Mac or Windows for Editing

[mastertrinity]

Im interested to know how many members who use PCs have ever tried a Mac for some length of time?
Nathan

i use one a lot of the time and its not as good as you think and really this old saying of once you go mac you never go back is that alot of the time you can't.

when you get a mac you pay alot of money for the mac, then money to replace your external HDD's, software etc. and it costs a fortune! so when you get a mac you don't want to spend more money to change back to windows.

 

[neil_g]

Im interested to know how many members who use PCs have ever tried a Mac for some length of time?

yup. i had one on my my desk for a long time until it died a death and went for parts. now i have to settle for a virtual pc (cough)

personally i think OSX is overated/overhyped.

 

[pinktrainers]

Switched to Mac about 2 years ago - as many have said, I couldn't go back to Windows, now. I'm too used to the efficiency and reliability of a OSX (my main bugbear is that Windows still does not have an efficient indexing function - I can find any file or program on my Mac in seconds by hitting cmd+space and typing the first few letters of the filename without fail).

Windows PCs will tend to cost more, but you will more than likely find it needs updating a lot more regularly. To me, it's one of those choices - spend the extra now and save money in the future, or save the money now and face the future when it comes to it.

For what it's worth, I use my MacBook almost non-stop daily, and have done for years - it comes with me most places I go so that I can work anywhere. I've never had any battery issues or any crashes.

 

[trencheel303]

I owned a Mac Mini for a few months in early '08 I think it was (it was the year beginning just after the October which Leopard was released on) and I didn't have a very pleasant experience with it. I may have gotten a lemon, who knows. I also had an iBook before that which was equally as dreadful, but again it may have been faulty.

On the contrary, my Macintosh performa 450 which is 17 years old, on the same original hardware (120MB hard drive baby...) and running OS 7.5.3 is great, and still runs despite me doing some rather crude and cruel experiments to it.

My experiences with PCs are no doubt better because if one goes wrong I can generally fix it no matter what, as I know enough about them, and Windows, to be own IT man. I grew up with PCs around me all my life, and had plenty of experience with Macs at school pre- OS X, and enough OS X experience to have solidified my decision to stay with Windows indefinitely (if Windows 7 was going to be a pile of poo I may have considered the Mac when XP no longer became viable to run every day, but as it turns out I like the Windows 7 RTM.).

 

[Martyn...]

Mac ... it just works

My last PC (Vista) drove me to it ... prior to that 12 years of happy PC use.

I have found the Mac stable and trouble free, but in fairness so were my PC's (prior to Vista) however I became proficient at sorting out the Windows OS problems when they arose, not a clue how OS X works as I have not had to do anything to it in the 2 years I have had it.

So there you go Mac or decent spec PC, your money your choice ... if you go PC build your own, it is simple, just get decent components and it will be fine, and trouble free.

 

[alexkidd]

i find my pc more stable and easier to use, with it being a pc i turn it on and it just works

 

[Amp34]

I think its more the OS more than anything for me. All in all since using a Mac, I find it more stable and cleaner to use. Its a joy to power it up and use, I never see applications not responding nor do I get crashes or blue screens.

All of the above problems are just too common when using a windows based PC, fair enough you could learn Linux and your PC would be more stable. However that takes more time than it does to learn MAC Osx, which to be honest takes no time at all.

It all boils down to preference at the end of the day, I used to be a hardcore PC fan. Jumping at the opportunity to upgrade it with the latest hardware on the market. However since having the Mac I havn't upgraded it nor have I ever felt the need.

Out of interest did you come from XP?

I only ask as all the issues you bring up are very XP oriented.

For example BSOD were very windows XP, Vista and 7 are rock solid and in about 5 years of running Vista and 7 on multiple machines I've know of 2 times when they have blue screened. XP was far less stable and would BSOD more, although still not enough to cause that much of a problem, especially as a BSOD would normally be related to a hardware issue..

You also mention no slowdown after 2 years. This is another issue sorted with Vista and 7. I ran a Vista install for 3 years before upgrading it to 7 and had no slowdown issues (my laptop is still on its original install of Vista actually). I used to have to reinstall XP every 6 month to keep it nice and speedy, not a problem with the modern OSs.

So yeah you can't really compare a 10 year old OS, replaced 4-5 years ago with a brand new OS...

