Is a Mac really worth it

[Skeptik]

Trading one groups bleating for another? Sorry but switching to linux is not an option for me.

It is an option, but not one you would like. Linux is still very very immature. One I tried recently, FreeBSD, is a dog's breakfast when it comes to installing and dual booting.
--
IMHO, Apple are on the wrong track. They are making us buy the most expensive Macs to get the flexibility of a home PC. Also ignoring games by leaving out decent graphics just alienates the youth. That market is crucial to the growth of Macs as a real alternative to MS. They had it once with the old AppleII range and then threw it away.

 

[bwana]

It is an option, but not one you would like. Linux is still very very immature. One I tried recently, FreeBSD, is a dog's breakfast when it comes to installing and dual booting.

No - it really isnt an option until the software I use comes out with Linux versions. Off the top of my head I could probably live without Aperture but not illustrator, photoshop or quarkXpress and without those I dont get paid.

 

[Skeptik]

Largely because windows is a big, easy target.

OS X is UNIX based. In fact, Leopard conforms to one of the ISO levels for UNIX. UNIX is by nature more secure because of it's structure and secure system. Whether it is a target or not is the lesser reason. Any viruses that do get through cannot do a lot of damage and so there is little satisfaction for the little spotty kid who wrote the thing

 

[brevity]

As I initiated this thread, and after reading all the responses - I think the consclusion is that you pay more for a Mac cause it gives you a smoother ride (no viruses, no meddling). And that's really it.

But if you like fiddling, playing games (and buying them second hand cause it's impossible to find 2nd hand Mac games), don't need a smooth ride - then save yourself 25% of the Mac price.

Thanks

 

[bwana]

As I initiated this thread, and after reading all the responses - I think the consclusion is that you pay more for a Mac cause it gives you a smoother ride (no viruses, no meddling). And that's really it.

But if you like fiddling, playing games (and buying them second hand cause it's impossible to find 2nd hand Mac games), don't need a smooth ride - then save yourself 25% of the Mac price.

Thanks

From what I gather from your original post you used an older iMac so I'm assuming it was a PPC? The reason I ask is unless you've used one of the intel mac's your idea of what the Mac experience is might be rather dated.

 

[koffiejunkie]

Mine had the same concerns about screen size but considering that the 13.3" MB has a native resolution of 1280 by 800 compared to the 14" ibook's 1024 x 768 she was pleasantly surprised.

Mine has no clue what resolution is. 13.3" is going to be to small for her to read unless it comes with a lower resolution. She barely manages with my old (very crisp and flat) 15" CRT (which has a 14.1" viewable area)...

 

[adsl3g]

Mine has no clue what resolution is. 13.3" is going to be to small for her to read unless it comes with a lower resolution. She barely manages with my old (very crisp and flat) 15" CRT (which has a 14.1" viewable area)...

Ever considered an external 17" LCD on the Macbook? - works a charm - unless of course it gets carried around a lot.

 

[koffiejunkie]

It does get carried around a lot. But like I said, she can use her Acer until it's time to upgrade. Things with the parentals take time - like traffic into Sandton at 07:00 - you get there eventually.

In the meantime I got her hooked on iTunes, and she uses Firefox and Thunderbird, and MS Office, so most of her usage will be smooth to move over. All that needs fixing is moving from Google Picasa to iPhoto - should be painless, iPhoto seems easier to use.

 

[SlinkyMike]

Trading one groups bleating for another? Sorry but switching to linux is not an option for me.

Not really, I feel the linked article is valid as it gives a good historical overview from someone with actual first hand experience since back in the day.
It points out the fact that the Halcyon days of Apple/Mac are long since over and illustrates that there are very few educated opinions about Mac today.

IMO it is pertinent to the question posed in the subject line of this thread as the syntax of said question seems to indicate that someone has insinuated that Mac is 'all that' in and of itself; unequivocally and without context.

I may be wrong but thats why I posted the link. I'm no Apple hater - rather a hater of hype-driven misinformation which I'm sure most will agree is rife in the Apple/Mac world at the moment, it does at times seem that Apple marketing deliberately creates ambiguity through double talk and omission of truth in an effort to muddy the waters.
This makes it hard to get straight answers to a questions like: 'Is Mac really worth it'.
Personally I feel that its rather sad especially since most Apple products and especially Mac could easily stand on its own merit without all the BS hype, its just that not many people would see it doing so I suppose.

 

[bwana]

How about a few examples of the "hype-driven misinformation" which is so rife in the Mac world?

 

[icyrus]

How about a few examples of the "hype-driven misinformation" which is so rife in the Mac world?

And more importantly, how Apple is responsible for it.

That article really made me laugh though. He goes on and on about how annoying the mac zealots are and then pitches tent in the linux camp - the home of the most irrational and intense zealots know to man.

The whole article is nothing more than his biased opinion based on no technical merits at all, never mind his incredible myopic view of the OS world.

 

[Zyzzyva]

And more importantly, how Apple is responsible for it.

That article really made me laugh though. He goes on and on about how annoying the mac zealots are and then pitches tent in the linux camp - the home of the most irrational and intense zealots know to man.

The whole article is nothing more than his biased opinion based on no technical merits at all, never mind his incredible myopic view of the OS world.

It doesnt matter whose fault it is. Potential customers have to decide if they want to live with that problem when deciding to go pc or mac.

