Honest,unbiased answer wanted form mac people..

bluefox9er · Nov 17, 2009

tonight i am seriously at my wit's end and my last raw nerve with windows. after updating, my windows pc simply refuses to log on to the only account in vista it is set up for.

no matter what i do or what i try i cannot turn on my windows computer. It's a very high end machine running vista, so it's not some cruddy 6 year old pc.

if you can make a solemn promise that this will NEVER ever happen if I had a mac, i will, this evening, take this windows computer, data and hard drives and all, and smash it into a billion pieces with a sledgehammer, as this is one failure way too many, one web page not loading efficiently too many , one simple office document on a machine with 8gb of RAM not loading quickly too many, and embarassingly one refusal to turn on too many. i defy any widows fanboy to defend this.

if you can tell me a mac turns on and does so consistnetly, dos'nt take minutes to load a propierty office document and dosn't afford me the luxury of making acup of coffee as it tries to multitask then in the morning

I will buy an imac and be done with what i am expereincing tonight with a windows computer.
furthermore, i will also destroy my high end windows laptop too, for selling that will subject abject misery to the unsuspecting buyer.

tonight i have hit my lowest ebb with a windows PC and can no longer defend it as it is quiet simply, not up to the basic task of nturning on after a microsoft operating update a sscheduled.

the truth only please and none of this ' it just works' BS form you guys as I am serious about killing windows completley.

I am seriously counting on your honesty here, mac guys...

baggss · Nov 17, 2009

Any computer can have problems, they are just machines. Macs have issues too, I just spent the weekend battling my wife's C2D iMac and I'm still not sure it's over.

Anyone who makes the promise you ask probably has a bridge to sell you cheap too...

sam joyce · Nov 17, 2009

Know how you feel, bought a nice new pc a year ago and didnt boot on rare occasion from the word go , each time thinking my projects were up the sh.tter and my career was over. I always had the drive partitioned ,and ghosted the main windows operatiing system to the second partion where ALL my documents are saved. Could always side step every serious problem by burning back the last ghosted install, it takes about 12 mins to make a ghost of windows C drive so could happily hard back up the op system ongoing.
Have a imac now and never had any glitches yet in 2 months solid work, so silent running as well it would freak you out!

bluefox9er · Nov 17, 2009

I paid £1,6000 ( make it £2500 after liscensed software etc) for functionality, not problems. One or two gripes is acceptable, but consistent slowdown and failure is unacceptable. refusing to turn on is the last straw :-(

sabot · Nov 17, 2009

i'm a recent switcher, i still use both & from what i can see so far is the Mac has a very stable operating system. seems to take everything in its stride without fuss.
plus a new Imac should be a fair bit better than my pre Intel 4 year old!

of course if you need to open word documents then there are many ways of doing that with a Mac & i'll let those with experience tell you the most efficient way

from my limited experience & reading your post it sounds like it might be just the change you need

just have a play with a few versions in the shop & get one thats suited to your requirements ;D

oh & if you don't like it you could maybe try superguing your old laptop back together

Colonel Panic · Nov 17, 2009

It can happen, but as long as you have a Mac install disk, you can break into any Mac around.

Chris H. · Nov 17, 2009

Here, I pulled this from a recent thread that I posted on..search "facts" in the search menu in the red bar at the top, and found something about a college essay..most of these are facts, though really it's up to you to decide: http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os...-osx-vs-windows-linux-college-essay-help.html

*Mac OS X has no viruses, but that doesn't mean there won't be one.
*There is a trojan for Mac OS X, but unlike Windows, there's no registry, and the trojan is easily removed through third-party software.
*While Apple's computers are more expensive, a comparable Windows PC with the same hardware specs will be about the same price, if not exactly the same. (Though this varies to a degree: store purchased, etc.)
*Older Macintosh computers (post-Jobs return) are upgradable to an extent- like any computer out there.
*Games do exist for Mac OS X, despite what Windows owners might claim. There may not be as many games, nor could there be the same titles (like the Games For Windows titles), but nonetheless, there are games that will suffice the most diehard computer game enthusiast.
*Applications are easily uninstalled in Mac OS X: drag the application to the trash, or find a third party software to uninstall it, such AppCleaner. This may seem funny at first, but compare that to Windows own software "wizard uninstaller/installer". Yes, it is that much simpler.

*Finally, unlike Windows, Mac OS X cannot, therefore should not, be installed on any other hardware other than Apple's own, on the flipside however, Windows can be run on Intel Mac's. As can most Linux-based OS distro's. So..there you have it.

I haven't had any problems with my ten year old Power Mac G4 (yet..I hope it won't be anytime soon either!), and I'm likely receiving my second Mac (more modern) this holiday season. If anything, there are some problems (based on my own reading here on the forum), but if you do run into them, at least you won't be told to check with the hardware manufacturer. Instead, you just talk to an Apple Genius at your nearest Apple Retail Store.

walkerj · Nov 17, 2009

Between my wife and I we've been through five Macs, and a handful of versions of OS X. All were upgraded by better macs and of those, I've had a total of maybe a dozen Kernel Panics (Mac version of a BSOD) among those five. So yeah, Macs crash occasionally like any piece of kit, but otherwise they have been rock stable and an absolute pleasure to use.

Why do you think i upgraded so many time to the next better Mac since I switched back in 2005? I'm a hardcore UNIX jockey and while in the past I've always had built myself Linux computers until I got sick of being my own tech support. You'll find that there are lots of Tech saavy people who switched to a Mac for that very reason. I do have a Windows Vista machine at my desk and a Vista laptop to do my job, but those come with a whole staff of people to assist me if something goes wrong, and I get paid to use that.

You have to pay me to use Windows. I use a Mac because it works best for doing things I don't get paid to use.

cjcoops · Nov 17, 2009

I'm only a few months in to having switched to a Macbook pro form years and years of Windows usage....

There can't be any guarantee of having no problems - but the underlying Unix is so virtually bomb-proof - used hp-unix for work in the oilfield for ~ 10 years in rough demanding environments and the Unix core NEVER crashed..... the software written 'on top' of it my have occasionally gone postal/bad but could always be 'killed' just as in Mac you can force an applicstion to quit (and i'm happy to say it does what it says unlike the windows will it or won't it version).

It will take a while for you to trust it probably - i'm adjusting to the fact i can leave applications runnning and not have to immediately shut them down when i'm finished, and also you really can just let the Mac sleep and wake up and so on for days on end and have no issues....

If you switch, expect some frustration just because there are new issues and ways of doing things (often startlingly simpler ways - PDF's being a big surprise - preview in Mac displays PFD's just fine (like an Acrobat Reader without the bloat and wait to start up), and it's built in capable of printing anything to PDf format.

Coops

Collin Bl · Nov 17, 2009

bluefox9er said:
tonight i am seriously at my wit's end and my last raw nerve with windows. after updating, my windows pc simply refuses to log on to the only account in vista it is set up for.

no matter what i do or what i try i cannot turn on my windows computer. this is beyond a joke as my job depends on this piece of $**t. It's a very high end machine running vista, so it's not some cruddy 6 year old pc.

if you can make a solemn promise that this will NEVER ever happen if I had a mac, i will, this evening, take this windows computer, data and hard drives and all, and smash it into a billion pieces with a sledgehammer, as this is one failure way too many, one web page not loading efficiently too many , one simple office document on a machine with 8gb of RAM not loading quickly too many, and embarassingly one refusal to turn on too many. i defy any widows fanboy to defend this.

if you can tell me a mac turns on and does so consistnetly, dos'nt take minutes to load a propierty office document and dosn't afford me the luxury of making acup of coffee as it tries to multitask then in the morning

I will buy an imac and be done with the **** that i am expereincing tonight with a windows computer.
furthermore, i will also destroy my high end windows laptop too, for selling that will subject abject misery to the unsuspecting buyer.

tonight i have hit my lowest ebb with a windows PC and can no longer defend it as it is quiet simply, not up to the basic task of nturning on after a microsoft operating update a sscheduled.

the truth only please and none of this ' it just works' BS form you guys as I am serious about killing windows completley.

I am seriously counting on your honesty here, mac guys...

But you still will not get a complete picture as there are guys like myself who have never used windows and i know i cannot give a objective comparison. But from what i read, i do not need to visit the M$ scene to be happy. With the latest versions of iLife and iWork i got rid of Office in 2007 and can export in .doc and .xls if i need to.