As for upgrades, that's always a funny one, you don't have to upgrade if you don't want to... I have a 6 year old machine here, the only thing upgraded is the HDD, still as fast as it was 6 years ago and while it can't run the latest games it has no issues with photo editing...

As for the OP's question well, if you want a 27" screen it's cheaper to get an iMac than a 27" windows machine. If you want a 13" laptop then have a look at the macbook (pro) as they are good value compared to the windows machines of that size. Anything else and well, just go have a play and choose what you like, there isn't much difference between them and contrary to what some mac diehards suggest it isn't going to change your life, or give you a bigger penis...

 

[cowasaki]

i was reading somewhere about the mac OS and apparently it is more unstable than you think.

Than who thinks? Me? You? Neil_G? The OP?

No OS is totally stable, no OS is totally secure, no OS is perfect, no one who is happy with their current setup cares what is going on elsewhere! The point is that whenever this question is asked you just get a load of people slagging off each other's systems and pointing out what they have read or what someone saw. I have used Windows PCs since the days of DOS and Macs for about 4 years plus I have used Linux, Arthur, Risc OS, BeOS and all manner of other stuff.

I have a whole host of machines at home running all three major OSes and would say that so long as you have either the latest incarnation of a major Linux build, MacOS Leopard or Snow Leopard or Windows XP or 7 PLUS a decent anti malware suite then your OS should be reasonably stable.

Viruses get blamed for EVERYTHING on a windows platform... "My computer will not switch on"..... Which virus software have you got??? "The sound is only coming out of one speaker"..... It'll be a virus "My computer is running slowly".... It'll be a virus....

The reality is that most Windows machines are setup by people that know naff all about computers or think they do but they don't. They boot up running 15 unnecessary applications or have been bought with 512Mb of RAM and part of it used by the video card. They use cheap and nasty components like £3 sound cards or £12 video cards with £8 power supplies.

Most Linux machines are setup by computer nerds so no issues there

All MacOS machines (that normal people will be running) are designed by the same company that makes the software which basically means far less conflicts. The quality of the components is of a decent standard and ABOVE THE AVERAGE FOR WINDOWS PCs (This is because the average for Windows PCs is brought down by the cheapo rubbish machines I mentioned earlier).

If you compare like for like ie something like a Sony Vaio or top end HP or Dell with an Apple machine then the build quality is reasonably comparable (as is the price).

MacOS IS more stable than ANY Windows OS but has less to make it less stable like having to run anti malware software all the time and dodgy 3rd party drivers. I have no axe to grind, I run all three. I am constantly repairing machines running Windows and helping people with issues with their MacOS machines. I have a list of qualifications longer than this post but the reality is that:

THEY BOTH DO THE SAME THING.
THEY BOTH DO IT WELL.
THEY BOTH HAVE THEIR ADVANTAGES.
THEY BOTH HAVE THEIR DISADVANTAGES.
THEY BOTH HAVE ISSUES.

Some of the long standing arguments still prevail and some of these are no longer relevant or even true!

• You don't need to buy Adobe software again if you switch either way as adobe will let you switch.
• You can get software to do ALMOST anything that you can do on Windows on the Mac.
• You can't switch MS software from Windows to Mac BUT it is 1/4 the price on the Mac.
• Windows is stable if it is setup properly.
• You don't need virus software on a Mac and there have been NO wild viruses for MacOS
• There have been 2 or 3 TROJAN attacks on Mac machines - ie people stealing software from torrent sites have found that it contains software which bypasses their security (but they only have themselves to blame and this is not OS dependant. If I write a batch file which causes problems then get you to run it on any system with admin access I can break things!)

 

[ding76uk]

I find Mac to be more stable and I need to do no under the hood stuff such as anti virus, defrag, etc. etc. I never have been one for tweaking an OS or new parts, so Mac is perfect for my needs. A lot of people on here saying about crashes are probably referring to programme crashes rather the OS crashes.

As said before, many who say they don't like Mac have spent 10 mins in the Apple store playing on one. It amazes me how many people say that Mac doesn't have a right click option, when it is simple to set up.

Software, as far as I am aware, Adobe can be switched from PC to Mac without cost.

Lastly prices, this whole Jobs Tax rubbish. Look at the 27" IMac, that is very good value for money. You can get a cheap PC, but a high end PC/Laptop is in the same price range as Mac/Macbook

 

[Amp34]

I bought a MacBook Pro last year, I had a small windows 7 partition set up with Boot Camp for emergencies....but found myself ending up using windows most of the time so I ended up wiping the HDD and setting up a minimal OSX install with the rest of the disk Windows 7. I haven't fired up OSX since.

If we are comparing like for like (i.e. Windows 7 and OSX 10.whatever it is)...there's very little in it. The only real difference in productivity is going to be whatever platform you are more comfortable with. I got tired of having to rummage around looking for little settings and applications that I took for granted, but couldn't find/weren't available on OSX, so it didn't make any sense sticking with it for the sake of it. No appreciable difference in performance between the two. Stick with whatever you are comfortable with.

This coming from an iPad/MacbookPro/iPhone owner by the way.

What's the battery life like on the MBP when running windows? I heard the battery life drops like a stone when running windows (bad drivers from Apple get most of the blame). It's something that puts me off getting one...

But even so it will never be a Mac.

Im interested to know how many members who use PCs have ever tried a Mac for some length of time?

Many PC users that comment on using a mac do so after only trying it for 5 minutes whilst stood in the Apple store, sure its going to be different, awkward and you not going to see much difference.

Apple should give a 30 day money back guarantee, this way the "Darkside" may see some light and if not us Mac lovers can buy the used machines back off Apple at a fraction.

Nathan

While true you have the other side of the coin. Mac users who haven't used a windows machine in years (other than occasional 5 minute stints) suggesting that windows hasn't moved on from the ME/XP years. There are a large number of those on this forum too.

 

[menthel]

That is the most idiotic thing I have ever read. I have used and owned both extensively and know the systems faults and foibles. There is nothing between a W7 PC and a mac these days, its just about personal choice.

You really need to pull your head out of Steve Job's bum.

But even so it will never be a Mac.

Im interested to know how many members who use PCs have ever tried a Mac for some length of time?

Many PC users that comment on using a mac do so after only trying it for 5 minutes whilst stood in the Apple store, sure its going to be different, awkward and you not going to see much difference.

Apple should give a 30 day money back guarantee, this way the "Darkside" may see some light and if not us Mac lovers can buy the used machines back off Apple at a fraction.

Nathan

 

[neil_g]

Than who thinks? Me? You? Neil_G? The OP?

hey you know me, im in the "whatever suits your needs" boat. im just saying OSX isnt invincible like some people suggest

 

[cowasaki]

What's the battery life like on the MBP when running windows? I heard the battery life drops like a stone when running windows (bad drivers from Apple get most of the blame). It's something that puts me off getting one...

I have run Windows XP as the main OS and as an OS running in a Window under MacOS and found that there were no real issues at all with either of them (including battery life) on my MBP. I haven't done so with Vista as I had no need and I have a Windows laptop now too so have no need to stick W7 on the Mac.

 

[menthel]

Lastly prices, this whole Jobs Tax rubbish. Look at the 27" IMac, that is very good value for money. You can get a cheap PC, but a high end PC/Laptop is in the same price range as Mac/Macbook

You are right about that 27" iMac. The screen alone is worth the price as a similarly specced separate monitor is only a couple of hundred quid less. However, a lot of the line is expensive when you look at the hardware. Beautiful though. Especially the 15" macbook pros.

 

[cowasaki]

hey you know me, im in the "whatever suits your needs" boat. im just saying OSX isnt invincible like some people suggest

So am I, I was just mentioning a few people who I could remember as having posted in the thread

 

[Amp34]

Switched to Mac about 2 years ago - as many have said, I couldn't go back to Windows, now. I'm too used to the efficiency and reliability of a OSX (my main bugbear is that Windows still does not have an efficient indexing function - I can find any file or program on my Mac in seconds by hitting cmd+space and typing the first few letters of the filename without fail).

Windows PCs will tend to cost more, but you will more than likely find it needs updating a lot more regularly. To me, it's one of those choices - spend the extra now and save money in the future, or save the money now and face the future when it comes to it.

For what it's worth, I use my MacBook almost non-stop daily, and have done for years - it comes with me most places I go so that I can work anywhere. I've never had any battery issues or any crashes.

Out of interest have you used Vista/Win7, with search indexing left on? Just click the start orb/button and start typing and you can find any file you want. It was a revelation when I swapped from XP.

You only need to upgrade if you either... Game a lot, have upgradeitis (in which case you'll probably just end up buying the newest macbook each year) or you bought a really cheap machine to begin with. As already mentioned my machine is 6 years old, no upgrade except the HDD and case and it's still going strong with PS CS5 and Lightroom 3...

