me is the lack of a cd/dvd drive/burner built it, of course you can get a portable drive to do those things too. One other upside is the run XP (Almost all of them do, some expections) Of course for about the same amount you can get a laptop, but it qill probably bog under vista, no ones sure about windows 7 yet. Sadly right now my phone does most everything I need, and the desktop takes care of the rest, I just miss my laptop…..
A Mac is great for doing anything from surfing on the internet to doing video editing and design. They may be a little more expensive but you truly get what you pay for. Actually about a month ago Apple Dropped its prices on all product lines. When buying a Mac you also get exceptional service and support, something you definitely don’t get with a PC. If you have any problems with your computer or any questions you simply bring your computer into the apple store and speak with a Mac Genius.
Interface wise I think the Mac is much more user friendly. It has a clean and simple design making it easy to move around and understand. And its OS is rock solid so you don’t need to worry about which version will give you the least amount of problems (aka a PC). The Mac also wont get viruses, there are VERY few out there that are even designed for macs. So you don’t have to worry about picking up random things simply surfing the internet that will crash your computer.
I have had a Mac at home for a long time and I love it. I work on a PC at my job and it drives me nuts. there are even tons of skins out there to make your pc look like a Mac 
(that should tell ya something). I know its a bit more money to buy a Mac but I guarantee its worth it. 
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I just wish someone would come out with a computer that wouldn’t allow the urls to stretch the pages!
Google’s OS is a pipe dream. Do you save any personal data on your pc/laptop/MAC hard drive?? If so, are you prepared to save all that data at Google’s datacenters? Do you trust they are not looking at it? Do you trust they aren’t letting the government look at it? Do you trust they aren’t selling it?
This will be an advertisement injected OS that is for people who only browse the web and want to be marketed to all day long. Would you like pop up ads while running your word processor? 
Anyone know why Microsoft doesn’t fight all the funny ads MAC puts out? Cuz they don’t have to. Anyone(short of video editing nerds(sorry James)) who thinks spending at least twice as much for a box with MAC on it is wasting your money. MAC is a great product, but it’s no more stable than any other piece of hardware. If you think there aren’t hackers out there writing stuff to infiltrate the MAC OS, you are crazy.
Buy what you want is my point, but don’t be fooled by the marketing fluff. Be sure to limit what your kids can install and don’t be looking around at naughty websites. Put a good virus/spyware software on the machine and be sure it updates itself at least daily. Backup your data, you never know when a hard drive is going to fail.
Not to be too argumentative C$…because this is like Ford/Chev….but everything you stated above can be said about a pc too.
I had a mac 6500(?) I think it was and by pressing two buttons it would switch over and run true dos and Windows 98. They make a number of applications for mac to make them look like a pc.
As far as viruses go, Mac’s aren’t targeted as much..but they are still out there. Some run without protection and get away with it. My Favorite Mother wasn’t so lucky. 
Still, I’m a Mac supporter as much as I can be.
My favorite Mac story.
Around ’96 I was having a debate with a 16 year old PC lover. I didn’t have an answer when he asked…”If Mac’s are so good, why did they copy the Windows operating system?”
Left me speachless.
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Anyone know why Microsoft doesn’t fight all the funny ads MAC puts out? Cuz they don’t have to.
haha yeah right, what about the ads you see on TV every commercial set where they are giving the people money to buy a PC. I would say that advertising is ALOT worse than Apple’s
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Not to be too argumentative C$…because this is like Ford/Chev….but everything you stated above can be said about a pc too.
I had a mac 6500(?) I think it was and by pressing two buttons it would switch over and run true dos and Windows 98. They make a number of applications for mac to make them look like a pc.
As far as viruses go, Mac’s aren’t targeted as much..but they are still out there. Some run without protection and get away with it. My Favorite Mother wasn’t so lucky.
Still, I’m a Mac supporter as much as I can be.
My favorite Mac story.
Around ’96 I was having a debate with a 16 year old PC lover. I didn’t have an answer when he asked…”If Mac’s are so good, why did they copy the Windows operating system?”
Left me speachless.
I agree, Really they both just have their own time and place. Doing design all I have even know is a Mac. I have never had a problem with a Mac. But me and PC’s just dont get along. I guess it has just left me with a bad impression.
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