View Full Version : Why Mac?
I really, really, really have to know why someone would use a mac and why a PC can't do it faster, better, and cheaper with less crashes.
*kicks eMacs*
Also, did you know all new macs ship possessed by Satan? Neither did I until I had to use a new eMac.
EDIT: I would also like to add OSX < XP.
Mister 4
17-04-2004, 02:24
Don't you mean yMac?
:lol:
Ok, that was a terrible joke. Anyway, as I understand it, the coding used for Macintosh platforms is much more stable nowadays, and OSX is even based on Unix, or so I hear.
Add that to the fact that they are good for multimedia purposes, and until recently, are never the target of virus attacks. All together, they seem pretty good.
I don't use one though. I'm sticking with XP at the moment till I get a new computer, and then maybe I'll go with Mac/Linux/Longhorn. Or something.
masterazn
17-04-2004, 02:42
I hear mac CPUs are better.
Underseer
17-04-2004, 02:51
I hear mac CPUs are better.
That's just marketing shenanigans from Apple using very slanted "tests."
The advantage of Macs is that on average, they tend to be easier to fix if something goes wrong. Combine that with the availability of MS Office for MacOS and the Mac makes a surprisingly good computer for your average cubicle monkey.
I used to support Macs, although I haven't touched one since before OS X came out. They have their uses.
i'm sure about the faster and cheaper part, but not the less crashes. unless you're going with linux or something...
SomeCanadianGuy
17-04-2004, 03:27
Just wait until Durfy gets in here. He'll have an ear and a mouthful for you concerning the beauty that is Mac.
Personally, I don't have any hands on experience with a Mac or anything besides a Windows driven system, so I'm really hooked on Winblow something or other, which ever one I get my hands on and crack open and fart around with.
Mac after OSX is very stable, with a lot of nifty features and a good interface, better than that of even XP. (I use XP regularly and was a PC user for a long time). I made the switch because I was impressed by the many features of the Mac laptop vs. the PC laptop. Yes, it's only a 1.3 GHz, but even when playing W3 I can do a few other things in the background, like email, surf the web, etc. Graphics are amazing, as is the sound. Laptop's also lighter, sturdier, and better looking (huge screen, normal keyboard) than most of the PC laptop's I've found. If I were to get a desktop, I'd probably get a PC, but only because of the gaming aspects. For now, it's Mac all the way.
{KOW}Spazed
17-04-2004, 05:31
So these slanted tests, are they done by AMD and Pentium too? Oh yeah that's right they are! Not to mention Macs really are faster per ghz/mhz than a PC since all the parts are designed to boost the others.
Graphics are better as is the sound on Macs.
More stable than XP, you just can't crash a Unix core. . . I tried to crash my laptop and couldn't do it.
The latest "virus" for a mac was really a small bug in mp3 files that allowed them to execute commands, this has already been fixed by Apple. Oh and the same bug has been known on Windows for years, but never fixed.
I will go on if this thread it still around when I get back Sunday, for now it is late and I have a campout to do on.
I can crash macs using only my mind, from across a room.
SomeCanadianGuy
17-04-2004, 05:44
I can crash macs using only my mind, from across a room.
I can kill a yak from 200 yards away with mindbullets, but you don't hear me bragging about it.... :cheesy:
Canadia142
17-04-2004, 05:45
I like pcs because I do. I don't like macs.
This thread brought to you by the Insightful Post Foundation of America. Have a nice day.
DurfBarian
17-04-2004, 05:51
LOLOL mac's suckc!!11
I'm posting this from OmniWeb 5 on OS 10.3 and loving it. My next computer purchase will be a multiproc G5 monster of some kind. :)
There are of course plenty of people out there who like Windows, or who don't have a need for a Mac. They're cool. But people who *hate* Macs are always either too stupid to understand what the computers are all about or too poor to afford one. :p
{KOW}Spazed
17-04-2004, 06:02
=
There are of course plenty of people out there who like Windows, or who don't have a need for a Mac. They're cool. But people who *hate* Macs are always either too stupid to understand what the computers are all about or too poor to afford one. :p
I am putting that on a shirt.