The age old issue of gaming, price and "not as much" software are problems a mac user has to face.

Those are massive negatives when you consider those problems can be avoided by just going windows.

The mac question for me comes down to money. If you have the money to buy a high end machine, then you have enough money to buy into apples "good looks/high price" world.

If i am going to run windows, then i would rather do it on a good looking high powered mac than the less good looking, but equally powered and priced windows laptop. The only better laptop in my opinion, would be a thinkpad, but for entirely different reasons.

If you like power more than looks, and you don't have the money to buy the expensive macs which give you both, then it would be best to just build a windows machine yourself.

If you like osx, then well... the mac would be the way to go regardless.

 

[Zyzzyva]

And more importantly, how Apple is responsible for it.

That article really made me laugh though. He goes on and on about how annoying the mac zealots are and then pitches tent in the linux camp - the home of the most irrational and intense zealots know to man.

The whole article is nothing more than his biased opinion based on no technical merits at all, never mind his incredible myopic view of the OS world.

I have to agree with your second point. His reasoning is flawed and his final choice to go linux kills his whole argument.

As much i would love linux to be the best os choice. As it currently stands, it simply isnt for most people.

Hardware compatabiity is rubbish compaired to windows. I don't care whose fault it is, its simply a fact.

Most of the 10 000 packages you can get for free with it are also rubbish.

its interface, while highly configurable, is highly unprofessional. Yes i could configure it close to my liking, but why should i have to?

There is a small niche who enjoy linux's benefits, but for the majority itll never be a viable alternative until these things are fixed.

I must say though, kde 4 is looking pretty good on the interface front.

 

[Ou grote]

It all boils down to your own opinion at the end of the day.
Not someone`s else`s.

If u like a pc, then use one.
If u want a mac, then use one.

I also read the "hype" stories before buying my mac.

I`ve lost interest in tinkering with a pc myself. And I still got windows.
So haven`t lost anything.
OS X has it`s problems, what may be a problem for one person isn`t a
problem for someone else again.

I won`t be going back to a pc.

 

[SlinkyMike]

OK, I'm going to stoop to the old google and link paste to make a point here, but time are few...

Apple misinformation (general):
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=1082
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUh74avobRA"]YouTube - Exposing Apple's Lies[/ame]
http://www.pcw.co.uk/personal-computer-world/news/2174168/gates-lashes-lying-apple

Apple myths debunked (concerning comparative performance):
http://www.digitalvideoediting.com/2002/11_nov/reviews/cw_macvspciii.htm



Thats just a small taste and no one asks any questions ...just turn up the vol on your iPod and everything is ok ...
...granted: who'd really care one way or another *but* they provide misinformation about their products and others to show OTHER manufacturers products in a unfavorable light (and their customers as backward manipulatees) - thats wrong in my book and it fosters an elitist attitude amongst Apple/Mac users that is not only unjustified but actually rather silly.

Getting back to the thread for a second - thats why its hard to get a clear answer to: 'Is a Mac really worth it?'

If your stuff is good (and Apple generally is) let it speak for itself.
Why the manipulation (AKA: Reality Distortion Field Effect) ?

Look I am an advocate of all OS's ...whatever flavour you like and whatever blows up yer skirt but lies and misinformation and fanatical support thereof I cannot stomach. Closed/locked down systems leave me pretty cold too for that matter.

Incidentally (and before I get typecast as a Apple basher): I love my 1st gen nano - build quality/performance/user experience 9.5/10 (perfect score ruined by iTunes but I use alternatives) and my gf loves her Macbook, I have 3 PC's (2 windows, 1 Linux) of different form factors and functions and we all live happily side by side, without judging each other whilst enjoying the best that each of these things have to offer.

To the OP: don't feel that buying a Mac will make you any more (or less) of a person no matter what their ads (or their detractors) say. Its easy to get the impression that buying anything else is simply a lack of self respect and thats not true, there is merit in a lot of whats available in computing world, that includes Apple/Mac and there are hassles with just about any machine you're likely to buy, that also includes Apple/Mac.

 

[Glordit]

+ no hacking and Viruses
- very little support for most software/games

IMO for Sound & graphic design a Mac is cool, for everthing els there is a PC

 

[w1z4rd]

The mac... simple hardware and software for simple minds

 

[bwana]

The mac... simple hardware and software for simple minds

I dont mind a good argument - or a bad one like SlinkyMike's video - but there's no call for that.

 

[Messugga]

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=macs_cant

I think that says about everything. Especially the part about mac users quoting the apple ad-campaign...

 

[SlinkyMike]

I dont mind a good argument - or a bad one like SlinkyMike's video - but there's no call for that.

Ok, video may be lame but this series:
http://www.digitalvideoediting.com/2002/11_nov/reviews/cw_macvspciii2.htm
of tests refute Apples claim to better performance and not only that but they do so within the Mac niche namely video/image processing and in most cases the equivalent PC outstrips the Mac by a wide margin. Scary when you consider that most people believe that Mac is inherently more powerful than a PC even in the days before Intel Macs when they had the whole 'megahertz don't mean a thing' line running people still sucked it down.

But that doesn't mean that Mac sucks -not at all it just means that Apple is not correct or in most cases even honest in their claims and advertising particularly pertaining to the Mac range.