10-30-2004, 11:05 PM

Hey all!

I'm in a puzzle now. Me and my dad were arguing about Macs and PC's. He doesnt like macs because they are "incompatible". And i just realized they kind of are. I know pictures, music, and MS Office are all compatible with PC and Mac. But i'm in high schooland if i take a computer course (which i probably will) i doubt i will be able to use their graphics prgrams or visual basic ... you know things like that. But i could always keep my PC (AMD 1.5Ghz). Now im just thinking if i should buy a souped up PC and nice 17" LCD for under $1400 Canadian. Or buy a G4 Tower (1.25 GHz or MAYBE Dual 1.25). Its really bothering me. I really want the mac, but i want it to do everything i want it to do. And no, i dont want virtual PC. Any advice to what i should get and why?

Any support would be greatly appriciated.

Thanks

10-30-2004, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by shaun89

Hey all!

I'm in a puzzle now. Me and my dad were arguing about Macs and PC's. He doesnt like macs because they are "incompatible". And i just realized they kind of are. I know pictures, music, and MS Office are all compatible with PC and Mac. But i'm in high schooland if i take a computer course (which i probably will) i doubt i will be able to use their graphics prgrams or visual basic ... you know things like that. But i could always keep my PC (AMD 1.5Ghz). Now im just thinking if i should buy a souped up PC and nice 17" LCD for under $1400 Canadian. Or buy a G4 Tower (1.25 GHz or MAYBE Dual 1.25). Its really bothering me. I really want the mac, but i want it to do everything i want it to do. And no, i dont want virtual PC. Any advice to what i should get and why?

Any support would be greatly appriciated.

Thanks

what sort of software are you looking for? web design, video editing, 3d, etc... :black:

10-30-2004, 11:55 PM

Well im not sure. But in a year or two i will probably need some windows compatible programs like Visual Basic or anyhting they would have at school (which i dont really know). Maybe some graphic design, but will probably be mac compatible. My school is all PC's so there would be a compatibility issue with slight things. Im leaning towards a PC now.. Still i want OS X bad. Is there anything like Visual Basic for mac ? Thats almost the exact same and uses the same code? Also, is there anthing that could encourage me to switch to a mac ?? Besides the NO VIRUS thing.

Thanks for the fast reply!

10-31-2004, 12:20 AM

The key thing is that Microsoft can never attain security with the registry as the central core of Windows. Period. Nuff said :alien:

10-31-2004, 01:00 AM

I had the same thoughts as you, and I've never looked back from getting my PowerBook (also in highschool).

Pretty much all major programs are compatible with Macs. Office always comes out for Mac before the Windows version comes out. Most major software companies release Mac software at the same time as Windows software.

I take a computer course, and I just use the crap workstations they have at school. I've lost about 3 pieces of work over the past few weeks, when Windows XP has crashed on me, but it's not that bad. My tech teacher actually uses a Mac, so I'm going to see if I can bring in my PowerBook

The best thing about Macs, though, is that they just work. You can't beat the stability of a Mac. Macs just work. All the apps are almost completely bug-free and the OS is just beautiful. And they're powerful as well, my 1.33GHz processor is easily twice as fast as my 2GHz Pentium 4 machine.

If you're really going to get into Visual Basic and stuff, you can always get Virtual PC, it works fine.


My dad and I had the same argument, and he finally agreed to buy me my PowerBook even though he hated the idea. Now he's starting to hate Windows, and he's thinking of getting an iMac G5 for himself after I showed him some of my cool features my PowerBook has.

Seriously though, I've never thought, "Oh no, I wish I'd bought a PC because I really want this piece of software but it's only for PC!" In fact, I've often thought "I'm really glad I've got a Mac because this software isn't out for PCs ".

Just switch, trust us, you won't regret it.

10-31-2004, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by m1k

I had the same thoughts as you, and I've never looked back from getting my PowerBook (also in highschool).

Pretty much all major programs are compatible with Macs. Office always comes out for Mac before the Windows version comes out. Most major software companies release Mac software at the same time as Windows software.

I take a computer course, and I just use the crap workstations they have at school. I've lost about 3 pieces of work over the past few weeks, when Windows XP has crashed on me, but it's not that bad. My tech teacher actually uses a Mac, so I'm going to see if I can bring in my PowerBook

The best thing about Macs, though, is that they just work. You can't beat the stability of a Mac. Macs just work. All the apps are almost completely bug-free and the OS is just beautiful. And they're powerful as well, my 1.33GHz processor is easily twice as fast as my 2GHz Pentium 4 machine.