I like the upgrade-ability of regular pc's.. as far as I know.. it's really hard/impossible to upgrade a mac?
My expirience with MACs is that whenever I used one and tried to multi-task, it would crash. So that is one reason I do not like them. Someone said that the graphics are better on mac, and I was wondering, how so? PCs have the radeon and nvidia, I mean what does a stinking mac have, that can outscore those?
{KOW}Spazed
17-04-2004, 06:24
My expirience with MACs is that whenever I used one and tried to multi-task, it would crash. So that is one reason I do not like them. Someone said that the graphics are better on mac, and I was wondering, how so? PCs have the radeon and nvidia, I mean what does a stinking mac have, that can outscore those?
Uhh you can get the 5950 and the 9800 pro. . . .and macs will have that secksey new 6800 soon. . .that is when I get a G5. So yes Macs do have better graphics A) the firmware on the card is better since it only has to work with one system type and B) because we get the cards first =P
Oh and Macs you can upgrade just as easy as a PC all the towers come with extra slots. The laptops are hard to upgrade, but then again so are PC laptops. . .
Uhh you can get the 5950 and the 9800 pro. . . .and macs will have that secksey new 6800 soon. . .that is when I get a G5. So yes Macs do have better graphics A) the firmware on the card is better since it only has to work with one system type and B) because we get the cards first
Oh, didn't know that, thank you for clearing it up for me.if that is all true, then why arent macs used to show powerhouse games, and why arent they used for gaming?
Canadia142
17-04-2004, 06:29
[QUOTE={KOW}Spazed]Uhh you can get the 5950 and the 9800 pro. . . .and macs will have that secksey new 6800 soon. . .that is when I get a G5. So yes Macs do have better graphics A) the firmware on the card is better since it only has to work with one system type and B) because we get the cards first [QUOTE]
Oh, didn't know that, thank you for clearing it up for me.if that is all true, then why arent macs used to show powerhouse games, and why arent they used for gaming?
Because no one besides blizzard makes games for them.
Good, that will teach them. I still don't get it, if macs are oh so powerful graphics machines, do you not think some gaming company would have picked up on that and started to produce better games for the macs?
Canadia142
17-04-2004, 06:32
more people have pcs than macs
so more pcs=more money
more people have pcs than macs
so more pcs=more money
But that is the thing, if macs are oh so much better, why wouldn't more people have them?
Canadia142
17-04-2004, 06:41
because were all a bunch of inbred ingrats
oh. ok. good enough for my tired mind.
{KOW}Spazed
17-04-2004, 06:46
Good, that will teach them. I still don't get it, if macs are oh so powerful graphics machines, do you not think some gaming company would have picked up on that and started to produce better games for the macs?
Canadia hit it on the head, too many people are like "Macs suck they are only now getting to 2ghz! LOL mac user are teh nubs!" then they turn around and ***** about Windows. . .
However more people do own a windows based machine so games are made for Windows not Macs. . .the ironic thing is all the graphics(esp cut-scenes) are done on large Mac graphics farms. I would wager that you could make a photoquality picture if you spent enough time on it with the Virgina Tech super computer(1100 Dual G5s hooked together :drool: :cheesy: )
Also most graphics programs are made for Macs and then ported to Windows because some people want to do graphics editing on PCs. . .however whenever you see a mind blowing 3D picture that looks oh-so-real it was 99.9% likely it was done on a Mac, probably with Maya.
EDIT: The reason more people have PCs is price. You can build an okay machine on a 500-700$ budget. Macs on the other hand cost lots more, the trade off is power and stability. You pay for what you get. The lowest G5 is about 1600$ and the top of the line model is over 3k. Granted you could do the same with a PC, but most people don't(just look at Dell's 400$ craputers) want to spend that much.
mysnistaken
17-04-2004, 06:53
I've always seen macs as better, but the only thing thats keeping me from switching is the software for it.
Starfishied
17-04-2004, 06:54
Man, now I'm :drool: and you guys make me look cheap. :hanky: Yes, I do plan to get me a Mac sooner or later, just don't know if I'll make it a laptop or a desktop.
{KOW}Spazed
17-04-2004, 06:57
I've always seen macs as better, but the only thing thats keeping me from switching is the software for it.
Emulators my boy. I could run any software made for Windows with PCMac6 if I wanted, however I have no need since I can save all my files (Appleworks, Keynote, Etc) into their equivilant Windows versions. They only thing on a Mac that doesn't have an equal or greater equivalant for the PC version is games. Other than that I can't think of a program that would do some task on a PC that I couldn't do on a Mac.
Don't forget Apple actually recently upgraded their eMac line (keep on confusing that with emacs), and dropped the price substantially to something like $800. I'm not sure what happened to iq144's eMac, maybe you were making fun of it and it got angry and stopped working?
mysnistaken
17-04-2004, 07:00
Emulators my boy. I could run any software made for Windows with PCMac6 if I wanted, however I have no need since I can save all my files (Appleworks, Keynote, Etc) into their equivilant Windows versions. They only thing on a Mac that doesn't have an equal or greater equivalant for the PC version is games. Other than that I can't think of a program that would do some task on a PC that I couldn't do on a Mac.
well...what'd you think i was talking about...this IS a gaming forum :D
ok...fine..so now its just money....
<-----------------no job
{KOW}Spazed
17-04-2004, 07:06
well...what'd you think i was talking about...this IS a gaming forum :D
ok...fine..so now its just money....
<-----------------no job
*pops open Crstal* Yep Macs when again. Now if only I could get that new Mac store to hire me. I want to work their sooo incredibly bad. :hanky: Oh well my teacher is going to work their so I will get the discounts. :drool:
Oh yes and another good thing is there is lots of free programs, that actually do usefull things unlike 99% of the free programs for PCs, thanks to the "techier" client base of Macs.
Hehe if you want a job then get into web design, I am rolling in money now(yet I can't contribute to forums thanks to parents not letting me :cheesy: ) It is easy to get 300+ bucks for a site that takes about 1.5 hours to do, again I would like to say the majority of people are stupid and are easily amazed by simple computer tricks.
mysnistaken
17-04-2004, 07:10
eh..web design is still alive? thought it died...well...anyway my friend's already tried it..no demand for it in our area =/
macs are good for professional graphics editing, not graphics-intensive gaming. they have sheer number crunching capabilites needed for video encoding and such. a mac would run this (http://theprodukkt.com/) pretty well, not because it has a high polygon count or anything, but because it simply needs raw processing power.
pc's for the past decade have been driving towards becoming the multimedia entertainment machine. probably started with the Pentium MMX processor. apple's niche for the longest time was always the professional or newcomer market. it still is, probably, but the power of the G4 and G5 processors are enough to be an average entertainment machine nowadays. a major turnaround in the processor's architecture to enhance multimedia capabilities won't come for a while, if at all.
oh, and the emulators make things run noticeably slower (like, emulating D2 pc version instead of D2 apple version).
Don't forget Apple actually recently upgraded their eMac line (keep on confusing that with emacs), and dropped the price substantially to something like $800. I'm not sure what happened to iq144's eMac, maybe you were making fun of it and it got angry and stopped working?
Have you ever typed an entire article or designed an entire page for a newspaper to fall victim to a mac crash?
Nevermind that they crash at least 6 times daily. Even the old school pcs out perform them (the new emacs with their massive 1 ghz). I hate OSX-it reminds me of XP and I expect it to be usable-but then I find you can't access word without delving deep into Finder, can't access it anyways, double clicking will *sometimes* bring up a new window and *sometimes* load it inside the current, the freaking scrollbars don't dissapear until you click them, and if one mac on a network goes down, it takes the rest with it.
Have you ever typed an entire article or designed an entire page for a newspaper to fall victim to a mac crash?
Nevermind that they crash at least 6 times daily. Even the old school pcs out perform them (the new emacs with their massive 1 ghz). I hate OSX-it reminds me of XP and I expect it to be usable-but then I find you can't access word without delving deep into Finder, can't access it anyways, double clicking will *sometimes* bring up a new window and *sometimes* load it inside the current, the freaking scrollbars don't dissapear until you click them, and if one mac on a network goes down, it takes the rest with it.
Huh? My mac has been running OS X for 2 years and it has crashed maybe once or twice. All the menus and scrollbars work for me...are you doing something wrong? Try running Disk First-Aid (on the startup disks that come with the thing).
Oh yeah, put Word on the Dock! The Dock is your friend...
i like the anti-mac spoof commercial... mac killed my inner child
it's as equally true about macs as the apple switch ads are about pc's
I once had my Mac's Word crash three times during my preparation for a massive grant, obliterating all progress. However, I've had the same thing happen in Word on a PC, so I think that's more a fault of Word and less one of the OS itself. The only time my Mac hangs or crashes is when I go windowed mode on W3 and try to both email and surf the web at the same time. Not bad.
I'd love to say that I hate Macs, but I've never actually owned one, and the last time I actually used one was way back in '99. I think the switch from a PC to a Mac would be too much stress for my inferior mind to handle.
BUT, I have wanted to get a Mac for the editing software they have available. You see all these Halo movies on the internet, and 90% of them were made with Apple/Mac software.
I think i need to take the simplest approach, why not a mac.
I am juggling the idea around of purchasing a Laptop Mac for college. My intended major is Graphic design and was impressed with the Mac's ability to handle visual data when I saw my cousin editing a movie. The thing is, I'm just wondering if it would be practical to dish out the dough to purchase one because I'm not sure if it would even be possible to complete most of my assignments using it, instead of the state of the art computer lab. I'm might just be better off to get a decent PC laptop so I can type papers and search the web under a tree. Another thing that brings up, how are Macs with wireless internet hookups? I thank you in advance for any information.
how well can a mac emulate a PC though? Emulators always tend to be really really slow when running windows programs.
BTW, how are widescreen laptops? I figure they would run nnormal programs (surfing the web, watching dvd's, photoshop etc etc). But how would they fare running games?
Like if you had a 1280 x 964 (i think thats what the widescreens run at) and tried to run a game at 800x600, would it automatically stretch the image (and make it ugly) or would it have the game running with 2 black bars on the side.
That would kind of be bad cause you couldn't run stuff in 1024x768 (nowadays, the norm for PC's). But widescreen laptops always seem lighter and cheaper in price.
I like macs. I'd use them if only
a) they were more customizable, ie buy separate parts etc.
b) they were compatible with PC software.
c) they didn't look like something designed for children.
In fact, i'm using a mac skin for XP right now. It's kinda... odd.
I like macs. I'd use them if only
a) they were more customizable, ie buy separate parts etc.
b) they were compatible with PC software.
c) they didn't look like something designed for children.
In fact, i'm using a mac skin for XP right now. It's kinda... odd.
It's kinda...demonic. And well, that's because...
Did I mention that eMacs come possessed by the soul of satan? That's why they located the on button in a hard to reach location. That's because the entire damned system is not ergonomic or easy to use, no matter what these propoganda possessed OTFers may spit at us. Mac's were not designed to be easy, functional or powerful because they were originally designed for the portion of hell dedicated to programmers and gamers.
Did I mention they use macs in hell?
I'd try a Mac if I could build it with off-the-shelf parts like a PC. And I don't need a laptop.
Crashes, occasionally an app crashes on me, but I've never had XP crash or lose stability due to an app crash. Ever.
LuckyDwarf
18-04-2004, 03:30
If I was older, I'm only sixteen, and I had a job that required a good, stable, computer, then I'd probably go with a Mac. I think that, for an office scenario, a Mac would be the better option, but for my adolescent gaming I prefer my PC. The only thing I don't like about the Mac is the one button mouse, however, I think you can get a two button, but I'm lazy.
Lucky
LuckyDwarf
18-04-2004, 03:37
Hehe if you want a job then get into web design, I am rolling in money now(yet I can't contribute to forums thanks to parents not letting me :cheesy: ) It is easy to get 300+ bucks for a site that takes about 1.5 hours to do, again I would like to say the majority of people are stupid and are easily amazed by simple computer tricks.
I reformat computers for $25, it's easy money. I can't believe that a lot of people don't know how to reformat their harddrive. Easy money for me. :)
Lucky
Actually now that I think of it, I do not remember the last time Windows actually crashed on me. I have had games crash, but even then it was just crashing to the desktop or something like that.
how well can a mac emulate a PC though? Emulators always tend to be really really slow when running windows programs.
What do you need to run with a PC? If you are primarily a gamer, stick with PCs and to heck with VPC.
BTW, how are widescreen laptops? I figure they would run nnormal programs (surfing the web, watching dvd's, photoshop etc etc). But how would they fare running games?
Like if you had a 1280 x 964 (i think thats what the widescreens run at) and tried to run a game at 800x600, would it automatically stretch the image (and make it ugly) or would it have the game running with 2 black bars on the side.
That would kind of be bad cause you couldn't run stuff in 1024x768 (nowadays, the norm for PC's). But widescreen laptops always seem lighter and cheaper in price.
...
I just played three hours of W3 in full screen on my 15" and it's fine. Ditto for D2, D1, SC, BW, and a few other games. Why the heck would it matter on a laptop and not on a regular PC's monitor, which can range from small to massiv? It looks precisely the same as on a regular computer. I run my everyday at 1280x854 and it swaps between gaming mode and work mode fine. As I said, I can play W3 windowed and do other stuff at the same time with little loss of function.
Your big problem with gaming and Macs will be that most companies don't make Mac games. NWN just came out for mac; WoW and Everquest etc. are all for Mac, but some of my old favorites...like Age of Empires...aren't. I've often debated getting a PC box for gaming, but there's nothing out there I really miss except for AoE.
Building your own PC is great and I've done it before. I also know that it can be a total disaster if you try to mix old and new parts and start discovering what part aren't compatable, which drivers are suddenly out of date, and so on. It's only easy if you're buying everything new, and that can end up as expensive as buying a put-together system.There's also the hassle of finding companies that will refund busted computer parts if they send them to you broken.
If you are too lazy to go to freakin' CVS or a bookstore or Bestbuy and pick up a 19 dollar optical mouse, you should be checked out by a doctor, since you're obviously in a coma. :cheesy:
Windows was recently vomiting physical memory after 10 minutes in screensaver mode for me. So I can well recall the last time it crashed. XP, too.
adamfgt78
18-04-2004, 10:13
Let's see if I can sum this up:
All-around speed: Each platform's high end systems are probably about the same for your average user.
Graphics applications: I guess this would go to Macs, though I wonder if its mostly for historical reasons. Sure, for hugely processor heavy jobs, I've heard Mac is better. But, for example, my friend's dad has a small advertising firm and the whole office uses Mac's for graphical publishing and such. But if all you're doing is using Photoshop and various Adobe apps, can't it be done just as well and quickly on a PC? I suspect that all the apps were originally for Macs and people just got used to them and there was no good reason to switch.
Gaming: PC, hands down. The number of games dwarfs that of the Mac. And I can't think of any major titles that are released on the Mac that aren't on the PC.
Utility programs: Equal. Both can do the web, email and word processing equally well. And this is the vast, vast majority of computer use, isn't it?
Fixability: Others have stated that Mac's are easier to fix. But I'm going to counter this by pointing out that there are way less people knowledgable about Macs to give assist. My ex-gf was foolishly advised by the school computer store(computer's were mandatory) to get a Mac because it would be easier to use and fix. But NO ONE knew even the most basic functions and troubleshooting so she was stuck with a half broken-down Mac. So if you're going to go Mac, make sure that you know a person or two from whom to get help.
Usability: I can't really say. I've been using PC's for so long and so used to them, my ability to judge whether XP is good in this regard is clouded. I don't know if I can use it well because it is designed well or if I'm just accustomed to it. And my ability to judge the Mac is scewed because any design other than one like XP will be difficult for me. Or perhaps Apple needs to consider that the majority of new users have a PC background and design the interface accordingly? I can't really say though since my Mac usage is limited.
Stability: Well, we've got anecdotal evidence against either side. But I've heard that Mac's are quite stable and my experience with XP has been that it is quite stable. So its probably about equal.
