Visually impaired dude buys his first Mac

Hello everyone. I found this forum via a Google search. I am legally blind and was born with Optic Atrophy, and there is nothing man can do about it. I have been using a Dos/Windows PC for 25 years or so from Jr. high until now. I also used Linux and liked it better than Windows but Linux did not support the iPod Touch, iPad 3, iTunes, etc. Sure there was Wine but it just never worked right. I had to go back to Windows because of the iPod/iPad and the fact my online college wants you to use MS Office and I found that the free office suites such as Open Office did not work completely with MS Office files such as templates that the instructors wanted you to use when typing your paper for class.
I had been thinking about a Mac for a while but could not afford one and could not make myself get past the high purchase price when compared to a PC. Well, I finally did it. I am now typing this from a new iMac and so far I like it a lot. I have the screen set up so I can see it well. I am finding that with OS X you can do a lot that Windows would not do without some expensive software such as ZoomText. I love the two finger scroll of the touchpad and the zoom feature that you can use anywhere in your Mac. You could not do that in Windows.
I did find that for a totally new to Mac user, the migrate from PC to Mac app did not work so I simply used a thumb drive to transfer files, bookmarks, etc. I have iWork to type my papers for class, but have not used it yet. I did not like MS Office and thought it was a pain to use and frustrating....yet I never really was good with a word processor. I also wanted to switch to a Mac because I was tired of working on the PC all the time. Disk defrags, disk cleanups, PC slowing down if left on for a long time, etc. I realize that a Mac is not perfect but so far I am enjoying using it. What would I change about a Mac? That is simple.....the purchase price. There is nothing really special about the hardware, and Apple is not making the components....only putting them in a box and stamping their name on it. You may have to help me understand why my iMac was $500 more than a all in one Dell with similar specs. What do I need to know about my new iMac as a total newbie to a Mac and OS X?

Welcome, and congrats on your new iMac. I won't get into the whole Mac vs PC cost thing as that has been done to death (you will find several threads about it on this forum if you search a bit). Will just say that when you compare similar build quality and specs (not just specs) the price difference is considerably less than $500.

Again, welcome to the forums.

Congrats on your new iMac. I absolutely love mine, And the display is such high quality that I thought the retina display wasn't all that great. I don't know which one you purchased, but I will say that if you purchased the 27in. iMac, the display on it alone would run you a thousand dollars, regardless of where you purchase it from. So if you keep that in mind, then the components you bought are relatively cheap, just fyi.

s1mp13m4n said:

You may have to help me understand why my iMac was $500 more than a all in one Dell with similar specs.

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Well, I would guess that they charged you more because you were willing to pay more. I mean, you can't really expect a big American company to just leave money on the table!

So, why did you give Apple all that extra money, when you could have just bought the Dell?

Either you made a foolish decision, or you perceived some added value there. If you can figure that one out, you'll have a better answer than anyone can give you.

s1mp13m4n said:

What would I change about a Mac? That is simple.....the purchase price. There is nothing really special about the hardware, and Apple is not making the components....only putting them in a box and stamping their name on it.

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The higher price is a combination of things:

- newer, costlier, and more risky technologies that Apple incorporates into their computers. How many times do you see Apple do something first...then Dell, HP, Sony, and everyone else copies it???
- Industrial design, ergonomics, or simply "sexier" looking computers. "Style" (especially popular style). ALWAYS commands a higher price. Compare the price of women's purses from K-Mart...and designer purses from well known designers.
- The Mac OS itself...has advantages over Windows (for folks that prefer the Mac OS)...so that is worth more $$$.
- Higher prices why?...because Apple "can". They're the ONLY maker of Apple computers.

Yes...the hardware may not be any or much different than what's found in a typical computer running Windows...but there's more than just hardware that goes into the making of an Apple computer!

And besides...you already mentioned a number of things that you like about Apple computers (versus Windows computers)...so many times to get something that you prefer over similar products...you have to pay more for it.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

The higher price is a combination of things:

- newer, costlier, and more risky technologies that Apple incorporates into their computers. How many times do you see Apple do something first...then Dell, HP, Sony, and everyone else copies it???
- Industrial design, ergonomics, or simply "sexier" looking computers. "Style" (especially popular style). ALWAYS commands a higher price. Compare the price of women's purses from K-Mart...and designer purses from well known designers.
- The Mac OS itself...has advantages over Windows (for folks that prefer the Mac OS)...so that is worth more $$$.
- Higher prices why?...because Apple "can". They're the ONLY maker of Apple computers.

Yes...the hardware may not be any or much different than what's found in a typical computer running Windows...but there's more than just hardware that goes into the making of an Apple computer!

And besides...you already mentioned a number of things that you like about Apple computers (versus Windows computers)...so many times to get something that you prefer over similar products...you have to pay more for it.

- Nick

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Thanks for the help with this issue. I was kinda thinking the same thing....you are not paying for the hardware so to speak because a PC trumps the Mac in that area, you are paying for the style, OS X, and the fact that Apple can charge what they want because they have no direct competition. Thank you for the help. I am loving my new iMac very much compared to my Windows experience.
Now, can you give me guidance on a quality USB hub? My 24 port hub got fried somehow and then the $8 10 port unit I bought from Amazon has loose plugs right out of the box and get this....the power supply fell apart when I plugged it into the wall power outlet.

s1mp13m4n said:

Now, can you give me guidance on a quality USB hub? My 24 port hub got fried somehow and then the $8 10 port unit I bought from Amazon has loose plugs right out of the box and get this....the power supply fell apart when I plugged it into the wall power outlet.

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I don't claim to be a "USB hub expert"...but so others that may have more expertise...here's are some questions to help clarify your needs...so some "real" experts can jump in:

- Are you looking for an exact replacement for your 24 port USB hub (with 24 ports)...or can it be smaller/larger?
- Is there such a thing as a 24 port USB hub? (I'm guessing there must be, or you wouldn't be asking)!
- Are we talking USB 1.0, USB 2.0, or USB 3.0?
- Any sort of budget constraints (if you want quality, it may be more $$$)?

HTH,

- Nick

Well the USB hub that I had was an Xmas gift and it came from Amazon for about $35 or so. I do not need that many ports, but it was cool so to speak. Now that I have an iMac and it is all in one, I could get by with 4-7 ports. The iMac has 4 already so I am thinking a 4 port would be fine. I saw one on Amazon that looks like it was "made by Apple" in that it is silver and made of aluminum like the iMac. Now that my keyboard, mouse, DVD drive, etc are all wireless or in the iMac I do not need all those ports and wires. I would like to stay under $50 yet get quality and not that cheap "made in china" junk that I bought for $7 that did not work at all.

I had the best of luck with Belkin 7-Port USB Hubs. One port on one died after 6 years use so I found this other at Office Depot and give it a try and love it. Strange brand but it's been 100% for over a year now.

It's called an Ativa Mobile IT 7 Port USB Hub. Has 2 top mounted ports which are great for plugging in USB sticks. It's a powered HUB also and I use it with many external hard drives and never ran into one issue.


Found the URL:

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/196179/Ativa-Mobil-IT-7-Port-USB/

s1mp13m4n said:

you are not paying for the hardware so to speak because a PC trumps the Mac in that area, you are paying for the style, OS X, and the fact that Apple can charge what they want because they have no direct competition.

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First, welcome to the forums. Glad you are enjoying your Mac.

Second, I disagree with your statement quoted above very thoroughly.

Apple does NOT charge more "just because they want to." They charge more because what they give you is considerably more valuable.

"Style" is not just "making something pretty." It reflects a philosophy that runs through the entire design of every piece of the machine, even the parts that are normally hidden from view. That philosophy is valuable, it requires careful time and thought that the other companies don't have to put into their machines.

So even though your condition may not allow you to full appreciate the outer design of the machine, it is reflected in everything that the machine does ... as you yourself have pointed out, a lot of things that you can't do or can't do as easily on lesser systems.

Your statement also diminishes the value of OS X. Apple is the ONLY one of the computer companies that makes its own operating system, and thus the only one that has to bear that cost. Again, that product isn't free, and the $30 they charge for upgrades doesn't even BEGIN to cover the cost of the years of research and development that goes into it.

Microsoft makes money off of indirect sales but is so widespread and commoditised that it can afford to make the average cost of a copy of Windows (for OEMs) down to the single-dollars range. Apple doesn't have that economy of scale and can't do that, but they have to compete with it anyway. So they take the route of spending increasing the WORTH of the OS rather than reducing the COST, and add some of that to the hardware price. Though you often hear of Apple having a 35-plus percent hardware markup, that never takes into account the cost of making top notch software -- not just OS X itself but iMovie, iPhoto, Aperture, Logic, Safari, Mail, iOS, iCloud ... I could go on.

While Microsoft continues to churn out endless redresses of Windows XP, and waits around half a decade between releases, Apple is constantly updating and improving the OS X experience, and adding thoughtful features that are often invisible to many at first but add up into significant savings of time and productivity. The machines are also a lot more pleasurable to use. To be able to do that and produce a superior OS than the many find minds out there labouring on Windows and Linux takes more than just luck.

As for "no direct competition," this is simply wrong. Apple competes against every PC maker on the planet. It's MUCH easier to buy a cheap box that sorta-kinda works "good enough." It takes intelligence and taste to recognize that mediocrity is not, ultimately, a good deal and to seek out not simply a more expensive option but a more VALUABLE option. In most cases and for most people, Macs have it all over Windows PCs when it comes to VALUE (though there are some exceptions to that rule of course).

There is mediocrity and there is excellence. At some point, hopefully, most people reach a stage in their lives (sometimes quite late in life) when they realise that drinking wine out of a box is inferior to a carefully produced wine; that eating at McDonald's is not really as satisfying as having a top-quality meal; that driving a barely-functioning wreck can still get them from A to B but that there's a better way to do that.

When people hit that "better way" moment, they either seek out and buy Apple or they have just bought one for other reasons and have an epiphany. Either way, I'm glad they finally "get it" and hopefully you will too soon enough. Enjoy your machine and welcome to the forums.

I am really enjoying this new iMac. I can say this honestly....Windows just can not compete with OS X. I have a 600-800 word paper to type for class this week and I am using my iPad to read the articles to get the info I need to type the paper. I will be using iWork to do this. I have never used it before but somehow I think it will a nice experience and be enjoyable to use.
You are right when you said above that I may not be able to enjoy the little details of my iMac, thus I can not see all the fine detail in the craftsmanship. That is a shame in a way, but the machine makes up for that in how enjoyable it is to use.

More important than being able to see it is being able to feel it, and that you have clearly already achieved.

My main issue now is learning the OS X file system. For example, I take pictures with my iPod Touch and then use iPhoto to take them off the iPod and place on the computer. Where does iPhoto put the files? I know you use Finder to get to them, but where are they?

s1mp13m4n said:

My main issue now is learning the OS X file system. For example, I take pictures with my iPod Touch and then use iPhoto to take them off the iPod and place on the computer. Where does iPhoto put the files? I know you use Finder to get to them, but where are they?

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Please don't use Finder to get them! This is a good way to end up corrupting your iPhoto Library and losing your pics.

iPhoto stores photos in a Library (essentially a folder). It is no problem to view photos in Finder, but management of those photos should be left to iPhoto unless you choose to use some other photo program like Picassa.

EDIT: If you feel compelled to use Finder (probably a carryover from your Windows days) you may want to try ACDSee from the Mac App Store. I believe if is ~$5 and gives you Finder like capabilities as well as some editing etc and I don't believe it will destroy your iPhoto Library in the process. Not where I can check that right now so be cautious, but I have it on my Mac and have used it before.

Razormac said:

Please don't use Finder to get them! This is a good way to end up corrupting your iPhoto Library and losing your pics.

iPhoto stores photos in a Library (essentially a folder). It is no problem to view photos in Finder, but management of those photos should be left to iPhoto unless you choose to use some other photo program like Picassa.

EDIT: If you feel compelled to use Finder (probably a carryover from your Windows days) you may want to try ACDSee from the Mac App Store. I believe if is ~$5 and gives you Finder like capabilities as well as some editing etc and I don't believe it will destroy your iPhoto Library in the process. Not where I can check that right now so be cautious, but I have it on my Mac and have used it before.

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Thank you for that great info. Yes it is from my Windows days. The reason I was looking for the files themselves was that I am posting my old Windows PC on Criagslist and I needed pictures for the listing and I did not know where they were. Can you help with this? Craigslist wants the file path to the pics I want to use in my posting.

Easiest way would probably be to open iPhoto (should be in your Dock). Find and select the photo(s) you want and export them to your Desktop or a Folder and upload from there.
iPhoto also has buit-in upload capabilities for FaceBook and some other sites (not sure about Flickr or others). I use PhotoBucket, so other than FaceBook I don't remember who the built-in links are.

iPhoto does have built-in uploading to Flickr as well as Facebook.