Mac vs. PC. For serious...

[MichaelAlan]

I have a mac, and have had macs for about 5 years. I have compelling evidence lately that maybe they are not worth the mortgage you have to get for them. I am thinking of getting a PC and getting rid of the iMac. Can anyone give me a reason to NOT do this? Especially considering I won't be doing much multimedia stuff with it...



Mike

[John Jeffers]

Please, O sweet lord Flying Spaghetti Monster, not another Mac vs. PC thread.

They're both fine. What is this "compelling evidence" of which you speak?

[MichaelAlan]

Hey, I think the PC vs. Mac debate is a demon all of us must face eventually. Don't judge me.

The evidence was just that my friends' pc was blisteringly fast on the internet compared to my mac with the same high-speed service in the same area. Also pictures from her digital camera load faster. That's about it. But whatever. They're cheaper and I'm a bachelor again living at a friend's house so I need money. Anyone want a G5 iMac?

[John Jeffers]

I think the PC vs. Mac debate is a demon all of us must face eventually.

Well, Macs sure are purty, and PC's sure are cheaper. That's about it for me, debate-wise. You can get the same work done on either, and I don't personally find one any easier/faster/better to use than the other.

Now, explain to me how selling your Mac and buying a PC is going to save you money?

[chris harris]

man... that sounds like a craaaaazy reason to completely switch platforms. especially judging based on internet connectivity. connection speeds can vary quite a bit. if you've got cable internet, your neighbors usage at the same time as you will affect your connection speed. if you've got dsl, any number of copper telephone wire variables can affect your connection speed.

if you HAVE TO switch because of money, then do it and don't look back. the windows machine will allow you to surf the web. and, I'm sure that you'll find most of the software you want to use or an equivalent for windows.

but, if you're doing it based on internet connection speed, I'd borrow your friends PC first and try it on your internet connection.

[joel hamilton]

I think the real question here is:

Is digital better than analog? Should you just get an abacus? I think a properly aligned ATR102 will be better.

Seriously, this is like asking what color shirt you should wear on a date...

Not a question for the internet.

The iMac g5 is a cool computer. Just dont buy anything new, and that will serve you well for years to come.

Or get a tape machine, it is "warmer."

[E-money]

I have a mac, and have had macs for about 5 years.

Is your current mac 5 years old? If you're not planning on using a new computer for multimedia, and your mac is less than 5 years old, why buy a new computer? A PC or mac from the last couple years is more than adequate for browsing the web, sending email, and watching porn.
Seriously, computers depriciate faster than a 6 pack of beer on a Friday night, don't buy a new one if you don't need one.

Spend the money on a nice mic that you'll still be using 10-15 years from now.

[Get Thee To A Nunnery]

Agree with what has been said.

I?m a PC guy but I wouldn?t recommend you change. Stick with what you are comfortable with and what you know. Why go through all the shit of starting from scratch again?

Don?t swallow the marketing and/or fanboi BS. They are just big calculators with different brand names on the front (and the buttons layed out in a slightly different way).

The operating systems are so mature now that both of them have pretty much got everything covered.

[tony moore]

Also, you're not going to get crap for your used iMac G5. Check what they're selling for on eBay, then compare all you'll have to buy to replace it.

I use both, iMac G5 at home/studio and a PC lap for work. Like everyone else has already said, they both work fine and both have their pro's and con's...

Tony

[JES]

#1 issue in switching is software and learning curves. That's a big reason to not switch from whatever you're using. Otherwise, it doesn't matter. It's what you like.

[Get Thee To A Nunnery]

Man, is this the first completely rational Mac V PC thread in the history of the internet???

[Jeff White]

If you decide to switch to PC and are not going with PTLE, I recommend you pick up Sonar to start. Wonderful program. I think of it as the "Digital Performer" of the PC world.

Jeff

[stratology]

Do you have any problems with the Mac? If you do, maybe you could post them, someone might be able to help.

Have you ever used a PC seriously, including setting it up and tweaking it until it works? If you get any chance, try using both side by side for a while, no argument is as good as real world experience.

You have probably heard of BootCamp by now. You can boot into Windows from any Intel Mac. This is interesting for anyone who has Windows apps he/she can't live without (e.g. AutoCad). Check MacBook Pro prices and compare them to PC prices, if you're interested in a laptop.

PCs initial costs are lower than that of Apple hardware, but don't forget about TCO. Costs for maintenance, antivirus software, repairs,...

For more arguments on the Mac vs. PC front, check out this thread.

I believe the times of mindless Mac/PC bashing are SO over, it's easier to find reasonable arguments on both sides these days..

Frank

[tony moore]

Where can I find more about this?

I work in the Windows world but play in the Mac world. I'd love to be able to run certain Windows apps on a Mac, but wanna make sure they'll work and also know any driver or hardware issues.

Thanks!

Tony

[chris harris]

http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp