PC or Mac

stumpy · March 02, 2007, 09:01:18 AM

I am thinking of changing from a PC to a MAC. Are ther any issues as far as reading and accessing the Forestry Forum, or will I not notice anything different? Obviously, I don't know much about computers.

ronwood · March 02, 2007, 09:16:02 AM

stumpy,

I don't think you will see much different pulling up websites.

Ron

slowzuki · March 02, 2007, 01:22:30 PM

99.9% of websites appear fine on my mac, the only ones that don't are ones that need downloads to watch their video feeds like some of the sports networks.

On the bonus side, it shows sights that are standards compliant correctly, unlike IE which buggers up a bunch of those.

Took a while for me to get comfortable after converting but now I love it. Not one adware or spyware or virus in 2 years and I tend to end up on some sketchy pages digging around for info.

I actually accidentally infected my wife's work machine by mailing her a link to a webpage I had been using. She opened the link and it killed her machine, she's a computer consultant with a bunch of geeky guys who work with her and they couldn't fix her machine either, had to wipe it clean.

JimBuis · March 02, 2007, 01:41:31 PM

First, I'll admit I'm a PC guy, although that should not be interpreted to mean 'politically correct'. My school is a Mac only institution, so I use a Mac everyday at work. I've been using a Mac at work then for four years now.

Okay, now that I have said that, I am not convinced. There's no way I am going to give up my PC. I have not had a PC infected by a virus or anything of the kind in ten years. I am online everyday of every week for hours at a time and have no problems.

I do not find my Mac at work to be as easy to use, don't find the software or operating system to offer any selling points, I simply do not see the attraction.

I could say a lot more, but don't think it is necessary.

Stumpy, I would ask a question though. Why are you wanting to change from a PC to a Mac?

Jim

stumpy · March 02, 2007, 01:50:21 PM

Well, a couple of reasons
1. I'm getting a very good deal on a Mac
2. My nephew is a computer wizard and has tried to convert me for 2 years now
3. I have the worst luck with computers. I have been infected a few times with both virus's and spyware.
4. I can't say definitively that this is a good move, but I'm thinking it is and am almost ready to make the change

Jeff · March 02, 2007, 02:28:13 PM

If all your doing is cruising the internet it probably doesn't make that big of a difference. If your like me, using my computer for all kinds of things then I wouldn't change, you will never find what you need for applications. The only thing I can tell you is, if you have trouble with the mac in regards to the forum, I dont know nuthin about em and cant be of any help.

Jeff · March 02, 2007, 02:29:19 PM

If your nephew was a true computer wizard, it wouldnt be a mac he be trying to convert you to... Only Macwizards do that.

SwampDonkey · March 02, 2007, 03:43:54 PM

I can't do what I do on a Mac, the GIS software isn't there. You might get away with running under PC emulation, but might as well get a PC. :

Ianab · March 02, 2007, 05:01:34 PM

A true computer geek would convert you to Linux :D

I usually run Win XP or 2000, but I came over to my Linux box just to type this. The forum looks subtly different under Firefox / Suse linux, but it's all fully functional. Even running on an old PIII computer ;D

Cheers

Ian

ronwood · March 02, 2007, 05:33:58 PM

Ian,

I run both Windows XP and Linux. The Linux has dual AMD processors and runs quite fast. For most things I prefer Linux. I even had the guts to make a change to the operating system and it worked. One thing that the MAC was always known for was graphics design programs.

Ron

SwampDonkey · March 02, 2007, 05:35:46 PM

Heck, I've even posted in here under AmigaOS, now that will curl some eye brows. With the superCPU and Wheels, I could post using the C= 64. :D :D :D

ronwood · March 02, 2007, 05:38:30 PM

Swampdonkey,

Now thats a man dedicated to getting on to the forum. Might want to keeep the system if it is yours. Might be worth something in the future.

Ron

stumpy · March 02, 2007, 05:38:45 PM

BOY, you guys are getting way over my head!!!!!!!

P.S. But thanks for the help anyway.

ronwood · March 02, 2007, 05:43:38 PM

Stumpy,

Sorry did not want to get over your head. I think you would be happy with a Mac

Ron

stumpy · March 02, 2007, 07:02:16 PM

No Problem at all. Thanks for the help.

JimBuis · March 02, 2007, 08:22:50 PM

Stumpy,
If you have had virus problems and so forth, that is related to your own knowledge level as much your machine. That is perfectly okay as that is where you are at. If you have close family who are into MACs and will devote some time to help you get acclimated to the MAC's idiosyncrasies, I'd say go for it. Your situation sounds sort of like having a Ford mechanic in the family who's offering you free maintenance if you own a Ford.

My point is that, as much as I dislike Bill Gates and the Microsoft monopoly, the PC situation worldwide is such that there is a never ending supply of top quality software available. For me, this trumps any concerns about viruses and such. In fact, MACs are not immune to viruses and such. In the past, the malicious people in the world were themselves PC oriented and therefore have targeted this platform. That is beginning to change. The MAC world is corrupted now as well.

Go for it and Good luck,
Jim

Paschale · March 03, 2007, 01:58:43 AM

If you want my two cents, from someone who's been told for years how awesome Macs are, and finally bit the bullet and bought one--I regret it, big time. :(

Everyone talks about how intuitive Macs are. Not true, especially if you're used to a PC. The learning curve for me was so immensely frustrating, I was ready to chuck this thing out the nearest window many, many times for the first few months. And I'm pretty computer savvy.

