Need new PC/iMac, need advice

fabs said:
No Mac fanboys, just users passing on their experiences and reasons as to why they prefer macs, and some defensive replies from the Windows fanboys. ;)

BTW, the Macs come with the option of wireless keyboard and mouse for a little over £30.
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That was partially a joke, however there are always certain people (on both "sides") that get a bit strong handed.:p

I knew you could get wireless versions, which is why I said generally.:)

Wireless is the way forward.:D
 
Just for the record, i have been a windows user for 10 years and a mac user for 2 weeks.

Don't really know what took me so long !!! Should have done it 3/4 years ago.
 
Cheers Jason!
I'm going to try this out now, there's 1 thing I'd like to have that I can't run in OSX but I never felt it was worth partitioning the hard drive for. :thumbs:
 
Glad you are liking the new iMac, I recently upgraded my PowerMac to a new 24" iMac.

I can't help but chuckle at this thread though! seems like 'cyclone' 'fabs' and 'Raymond Lin' are as most people do stating that for them Apple/OS X/Apple hardware is working great for them and their needs however there is always one who then thinks they are being Apple fan boys and thinks he must defend Windows/generic PC's to the hilt!

I have nothing against windows - I use it at work every day but I went with Apple at home many years ago just due to the sure ease of it. OS X is a lot more user friendly than any version of Windows I have ever used and yes a little more snappy at doing things.

It just seems that when ever someone puts across a personal opinion they are then told how wrong they are and they are doing things wrong! I can honestly say if someone told me windows is better for them I wouldn't start telling them they are wrong and need to do things differently and they are this and that for making a decision to get windows!

little rant over i think!

@Redcloud - if you purchased it from apple remember to do their uptodate program and get the new OS for £8 (could never see M$ doing that :p )
 
Mattwood said:
@Redcloud - if you purchased it from apple remember to do their uptodate program and get the new OS for £8 (could never see M$ doing that :p )
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No, Microsoft don't charge for what amounts to little more than a service pack ;)
 
Mattwood said:
I can't help but chuckle at this thread though! seems like 'cyclone' 'fabs' and 'Raymond Lin' are as most people do stating that for them Apple/OS X/Apple hardware is working great for them and their needs however there is always one who then thinks they are being Apple fan boys and thinks he must defend Windows/generic PC's to the hilt!
)
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Exactly, I am not an Apple Fanboy, I am just expressing my current/limited user experience with Apple products.

Things i like/noticed:-

1 - Press the power button, it sleeps
2 - it wakes up and reconnects all network and emails and msn in 15 seconds after sleep
3 - Its just so quiet
4 - The screen is brilliant (yes i know you can get monitors like that)
5 - Time Machine is so clever
6 - The Finder, awesome, its like itunes's coverart for everything, it even previews videos !
7 - oh....the apple remote (little white stick of gum thing), no idea how that works, it even works when i am behind the monitor !
8 - The Remote app on the iPhone/Touch, never could get that to sync on the PC, worked first time on the iMac.....weird
9 - The Mighty Mouse is not so mighty :(
10 - The built in wireless, works seemless, I don't even notice i am on wifi ! Last time in tried installing an wifi card into a PC, it took ages !

Their keyboards are indestructable !



Yes, i know you can do these with a PC too, but I tried the sleep thing with my laptop, it just dies...
 
I am in the IT industry and have quite a technical background. I had been a PC user since 1992.

My first PC (and I mean PC as we know it now... so not including zx spectrums etc) ran at 33Mhz, had 1Mb of RAM and NO hardisk at all... it was cutting edge.

I was a BIG fan of everything PC and loved Windows from the beginning, right up until XP which was the best O/S that Microsoft had ever produced...

Now that you know where I'm coming from.... About 18 months ago I bought an iMac (and then subsequently a MacBook Pro) and I can tell you that I am completely converted. MAC OS X makes anything Microsoft have produced look like a Fisherprice Toy. The OS is so slick it's unreal and the hardware is just beautiful.

Yes, the hardware is more expensive but the software is cheaper (Aperture 2 is just £126!) and that means that the whole package is comparably priced (if you are now thinking 'I don't pay for software' then shame on you!!)

I know there are plenty of folk that think they have reason to believe that PCs/Windows are superior to MAC hardware/software but they are.... well... wrong!!!

Congratulations on your new beast OP.... you won't regret it!!

P.S You NEED Aperture 2!!
 
jontucker said:
I am in the IT industry and have quite a technical background. I had been a PC user since 1992.

My first PC (and I mean PC as we know it now... so not including zx spectrums etc) ran at 33Mhz, had 1Mb of RAM and NO hardisk at all... it was cutting edge.

I was a BIG fan of everything PC and loved Windows from the beginning, right up until XP which was the best O/S that Microsoft had ever produced...

Now that you know where I'm coming from.... About 18 months ago I bought an iMac (and then subsequently a MacBook Pro) and I can tell you that I am completely converted. MAC OS X makes anything Microsoft have produced look like a Fisherprice Toy. The OS is so slick it's unreal and the hardware is just beautiful.

Yes, the hardware is more expensive but the software is cheaper (Aperture 2 is just £126!) and that means that the whole package is comparably priced (if you are now thinking 'I don't pay for software' then shame on you!!)

I know there are plenty of folk that think they have reason to believe that PCs/Windows are superior to MAC hardware/software but they are.... well... wrong!!!

Congratulations on your new beast OP.... you won't regret it!!

P.S You NEED Aperture 2!!
Click to expand...

Just about sums it up!!!
:)
 
You know, i see a trend, not just this thread, but in general with this Mac v PC thing.

From what I'ev seen, people who went from PC to Mac, 9/10 of those LOVES it, and that really tell you something. If they merely say "it does the same really, meh", then that's different. But the fact that, week in week out, the people who have got a Mac and use it daily all praise it. You hardly hear anyone who jump from Mac to PC and tell you they are loving windows...

and I dunno why i got an iMac...

10 years on Windows, i know the OS, i know how to maintain it, i know how to fix it, I was content with it. But it just come to a point where I thought this "It Just Works" business.....and in a way, it was a £1,500 bet. To get a new computer with an OS i've never experienced, i never did the Hackintosh to see if i can get on with it, i just jumped ship and no regrets.
 
To be fair though, how many people have exclusively used MacOS for the last 10 years and then completely changed ship to Windows?

Everyone is used to Windows anyway - they use it at work, school, public libraries etc.

It's never going to be new to anyone in the same way MacOS so you never will hear the same sort of praise. I like MacOS but not nearly enough to pay the premium the whole set up commands as ultimately, it doesn't do anything special that a PC running Windows can't do really.

One thing that I do find mildly ironic though is the way so many Mac users seem to run Windows via dual boot or virtualization etc. You don't see many Windows users booting up MacOS in VMWare though ;)
 
divine` said:
To be fair though, how many people have exclusively used MacOS for the last 10 years and then completely changed ship to Windows?
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I'd imagine not many, people usually need a reason to change.
 
jontucker said:
I know there are plenty of folk that think they have reason to believe that PCs/Windows are superior to MAC hardware/software but they are.... well... wrong!!!
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who said anything was superior?

mac = intel based
PC = intel based

OSX = operating system
windows = operating system

personally i use both, i can see merits in both but windows 7 now presses all the right buttons for me in an IT support environment.. i just like to debug peoples daft comments. try supporting an entire floor of designers/production and see if you think OSX is better or worse.
 
divine` said:
To be fair though, how many people have exclusively used MacOS for the last 10 years and then completely changed ship to Windows?

Everyone is used to Windows anyway - they use it at work, school, public libraries etc.

It's never going to be new to anyone in the same way MacOS so you never will hear the same sort of praise. I like MacOS but not nearly enough to pay the premium the whole set up commands as ultimately, it doesn't do anything special that a PC running Windows can't do really.

One thing that I do find mildly ironic though is the way so many Mac users seem to run Windows via dual boot or virtualization etc. You don't see many Windows users booting up MacOS in VMWare though ;)
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I know that, i know they both work, and I know they both do the same thing, there is nothing one does, and the others can't do. It is how they do it, and the way its done which is the attraction to Macs.

cyclone said:
I'd imagine not many, people usually need a reason to change.
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For me, there was more reason to stay with Windows.

I have all the softare (i had to start from the beginning going Mac)
I have to learn a new OS
It is more expensive

Yet I still did it.
 
Incidentally when I was considering a laptop a while back, I was looking to Apple as there is far less of a price/performance disparity in the laptop segment but also, the MacBook is a solid piece of kit and felt infinitely better constructed and more suitable as a portable machine than most PC offerings.

I ended with a netbook instead though as ultimately I didn't need any power in a laptop as it was going to amount to a net browsing device and nothing more for me.
 
@ neil I don't really understand that stuff you just said. Macs work better for me, that's all I know, or want to know.
 
neil_g said:
who said anything was superior?

mac = intel based
PC = intel based

OSX = operating system
windows = operating system

personally i use both, i can see merits in both but windows 7 now presses all the right buttons for me in an IT support environment.. i just like to debug peoples daft comments. try supporting an entire floor of designers/production and see if you think OSX is better or worse.
Click to expand...

I didn't say anyone said it. I said that I know there are people that think that.

I still use Windows for work. I've got no choice. I'm (one of the many people) delivering a (huge!) 150,000 node MS network to our client.

I'm not interested in arguing with anyone. All I'm doing is passing on my experience (which of MS products is rather extensive), whether anyone chooses to pay any attention to that is up to them!
 
Raymond Lin said:
I know that, i know they both work, and I know they both do the same thing, there is nothing one does, and the others can't do. It is how they do it, and the way its done which is the attraction to Macs.
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Ultimately, as always, it boils down to priority.

Mine is still performance and will be for a long time to come I would have thought. Apple couldn't compete with a 3.4GHz Quad Core build for the £600+Screen+OS it cost me and that for me was the end of that. MacOS could have sucked me off all the time I was using it but it still wouldn't have made up the premium for me. :p

Obviously though for people who place more value in the aesthetics or interface, a Mac is a far more valuable proposition.
 
neil_g said:
lol the amount of people see my surname in this industry and make a "any relation to bill" joke is commical in itself..
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Oh is your surname really Gates?? Hahaha that IS funny. EDIT - I see that now in your sig, didn't notice before!

Also, as if to demonstrate my point... My work laptop has just hung while trying to open Outlook. :thumbsdown:
 
jontucker said:
Oh is your surname really Gates?? Hahaha that IS funny. EDIT - I see that now in your sig, didn't notice before!

Also, as if to demonstrate my point... My work laptop has just hung while trying to open Outlook. :thumbsdown:
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:lol:

re outlook - as mail clients go its not bad. certainly id rather use it over mac mail, enterouge (i can never spell it) or outlook for mac. id recreate your mail profile and your cached file, they can (albeit rarely) corrupt sometimes.
 
Mattwood said:
Glad you are liking the new iMac, I recently upgraded my PowerMac to a new 24" iMac.

I can't help but chuckle at this thread though! seems like 'cyclone' 'fabs' and 'Raymond Lin' are as most people do stating that for them Apple/OS X/Apple hardware is working great for them and their needs however there is always one who then thinks they are being Apple fan boys and thinks he must defend Windows/generic PC's to the hilt!
Click to expand...

Was that aimed at me? If so I'd like to point out that the only things I disputed (and defended) were Steves comments about the iMac hardware and Raymond Li's comment about wires. Both of which are correct. Other than that I was "defending" windows machines by pointing out that there are equal or better options for a lot of the "problems" that people who have "converted" macs point out (such as slowdown, comparinf a new machine to essentially a 10 year old windows OS isn't particularly fair imo).:lol:

Mattwood said:
I have nothing against windows - I use it at work every day but I went with Apple at home many years ago just due to the sure ease of it. OS X is a lot more user friendly than any version of Windows I have ever used and yes a little more snappy at doing things.