 

[cowasaki]

have upgradeitis (in which case you'll probably just end up buying the newest macbook each year)

I was cured of that when I bought my Mac Pro. It is 2.5 years old and still runs anything chucked at it with consummate ease. It did cost more than probably every computer I had owned up to that point though

 

[menthel]

I was cured of that when I bought my Mac Pro. It is 2.5 years old and still runs anything chucked at it with consummate ease. It did cost more than probably every computer I had owned up to that point though

And I hope its lasts at least another 2.5 years at the price they charge for those!

 

[Amp34]

Mac ... it just works

My last PC (Vista) drove me to it ... prior to that 12 years of happy PC use.

I have found the Mac stable and trouble free, but in fairness so were my PC's (prior to Vista) however I became proficient at sorting out the Windows OS problems when they arose, not a clue how OS X works as I have not had to do anything to it in the 2 years I have had it.

So there you go Mac or decent spec PC, your money your choice ... if you go PC build your own, it is simple, just get decent components and it will be fine, and trouble free.

Vista is a funny one, for most people it just works perfectly but for others it caused chaos. Never got to the bottom of that.

What I find funny though is how many people were suckered in by Windows 7. Somehow MS managed to bring it out as a completely new OS and people who hated Vista raved about it being so much better... yet the big step up was XP>Vista. Vista>Win7 was just a little fettle under the hood, a couple of new programs that weren't ready in time for the Vista release and a slightly different skin...

 

[Voyager]

Im interested to know how many members who use PCs have ever tried a Mac for some length of time?

Well, having been a PC user since DOS/Gem days back in the '80's and resisted the lure of Apples several times, the wife bought a MacBook a couple of years ago and it proved to be very good indeed. So when it was really past time to upgrade my old PC it was not hard to pick a 2.53 Mac mini as it's replacement.

I got it in February and it has been perfect ever since, I have Virtual Box with an XP installation but have not bothered to fire it up very often, as I have everything open source I need and was using on the PC available for the Mac, and when I did it got a virus! (Well it was a bare bones install - but there is no need for AV on the Mac!)

It is silent, small and doesn't consume much power. An ideal computer for home use. The only 'problem' I've had is that a 10 year old Canon 3200F scanner (I was given for free) won't work with it so I'll have to get round to finding an alternative sometime. But I'm sure I won't be going back to any version of Windows in a hurry.

 

[Amp34]

I find Mac to be more stable and I need to do no under the hood stuff such as anti virus, defrag, etc. etc. I never have been one for tweaking an OS or new parts, so Mac is perfect for my needs. A lot of people on here saying about crashes are probably referring to programme crashes rather the OS crashes.

As said before, many who say they don't like Mac have spent 10 mins in the Apple store playing on one. It amazes me how many people say that Mac doesn't have a right click option, when it is simple to set up.

Software, as far as I am aware, Adobe can be switched from PC to Mac without cost.

Lastly prices, this whole Jobs Tax rubbish. Look at the 27" IMac, that is very good value for money. You can get a cheap PC, but a high end PC/Laptop is in the same price range as Mac/Macbook

You don't need to set up or do defrags on Vista or Win 7. It's automatic.

 

[cowasaki]

And I hope its lasts at least another 2.5 years at the price they charge for those!

I will upgrade it in few years if it becomes an issue but at the moment it is running very quickly and smoothly. I don't play games or mess with video so the reality is that it should last a good while yet. I would probably upgrade the MBP first though (even though it is still in the same position being the last 17" MBP with hi res screen prior to the unibodies).

 

[nathan]

You really need to pull your head out of Steve Job's bum.

 

[menthel]

I will upgrade it in few years if it becomes an issue but at the moment it is running very quickly and smoothly. I don't play games or mess with video so the reality is that it should last a good while yet. I would probably upgrade the MBP first though (even though it is still in the same position being the last 17" MBP with hi res screen prior to the unibodies).

Since giving up gaming I am the same with my PC. It works, I'm happy and it gives me more money to spend elsewhere (ie cameras!). I have even given up on laptops (for the time being) as I just found I didn't use mine. I do all of my sofa browsing etc on my iPhone!

So, in answer to the OP's question, either will do the job equally well. You just have to make up your mind on personal preference (or take notice of some of the more extreme apple nutjobs that these threads tend to attract!).