I've gotten used to it enough where it doesn't cause me immense amounts of frustration like it once did, but I still wish I had used the money to get a top of the line PC.

My advice: if you're used to PC's, and not much of a computer guy, and just want things to work the way you expect them to work, then stick with a PC. (Your nephew won't agree with me on this, at all, and he'll say they're the easiest thing in the world to operate. For him, and other Mac fans, that might be true. For people who have used PCs forever, they are insanely frustrating.) As far as viruses go, as long as you stay updated with a good anti-virus program, you should be alright. The spyware is admittedly a pain in the rear, and it's nice that Macs don't have to worry about either one of those really, so far, but in my book, the disadvantages of a Mac far outweigh any positives. That's coming from my personal experience, and it's just my opinion, but I'm no fan of Macs, at all. >:(

Wyatt · March 03, 2007, 07:30:43 AM

I have an IMac dual core and you CAN do anything on it you can do on pc and MORE. I have OSX on one "side" of unit and WINXP on other. I use mac side for internet (macs don't get virisus or need spyware) and I use xp side for my CADD program for my business. Works great, and mac has much easier options for photos,music,etc.

sprucebunny · March 03, 2007, 07:39:45 AM

This forum works the same. I've had less trouble with the internet with a Mac.

I had a PC for a couple of years and never could do much with it and I didn't understand the names of things. ( Utilities, Applications, Preferences)

Drag-and-drop didn't work at all on my PC. My friend with a Mac kept saying to 'just drag it over there' and I had no clue what she meant !!

As Wyatt says, you can run both OSs, if you want, on the new Macs.

stumpy · March 03, 2007, 07:40:58 AM

I see a trend starting here. The more comfortable you are with computers, the more you will like a Mac. On the other hand, if you grew up with PC's and are limited in you computer savy, you are better off with a PC

sprucebunny · March 03, 2007, 08:45:10 AM

Stumpy, for me it was sort of opposite. In two years with a PC I didn't learn much about the computer. Either what to do with it or how to do it :-\ When I got a Mac, it was easier to navigate around in and made more sense to me, so I learned more about it and how it operated. I became comfortable with a computer and confident that I could make it do something.

SwampDonkey · March 03, 2007, 10:54:28 AM

I agree with sprucebunny concerning ease of use of the Mac. I know a lot of Amiga users that would prefer to use Amiga if the software and hardware was there and a decent modern browser.

The first economical micro computer used in video production was the Amiga with the NEWTEK Video Toaster. You couldn't even use the Toaster unless you had an Amiga. Now the Toaster is on a card for the PC, along with it's revolutionary Lightwave 3D.

http://www.newtek.com/vt/requirements.php

Bill · March 03, 2007, 01:26:50 PM

Used to run nothing but PC's for years ( remember the 8" floppy disks ? ) - even taught myself basic and eventually learned a bit of unix. Over time I grew to distrust MS - it was always buy the newer version to get their stuff to work ( ask me about MS Business Basic ). Wait a minute I paid good money for it to work the first time.

Mac's have their limits - there's not as much software out as there is for PC's yet many companies have a PC and Mac version - but with these new dual core processor models they can handle both. I still have an old Mac ibook that I use everyday - G3 processor ( they've gone on to g4 g5 now dual core ) - that still runs everything I need to do . MS Ofc ( DanG that B Gates has that locked up ) , photoshop, firefox, imail and I've continued to work while others suffered through blue death screens, viruses, pop ups, spyware, etc etc without a hitch - never having to reboot to fix things - just solid .

When I switched over ( because of a job change ) I had to learn Mac ( os 9 back then ). There were some rough spots in the beginning but they passed and especially once they came out with os x - which is based on my old friend unix.

Just my two cents . . .

SwampDonkey · March 03, 2007, 01:35:42 PM

I don't remember the 8" variety. But I do the 5-1/4" ones of the 8-bit era. Before that it was tape drives I used.

Paschale · March 03, 2007, 02:53:23 PM

What I've found, is that depending on the way people think, one or the other works better. For me, PCs make so much more sense in how they organize files, and how files interact with each other. I've learned to use a Mac, but I don't like it at all.

The conventional wisdom is that Macs are better for graphics and the like, and music. But as far as I'm concerned, that's only as good as the interface and software. There's been a lot of hype on TV about how wonderful iPhoto is. I hate the program, plain and simply. I think it's slow and clunky, and I don't like the way it organizes my photos at all, so for me, I find my PC to be much better in that regard. As a musician, I had just as much luck on PCs as I've had on this Mac, and quite frankly, I find iTunes to be absolutely awful as well, which is another cornerstone of Apple's media blitz about Macs.

Before you take the plunge, see if you can test drive your nephew's computer for awhile. If I'd had even a week with this thing, I'd have never made the plunge.

And I have to respectfully disagree with the thought that Macs are more user friendly. It all depends on what you're used to, and how you think. People are either a Mac person, or a PC person, and I'm decidedly a PC person, who's stuck with a Mac until I can afford a new computer. I don't find this thing user friendly at all, though I've made it work for me. I still get annoyed on a nearly daily basis at some of the peculiarities of Macs. :