It just seems that when ever someone puts across a personal opinion they are then told how wrong they are and they are doing things wrong! I can honestly say if someone told me windows is better for them I wouldn't start telling them they are wrong and need to do things differently and they are this and that for making a decision to get windows!

little rant over i think!

@Redcloud - if you purchased it from apple remember to do their uptodate program and get the new OS for £8 (could never see M$ doing that :p )
Click to expand...

I have nothing against Macs, and i've said it before, I've tried them and am thinking of getting a macbook at some point (when it has teh feature I want). I'm also fine with others using macs (as I've previously said, "each to their own" and "choose the one you like the best". What I dislike is people putting opinion across as fact and trying to big up their machines (be that a PC, phone, mp3 player, camera etc.) by stating the competitor can't do the things it can.:)

(If that wasn't aimed at me then I thought i'd still put my comments across).:p

Raymond Lin said:
Exactly, I am not an Apple Fanboy, I am just expressing my current/limited user experience with Apple products.

Things i like/noticed:-

1 - Press the power button, it sleeps
You can do that with a windows machine too, my keyboard has a sleep button, press it and the machine goes to sleep, move the mouse or press any button and the machine wakes back up again.:p (I assume macs do this too).
2 - it wakes up and reconnects all network and emails and msn in 15 seconds after sleep
So does my Vista install, it's brilliant to get up in the morning, move the mouse, then see your emails in front of you within 5-10 seconds.
3 - Its just so quiet
So's mine:lol:
4 - The screen is brilliant (yes i know you can get monitors like that)
5 - Time Machine is so clever
I have to admit time machine is pretty nice (although expensive), and better than a lot of the competitor, it also works on windows machines.
6 - The Finder, awesome, its like itunes's coverart for everything, it even previews videos !
That not like WMP that automatically gets your album and song info when you import stuff into it's library, both mp3's and CD's?
7 - oh....the apple remote (little white stick of gum thing), no idea how that works, it even works when i am behind the monitor !
Bluetooth probably?:)
8 - The Remote app on the iPhone/Touch, never could get that to sync on the PC, worked first time on the iMac.....weird
The remote app on my WM phone does that with my windows machine too, probably something to do with each manufacturer working under the hood of both sets of OS's (commputer and phone) to get them to just work.:). Remote control and remote desktop on your phone is brilliant.
9 - The Mighty Mouse is not so mighty
Don't they do a big and small one? Alternatively any wireless mouse should work with it?
10 - The built in wireless, works seemless, I don't even notice i am on wifi ! Last time in tried installing an wifi card into a PC, it took ages !
Same with my vista install, but isn't it the same as point 2? However just to point out, you are comparing a pre built machine with preinstalled drivers to a bit of hardware installed by yourself. If the wifi doesn't just work on a prebuilt machine I would take it back and complain.:p

Their keyboards are indestructable !

http://img14.imageshack.us/i/img0162oj.jpg/

Yes, i know you can do these with a PC too, but I tried the sleep thing with my laptop, it just dies...
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Yeah, some people do have the occasional problem with sleep, especially XP.

(just pointing out, as you mentioned, that they are all available for windows machines too.).

Macs and Windows machines are almost identical in their operation and working(ness). It just depends on whether you like the UI of Windows or Mac more (or find one easier to use than another). Just liek some people find Nikon cameras batter than Canon cameras in their hand. As soon as people realise that choice is good, although there aren't many differences between the choices due to them essentially bouncing off each other, the better.:D
 
cyclone said:
I'd imagine not many, people usually need a reason to change.
Click to expand...

Why? Yes some people need a reason to change, but usually it involves cost or features, neither of which are much of an issue when comparing Windows vs OSX (although generally macs are a little more expensive, although top end Windows machines are similarly priced, ie those by Sony and IBM). It could just be about being a bit adventurous.

The reason I plan on getting a macbook (when I can afford it) is to try something new. I know it won't bring much different or better, however change is nice.

It's like going to the same hotel in the Costa Blanca every year, then deciding to say **** it, I want to go to Barcelona instead!:lol: You may like it more, or you may like it less, however at least you tried it, you may even decide to alternate each year as they are as good as each other (which a huge majority of Mac users do).