 

[Amp34]

I have run Windows XP as the main OS and as an OS running in a Window under MacOS and found that there were no real issues at all with either of them (including battery life) on my MBP. I haven't done so with Vista as I had no need and I have a Windows laptop now too so have no need to stick W7 on the Mac.

Ah cool.

I looked into it pretty seriously a couple of months ago (because I think it came up in a thread on here) because I was looking into getting a MBP and there was a lot of discussion all over the net (inc on Apple forums) discussing the battery issue.

The 13" is still on my list (especially if it's upgraded to i3/i5) along with a VAIO X series and possibly the new Toshiba when I get the money to replace my current laptop...

 

[eos1]

I use a Mac, and I wouldn't go back.

Ever since I bought my first iBook a few years ago my PC's have hardly been used.
I only use Windows at work, because I have to and they pay me.

I'm running a 2008 iMac, only 2.4ghz core intel 2.2 and 4gb Ram, and it just flies through Photoshop CS5, Lightroom and anything else I care to throw at it.
PC's are cheaper of course, and the specs are usually better, but spec's mean nothing when your system is constantly running virus/spyware scanners.

PC's do usually work well enough though. Each to his own I suppose.

 

[menthel]

I use a Mac, and I wouldn't go back.

Ever since I bought my first iBook a few years ago my PC's have hardly been used.
I only use Windows at work, because I have to and they pay me.

I'm running a 2008 iMac, only 2.4ghz core intel 2.2 and 4gb Ram, and it just flies through Photoshop CS5, Lightroom and anything else I care to throw at it.
PC's are cheaper of course, and the specs are usually better, but spec's mean nothing when your system is constantly running virus/spyware scanners.

PC's do usually work well enough though. Each to his own I suppose.

You do realise that modern spyware/virus software takes up megabytes of memory (usually 20-30) on computers with gigabytes of memory, don't you? They also take up so little processor power that they are just not noticed. Again, use a modern PC and its all down to personal preference. Spouting misinformed nonsense doesn't help anyone choose the right computer for them!

 

[neil_g]

You do realise that modern spyware/virus software takes up megabytes of memory (usually 20-30) on computers with gigabytes of memory, don't you? They also take up so little processor power that they are just not noticed. Again, use a modern PC and its all down to personal preference. Spouting misinformed nonsense doesn't help anyone choose the right computer for them!

avast is currently using a WHOPPING 11MB of memory on my media box.. someone get me Microsoft on the phone, thats outragous!

 

[menthel]

avast is currently using a WHOPPING 11MB of memory on my media box.. someone get me Microsoft on the phone, thats outragous!

Blow microsoft, write to Steve Jobs and ask him to put all of us PC users out of our misery! How can a PC be as good as a mac when so much of the memory is being chewed up by anti-virus software!!!

 

[trencheel303]

A big to cowasaki's long post on the middle of page 2.

If Windows machines were such virus magnets then why do computer pros who use them very rarely if ever have problems.

I don't use antivirus software either; sue me.

Not quite sure what Amp34 means by XP having regular BSOD faults. If it does, there is a hardware or software fault.

 

[neil_g]

what i want to know is how long its going to be before AV is required for OSX.. theres already the software out there so it must be being required for someone otherwise it wouldnt be written.

 

[trencheel303]

Vista is a funny one, for most people it just works perfectly but for others it caused chaos. Never got to the bottom of that.

What I find funny though is how many people were suckered in by Windows 7. Somehow MS managed to bring it out as a completely new OS and people who hated Vista raved about it being so much better... yet the big step up was XP>Vista. Vista>Win7 was just a little fettle under the hood, a couple of new programs that weren't ready in time for the Vista release and a slightly different skin...

read up the mojave project and you will understand why people migrated to windows 7 much more eagerly than they did to windows vista. there's nothing wrong with either; bad publicity and some minor early issues killed peoples opinion of vista.

what i want to know is how long its going to be before AV is required for OSX.. theres already the software out there so it must be being required for someone otherwise it wouldnt be written.

If you know what you're doing and turn off unneeded services AV software by and large becomes redundant.