Price: PC's seem to be cheaper, but Mac's really aren't that bad. We're only looking at a couple hundred dollars difference at the high end.
Style: About equal now. When Apple came back on the scene 4 or 5 years ago with the colorful ibook and iMac, the Mac's were way ahead. PC's only used to come in plain beige boxes. Now you can get them in a variety of styles and can custimize with flourescent lights and such.
Image: Macs have kind of a hip image that might appeal to some people. Not teenager hip, but more like a upper-middle class, Saabish, pacific northwest type hip.
History: Due to Apple not allowing third party companies, the Mac didn't skyrocket to popularity like the PC. We've all pretty much grown up using PCs and this is with what we are comfortable. Users' history of using PC is a hugely powerful force and is not to be underestimated. Now Applie is really pushing to gain marketshare and I think this history is the biggest obstacle to overcome.
And the short answer is: if you play a lot of games, go PC. If you don't, then either is an acceptable choice and up to personal preference.
SaroDarksbane
18-04-2004, 10:27
I can kill a yak from 200 yards away with mindbullets, but you don't hear me bragging about it....
That's telekinesis, Kyle!
I just played three hours of W3 in full screen on my 15" and it's fine. Ditto for D2, D1, SC, BW, and a few other games. Why the heck would it matter on a laptop and not on a regular PC's monitor, which can range from small to massiv? It looks precisely the same as on a regular computer. I run my everyday at 1280x854 and it swaps between gaming mode and work mode fine. As I said, I can play W3 windowed and do other stuff at the same time with little loss of function.
He didn't ask if it ran fine, he asked how a normal game that does not support widescreen work on a widescreen monitor. If it would be all stretched out, or with black bars on the side.
{KOW}Spazed
18-04-2004, 20:32
Have you ever typed an entire article or designed an entire page for a newspaper to fall victim to a mac crash?
Nope.
Nevermind that they crash at least 6 times daily. Even the old school pcs out perform them (the new emacs with their massive 1 ghz).
As I said Macs are faster per mhz/ghz than PCs generally are, don't look at sheer numbers alone, it is the sign of a poor consumer. If you don't beleive me look at AlienWare.
I hate OSX-it reminds me of XP and I expect it to be usable-but then I find you can't access word without delving deep into Finder
Use your dock, it is like the Windows toolbar, but it hides by defualt. :wink:
, can't access it anyways, double clicking will *sometimes* bring up a new window and *sometimes* load it inside the current, the freaking scrollbars don't dissapear until you
click them,
WTF. . .I have never had a problem or heard of anyone besides you having those problems.
and if one mac on a network goes down, it takes the rest with it.
Did they forget to tell you that the one Mac that wen't down was the main bootdisk/HD of the others? That was set up as a cluster node, it would happen if you set up PCs like that.
DurfBarian
19-04-2004, 04:11
My company just got an unlimited copy of 10.3 Server . . . a new toy to play with! Hope I don't take down the entire office or something.
He didn't ask if it ran fine, he asked how a normal game that does not support widescreen work on a widescreen monitor. If it would be all stretched out, or with black bars on the side.
Sorry, by ran, I meant both played fine and that it looked exactly like it did on my PC. Nothing seems stretched and there aren't any black bars.
{KOW}Spazed
20-04-2004, 01:48
Because we are just better (http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2004-03-12).
I think my problem in this world of macs and pcs is that I've been using pcs at home for over 10 years (as a little kid and his dos games :drool: ). For the same amount of time, I've been using macs and apples in school, and well thats in school, so my experience is with machines that have been genuinely messed up by creative students :flip:
I also realize that my current windows 98 system is getting quite old, and thats where my probs are coming from...
Oh, and I just plain out don't like the single mouse feature of macs either... (its slower imo)
And with crashing, it happens a lot for me on macs too... Not to say windows doesn't, it does, it did when i was printing out my final for a computers class... Lucky me the teacher knew i was the l33t kid in the class and just gave me an A :)
I just prefer PC. I don't like the Macs at our school. THose... colored ones?
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