As for Raymonds comment about people always saying how much better Macs are, well, most of the people (other than a select few) only really comment on whether they have a Windows or mac at all if they have just bought it. That's more than likely mostly to do with the change and not the "betterness", you've been using the same thing for years and then change, those first few weeks of owning that new car are much better than the years of owning the old one, but a year or so down the line when you've been driving that car for a while the "Buzz" usually goes.:)
 
Amp34 said:
6 - The Finder, awesome, its like itunes's coverart for everything, it even previews videos !
That not like WMP that automatically gets your album and song info when you import stuff into it's library, both mp3's and CD's?
Click to expand...

No, that's not what he's talking about. What he is referring to is the ability to view your pictures, documents, spreadsheets, PDFs etc in CoverFlow (like iTunes displays album art). It also has a feature called Quicklook which lets you open up any doc in a preview window, instantly, by pressing the space bar. It is incredibly useful when you are trying to find a particular file and you aren't sure what it's called or if you just need to open it for viewing and not to edit.

BTW... I've had my iMac for 18 months and I love as much as the day I bought it and that was after having no interest in Macs at all. I would be very interested to get your opinion again a few months after you've bought a MacBook. Your statement about not bringing anything different or better is true but all the things that computers do, Macs generally do them differently AND better.
 
jontucker said:
No, that's not what he's talking about. What he is referring to is the ability to view your pictures, documents, spreadsheets, PDFs etc in CoverFlow (like iTunes displays album art). It also has a feature called Quicklook which lets you open up any doc in a preview window, instantly, by pressing the space bar. It is incredibly useful when you are trying to find a particular file and you aren't sure what it's called or if you just need to open it for viewing and not to edit.

BTW... I've had my iMac for 18 months and I love as much as the day I bought it and that was after having no interest in Macs at all. I would be very interested to get your opinion again a few months after you've bought a MacBook. Your statement about not bringing anything different or better is true but all the things that computers do, Macs generally do them differently AND better.
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Ah ok, so it's just the standard Folder viewer with a coolirisesque layer on top when wanted? :) Looks quite nice, however I can't see the coverflow being used much unless you want to impress your friends or view web pages offline.:)

And as Neil_g mentioned, different, yes, better? Matter of opinion. (just to point out Mac has a less than 10% market share, Windows >85%, if it really was that much better I would expect that ratio to be very different. Not that i'm saying Windows is better:))
 
Amp34 said:
Ah ok, so it's just the standard Folder viewer with a coolirisesque layer on top when wanted? :) Looks quite nice, however I can't see the coverflow being used much unless you want to impress your friends or view web pages offline.:)

And as Neil_g mentioned, different, yes, better? Matter of opinion. (just to point out Mac has a less than 10% market share, Windows >85%, if it really was that much better I would expect that ratio to be very different. Not that i'm saying Windows is better:))
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Yes that it odd isn't it. Interestingly (for me at least), most of the people (friends and colleagues ) that I have demo'd my Macbook or iMac to have gone on to buy them (same with the iPhone actually but thats a different topic!).
 
jontucker said:
Yes that it odd isn't it. Interestingly (for me at least), most of the people (friends and colleagues ) that I have demo'd my Macbook or iMac to have gone on to buy them (same with the iPhone actually but thats a different topic!).
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not really odd at all. from a business point of view would we replace all of the PC's at work with macs? no. it would cost a small fortune for starters plus retraining time, as mentioned the network integration would suffer etc etc etc.
 
jontucker said:
Yes that it odd isn't it. Interestingly (for me at least), most of the people (friends and colleagues ) that I have demo'd my Macbook or iMac to have gone on to buy them (same with the iPhone actually but thats a different topic!).
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The iPhone is a bit of an odd ball really, it's a good piece of kit, although there are issues with it (like any (smart) phone) however it had brought the smart phone into the non business world. Before it smart phones were really only used by business people, now everyone wants one (a smart phone in general, not just an iPhone). Advertising is a really "wonderful" thing.:lol:
 
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