VegasGeorge · Nov 17, 2009

I had 26+ years of PC experience. I've had Macs for three years now. In my experience Macs have much fewer problems. Further, a problem encountered on a Mac is most often simply and quickly solved. Problem solving on a Mac is a lot easier that on a PC. Mac Help actually helps. Apple provides lots of really good information. There are multiple layers of person to person help available to Mac users. I can actually meet an Apple employee face to face and get answers to my questions. Ever tried that with Microsoft?

bluefox9er · Nov 17, 2009

sold.

i am so over the windows thing and just saved myself the embarassment of actually *paying* fo a windows 7 upgrade ( which should be free). I have clients I need to apologise to and explain that the wonder of microsoft windows is the reason why their photographs will be delayed.

tonight was the straw that broke this camel's back.

now I face the horrendous ordeal of waiitng for a mac store to actually get a quad core 27'' imac in stock..in england we like to do things a little slower ( ok, make tha a LOT slower) than our american friends so whilst they might be in the stores in the states, it's my worst nightmare that we wont be getting them in stores this side of christmas. i don't as a rule make purchases like this online.

I will never , ever, ever purchase a windows based system again. ever...and will staunchly advise any friends or fmaily who are changing computers to invest in alternative systems that, for starters, actually turn on when you power them up.

cwa107 · Nov 17, 2009

The Mac is a great alternative to Windows, but it IS different. You will have to approach it with an open mind and get used to its eccentricities. Once you do, it's well worth the investment, in my opinion.... but don't let anyone fool you into thinking that you will never have any problems. Computers, in general, are complex machines with moving parts - and in time, those parts will fail. Beyond that, in general, Macs tend to be relatively reliable and consistently rank highest in customer satisfaction.

My recommendation is to do your research, schedule a "Personal Shopper" appointment at the closest Apple Store and get the grand tour before you make a decision. Additionally, I would recommend purchasing David Pogue's excellent "Mac OS X Snow Leopard: The Missing Manual", which covers the aforementioned eccentricities you'll need to get used to, as well as the iLife suite that accompanies every new Mac.

Also, the quad core iMacs are in short supply worldwide - in fact, they just started shipping. So, if you want one, you may need to wait a few months.

Collin Bl · Nov 17, 2009

And when u make the change you might want to check out these

MYmacROX · Nov 17, 2009

There is no such thing as "never"... even with Macs.
They are amazingly superior to Windows machines, however and do not have the hang-ups, slow downs, and irritations you are frustrated with.

A Mac requires less RAM, a lesser processor, and less HD space to perform tasks faster and more efficiently than a Windows machine. They are just built better and more efficiently so they require simpler specs.

Before you take my word for it, or anyone else's on here, go to your local Apple Store and play with the iMacs. Try out the programs closely related to what you would be using. Talk to the employees there and get specifics and let them know your issues with Windows. They will have an answer and solution as it relates to a Mac.

Depending on what exactly it is that you do for work, there are MANY applications on a Mac that substitute nicely for whatever it is you're doing on Windows. Sometimes even for free (such as OpenOffice or Neo Office instead of MS Office).

bobtomay · Nov 17, 2009

Note: Merged Duplicate Threads

iPod Nano · Nov 17, 2009

Like others have said, it is impossible to PROMISE anything. We can only let you know that there are problems. All computers have problems, but ones on the mac are usually either:

a. hardware problems
or
b. minor software bugs.

There are no guarantees that this problem couldn't happen on a mac, but if you're ready to ditch Windoze and start a new life, go for it!

S.SubZero · Nov 18, 2009

You may want to check out Apple's own discussion forums at Apple - Support - Discussions - Forum Home. They have all kinds of forums, for pretty much all of their mainstream products, and the vast majority of people who post there only do so when they have a problem. In the Snow Leopard forum alone there are about 15,000 topics.

mikekan · Nov 18, 2009

No such problem (or of equivelant impartance) has happened to me the last 8 years I've been using a MAC.

Though it could be just me and the the way I treat my computers...

didymus · Nov 18, 2009

Collin Bl said:
And when u make the change you might want to check out these

That seems like a pretty expensive solution! I just transferred over my wireless network - took a surprisingly short time.

I switched to the Mac in April after more than 25 years with PCs - I haven't regretted it for a minute even though, as others have said, it isn't perfect - being a machine. However, I'm using a PC at the moment and have been for a week of more and I'm reminded what damage Windows can do to your productivity - things simply go wrong more often as you've found.

If you switch, though, I'd recommend transferring your PC stuff to a virtual machine under VMFusion (which I use), Parallels, or Virtual Box (free). There are some programs for which there is no really good Mac equivalent. For example, I use Homesite, the html editor a lot in editing an online journal, and nothing for the Mac comes close in ease of use and functionality. I've also got Photoshop on the PC and didn't want to buy a new Mac version. You may have the same kind of issue. One nice thing, XP seems to run faster on a virtual machine on my iMac than it did on the PC!