 

[neil_g]

there's nothing wrong with either; bad publicity and some minor early issues killed peoples opinion of vista.

spot on. and most of those issues were 3rd party driver issues..

as for BSODs generally ive only seen them as a result of hard drive or memory failure most commonly. or not getting the right SATA controller driver when installing XP lol

 

[trencheel303]

I think what also didn't help Vista is that compared to XP it was quite a change, in the interface and the way things worked. I do resent Microsoft for the fact that they let the market stagnate for so long with XP and IE 6, so it's no wonder when Vista hit the shelves people were a bit taken aback. A lot of people when introduced to sudden change automatically dis the product as well - even I did at first before warming to it. It took me a while to warm to IE 7 and 8 as well.

The thing that bugs me about Apple is they just seem to reinvent the same idea again and again but there's always a penalty. The Macbook air; no card slot, no ethernet slot, no CD drive. the metal macbook, they took away the firewire slot. now someone needing to use firewire, has to pay more for either an adapter, or the Macbook pro! Most computer companies add something new to their PCs when they ship them. More USB ports, card slots, etc. Apple are the only company I know of, who, as time goes on, add less! the ipad; great opportunity to beat into the netbook market, but wait, it has a specialised miniature operating system which can't run conventional software, no connectivity options at all and costs way to much in proportion to its real world usefulness. No way am I paying the price of a decent laptop for something that's essentially an ornament in comparison. Even the iPod touch is somewhat guilty of that when you compare it to the likes of an OQO... but the iPod is a product that works because it doesn't cost the earth and gives on demand functionality for what you will likely need it for.

The thing that bugs me most about it all is no matter what Apple do, the diehard fans vehemently support it even if what they're saying defies all logic and reason. Apple could literally sell an iTurd and they'd have their fans glued with interest. Enough of it already...

 

[neil_g]

true.. the interface/usability hadnt really changed from Win95 up until vista which was 2006. and thats a long time to get used to something.. lol

 

[trencheel303]

Realistically it hasnt changed much on the Mac either. Apart from the addition the dock; System 1/Finder 1 looked remarkably similar to how OS X does today. Even the menu bar up the top is the same.

 

[Voyager]

Not quite sure what Amp34 means by XP having regular BSOD faults. If it does, there is a hardware or software fault.

So the hardware or software are causing a problem, eh?

Can you narrow it down a bit, as I think we could all guess that.

 

[prince]

This is my take on it...

I have always been a PC man , built all my own computers, loved the good and hated the bad about windows so decided to have a change.

I had a play with a mac at the apple store and felt ok with it so bought a 27" imac (£1400 worth) and got it home. Yes the display is fantastic , very small footprint compared to a pc and for a week or so i was happy.

I bought photoshop cs3 off a friend for it and it was all downhill from there. As CS3 has no background when your not displaying the picture i found this very offputting. Also whenever i was using it i always felt like i was missing windows. So.....

I took it back under the 14 day returns policy and built a computer worth £1400 instead.

I must say, i have a pc that is far superior performance wise (intel core i5 @4ghz , 8gb ram etc etc and absolutely flies. Also i find that if you use windows as intended and have a good antivirus (eset nod32 gets my vote) then your fine.

Yes apple products look nice , they even sound nice but in reality, in my opinion, they are not as powerful as they should be and massively overpriced.

Matt

 

[Voyager]

I bought photoshop cs3 off a friend for it and it was all downhill from there. As CS3 has no background when your not displaying the picture i found this very offputting.

Doesn't CS3 have Window > Application Frame?

 

[Eighth Avenue]

Just to give my 2 cents. I don't know half as much about computers as some people on here seem to but here goes

I had always used Windows laptops, from 98 through ME, XP, Vista and more recently 7 and found no problem with them. Recently a lot of my friends have been turning into Apple fan boys and all bought Macs so when my laptop was on its way out they all, of course, recommended that I got a Mac. the annoying thing was that when I said I'd entertain the idea if they could tell me WHY i always got the same response "it just works" a statement that I thought was stupid as so did my windows laptop.

It wasn't until my friend sat me down with his Mac and showed me some of the benefits that he convinced me (although I was still a bit dubious) to get one. I now have a MacBook Pro and the only advice I can give to people - get on, it just works.

Now I understand how people love them so much but how hard it is to explain why. Everything just works as if it was made to fit together. Installing programs, selecting programs, deleting programs, organising photos etc are all so much easier, I look at Windows now and cannot see how this is the norm .

I think it's a shame that some people can call Mac fans "fanboys" although will say things like "I'd never use a Mac". Use one for a week - I bet you change your mind