If you're really going to get into Visual Basic and stuff, you can always get Virtual PC, it works fine.


My dad and I had the same argument, and he finally agreed to buy me my PowerBook even though he hated the idea. Now he's starting to hate Windows, and he's thinking of getting an iMac G5 for himself after I showed him some of my cool features my PowerBook has.

Seriously though, I've never thought, "Oh no, I wish I'd bought a PC because I really want this piece of software but it's only for PC!" In fact, I've often thought "I'm really glad I've got a Mac because this software isn't out for PCs ".

Just switch, trust us, you won't regret it.

yup, just switch. at my school, theres an entire building full of everything from g3s to g5s, its great. Im not sure of a visual basic-like app on mac, but Im sure there are ways around it,

10-31-2004, 12:01 PM

Yea, but its not just visual basic. Its everything else. Our tech teacher might want us to look around the PC and figure out certain things about it. Or if there are any other certain programs only for windows. I guess im screwed. But dam... OS X still looks very cool and stable. But now price is an issue. I cant find any store with NEW PowerMac G4's. but when i do they are over 1600 for a 1.25. ! I cant afford that! Now im thinking of getting a P4 3.2GHz,17" LCD, and a nice home sterio. What one? Just a mac with no screen for 1600, or a top of the line PC with an LCD and a nice home stereo for 1449?

11-01-2004, 12:06 AM

Yea, but its not just visual basic. Its everything else. Our tech teacher might want us to look around the PC and figure out certain things about it.

I believe you can do that with Visual Basic as well. VB also has the start menu, My Computer, etc.

My tech teacher uses a Mac, and our workstations at school are PCs, but it isn't much of a problem. Just substitute 'Finder' whenever your assignment says 'My Computer'

But now price is an issue. I cant find any store with NEW PowerMac G4's. but when i do they are over 1600 for a 1.25. ! I cant afford that! Now im thinking of getting a P4 3.2GHz,17" LCD, and a nice home sterio. What one? Just a mac with no screen for 1600, or a top of the line PC with an LCD and a nice home stereo for 1449?

Yeah, but see, your top-of-the-line PC will only be top-of-the-line for what, 18 months, and then it will be obsolete, old, and bloated with spyware. Whereas if you get a G4, they will probably last 5-6 years before they even begin to age. They're expensive for a reason: They're dual-processor G4's. I have a 1.33 G4 single processor and it's easily twice as fast as my 2GHz Pentium 4. Macs simply don't age as much as PCs do, it's a fact (PCs become obselete in 3-4 years, Macs become obselete in 8-9 years).

As for the home stereo, instead of getting it, just get a nice pair of Sennheiser heaphones, if you're going to be listening to music mainly on your own. You get much more bang for the buck in terms of sound quality, and it's sort of a waste of money to get a stereo system if you're never going to be listening with anybody else.

Another option would be to get an all-in-one iMac (either the old G4 model, now on sale for a LOT cheaper than they were new, or the G5 if you can afford it). But of course iMacs won't last as long because they aren't as expandable and aren't as powerful.

Whatever you do, try to get a Mac, and good luck!
m1k

11-01-2004, 03:56 PM

I listen and blast music with my freinds, so heaphones wont do. And i cant afford a G5. Im going to look at some G4's now on the net. So ill try to find a good deal. (not used). Because sometimes your just buying peoples problems. Thanks for the advice and cya!

11-01-2004, 10:55 PM

Ok, if i want to get a NEW single 1.25 G4, it will cost $2000 after im done converting from american, and adding tax. Now thats just a bit, or ALOT, over budget. Im screwed! I HATE MAC PRICES! I just dont know what to do. I cant get to an apple reseller. The closest is 3 hours away and i cant get there. Parents are always working. And i dont have a liscense. Il see if i can get up ther soon and just check it out. If i cant find anyhting good, guess im staying with what i have and waiting till the next line of whatever........ Hopefully make a purchase. Too bad im not old enough to get a job. Next summer maybe. Thanks everyone youve been a great help. Anymore advice? I could use it. UHHHHH. This is frustrating...... :mad: